Volume II: Snow in Qinchuan Chapter XIII: Sword Debate Among the Peaks (Part VII)
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Feng Qi had expected Xue Wuji to appear, but he had not anticipated that the man’s first words would be such a harsh reproach.
From Xue Wuji’s standpoint, there was nothing particularly wrong with what he had said. His words were severe, but they were still born of concern.
Concern that Feng Qi was exposing too much of his brilliance.
Concern that he would meet an untimely end.
Feng Qi understood what Xue Wuji wanted: safety and growth. Perhaps he also wanted Feng Qi to keep a low profile and treat others with kindness. But Feng Qi had not come to Snowcloud Sect to play at being a child, not in the past and certainly not now.
In the past, he had done it for the sake of cultivating the Dao.
Now revenge had been added to the equation.
So he said nothing, merely watching Xue Wuji in silence.
Xue Wuji understood the meaning behind Feng Qi’s composure, and his expression grew even grimmer.
Ever since Feng Qi had joined the sect, Xue Wuji’s complexion had often been poor, but never had it been worse than this.
After all, he had watched Feng Qi grow up and understood his temperament better than anyone. It was much like the time on the martial platform when Feng Qi had used Dragon-Shaking Fury against Murong Xue, only to rein in his strength the moment he realized she could not withstand it.
This time, Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers surely had a similar safeguard. Though Xue Wuji had no idea how Feng Qi could control a force that so clearly exceeded his limits, he was willing to trust him unconditionally.
But not everyone in Snowcloud Sect was called Xue Wuji.
Many people on the Sword-Viewing Platform had already begun frowning at Feng Qi’s aggressive manner. Even the Patriarch of Chasing Moon Peak, who had always supported Feng Qi, was no exception. He had appeared here precisely because he wanted Feng Qi to display that power and prove that he harbored no intention of harming a fellow disciple.
Yet Feng Qi was unwilling even to prove himself in this way. What else could he do?
Xue Wuji suddenly felt tired—tired of testing Feng Qi.
Perhaps Dugu Changsi had been right all those years ago when he insisted on severing the sect’s ties with the aristocratic clans.
At some point, Mu Linhan had already come to stand beside Feng Qi. He said earnestly, “I think Junior Brother has a point. Since Senior Brother Shengyun was able to intervene, and there are so many elders present whose cultivation is higher and whose eyes are sharper than his, there is no reason they would allow a tragedy to occur.”
Xue Wuji said nothing.
Zhang Chen replied coldly, “What if?”
“There is no ‘what if,’” Mu Linhan said. “Do you think Martial Uncle Sword Extreme and Martial Uncle Sword Law would be unable to act in time?”
In the eyes of those mighty beings who had attained Unity, the sword intent had not even reached Wu Fan’s body yet. Even if it truly had, they could still stop it in an instant.
Zhang Chen’s gaze deepened.
Feng Qi did not say another word. He turned and left.
Zhou Shuai glanced at Lin Yi, only to find that the latter showed no reaction.
He sighed. He could only tacitly accept Zhou Shuai’s victory, and was just about to announce it when he suddenly realized that this had not been a Sword Debate at all. The Sword Debate had ended the moment the final four disciples withdrew.
This had been a challenge match.
The chief disciple of Thousand-Blade Peak, at the Heart-Understanding Upper Realm, had challenged the Sword Heir of Trace-Free Peak, who stood at the Primordial Unity Summit.
The latter had won decisively.
He raised his brows, wondering whether the disciples would tear him apart in their outrage if he announced it that way.
Fortunately, he did not need to consider the matter any further, because the disciples watching the battle had already given him their answer.
A wave of astonishment swept through the crowd—even among the disciples of Thousand-Blade Peak.
No matter how far he had fallen from his former glory, he had still been the Sword Heir of Thousand-Blade Peak’s previous generation. If not for Zhou Zihan’s Innate Formless Sword Body, he would have represented the finest image of Thousand-Blade Peak’s third-generation disciples.
Yet he had lost—to the Sword Heir of Trace-Free Peak, whose cultivation was an entire major realm below his own.
How was that possible?
“Two true swords. How did he manage that?”
“How long has Feng Qi even been in Snowcloud Sect? What gives him the right to reach such a level?”
“Senior Brother Zhang Chen once told me in private that it took him more than three months to cultivate Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers to mastery.”
“That was mastery! How do you know Feng Qi didn’t just learn it?”
“Someone who has only just learned it can cross an entire major realm and defeat an enemy? Is there something wrong with your head?”
“Are there any senior brothers or sisters from Trace-Free Peak who can judge how far he has cultivated the Hidden Sword of Lifelessness?”
“Even Senior Brother Wan Jiang has only mastered the Sword of Intent. Don’t tell me you really think any of us have had the good fortune to witness the Hidden Sword of Lifelessness?”
“A transcendent-grade flying sword! How long has it been since we last saw one?”
“No wonder Senior Sister Zhou let him beat her so badly without drawing her sword. In a contest at that level, using a transcendent sword really would be overkill.”
“What do you mean? Are you suggesting Senior Sister Zhou couldn’t defeat that brat?”
“...”
Listening to the disciples’ discussion, Xue Wuji shook his head and returned to the peak master’s Sword-Viewing Platform in the blink of an eye. Shengyun also sighed and strolled back.
Zhang Chen did not move.
Mu Linhan looked at him and said earnestly, “As an enforcer of the law, presuming guilt is improper.”
Zhang Chen glanced at him. “I’m merely considering the facts.”
“If you were merely considering the facts, you would not have appeared here.” Mu Linhan lowered his voice. “I do not know what Thunderfire Peak is planning this time, but Junior Brother is the Sword Heir of my Trace-Free Peak. Do not include him in your plans. I will not agree to it.”
Zhang Chen said nothing this time. He merely stared at the Sword-Washing Stream.
Receiving no response, Mu Linhan could not help asking, “What exactly do you see in him?”
This time, Zhang Chen finally gave him an answer.
“Many things.”
“An Dao Spirit Body, the ability to read through the Dao Canon, and now an innate transcendent-grade sword.”
“The Sword Heir of Trace-Free Peak, the Heir of the Yanbei Estate, proud and unruly, burdened by a blood feud.”
“Tell me—given his talent, his identity, and his experiences, is it possible that he could win the trust of the Blood-Weeping Pavilion?”
Mu Linhan narrowed his eyes. “Do not forget that the Yanbei conflict became what it did largely because the Blood-Weeping Pavilion interfered.”
“Neither the King nor Queen of Yanbei died at the hands of the Blood-Weeping Pavilion,” Zhang Chen replied. “There is still room for reconciliation.”
Mu Linhan shook his head. “You do not understand Junior Brother.”
Zhang Chen gave a faintly mocking smile. “How long have you known him? And you dare claim to understand him?”
Mu Linhan rejected the question outright. “I do not understand him, but I trust our master’s judgment. Junior Brother will never fall into demonic ways because of revenge.”
Zhang Chen’s smile became even more sardonic. “Still the same as ever—hopelessly foolish.”
Mu Linhan paid no attention to his judgment. He merely invited him to fight in an even tone. “Could it be that the Sword Heir of Thunderfire Peak wishes to test my sword right now?”
Zhang Chen calmly declined the challenge.
Mu Linhan asked, “Are you afraid?”
Zhang Chen shook his head. “It would violate the law, so you need not hope to provoke me.”
...
...
Feng Qi had not gone far before Zhou Zihan blocked his path.
“Let me see your sword,” she said as though it were the most natural thing in the world, as if Feng Qi owed it to her.
So Feng Qi refused with equal decisiveness. “No.”
Zhou Zihan said seriously, “I have always believed that combat should be founded on mutual respect. What you did was not enough.”
She was still referring to the fact that Feng Qi had not given his all during the Sword Debate.
The problem was that Feng Qi had no interest whatsoever in the so-called spirit of martial competition. He answered listlessly, “I have always respected my opponents. That does not lie in whether I gave my all. I was under certain restrictions at the time, and truly had no way to defeat you.”
Zhou Zihan immediately understood his meaning. “The Sword Patriarch of Law?”
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Feng Qi nodded. “My teacher said that with my strength, I would already stand unrivaled in the Sword Debate Tournament. If I were to add a transcendent sword, the Dao Discussion Tournament would be entirely meaningless to me.”
After a pause, he looked at Zhou Zihan with utmost seriousness.
“The fact that I was able to fight you proves that my teacher’s judgment was correct.”
...
...
Yanbei.
Devouring Night had been searching Yanbei for seven full days. He had combed through every corner of the region, including the Strange Stone Forest, several times over.
The remnants of the heretical cult in Yanbei and the various monsters lurking in the Strange Stone Forest now trembled whenever they sensed his presence, fearing that this terrifying deity would annihilate them if provoked.
Everyone knew that Devouring Night was searching for something, but no one knew exactly what. The strongest being in the Strange Stone Forest had once asked whether he required assistance, and then...
The strongest being in the Strange Stone Forest had been replaced, because the dead had no right to be called the strongest.
Today marked Devouring Night’s two hundred and twenty-second entry into the Strange Stone Forest.
He was certain that Feng Yang had fled into this place. Yet the forest’s peculiar magnetic field prevented even the spiritual sense of a mighty Unity expert like himself from tracing the source of any presence, infuriating him to no end.
“You claim that no stranger has entered the Strange Stone Forest for several months?” he asked grimly, looking at the stooped old man before him.
The old man hurriedly replied, “We have already sent people to investigate thoroughly. Indeed, no one has entered this place.”
Devouring Night fell silent for a moment before asking, “That idiot who claimed to be some kind of master of a workshop...”
The old man hastily supplied, “The Master of the Heavenly Origin Workshop.”
Devouring Night frowned. “I did not ask for his name. I wanted to know his exact cultivation realm. He died too quickly for me to examine him properly.”
The old man shuddered and answered tremblingly, “The Master of the Heavenly Origin Workshop was a powerful expert at the Upper Void Dao Realm. According to the Heavenly Origin Workshop, if he were within the Strange Stone Forest, he could contend with those who had attained Unity.”
“Contend with those who had attained Unity?” Devouring Night snorted inwardly. That fellow had not even been able to withstand a single move from him, yet he had boasted so shamelessly.
Still, an Upper Void Dao expert did possess some capital. Perhaps only that man had known where Feng Yang had gone.
The problem was...
The man was dead.
What was he supposed to do now?
Return in disgrace and report his failure?
The Divine Emperor likely would not say anything, but that thieving bird, Heaven-Covering, would certainly spare no effort in mocking him.
At the thought of that bird’s smug, arrogant expression, Devouring Night grew furious. As he looked at the old man before him, murderous intent suddenly rose in his heart.
The old man trembled violently and hurriedly said, “Your Excellency, please calm your anger. Although there truly have been no signs of strangers entering recently, some strange things have happened in the Strange Stone Forest.”
“Strange things?” Devouring Night frowned. “What strange things?”
The old man spoke cautiously. “Your Excellency must also be wondering why the Barbarian Tribes did not attack the Strange Stone Forest when they moved south, correct?”
Devouring Night raised his brows. “Speak. Ask another question and I will cripple you.”
Cold sweat poured down the old man’s forehead. “Everyone says that the Master of the Heavenly Origin Workshop was the strongest person in the Strange Stone Forest, but in truth, he gave himself that title. More than a decade ago, a strange swordsman came to the forest. He neither fought for territory nor competed for resources. After entering the Strange Stone Forest, he secluded himself there. It is said that the Heavenly Origin Workshop once clashed with him and lost several disciples. The workshop master had no choice but to seek him out personally, yet nothing happened.”
“Nothing happened?” Devouring Night’s brows drew together. “He failed to find the man?”
The old man shook his head. “Everyone knows that the strange swordsman lived in the southern part of the forest. The workshop master must have found him.”
“So the master of the workshop lost?” Devouring Night asked.
The old man answered solemnly, “He lost miserably. Otherwise, the workshop master would never have swallowed his anger and endured the humiliation.”
“I did not sense any particularly powerful presence within the Strange Stone Forest,” Devouring Night said.
The old man ventured carefully, “Could it be... that the strange swordsman simply did not want you to discover him?”
...
...
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