After nine sparring matches, including one draw, the Wudang Sect had won five, drawn one, and Emei had won three.
Low, restrained cheers rose from the Wudang disciples in the martial arts arena, and the excitement on their faces was impossible to hide.
The Emei disciples, meanwhile, looked somewhat tense. Clearly dissatisfied with the outcome, they all instinctively turned their gazes toward Abbess Miejue, who sat at the head.
Abbess Miejue's expression remained as still as an ancient well, as though the victories and defeats before her had not stirred her emotions in the slightest.
After the disciples who had just fought withdrew from the arena, Miejue suddenly spoke.
"Shao'an, you will take the final match!"
Gu Shao'an felt a flicker of doubt upon hearing Miejue's words.
Miejue did not know that Gu Shao'an's cultivation had greatly increased.
Thus, in Miejue's mind, Gu Shao'an should merely have gained two additional years of cultivation.
Yet Gu Shao'an's Bone Structure had reached an exceptional level.
Two years of cultivation for him was no weaker than four or five years of training for martial artists with ordinary Bone Structure.
The Wudang and Emei disciples who had sparred earlier were no older than fifteen and no younger than thirteen. They had all only recently become Inner Sect Disciples of the Wudang Sect and Emei Sect, juniors with shallow cultivation and unrefined martial arts.
Neither their cultivation nor their mastery of martial arts could compare to Gu Shao'an's.
By calculation, these disciples were at most as strong as the three bandit chiefs on Blackwood Mountain.
Why would such a spar require Gu Shao'an to personally take the stage?
Though puzzled, Gu Shao'an immediately answered Miejue's command. "This disciple accepts the order."
Then, beneath Zhou Zhiruo's encouraging gaze, he slowly stepped out from behind Miejue.
Watching Gu Shao'an slowly emerge from behind Miejue, a look of understanding flashed through Song Yuanqiao's eyes.
Among jianghu sects, it was common for disciples from friendly factions to spar with one another.
Especially since the Wudang Sect and Emei Sect had maintained a good relationship ever since Wudang was founded.
From time to time, disciples from the two sects would also spar and exchange pointers.
But in recent years, Miejue had been busy dealing with the Ming Cult's various disturbances within Emei's territory, while Wudang had matters of its own to handle. That was why the two sects had had no time for such sparring.
Yet Miejue had suddenly brought Emei disciples here today to have them spar with Wudang disciples. In Zhang Songxi's view, she was most likely doing so to broaden the horizons of her newly accepted disciple.
Moreover, whenever Miejue mentioned this new disciple during their journey up the mountain, her eyes had been filled with satisfaction.
This made Song Yuanqiao curious. What was so extraordinary about Gu Shao'an that Miejue valued him so highly?
However, Gu Shao'an was at most fifteen years old, and he had only entered Miejue's tutelage a little over two months ago.
Song Yuanqiao could only give a few instructions and summon the youngest Inner Sect Disciple on Wudang Mountain.
He was twelve years old, not much different in age from Gu Shao'an.
As the two small figures stood three zhang apart in the arena, all eyes around them converged upon the pair.
"Wait."
At that moment, Miejue's voice suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention toward her.
Song Yuanqiao asked, "Shitai, is there a problem?"
Miejue smiled calmly in response. "To be honest, Zhang Zhenren sent a letter a year ago, proposing an exchange of Wudang's Wudang Nine Yang Skill for our Emei Sect's Emei Nine Yang Skill."
"But at the time, this nun harbored resentment over the Heavenly Sword, so this nun refused what Zhang Zhenren proposed in his letter."
"Yet considering the friendship between our two sects, this nun could not allow a momentary grievance to sever our cordial relations."
"Therefore, if this nun's disciple loses the upcoming match to the Wudang Sect, this nun will exchange the Emei Nine Yang Skill for Wudang's Wudang Nine Yang Skill, thereby preserving the relationship between Emei and Wudang."
Song Yuanqiao and the others' eyes lit up.
Zhang Songxi, fourth among the Wudang Seven Heroes, could not help but praise her. "Shitai is truly righteous."
Song Yuanqiao and the others knew that Zhang Sanfeng had written that letter seeking to exchange for the Emei Nine Yang Skill because he wished to combine the Wudang Nine Yang Skill with the Emei Nine Yang Skill, draw upon their essential principles, and dispel the cold poison left in Zhang Wuji's body by the Xuanming Palm.
At present, Zhang Wuji had gone missing, and no one knew where he was.
But the cold poison from the Xuanming Palm within Zhang Wuji's body was unusual. Only something supremely firm and yang could remove it.
If they could obtain the Emei Nine Yang Skill, then once they found Zhang Wuji in the future, they could cure his cold poison and save his life.
In the arena, Gu Shao'an's brows rose unconsciously as he listened to Miejue. The internal energy circulating through his body also paused, as though he were listening more closely.
There had already been something strange about Miejue bringing him to Wudang this time.
Gu Shao'an had not understood Miejue's intentions either.
Now that Miejue had voluntarily brought up the Emei Nine Yang Skill, Gu Shao'an felt that she was clearly using it as bait.
Just as Gu Shao'an was speculating inwardly, Miejue spoke again.
"However, this nun already said that Zhang Zhenren went somewhat too far last year. If your sect's disciple defeats this nun's disciple in their spar, then the Emei Nine Yang Skill will be exchanged for the Wudang Nine Yang Skill."
"But if this nun's disciple proves more skilled and wins, then the matter of exchanging cultivation methods shall be dropped! Wudang must also return Emei's treasured Heavenly Sword."
Upon hearing Miejue's words, Gu Shao'an finally understood her plan.
She intended to use this opportunity for a spar between the two sects to have him retrieve the Heavenly Sword from the Wudang Sect ahead of time.
Once he understood Miejue's objective, Gu Shao'an also understood why she had specifically mentioned when she had accepted him as a disciple while introducing him at the foot of the mountain.
She had clearly done so to dispel Song Yuanqiao's wariness.
Song Yuanqiao showed hesitation at Miejue's words.
But when he thought of the value of the Emei Nine Yang Skill, as well as the deceased Zhang Cuishan and poor little Wuji, Song Yuanqiao sighed inwardly.
After glancing at Gu Shao'an, Song Yuanqiao took a deep breath and nodded.
"The Heavenly Sword originally belongs to Emei. It was only kept in Wudang last year due to special circumstances. Since Shitai is so righteous as to offer the Emei Nine Yang Skill in exchange with Wudang, how could I refuse?"
Seeing Song Yuanqiao agree, Miejue was delighted inwardly, but she merely gave a soft "Mm" without revealing anything on her face.
Song Yuanqiao, however, was an upright man. Knowing Gu Shao'an's age when he entered the sect, he did not wish to bully him excessively, so he had Zhang Songxi select a Wudang Inner Sect Disciple close to Gu Shao'an's age.
A moment later, in the martial arts arena, a twelve-year-old boy in a fitted blue outfit stood three zhang away from Gu Shao'an.
The two were similar in height, both bearing the youthful, unformed features unique to boys their age.
Watched by so many senior brothers and even martial uncles, the Wudang boy could not help but feel nervous despite his childish face. Still, he took a deep breath, tried his best to imitate his elders' composure, drew the long sword at his waist, and said in a clear voice, "Wudang, Zhang Yuting. Please enlighten me!"
"Emei, Gu Shao'an."
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