IVYSCP - Chapter 49
Chapter 49
After Nie Wenxiao left, Ling Qingyue sat there in a daze, making no move to return to her secluded cultivation.
Pei Si watched her frown unconsciously again and reached out to smooth it away. Ever since being revived, Ling Qingyue seemed to always be frowning.
"Don't overthink things. Go into seclusion properly. No matter what happens, I'll be here."
Ling Qingyue's brow relaxed as she felt the cool fingertip gently stroke across it, carrying with it a faint, cold fragrance.
"I'll go then."
"Mm."
Ling Qingyue stood up. She saw Pei Si wasn't moving, so she didn't move either, just staring at her fixedly.
Pei Si pressed her lips together in a light smile and rose as well. "Come on, I'll see you off."
It was barely a dozen steps from the courtyard to the room.
The two walked side by side, very close. After two steps their hands brushed together, and naturally, their fingers intertwined.
They broke each step into two, managing to stretch the walk to over thirty steps before reaching the door.
Ling Qingyue stepped into the room. She seemed to feel that they had been a bit too clingy and sticky just now. She put her hand on the door, about to close it, when a pale, clean hand suddenly reached in. Then her chin was gently lifted, and cool lips pressed against hers.
Ling Qingyue's hand was still gripping the door. The sucking and light biting on her lips made her fingers tighten unconsciously. Pei Si's hand moved behind her ear, stroking that soft skin over and over, her fingertips circling the tip of her ear again and again.
The nape of her neck went numb and prickled with goosebumps, an inexplicable itch spreading even to her lower back. Ling Qingyue couldn't suppress a soft moan.
The ambiguous sound rose in the quiet night, startling them both.
Their hot breaths tangled together. Ling Qingyue's face flushed all the way to the base of her neck. She bit Pei Si's lower lip angrily, then shoved her out the door, slamming it shut with a bang.
The door closed right before her eyes, barely missing the tip of Pei Si's nose. Her mind still echoed with Ling Qingyue's involuntary sound, as if in total pleasure, or maybe... dissatisfaction.
Lowering her eyes to hide her amusement, Pei Si raised a hand and touched her own lips, a faint heat creeping up her ears.
She turned to head next door, only to find Xue Zizai frozen stiff at the other end of the corridor.
The moment Xue Zizai realized Pei Si had seen her, she immediately lowered her head, face bright red. She flustered left and right, nearly crashing into a pillar, took a while to find her door, then dove inside and shut it tight.
Pei Si listened to a flurry of crisp bell sounds. "..."
Three days later, the Seventy-Two Sects began arriving at Piaomiao Sect one after another. Due to the restriction on cultivation levels, each sect could only bring Core Formation and Nascent Soul disciples, so most of those who came were the younger generation. It was a time of youthful energy. When they met disciples from other sects, they couldn't help approaching them with curiosity to talk and exchange ideas.
They talked about everything: cultivation problems, how strict their elders were, the big and small events happening recently in the Immortal Realm.
A few Wushi Sect disciples and Linglong Pavilion disciples huddled together chattering away.
A Linglong Pavilion disciple had set out a handful of Spirit Qi melon seeds on the table. She spoke with animated excitement. "You know what? Just a dozen or so days ago, Cui Heng from Shangtianqiong came attacking Piaomiao Sect with Immortal Alliance people. They even brought the Sun-Chasing Crossbow. The Sun-Chasing Crossbow! That's an artifact used back in the Immortal-Demon War!"
The Wushi Sect disciples looked shocked. "Really?! I only knew Piaomiao Sect suddenly withdrew from the Immortal Alliance. Did something that big really happen?"
Another Wushi Sect disciple raised her head to look at the grand formation swirling with golden light above. "But Piaomiao Sect looks fine. And have you seen their Sect Grand Formation? Whoa, so impressive and powerful. There have to be at least three thousand formations interlinked and harmonizing. Where did they find a formation cultivator to make this? It feels even on par with Lingxu Immortal Palace and Shangtianqiong. Piaomiao Sect's momentum has been really fierce these years."
A Linglong Pavilion disciple immediately chimed in. "It's precisely because of this grand formation. Otherwise, Piaomiao Sect probably wouldn't even be here today."
As she spoke, she grabbed a handful of melon seeds and stuffed them into a nearby Wushi Sect disciple's hand, as enthusiastic as if she were hosting guests in her own home. "Don't be shy, don't be shy."
That Wushi Sect disciple was out on her first secret-realm trial. Her senior sisters often told them the cultivation world was treacherous and they shouldn't trust anyone easily. But now that they were meeting people, everyone seemed pretty nice, even sharing food.
"They even brought the Sun-Chasing Crossbow, and this grand formation could withstand it! So amazing!" another Wushi Sect disciple exclaimed.
The Linglong Pavilion disciple gave a little scoff and wagged her finger. Then she beckoned to the circle of Wushi Sect disciples around her, and a cluster of heads leaned in close.
"Cui Heng never even got to use the Sun-Chasing Crossbow. She dueled swords with someone and lost. She almost died at the gates of Piaomiao Sect."
"What?!"
"She lost?!"
"Who, who, who did she lose a sword duel to? Cui Heng is the Sword Venerable's only disciple! They say she's already received the Sword Venerable's true teachings. She lost?"
The Wushi Sect disciples' eyes went wide with utter disbelief.
A Linglong Pavilion disciple beside them said anxiously, "Shh, shh, shh, keep your voices down."
"What's there to be afraid of," the Linglong Pavilion disciple who had been doing all the talking said, glancing around with a smile. "The people from Shangtianqiong haven't arrived yet."
At those words, the whole circle relaxed and let out a huge breath of relief.
Gossiping about someone's embarrassing stories behind their back naturally made them a bit nervous, especially since the subject was someone as petty as Cui Heng.
Another person from Wushi Sect asked, "Then why did Cui Heng attack Piaomiao Sect? Just because Piaomiao Sect withdrew from the Immortal Alliance?"
"I heard it's because Piaomiao Sect offended Cui Heng. Given Cui Heng's personality, it's not surprising she'd come looking for trouble."
"Just that? And the Sword Venerable let her take the Sun-Chasing Crossbow for it? That's way too indulgent."
"The Sword Venerable didn't know about it. She severely punished Cui Heng afterward. She went way too far this time, she's probably in real trouble."
"But..." One person hesitated before speaking. "This time, Cui Heng is among the Shangtianqiong disciples coming for the trial."
"Uh..."
The group looked at each other, then finally waved it off with a laugh. "Just rumors, just rumors. Who knows what's true and what's false."
In the distance, a black-clad woman holding her sword stood with a cold expression. Hearing these words, she frowned slightly.
Cui Heng lost? Since when did Piaomiao Sect have such a formidable sword cultivator?
"Chi Que," someone called her.
Chi Que looked up, saw who it was, and nodded in greeting. "I didn't expect it would be you coming this time."
Ying Ying walked over with her arms crossed, raising an eyebrow with a smile. "Your Wushi Sect sent your Sword-Holding Elder. What's so strange about us sending a Young Palace Master?"
Chi Que's lips curved slightly, the smile fleeting. She asked, "Did you hear about what happened at Piaomiao Sect?"
Ying Ying looked at her with some surprise. "Heavens, since when do you listen to people gossiping about these things? Had a change of heart?"
Chi Que clicked her tongue lightly. "I'm being serious."
Ying Ying toned down her expression and sighed softly. "Piaomiao Sect has always kept a low profile. They were probably forced into a corner by Cui Heng. But afterward... I'm afraid it's going to be difficult for them."
Chi Que wasn't concerned about Piaomiao Sect. She only wanted to know one thing. "Did Cui Heng really lose a sword duel?"
Ying Ying curled her lip and nodded. "She even suppressed her cultivation to Foundation Establishment. A pure swordsmanship duel, and she lost."
Chi Que tightened her grip on her sword. "Who defeated her?"
Ying Ying shook her head. "Don't know. Piaomiao Sect has hidden it quite deep. Having such a formidable disciple is just like Liu Qingtang back then, appearing out of nowhere."
"Not only do they have a remarkably powerful sword cultivator, there's also..." Ying Ying glanced meaningfully at the formation above. "Didn't they say that person from Cangshan is in seclusion?"
Just as she spoke, people from Piaomiao Sect arrived to welcome them.
Chi Que lifted her chin. "Let's go, they're here."
Ying Ying nodded and turned to head toward the Lingxu Immortal Palace disciples.
That group of chattering juniors also stopped gossiping when they saw this and returned to their own teams.
The groups from Wushi Sect, Lingxu Immortal Palace, and Linglong Pavilion exchanged formal bows with each other, then also bowed to the people of Piaomiao Sect. Their etiquette was very thorough.
As the sects were exchanging greetings, more than a dozen streaks of light suddenly landed. Sword Qi burst outward, kicking up a swirl of dead leaves with no regard for the others present.
Elsewhere, Lu Yao stormed over to Water Cloud Dwelling. She slammed something down heavily on the stone table, grabbed a handful of fish food to feed the red carp, and only after catching her breath did she manage to suppress her anger. Turning her head, she found Pei Si sitting at the table watching her.
She'd been so furious earlier she hadn't noticed anyone there. Only now did she come back to her senses and blushingly offer a greeting. "Senior."
It was rare to see Lu Yao like this. Pei Si asked, "What happened?"
Lu Yao got angry all over again. She let out a heavy huff. "And to think I used to especially admire Shangtianqiong! None of them are good people!"
After speaking, Lu Yao only then realized that the person in seclusion in the room was also from Shangtianqiong. She hastily clapped her hand over her mouth.
Pei Si asked evenly, "What did Shangtianqiong do?"
"Didn't they say Cui Heng was being punished? Something about Thunder-Fire Whipping, something about a month of wall-gazing repentance in the Cold Water Cave. There was none of that! She's still going to enter the Ancient Yao Forest Realm for the trial this time! What is this, just words for our ears? Just because she's the Sword Venerable's disciple, the Sword Venerable can be this partial..." As Lu Yao spoke, her eyes reddened with anger.
"Bang!"
With a loud sound, the tightly shut door was thrown open. Ling Qingyue walked out, her expression dark.
Lu Yao flinched. "Senior."
"You just said Cui Heng is also coming to this secret-realm trial?" Ling Qingyue asked coldly.
If Cui Heng had really been punished, even setting aside the Cold Water Cave, the Thunder-Fire Whipping alone would have been enough to leave her bedridden for a month. That she could come to the secret-realm trial only meant she hadn't been punished at all.
Lu Yao could see her anger and quickly said, "I, I only heard about it."
The words had barely faded when four sect crests suddenly burst in the sky.
Ling Qingyue raised her eyes to look. First was Linglong Pavilion, then Wushi Sect and Lingxu Immortal Palace. The last was one she knew all too well.
Sun and moon reflecting each other, combining into the shape of a long sword: the crest of Shangtianqiong.
"I'm going out," Ling Qingyue said to Pei Si. Her figure transformed into a streak of light shooting across the sky above Water Cloud Dwelling.
Pei Si followed without hesitation.
Watching the scarlet and golden streaks, Lu Yao's hands trembled as she used her jade token to send a message to her Sect Leader.
The disciple from Piaomiao Sect responsible for receiving the immortal sects was Feng Jian. Their group had just finished exchanging bows with the other three sects and was now facing Shangtianqiong directly. Neither side made any move to bow first. Sparks crackled in the air as they stared each other down.
Cui Heng gave a cold snort and stepped forward.
The next instant, a Sword Qi of overwhelming force came from midair. Formations layered over the Sword Qi gave it terrifying power.
A thunderous boom drew everyone nearby to look over.
Where the Shangtianqiong disciples had been standing, a long sword was now planted. Sword Qi rippled outward, forcing the Shangtianqiong group back several steps, stopping them right outside Piaomiao Sect's barrier.
Cui Heng narrowed her eyes. She already knew who had come.
Two figures flashed into view before the crowd. Ling Qingyue raised a hand and rested it lightly on the sword hilt, her gaze sweeping over the Shangtianqiong disciples before her.
Very good. She didn't know a single one.
"Shangtianqiong, is it." She hooked her lips and spread her palm. "Toll fee."
Standing behind her, Pei Si's eyes flickered with amusement.
Cui Heng's expression cracked a little. "Toll fee?"
She had never heard of such a thing.
"You want to pass through Piaomiao Sect? You pay the toll fee." Ling Qingyue sneered. "Otherwise, figure out your own way to fly, burrow, or pass, or you can bring the Sun-Chasing Crossbow again and break the formation."
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