Page 27

However, this secret realm is extremely fragile; it can only withstand cultivators at or below the Golden Core Realm, and the number of people it can accommodate is very limited. Over time, it has become the perfect venue for the outstanding Golden Core disciples of the sect to compete against one another.

The competition currently being held within the Xuanxu Sword Sect is precisely to select candidates to enter this secret realm.

Most of those participating in the competition are at the Golden Core Realm, though one occasionally sees disciples at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm. The opponent Ning Ning encountered in the first round was not particularly difficult, and she won the match without much effort. Pei Ji, on the other hand, had truly terrible luck.

After a recent period of cultivation, he has already stepped into the Golden Core Third Layer. This is an almost meteoric rate of advancement, but unfortunately, "cool" stories favor the weak overcoming the strong and making a comeback from desperate situations. As it happens, the opponent he encountered this time is at the Golden Core Fourth Layer.

The ranks of the Dao are strictly divided; even with a gap of only a single minor layer, the difference in strength between two people is vast. One can imagine how arduous it was for Pei Ji to win this match.

The biting sword light that had just filled Lanyue Peak suddenly dissipated, slipping into the silent afterglow of the setting sun with the wind.

The youth's slender figure was cast into a straight line by the slanting sun, and upon his ink-black shadow, drops of alarming, scarlet blood fell.

"To be able to comprehend the Guiyi Sword Technique so thoroughly at such a young age—impressive, truly impressive."

Standing on the viewing platform was a boy of twelve or thirteen years old, carved from jade. His pitch-black pupils were as still as an ancient well, yet at this moment, a faint smile rippled across them: "Although the other one lost, the force surging within his sword qi is not to be underestimated; it is equally worthy of praise."

Tian Xianzi, who was leaning against a stone pillar with his sword slung across his back, laughed unreservedly: "Of course, could my disciple be anything less than excellent?"

"The disciple isn't bad, but the master might not be so certain."

A beautiful woman standing gracefully to the side picked up a strand of her dark hair and twirled it around her fingertip.

She looked to be no more than twenty years of age, radiating charm. Her captivating peach-blossom eyes shimmered with light as she offered a mocking smile: "Sigh, that little disciple is truly blessed with a handsome appearance. If I had seen him sooner, he wouldn't have been snatched up by a pauper."

Tian Xianzi feigned injury, widening his eyes as he looked at Zhen Xiao beside him: "Senior Brother, she's mocking me!"

Zhen Xiao: ...

Zhen Xiao's face was solemn, much like a headmaster conducting a room inspection: "Jing Yi, you are an Elder of the Xuanxu Sword Sect, not a female cultivator of the Joyous Union Sect. When you see a handsome disciple, you still need to maintain the reserve befitting an Elder."

The woman let out a cold snort and leaned closer to the boy: "Mind your own business!"

After a pause, she added with a lazy, coquettish laugh: "Tell me, is our Sword Venerable Zhen Xiao jealous because he heard me thinking of another man? Sect Master."

The boy smiled calmly: "Is that so?"

Zhen Xiao's sword-like brows furrowed. Whether out of anger or embarrassment, the tips of his ears turned slightly red: "Shi Jingyi, spar with me!"

Sword Venerable Zhen Xiao's social skills are a complete disaster. When he meets a friend or a kindred spirit, he wants to spar to deepen their bond; when he is angered by someone, he wants to spar to beat up the "little ones"; and when he has nothing to do on a normal day, he actually spends money to find Tian Xianzi for a duel.

If someone unaware of the truth were to take a glance, they would never imagine that this beautiful woman, with her seductive eyes and charm that bordered on demonic, is actually Shi Jingyi, one of the premier Elders of the Xuanxu Sword Sect;

And the boy the size of a toddler beside her is the Sect Master, Ji Yunkai.

--Ji Yunkai's cultivation was severely damaged during the Great War between Immortals and Demons, and his body regressed into the appearance of a twelve-year-old child. As for Shi Jingyi, her "looks-obsessed" nature is truly innate.

"There was a little girl named Ning Ning earlier who was also very beauti—impressive."

Shi Jingyi smiled. "Winning without a trace of hesitation—it's quite reminiscent of my own style back in the day. If she could follow me to cultivate—"

Forget it, absolutely not.

Recalling the history of this female devil playing half the disciples of the Sword Sect in the palm of her hand, Tian Xianzi couldn't help but scrunch his face into a bitter gourd. He absolutely could not let her bring disaster to his cute and adorable Ning Ning; that little girl hadn't even held a boy's hand yet.

"There are many brilliant talents emerging among the younger generation these days. I hear that the Wanjian Sect, Fanyin Temple, and Liuming Mountain have all produced some very interesting little disciples."

Ji Yunkai narrowed his eyes. Within his dark, deep pupils lay a sense of detachment entirely at odds with his youthful body. "It seems that this trip to Xiaochong Mountain will certainly not be boring."

"Let's put that aside for now."

Shi Jingyi curled her lips slightly, her voice clear as the spring water of peach blossoms. "One of my disciples returned from down the mountain and brought back many snacks. Custard buns, sugar figurines, candied haws—would the Sect Master be interested?"

The little bean-sprout cheered, "I want to eat candied haws!"

As for the conversation among the elders, Pei Ji, who was at the center of the topic, was naturally unaware of it.

He refused the medical cultivator's offer to treat his injuries and returned to his room as soon as the match ended. There was no other reason than the fact that his Devilish Qi was running rampant and was about to break through its restraints.

As the son of a Devilish Cultivator, it was unavoidable that Pei Ji had inherited a very heavy amount of Devilish Qi in his body. This power was intertwined and fused with his bloodline, and the constant clashing between them made it extremely difficult to control or contain.

This resulted in his Devilish Qi surging outward from time to time, eroding his body and sanity like a raging tide. Whenever that happened, he would suffer uncontrollable, agonizing pain throughout his body, and he would want to alleviate that suffering through slaughter.

By the time the black-clad youth managed to close the door in his disheveled state, he no longer had the strength to take another step.

The rebellion and brutality sleeping within his bloodline tore at his nerves again and again, urging him to go on a killing spree. Pei Ji leaned his back against the wooden door, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

He had not yet fallen to the point where he had to surrender to this.

And he certainly did not want to become a Devilish Creature that only knew how to kill.

The places wounded by sword qi were still bleeding. With a self-abusive motion, he pressed his hand against the wound.

Then, he exerted force with a fierce intensity.

The torn bloodstains split even wider under the pressure, and blood surged out in a desperate rush.

Yet, Pei Ji seemed accustomed to this heart-wrenching pain. He stood in place with his back trembling slightly; only his tightly bitten lower lip and the cold sweat on his forehead quietly betrayed his agony.

He did not wish to kill, so whenever the Devilish Qi raged, he would use a small knife to carve one cut after another into his own body, using pain to stop the pain, and to suppress that urge that was strong enough to shatter his mind.