Regret?
Lin Xuan laughed inwardly.
His gaze had never once turned toward the Ninth Peak Master, whose sneering mockery failed to stir even the slightest ripple in his emotions.
He continued watching the battles gradually unfolding in the arena once more.
Seeing Lin Xuan ignore him outright, treating him as thin air, the Ninth Peak Master found himself losing face. He snorted resentfully, malicious thoughts churning in his mind.
Just you wait. You can only pretend nothing is wrong for now!
He wanted to see whether Lin Xuan could still remain so unruffled when an elder even less capable than himself snatched away his position as Peak Master.
At the thought of that scene, the Ninth Peak Master's lips curled uncontrollably, his mood growing ever brighter.
He eagerly awaited it.
After a brief spell of dejection or surging excitement, most of the sect's disciples rallied their confidence and fought for their rankings.
The five platforms filled up again. Disciples battled fiercely, sword light flashing in a dazzling blur. Several showed decent talent, prompting some elders to nod inwardly, faintly entertaining the thought of taking them as disciples.
Everything was returning to normal.
Once Platform One cleared again, with both winner and loser leaving, the elder on the dais flew forward and called out another pair of numbers.
"Platform One, number 79 versus number 129!"
Number 79 was, naturally, the Holy Son.
Lu Tianxing had not expected to be drawn again so soon. Surprise briefly crossed his face before he smiled in acceptance.
He casually tossed aside the snow-white crane-feather cloak draped over his shoulders and chuckled, looking perfectly at ease. He reached the platform in two steps and twirled his sword, fully displaying the graciousness and magnanimity unique to the Holy Son. Aside from the Holy Maiden's faction and Li Fufeng, who remained expressionless, most of the sect's disciples wore looks of worship and admiration.
"I wonder who number 129 is, to have run into His Highness the Holy Son."
"I just hope they're strong enough not to lose to the Holy Son in a single strike, so we can observe more of his Sword Intent... We gain a great deal every time we watch."
"You're overthinking it. Even the Holy Maiden lost easily to His Highness the Holy Son. Anyone else? Forget it."
"Indeed. His Highness the Holy Son possesses unparalleled grace. He deserves to stand first among our generation."
"Where's number 129? Which junior brother or sister is it?"
Li Fufeng had already lost. Almost no one in the sect believed anyone could rival Lu Tianxing. Every time his number was called after hers, it was merely a formality for him. Every disciple matched against Lu Tianxing immediately conceded.
First place in the sect tournament would undoubtedly belong to Lu Tianxing. No one questioned it.
Even Lu Tianxing himself paid little mind to the coming match.
Below the platform, Su Lianxin glanced at the number token in her hand. It was indeed number 129. Unmoved by favor or disgrace, she gave a slight nod in Lin Xuan's direction.
"Master, I'm going."
The next instant, Su Lianxin leaped onto the platform and cupped her hands, neither servile nor overbearing. "Su Lianxin, personal disciple of the Peak Master of Starfall Peak. Please instruct me, Holy Son."
Her back was straight, her sword in hand. She was clearly poised to fight.
Starfall Peak?
Lu Tianxing's eyes darkened, a blemish appearing on his previously good mood.
Wasn't that the thirty-third peak, which had refused his offer of recruitment and failed to appreciate his favor?
Sure enough, from top to bottom, whether Lin Xuan or this Su Lianxin, they were all particularly displeasing to the eye.
Su Lianxin's appearance on the platform caused quite a stir. First was her beauty, rare even within the sect. Second was the affiliation she had announced.
Starfall Peak was quite well known within the Azure Yang Sword Sect, though certainly not for anything good. Its Peak Master had failed his breakthrough and fallen in cultivation. The most talented disciple, Nangong Yaoyue, had abandoned him, and the others had scattered like monkeys when their tree fell, leaving only a group of ordinary, mediocre disciples on the peak.
Some disciples believed that Starfall Peak's fall from a contender for the top ten peaks a few years ago to nearly the bottom today, as well as Nangong Yaoyue's departure, were all due to its Peak Master Lin Xuan's incompetence.
If he were not incompetent, why would Nangong Yaoyue have left?
Of course, only a small minority thought this way.
As for Su Lianxin, she was not entirely unknown within the sect, but her only claims to fame were her beauty and the meager strength and poor talent that failed to match it.
Yet she had taken the platform against the Holy Son and still refused to concede?!
That was rather unexpected.
"Has this junior sister gotten water in her brain? Where did she find the courage to challenge His Highness the Holy Son?"
"Does she think the Holy Son will go easy on her because she's pretty? Hahaha..."
"Foolish! Starfall Peak really is declining further and further. Even its disciples have lost their minds."
"Her courage is commendable, but it's irrational. With His Highness the Holy Son's strength, even a casual sword strike would be beyond her ability to withstand. Once she's injured, the matches afterward... will be difficult."
"Conceding and preserving her strength would be the wise choice."
The unexpected sight made even Lu Tianxing pause. He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You aren't conceding?"
Su Lianxin gave him a look as though he were an idiot.
"Why should I concede?"
"Just because you're the Holy Son?"
At this, Lu Tianxing's displeasure at being provoked deepened, though his face remained all smiles. He shrugged. "Interesting, but I won't hold back. Still, since your courage is commendable, junior sister, go ahead. I'll give you a chance to attack."
He pretended to consider it. "Starfall Peak has declined. If you can force me back a single step within ten moves, I'll personally recruit you into the Second Peak."
Su Lianxin smiled. "Ten moves? No, one sword strike will do."
As her words fell, before Lu Tianxing could say anything else, Su Lianxin struck without the slightest hesitation. Without taking a single step, she delivered one clean, decisive slash!
The strike seemed not to stir even a ripple. It was neither the calm waters concealing murderous intent of Lu Tianxing's sword nor the Holy Maiden's surging waves. Light and utterly inconspicuous, its sword light nevertheless reached him in the blink of an eye.
Lu Tianxing reflexively tried to strike back, only to feel a sudden weight in his hand and an icy chill at his chest. He looked down in shock, but saw only the edge of the platform.
Without even realizing it, he had been slashed straight off the platform!
A tearing pain in his palm brought him back to his senses.
He had lost?
Lu Tianxing's eyes widened in disbelief.
Su Lianxin calmly sheathed her sword. "Thank you for yielding, Your Highness the Holy Son."
With that, Su Lianxin immediately turned to look at Lin Xuan. Only after seeing the approval in his eyes and his gentle nod did she happily reveal a small smile.
But no one had any attention to spare for master and disciple.
The moment Lu Tianxing fell from the platform, they had sprung to their feet in shock. Astonishment swept through the entire gathering, and even Sect Master Xuanyang was no exception.
He had lost?!
Lu Tianxing, the Holy Son who had comprehended the sixth form of the Green Mountain Sword Instruction, defeated the Holy Maiden without the effort of blowing away dust, and leaped to the position of the Azure Yang Sword Sect's foremost disciple.
He had actually lost?
And Su Lianxin had defeated him in a single sword strike!
How was that possible?!