Song Yuanqiao spoke up at the right moment. "Please do not take offense, Shitai. Your disciple's performance was simply too outstanding. In merely two months, she had trained Willow Leaf Swordplay to such an advanced level. It was truly rare."
One did not slap a smiling face.
Everyone liked hearing pleasant words, and Miejue was no exception.
What was more, the ones who had prompted such a reaction from Song Yuanqiao, Zhang Songxi, and the others were her own personal disciple.
Though Miejue's face remained dark as water, inwardly she felt as though she had drunk a bowl of ice water in the heat of summer, utterly refreshed.
Now that Zhang Songxi had taken the initiative to admit fault, Miejue did not press the matter further. With a cold snort, she withdrew her gaze.
"Since the victor has been decided, surely a man like Sect Leader Song will not go back on his word?"
Song Yuanqiao was honest and kind, not foolishly naive.
By now, how could he not understand that he had fallen into Miejue's trap? Gu Shao'an's short time since entering the sect had blinded him, causing him to underestimate Gu Shao'an.
Yet Song Yuanqiao did not blame Miejue for it. Instead, he blamed himself for being narrow-minded and looking down on Gu Shao'an, which had led him to step into the trap without realizing it.
He immediately said solemnly, "Rest assured, Shitai. I, Song Yuanqiao, am not one to refuse to accept defeat after making a wager. Since I made an agreement with Shitai beforehand, I will naturally honor it."
After speaking, Song Yuanqiao looked toward Zhang Songxi.
The latter wasted no words. With a leap, he stepped repeatedly through the air, as though invisible cloud ladders supported him, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the wall beside the statue of Great Emperor Zhenwu.
His right hand covered the scabbard of the Heavenly Sword. Zhang Songxi lightly tapped the wall twice with his feet, pulling the Heavenly Sword free from the wall as his body spun through the air like a top several times before landing steadily where he had stood before.
Even as he landed, he made not the slightest sound. This lightness skill truly deserved to be called as light as a swallow.
Even Miejue could not help but let a trace of gravity flash through her eyes as she watched Zhang Songxi display his mastery of Wudang Ladder Cloud Steps.
After taking down the Heavenly Sword, Zhang Songxi did not spare it even a moment's glance. He raised a foot and walked toward Miejue, preparing to return the Heavenly Sword to her.
Seeing her sect's treasured weapon about to return to her hands, even Miejue had no attention left for anything else. Her eyes held only the Heavenly Sword.
"Hold it!"
At that moment, a vigorous voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned toward the sound and discovered that the speaker was none other than Song Qingshu, standing beside Song Yuanqiao.
"Qingshu, is there a problem?"
"Second Martial Uncle, the Heavenly Sword was personally confiscated by grandmaster. If we handle it like this, what if grandmaster blames us?"
"Besides, even if Shitai's disciple is exceptionally gifted and truly joined Emei only two months ago, Shitai deliberately kept it hidden and set this wager before the match. Winning the Heavenly Sword through such conduct is rather lacking in grace."
As he spoke, Song Qingshu first swept a glance over Zhou Zhiruo, then looked at Gu Shao'an, his words abruptly taking a turn.
"Unless Emei and Wudang hold another match. If Shitai's new disciple can win again, then Wudang can only blame itself for having no worthy successors."
Song Yuanqiao, Zhang Songxi, Miejue, and the others had all lived for decades.
From where Song Qingshu's gaze had lingered before he spoke, how could they fail to see that his remarks were clearly born of jealousy?
Song Yuanqiao barked, "Nonsense! A wager is a wager, and defeat must be accepted. No matter what, the agreement has already been made. How can Wudang disciples break their word? Besides, the Heavenly Sword was originally Emei's possession. It was only temporarily kept in Wudang, so returning it is only right."
Zhang Songxi said nothing, but he did not withdraw the Heavenly Sword in his hand, which was enough to show that his attitude matched Song Yuanqiao's.
Miejue sneered. "Everyone knows what Sima Zhao is plotting. Another match? Why not have Young Hero Song personally step in and offer some guidance to This Nun's disciple?"
Though Song Qingshu was impulsive, he was not stupid. How could he fail to hear the veiled mockery in Miejue's words?
He did want to step in and teach a lesson to this boy who dared act so intimate with Zhou Zhiruo, but at his age, if he truly fought Gu Shao'an, victory would make him a bully, while defeat would leave him utterly disgraced.
Song Yuanqiao hurriedly said, "Please do not take offense, Shitai. Qingshu is young and has not thought many matters through, which is why he has overstepped himself."
"Young?"
Miejue glanced at Gu Shao'an, who stood nearby with his back straight as a pine, obedient and quiet.
Then she looked at Song Qingshu, who was six or seven years older than Gu Shao'an and nearly two heads taller, and sneered inwardly.
"This Nun's disciple is only eleven, yet he already knows propriety and etiquette. He knows not to be loud when elders are present, and he knows to listen quietly to This Nun's instructions."
"But how old is Young Hero Song this year? Could it be that he is even younger than This Nun's little disciple?"
"It seems Wudang is indeed a top-tier force. Its meals must be far better than those of my Emei Sect, since they can make someone younger than my little disciple grow so tall."
"In the future, if This Nun takes in more disciples, I may have to shamelessly bring them to Wudang's dining hall every day to scrounge a meal, so that they may grow as tall as Young Hero Song in childhood, like someone seventeen or eighteen years old."
Hearing Miejue's words, Gu Shao'an lightly pressed his lips together.
Seriously, with that mouth of his master's, she had probably trained it too.
Every word she spoke had yin within yang and yang within yin, yin and yang intertwined, all dripping with sarcasm.
Song Yuanqiao, Zhang Songxi, Mo Shenggu, and the others nearby also found their expressions alternating between red and pale as they listened to Miejue.
They wanted to pull a long face and refute her, but seeing Gu Shao'an standing there from beginning to end, obedient, composed, and unhurried, then looking at the ill-mannered Song Qingshu beside him, they found themselves unable to argue back.
It felt as though something were lodged in their throats, leaving them miserably stifled.
After being ridiculed so thoroughly by Miejue, Song Qingshu's face had flushed somewhat red as well.
But with Miejue being Zhou Zhiruo's master, Song Qingshu did not dare defy her too openly.
For a moment, he could neither speak nor remain silent, finding it difficult to say anything at all.
Taking in Song Qingshu's reaction, the contempt in Miejue's eyes deepened.
"Gu Shao'an is much more pleasing to the eye."
With that thought, Miejue turned to look at Gu Shao'an.
But just as her gaze fell upon him, Gu Shao'an happened to look back at her.
Then, to Miejue's astonishment, Gu Shao'an gave a slight nod. The sword in his left hand subtly turned, angling its hilt toward Song Qingshu.
Noticing the subtle gesture Gu Shao'an gave her, Miejue felt a flicker of doubt.
But the next second, she understood what he meant.
He was agreeing to another match.
And his target was Song Qingshu.
Seeing through Gu Shao'an's intentions, Miejue's gaze paused, and she frowned instinctively.
If it had been Zhou Zhiruo who showed such intent, Miejue would never have agreed.
But thinking of Gu Shao'an's performance over the past two months, then glancing at the Heavenly Sword in Zhang Songxi's hand, Miejue pondered briefly before making her decision.
Before you continue