Cang Dongqing's lip twitched. "I..."
"I knew it!" Duan Xianxing slapped his thigh. "It must be because I'm more handsome than Pei Ji and the others!"
"Pfft—" Not far away, a Sword Heart Sect disciple spat out a mouthful of tea.
Cang Dongqing's expression flickered through several changes before settling on an exceptionally strange look. She stood up abruptly. "Fellow Daoist Duan, I just remembered I have something to attend to..."
"Don't go!" Duan Xianxing grabbed her sleeve enthusiastically. "Let's chat more! Look at how nice the weather is today—the sun is bright, and the sky is cloudless..."
Cang Dongqing tried to pull her sleeve back forcefully, but she didn't expect Duan Xianxing to suddenly let go. She stumbled and nearly fell over.
Duan Xianxing reached out with "concern." "Junior Sister Cang, be careful!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother Duan," Cang Dongqing said, her tone full of gentleness. But coupled with that bizarre expression on her face, it looked incredibly awkward no matter how one viewed it.
She barely managed to steady herself and turned to leave.
"By the way, Junior Sister Cang!" Duan Xianxing suddenly called out. "That bead bracelet on your wrist..."
Cang Dongqing whirled around, a hint of vigilance flashing in her eyes. "What about it?"
"It looks quite nice. Where did you buy it? I wanted to get one for my junior sister too," Duan Xianxing asked with a smile.
Cang Dongqing's expression relaxed instantly, even carrying a hint of pride. "This was specially bestowed by my master. It can't be bought outside."
"Oh..." Duan Xianxing drawled in disappointment, but then his eyes lit up again. "Then when I officially join the Sword Heart Sect, will Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao give me one too?"
Cang Dongqing's smile froze on her face. "This..."
"Junior Sister Cang." A cold voice suddenly cut in. Lin Shuang appeared beside them at some unknown point. "Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao is looking for you."
Cang Dongqing looked as if she had been granted a reprieve and hurriedly bowed. "Senior Brother Duan, I shall take my leave."
Duan Xianxing waved a spirit fruit core. "Safe travels, Junior Sister Cang! Let's chat again next time!"
Watching Cang Dongqing practically flee, the smile on Duan Xianxing's face gradually faded.
He looked down at his palm—in the moment he had touched Cang Dongqing's wrist, he had felt a weird fluctuation of spiritual energy. It was both warm and unfamiliar; although his body instinctively felt repelled by it, there was also an inexplicable sense of wanting to be near it.
"Strange..." he muttered softly, pulling out another spirit fruit to munch on.
Lin Shuang didn't leave immediately. Instead, she swept a cold glance over him. "Fellow Daoist Duan seems to enjoy teasing my sect's disciples?"
Duan Xianxing looked innocent. "Fellow Daoist Lin, how can you say that? It was clearly Fellow Daoist Cang who came to chat with me of her own accord."
Lin Shuang huffed coldly. "Does Fellow Daoist Duan really think you're that popular with our disciples?"
Duan Xianxing grinned. "Maybe it's just because I'm quite handsome?"
Lin Shuang: "..."
How was this person completely different from the one she had met in the Forest of Demonic Beasts?
Ultimately, she chose to turn away with an expressionless face. Duan Xianxing faintly heard her mutter, "He's sick."
"Oh-ho?"
Duan Xianxing took a bite of his spirit fruit in a great mood, sweeping the other items on the table into his storage bag while he was at it.
"I'll take these back for Junior Sister and Suisui to eat."
On the other side of the high platform, Cang Dongqing returned to the Sword Heart Sect's direct disciple seats. The gentleness on her face had long since vanished, replaced by a faint trace of melancholy.
"Well?" Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao asked in a low voice.
Cang Dongqing said sorrowfully, "Senior Brother Duan seems to dislike me..." Her hands gripped her skirt. "However, Dongqing feels that when he mentioned the Five Elements Dao Sect, the trust coming from his heart could not be faked. He really likes the Five Elements Dao Sect."
Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao frowned. "It seems he does not truly intend to defect."
"Master, do not worry." Cang Dongqing lightly stroked the red bead bracelet on her wrist, a flash of determination in her eyes. "Dongqing will find a way to make Senior Brother Duan join our sect with all his heart."
She lowered her head slightly, revealing a segment of her fair neck. "Only sincerity can be exchanged for sincerity. Dongqing believes that as long as we treat him with honesty, Senior Brother Duan will eventually understand our sect's sincerity."
Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao nodded appreciatively. "I am gratified that you have such intentions." He patted Cang Dongqing's shoulder lightly. "It is a great blessing for the Sword Heart Sect to have a disciple as dedicated to the sect as you."
Cang Dongqing's eyes welled with tears. "Sharing Master's burdens is a disciple's duty."
Li Nanyi curled his lip to the side. "I'm just afraid some people are too stubborn."
"Fifth Senior Brother," Cang Dongqing gently advised, "Senior Brother Duan has just arrived. It's only natural for him to be guarded against us."
She turned back to Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao. "Master, why don't you let Dongqing spend more time with Senior Brother Duan?"
Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao pondered for a moment. "That's fine, but..." He turned his gaze toward the arena. "Let's watch this match first."
On the arena, Jiang Yifan remained in his red robes with a cold, stern expression. His opponent, Qu Chen, carried a heavy sword on his shoulder, his eyes filled with battle intent.
"Jiang Yifan of the Five Elements Dao Sect."
"Qu Chen of the Sword Heart Sect. Please advise!"
"Begin!"
Qu Chen took the initiative, his heavy sword sweeping across. "Mountain Splitter!"
A heavy sword qi surged forward like a crashing wave. Jiang Yifan didn't panic and summoned the Qingxuan Seal. "Suppress!"
The small bronze seal expanded in the wind and collided with the heavy sword, producing a deafening roar. Qu Chen's hand shook from the impact, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He clearly hadn't expected Jiang Yifan's magic tool to be so sturdy that it could take a hit from his heavy sword!
Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Yifan summoned the Frost Blade. "Pierce!"
The silver-white short blade turned into a streak of light, aiming straight for Qu Chen's left side—the exact weakness Li Nanzhu had pointed out in the data she gave him!
Qu Chen hurriedly brought his heavy sword back to defend, but his body involuntarily shifted to the left. A sharp light flashed in Jiang Yifan's eyes as his third magic tool was deployed. "Explode!"
Three crimson beads flew in a triangular formation. Qu Chen had no choice but to dodge to the left again. Just as his center of gravity became unstable, Jiang Yifan's fourth magic tool was unleashed!
An ice-blue shield suddenly expanded, enveloping Qu Chen within it. As the cold air entered his body, Qu Chen's movements instantly became sluggish.
"Damn it!" Qu Chen spat through gritted teeth, swinging his heavy sword down with a roar. "Earth-Shatter!"
Boom!
The shield shattered upon impact. Qu Chen had just started to smile when Jiang Yifan's fifth magic tool was already waiting for him.
Countless gold needles shot forward like a torrential rain. In his haste, Qu Chen swung his sword to block, but several needles still grazed his left arm, causing a sudden burst of stinging pain.
"You!" Qu Chen shouted in a mix of shock and anger. "How do you..."
Jiang Yifan didn't answer, already deploying his sixth magic tool.
A blue-purple long whip coiled toward Qu Chen's feet like a spirit snake. Qu Chen leaped up urgently, only to see that Jiang Yifan had already pulled out a seventh magic tool!
Three earthen spikes suddenly thrust up from the ground. While in mid-air, Qu Chen had nowhere to hide and could only take it head-on. "Army-Breaker!"
The heavy sword struck down with thousand-pound force, shattering all the spikes. However, this strike left his breathing ragged and sweat on his forehead.
Jiang Yifan seized the moment and sent out his eighth magic tool.
Several crystalline ice needles shot silently toward Qu Chen's left side. Qu Chen struggled to dodge, but one needle still grazed his left shoulder, making his movements even slower.
"Bastard!" Qu Chen roared, his heavy sword dancing wildly. "Sweeping a Thousand Armies!"
Violent sword qi swept across the entire arena, but Jiang Yifan remained unperturbed. With a smile, he summoned his ninth magic tool: "Heavenly Thunder Pearl!"
A bead surrounded by purple lightning flew toward Qu Chen's face. Qu Chen's expression changed drastically. "I forfeit!"
The bead stopped three feet away from him and slowly flew back into Jiang Yifan's sleeve.
"Jiang Yifan of the Five Elements Dao Sect wins!"
The entire venue fell silent for a moment before erupting into a heated discussion.
"Heavens, nine magic tools in a row! He didn't give Qu Chen a single chance to counterattack!"
"So that's how a refinery master can fight?"
"Stop dreaming. How could we be as filthy rich as him? Several of those magic tools were disposable items!"
Qu Chen walked off the arena with an ashen face. At the Sword Heart Sect's seating area, Immortal Venerable Ling Xiao's expression was terrifyingly dark.
Rate on N.U.
