Ye Yun's words plunged the entire hall into an eerie silence. After hearing what Ye Yun had said earlier, the others had realized it too: that old rascal Qi Hao hadn't come to Great Bamboo Peak just to inform them about the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament. He was here for their junior sister—their daughter. So although Ye Yun's words had tarred them all with the same brush, none of them spoke up. Instead, they watched Qi Hao with mocking expressions.
Just as Qi Hao was about to buckle under the pressure and prepare to take his leave, a loud cry of "Ow!" came from outside the hall. Before the sound had faded, a figure flew inside, hit the ground with a thud, and kept rolling several times, ending up dusty and disheveled. The crowd took a closer look. Wasn't that Zhang Xiaofan?
The people of Great Bamboo Peak's faces changed at once. But Ye Yun's expression was different from theirs: anger flashed across their faces, while a look of barely concealed schadenfreude flickered across his. Qi Hao had already angered Tian Buyi, and now Lin Jingyu had bullied his disciple right in front of him. That was like swatting flies on a tiger's head—asking for death. From what Ye Yun knew of his master, Tian Buyi, Qi Hao was in for a rough time.
Because of Ye Yun, Tian Ling'er was on good terms with Zhang Xiaofan, but they weren't especially close. Song Daren, the eldest disciple, often sought Zhang Xiaofan out for a chat, worried that he'd be lonely by himself, so the two had grown very close. Seeing Zhang Xiaofan in such a state, Song Daren hurried over and helped him up, his face full of worry. "Xiao Fan, are you all right?"
Zhang Xiaofan had taken a nasty fall, and his head was still ringing. Though he felt dizzy, he forced himself to speak. "I... I'm fine."
Just then, Lin Jingyu ran into the hall, looking anxious. Seeing Zhang Xiaofan still unsteady on his feet, he said guiltily, "Xiao Fan, are you all right? I... I didn't realize you were so weak. I lost control for a moment..."
The moment Ye Yun heard that, he knew things were about to go badly. Tian Buyi had always been troubled by Zhang Xiaofan's situation, and now Lin Jingyu had come right out and said it. He might as well have kicked a hornet's nest.
Sure enough, Tian Buyi's expression darkened at Lin Jingyu's words. With a crack, the armrest of the chair he was sitting in crumbled beneath his grip. Just then, Tian Ling'er spun around and snapped, "What gives you the right to bully him?" She formed a spell with her fingers, and Amber Vermilion Ribbon shot forth in a flash of rosy light, streaking toward Lin Jingyu with a whoosh.
In Tian Ling'er's eyes, Zhang Xiaofan might not be very strong, but he was still her junior brother. And because she liked him, she was fond of the silly boy, too. Only the people of Great Bamboo Peak were allowed to bully her junior brother. Now someone had beaten him right in front of her—how could she not be furious? At once, she summoned Amber Vermilion Ribbon to teach the other boy a lesson.
The instant Amber Vermilion Ribbon shot forth, Su Ru and Qi Hao shouted together, "Stop!"
Tian Ling'er wasn't especially strong, but Amber Vermilion Ribbon was no ordinary treasure. In the blink of an eye, it was upon Lin Jingyu. He might have begun cultivating later than Tian Ling'er, but his talent was extraordinary. Though taken by surprise, he stayed calm. Seeing the ribbon shimmer with rosy light, he recognized it as a magical treasure and immediately retreated. He pointed his left hand skyward and his right hand at the ground, fingers clasped in a sword spell, and shouted, "Rise!"
With a clang like a dragon's cry, a sword sprang from its sheath, and the sound rang throughout Shou Jing Hall. Blue light enveloped Lin Jingyu, and he summoned a sword that blazed with brilliant azure radiance. Its blade was clear and bright as autumn water, and auspicious mists rose around it. It easily held back Tian Ling'er's Amber Vermilion Ribbon, and its light bathed all of Shou Jing Hall in blue.
Looking at the Dragon Slaying Sword, gleaming with cold light, Ye Yun marveled inwardly. What a fine sword! It was every bit as good as Crimson Flame. What a pity it already had a master.
As Ye Yun admired the famous sword, Tian Buyi suddenly snorted and rose to his feet. The hand hidden behind his back shifted slightly, and a flash of crimson light vanished. He said coldly, "Cang Song really spared no expense. He even passed the Dragon Slaying Sword on to him."
Seeing that Lin Jingyu was unharmed, Qi Hao relaxed. And since Tian Ling'er had struck first, the two sides were even now. He smiled. "My master once said that Jingyu was extraordinarily gifted. He broke through to the Fourth Layer of Jade Purity in just three years—a feat unheard of in a thousand years. He's a once-in-a-millennium prodigy, almost the equal of Ancestor Qing Ye in his day. He's sure to achieve great things, so it's only right that he's given special attention."
What puzzled Qi Hao was that this uncle, whom his master had described as narrow-minded, wasn't angry this time. Instead, he watched the two magical treasures locked in a stalemate with considerable interest.
Tian Ling'er was a naturally gifted beauty, pampered by her parents and senior brothers over the years. At fifteen or sixteen, she was at an age when she was fiercely competitive. Hearing Qi Hao say that, she—already fuming—flew into a rage.
"So he can hit people just because he's talented? I'm going to teach all of you a good lesson today! And you, Qi Hao. I thought you were tall and handsome, but I never imagined you were so filthy inside. What a waste of a handsome face. My junior brother is much better."
At the thought, Tian Ling'er glared and swept her arms out, guiding the spell. Her red robes fluttered as she slowly rose into the air. Crossing her hands before her chest in an orchid-finger pose, she cried, "Spirit Bind!"
The moment she spoke, crimson light filled Shou Jing Hall. Amber Vermilion Ribbon, which had been barely three feet long, unfurled in the wind with incredible speed, filling the space overhead in an instant. Its light overwhelmed the azure radiance of the Dragon Slaying Sword. Before Lin Jingyu could react, the ribbons had transformed into countless red cords and wound around him, bundling him into a giant dumpling. Only then did Su Ru rise to her feet and call out to Tian Ling'er, who was hovering in midair. "Ling'er, don't be reckless!"
Ye Yun had seen plenty of Tian Ling'er's Amber Vermilion Ribbon himself. And she wasn't the same Tian Ling'er from the original story, who spent all day playing around. Under Ye Yun's influence, she now trained diligently almost every day, building an exceptionally solid foundation. Her cultivation was also a little higher than Lin Jingyu's. This time, he might not be able to break free of Amber Vermilion Ribbon.
Zhang Xiaofan, who had recovered by now, was stunned by the sight before him. He spent all his time buried in cultivation and had never seen such an intense magical duel. Just then, someone behind him exclaimed in admiration, "Amber Vermilion Ribbon truly lives up to its reputation!"
Zhang Xiaofan turned around and saw that Qi Hao was watching the scene intently, murmuring an incantation under his breath, yet showing no sign of worry. That put Zhang Xiaofan at ease. Still, he couldn't help feeling that something was odd about the way Senior Brother Qi Hao looked at his senior sister. It made him uncomfortable.
Seeing that the battle was decided, Tian Ling'er gave a haughty snort and began to withdraw her power. But just then, a piercing ripping sound rang out. A small gap appeared in the layers of red ribbon, and points of azure light shone through. The gap began to widen at a rapid pace.
Tian Ling'er's expression changed, and she tried to pour her power back in. But she'd already lost the initiative, and there was no turning things around. Still, she didn't panic, because she knew he would be all right.
With a mighty dragon's roar that seemed to split stone and pierce metal, azure light surged through Shou Jing Hall. Lin Jingyu burst out through the torn ribbons, sword and man as one, enveloped in a hazy dragon-shaped aura. Like an arrow loosed from its bow, he charged at Tian Ling'er with unstoppable force. At this rate, the fight would be decided in an instant.
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