No matter what happened, he was always able to maintain a gentle, calm smile.
She wondered if he would still be able to keep that smile on his face when he was blasted off the sparring platform.
Yun Heng walked back to her original spot.
Since she had drawn Bai Chu'an, there was naturally no need to draw for the remaining matchups.
The names on the light screen behind them shifted rapidly, finally displaying two completely new sets of matchup information.
Gong Yiding announced in a clear, loud voice, “The matchup list for the semifinals has been decided!”
“Group one: Yun Heng versus Bai Chu'an!”
“Group two: Ye Zezhi versus Xiao Cen!”
“The semifinals will officially begin in one month!”
“We ask the four contestants to adjust their condition and prepare well during this time!”
Cheers erupted from the viewing areas once again, and the spectators on the Five Domains Platform gradually began to disperse.
Meanwhile, Xie Wujiu, who had been sent flying off the sparring platform by Yun Heng's single sword strike, had already been taken back to Lanying Pavilion.
Inside the courtyard where the Taihua Sword Sect was staying, the doors to the room were tightly shut.
Xie Wujiu lay quietly on the bed, his face so pale it was almost entirely devoid of color.
Thick bandages were wrapped around his chest. The lingering cold energy on his body had already been dispersed by several elders working together, and the toxins in his meridians had also been mostly cleared out.
Yun Heng's final strike had been far too powerful.
If Xie Wujiu hadn't had two protective artifacts to block most of the sword qi, combined with timely medical treatment, it would have been hard to say whether he would even be alive right now.
Now, his most fatal injuries had been stabilized.
All that was left was for him to rest in peace and slowly recover.
After an unknown amount of time, Xie Wujiu's eyelashes fluttered slightly as he lay on the bed.
He slowly opened his eyes.
His vision was somewhat blurry at first.
Only when his consciousness gradually cleared did he make out the person sitting in the room.
Xu Changning had been guarding him the entire time.
Seeing Xie Wujiu wake up, she immediately stood up and walked to the bedside.
“Wujiu, you're awake.”
“How do you feel now?”
Xie Wujiu tried to move his body, but a sudden wave of pain immediately shot through his chest.
His brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly relaxed again.
“Thank you for your concern, Sect Master.”
“I feel much better.”
Xu Changning finally let out a sigh of relief.
She sat down by the bed and sighed softly.
“You don't need to take this match to heart.”
“Losing to Yun Heng is nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Her cultivation has already reached the peak of the Soul Transformation Realm, and her true strength far exceeds her superficial realm. For you to hold out for so long, you have already done exceptionally well.”
“Not to mention, you made it to the top eight of the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering this time.”
“This result has already far exceeded our expectations.”
Xie Wujiu lowered his head and remained silent.
Did I do well?
He hadn't even touched the hem of Yun Heng's clothes.
His so-called endurance was nothing more than running around in a pathetic state under the joint assault of her two contracted spirit beasts.
Unaware of the emotions churning inside him, Xu Changning continued, “Those two moves you used on the platform today—they must be a fortuitous opportunity you obtained recently, right?”
Xie Wujiu's body stiffened slightly.
Seeing this, Xu Changning gently comforted him, “You don't need to be nervous.”
“Everyone has their own opportunities. The sect will not pry into them.”
“However, judging from today's match, although those two sword moves are extremely powerful, you are still somewhat unfamiliar with them. It's clear you haven't fully mastered them yet.”
“Even so, you possess a natural sword bone, and your comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpasses that of ordinary people.”
“As long as you spend more time practicing, you will surely be able to utilize those two moves with ease in the future.”
At this point, Xu Changning's expression became much more serious.
“Wujiu, you are now the hope of the entire Taihua Sword Sect.”
“Ever since that incident five years ago, the Xuanxiao Sect has been on a downward slope. In this session of the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering, their Eldest Disciple didn't even make it past the second round.”
“Given the Xuanxiao Sect's current situation, they probably won't be able to hold onto their position among the Five Great Sects of the Eastern Region.”
“But we are different.”
“Although the Taihua Sword Sect has also suffered a heavy blow, as long as you are here, we will have a day to rise again.”
Xu Changning looked at Xie Wujiu, her voice carrying a tone of deep earnestness.
“Therefore, no matter what happens, you must not act on impulse.”
“And you certainly must not drive yourself into a dead end over the outcome of a single match, doing something foolish that would ruin your own future.”
“You must cultivate diligently and take it step by step.”
“As long as you are alive, there is still hope for the Taihua Sword Sect.”
The room remained quiet for a long time.
Xie Wujiu kept his head lowered the entire time, making it impossible to see his expression.
After a long while, he replied in a low voice, “Thank you for your teachings, Sect Master.”
“Wujiu will keep them in mind.”
Xu Changning nodded with relief.
“It is good that you understand.”
“For now, focus on recovering from your injuries.”
“If you feel any discomfort, let me know immediately.”
Xie Wujiu gave a soft murmur of agreement.
The door closed shut.
Sitting alone on the bed, Xie Wujiu's mind was in utter chaos.
Six years ago, his master died.
Xu Changning, who was then the Grand Elder, had told him that the person who killed his master was Yun Heng.
From that day on, this name had been firmly engraved in his heart.
Until he met Yun Heng for the first time in person at Lanying Pavilion.
At that time, Yun Heng was already at the late stage of the Soul Transformation Realm.
Later, he watched with his own eyes as Yun Heng summoned the Rock-Armored Spirit Tiger at the mid stage of the Soul Transformation Realm, and casually took out Grade Eight talismans at the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering.
This time, he finally stood opposite Yun Heng.
Yet, Yun Heng's cultivation had already broken through from the late stage of the Soul Transformation Realm to the peak of the Soul Transformation Realm.
It couldn't even be considered a real fight.
From beginning to end, it had been a one-sided crushing defeat by Yun Heng.
Thinking of this, a bitter smile appeared at the corner of Xie Wujiu's mouth.
Even if he had obtained the sword intent heritage, what of it?
Even if he completely mastered the sword intent, would he really be able to pose a threat to Yun Heng?
Xie Wujiu lowered his gaze.
Just then, he suddenly remembered something. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a deep green scale.
The scale was only half the size of a palm, and a very clean sword mark remained on its edge.
This was the scale he had sliced off that Emerald Poison Spirit Python on the sparring platform.
Xie Wujiu stared at the scale for a long time, then reached into his storage bag and retrieved a palm-sized ancient mirror.
The Cause-Tracing Mirror was capable of using an item to trace a portion of the cause and effect associated with it.
Xie Wujiu placed the deep green scale in front of the Cause-Tracing Mirror.
He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately took a deep breath and slowly channeled the spiritual energy he had just recently recovered into the mirror.
The patterns along the edge of the ancient mirror lit up circle by circle.
The gray, misty surface of the mirror also began to ripple.
Before long, a blurry image gradually appeared within it.
Xie Wujiu immediately sat up straight, his eyes glued to the mirror's surface.
What appeared first was a dark nest.
A green snake egg shook gently.
A fine crack split across the surface of the eggshell, and immediately after, a tiny snake head poked out from within.
It was a green snake that had just hatched.
Its body was not even as thick as a finger, and its scales were extremely soft.
The image in the mirror continued to flicker.
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