A Sword Match

[His sworn elder brother, Sword Lord Qingshuang, didn't die in an accident at all. He poisoned him to death!]

Everyone: !!!

What?!

[Because his elder brother had won the sect master's favor, he acted like a loving younger brother on the surface, but in truth, his jealousy of Sword Lord Qingshuang had twisted him. To avoid discovery, he killed his elder brother with a slow-acting poison. He did it without a soul knowing, and everyone thought the sword lord had died in an accident. And that wasn't even the worst of it-]

Everyone: That wasn't the worst of it?

[Worse still, before joining the Flowing Cloud Sect, Sword Lord Qingyun was a rogue cultivator with a childhood sweetheart. He tricked her into bearing his child, then turned around and abandoned her.]

[Then, while the sect master was grieving Sword Lord Qingshuang's death, he stole her child, threw her biological son into a dilapidated city in the mortal realm, and replaced him with the child he'd had with his childhood sweetheart.]

[What a fine scheme he'd cooked up! His son took over another bird's nest, and the sect master raised his son for him. Once the sect master died, the Flowing Cloud Sect would fall entirely into the hands of father and son!]

[That scumbag really schemed with every ounce of his mind and committed every evil imaginable. A gentleman swordsman? More like a hypocrite!]

Everyone: !!!

What had they just heard?

The current young sect master, Mu Ye, wasn't the sect master's biological son, but the child of Sword Lord Qingyun and a rogue cultivator?!

The sect master's husband had been murdered, she'd raised someone else's child for all these years, and she'd even kept the culprit by her side and trusted him immensely?! What kind of mess was this!

Thinking about it that way, their sect master really was too pitiful!

Sword Lord Qingyun's disguise was far too good. He hadn't let a flaw show in all these years, and had even cultivated a spotless reputation. He'd fooled everyone!

The most unfortunate were still the dead Sword Lord Qingshuang and the baby he'd stolen and abandoned.

Who knew whether that child was still alive now...

While they were reeling from this gossip, a light, cheerful voice rang out. "Bai Fu, care for a drink?"

They looked up and saw that Mu Liuyun had come over.

Sword Lord Qingyun stood beside her in his elegant blue robes, with Mu Ye following behind. Had they not heard their little junior sister's thoughts, anyone looking at the three would have had a few words spring to mind: a family of three.

Now, seeing the three of them standing together only filled them with indescribable revulsion.

It was like a breath caught in their chests that they couldn't expel.

Sword Lord Qingyun addressed Bai Fu courteously. "I have yet to congratulate Immortal Venerable Wanghan on emerging from seclusion. Allow me to offer you a toast, Immortal Venerable."

In an instant, seven or eight pairs of eyes around the table turned toward him at once.

Sword Lord Qingyun: ?

Chapter 23: A Sword Match

Bai Fu, Ning Shuang, five disciples, and an immortal crane sat at Ethereal Peak's table. The moment he spoke, seven people and a crane all turned to look at him, their gazes indescribably strange.

Even with Sword Lord Qingyun's wealth of experience, the sight startled him.

Why were these people from Ethereal Peak so strange?

He hadn't said anything shocking...

By the time Mu Ye arrived, the birthday congratulations were already drawing to a close. Mu Liuyun only had to descend from the dais, exchange a few pleasantries with the peak masters, and have a few drinks, and the birthday banquet would be over.

But no one had expected her to visit Ethereal Peak's table first. Considering that Moonlight Peak's master had recently been punished for helping his daughter cheat, and that Xiaoyaozi's successor had joined Ethereal Peak, the sect master's decision to visit their table first was undoubtedly a signal of some sort.

For a moment, every gaze at the birthday banquet converged on them.

Immortal Venerable Wanghan gave him an indifferent glance. "You're too kind, Sword Lord."

Sword Lord Qingyun slowly exhaled. It seemed the immortal venerable was still behaving normally.

The disciples exchanged looks. They had discussed it in private and confirmed that they could all hear their little junior sister's thoughts, but they weren't sure whether their master could. Seeing his calm expression, they supposed he probably couldn't?

Surely no one could remain so calm after hearing such explosive gossip about the sect master.

But how were they to tell their master about this?

Mu Liuyun was easygoing. Seeing empty seats nearby, she pulled Qingyun and Mu Ye down to sit at the table and kept pouring Bai Fu wine. "Qingyun can't hold his liquor. I'll drink with you."

Seeing her take such good care of Sword Lord Qingyun, their expressions grew exceedingly complicated.

Sect Master, he's a scumbag! He doesn't deserve it!

While they were talking, Mu Ye looked toward Fu Fengyuan, seated among his fellow disciples. His gaze darkened, and he lowered his brows. "Junior Brother Fu, it's been a long time. Let me offer you a toast."

As he poured the wine, he casually lowered his little finger slightly, then held the cup out before Fu Fengyuan.

He thought he'd done it without a soul knowing, unaware that Wen Zhi's sense of smell was unlike that of ordinary people. Almost immediately, she detected the barely perceptible medicinal scent.

Wen Zhi tugged Xiao Tingyu's sleeve, a hint of anxiety in her eyes. Mu Ye had tampered with that cup of wine!

"What, Junior Brother Fu? Won't you give me face?"

Xiao Tingyu was hot-tempered and was just about to slam the table when Qiaoqiao took the cup from beside him. "I'll drink with you!"

"Little Junior Sister!"

Everyone else grew anxious.

Qiaoqiao narrowed her eyes. [As long as I'm here, don't even think of bullying Fourth Senior Brother!]

[Hmph, Fourth Senior Brother is the sect master's real child. After Sword Lord Qingyun threw him into the mortal realm, my master picked him up and brought him back. Didn't expect that, did you!]

[You shoddy counterfeit! Do you really think you're the Flowing Cloud Sect's young master?!]

Her senior brothers and sister: ?!

Fu Fengyuan: ???

Were his little junior sister's thoughts true?!

He... he was actually the sect master's child?

The news was far too shocking. Fu Fengyuan's chest heaved violently, and he shot to his feet. His movement was so abrupt that the cups and dishes on the table shook. The sect master, who was pouring wine, and the others also looked over.

Seeing this, Mu Ye merely thought Fu Fengyuan was agitated because Qiaoqiao was about to drink. Displeased that Qiaoqiao had spoiled his plans, he said, "Junior Sister Qiao, Junior Brother Fu and I go back a long way, so I invited him to have a drink."

He was implying that she should mind her own business.