Chapter 22

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Chapter 22: The Righteous Kill

Wen Yun stopped in her tracks.

"What’s wrong, Martial Sister Wen?"

She shook her head and smiled, "Nothing."

She just felt a sudden wave of aggression towards her, even though it was only for a moment, she still sensed it because it was directed at her.

The cherry blossom trees around continued to quietly bloom and scatter in the wind, while the people behind were still arguing about whom to bet on, as if no one was paying attention to her.

Wen Yun tightly gripped the scabbard in her hand and casually turned away.

Behind the cherry blossom tree, Leng Yanyan quietly complained, "Cousin, why did you suddenly pull me so hard just now? Look, Yanyan’s wrist is all red."

Xie Mian leaned against a tree, his gaze fixed on the departing crowd from the Qingliu Sword Sect, only stepping out from behind the tree as if carrying a heavy burden after the figure was no longer visible.

Seeing Xie Mian ignoring her, Leng Yanyan coquettishly held out her wrist for him to see, "Look, you hurt me."

"I lost my temper just now, I’ll take you to find some ointment." Xie Mian’s expression softened again, but his eyes seemed lost, as if he had lost his spirit and couldn’t move a step.

Why did Little Jiu appear in the Qingliu Sword Sect’s group, and from the looks of it, she seemed quite familiar with his fellow disciples, was she there for him?

Also, why didn’t she die?

Xie Mian was very worried and anxious, with many thoughts rushing into his mind.

Leng Yanyan saw that he seemed distracted, and quietly rolled her eyes before speaking softly, "I see that my cousin is not in a good mood, is it because of Sister Liu’s matter?"

As soon as she arrived at Blizzard Island, she headed straight to the Xie Family’s residence. She had planned to spend some quality time with Xie Mian, recalling childhood memories to strengthen their bond. She didn’t expect to find Liu Luoyin living there as well!

The only thing Leng Yanyan was glad about was that she noticed some tension between Xie Mian and Liu Luoyin. Despite being on Blizzard Island for so many days, these two hadn’t exchanged a single word.

Seeing Xie Mian not denying it, she felt relieved and gently said, "Sister Liu comes from a noble background and must have always been admired by others. She may have a bit of a proud and rude temper, but deep down, she should be kind. Cousin, don’t be angry with her."

Xie Mian’s mind was still confused, and he absentmindedly smiled and nodded in response to Leng Yanyan’s words. It wasn’t until he heard Liu Luoyin’s name that he slowly came back to his senses.

Yes, he could go find Liu Luoyin to inquire about Little Jiu’s situation!

"You are right, I should apologize to the elder martial sister." Xie Mian’s eyes gradually regained their brightness. "Yanyan, please go find the medicine on your own. I will go find elder martial sister Luoyin first."

After saying this, he walked straight back, leaving behind Leng Yanyan, whose smile was fading.

She bit her silver teeth, then shouted "cousin", ran after him.

After they returned, they found Liu Luoyin calmly packing her things. When Xie Mian arrived, she turned her cold face away and said, "I have disturbed Junior Brother Xie for many days. Last night the sect brothers came, so I will return to the Qingliu Sword Sect team."

She had followed the Xie Family because she was afraid of being laughed at by her peers for losing to Wen Yun. But now, Xie Mian was angry with her because of Xie Jiu, making Liu Luoyin feel uncomfortable staying here.

Leng Yanyan was overjoyed when she heard that Liu Luoyin wanted to leave, but she maintained a gentle appearance and said, "Luo Yin sister, please don’t be angry. It’s Yan Yan’s fault for not advising cousin to apologize to you."

Liu Luoyin couldn’t stand Leng Yanyan’s appearance, so she didn’t even bother looking at her, she just stared straight at Xie Mian, waiting for his response.

This time, Xie Mian didn’t disappoint her. He slightly bowed and sincerely said, "Elder martial sister Luoyin, it was my fault that day. I hope you can forgive me."

After speaking, he reached out and held Liu Luoyin’s hand, his voice gentle, "Please don’t leave."

Liu Luoyin’s heart trembled, she quickly withdrew her hand and avoided his gaze, "You looked down on Wen Yun before, I lost to her, so I guess you must look down on me now too."

Xie Mian immediately responded, "Elder martial sister, someone as talented as you wouldn’t be beaten by a weak opponent. Wen Yun must have her strengths, and I shouldn’t underestimate her."

He paused before asking in a gentle tone, "I heard from my elder martial sister that Martial Sister Wen is young. Do you know how old she is?"

After hearing his apology, Liu Luoyin felt much better and replied, "She seems to be around fifteen or sixteen years old."

Upon hearing this answer, Xie Mian’s heart sank suddenly.

Indeed, it was the same person. She had unexpectedly arrived at Qingliu Sword Sect early, which meant that she knew everything about his reputation as a talented disciple within the sect.

He advised Liu Luoyin with a worried mind and managed to calm her down. She no longer brought up the idea of moving away.

However, Liu Luoyin still planned to meet with fellow disciples and wanted to bring Xie Mian along. She said, "Junior Brother Xie, although we are participating in the Swordsmanship Contest in the name of the Xie Family, we are also disciples of Qingliu Sword Sect. It’s only right to greet our fellow disciples."

She paused and added in a teasing tone, "You should also go and see for yourself whether Wen Yun from our Qingliu Sword Sect is truly better than your Xie Jiu."

Liu Luoyin was always proud and knew that her swordsmanship was inferior to Wen Yun’s. Although she was still unwilling to accept it, she didn’t want others to criticize Wen Yun.

If Wen Yun’s swordsmanship was lacking, wouldn’t it be even more embarrassing for her as his defeated opponent?

Xie Mian’s eyes twitched, feeling scared and uneasy at the thought of facing Wen Yun.

He politely declined with a smile, saying, "Excuse me, Elder Martial Sister, my older brother is about to arrive at Blizzard Island. I need to go outside the island to meet him. Could you please inform the senior martial brothers for me?"

Liu Luoyin had to go alone, not knowing that Xie Mian was secretly following her, arriving at the outskirts of the Qingliu Sword Sect together.

Carefully suppressing his breath like a thief, he hid behind a tree and quietly watched the commotion over there.

Then, he once again saw the girl standing in the crowd.

After not seeing her for six months, he noticed her features had matured, still cold and pure like the snow on a lonely peak, too beautiful to defile.

His gaze lingered on the girl, from her eyebrows to her eyes, finally settling on her slender waist.

Ah, this was the girl he had secretly watched for years.

His heart suddenly felt a mix of emotions, both joy and fear.

*

Wen Yun stood in the crowd, watching as her senior brothers politely greeted Liu Luoyin.

She didn’t like getting into arguments with others unless they were being mean to her.

So when Liu Luoyin’s gaze fell on her, she even smiled warmly and friendly.

How dare she mock me!

Liu Luoyin suddenly felt embarrassed, shot her a look, said a quick goodbye, and left.

Wen Yun wondered, "Why was she looking so fierce just now?"

A few sword cultivators chuckled, "Maybe Martial Sister Liu still holds a grudge from losing to you."

Although they were all direct disciples with Liu Luoyin, The First Peak always looked down on other peaks, so their relationship was not close in private.

As for Shen Xinghai, he came from the outer courtyard and his master was just a junior elder from The First Peak, with a very low status in the peak.

Just now when Liu Luoyin came, he didn’t even remember that he was also a disciple of The First Peak!

After realizing he was being ignored, Shen Xinghai silently held his sword and coldly said, "Thirty years in the Eastern River, thirty years in the Western River, do not underestimate a poor youth!"

Zhu Erchong beside him exclaimed, "Junior Brother Shen, where did you learn that phrase from? It suits our sword cultivator temperament so well!"

Bao Pilong also looked envious, "Quickly teach me, when others look down on me I only know how to curse, I don’t know how to say something cool."

Seeing all the sword cultivators eager to learn from him, Shen Xinghai blushed, his earlier momentum disappearing, his tongue seemingly tied, stammeringly taught them lines—

"I… my life is mine… not… not by the heavens."

Zhu Erchong praised loudly, "What a ‘my life is mine not by the heavens,’ keep going, Junior Brother Shen!"

"The… the heavens are unjust, so I go against the heavens…"

Bao Pilong clapped his hands and praised, "This sentence is amazing! Junior Brother Shen is so talented!"

It turns out that the senior brothers all appreciate these sentences!

With the encouragement of everyone, Shen Xinghai’s previously embarrassed heart gradually calmed down, and he spoke more smoothly. He even helped the group of senior brothers correct the tone when delivering lines.

For a moment, the entire courtyard echoed with various heroic lines.

However, Wen Yun gazed slightly outside the courtyard.

Standing beside her, Ye Shubai seemed to sense something and calmly stated a fact, "There’s hostility."

Wen Yun held her sword sheath and replied softly, "I know, someone else wants to kill me again."

Although she said that, she didn’t look afraid at all. Instead, she drew out the fire hemlock wand from the sheath and addressed the sword cultivators behind her loudly, "Senior brothers, just speaking lines isn’t enough, you need to add actions."

After speaking, Wen Yun slowly raised the peculiar wooden sword in her hand, her smile disappearing. Suddenly, a sharp and proud aura surged.

With a flick of her wrist, she swiftly executed several beautiful sword moves, without any hesitation. Although lacking spiritual power, her movements were so fast that even the sword shadows couldn’t be seen clearly.

Finally, the girl stood up straight, with her slim waist held high and her arm raised, seemingly unintentionally pointing the sword towards a place outside the courtyard.

The sword tip pierced through a petal of cherry blossom, lightly staining the wooden sword with a faint red color.

Her voice was clear and chilly—

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate a poor young person!"

This scene shook all the sword cultivators present.

The outer court disciples always loved watching the inner court disciples practice swordsmanship, and would secretly gossip about which senior brother had the most elegant moves and the most imposing sword gestures.

In reality, the inner court disciples would also compare privately.

"Martial Sister Wen’s footwork and stance, I am far behind!"

"It’s not just about speaking confidently, but also about striking a handsome pose when drawing the sword to make it good."

Even Shen Xinghai was gazing at Wen Yun with shining eyes, looking deeply touched.

She sheathed her wooden sword, took a clean cloth, and carefully wiped the petal juice off the sword tip. There was a faint smile on her lips, as if the sword drawing just now was merely a playful joke among peers.

Xie Mian, hiding behind a tree, startled and took two steps back nervously.

The sword was pointing directly at his hiding spot.

Although they were far apart, he felt as if the wooden sword had pierced his core, extracting the glowing Golden Core from his abdomen.

He was scared, almost wanting to flee in panic.

Wen Yun sheathed her wooden sword, her smiling eyes gradually turning cold.

One advantage of having strong mental power is exceptional insight, making one especially sensitive to murderous intent.

The threatening aura was weak, sometimes appearing and disappearing, as if the person was unsure whether to kill her or not.

But she was never one to just wait for someone to hold a sword to her neck.

"That person left," Ye Shubai said, looking at Wen Yun with a hint of worry.

Despite everything, she was still able to focus on drawing magic circles on the table.

Without looking up, Wen Yun said, "He wouldn’t dare to kill me. Unjustly killing contestants in the Swordsmanship Contest would be an offense to Blizzard Island and a slap in the face to Qingliu Sword Sect."

"Of course, there might also be skilled assassins lurking…"

She smiled, her eyes forming a beautiful curve.

"If they dare to come, I look forward to it."

After all…

Wen Yun turned her head and squinted at the tall and handsome Ye Shubai beside her.

The powerful assassin from the Transmigration Stage who tried to kill her before has died by the elderberry magic wand, which still faintly smells of blood.

*

The participants in the Swordsmanship Contest are all outstanding talents from various sects. Besides the Qingliu Sword Sect, almost all major sects have elders following to protect them.

This time, the Xie Family sent Xie Mian’s elder brother, young master Xie Xun from the Xie Family.

The two brothers are biological siblings from the same mother, with a age gap of three hundred years. Xie Xun has always taken care of his younger and weaker brother with great attention, acting as both a brother and a father figure.

As soon as Xie Xun arrived at Blizzard Island, he noticed something off about his brother’s face. He furrowed his brows and asked, "Mian, did someone from the Qingliu Sword Sect mistreat you?"

Xie Mian pursed his lips and forced a smile, "Elder brother, there’s no need to worry. Master and elder martial sister have always taken care of me, everything is fine."

"Is it that you’re not feeling well again?" Xie Xun scrutinized him and suddenly realized something, his expression turning serious, "You mentioned in the Message Jade Slip that your lower abdomen has been hurting recently. Could it be an issue with your Golden Core?"

When asked about his worries, Xie Mian felt a jolt in his heart.

Little Jiu was the orphan that Xie Xun brought home, using the Nascent Soul Stage’s pressure to immobilize her, making it easy to extract the Golden Core.

If Xie Xun finds out that Little Jiu is on the island right now, her life is in danger.

Xie Mian’s emotions were very complex at the moment; he hoped that Little Jiu would never appear in this world again, yet he didn’t want to see her die again.

The biggest fear for cultivators is their inner demons, and Little Jiu’s death is Xie Mian’s inner demon.

Since the day Xie Mian personally extracted the core, he basked in the glory of being admired and respected as a genius during the day, but at night he was haunted by endless nightmares, reminding him that he was just a thief stealing Golden Cores.

The Xie Family has paid a huge price for themselves, so Xie Mian dared not tell anyone that, despite his current success, he was frightened by inner demons keeping him awake at night.

If Wen Yun dies again, Xie Mian’s inner demon will never be resolved in this lifetime, and he will never advance beyond the Golden Core Stage.

Xie Mian’s eyes drooped slightly as he unconsciously brushed off the matter, "Perhaps my recent cultivation was not right, but now after resting for two days, I feel much better."

Xie Xun didn’t think much, he comforted his little brother saying, "I know you have always worked hard, but there’s no need to rush, you are still young…"

He lowered his voice a bit, "Moreover, now that you have those two things, entering the Transmigration Realm is just around the corner."

Xie Mian smiled gently, but secretly clenched his hand.

Xie Xun smiled and said, "Since you are participating in the Swordsmanship Contest, I should also go meet your senior brothers and ask them to take care of you."

Just then, Xie Mian suddenly groaned, holding his chest and frowning, "Brother, I suddenly feel chest pain, could you please check on me?"

Hearing his brother feeling unwell again, Xie Xun immediately took him back to the room for a thorough check-up. After a busy time, it was already late, and the plan to visit the members of the Qingliu Sword Sect was forgotten.

Xie Xun rubbed his forehead, carefully closed the door, and quietly instructed the black-clad attendant beside him, "Xie Shi, guard outside the Young Master’s door, report quickly if anything happens."

Liu Luoyin, who had come to visit Xie Mian, stopped in her tracks. She politely greeted Xie Xun and did not enter the room after he left. Instead, she silently observed Xie Shi at the door with a curious gaze.

His face was covered with a black cloth, dressed in a similar dark outfit, standing silently there almost blending into the night.

Liu Luoyin stared at him for a while, then tentatively called out, "Xie Shi?"

Xie Shi’s eyes flickered as he calmly responded, "Miss Liu, what can I do for you?"

She smiled and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Your name is quite interesting, is it from counting from one to ten?"

The boy in black clothing nodded silently.

"So…" Liu Luoyin’s breath slightly paused, then casually asked, "Do you have a senior named Xie Jiu?"

…

In the early hours of the morning, it was still dim and the morning breeze carried a hint of chill.

Xie Mian quietly stepped out and finally stopped under the same cherry blossom tree as yesterday.

Under another lush flower tree in the courtyard, a girl dressed in a simple Qingliu Sword Sect disciple outfit tied a green-blue ribbon around her waist. Her back was straight and elegant, resembling a tall green bamboo, beautiful like a painting in the morning light.

She repeated the sword movements over and over again, the scene akin to the memory Xie Mian held, yet her sword strikes were faster and more precise this time.

It felt like going back to the secret room of the Xie Family.

In the dim world, only the girl and her sword shone brightly, almost like the scorching sun burning through the darkness he hid in.

Xie Mian couldn’t take his eyes off, a smile unconsciously forming on his lips, almost entranced.

At that moment, a very gentle sound of twigs breaking came from behind.

Reacting instinctively, Xie Mian turned around with his sword drawn, slightly stunned after seeing the person’s face, "Senior Sister Luo Yin, why are you here?"

"I thought about it all night and came to find you for some clarification," Liu Luoyin’s face was a bit pale, her usually spirited eyebrows now slightly drooping, "I saw you leaving, so I followed."

He pressed his lips together, his smile still very gentle, "I woke up early and heard that the senior martial siblings like to practice swordsmanship in the morning, so I came to see."

Liu Luoyin looked at him steadily, "Junior Brother Xie, I have something to ask you."

Xie Mian sneakily glanced at the yard over there and said with a smile, "Okay, let’s go back and have breakfast while we talk, sound good?"

Liu Luoyin looked at him expressionlessly and said impatiently, "No problem, every courtyard on Blizzard Island has a Soundproof Spiritual Array, we can’t hear the sounds inside, and the people inside can’t hear us talking."

He couldn’t help but look up, only to see Wen Yun seemingly unaware of the commotion here, still diligently practicing swordsmanship.

"Elder Martial Sister Luo Yin, why are you in such a hurry–"

Before Xie Mian could finish asking, Liu Luoyin interrupted him directly, "The Xie Jiu you mentioned, is it a girl?"

"…" Xie Mian’s eyes darkened, then returned to a gentle and elegant look, nodding calmly, "Indeed, she is a girl."

Liu Luoyin’s gaze turned extremely cold, with a daunting pressure, "I heard that you have been practicing swordsmanship with her since childhood, so you two are childhood sweethearts, right?"

Childhood sweethearts, yes.

Childhood sweethearts? No.

Since he was young, Xie Mian knew that Little Jiu disliked him because of their first meeting. He looked so messy and pitiful, and caused her to be beaten up. Since then, she always looked at him very coldly.

He kept his head down and stayed silent, afraid that Liu Luoyin’s words would reach Wen Yun’s ears in the courtyard.

"Elder martial sister Luoyin, let’s not bring up these old matters anymore, let’s head back."

However, Liu Luoyin persisted, "Junior Brother Xie, since the Xie Family sent you to Qingliu Sword Sect to be taught by my father, you must understand the implications, right?"

He certainly knew.

The ancestor of the Xie Family’s Transmigration Stage was nearing the end of his life. To maintain the status of the four major families, they had to establish a connection with Qingliu Sword Sect.

If this newly emerged genius and Liu Luoyin, the senior martial sister of Qingliu Sword Sect, could become dao companions, it would be a true match made in heaven, benefiting both families.

Xie Mian understood everything and never objected before, but now when Liu Luoyin hinted at the matter, he felt inexplicably repulsed.

"Elder martial sister Luoyin, that’s enough."

His lips slowly curled into a very gentle smile and he said, "Let’s continue this conversation when we get back."

Liu Luoyin’s eyes sharpened as she said, "Let’s clear things up today."

"You were angry with me because of her a few days ago. I thought you were protecting the reputation of your Xie Family, but now I see you were just feeling sorry for belittling your crush. Whether she lives or dies, she will always be the moonlight shining on you. As for me, Liu Luoyin, I won’t stoop so low as to be like a mosquito that feeds on blood!"

He took a step forward, his eyes becoming colder, but he still had a smile on his face. He said, "Elder martial sister, maybe you have misunderstood me?"

She held a sword, dressed in a fiery red gown, with a proud expression on her face as always. She said, "Junior Brother Xie, let’s forget about this engagement!"

Before leaving, Liu Luoyin took out a golden hairpin and threw it back to Xie Mian, saying, "Here is the hairpin that Madam Xie gave me in the past, returning it to you!"

Xie Mian frowned as he held the hairpin. He didn’t like Liu Luoyin, but that didn’t mean he could tolerate being rejected by her.

He was very fed up with such a self-righteous woman who only reached this level because of her family’s resources but always thought highly of herself…

Unfortunately, for the sake of the Xie Family, he had to appease her once again.

Xie Mian sighed and his lips slowly curved into a gentle smile. Suddenly, a terrifying sound of a sword breaking through the air came from the courtyard. It was Wen Yun finishing her sword practice with a powerful strike, shattering a huge fake mountain rock in the courtyard.

His smile froze on his lips, and he couldn’t react for a while.

Wasn’t there a special magic barrier that blocks sound?

The pieces of stone that were hit flew down from the sky. Wen Yun, holding a wooden sword, effortlessly swung her sword without looking up. As her dress settled back into place, the stone pieces were magically gathered back into a pile.

She then lifted her head, her eyes icy cold as she looked at Xie Mian.

Holding her wooden sword, she took slow steps towards him. The eastern sunlight gradually rose, casting a warm light on her eyes, but not enough to warm the girl as cold as snow.

Xie Mian took a step back, feeling embarrassed. He stood firm, gazing deeply at her.

"Did you hear all that just now?"

Wen Yun lazily lifted an eyelid and chuckled, "How coincidental, the spiritual energy of the Soundproof Spiritual Array outside the courtyard has been depleted."

So she admitted that she heard what Liu Luoyin just said?

"Little Jiu…" he called out in a very soft and gentle voice.

Seeing Wen Yun showing no resistance, Xie Mian felt a bit relieved and gently said, "Since you have heard it, I shouldn’t continue to hide it."

He lowered his head, gazed deeply at Wen Yun, his voice slightly trembling, "I did indeed secretly watch you from outside the darkroom since I was young. Do you remember someone sending you fox fur every winter? It wasn’t the Xie Family rewarding you, it was me who specially arranged it for you. And the red sugar water when you were sick, I had it delivered. Do you remember?"

Wen Yun truthfully replied, "I don’t remember."

Xie Mian was momentarily speechless, gazing at her face, and continued,

"I was weak in my childhood, couldn’t even grip a sword properly. I truly envied your ability to practice swordsmanship. Every time I saw you improve in swordsmanship, it brought me joy. You don’t know, on the day you broke through the Golden Core, I was so happy that I couldn’t sleep all night, thinking about what gift to give you. But later, my family…"

He took a step forward, his voice tinged with a sigh, "The Xie Family is skilled at healing, but they couldn’t heal me. Many people said I wouldn’t live past twenty, only your Flawless Golden Core can save me."

Xie Mian’s beautiful face turned pale, his eyes slightly reddening, "How could I bear to harm you? But a normal Golden Core, once outside the body, will disperse spiritual power. Only a Flawless Golden Core can remain intact. My parents insisted, saying that since the Xie Family saved your life, lending you a Golden Core wouldn’t be too much. I couldn’t disobey my parents’ wishes…"

Wen Yun nodded, replied, "You’re right. I only lost a Golden Core, while you lost your obedience and meekness."

Xie Mian’s voice turned bitter, "I know you’re blaming me, but I was unconscious for days after fusing with the Golden Core, never expected my elder brother would harm you. It’s all my fault, I failed to protect you, Little Jiu. Whether you hate me or resent me, seeing you alive today is all I wish for in this lifetime."

Wen Yun interrupted, "If seeing me alive is all you wish for, why not die now?"

Xie Mian’s lips trembled, unable to speak for a while.

After a while, he suddenly remembered something and took out the golden hairpin.

His slim figure looked even more fragile in the white robe, his pale face showing regret and relief, "I once told my mother that I wanted to take care of you well after merging with the Golden Core, she agreed. This hairpin was meant for the Xie Family daughter-in-law. Little Jiu, do I still have a chance to make up for my past mistakes?"

Xie Mian held out the hairpin for a long time, but Wen Yun just looked at him coldly.

Her gaze made him extremely uncomfortable, as if she was looking at something lifeless.

"Little Jiu…"

Xie Mian sadly whispered, finally, Wen Yun’s hand moved.

His tense heart relaxed slightly, he knew that Little Jiu may seem cold, but deep down she was very kind and caring. In the past, she always took care of the group of orphans.

And he, Xie Mian, was her benefactor, his life should not be worth less than those orphans.

However, the next moment, Wen Yun’s hand swiftly drew out the wooden sword.

Before Xie Mian could react, that ugly wooden sword decisively knocked the hairpin out of his hand, the shining golden hairpin fell among the dried leaves and branches, its brilliance completely hidden.

Xie Mian was astonished, "Little Jiu!"

"Don’t shout." Wen Yun stood proudly with the sword in her arms, interrupting him, "You act very convincingly and passionately, maybe you almost believe it yourself, but sadly, I don’t believe a word of it."

"You speak of deep emotions and loyalty, yet you don’t even know my name, is it not absurd? Do you really think my last name is Xie?"

Even the other orphans in the dark room knew to call her Wen Yun, if he truly cared, how could he not know!

Xie Mian was suddenly at a loss for words, remained silent for a moment, then tried to speak again, "I just…"

"You’re just trying to find excuses for your selfishness, wanting me to willingly give everything to you. It would be best if I willingly gave up my Golden Core and kneeled down to beg you to take it, right? Young Master Xie."

Xie Mian lowered his head, his eyes filled with the embarrassment of his lies being exposed.

Yes, he wanted Wen Yun to willingly give in, so he wouldn’t be tormented by the demon in his heart that craved for the Golden Core anymore. Breaking through Nascent Soul was just around the corner!

"Do you really think the whole cultivation world revolves around your parents and siblings, and that everyone should pamper you like this? Huh? Stealing from others, taking their lives, yet pretending to be innocent and expecting forgiveness? I had my Golden Core ripped out, were you brainwashed?"

Wen Yun raised her sword, a mocking smile playing on her lips. Her voice was icy, like celestial music, but her words were sharp and merciless.

"Young Master Xie, no need to pretend," she gripped her sword, her smile deepening. "I saw you, walking towards me, your right hand tightly holding the sword’s hilt."

She stated a simple fact, "You want to kill me."

His intent to kill was so strong it felt almost tangible, yet Wen Yun showed no fear.

Because Xie Mian couldn’t beat her.

Things that are stolen are never truly yours, especially when Xie Mian’s sword skills are so bad that he only has a fancy empty scabbard.

The title of genius sounded great, but was also extremely fragile, one small mistake and the truth would be revealed.

She had already guessed that Xie Mian had gone with the disciples of the Qingliu Sword Sect to eliminate demon cultivators, but along the way, he was ambushed and injured by an unknown Nascent Soul Stage demon cultivator, causing him to return early and miss the inner sect competition…

It’s all fake.

The Nascent Soul Stage demon cultivator doesn’t actually exist, his injuries may not be real either. Orchestrating this act was just to avoid the inner sect competition and maintain that pitiful genius reputation.

Xie Mian held the sword tightly, his expression a mix of helplessness and deep affectionate smile, "I can’t even protect you, how could I bear to kill you?"

Wen Yun squinted, covered her lips lazily as she chuckled, her eyes turning cold.

"Because you know I want to kill you."

He just couldn’t kill it.

The Xie Family really treasures Xie Mian. He has been wearing a protective spiritual jade since he was small, which can even withstand a deadly blow from a Transmigration Stage expert.

This matter was heard by the original body when a young master from the Xie Family vented his anger on her.

Despite knowing that he had a magical treasure to protect himself, Xie Mian still took a step back.

Wen Yun pointed a wooden sword at Xie Mian, a sword without edge that moved slowly from his chest to his lower abdomen.

Wen Yun smiled brightly, saying, "I’ll borrow it from you for two more days, I’ll get it back soon."

A cold air suddenly rushed to Xie Mian’s head, he felt as if he was immersed in icy water, and the fear of being pointed at the neck with a sword by Xie Jiu in his childhood came back to him.

He staggered away in escape.

Wen Yun did not chase after him, she quietly took out a small magic scroll from her sleeve.

This kind of scroll was invented by the Holy See, called the Sacred Sound Scroll, used to record the preachings of the Pope and spread the teachings of the God of Light.

Wen Yun once had the chance to get one, when the Pope of Light sternly criticized her hair color and eye color, calling her a disrespectful demon and saying he would destroy her on behalf of the Light.

Wen Yun casually deciphered the magical runes on the scroll at that time, also recording a whole section of blasphemous language, the next day she sent her little dragon to throw the scroll in front of the God of Light statue.

Oh, Wen Yun also gave it a new name.

The Message Scroll.

＊

Wen Yun sent Xie Mian off with a radiant smile on her face.

When she returned, she even detoured to the Dining Hall, grabbed a plate of red bean buns, and deliberately found a plate of sweet tofu pudding.

Back in her room, she enthusiastically recommended to Ye Shubai, "These two dishes are common realm delicacies, not as precious as spiritual food, but they taste very good, do you want to try them?"

Ye Shubai said no, and Wen Yun didn’t insist, eating breakfast happily.

Ye Shubai still held the light-tying magic wand in his hand and suddenly said, "You could have killed him just now."

He didn’t know that Xie Mian still had the protective amulet. Even though Wen Yun didn’t mention the past, after hearing what Xie Mian said just now, everything became clear to him.

Wen Yun’s Golden Core was not taken by the demon cultivator but was stolen by Xie Mian.

"If I had killed him just now, I would be the guilty one, and he would be an innocent genius who was murdered. No one would ever believe me," Wen Yun said, raising her head with clear eyes. "What I seek is not revenge in that way."

She knew that she needed to expose Xie Mian’s despicable acts in front of others to dissolve the hatred.

Furthermore…

Wen Yun lowered her eyes and continued, "The Tenth Peak has shown me kindness. If I were to kill Xie Mian without reason, my three senior martial brothers would be implicated."

She had already prepared herself for a life on the run, but her senior brothers had not.

They were already in a difficult situation at Qingliu Sword Sect. If Wen Yun did something wrong, The First Peak would have a good reason to kick out the three senior brothers.

So, if you’re going to kill someone, do it properly and openly.

Ye Shubai pressed his lips together, feeling a slight tremor in his heart.

Even he hadn’t expected that there was another reason why Wen Yun hadn’t acted.

"What about your revenge…?"

"The tradition of the Swordsmanship Contest has always been to select hundreds of practitioners to compete. They draw opponents among themselves, battle it out to win Tokens, and ultimately rank according to the number of Tokens they hold."

"This year, the top ten in the Swordsmanship Contest can enter the Dark Heaven Secret Realm. The competition is extremely fierce, so a new rule has been added, which you may not be aware of."

Wen Yun looked up at Ye Shubai, slowly revealing a smile, "This time, everyone will enter the Qianzhen Tower on Blizzard Island, and the first to reach the top of the tower will have the chance to pick their opponents ten times."

This is also the reason why Xie Mian dares to come.

Surely they have prepared well to take Xie Mian to the top floor of the tower, so he can choose his opponent freely. If the Xie Family arranges it casually, Xie Mian winning ten matches will be a piece of cake, right?

The genius’s reputation can continue, and the Dark Heaven Secret Realm can also enter.

The Xie Family has planned very well, but unfortunately Wen Yun has the same plan.

Because the Swordsmanship Contest is not a major competition of the sect, once challenged, it’s a matter of life and death. More importantly, to ensure fairness, contestants in the Swordsmanship Contest are not allowed to carry any defensive magic weapons.

When she faces Xie Mian, who has lost his protective spiritual jade, it will be as easy as slaughtering a chicken for her.

What if Xie Mian chooses to admit defeat and not fight against her?

It’s okay. When the time comes, just present the sound transmission scroll in front of everyone, and she will have a strong reason to kill Xie Mian.

After finishing the sweet tofu pudding, Wen Yun picked up the bowl and wiped her mouth carelessly.

"Alright, alright. I finished practicing with the sword in the morning. Now it’s time to study magic. Let me see if I can cast an advanced spell…"

"Wait."

Ye Shubai called her.

Wen Yun turned around curiously, and saw Ye Shubai handing her a snow-white silk handkerchief.

He calmly explained, "Your mouth isn’t clean."

Wen Yun held an elderberry wand in her left hand, and a fire hemlock sword in her right hand, unable to free her hands to take it.

So she lazily took a step back, leaned her head over, and said, "You can just wipe it a few times."

Ye Shubai frowned, but still silently raised his hand, stiffly wiping away the tiny red bean paste on the corner of her lips.

He was extremely careful, but his hand still accidentally touched her soft, warm lips.

Being so close, the back of his hand could feel her warm breath.

The man’s hand shook as he gently wiped her face, looking very serious. After wiping her face twice, he held the handkerchief tightly in his hand and then put his hand behind his back.

Ye Shubai lived for hundreds of years, spending most of his life with a sword. The closest people to him were his three male students.

He had close encounters with female warriors in battles, stabbing demon cultivators mercilessly with his sword or swiftly swiping past their necks.

This was the first time he had been so careful touching someone of the opposite sex.

It was his first time realizing that wiping someone’s mouth for them was such a difficult and complicated task.

Wen Yun smiled happily and thanked him before running off cheerfully with two magic wands to continue studying magic.

Despite talking casually about killing just moments ago, she now seemed like an innocent and carefree young girl.

Killing seemed like a routine task for her.

Even Ye Shubai, who usually didn’t care about others, felt a hint of curiosity about where she came from and what she had been through.

Before Ye Shubai could ask, Wen Yun suddenly dropped her wand and walked over with the pot of Phoenix tree, urging him to come inside. "You come in."

Ye Shubai, "Why?"

Wen Yun, rarely feeling competitive, said, "The Swordsmanship Contest is starting tonight, and I want to show off my new dress."

Showing off was not the main reason, in fact, she had become stingy after spending time with the sword cultivators.

Just the thought of the new dress being worth one hundred top-grade spiritual jade, it would be a waste not to show everyone how beautiful it was.

"…" Ye Shubai stayed silent, lowering his gaze. "Okay."

After speaking, instead of going back into the sapling, he went outside to wait.

After a while, the door finally opened.

Wen Yun peeked out, raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Can my outfit impress everyone?"