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The poisonous nail approached with fierce momentum, while the sword art moved like swirling snow in a flowing breeze—in the blink of an eye, they collided head-on.

The two forces met without a sound or a trace, yet beneath the surface lay a hidden, surging tempest that stirred up turbulent waves.

The art vanished, and the nail shattered.

Chengying: ...

Chengying was stunned.

That woman—how could that woman possibly know the trajectory of the Soul-Seizing Nail! This perfectly precise force, this collision that fit together as if destined by fate—everything had happened just right to reduce that hidden weapon to dust.

Could it be that everything was under her control?

It looked toward the spectator stand with its divine sense in utter shock, effortlessly spotting the girl in the white dress.

And the smile that had yet to fade from her face.

She was actually smiling.

In other words, could it be that she really... had done it on purpose?

First, she sensed that Chen Zhao harbored evil intentions and intended to use a hidden weapon, then she used the sword art to force Pei Ji to dodge to the side. At that moment, Chen Zhao would inevitably predict his movement and launch the poisonous needle.

But that scoundrel Chen Zhao would never have imagined that she had actually predicted his prediction!

This technique, this cunning, and this heart that was wholeheartedly looking out for Pei Ji—

She must be a fairy!

"I get it now!"

Chengying immediately changed its tune, swallowing back all the "stinking woman" insults, its tone trembling with excitement.

"That fairy isn't just helping you from the shadows..."

"She's also a peerless master!"

Chapter 4

At the moment the sword art collided with the Soul-Seizing Nail, the arc of Ning Ning's smile was still frozen on her lips.

She truly hadn't expected that her own off-target sword qi would accidentally collide with Chen Zhao's poisonous nail; the yin and yang forces canceled each other out, vanishing into nothingness simultaneously.

Despite such a massive blunder, the system in her head didn't make a single sound.

It was the same as before when she had mistaken someone else for Pei Ji; it seemed the system only needed to urge Ning Ning to "do" things. As for how well she actually performed, it had nothing to do with it.

It was just like Ning Ning herself when she was desperately trying to finish her summer homework: as long as all the blanks were filled in, she didn't care if the answers were right or wrong, as long as it was done.

Chen Zhao panicked even more when he saw that the Soul-Seizing Nail had lost its effectiveness.

That sword aura had been fast and accurate, striking the Soul-Seizing Nail with pinpoint precision. In such a lightning-fast collision, whoever could achieve this must possess profound strength.

Either Pei Ji's power was unfathomable, or there was an expert helping him from the shadows. Either way, it was highly unfavorable for him.

Yesterday, when he heard that Ning Ning, a disciple under Tian Xianzi, had been defeated by an outer sect disciple, he had secretly sneered at her countless times in his heart and resolved to crush that boy's spirit in today's tournament. He never imagined that...

Chen Zhao's expression turned stern, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the hilt of his sword.

If that was the case, then he couldn't be blamed for playing dirty!

The greatsword rose with the momentum, whipping up a gale of immense force. The dark golden sword shadow shimmered in the sunlight. In the blink of an eye, the tall, burly youth lunged forward, attacking in the direction of Pei Ji.

The youth in black stood poised, a faint, somber murderous aura rising between his brows.

Ning Ning stood with her arms crossed over her chest, watching the increasingly intense battle on the field without a word. Laymen watch the spectacle, while experts watch the technique. As an expert, Ning Ning couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of her heart:

The male lead is really good-looking.

In truth, Pei Ji didn't look much like a righteous male lead, and his personality and actions were even further from that archetype.

Because he had grown up being loathed by his mother and was frequently beaten mercilessly as a stand-in for his heartless father, it was only natural that he hadn't grown up to be a model citizen; his personality was reclusive and eccentric.

Not only did he strongly resist physical contact with others, but he also possessed a whole host of bizarre traits, including a sharp tongue, a sinister nature, and a "black lotus" heart. He was more of a villain than the actual villains, leaving them with nowhere to go.

So, the popularity of this novel...

To put it mildly, it wasn't very high. It was a mystery how the author managed to fight a lone battle and write so many thousands of words.

Back to Pei Ji.

He had a stunningly beautiful face. His upturned phoenix eyes carried a natural allure, but it was largely offset by the thick, ink-like, and unyielding ruthlessness in his gaze.

A bloodthirsty murderous aura and a seductive charm blended seamlessly, intertwining in layers. The deep red tear mole beneath his eye was the most exquisite touch—like a dot of cinnabar or a drop of congealed blood. Paired with his tightly pressed, pale, thin lips, he was even more captivating than the ink-wash landscape behind him.

Not to mention that the black robes outlined the youth's slender and upright silhouette, with several tears where the sword aura had struck, revealing unnaturally white skin and scarlet blood underneath—

It was no wonder so many supporting characters liked him.

By now, the battle was nearing its end, and both sides were covered in wounds.

Unlike Chen Zhao, who had received personal instruction, Pei Ji was an outer sect disciple who could only practice the sect's basic sword techniques in the Sword Hall—yet, he had managed to gain the upper hand in this contest by relying solely on these moves that everyone knew.

Without a master to teach him, he explored on his own day and night. Without fixed sword forms, he assessed the situation, moved step by step, and remained unconstrained by rigid techniques, acting according to his own instincts.

This was a massive gap in talent; Chen Zhao had lost completely.

By this point in the fight, anyone with a discerning eye could see who was winning and who was losing. Ning Ning's heart was as clear as a mirror; she knew the male lead was about to face the first major turning point in his life.

Amidst the flashing lights and shadows of swords, several exclamations suddenly erupted from the crowd. Knowing the moment had arrived, Ning Ning followed their gazes and looked up.

Suspended above the martial arts arena was an ancient, deep-blue sword radiating a biting chill, casting a brilliant, dazzling glow under the sunlight like melting ice crystals.

Standing upon the sword were two young men, both with their hair tied back and dressed in white robes, looking exceptionally handsome and transcendent.

One had star-like eyes filled with a smile, his expression quite playful as he curled his lips in a slightly lazy manner. The other wore a light fur cloak and a loose sash, his expression indifferent; dappled sunlight flowed across his white robes, making him appear as ethereal as an immortal.

Someone spoke up in astonishment, "It's... it's Elder Tianxian and Senior Brother Meng Jue!"