You Disturbed My Sleep

At dawn, the mountain gate of Eastern Xuan Academy was already packed with people, disciples from every peak gathered here.

The Sword Testing Platform, usually wreathed in Spiritual Energy, was shrouded in a solemn atmosphere today.

"People from the Nangong Family of the Central Continent have arrived!"

"The one at the bow... is Nangong Yan, the Burning Heaven Sword Body! Nangong Huo's younger brother, ranked 250th on the Earth Tier Heavenly Pride Ranking! Why has he come?!"

"No idea. But I heard he seems to be Junior Sister Mu Qingxue's fiancé!"

"What? He's Fairy Qingxue's nominal fiancé?"

"Shh, keep your voice down! The Nangong Family is powerful. Even the academy elders might not dare provoke them..."

The murmurs surged like a tide, only to abruptly fall silent when one person appeared.

On the eastern side of the Sword Testing Platform, Mu Qingxue stood proudly in plain white sword robes, straight as a pine.

Her beauty was cold as snow, and an unyielding Sword Intent shone between her brows.

The Wuchen Sword at her waist trembled. The frost condensed around its hilt melted at a visible rate, as though something were devouring its chill.

Mu Qingxue raised her eyes toward the clouds.

A massive Gilded Warship, like a mountain floating in the sky, slowly sailed over.

The clan emblem carved into its hull belonged to none other than the Nangong Family of the Central Continent!

A crimson vortex of flames suddenly exploded across the warship's deck. A phantom flame dragon coiled through the air, turning into a staircase of fire.

A young man dressed in black brocade robes stepped down the flames at an unhurried pace.

Every step he took branded a charred footprint into the Azure Jade Slab. The Yan Patterns embroidered in gold thread upon his black robes flowed with his movements, as if flames burned within them.

The youth had handsome features. Half his left eye was covered by a Flame Fire Ghost Mask, hideous and terrifying. Blood-red light like molten lava seeped through the mask's cracks, sending chills down people's spines.

"Little Sister Qingxue." Nangong Yan stopped thirty yards away from Mu Qingxue, his voice playful yet thick with greed.

"My clan's ancestor once showed your Mu Family a great favor. Yet it seems you do not remember it very well.

"You even defied your Mu Family elders and fled to Eastern Xuan Academy. Did you think that would leave my Nangong Family helpless against you?

"According to our agreement, today was supposed to be the day of our wedding."

A scroll of marriage contract slipped from his wide sleeve, radiating an ancient and powerful aura.

"But you have been very disobedient. I do not wish to force you, so today, I shall grant you a battle.

"If you win, this marriage contract will be voided. But if you lose..." He paused, a wicked curve lifting at the corner of his lips.

"Then obediently return to the Nangong Family with me and become my concubine."

The entire crowd erupted in uproar!

When had the prodigies of the Eastern Wasteland Domain ever suffered such humiliation? This was practically a provocation against the entire Eastern Xuan Academy!

Below the Sword Testing Platform, a handsome young man slammed his hand onto the table and rose, shouting furiously, "You Nangong bastard, Mu Qingxue is a newly promoted Core Disciple of our academy. Acting like this means you hold Eastern Xuan Academy in no regard! Once our academy elders..."

"Too noisy." Nangong Yan did not even glance at him and merely flicked a finger.

A wisp of Burning Heaven Purple Fire transformed into a chain, instantly binding that disciple to his seat and leaving him unable to move.

Everyone immediately fell silent.

Had they not seen that senior disciple with some strength fail to withstand even a single move?

"Enough. I accept. Release him, and we will settle this on the Sword Testing Platform." Mu Qingxue frowned as Spiritual Power surged around her.

She was astonishingly at the Xing Yuan Realm Peak!

"Very well. But before that, I shall first collect a little interest as compensation for the mental anguish your Mu Family has caused this young master." Nangong Yan's eye twitched slightly, and his gaze upon Mu Qingxue became even bolder, more teasing.

He suddenly raised his hand and clenched the air.

At Mu Qingxue's waist, a crystal-clear jade pendant shattered in response. Within it hid the two characters "Nangong," carved from Blood Jade.

The Blood Jade emitted an eerie glow, pulsing as if it were alive.

The Wuchen Sword slid three inches from its sheath, and biting frost burst forth in an instant. Yet the ice spread only ten yards before coming to a halt, unable to advance another inch.

Mu Qingxue's face turned pale as paper. She could clearly feel the Sword Intent within her body being devoured by that piece of Blood Jade.

This was the power of that Bloodline Contract. Once activated, it could not be resisted.

She should have thought of it long ago...

How could Nangong Yan have come without any preparations?

Even that earlier wisp of Burning Heaven Purple Fire had most likely been given to him by his brother, Nangong Huo.

"Pretty sister, your sword seems to be crying."

At that moment, a clear young voice suddenly rang out.

At some point, a white-robed youth had appeared beside Mu Qingxue. Beneath his feet, a strange phantom Green Lotus of indiscernible shape slowly blossomed, giving off a hazy glow.

The youth yawned, a carefree smile resting on his handsome face.

This youth was none other than Xuanyuan Che.

Nangong Yan's pupils abruptly contracted. He and Mu Qingxue were both at the Xing Yuan Realm Peak, yet he could not see through this clearly young boy!

Most importantly, the sight of this brat's face made him extremely, extremely unhappy.

Especially unhappy!

Burning Heaven Purple Fire surged in his palm, condensing into a flaming longsword that pointed straight at Xuanyuan Che. "Where did this wild brat come from? How dare you meddle in my Nangong Family's affairs?"

At that moment, the Wuchen Sword suddenly flew half a foot from its sheath on its own. Its cry was like a phoenix soaring through the nine heavens, clear and impassioned.

Mu Qingxue felt the Sword Bone within her body resonating with the Wuchen Sword. A Sword Intent that had slumbered for many years slowly revived like spring snow melting away.

This Sword Intent was vast and majestic, peerlessly sharp—the Guixu Sword Intent she had pursued so bitterly for years!

Only Xuanyuan Che knew that this transformation was no accident. The seed had been planted on the day he entered the academy!

"It seems this sister's sword likes me better." Xuanyuan Che smiled and snapped his fingers.

Within Nangong Yan's sleeve, the newly formed Burning Heaven Sword Array instantly froze, turning into an ice sculpture.

He strolled to Mu Qingxue's side and took her jade-like hand. A strand of chaotic aura turned into a thin veil, gently covering the Betrothal Jade Pendant. The flames in Nangong Yan's eyes blazed even fiercer at the sight.

The Blood Jade, which had still been pulsing moments ago, immediately fell quiet, as though it had been sealed.

"The Sword Devouring Gu has already been raised to its eighth transformation, hasn't it? Devour three more Sword Souls, and it can transform into a Supreme Devouring Gu... What a fine scheme." Xuanyuan Che's voice was soft and calm, yet it carried a wisdom that saw through everything.

Nangong Yan's expression finally changed. The blood-red pupil beneath his ghost mask shot out flames three feet long as he rasped, "Utter nonsense! This is between my Nangong Family and the Mu Family..."

"The massacre that wiped out the Sword Pavilion of the Eastern Wasteland Domain three hundred years ago." Xuanyuan Che interrupted him, tapping his temple with a finger as though recalling something. "Seven hundred sword cultivator corpses, each with devouring marks over the heart—shall I invite the Heavenly Machine Pavilion's Myriad Gu Records and compare them one by one?"

"Sharp-tongued brat." Nangong Yan suddenly smiled strangely. Seven crimson flying swords emerged from the void, their tips aimed directly at Xuanyuan Che. "Once this young master extracts your Sword Bone, let us see whether you can still..."

"You disturbed my sleep."

"I am very unhappy."

Xuanyuan Che cut him off. The entire Sword Testing Platform suddenly sank into absolute silence.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, Xuanyuan Che's figure flickered three times through the gaps of space and time.

With each flicker, a strange Green Lotus bloomed.

By the time the third Green Lotus blossomed, Nangong Yan's Purple Gold Crown had already appeared in Xuanyuan Che's hand.

"Burning Heaven Sword Body?" Xuanyuan Che toyed with the Purple Gold Crown in his hand and sneered. "I think you should rename it the Stove Burning Sword Body—at least then it could still light fires and cook meals."