Don't Regret It
Three years later, the Flowing Light Sword Sect's sword competition.
The sword competition for inner and outer disciples, held once every three years, was drawing to a close.
On the raised platform, two young women wielding longswords had traded dozens of blows. The girl in the pink dress seemed on the verge of defeat, yet time and again she managed to evade her opponent's perilous strikes, hanging on until now.
"Senior sister Fuyun is amazing! With only the cultivation of the Tenth Level of Qi Refining, she's evenly matched with junior sister Sang Ying, who's already at the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining. Truly worthy of being Immortal Venerable Yanchen's disciple!" a male disciple in the Flowing Light Sword Sect's distinctive blue-and-white robes exclaimed from below the platform.
Hearing him, the other young disciples gathered there to watch and wait for a result could not help asking, "I wonder who will win in the end, senior sister Fuyun or senior sister Sang Ying?"
That little question instantly set the spectators below the platform abuzz.
"It should be senior sister Fuyun. She's defeated stronger opponents in every match so far, so this time should be no different."
"I think so too. Senior sister Sang Ying's cultivation is higher, but senior sister Fuyun clearly has much deeper spiritual power. Didn't she win her previous matches because her spiritual power was deeper than that of others at the same cultivation level?"
"It has to be senior sister Fuyun. She became his disciple a year before senior sister Sang Ying did! Immortal Venerable Yanchen must have taught her more!"
Naturally, among those below the platform, there were people who spoke up for Sang Ying as well as those who supported Su Fuyun.
The one who spoke was a clever-looking, adorable young female disciple. "I think senior sister Sang Ying will win. Senior sister Fuyun relied on luck to pull through so many times. If it came down to strength alone, she'd be no match for senior sister Sang Ying!"
As soon as she finished, one of those who had declared Su Fuyun the likely winner recognized her. "Song Jiaojiao, just because senior sister Fuyun beat your senior brother, that's no reason to talk nonsense, all right? Senior sister Fuyun clearly won all those matches through strength. What did luck have to do with it?"
The disciple called Song Jiaojiao was about to snap back, but before she could speak, the tall young man beside her stopped her.
He was her senior brother, originally also a favorite to take first place in the Qi Refining Realm division of the competition. Yet in a match a few days earlier, he had unexpectedly run short of Spiritual Qi and lost to Su Fuyun.
If he had lost for some other reason, Song Jiaojiao might not have felt so resentful. But it was precisely because he had run short of Spiritual Qi that she could not understand it.
After all, her senior brother was already a cultivator at the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining, and he was usually the most diligent and hardworking of all the disciples. With three Spirit Roots, he had reached his current level through painstaking effort, one step at a time.
And that Su Fuyun was nowhere to be seen when senior sister Sang Ying practiced her swordsmanship. She was only at the Tenth Level of Qi Refining, yet she had more Spiritual Qi than someone at the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining.
Song Jiaojiao would never believe there was nothing fishy about it!
But there was nothing she could do. For one thing, she had no conclusive proof that Su Fuyun had cheated. For another, Su Fuyun was Immortal Venerable Yanchen's disciple; an ordinary inner disciple like her could not afford to offend her.
Now she could only pray that heaven would make sure senior sister Sang Ying won the match and properly vented her pent-up anger for her!
Whether or not Song Jiaojiao's prayer had worked, Su Fuyun really did begin to fall behind on the platform.
Perhaps sudden panic had thrown her into disarray, or perhaps there was another reason, but Su Fuyun's once-fluid swordsmanship abruptly became muddled, and her control over her Spiritual Qi was no longer as practiced as before.
Sang Ying seized the moment and flicked Su Fuyun's sword away with her own. By the time Su Fuyun turned back, the white longsword, beautiful as frost and snow, was already laid across her neck.
"Senior sister, you lost," Sang Ying stated the fact calmly.
After the elder in charge of judging announced the result, Sang Ying paid no attention to the crowd's reaction and turned to leave the platform.
She had entered the sect's sword competition solely to obtain the prize for first place in the Qi Refining Realm division—the Frost Condensation Flower.
Sang Ying had a rare mutated Ice Spirit Root, but because it was too pure, she had to endure the pain of invading cold on the night of every full moon.
Only the Frost Condensation Flower, which also had an ice attribute, could temporarily ease the pain.
The unusual snow on Crimson Snow Peak naturally had the same effect, and that was part of why she had agreed to move there in the first place. But as her cultivation progressed, its effect had grown weaker and weaker.
With the next full moon approaching, this rare Frost Condensation Flower might help her get through the night.
The sect master presented the prizes personally. Besides the Frost Condensation Flower, Sang Ying also received a token sum of several hundred Spirit Stones.
Su Fuyun, who had come second, accepted a Foundation Establishment Pill with reddened eyes.
The sect master offered a few words of encouragement, as was customary, then dismissed everyone.
Sang Ying did not stay, of course. She was on the verge of Foundation Establishment, and once she had endured the night of the full moon, she could devote herself fully to breaking through.
At the thought, Sang Ying tightened her grip on the Frost Condensation Flower and casually tossed out a flying Law Artifact she had found among her parents' belongings. Soon, she was back on Crimson Snow Peak.
But just as she was about to return to her cave abode and put the Frost Condensation Flower away, Immortal Venerable Yanchen, who never spoke to her of his own accord, called her to a halt.
The aloof, immortal-like man looked down at her, but what he said was, "You took first place in today's sword competition, didn't you? Name your terms and give that Frost Condensation Flower to your senior sister."
Sang Ying wondered if she had misheard. What had her master, who had always been like a lofty mountain and a cold moon, just asked her?
Gu Huaiwei, otherwise known as Immortal Venerable Yanchen, saw that Sang Ying remained silent for a long time and finally spoke again. "Your senior sister has a Five Elements Spirit Root. She needs spiritual objects of the five elements to complete her Spirit Root before she can continue cultivating, and that Frost Condensation Flower is the most suitable one at present. If you are willing to part with it, not only can you have that Foundation Establishment Pill, I will also allow you into my treasure pavilion to choose any one spiritual treasure."
"But Master, this Frost Condensation Flower..."
"Forget it, Master. Junior sister looks very unwilling, so I don't want it anymore. It's because I was useless that I couldn't win the prize. Please don't make things difficult for junior sister. It doesn't matter even if I can't cultivate." Su Fuyun peered out from behind Gu Huaiwei, a charming, endearing smile on her delicate face. One look at her made people want to offer her everything they had.
After hearing her, Gu Huaiwei showed not the slightest sign of happiness. Instead, his brows drew tightly together.
He fixed his gaze on Sang Ying again, only this time it was colder than before. "If you think that isn't enough, you may ask for more."
The implication was that he was determined to obtain the Frost Condensation Flower.
Sang Ying clenched and unclenched her fists. Faced with Gu Huaiwei's piercing gaze, she considered for a moment and ultimately had no choice but to obediently hand over the Frost Condensation Flower.
Gu Huaiwei did not reach out to take it. Instead, he lifted his chin toward Su Fuyun, signaling her to take it.
As Su Fuyun took the Frost Condensation Flower, she smiled at Sang Ying and said, "Thank you for parting with it, junior sister. I'll be sure to put it to good use and won't let down the thoughtfulness you and Master have shown me!"
Sang Ying pressed her lips together and said nothing in reply.
Only when Gu Huaiwei once again showed great mercy and asked what Sang Ying wanted did she answer, "The Qishan Secret Realm opens in three months. I would like to ask Master to reserve a place for me."
"That secret realm is only for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm. You are merely at the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining." Gu Huaiwei frowned again. He did not support Sang Ying doing this.
"I know," Sang Ying continued. "Our sect's disciples will set out for the Qishan Secret Realm next month. I will reach Foundation Establishment before then. If I don't, you can consider that I never asked."
Gu Huaiwei's thin lips moved as though he wanted to say something more, but when he met Sang Ying's resolute gaze, he turned his head away for some reason. In the end, he left her with just one sentence: "As you wish. Don't regret it."
Gu Huaiwei turned and left immediately. Su Fuyun glanced at Sang Ying, then hurried after him.
Sang Ying watched his retreating figure gradually disappear and silently gritted her teeth. No matter what, she had to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible. Having lost the Frost Condensation Flower, she was determined to obtain the thousand-year ice lotus in the Qishan Secret Realm!