Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament had officially arrived.
Early morning.
Everyone from Grand Bamboo Peak rose early.
After getting themselves ready, the group headed straight to Shoujing Hall to gather. The many fellow disciples were all dressed to the nines, each one more flamboyant than the last.
Looking around.
Only Wang Quan Yan and Zhang Xiaofan were relatively ordinary.
Zhang Xiaofan wore a plain disciple's uniform, and the magic treasure he used was the Fire-Burning Staff he usually cooked with. He looked dull and dazed, without the slightest hint of standing out.
As for Wang Quan Yan?
Though his clothes were somewhat plain.
His looks were undoubtedly among the best in the crowd.
At a glance.
The youth wore a blue Daoist robe and leaned against the doorway with the Sovereign Sword in his arms. He was lean and handsome, with sharp brows and bright eyes. His long black hair had been casually tied up, with only a few loose strands drifting across his brow...
"Ahem."
Just then.
Tian Buyi and Su Ru emerged from the inner hall.
Tian Ling'er, dressed in red, followed behind them.
At that moment.
Tian Ling'er looked at Wang Quan Yan with a complicated expression, but the joy of soon seeing Senior Brother Qi Hao quickly filled her heart.
As for Wang Quan Yan?
She did feel indebted to him!
She wanted to take charge of her own future even more!
Tian Buyi swept his gaze across the surrounding disciples.
Then.
As though recalling something, he looked at Wang Quan Yan and said, "Xiao Yan, where is the Dragon Slaying Sword? Bring it along as well."
Over the past three months.
No one from Dragon Head Peak had come to reclaim the Dragon Slaying Sword.
Tian Buyi could not quite figure out what Cangsong was thinking, so he decided to bring it over and ask while they were there. If they did not want it anymore...
Then Grand Bamboo Peak would gladly accept it!
Hearing this.
Wang Quan Yan raised his brows slightly.
"Yes, Master."
He cupped his hands in salute.
Then.
He lightly beckoned in a certain direction, and a thread of sword intent spread outward.
The next moment.
Whoosh!
Dazzling azure light blossomed.
The Dragon Slaying Sword instantly tore through the air toward him.
During this time.
Wang Quan Yan had gained considerable achievements in the path of sword control. Though he had yet to create a true sword-control technique, it would not be long now.
"Huh?!"
Everyone from Grand Bamboo Peak was astonished by Wang Quan Yan's display.
Still, they did not make too much of a fuss over it.
"Let's go."
Tian Buyi withdrew his gaze and spoke.
As soon as he finished speaking.
The group rose into the air on their swords.
Before long.
They arrived at Tongtian Peak.
Because he had visited so often over the past three months, Wang Quan Yan had become acquainted with quite a few Tongtian Peak disciples. Many greeted him along the way.
"Junior Brother Wang Quan?"
"You're here?"
Wang Quan Yan responded to each of them with a smile.
Though he had pride in his heart, he did not show it toward those around him.
After all.
Whatever kind of person someone was.
That was the attitude he gave them!
By the time they reached Jade Purity Hall.
Tian Buyi and Su Ru had already entered the hall ahead of them.
Disciples like Wang Quan Yan still needed to wait outside for a while.
Now.
Zhang Xiaofan had not fallen for Tian Ling'er as he had in the original story, so his state of mind had not become anxious and insecure. Naturally, he was not affected by the Fire-Burning Staff...
So long as the Fire-Burning Staff had not awakened.
The Spiritual Venerable Water Qilin naturally did not appear either.
Regarding this.
Wang Quan Yan was somewhat disappointed.
He had wanted to meet the Water Qilin for a long time.
Unfortunately, he had never had the chance.
However.
Just as Wang Quan Yan was feeling regretful.
An unwelcome guest appeared.
"Senior Brother Song."
A flamboyantly dressed young man in white led a group toward Grand Bamboo Peak. It was none other than Qi Hao of Dragon Head Peak...
"Junior Brother Qi."
Song Daren glanced at Wang Quan Yan and Tian Ling'er, then awkwardly returned the salute.
At that moment.
Wang Quan Yan's expression was calm.
He seemed not to regard Qi Hao as worthy of notice at all?
As for Tian Ling'er...
Her eyes were full of Qi Hao, sparkling with little stars, while she clutched the Cooling Pearl in her hand.
"Senior Brother Qi Hao!"
Tian Ling'er called out brightly.
For a moment.
Everyone from Grand Bamboo Peak fell silent.
On this matter, they stood on the same side as Wang Quan Yan. Though it was not their place to criticize Tian Ling'er, they could still give Qi Hao the cold shoulder!
At that moment.
Seeing the group from Grand Bamboo Peak fall silent.
Qi Hao frowned slightly.
His expression darkened somewhat as well.
But there was nothing he could really say.
Thus, he could only exchange a few smiling words with Tian Ling'er before turning and leaving...
As for the engagement between Tian Ling'er and Wang Quan Yan?
Qi Hao actually knew about it.
Or rather, everyone in the Qingyun Sect knew.
Qi Hao had never regarded Wang Quan Yan as a threat.
Because in his eyes.
Wang Quan Yan was nothing more than trash.
He was confident that Tian Buyi would approve of him. Forming a marriage alliance with the future Peak Master of Dragon Head Peak was surely better than marrying his daughter to an ordinary disciple at the Third Layer of Jade Purity, wasn't it?!
What Qi Hao had not expected was that Wang Quan Yan would rise to prominence!
That made things rather awkward.
Now that he had already tried to steal someone else's fiancée, there was no taking it back. It would simply come down to who was stronger.
According to Qi Hao's plan.
He only needed to defeat Wang Quan Yan in the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament and claim the championship. Then he should be able to marry Tian Ling'er without issue...
Wasn't that a simple matter?
Qi Hao was full of confidence.
At this moment.
Quite a few Qingyun Disciples nearby had seen Tian Ling'er chatting so intimately with Qi Hao, and they had also seen the silent disciples of Grand Bamboo Peak—
For a time.
A firestorm of gossip spread throughout the Qingyun Sect.
Many Qingyun Disciples began speculating about the relationship between Tian Ling'er and Qi Hao.
"Isn't Tian Ling'er engaged to Wang Quan Yan?"
"She was chatting so intimately with Qi Hao right in front of her future husband..."
"Is that appropriate?"
The news only spread among the disciples for now.
It had not yet reached the circles of the Peak Masters and elders.
But.
It probably would not take long.
Wang Quan Yan walked into Jade Purity Hall with an expressionless face.
He and Tian Ling'er no longer had any relationship, so whatever she did had nothing to do with him.
Whoosh!
The moment Wang Quan Yan entered Jade Purity Hall.
He suddenly noticed an icy gaze directed at him.
"Hm?"
Wang Quan Yan paused slightly.
He raised his eyes.
He immediately saw an aloof maiden standing beside Martial Aunt Shuiyue.
The maiden wore a sky-blue dress. She was slender and graceful, tall and elegant, with skin as fair as mutton-fat jade. Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders, and she had clearly taken special care with her appearance.
At that moment.
She stood beside Shui Yue.
Her eyes carried a trace of comfort as she looked at Wang Quan Yan.
Clearly...
She had also heard the gossip from outside Jade Purity Hall.
Wang Quan Yan froze slightly.
He did not care about gossip.
This matter would soon pass.
There was only one thing he cared about—was she comforting him?
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