Bite Down, Spill Some Blood, and Have a Little Fun

More than ten days passed like that. Lin Xiaotian's Martial Dao advanced rapidly. Though he had yet to break through to the next minor stage, he was already far stronger than he had been that day.

The calm struck Lin Xiaotian as strange. After that senior sister's probing, he had expected her or another senior disciple to come looking for trouble.

Instead, everything remained so peaceful that he almost felt uneasy.

"Could they be saving up something big?"

He made the joke at his own expense, then turned his attention back to his Martial Dao training.

Two more days passed. That day, three people entered through the gate, dressed in fine clothes with brocade patterns woven into their robes.

The one in the middle was older, a middle-aged man whose presence commanded respect without a trace of anger.

Behind him followed two younger people, a man and a woman.

The man was handsome and poised; the woman had a graceful figure and a strikingly beautiful face.

They crossed the outer courtyard and headed straight for the inner one. Senior Brother Tao led the way, treating them with utmost courtesy.

Those three are no ordinary visitors. They're here to see Master Huang. Has something serious happened?

Just as the three were about to enter the inner courtyard, the woman at the back seemed to sense his gaze. She glanced over her shoulder, her limpid eyes resting on Lin Xiaotian for a moment, then turned away again.

"She's gorgeous. When she looked back just now, I think she was looking at me," a disciple whispered, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Stop flattering yourself," another disciple cut in. "Why would a woman like that take an interest in you?"

"Looked more like she was looking at Senior Brother Lin to me."

"Those three are from the Ouyang Household, though. No mistaking that brocade pattern."

The Ouyang Household? Lin Xiaotian murmured to himself as he listened to the other disciples' chatter.

Qin Yueyao had mentioned the Ouyang Household before. Now that they had come, could it have something to do with him?

But if they had come for him, they could have gone straight to his quarters and dragged him off. Why go to all the trouble of visiting Master Huang?

Lin Xiaotian pondered it briefly. Since he could not work it out, he put it aside. He would probably find out soon enough.

A few bangs sounded from the inner courtyard now and then, as though someone were sparring—or doing something else.

The disciples in the outer courtyard paid them no mind. Their master sometimes made a racket when he trained.

Nearly half a day later, the three emerged from the inner courtyard.

The woman suddenly stepped forward and addressed the newer disciples.

"Which of you is Lin Xiaotian?"

Her voice was lovely, like the song of a golden oriole.

Lin Xiaotian's heart jolted. They really had come for him. He stepped forward without flinching.

"I'm Lin Xiaotian. What can I do for you, young miss?"

The woman's eyes moved over him. She parted her lips and said,

"I'm from the Ouyang Household. My name is Ouyang Nianci. You can simply call me Nian Ci."

"All right, Miss Nian Ci."

"Your master tells me you have considerable potential. Until you reach External Force, of course, it's all an illusion. But potential before External Force can also tell you how strong someone will be afterward."

"I'd like to spar with you."

Lin Xiaotian froze for a moment.

He looked at the young lady, then at himself, and pointed to his own nose.

"Miss Nian Ci, you've probably already reached External Force, haven't you? I've only just begun Initiation, and you want to spar with me?"

A smile touched Ouyang Nianci's lips.

"That's right! Don't worry, I haven't reached External Force yet. I'm only at Blood Tempering. Someone with your potential is just what I need to sharpen myself."

Lin Xiaotian rolled his eyes inwardly.

What a load of nonsense! You're at a higher stage and you want to fight me, and you call that sharpening yourself? Couldn't you come up with a better excuse?

"What's wrong? Is this junior brother unwilling?"

What is wrong with this woman? She's come looking for trouble and gone straight for me. But...

Lin Xiaotian glanced at the other two, especially the distinguished-looking man. Surely he would not let her carry on like this.

Could there be some other reason?

If the Ouyang Household simply wanted to make trouble for him, they had no need for this test. Could it have something to do with Ouyang Dongli?

Lin Xiaotian was about to cup his fists and accept. He could not avoid this, and he had no intention of dragging it out.

Suddenly, someone beside him leaped out with a whoosh, moving nimbly through a graceful arc.

It was the senior sister who had caused him trouble before.

"Miss Nian Ci, this junior brother of mine has only recently begun Initiation. There's not much for you to gain from sparring with him. I'm his senior sister. How about you let me test myself against you instead?"

"I haven't reached Blood Tempering, but I'm close. I'm at Bone Tempering now and need only a small opportunity to advance. I should be just the right opponent to sharpen your skills."

A sharp gleam flashed in Ouyang Nianci's eyes. The senior sister's arrival had clearly disrupted her plans.

That only left Lin Xiaotian more puzzled.

More surprising still was why the senior sister had stepped forward on his behalf to challenge this young lady.

This young lady made Blood Tempering sound like nothing much, but as a daughter of the Ouyang Household, she was unlikely to be an ordinary fighter.

"Senior sister, I'm afraid you're no match for me. I advise you not to spar. Fists and feet have no eyes. If you're injured in the wrong place, your path in the Martial Dao could end right here."

Hiss...

At those words, every disciple in the courtyard sensed that something was wrong. She had clearly come for Junior Brother Lin.

Every gaze turned to Lin Xiaotian.

The senior sister frowned too. She glanced back at Junior Brother Lin, then returned her gaze to the young lady before her.

"Miss, on the path of Martial Dao, if you don't advance, you fall behind. I'd like to experience your skills for myself."

"My teacher says great opportunities often lie beneath fear. Perhaps fighting you will even give me the chance to break through!"

"Hehe." Ouyang Nianci laughed. Another gleam crossed her eyes as she studied the senior sister intently, her voice gentle and measured.

"Very well. Just don't regret it. Quite a few members of the Ouyang Household die in accidents every year. If misfortune befalls you, my household can support your parents."

Everyone understood what she meant. The young lady intended to deal harshly with the person who had disrupted her plans.

Lin Xiaotian's thoughts raced as he watched the three from the Ouyang Household. The distinguished middle-aged man was allowing this to happen. Could they be trying to force Lin Xiaotian to step in?

His gaze flickered.

With something this serious happening, Master Huang ought to have appeared. Even if he did not, Senior Brother Tao should have stepped in.

But since coming out, Senior Brother Tao had stood in a corner watching, as though the matter had nothing to do with him.

That was at odds with the way Senior Brother Tao usually handled things.

His senior sister had stepped forward for him. Even the Ouyang Household surely would not dare cripple her in public inside this school.

But there were exceptions to everything.

Master Huang's feigned ignorance and Senior Brother Tao's indifference both showed how unusual today was.

His senior sister had treated him unfairly before, but compared with her future in the Martial Dao, those were small matters. Lin Xiaotian was not so petty as to hold them against her now.

Forget it. I can't take that gamble. They probably won't do anything too serious to her, but I can't risk it.

Lin Xiaotian did not move at once. He watched for a chance to get both his senior sister and himself out of this.

"Fine. Very well, then. Let's fight."

The senior sister gritted her teeth. She was clearly frightened too, but the arrow was already on the string; she had no choice but to hold firm.

Whoosh!

Blood Qi began to show around the senior sister, and a faint cracking could be heard from her bones.

The cracks came one after another like notes in a concerto, announcing to everyone how far she had progressed in Bone Tempering.

Ouyang Nianci looked faintly surprised.

"Oh? You're at a crucial point in Bone Tempering. As long as you have the resources, you'll reach Blood Tempering before long... What a pity. Today, your path ends here."

The senior sister knew the critical moment had come. She clenched her teeth and moved to strike Ouyang Nianci.

A scornful smile appeared on Ouyang Nianci's face.

The senior sister's heart sank at the sight. She knew something was wrong.

Lin Xiaotian's heart sank too. This young lady really did intend to strike without mercy.

There was no opening he could use. He would have to get his senior sister out of the way first.

"Take this!" the senior sister roared, throwing all her strength into the blow. Even if her path in the Martial Dao ended here, she meant to make her opponent suffer for it.

Bang!

The heavy strike landed with the force of several charging oxen.

Lin Xiaotian lunged into its path and was sent flying.

The senior sister froze. Ouyang Nianci froze too, her eyes going round.

"Junior Brother Lin! Why did you get in front of me? Someone help him, quickly!"

"It's over! Senior Sister's palm strike must have split Junior Brother Lin in two!"

A disciple cried out in panic.

As Lin Xiaotian flew through the air, he rubbed his aching waist. Damn it, that strike nearly killed me.

Good thing I've grown so much stronger lately. Otherwise, I really might have died.

Wait, no. I'm acting far too normal. Some of them are already shouting that I've been killed... Ah, better spill a little blood.

With that thought, he bit the tip of his tongue in midair and spat out a mouthful of blood.