A Sword Duel is a Shushan Specialty, a Must-Try

After winning over the Thunderstrike Sword with his outstanding charm, Ling Yunpo stayed holed up on Green Snail Peak, practicing dual-wielding swordsmanship with Senior Sister An.

Occasionally, he'd rewind time to visit Qiu Changtian, practicing how to unleash Jade Pivot Thunder more discreetly.

Or he'd embody Luo Yan to attend classes at Penglai, dealing with the Eldest Young Lady and boosting his synchronization value.

Time passed like this, and finally, the day of the sword competition arrived.

At noon, on the summit of Shushan's Golden Hall Peak, sword lights had already begun to descend one after another.

Most people were there to spectate the competition, while others, friendly with Purple Cloud Peak or holding grudges against Green Snail Peak, harbored their own ulterior motives.

Lou Zhizheng stood on the south side of the competition grounds, his sword on his back, hands clasped behind him in a pose of aloofness.

A moment later, two beams of sword light descended from the north: it was Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu.

"Since you're here, and the competition hasn't started yet, you can say whatever last words you have," Lou Zhizheng declared.

His voice was loud and full of vigor, making the sky above the peak hum. Disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage nearby exclaimed in shock:

"Could this person have truly reached the Marrow Cleansing Stage?!"

Regardless of previous rumors, in the eyes of most Shushan Disciples, a sword competition should be fought honorably, with both victory and defeat met with integrity.

Underhanded tactics like deliberately arranging a match at the same stage and then forcibly breaking through on the spot were always disdained.

Seeing Lou Zhizheng, as rumored, had indeed broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Stage using secret arts, they erupted in loud boos.

"Tch, strategy is also part of a sword competition. What would you ignorant fools understand!"

Lou Zhizheng was completely unfazed, merely crossing his arms and sneering.

Using the Purple Qi Gathering Top secret art to forcibly break through would severely damage his future cultivation.

Since he had paid such a price, he was determined to beat Ling Yunpo to death this time, harming his roots as much as possible.

Only then would Senior Sister An, unable to bear it, offer her Immortal Sword in exchange for spirit stones. He could then accept it smoothly, decisively defeat Ling Yunpo, and let him go.

In this light, the plan was simply perfect, seamless.

The only regret was that no high-level Senior Brothers from his Purple Cloud Peak had come to watch.

If a Golden Core True Person stood by the sidelines, who would dare to be so noisy!

Listening to the waves of boos from the crowd, Lou Zhizheng's eye twitched, suppressing his anger inwardly as he silently formed hand seals.

"That guy doesn't seem very popular," Ling Yunpo remarked.

"Don't mind what outsiders think," An Zhisu smiled. "Just fight with your heart."

As Ling Yunpo took his position in the arena, the surrounding crowd erupted in even louder boos.

The vicious curses and sharp insults startled him.

"Is this the new disciple of Green Snail Peak? How could they be so blind to want to join that cursed place, Green Snail Peak?"

"Is that the Junior Brother of the Grass Cutting Sword Immortal? I heard he's only at the Qi Refining Stage. He's surely doomed this time."

"Hahaha, no matter who gets seriously injured or tragically killed, it will be a cause for celebration. After the competition, I'll treat everyone to drinks."

Just as he commented on the opponent's poor popularity, his own reputation turned out to be not much better, Ling Yunpo thought to himself.

As for why this was the case, he had gathered some information during the time before the competition.

His cheap master, Su Jian, was said to have been a great killer in Shushan, with countless fellow disciples and elders dying by his hand in competitions.

It was only later, due to his secluded cultivation, that he faded from the attention of the Shushan sect.

And his Senior Sister An Zhisu, though usually gentle and considerate, was seen by outsiders as a little killer.

Rumor even had it that she would smile and draw her sword to attack at the slightest provocation, and her strength was formidable; it would take at least a hundred or eighty disciples of the same level to even stand a chance against her.

If not for Shushan's rule against cross-stage duels, Golden Core True Persons would have tried to eliminate her seventeen or eighteen times by now.

This pair, the old and young of Green Snail Peak, had long oppressed the other peaks and many fellow disciples of Shushan. As a result, the reputation of the Green Snail Peak lineage within Shushan was almost as bad as that of demonic cultivators.

From this perspective, it was easy to imagine the discrimination and criticism Ling Yunpo, as a Green Snail Peak disciple, would face in the future.

Before the competition even began, the surroundings were filled with rustling, angry curses.

They cursed Lou Zhizheng as "unscrupulous" and "Shushan's disgrace."

They cursed Ling Yunpo as "disciple of a killer," and "might as well die now."

The verbal onslaught was comparable to a ninth-tier Flying Sword, as if they wished to flay the two on the stage alive in public.

An Zhisu stood at the edge of the arena, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, clearly unable to hide her worry.

Although her Junior Brother was powerful, this was his first time facing such a hostile crowd. Would he feel psychological pressure?

She thought about it again and again, growing increasingly anxious.

A disciple standing nearby, seeing this, felt a flicker of pleasure.

This disciple also held a grudge against Green Snail Peak. His admired Senior Sister had once challenged An Zhisu, only to have her Destiny Sword Artifact shattered, her cultivation greatly damaged, and she fell into despair, eventually leaving Shushan six years ago to be posted elsewhere.

He usually didn't dare provoke Green Snail Peak, but now, seeing Ling Yunpo being attacked by public opinion and An Zhisu's troubled expression, he mustered his courage and came over to mock them:

"Senior Sister An, I didn't expect your Green Snail Peak to be so obsessed with sword competitions that you'd even attempt the feat of a Qi Refining Stage challenging a Marrow Cleansing Stage?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Senior Sister, you may be free-spirited with your sword throughout your life, but even you can misjudge things sometimes. Now you'll have to collect the corpse of your Junior Brother."

An Zhisu gave a faint smile and said:

"Duels are the means by which we Sword Immortals break through. Only on the brink of life and death can one find great enlightenment."

"Oh right, judging by your appearance, you should be a disciple of Bamboo Peak. I wonder if your Senior Brother Jin from the Abode Transformation Stage has recovered from his last duel?"

"If he has, please convey my regards. This Senior Sister will pay him another visit for a spar in a while."

The disciple had initially sneered, but his expression drastically changed upon hearing the words about a spar. His heart skipped a beat.

He had only been seeking verbal satisfaction, never expecting to bring such great trouble upon himself.

If Ling Yunpo died in the duel, and this "An the Killing Star" came knocking in anger for a spar, wouldn't his Senior Brother Jin be half-killed by her?

Looking around the spectator area, let alone anyone from Purple Cloud Peak, not a single disciple from all of Shushan at the Abode Transformation Stage dared to show up!

They must have been afraid that if Ling Yunpo unfortunately perished later, "An the Killing Star" would go berserk and challenge them to a spar out of anger, which was why they had all hidden away!

The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. He could only muster his courage again, speaking in a low and subservient tone to An Zhisu, offering a few words of appeasement.

Seeing his timid expression, An Zhisu couldn't help but chuckle. She smiled and gently comforted him a few words.

The disciple's expression grew increasingly strange. He thought, This Grass Cutting Sword Immortal is truly malicious, playing tricks hidden within her jokes?

He could only quickly find an excuse to leave. Seizing the opportunity, he formed a hand seal, summoned his sword, and rushed back to Bamboo Peak to inform his Senior Brother Jin of the matter.

As a result, Senior Brother Jin was greatly alarmed. He harshly berated the disciple, then immediately took his sword and left Shushan overnight, fleeing to seek refuge elsewhere.