Under Senior Brother Feng’s command, the group split into five waves, dispersing and hiding in the surrounding thickets to encircle the special-grade demon beast in a pincer formation.
Once in position, each person silently chanted incantations, forming hand seals as a miniature golden magic circle materialized before them.
Hundreds of miniature Spirit-Suppression Arrays were cast, their golden light spreading silently through the air, enveloping the central area without a sound.
The golden arrays slowly contracted. The once-majestic demon beast suddenly seemed overcome with drowsiness, lowering its head as it sat down on the spot, nodding off in a listless manner.
Whispers of astonishment already rippled through the crowd. “It actually works!”
The Spirit-Suppression Array, as a support formation, could paralyze and bind demon beasts, aiding cultivators in slaying them.
However, the higher the grade of the demon beast, the greater the demands on the array. At best, these novice disciples’ arrays could only handle low-level beasts. The current effect was merely due to their sheer numbers the accumulation of so many miniature arrays had a temporary impact, but it wouldn’t last long.
Yet none present understood this. Their eyes burned with intensity as they watched the shrinking golden ring closing in on the demon beast, convinced that Senior Brother Feng’s plan was truly effective. Soon, they believed, this special-grade demon beast would be completely bound by their collective Spirit-Suppression Arrays
“Ah !”
At that moment, a startled cry erupted from the crowd. A figure was sent flying, crashing heavily into the center and instantly shattering the array.
The nearly slumbering demon beast jerked its head up. Seeing someone before it, it roared and swung a claw to strike.
The fallen figure scrambled to his feet, nimbly sidestepping the blow, but the fierce gust from the claw sent the human-skin mask flying off his face.
He cursed under his breath, shouting toward the crowd, “Which bastard pushed me?!”
Now everyone could see his face clearly. “Isn’t that Senior Brother Meng Zhuo?”
“Meng Zhuo of the Ruthless Sword Path? I heard his swordsmanship is mediocre. How is he so bold?”
“Didn’t you hear? Someone pushed him!”
No sooner had Meng Zhuo shouted than the enraged demon beast swung a second claw. Gritting his teeth, he drew his sword, dodging and parrying as he continued yelling toward the crowd, “Whoever pushed me, just you wait! I’ll make you regret it! And the one who said my swordsmanship is mediocre I heard that! I heard you! All of you, just wait!”
The crowd fell silent instantly. With the demon beast raging, no one dared step forward.
Then, two more figures flew out from the crowd. Mid-air, they drew their swords, crossing blades to steady themselves.
Meng Zhuo, who had nearly flung his sword away in his frantic escape, was moved to tears at the sight of them. He called out loudly, “Lou Feng! Lou Hua!”
The two landed, exchanged a glance, and charged at the demon beast with their swords drawn.
Lou Hua leaped to Meng Zhuo’s side, whispering, “Did you see who pushed you?”
“How could I see? I didn’t even spot anyone,” Meng Zhuo rolled his eyes at her. “You and your brother got pushed too?”
Lou Hua nodded. “It was the Young Master. He told us to target its left leg first, cripple it, and lead it around the arena a few times.”
Meng Zhuo froze. “Shi… Shi Li is here too?”
Then he scoffed. “What, has the Young Master lowered himself to cooperate with us? You two take the left leg, what about me? Did he assign me anything?”
“He did,” Lou Hua replied with a mysterious smile. “He specifically mentioned you.”
Meng Zhuo’s eyes flickered. “What did he say?”
The demon beast’s claw came crashing down. Lou Hua shoved him aside and shouted, “The Young Master told you to hide quickly, don’t cry from fear!”
“You, I… He.”
Meng Zhuo stared blankly, his eyes wide. Suddenly, his breathing grew rapid, his eyes rolled back, and he stomped his left foot fiercely, then his right foot, then both feet together. He swung his sword at the air, grabbed his own hair, and raged wildly at the surrounding crowd.
“Ahhhhhh! Shi Li! If you have the guts, come out! You’re driving me mad! Damn it! You’re driving me mad!!!”
The crowd erupted into chaos once more.
“Shi Li? Is he here too?”
“I’ve been in the sect for so long and I’ve never seen him!”
“What’s wrong with Senior Brother Meng?”
“He’s having an episode, isn’t he? They say he has a madness disorder, and when he loses it, he doesn’t recognize anyone. Wait, he’s fierce! Look at that speed, that power he’s crazier than the demon beast, fellow cultivators!”
“This is too exciting, everyone! This trip is too exciting! Not only have we witnessed the Twin Swords of Splendor and seen Meng Zhuo go mad, but we’ll also get to see the Young Master in person soon. I’ve only ever seen him in the Starry Sky Pavilion tabloids before!”
The crowd chattered away, all enjoying the spectacle, completely forgetting the original focus Senior Brother Feng, who was now left behind.
Feng Shuo was searching through the crowd when he saw those three enter the center of the arena one after another. He couldn’t help but frown.
Suddenly, a low chuckle came from behind him. “Looking for me?”
Hearing Shi Li’s voice, he instinctively wanted to turn around, but his body stiffened abruptly, unable to move.
Two slender fingers reached over his shoulder from behind, holding a small transparent bottle filled with squirming black flesh worms. “You dropped this.”
With that, they poured every last one into his collar.
These were Thousand-Legged Poisonous Worms. Upon contact with human skin, they would dissolve into a toxic liquid that paralyzed the nerves, rendering the victim immobile.
In his previous life, Shi Che had been tricked with this very thing. Someone had crushed the worms and used just a drop on his hand. Even though it only immobilized him for a moment, it was enough for the other party to strike and send him into the center of the formation.
In his past life, Shi Che hadn’t had enough evidence to confirm that Feng Shuo was the one who pushed him out.
Until just now, when he stole a bottle of poison worms from him, which happened to contain crushed worm corpses.
As the saying goes, repay a drop of kindness with a spring of gratitude. He used the entire bottle on Feng Shuo.
“Starting now, I’ll ask a question, and you’ll answer.”
Feng Shuo’s voice was hoarse and strained as he forced out the words, “Young Master.”
His neck made a cracking sound as he desperately tried to turn around, but he couldn’t move an inch.
Shi Li was speaking to him of his own accord.
This made his heart race and his breathing grow rapid.
The two great sword paths were opposed, their masters were at odds, and they had never had a chance to interact. Not even a tense opportunity had presented itself.
“Do you admire me?”
Shi Che got straight to the point.
Feng Shuo’s paralyzed body trembled. “Yes.”
For two hundred years as fellow disciples, Shi Li had never been anything less than dazzling and radiant, capturing his attention.
He thought he had hidden it well, never expecting the other to have noticed long ago.
Suddenly, a low hum echoed as a sword was drawn a broken sword. Shi Che gripped the hilt and drove it fiercely into Feng Shuo’s lower back. Feng Shuo let out a muffled groan as Shi Che calmly twisted the hilt inside him.
“You admire someone, so you scheme against them and try to ruin them?”
Wait for them to fall, suffer, then approach them, save them, flaunt your own worth, and make them weep with gratitude.
Or perhaps through mockery and humiliation, shattering the last shred of the other’s self-respect. Once they were trampled into the mud, they would be within easy reach.
Feng Shuo closed his eyes. “Yes.”
“Junior Brother Feng, there’s nothing wrong with admiring someone stronger than yourself it’s quite inspiring. I just never expected that you and your master would stoop to such disgraceful methods.”
“This has nothing to do with my master. It was my own doing.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Blood trickled from the corner of Feng Shuo’s lips. “I.”
Suddenly, a wave of exclamations erupted from the front. At the center of the battlefield, a graceful figure clad in silver and blue appeared. With a fierce sword strike that cut through the wind, they descended directly upon the demon beast.
Shi Li had torn off his human skin mask, revealing a handsome face with a pair of clear, translucent blue eyes. He gazed calmly at the demon beast beneath him.
Injured in the leg, chased in circles, and now struck on the head, the demon beast had entered a state of ultimate frenzy. It raised its two front paws high, trying to shake Shi Li off its head.
Its skull was covered in sturdy scales that ordinary weapons couldn’t penetrate. Shi Li’s first strike was deflected, the longsword emitting a resonant hum. He stood firm, then suddenly raised his sword high. A flash of cold light gleamed from his silver wristguard as he slanted the blade down hard onto the demon beast’s cranial scales.
The scales protecting the beast’s brain were actually scraped away by half. Unable to bear the intense pain, the demon beast let out a sharp, piercing cry. Its front body slammed to the ground, its injured left leg giving way as it collapsed heavily, exposing the area over its heart.
Shi Li immediately leaped down, joining the three on the ground to attack the demon beast’s heart directly.
“Hua Jing is incredible!”
“Splitting the protective head scales of a top-tier demon beast with a single strike this is Hua Jing, forged with a million starstones. Expensive truly has its merits.”
“More than just expensive, I heard that when the sword was first completed, the Young Lord wasn’t satisfied. He carried it through the Tian Shu Star Cloud Formation, and not a single star that flowed back was missed all were sealed into the sword’s body. That’s how Hua Jing became what it is today. My greatest wish since joining the Xuan Qing Sect is to forge a sword with stars myself!”
“I know about that. When Hua Jing was completed, ten thousand stars cried out at night, and the Star Sky Pavilion reported it for three days straight!”
“I’m impressed with us sword cultivators, how can we only look at the sword and not the person? The Young Lord himself is a hundred times more handsome than in the tabloids! The Xuan Qing Sect should hurry up and change their portrait artist!”
At the back of the crowd, Feng Shuo’s gaze was deep and intense, fixed on the imposing figure at the center of the battlefield.
“You’re not Shi Li.”
Shi Che leisurely drew his broken sword, his voice shifting as he sneered lightly. “I never said I was. I was merely entrusted by the Young Lord to teach a lesson to those who set up this scheme.”
His voice was low and filled with disgust, echoing in Feng Shuo’s ears. “The Young Lord also asked me to relay a message to you: anyone who dares to covet an emotionless sword cultivator deserves death. From now on, keep your dog eyes in check.”
It was in this trial realm, in his previous life, that Shi Che had emerged only to face overwhelming ridicule and mockery from the Star Sky Pavilion, which greatly tarnished the reputation of the emotionless sword path.
In the past, Feng Shuo could only look up to him, knowing he could never reach his level, and had never dared to appear before him.
But once Feng Shuo fell into despair, the other began to appear frequently his face expressionless, yet his gaze sticky and lewd, utterly unashamed. He followed him everywhere, as if trying to see through him completely.
The memory alone made Shi Che sick.
He had known since childhood that he could never afford to fall into destitution, never show weakness, never give anyone the chance to look down on him.
They should all be killed.
The blood-dripping broken sword hung in his hand. A flash of silvery-white light shot from the blade, passing through the crowd and landing on the battlefield.
Ahead, Shi Li and the others were fiercely striking at the beast’s heart, yet no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t break through the protective spiritual light guarding it. Even Hua Jing had been repeatedly stuck and unable to move.
This beast was of a higher cultivation level than them, making it quite difficult to completely slay.
At that moment, the beast was violently shaking its body, preparing to rise. It was truly enraged it would make these ignorant little things understand the consequences!
The crowd grew restless once more. “It’s getting up!”
“That roar is terrifying… its eyes have turned red.”
“We can’t kill this thing! Senior brothers and sisters, run! Let’s not fight anymore!”
Shi Li was staring intently at the beast’s heart when he suddenly felt a slight tremor in the longsword in his hand. He glanced sideways, and his gaze trembled abruptly.
Hua Jing was indeed vibrating. Silver spiritual light, like scattered stars, was seeping from the blade. The dark star patterns on the sword’s surface now shone brightly, emitting an excited hum.
The silver light grew more intense, and the sword’s hum grew louder. Now, everyone noticed Hua Jing’s unusual state.
Lou Feng walked to his side, astonished. “Young Master, could it be.”
Meng Zhuo approached. The earlier battle had already calmed him down. Now, he glanced at Hua Jing and stomped on the beast, which hadn’t yet risen. “Why waste words? Keep fighting. We’ll know if we try, won’t we?”
A few confused murmurs came from the crowd.
“Why is Hua Jing glowing like that?”
“Could the Young Master still have a hidden move?”
At that moment, Shi Li was seen leaping onto the beast’s overturned body, raising the unusually bright Hua Jing high, and plunging it forcefully into the beast’s heart
In an instant, a powerful sword aura erupted from the center, unleashing a gale that swept across the entire area.
The beast let out a long, agonized cry. Blood spurted from its chest as the protective spiritual light was completely shattered. Its limbs flailed upward before it crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact.
Dust and sand flew everywhere. The crowd hurriedly raised their sleeves to shield themselves. When their vision cleared and focused on the center, the entire scene fell into silence.
Standing calmly in the wind atop the corpse of the elite beast was Shi Li, holding his sword. Beside him, a massive spiritual entity hovered.
The entity took on a human form, with silver hair and blue eyes, bearing a seventy percent resemblance to Shi Li’s features. It gazed down at him.
For a long while, there was no sound. Someone tentatively spoke up, “The Hua Jing Sword Spirit?”
“Is there any need to guess? It must be the sword spirit! We’ve all studied haven’t we seen pigs run even if we haven’t eaten pork?”
“How old is Shi Li? Looking across the Sword Sect of the Star Realm, no one in this generation has manifested a sword spirit yet, right?”
“Not just this generation it was already rare in the previous one. Only a handful have sword spirits, easily counted on one hand.”
Everyone began chattering and discussing. In the center of the battlefield, Meng Zhuo stared wide-eyed, circling the sword spirit three times to the left and three times to the right. Suddenly, he sheathed his own sword, took a deep breath, and shouted toward the Sky-Gazing Mirror above, “Star Sky Pavilion! Star Sky Pavilion, are you watching?! Write this issue’s report properly! If you don’t, I’ll bring people to smash your building!”
Shi Li returned his sword to its sheath, and the sword spirit vanished along with it. He turned around and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Annoying. Shut up.”
Meng Zhuo shook his head at him smugly.
“Annoyed already? From now on, this isn’t just your sword spirit. Congratulations, Young Master another tool to help the sect put on a show!”
Shi Li ignored him and retrieved the blood-red demon core from the beast’s heart. The massive corpse of the elite beast immediately dissolved into specks of spiritual light, disappearing from the spot.
He raised his sword, about to leave, and said to the other three, “Make arrangements as soon as possible and resume the normal trial process.”
Lou Feng and Lou Hua nodded, each stepping into the crowd to remind everyone to adjust their state the trial would continue.
Meng Zhuo didn’t leave. He stood nearby, staring at him, finally mustering the courage. He cleared his throat lightly and spoke as if nothing were amiss, “What do you think of me today.”
But Shi Li paid him no attention at all. He glanced into the crowd and strode away.
Meng Zhuo’s face stiffened. Watching his retreating figure, he finished his sentence.
“How was I?”
Inside the cave, Shi Che sat leaning against the stone wall, head lowered. Beside him lay a bloodstained broken sword and the silver ghost mask he had worn for many days.
Shi Li stepped into the cave and, from a distance, spotted the mask. He raised his voice and asked, “Didn’t you say you couldn’t take it off?”
“I lied.”
The cave was quiet. Shi Che’s voice wasn’t loud, but it easily reached his ears.
Shi Li walked over the scattered stones on the ground, approaching him. After knowing each other for so long, he still hadn’t gotten a clear look at Shi Che’s face, even though he knew it was identical to his own.
“Congratulations,” Shi Che said, “you’ve made a splash again.”
Shi Li wasn’t a fool either. For a sword to develop a spirit, its master would sense it half a month in advance this wasn’t his own sword spirit.
“Thank you.” He rubbed the hilt of Huajing.
“I don’t accept verbal thanks.”
Shi Li picked up his broken sword, not asking why it was covered in blood. He sat down beside him, rummaged through his Qiankun bag for the water and cloth specially used for cleaning swords, and began to wipe it clean.
Shoulder to shoulder, Shi Che leaned sideways, resting his head on Shi Li’s shoulder.
From the corner of his eye, Shi Li could make out the outline of his face. He glanced sideways, observing his brows and eyes.
After all, there was a gap in age and experience. With the same features, Shi Che looked much gloomier than him perhaps also because Shi Che was in a bad mood, his brows heavy with melancholy.
Noticing his sidelong glance, Shi Che rested his chin on Shi Li’s shoulder, turning his face toward him, letting him look as much as he wanted.
Shi Li averted his gaze.
This was too close Shi Che’s breath brushed against his face.
He sheathed the cleaned sword back into Shi Che’s scabbard, keeping his eyes forward, the cleaning cloth clenched in his hand.
“Do you need your sword repaired? Using a broken sword all the time is inconvenient. You can ask me for starstones or materials.”
Shi Che replied slowly, “My sword isn’t easy to repair. Don’t trouble yourself.”
“Then what else do you want?”
“Don’t you already know?”
Shi Li frowned, his breathing slightly quickening, his body gradually stiffening.
So itchy.
His breath.
Sensing his discomfort, Shi Che chuckled softly.
The sound wormed its way into Shi Li’s ears low, hoarse, and deep, sending a tingling shiver through him like an electric current.
“I want a kiss, Shi Li.”