Pei Ji didn't want to answer, but under Qi Yunze's gaze, he finally spoke.
"Reporting to Big Brother... there is."
Qi Yunze nodded slightly and turned to Cang Dongqing: "What were you discussing?"
Just as Cang Dongqing was about to speak, Li Nanyi beat her to it: "Reporting to Big Brother, we were analyzing the tactics of the Five Elements Dao Sect."
"Oh?" Qi Yunze's gaze was as sharp as a sword. "Let's hear it."
Li Nanyi was about to open his mouth when Qi Yunze suddenly raised a hand to interrupt: "Let Lin Shuang speak."
The surroundings instantly fell silent.
Lin Shuang's hand tightened around her sword. Under Qi Yunze's watchful gaze, she slowly spoke: "Big Brother, we... we were discussing the extra match."
Her voice trembled slightly: "Everyone says... it's to suppress the reputation of the Five Elements Dao Sect..."
Qi Yunze's gaze swept over the group like freezing ice. Le Changxi subconsciously took half a step back, Qu Chen's fingertips unconsciously tapped his scabbard, and Li Nanyi lowered his head, not daring to meet his eyes.
Only Cang Dongqing managed to force a smile, though her face had already turned slightly pale.
"So," Qi Yunze's voice was as cold as ice, "do you think using such tactics is worthy of the swords in your hands?"
Pei Ji spoke up with difficulty: "Big Brother... this was the intent of our master and the sect leader..."
"Where is your sword heart?" Qi Yunze suddenly asked, his voice not heavy yet exploding like a clap of thunder.
Pei Ji's body swayed, his face turning pale in an instant.
His hand holding the sword trembled slightly. In his mind, the first lesson his master had taught him when he first entered the Sword Heart Sect suddenly flashed—'The sword is the heart's blade.'
Fine beads of sweat broke out on Le Changxi's forehead as he murmured, "We only..."
Li Nanyi's legs went soft, nearly causing him to collapse to the ground. Cang Dongqing's complexion grew even paler, and the beads on her wrist had tightened at some point, leaving a bloody mark.
She forced a smile: "Big Brother misbehaves, I..."
"Enough." Qi Yunze interrupted her, his gaze landing on Pei Ji. "What is your condition?"
Pei Ji's throat moved as he swallowed: "Reporting to Big Brother, I am in perfect condition."
"Are there any unhealed hidden injuries?"
"...No."
"Will it affect the match?"
Pei Ji remained silent for a moment before finally shaking his head: "It will not."
Qi Yunze gave him a deep look: "Remember what you said today."
After saying that, he observed everyone's reactions. Finally, his gaze fell on Cang Dongqing. Seeing her pale face and the bloodstain on her wrist, he ultimately said nothing more.
"I will go speak to Master and the Sect Leader," he sighed, turning to leave. However, he stopped by the stone table. "Second Brother..."
Pei Ji snapped his head up.
"Think about why you first took up the sword," Qi Yunze's voice carried a rare hint of warmth. "What is it... that you truly want?"
With that, his figure vanished out the door.
A deathly silence filled the room.
Pei Ji looked down at his sword, his pale face reflected on the blade. He suddenly remembered twenty years ago, when he had knelt before the gates of the Sword Heart Sect for three days and three nights, all for a chance to learn the sword...
Back then, what was it he wanted?
Le Changxi sat down dejectedly, his long sword hitting the ground with a clang.
Qu Chen leaned against the wall, his eyes vacant. Li Nanyi sat paralyzed on the floor, his forehead resting against his sword hilt, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Only Cang Dongqing remained standing. She looked down at the bleeding beads on her wrist, a flash of gloom passing through her eyes.
"Little Junior Sister..." Le Changxi's voice was hoarse. "Are we..."
Cang Dongqing suddenly looked up, her face once again wearing that familiar, gentle smile: "Don't overthink it, seniors. Big Brother is right; we truly should fight a fair and square battle."
On the other side, Duan Xianxing hurried back to the Five Elements Dao Sect's seating area.
"How did it go?" Li Nanzhu asked impatiently.
Duan Xianxing was beaming: "Cang Dongqing must have taken the bait! She should think Second Brother's previous flute music was a front!"
Feng Qingping couldn't help but laugh: "You didn't make up some crazy story, did you?"
"Of course I did!" Duan Xianxing said proudly. "I told her Second Brother composed a new piece that sounds particularly beautiful!"
The jade flute in Zhu Yinxi's hand almost fell to the ground: "..."
Jiang Yifan said coldly, "Nonsense."
Mu Wenyan shook his head helplessly: "Still... the effect is good."
"What about Pei Ji?"
"As for Pei Ji..." Duan Xianxing scratched his head, "I didn't manage to find out much."
He recalled the scene from earlier, "But seeing how unhurried Cang Dongqing looked, there shouldn't be any problem."
Feng Qingping thought for a moment: "It seems Pei Ji's condition is indeed fine, and his spiritual energy consumption should be mostly recovered."
Duan Xianxing suddenly frowned: "But... that Cang Dongqing gave me a really strange feeling." He rubbed his arms as if trying to brush off some discomfort. "While talking to her, I actually spaced out..."
Hearing this, Li Nanzhu became instantly alert: "What happened?"
"It's just..." Duan Xianxing struggled to organize his words, "for a moment, I actually felt she was incredibly trustworthy, even... even having a similar feeling to when I'm facing Little Junior Sister."
These words were like a thunderclap, and everyone present instantly changed expression.
Zhu Yinxi's jade flute paused, Jiang Yifan's gaze turned cold, and Feng Qingping stood up directly: "Seventh Brother, tell us in detail!"
Duan Xianxing was startled by the reaction: "Just... while talking, I suddenly felt she was very kind and almost told her our entire plan..."
Fearing the others would worry, he quickly added, "Of course, my willpower is very firm, so I didn't say anything!"
Li Nanzhu's hand holding Suisui tightened involuntarily. She knew all too well what this meant.
If her guess was right... this was likely the intelligence-lowering effect brought by the heroine's halo!
She remembered the strange attitudes of the people around whenever they encountered Cang Dongqing... It seemed the brainless characters who supported Cang Dongqing in the original story were likely influenced by this halo.
But she couldn't say this guess directly, so she said diplomatically, "Big Brother, should we check Seventh Brother over?"
Mu Wenyan already had a hand seal ready: "Seventh Brother, don't move."
A green light shot from Mu Wenyan's fingertip, scanning Duan Xianxing from head to toe.
After a moment, Mu Wenyan's brow furrowed slightly: "His divine sense indeed has some fluctuations..."
"What?!" Duan Xianxing jumped up. "Did that Cang Dongqing really do something to me?"
Feng Qingping immediately took out an array disk: "I'll check again."
After repeated confirmation, everyone finally sighed in relief—Duan Xianxing's divine sense only had minor fluctuations and showed no signs of being controlled.
"It should have just been a temporary influence," Mu Wenyan pondered. "However..."
Li Nanzhu added at the right time: "This shows that Cang Dongqing might have cultivated some kind of technique that influences the mind."
Mu Wenyan's expression was grave: "It seems Cang Dongqing is not as simple as she looks. The Sword Heart Sect doesn't have such a technique."
He looked at Duan Xianxing, "Seventh Brother, try to avoid individual contact with her from now on."
Duan Xianxing patted his chest in lingering fear: "You couldn't pay me to go back!"
"I will go investigate later," Mu Wenyan looked at Li Nanzhu. "Next, it's up to you, Little Junior Sister."
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