Chapter 24

Xuanping and Xuanfan were left feeling a bit awkward by these words, but surprisingly, they weren’t very angry.

——To be honest, they probably felt all the awkwardness and anger the first time they encountered each other at a noodle shop. Now, after being scolded by Yu Xizhi so many times, they were somewhat used to it, and, strangely enough, they even felt a bit of familiarity.

The two said no more, leaped onto the sword trial platform, and exchanged a glance.

As twin brothers with a deep connection, that one look was enough for them to decide to use the same Taishang Danyang Sword from Xiya Tower.

Although they lost last time, it was partly because they underestimated their opponent and partly because they held back.

Of course, in a sword duel, losing is losing—everything else is just an excuse.

But this time, they had both advanced to a minor level, and they were determined not to be careless. They also aimed to break the inner demon caused by their previous lack of effort.

If their mid-stage Qi refining full-force attack was insufficient, what about their late-stage Qi refining attack? What if they gave it their all?

Could she… still withstand it?

The barrier of the sword trial platform rose again.

Xuanping and Xuanfan solemnly performed the Xiya Tower sword salute. The two brothers looked very much alike but were distinguished by a scarred eyebrow and a red mole. They were tall and handsome, both wearing Xiya Tower Taoist robes. Their complete and proper etiquette made them a pleasing and impressive sight.

Yu Xizhi held her sword in the same pose, made a slight bow, and calmly said, “Please.”

——Last time, when she said “please,” no one paid attention or took it seriously.

This time, everyone held their breath, fully focused. Even some young disciples of Kunwu had sweaty palms, unsure whether they feared Xuanping and Xuanfan couldn’t withstand a single strike or feared Yu Xizhi would lose.

Who didn’t know that when Xuanping and Xuanfan, both at the late stage of Qi refining, struck together, their sword power could almost reach the Foundation Establishment level? Even Senior Brother Yu Si would have to take them seriously!

Yu Xizhi… Even if she could unleash the same strike as before, could she do it again now?

What if the previous success was just luck? Or due to some elixir taken in advance?

Wasn’t she only at the early stage of Qi refining?

Everyone’s minds were in turmoil, anxious and expectant, unsure of whom they wanted to win or feared would lose. Meanwhile, Xuanping and Xuanfan had already begun their attack.

The Taishang Danyang Sword on the trial testing platform was completely different from what they displayed at the noodle shop that day.

Xiya Tower was known for its alchemy cultivators. Even when using a sword, they practiced both swordsmanship and alchemy. The term “Danyang” naturally implies incorporating alchemy. That day, they underestimated their opponent, and their sword light was seized by Yu Xizhi before they even started.

This alchemy was not that alchemy.

The Taishang Danyang Sword, in essence, treated the opponent as a pill, with every move reflecting the process of refining, heating, and controlling the fire—deriving sword intent from the art of alchemy.

Alchemy cultivators typically didn’t need to practice swordsmanship, but with many coveting their pills, they had to learn to defend themselves. Hence, this simplified version of the Taishang Danyang Sword became the entry-level swordsmanship for Xiya Tower disciples. As the direct disciples of the second floor master, Xuanping and Xuanfan naturally learned the most complete form of the Taishang Danyang Sword.

Yi Zui, squatting nearby, spat out a sunflower seed shell and brightened his eyes: “Returning Qi to Origin.”

The sword light burst forth like a lone boat on the vast sea, retrieving chestnuts from the fire.

“…Excellent sword!” The old man’s remnant soul praised, “These two brats may have annoying mouths, but they truly grasp the essence of this sword. This is the opening move of Xiya Tower’s Taishang Danyang Sword! Although their cultivation level is a bit low, their fundamental skills are quite good. Don’t focus on their swords now; watch their footwork.”

Yu Xizhi didn’t know what the Taishang Danyang was, but as her spiritual awareness reached out, her mind shifted slightly. She sensed that this sword’s true intention was not straightforward. Although Xuanping and Xuanfan were still far from her, the sword seemed to be right in front of her. She tapped her toes and quickly retreated—

The next moment, sword energy swept across the spot where she had just stood!

The girl drew a graceful arc in mid-air. As she was about to land, she sensed something and swiftly dodged to the side.

Two beams of sword light narrowly missed her. Yu Xizhi landed, and the sword light pressed in again! She dodged once more and countered again!

“This move is called ‘Immortal Points the Way.’ The brilliance of the Taishang Danyang lies in its sword, but its footwork is even more intriguing. Using this footwork while circling the alchemy furnace during refinement has its own rhythm, said to increase the success rate of the elixir. It’s true, the old Taoists of Xiya Tower have a knack for alchemy.”

The old man’s remnant soul smacked his lips.

“What a pity; the little girl seems inexperienced and lacks knowledge. She might not be able to avoid the next move, ‘Seven Stars Facing the Big Dipper.’ I thought you could see the final move, ‘Nine Turns Returning Pill,’ but it seems unlikely.”

Yu Xizhi dodged in the sword light, each evasion narrow and dangerous. From the audience’s perspective, it seemed like she was constantly retreating, eliciting gasps from the crowd. Some even thought the defeat was inevitable.

Li Shengyi was merely at the Enlightenment stage, and the second senior sister of Taiqing Peak was bullying someone at the Enlightenment stage. Was winning really that glorious? Now, isn’t she showing her true colors?

But Yu Xizhi, while dodging, was also waiting.

She didn’t know what this footwork was, but she understood that footwork was footwork, and a sword was a sword. She wasn’t aiming to cut the footwork, but the sword.

She was waiting for them to strike, knowing they had to eventually.

So, after ‘Immortal Points the Way’ came ‘Seven Stars Facing the Big Dipper.’

Xuanping and Xuanfan simultaneously raised their swords, and in an instant, it seemed as if seven beams of starlight flashed and burst towards Yu Xizhi!

Some in the audience couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

What was there to see? The girl had clearly been suppressed and hadn’t had a chance to draw her sword.

But Yu Xizhi’s eyes shone brightly.

Cleaving through a large group of opponents at once was her specialty. That night, when she slew the Jealousy Demon, she initially needed two strikes, but by the end, she could slay three Jealousy Demon with one blow—each strike breaking through fifteen places. What were a mere seven beams of starlight now?

Yanxiao was finally unsheathed.

Her initial move was still the Qingfeng Liuyun, but before the gentle breeze started, her sword had already changed direction.

Everyone thought they were about to see the Qingfeng move again, but instead, the sword shone like the blazing sun, radiating the most explosive and dazzling battle intent and killing aura the moment it was drawn!

With the brilliance of the sun, starlight naturally shattered.

The ‘Seven Stars Facing the Big Dipper’ remained seven stars, even if it were eight or nine stars. No matter how bright the starlight, how could it overshadow the rising sun?

Xuanping and Xuanfan were astonished. They couldn’t recognize this sword technique, but they could feel its intense ferocity. How could this be? What kind of sword technique unleashes a killing blow right from the start without any buildup? Didn’t it need to accumulate sword intent?

Wasn’t this person playing by the rules of martial ethics?!

Yu Xizhi didn’t care about such things. She had seen little, so she struck with pure exhilaration, completing the strike in one swift motion!

In one moment, the seven stars shone brightly, their sharpness fully exposed.

In the next, the sword intent rose, and the seven stars shattered.

Xuanping and Xuanfan trembled silently, standing on opposite sides of the sword trial platform. Their eyes dazed, a far cry from their earlier confident demeanor.

After a moment, the sound of swords falling echoed.

The two clatters sounded almost continuous.

Xuanping and Xuanfan were still holding their sword grips, but the swords had already fallen to the ground, bouncing slightly, and then falling again with a clear, ringing sound.

All around was silent, save for the crisp, lingering sound of the swords.

Cheng Luocen quietly wiped the sweat from his palms and said to the old man’s remnant soul in his heart, “It seems we really won’t get to see that  ‘Nine Turns Returning Pill,’ move you mentioned. What a pity, what a pity.”

Though he said “what a pity,” his tone was light and teasing, without a trace of regret.

“Thank you for the match.”

Only then did Yu Xizhi gracefully land and sheathe her sword. Her voice was calm and clear like a bell, as if this strike were ordinary, without a hint of pride or self-satisfaction from defeating Xuanping and Xuanfan.

It was as if she never considered the possibility of losing.

Since the sword match had concluded, the barrier of the sword trial platform naturally opened. A breeze finally brushed against the girl’s face, gently moving the hair at her temples and the small twig and wooden chopsticks in her bun. Her face was beautifully serene with a subtle smile, making the awe inspired by her sword strike dissolve into a sparkling stream.

Xuanping and Xuanfan stood stunned and silent. After a moment, they slowly relaxed their stances, took a deep breath, and respectfully bowed to Yu Xizhi, acknowledging their defeat: “We are taught.”

The two brothers had finally learned to say those words, and Yu Xizhi found them annoying yet teachable.

The sword match was over, and everyone agreed that Yu Xizhi’s last strike was even more astonishing than her previous one. Among the Qi Refining stage disciples present, regardless of whether they were at the early, middle, or even the complete stage, none dared to claim they could deliver such a strike!

Despite this, there was still a sense of unrest among the crowd. Finally, someone couldn’t help but speak up: “Second Senior Sister Yu, that last strike wasn’t the Qingfeng Liuyun Sword at all!”

Yu Xizhi turned to the unfamiliar face and nodded, admitting, “It wasn’t.”

“But… but Second Senior Sister clearly said earlier that you only knew the Qingfeng Liuyun Sword,” Xia Yiyao’s soft voice stuttered slightly, making her questioning sound weak and timid.

“How could it be…?”

“Third Junior Brother asked if Senior Brother only taught me the Qingfeng Liuyun Sword, and I answered yes.”

Yu Xizhi tilted her head in confusion.

“Senior Brother taught me the Qingfeng Liuyun Sword, but does that mean I can only know that move? When did I say I only knew the Qingfeng Liuyun? Is it only my senior brother who can teach me sword techniques? Or am I… not allowed to learn from others?”

Her slow yet steady string of questions hit the crowd like a series of blows.

Some were left bewildered, with Xiya Tower disciples pondering why a direct disciple would only know an entry-level sword technique and why, according to Second Senior Sister’s implication, it seemed only Senior Brother Yu taught her sword techniques.

Where were the Kunwu Mountain sect’s teachers? What happened to the Kunwu Academy?

Xia Yiyao thought to herself, Was this really a matter of whether or not you learned someone else’s sword technique?

Clearly… Clearly, this wasn’t even a Kunwu sword, right? Even if it was, it definitely wasn’t one they had learned.

She thought this but couldn’t say it out loud, as it would make her seem petty.

But she didn’t have to say it, as someone else did.

Teacher Xu spoke gravely.

“I ask you, where did you learn that sword technique?”

Yu Xizhi shook her sword case slowly and said unhurriedly, “Why, does Teacher Xu also want to have a duel with me?”

Teacher Xu’s face froze, and he said sharply, “What I am asking is—where did you learn this sword technique? This is clearly not a Kunwu sword technique! As a Kunwu disciple personally taught by the Sect Master, how dare you secretly learn a non-Kunwu sword technique?!”

Yu Xizhi had thought he was questioning her for studying beyond the standard curriculum, but she hadn’t expected him to say something like this. She didn’t know the name or origin of the sword technique taught to her by Xie Junzhi, only that it was excellent for slaying demons, quickly defeating enemies, and was a perfect killing sword—perhaps even for humans as well.

“Does Teacher Xu know every Kunwu sword technique by heart? Just because you say it’s not a Kunwu sword, does that make it so?” Yu Xizhi wasn’t angry; she asked with great patience.

“Or is there a rule in Kunwu that states Kunwu disciples can’t learn sword techniques from outside Kunwu? Are you saying I can only use the Qingfeng Liuyun Sword?” Yu Xizhi looked at Instructor Xu and softly continued, “When I read ancient texts and sword manuals, should I close the book and shut my eyes if I see a non-Kunwu sword technique and then forget what I just saw?”

“When I go on missions to slay demons, if I find this sword technique useful, should I not use it? Today, when facing Xuanping and Xuanfan, I used this sword because I believed it could break their swordplay.”

Standing on the sword trial platform, her hand casually resting on her sword hilt, her aura intensified as she spoke.

“Before the duel, Teacher Xu was worried I’d disgrace Kunwu, saying I had the least battle experience and was the weakest at facing enemies. Now that I’ve won, instead of congratulating me, you criticize the sword I used?”

At this point, Yu Xizhi’s voice suddenly rose, and she stood proudly on the high platform, looking around, finally unable to suppress a cold laugh: “I had no idea that the Sword Sect’s perspective on sword techniques could be so narrow!”

Teacher Xu’s face changed slightly; he was about to say something, but Yu Xizhi had already looked directly at him.

“I am a Kunwu disciple. The sword I use is a Kunwu sword!”