On the Sword-Questioning Platform, the wind seemed to have died down.
The setting sun, crimson like blood, draped over the scattered stones and broken swords, casting Li Mozi's shadow exceptionally long.
She still stood in the center of the arena, her ancient, simple longsword pointed diagonally at the ground; a drop of scarlet blood slowly gathered at the tip before falling, making a soft "patter" in the deathly silent air.
Li Mozi lowered her eyelids slightly, her expression showing little joy after her victory; instead, it held a trace of undisguisable boredom.
She had originally hoped the Wenjian Sect would give her some surprises, even if it were someone like the disciple named Jiang Lu earlier, who could make her take things just a bit more seriously.
But now, Jiang Lu had fallen, and among the dense crowd of Wenjian Sect disciples below the stage, there were only angry glares and clenched fists; not a single person dared to take that next step.
"Is this the Wenjian Sect's Outer Sect?"
The towering image of the "sword cultivator Holy Land" in her heart was crumbling bit by bit, replaced by a deep sense of disappointment.
This disappointment made the sword in her hand feel heavy, even making her feel that today's matches were nothing but a waste of time.
Atop the high platform, Cloud Moon Sect Elder Liu Changfeng's hand, which was lightly waving a folding fan, paused for a moment.
He looked at the disciple on the stage, who was arrogant to an excessive degree, and his brow furrowed imperceptibly.
Li Mozi was his most prized student in recent years; she possessed extraordinary talent and a clear sword heart, walking the purest and most difficult path of Bitter Sword Cultivation.
Along this journey, she had virtually swept through her peers, never having tasted defeat.
This was naturally a good thing, proving her talent and hard work.
But Liu Changfeng had lived long enough to see too many geniuses.
Those who are too rigid are easily broken; those who are too brilliant are often harmed by their own wit.
A sword cultivator indeed needs a sharp edge and an indomitable spirit.
But if this sharpness is too intense—so intense that she looks down on everything, believing she can sever all things in the world—then she isn't far from being broken.
Liu Changfeng sighed inwardly.
If things ended now, it would not only preserve the Cloud Moon Sect's face but also provide the Wenjian Sect with a way out.
But Li Mozi insisted on standing there, looming over the Wenjian Sect disciples like a tombstone, which was a bit much.
A tall tree attracts the wind; the cause planted today might not necessarily bear good fruit tomorrow.
Thinking of this, he subconsciously turned his head to look at Ren Wencai sitting nearby. Ren Wencai was expressionless.
He sat in his armchair, hands tucked into his sleeves, his joy or anger unreadable.
But his old eyes, normally somewhat cloudy, were now narrowed, a heart-chilling cold light glinting through the slits.
In sparring matches, victory and defeat are common for martial artists, and injuries or blood are inevitable.
If your skills are inferior, you go back and train after losing—this was the rule of the Wenjian Sect and Ren Wencai's consistent teaching.
However, rules are dead, but people are alive.
Among the various sects in the cultivation world, though there are open and secret struggles, they generally maintain a sense of "equivalence" on the surface.
Generally, if one wishes to exchange pointers, it must be Inner Sect against Inner Sect, Outer Sect against Outer Sect, and True Disciples against True Disciples.
This was both for fairness and to avoid damaging the harmony between the two houses.
But this time, the Cloud Moon Sect's actions were truly unscrupulous.
Currently, the Wenjian Sect was in an extremely awkward transition period where new talent hadn't yet replaced the old.
The top second realm prospects in the Inner Sect were either in seclusion to break through to the third realm or traveling outside to find opportunities; those remaining in the sect were mostly disciples who had only recently entered the second realm and had shallow foundations.
As for the Outer Sect, it was a pool of stagnant water; aside from the newly emerged Gu Chengming, there was almost no one else who could hold the floor.
The Cloud Moon Sect must have done their homework in advance, calculating this specific timing.
They didn't dare bring Inner Sect disciples because that would be a true clash of strength; if they lost, the Cloud Moon Sect would lose face.
So they took a risky path, bringing a "freak" at the peak of the first realm, Eighth Level—with combat power comparable to the Ninth Level or even a half-step into the second realm—to kick the Outer Sect's doors down.
Was this sparring? This was clearly coming to step on their heads!
Using a superior horse to trample someone's inferior horse; if they won, they could loudly proclaim the Cloud Moon Sect's superior teaching methods, and if they lost... With Li Mozi's strength, it was almost impossible for her to lose in the Outer Sect.
"A fine calculation."
Ren Wencai sneered in his heart, his gaze crossing the crowd to lock firmly onto that old fellow fanning himself.
Since you're not playing by the rules of martial virtue, then don't blame this old man for ignoring the rules as well.
As an elder, he naturally couldn't step down to bully a junior like Li Mozi; wouldn't he lose his old face if word got out?
But...
I can't hit the disciple, but can't I hit you, the master?
Ren Wencai's fingers rubbed together lightly in his sleeve, already having conceived a dozen plans to ambush and black-jack Liu Changfeng on his way home.
As long as I don't kill him, the Cloud Moon Sect would likely just have to swallow the bitter pill in silence.
As if sensing this faint malice, Liu Changfeng suddenly shuddered.
He looked around suspiciously for a moment before his gaze landed on Ren Wencai.
Seeing the other man still looking composed and relaxed, Liu Changfeng's sense of unease only grew stronger.
"This old fox must be brewing some wicked scheme," Liu Changfeng thought warily, waving his folding fan even faster.
Ren Wencai withdrew his gaze and looked back at the arena.
Although he had already sentenced Liu Changfeng to "death" in his heart, the current predicament still needed to be resolved.
Li Mozi stood on the stage like a thorn stuck in the Wenjian Sect's face.
If they didn't pull this thorn out, or at least push it down, the spirit of the Wenjian Sect's Outer Sect disciples would likely be mostly broken after today.
But who could step up?
Ren Wencai's gaze swept over the crowd of indignant yet shrinking disciples, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of sorrow.
One couldn't entirely blame them.
Li Mozi's strength was right there for all to see.
first realm, Eighth Level, Bitter Sword Cultivation, a fledgling sword intent.
These three labels combined were practically synonymous with invincibility below the second realm.
If they let those second realm disciples from the Inner Sect step in—even if they were only at the first level—they could easily win against Li Mozi by relying on realm suppression and superior spiritual power.
But if they did that, the label of "bullying the small with the big" would be firmly attached, only further confirming that the Wenjian Sect's Outer Sect had no one.
As for the Outer Sect...
In Ren Wencai's mind, a figure dressed in green with a perpetually gentle expression inevitably surfaced.
Gu Chengming.
If there was anyone left in the Outer Sect who could fight Li Mozi, it was probably only him.
Grade A in dao heart, Grade A in swordsmanship, even leaving a mark on the Sword-Questioning Stone.
Such talent, if allowed to grow, would definitely not be inferior to Li Mozi.
But there had been too little time.
Gu Chengming was only at the First Realm, Sixth Level.
First Realm, Sixth Level versus first realm, Eighth Level.
The gap in spiritual power, physical strength, and combat experience... these weren't things that could be easily overcome by talent alone.
Ren Wencai sighed inwardly.
Sending Gu Chengming onto the stage now would be like sending a sheep into a tiger's den.
Losing was a certainty.
The key was, if Li Mozi didn't hold back and damaged Gu Chengming's foundation or crushed his dao heart, that would be a true loss for the Wenjian Sect.
"Forget it."
Ren Wencai closed his eyes, forcing down the sense of grievance in his heart.
"Let the loss come. One learns from shame; I hope today's humiliation wakes these useless kids up."
He had already made plans: as soon as this farce ended, he would immediately announce a period of closed-door reflection for the sect, and then block that old brat Liu Changfeng halfway home to "spar" and vent his anger.
While the elders were lost in their various thoughts, Li Mozi on the stage seemed to have grown impatient.
She looked around, her gaze sweeping across the faces of every Wenjian Sect disciple.
"What? Is that all?" Her cold voice echoed over the Sword-Questioning Platform.
"I thought that as the leader of sword cultivators, the Wenjian Sect would have at least one or two decent opponents."
"It seems I overestimated you."
"Or perhaps the words 'Wenjian' are now nothing but an empty shell?" As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd below exploded.
"Shut up!"
"How dare you insult our sect!"
Countless disciples turned red in the face, shouting their rebukes.
But Li Mozi only gave them a cool glance.
"A sword cultivator's dignity is earned with the sword in hand, not shouted with the mouth."
"If you truly have spine, then come up and use your swords to shut me up. If not..."
She paused. "Then keep it in."
The voices of the previously agitated disciples came to a jarring halt.
Some lowered their heads, some gripped their sword hilts until their knuckles turned white, and some had red-rimmed eyes but were powerless to act.
On the massive Sword-Questioning Platform, thousands of disciples were suppressed by one person and one sword, unable to even lift their heads.
Seeing this, the disappointment in Li Mozi's eyes deepened.
She shook her head, seemingly having lost all interest in continuing.
She turned around, preparing to sheathe her sword and leave.
This so-called sparring session, in her view, no longer had any reason to go on.
However, at the very moment she turned.
A set of footsteps suddenly came from the back of the crowd.
The footsteps weren't rushed—one could even say they were a bit slow—but in the dead silence of the square, they were exceptionally clear.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The crowd subconsciously parted to the sides, clearing a path.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled down this corridor, and at its end, a figure was slowly approaching.
He wasn't wearing the standard Daoist robe of an Outer Sect disciple; instead, he wore a simple green shirt with rolled-up sleeves, carrying a rusted iron sword that didn't even have a scabbard.
Ren Wencai suddenly bolted up from his chair.
"What is that boy doing here?!"
Ren Wencai slapped his thigh in anxiety; this boy usually seemed so steady, how could he be so reckless at such a critical moment?
If he went up and something happened to him...
Gu Chengming said nothing.
He just leaped lightly and landed steadily on the arena stage.
The movement was simple and direct, without the slightest hesitation.
"Wenjian Sect, Huiyuan Gate, Gu Chengming." His voice wasn't loud.
"Please advise."
First Realm, Sixth Level.
This cultivation level would have been passable for an Outer Sect disciple on a normal day, but at this moment—after witnessing several Ninth Level disciples fall, and seeing Jiang Lu's chest collapsed as he was blown off the stage in a near-death state...
This level seemed quite flimsy... and even somewhat suicidal.
Below the stage, a disciple couldn't help but call out in a low, anxious tone:
"Don't be reckless! Even Senior Brother Jiang ended up like that, and you're only at the sixth level. Going up there is just a death wish!"
Some even turned their heads away, unable to bear looking at Gu Chengming's thin green shirt, as if they could already see the scene of him being swept away by sword qi and splattering blood on the spot.
To them, Gu Chengming stepping up now was no different than an egg striking a stone.
But not everyone in the crowd was filled with doubt and worry.
Some looked at the back of the figure on the stage, which wasn't particularly tall, with complex expressions.
Previously, Gu Chengming's reputation within the sect had been mixed, especially that old story about him pursuing the "dao seed" of Daoning Gate, which had made him a laughingstock to many.
Unambitious and delusional—these were the labels many had pinned on him.
But now, when everyone else was suppressed by that Cloud Moon Sect sword cultivator and dared not even breathe, it was precisely this "laughingstock" they usually looked down upon who had stepped out step by step, carrying a rusted iron sword.
Regardless of his strength, the courage to stand up when the sect was being humiliated was enough for people to set aside their disdain and feel a spark of respect.
"Maybe... Senior Brother Gu really has some trump card?"
Someone whispered, though even he didn't quite believe it.
Gu Chengming ignored the noise below.
He stood in the center of the arena, his gaze fixed only on Li Mozi opposite him.
Li Mozi's brow furrowed slightly.
She looked at her opponent, who was only at the First Realm, Sixth Level, and the disappointment in her eyes almost overflowed.
She could overlook the Seventh Level, but now even a sixth level dared to come and join the fray?
Was the Wenjian Sect truly out of people?
"You are no match for me."
Li Mozi spoke, her longsword not even raised, as if she didn't even have the desire to strike:
"Step down."
Hearing this, Gu Chengming didn't get angry; he just lightly flourished his sword, the iron blade letting out a low hum.
"I have to try," he said calmly.
Seeing that he was unmoved by her words, the last of Li Mozi's patience evaporated.
She shook her head and said no more.
Since the opponent was hell-bent on defeat, she would grant it to him.
"Then, excuse my offense."
The moment the words fell, Li Mozi's figure vanished from where she stood.
It was that same lightning-fast strike, aimed straight at the center.
She didn't even use her full power, instead suppressing her cultivation to the level of the First Realm, Sixth Level.
In her view, against an opponent of this level, one strike at the same realm was enough.
However—
Clang!
A crisp sound of metal clashing rang through the entire area.
The expected scene of Gu Chengming being blown away did not happen.
That seemingly rusted iron sword had appeared precisely on Li Mozi's path at some unknown moment, its blade tilted slightly to deflect her certain strike at a very tricky angle.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Li Mozi's eyes.
A coincidence?
Her wrist flicked, her sword stance changing instantly as she stabbed out three times, targeting Gu Chengming's upper, middle, and lower sections.
Gu Chengming's footwork remained steady; his body swayed like a willow catkin in the wind, and the iron sword in his hand seemed to come alive, drawing several smooth arcs in the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Three more sharp sounds.
Li Mozi's three strikes had actually all been blocked! Furthermore, his defense was airtight; she hadn't even touched the corner of his clothes!
The disciples below the stage were all stunned.
"It... it was blocked?!"
"Senior Brother Gu actually blocked it?!"
"Not only did he block it, but Senior Brother Gu doesn't seem to be losing ground at all!"
On the stage, Li Mozi's expression finally changed.
If the first strike was a fluke, then these subsequent strikes were enough to prove that this man's foundation in basic swordsmanship was solid to a terrifying degree.
That sticky, entangling sword force made her feel as if her sword were stabbing into a bundle of tangled hemp; the more force she used, the tighter the constraint became.
"Good swordplay!"
Li Mozi's eyes shone brightly as the fanaticism belonging to a sword maniac was ignited once more.
She no longer held back; her longsword turned into a sky full of sword shadows, pouring down toward Gu Chengming like a violent storm.
"Excellent!"
Gu Chengming shouted low and advanced instead of retreating.
Because of the Huiyuan Sword Manual, his understanding of basic sword moves had already reached perfection. Coupled with the recent increase in favorability for "Flowing Cloud Following Moon," a hint of treacherous and ever-changing intent had unconsciously seeped into his swordsmanship.
For a time, sword qi crisscrossed the arena, and the two figures moved so fast they were a blur.
"Good!"
Caught in the heat of the fight, Li Mozi couldn't help but shout, "Good!"
The more she fought, the more surprised and delighted she became.
She had thought he was just ignorant, but she hadn't expected him to be a hidden master; his attainment in swordsmanship was not a bit weaker than hers.
Li Mozi's longsword vibrated, and her sword momentum rose again.
But Gu Chengming's brow furrowed slightly.
He could clearly feel that although Li Mozi was fighting intensely, she was still suppressing her cultivation to the sixth level.
Even so, the condensed spiritual power of a "Bitter sword cultivator" and her terrifying combat instincts still placed a bit of pressure on him.
With every collision between the iron sword and the ancient sword, a numbness would travel through the web of his thumb and forefinger.
"She's suppressing her realm."
Gu Chengming's mind was as clear as a mirror as he rapidly deduced the situation.
If Li Mozi kept this up, he would definitely win easily.
But if Li Mozi got truly fired up and stopped suppressing her realm, returning to the peak of the Eighth Level...
"My chances of winning... are only ninety percent."
Gu Chengming felt a chill in his heart.
Only a ninety percent chance of winning?
Doesn't that mean there's a ten percent chance of losing?
As a galgame player who pursued perfection, he would never allow such an uncontrollable risk to exist.
Either don't fight, or if you do, it must be a hundred percent total crushing!
"Emperor Bai, aid me," Gu Chengming muttered in his heart.
Hundred Bones Resonating immediately responded with excitement.
【Exactly! Against such an ant who doesn't know the heights of the heavens, why hold back? Emperor Gu, watch as I help you sweep through the ages!】
Activate "Primal Emperor Art," Second Stage!
Gu Chengming didn't hesitate for a second.
"Emperor" state, descend!
Zing!
The iron sword in Gu Chengming's hand suddenly let out a piercing cry; this time, it was his turn to swing with full force.
Li Mozi was about to strike again when she suddenly felt her vision blur.
Before she could react, Gu Chengming had already moved.
The iron sword swept out; it wasn't a sophisticated move, just a simple horizontal sweep.
Clang!
Li Mozi raised her sword to block, but she felt a massive, irresistible force strike her, as if she had been hit by a wild bull; her feet plowed two deep furrows into the ground as she slid back dozens of feet before barely coming to a stop.
However, Gu Chengming gave her no time to think; having succeeded in one strike, he closed in again, his iron sword falling like raindrops, each strike heavy and powerful, each strike aimed at a vital point.
Hack! Slash! Lift! Smash!
Li Mozi had never seen such an unreasonable fighting style; under Gu Chengming's storm-like assault, she could only defend passively, retreating step by step.
The disciples below were completely dumbfounded.
They had just been trading blows; how did it turn into a one-sided beating in the blink of an eye?
"Is... is this Senior Brother Gu?" "Senior Brother Gu is mighty!"
After a brief, dead silence, a deafening cheer erupted below the Sword-Questioning Platform.
The grievance that had been suppressed for so long finally found an outlet at this moment.
On the stage, Li Mozi was forced to the edge of the arena.
There was nowhere left to retreat.
To be pushed to such a state by a sixth level was an absolute humiliation for her!
Li Mozi stopped suppressing her realm, and the aura of the first realm, Eighth Level erupted violently.
Spiritual power surged into her sword like a tide; she wanted to use her cultivation advantage to forcibly turn the tide.
However...
"With such meager skills, you dare to show off before this Venerable One?"
Gu Chengming sneered; his iron sword didn't slow down but swung even more violently instead.
Under the extremely precise control of the Huiyuan Sword Manual, even though Li Mozi had restored her cultivation, every single one of her moves was still accurately predicted, dismantled, and suppressed by Gu Chengming.
Li Mozi grew more alarmed and desperate the more she fought.
Why? Why was she still unable to win even after releasing her realm?
Why could she not even recover a bit from her decline?
"I don't believe it!"
Li Mozi was frustrated to the extreme.
Since conventional means wouldn't work, she would use that move!
She took a deep breath, and the longsword in her hand suddenly became elusive, with clouds and mist faintly swirling around the blade as a cold, lonely intent spread out.
—Flowing Cloud Following Moon!
As this strike was unleashed, the surrounding air seemed to grow thick, and the sword light spilled like moonlight—ubiquitous and hiding lethal intent.
On the stage, Gu Chengming raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Finally willing to use your real skills?"
On the high platform, Liu Changfeng, who had been watching the battle closely, underwent a drastic change in expression.
"This is bad!"
He stood up abruptly, nearly crushing the folding fan in his hand.
This disciple was two minor realms lower than Mozi, yet he had forced her to use the Flowing Cloud Following Moon Sword!
The killing intent of this sword art was too heavy; once unleashed, even Mozi herself would find it difficult to fully control. If she couldn't pull back her hand, that boy named Gu would surely die!
If a life were lost, the nature of this event would completely change!
He was just about to shout for a stop and even prepared to personally step in to save the boy.
However, in the next second, his movements froze.
He saw that on the arena stage, facing the lethal moonlit brilliance spilling across the sky, Gu Chengming didn't dodge; instead, he raised his sword.
The same starting stance, the same swirling mist.
But the difference was that while Li Mozi's clouds were cold, Gu Chengming's clouds were grey, tinged with gloom and a trace of resentment!
"Flowing Cloud Following Moon?"
Gu Chengming's voice rang out amidst the hum of the swords, carrying a hint of mockery, as if laughing at a clumsy imitator.
"Showing off before a master!"
Boom! Two nearly identical sword intents crashed violently in mid-air.
Li Mozi was completely dumbfounded.
She looked at the familiar sword move and the familiar intent on the other side, and her mind instantly went blank.
Why did he also know the Flowing Cloud Following Moon Sword Art?!
This caused her sword move to stall for a split second.
In a duel between experts, this split second of stalling was fatal.
"Weak forehand, powerless backhand, loose footwork—not a single thing is up to par!" Gu Chengming's voice exploded in her ear like thunder.
"A person like you is worthy of being called a sword cultivator?!"
Before his voice even faded, Gu Chengming's sword had already pierced through her network of blades.
—Flowing Light Sword Shadow!
Gu Chengming's wrist flicked, and the sword transformed into countless blood-colored streaks of light, instantly engulfing Li Mozi's figure.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
A series of muffled impacts rang out. Those were the sounds of the sword spine striking flesh—dull and stomach-turning.
Li Mozi felt as if her entire body were being hit by countless heavy hammers; her protective spiritual qi shattered instantly.
"Ah!"
She was sent flying off the ground, crashing heavily onto the floor.
Blood spilled from her mouth, her hair was a mess, and the ancient sword flew from her hand, landing in the distance.
Everyone's mouth hung open; for a moment, they even forgot to breathe.
Gu Chengming ignored the gazes around him.
He walked slowly to Li Mozi and looked down at her.
He pointed his sword tip at her. "Pick up your sword. Continue."
Li Mozi lay on the ground, her body in agony, her eyes filled with humiliation and resentment.
"I..."
She gritted her teeth, struggling to crawl up, her fingers digging into the gravel on the ground until they were bloody.
"Continue!"
Gu Chengming shouted sternly, "Weren't you very arrogant just now? Didn't you want us all to come at you together? Where is your pride? Where is your backbone?"
Li Mozi's face turned beet red from the scolding, and her refusal to admit defeat surged once again.
"I haven't lost!"
She let out a roar and suddenly lunged for the ancient sword nearby, grabbing it before stumbling toward Gu Chengming.
However, by this time, her mind was in total chaos, and her sword moves were utterly disorganized.
Bang!
Gu Chengming casually swung his sword, slapping her away once again.
"Too weak!" Bang!
Another kick landed in her abdomen.
Bang!
"This is the so-called genius?"
Time after time.
Li Mozi was like a ragdoll, repeatedly being knocked away by Gu Chengming and repeatedly crawling back up.
Until finally, she didn't even have the strength to crawl up anymore, left only to lie on the ground, staring despairingly at that invincible figure.
On the high platform, Liu Changfeng could no longer sit still.
"Enough!"
He roared, about to rush down the stage. "We—"
"Ah, Elder Liu."
A figure blocked his path.
Ren Wencai looked at him with a smile, extending a hand to block him:
"The disciple hasn't surrendered yet, and you're already in such a hurry to admit defeat. Isn't that a bit lacking in the sharp spirit of us sword cultivators, Elder Liu?"
Liu Changfeng's beard trembled with rage. "Ren Wencai! Can't you see Mozi is already—"
"I see it."
The smile remained on Ren Wencai's face, but his eyes turned cold:
"When my Wenjian Sect disciples were being heavily injured just now, wasn't Senior Brother Liu watching with great interest? What, now that it's your own disciple's turn, you feel distressed?"
Liu Changfeng was left speechless and could only watch the stage helplessly.
By now, Li Mozi on the stage was beginning to lose consciousness.
She lay on the ground, her vision blurred by blood.
But the instinct of a sword cultivator made her subconsciously reach for her sword again.
However, this time, Gu Chengming would not allow it.
A foot stepped heavily onto her hand.
Crack. Snap.
That was the sound of hand bones shattering.
In the silent square, it was exceptionally piercing.
Li Mozi shuddered, letting out a suppressed groan of agony; she could no longer hold her sword, and it slid away to the side.
Gu Chengming looked down at the once-haughty genius girl beneath his foot, the harshness in his eyes gradually fading until only indifference remained.
"Boring..."
"This Venerable One has lost interest in your sword."
Having said that, he didn't even give Li Mozi a glance; he raised his foot and, aiming at her chest, delivered a merciless kick.
"Get lost, trash." Bang!
Li Mozi's body was like a kite with its string cut, drawing an arc through the air before slamming heavily below the stage.
Her chest was collapsed, her hand bones shattered, and she was unconscious.
Her injuries were in the exact same places as Jiang Lu's, but far more severe.
The setting sun sank completely behind the mountains, and night fell.
The entire venue was silent.
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