"...That concludes today's theoretical lesson. Now I'll randomly select two students to have a match on the Martial Arena and see how much you've learned today."
The moment those words were spoken, everyone lowered their heads and silently chanted, Don't pick me, don't pick me...
They looked exactly like students who did not know the answer when the teacher called on someone in class.
As soon as the elder finished speaking, Feng Yulong leisurely raised his hand. Staring at Song Zhizhi, he smiled coldly. "Elder, Song Zhizhi and I are both Inner Sect Disciples. We ought to set an example among the disciples. I am willing to go up and demonstrate. What does Junior Martial Aunt Song think?"
The matter of Song Zhizhi being accepted as Qingyu's disciple was no secret. Qingyu's seniority was twice that of most of the Sword Sect's elders, so Song Zhizhi, as her disciple, was of the same generation as most elders. By seniority, Feng Yulong truly ought to address Song Zhizhi as "Junior Martial Aunt."
But when the words "Junior Martial Aunt" came from Feng Yulong's mouth, they carried a hint of mockery and provocation. If Song Zhizhi refused, she would lose face before all the Outer Sect Disciples.
Liu Changfei tugged on Song Zhizhi's sleeve and advised in a low voice, "Zhizhi, don't agree to it. He clearly isn't up to any good."
Song Zhizhi could see that without Liu Changfei's reminder. But Feng Yulong had already pushed things this far. If she refused, then whenever people mentioned Song Zhizhi in the future, they would only remember that she had not dared to accept a challenge today.
Song Zhizhi had, after all, been personally taught by the current greatest Sword Cultivator, Sword Venerable Mingxiao. Xie Xiuji had taught her through words and deeds: as a Sword Cultivator, how could one fear blades and avoid swords?
Song Zhizhi sighed. She disliked trouble, but trouble had come knocking on its own. If she still refused, not only would she lose face herself, she would also tarnish Xie Xiuji's prestige.
Besides, since beginning her cultivation, she had never sparred with anyone other than Xie Xiuji. She also wanted to exchange blows with a cultivator of the same realm and gain a clearer understanding of her own strength.
Song Zhizhi drew her sword, rose to her feet, and nodded at Feng Yulong. "Since my martial nephew has said so, then as your martial aunt and elder, naturally I have no reason to refuse."
Feng Yulong looked at Song Zhizhi, an icy smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "I hope that mouth of yours can still say such pretty things later."
The moment he said that, everyone present sensed the thick smell of gunpowder in the air. But Sword Cultivators were all a battle-hungry lot. When they saw people in conflict, their first reaction was not to break up the fight, but to think: Fight! Hurry up and fight!
Only Liu Changfei watched Song Zhizhi with anxious concern, protesting, "Are you tired of living? How can a Qi Refining cultivator beat someone at Foundation Establishment? Feng Yulong suggested this with bad intentions from the start. What if you get hurt during this? Your body..."
Song Zhizhi knew Liu Changfei was sincerely concerned for her. Rather than finding her nagging irritating, she felt a little warmth. She patted Liu Changfei's hand and reassured her, "Don't worry. My senior brother taught me a few moves. Even if I can't beat him, I can still retreat unscathed."
Song Zhizhi's senior brother?
A figure as cold as a snow-capped mountain suddenly surfaced in Liu Changfei's mind. If the senior brother Song Zhizhi spoke of was Sword Venerable Mingxiao, then having received his guidance, Song Zhizhi's true strength naturally could not be judged solely by her cultivation.
A Sword Cultivator could never be judged as victor or loser by the height of their cultivation alone.
At that thought, Liu Changfei immediately felt much more at ease. "Then hurry up and go. I'll cheer you on. Do your best to beat Feng Yulong until he's scattered like fallen blossoms and scrambling for his teeth!"
Outside the Teaching Peak classroom was a Martial Arena, meant for students to engage in practical matches. The Sword Sect did not permit disciples to brawl privately. If they had any disputes, they could arrange to settle them on the Martial Arena. Steward elders watched nearby, so no lives would be lost.
Since this sparring match was nominally a demonstration of sword techniques, Feng Yulong took out his spirit sword. His sword was not an ordinary standard longsword made from materials issued by the sect. Instead, it was a superior spirit sword overflowing with spiritual radiance, its faint humming sword cry audible upon close listening. One look was enough to tell that it was extraordinary.
Liu Changfei immediately protested, "Elder, Zhizhi is using an ordinary spirit sword, while Feng Yulong is using a superior spirit sword. This match is unfair!"
The elder glanced at the situation on the Martial Arena and shook his head. "What fairness is there in a real battle? This is also today's lesson for you: how to respond when facing an enormous disparity in strength."
Liu Changfei frowned, feeling that something was off.
On the Martial Arena, Feng Yulong looked at the ordinary standard longsword in Song Zhizhi's hand. Smiling smugly and contemptuously at her, he sneered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Blades and swords have no eyes. If you kneel and admit defeat now, and voluntarily request to leave the Inner Sect, I'll let you lose with a little more dignity."
Song Zhizhi cast him a faint glance. She had never understood why Feng Yulong kept targeting her. Was it merely because she had stolen his thunder at the selection assembly? Or because she was close to Liu Changfei? Or perhaps both?
Song Zhizhi could not figure it out, so she simply stopped thinking about it. How could a normal person keep up with a lunatic's train of thought?
Yes, in Song Zhizhi's eyes, Feng Yulong was a lunatic who bit anyone he saw. She raised her sword at him. "Enough nonsense. Let's begin."
Feng Yulong looked at Song Zhizhi, and a flash of jealousy and hatred flickered in his eyes.
He was jealous of Song Zhizhi. If she had not stolen his thunder, he should have been the one the Sword Venerable had offered to take as a disciple. From childhood to adulthood, there had never been anything he wanted but could not obtain. The first disciple's position on Red Cloud Peak—he would defeat Song Zhizhi viciously. He would let the Sword Venerable see that he was more outstanding than Song Zhizhi, more suited to become Red Cloud Peak's successor!
He also hated Song Zhizhi. If she had not tipped people off, the Enforcement Squad would not have caught him a week ago and imprisoned him in Reflection Cliff. After coming out, he had even been mocked by his fellow disciples!
New grudges and old hatred piled together, along with his heart narrower than the tip of a needle—how could Feng Yulong possibly let Song Zhizhi off?
Song Zhizhi did not know the twists and turns of Feng Yulong's thoughts. But even if she had known, she would only have been speechless: when Xie Xiuji had asked her to join Red Cloud Peak, it had not been because he valued her ability or talent, nor because he wanted to take her as his disciple. In terms of ability and talent, Song Miaomiao was more outstanding than her. What Xie Xiuji had meant by those words was that he wanted to fulfill the promise from that night, but Song Zhizhi had been unwilling, so she refused him.