Jiang Yifan took the white paper, his slender fingers lightly rubbing the surface.
He condensed a sliver of spiritual energy at his fingertips and slowly swept them across the paper. The spiritual energy flowed like water across the surface, yet it failed to trigger any reaction.
"Ordinary," he evaluated briefly, holding the white paper up to the sunlight for careful observation. "No talisman runes."
Li Nanzhu asked unwillingly, "Fourth Senior Brother, is there really no abnormality? Not even an issue with the fragrance?"
Jiang Yifan smelled the paper again. "Ink orchid powder... a common fragrance." He paused and added, "Often used by female cultivators."
Duan Xianxing scratched his head. "Then what was Cang Dongqing doing with a piece of white paper? And acting like it was some kind of treasure..."
Li Nanzhu took the white paper and checked it once more, refusing to give up. "But... how could something in the heroine's hands be ordinary?"
Jiang Yifan raised an eyebrow at her words. "Heroine?"
Li Nanzhu's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly corrected herself. "I mean... Cang Dongqing is a direct disciple of the Sword Heart Sect. She wouldn't just carry a piece of white paper everywhere for no reason, right?"
Jiang Yifan gave her a thoughtful look before taking the paper back to check it again.
This time, the spiritual energy condensed at his fingertips was even richer, even emitting a faint green glow. The spiritual energy traversed the paper several times, but there was still no reaction.
"It is indeed ordinary," he finally confirmed. "Not a magic tool, and no restrictions."
Li Nanzhu had no choice but to dejectedly put the white paper back into her storage bag, though she still carefully placed it inside a separate jade box.
Although she didn't know why Cang Dongqing valued it so much, she had a feeling... that perhaps it might come in handy at some point.
Suisui wriggled in her arms, a bone claw pointing toward the distant arena.
Duan Xianxing glanced at the sky. "First Senior Brother's match is about to begin. Shall we head over?"
The spectator area was teeming with people, much busier than usual.
A duel between nascent soul stage cultivators was indeed a rare sight, and disciples from various sects had arrived early to claim their seats.
The seating area for the Five Elements Dao Sect was relatively spacious. Li Nanzhu found a seat near the front and instinctively scanned the Sword Heart Sect's side.
Cang Dongqing sat upright in the front row, holding a bamboo scroll in her hands, her expression focused.
The bead bracelet on her wrist shimmered with a gentle luster in the sunlight, looking no different from a common accessory, but Li Nanzhu felt the color of the beads seemed a few shades darker than what she had seen that morning.
But Qi Yunze... was actually not there?
Her gaze continued to search and finally discovered that figure on a distant ancient pine tree. In the morning light, Qi Yunze stood alone on a branch, his white robes as pure as snow, appearing as if he were isolated from the world.
As if sensing her gaze, Qi Yunze suddenly turned his head, looking back at her from across the entire arena.
Li Nanzhu's heart jumped, and she hurriedly looked away.
"What's wrong?" Duan Xianxing noticed her odd behavior.
"Nothing..." Li Nanzhu forced herself to remain calm. "Let's watch the match."
Hearing this, Duan Xianxing's gaze immediately returned to the stage. "First Senior Brother is on!"
On the arena, Mu Wenyan stood elegantly in his white robes.
His opponent was a nascent soul cultivator from the Yun Heng Sect; the two were currently exchanging salutes.
The bell rang, and Mu Wenyan's longsword left its sheath.
The sword's edge traced a cold arc in the morning light, carrying no elemental spiritual energy, purely breaking through the air with sword momentum.
The nascent soul cultivator from the Yun Heng Sect was clearly stunned. In his haste, he summoned a fire-patterned shield. Mu Wenyan's sword edge collided with the surface of the shield, producing a deafening roar.
Li Nanzhu's eyes also widened.
Mu Wenyan was indeed skilled in swordsmanship, but he had never displayed such pure attainment in the Dao of the sword—without the enhancement of his dark spiritual root, it was simply the perfect union of sword and man.
On the arena, Mu Wenyan's figure was like a bolt of lightning. Every strike carried the momentum to split mountains and crack stone. His opponent retreated repeatedly, and cracks had already appeared on the fire-patterned shield.
"As expected of First Senior Brother!" Duan Xianxing's eyes were glowing. "Sure enough, our Five Elements Dao Sect's swordplay is even more formidable than the Sword Heart Sect's!"
Li Nanzhu suddenly remembered the spirit tea Feng Qingping had given Mu Wenyan that morning.
"Could it be the effect of that tea?"
She speculated privately, "Not only can it mask the dark spiritual root, but it can even strengthen physical power?"
The battle on the arena grew increasingly intense.
Mu Wenyan's sword moves became faster and faster, each strike accurately hitting the shield's weak points. Sweat began to bead on his opponent's forehead, clearly not having expected to encounter such a powerful sword cultivator.
"Bang!"
With another loud crash, the fire-patterned shield finally reached its limit and shattered into several pieces.
The Yun Heng Sect cultivator retreated in a panic, his hands forming a seal as a fire dragon let out a roar and lunged forward.
Mu Wenyan neither dodged nor avoided it, his longsword thrusting directly at the fire dragon's throat. Sword qi and flames collided, erupting into a blinding light. The resulting shockwave caused the protection array around the arena to tremble violently.
Before the aftermath of the fire dragon and sword qi collision could dissipate, the Yun Heng Sect cultivator had already performed a second hand seal.
Seven fire talismans appeared out of thin air, forming the Big Dipper formation in the sky. The scorching spiritual energy even scorched the floor of the arena.
"Go!"
The seven fire talismans shot out simultaneously, attacking Mu Wenyan from different angles.
A wave of gasps erupted from the spectator stands, and Duan Xianxing nervously grabbed Li Nanzhu's sleeve.
Mu Wenyan, however, remained unhurried, tracing a perfect circular arc with his longsword in front of him.
Wherever the sword edge passed, it actually left behind a five-colored trail of light. The seven fire talismans crashed into the sword circle like a clay ox entering the sea, vanishing instantly without a trace.
"Good!" Duan Xianxing slapped his thigh in excitement. "First Senior Brother's Five Elements sword techniques are amazing!"
On the stage, Mu Wenyan's figure darted through the firelight.
His sword moves became increasingly sharp, each strike pointing directly at the formation's weak points.
The Yun Heng Sect cultivator's expression was grave.
He formed a seal with both hands, and the spiritual energy around him suddenly surged as his robes fluttered without any wind. "Burning Heaven Sutra!"
The entire arena was instantly submerged in a sea of fire. The scorching temperature could be felt even by the spectators outside the protection array.
Mu Wenyan's figure was completely swallowed by the flames, causing an uproar in the stands.
"First Senior Brother!" Duan Xianxing suddenly stood up.
Li Nanzhu stared intently at the sea of fire and suddenly saw a flash of white light—Mu Wenyan's sword edge pierced through the flames like the first light of dawn.
His figure flickered in and out of sight within the fire, each step accurately treading into the gaps between the flames.
Feng Qingping couldn't help but softly praise him. "First Senior Brother's Five Elements Movement Art has reached the realm of perfection."
The following battle became even more intense.
The Yun Heng Sect cultivator was, after all, an established powerhouse of the nascent soul stage, and his various secret techniques were endless.
But Mu Wenyan consistently countered with his Five Elements sword techniques, sometimes like surging waves crashing against the shore, and at other times like a spring breeze brushing the willows, neutralizing all his opponent's attacks.
Two hours passed, and his aura showed no signs of disorder. On the contrary, fine beads of sweat were drenching the Yun Heng Sect cultivator's forehead.
"Bang!"
With another loud boom, the seven fire talismans the opponent had just released shattered at the same time.
Mu Wenyan seized this fleeting opportunity, his longsword like a rainbow, pointing directly at the opponent's throat.
"I admit defeat." The Yun Heng Sect cultivator gave a bitter smile and withdrew his hands. "Fellow Daoist Mu's sword dao... is truly admirable."
The entire venue erupted into thunderous cheers.
Mu Wenyan sheathed his sword, his green robes still as spotless as if the intense battle just now had been a mere illusion.
"Mu Wenyan of the Five Elements Dao Sect wins!"
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