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The youth in black, who had just stepped through the door, turned his head at the sound. His pitch-black pupils were filled with gloom, like a deep, dark pool of water that threatened to swallow anyone whole at any moment.

He Zhizhou flinched, his courage failing him.

Immediately after, he forced himself to look composed, tilted his head back, and pulled a pure black, long-handled small blade from his robes. He offered a stiff smile. "This is the heirloom of my He family, known as the Devil-Breaking Blade. If it is stained with the blood of the Devil Race, it will emit a crisp, humming sound."

He glanced at the lines provided by the system. "I have been watching you for a long time. I even dream of the Devilish Qi surrounding you, Junior Brother Pei. Do you want to know what a wonderful sight it will be when it sinks into your body and tastes your blood?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew the blade and lunged toward Pei Ji's fair wrist.

This was He Zhizhou's mission.

As a descendant of an exorcist family, he was to detect the Devilish Qi and plunge the Devil-Breaking Blade into Pei Ji's body. According to the plot provided by the system, the Devilish Qi was currently lurking within Pei Ji and would not be detected in the slightest, forcing him to sheepishly admit his mistake and leave the place in frustration.

Simple and straightforward, done in one go—

Fine, He Zhizhou retracted those words.

Although the outline was correct, Pei Ji was no sheep waiting to be slaughtered; he was a vicious, lone wolf! You son-of-a-bitch system! You actually set him up!

Before the Devil-Breaking Blade could even be fully unsheathed, his hand was seized by Pei Ji and twisted violently.

His bones nearly dislocated. He Zhizhou gasped in pain, and the small blade fell to the ground with a crisp clatter.

"If you want to touch me, you'd better have the ability to do so."

The youth in black gave a cold smile, though there was no warmth in his eyes, which were as cold as a winter filled with frost and snow. His tone was mocking and deliberate. "Senior Brother He, don't meddle in other people's business."

He Zhizhou wanted to cry.

He had died in a car accident in his past life and had accepted the Whetstone Mission just to live again. Back then, he was young and full of joy, thinking, It's just training a poor little thing; it's basically like raising a son.

However, Pei Ji was no "little cub" of his.

This brat was scarier than the ghosts of his own ancestors. Going head-to-head with him was worse than death.

Yet, he still had to follow the system's script. He raised an eyebrow in a deliberately devilish and arrogant manner. "Is that so? Today, I am determined to see the truth!"

System, was it really necessary to put emphasis marks on the words [devilish and arrogant]? Was it really necessary!

While He Zhizhou and Pei Ji were tangled in a struggle, the Sect Leader and various elders had already gathered within Qingxiao Hall on Taixuan Peak.

The competition for the Xiaochong Mountain Secret Realm had come to an end. By observing the spiritual power and swordsmanship of the disciples, the Xuanxu Sect needed to select a dozen or so standouts to represent the sect in the secret realm for training.

Now was the time for selection.

Tian Xianzi sat back leisurely. "My little disciples have all performed well. You all take your time choosing; my votes go to all of them."

Shi Jingyi glared at him. "Nonsense."

One of the elders, Li Wangsheng, spent his days wandering the mountains and rivers, never to be found. Today, the one standing in to cast a vote on his behalf was his personal disciple, Qin Shu.

Facing the numerous seniors, Qin Shu did not show the slightest hint of timidity. Instead, she spoke in a low, steady voice, "Speaking of Elder Tianxian's disciples... Senior Brother He seems to be in the middle of a duel with Pei Ji."

Tian Xianzi raised an eyebrow. "He Zhizhou? With his temperament, he would actually take the initiative to challenge someone to a duel?"

"After I finished sword practice, I passed by Pei Ji's courtyard and saw Senior Brother He with him."

Qin Shu replied with a serious expression, "Senior Brother was holding a long, thick, black, rod-like object. He was waving it around while muttering to himself, saying that today he would definitely make Pei Ji submit to him."

Tian Xianzi nearly spat out his tea. "What? What did you say? A long and thick what?"

"Junior Brother, don't think crooked thoughts."

Ji Yunkai's expression tightened as he tried hard to banish a certain unsavory thought from his mind. His tone was calm and slow. "Besides that object, did you see anything else?"

"Senior Brother He had Pei Ji cornered at the doorway."

Qin Shu tried hard to recall. "He said not to move around, otherwise, it would hurt."

The faces of the elders turned pale.

"He also said he had been watching Pei Ji for a long time and dreamed of him every single night. He said that this time, he could finally bring that thing to him, and if it drew blood after entering his body, he wondered what a wonderful sight it would be—after that, I left."

The faces of the elders turned from pale to green.

Qin Shu, filled with righteous integrity, asked without a hint of reservation, "Uncle-Master, I have never seen that object before. Is it some kind of magical artifact? Why would Senior Brother He want to use a magical artifact to conquer Pei Ji? How would he conquer him? And why would the sight of blood be wonderful?"

The elders...

"Stop talking, little Shuer!"

Unable to listen any further, Shi Jingyi stepped forward like a protective mother hen to cover Qin Shu's mouth, pulling her into her arms. "Forget those images! You've suffered so much!"

Qin Shu: ?

"Wait, wait, wait, that's impossible."

Tian Xianzi downed his hot tea in one gulp. "He Zhizhou and I are close friends; I understand that child's character. He would absolutely never do such a thing."

"Whether it is true or not, one look at the Heaven-Peering Mirror will tell."

Shi Jingyi gently stroked Qin Shu's head. "Little Shuer has already been traumatized; if Pei Ji also..."

The Sect Leader, Ji Yunkai, remained silent for a long moment before nodding.

The Heaven-Peering Mirror was one of the Xuanxu Sword Sect's magical artifacts, capable of displaying the scene in every corner of the Sword Sect's territory. Now, the Heaven-Peering Mirror was activated, and the view was shifted directly to the front of Pei Ji's room.

Everyone present gasped in unison once again.

He Zhizhou lay disheveled at the doorway, while Pei Ji, standing to the side with a cold expression, was just about to turn and leave.

The former had clearly been beaten, struggling to his feet while leaning against the doorframe in a sorry state, yet his expression was utterly ferocious: "You got lucky this time... don't let me catch you again, or you'll regret it!"

Shi Jingyi gritted her teeth and covered Qin Shu's ears.

He actually dared to talk about a next time!

Seeing that Pei Ji ignored him, he shouted again, unconvinced: "You're nothing but a bastard from the mountains. Even if I can't deal with you, I have the entire He Family backing me!"