Chapter 24: An Unexpected Turn

At the peak of Dragon’s Head, several figures rushed to the stage, aiding Fang Chao as they glared at Lu Xueqi with seething anger, as if they wanted to devour her alive, their gazes fixed on the broken immortal sword that lay in two pieces on the ground.

Below the stage, Daoist Cang Song clenched his fists and coldly addressed, “Junior Sister Shuiyue, your disciple is truly heartless. Not only did she win, but she also deliberately destroyed the other’s immortal sword with a divine artifact. What reasoning is this?”

Shuiyue Master remained indifferent, replying coldly, “Xueqi’s cultivation is still shallow, and her control over such a divine object as Tianya is not perfect. There is nothing particularly alarming about it.”

Cang Song’s anger surged, and he was about to explode when a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder. It was Daoist Daoxuan, who had quietly appeared beside him, patting his shoulder gently.

Cang Song looked at him and finally forced down his rage, snorting heavily before walking away in long strides.

Daoist Daoxuan watched Cang Song’s towering figure and shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh. As he turned, he noticed Shuiyue Master walking away as well.

By now, Lu Xueqi had descended from the stage and approached Shuiyue. Shuiyue gave her a slight smile and nodded. Lu Xueqi bowed slightly and followed Shuiyue, both retreating gracefully.

Zhang Xiaofan, standing nearby, was just coming back to his senses after the intense battle. He observed the pair and suddenly realized how alike they were—both icy and cold, as if cut from the same mold.

Lost in thought, Zhang Xiaofan heard Zeng Shushu sigh beside him, “I never expected that Tianya would reappear!”

Zhang Xiaofan, bewildered, asked, “What is Tianya?”

As the Azure Ethereal Conclave disciples dispersed, Zeng Shushu greeted his fellow disciples from Wind Return Peak and walked away with Zhang Xiaofan, explaining, “Tianya is the immortal sword you saw Lu Xueqi using. I once read about it in the ‘Ten Treasures,’ where it was said that Tianya first appeared in the hands of a wandering immortal named Kuxin Shangren a thousand years ago. Legend has it that this treasure was forged from celestial iron that fell from the heavens, found by Kuxin in the frozen wastelands of the Arctic, and refined into a divine sword.”

“Back then, during the decisive battle between righteousness and evil, our Azure Ethereal Conclave’s Ancestor Qingye led the righteous forces. But Kuxin Shangren was also renowned, especially for his three-day, three-night battle with the wicked elder of the Demon Sect, Black Heart Elder, using Tianya. Kuxin severely injured Black Heart Elder, ridding the righteous forces of a major threat. It is said that only Tianya could suppress the Demon Sect’s most fearsome weapon, the Blood-devouring Pearl. Since then, Tianya has been a legendary and coveted divine treasure among cultivators. However, after Kuxin Shangren’s death, Tianya disappeared, and now it seems to have fallen into the hands of the Bamboo Shoot Peak.”

Shaking his head, Zeng Shushu added, “Little Junior Brother, with such a divine weapon, Lu Xueqi will likely dominate this Grand Trial.”

Zhang Xiaofan, unbothered, replied, “Senior Brother, didn’t you say you weren’t interested in the Grand Trial? Why do you look so disappointed?”

Zeng Shushu blushed and admitted, “But it would be quite impressive to stand on that stage and fight till the end, wouldn’t you agree?”

Zhang Xiaofan chuckled, and Zeng Shushu, seeing his peculiar expression, felt a bit embarrassed and punched him playfully, “What are you laughing at?”

Both laughed as they made their way to another stage to watch the next match.

That day, among the Bamboo Peak’s eight disciples, only seven entered the competition. Four won, including Song Daren, Tian Ling’er, He Dazhi, and Du Bishu, advancing to the next round. With Zhang Xiaofan’s unexpected luck, five out of eight Bamboo Peak disciples advanced, an unprecedented achievement that left Tian Yizhe beaming.

The next morning, the sun lazily bathed the sea of clouds as the Azure Ethereal Conclave disciples gathered at the square for the second day of the Grand Trial. The Bamboo Peak group stood beneath the red list, half of which had names crossed out. Beside Zhang Xiaofan’s name, his opponent for the day, Chu Yuhong, was written.

Feeling nervous since the morning, Zhang Xiaofan asked his senior brother Song Daren, “Master Senior Brother, who is Chu Yuhong? Is he strong?”

Song Daren frowned, shaking his head, “I don’t know much about him. He’s from Dawn Peak, but I have no idea about his cultivation level.”

Seeing Zhang Xiaofan’s anxiety, Song Daren comforted, “Don’t worry, little junior brother. Everyone gets nervous for their first trial, but you’ll be fine once you’re on the stage.”

Zhang Xiaofan murmured, “Yes.”

Du Bishu, standing nearby, mischievously suggested, “Hey, let’s bet on whether Little Junior Brother will win or lose…”

“Sure, I bet he loses!”

“Me too!”

“Me too… actually, I’ll double my bet!”

“Count me in.”

Song Daren scolded, “What are you doing? Little Junior Brother’s match is about to start, and you’re demoralizing him?”

Grateful, Zhang Xiaofan called, “Master Senior Brother…”

Song Daren: “Number Six.”

Du Bishu stuck out his tongue, “Master Senior Brother, I was just joking. Please don’t tell the Master.”

Song Daren: “Fine, but I’ll place five bets on you losing anyway.”

Du Bishu and Zhang Xiaofan: “…”

As Tian Yizhe and Su Ru approached, the disciples greeted them. Tian Yizhe addressed the group, “Yesterday, you performed well, but today, you face the elite disciples of each lineage. Be cautious.”

They all responded, “Yes.”

Su Ru, looking at Zhang Xiaofan, added, “Xiaofan, this is your first trial. Be careful, understand?”

Zhang Xiaofan, feeling a warm surge, replied, “Yes, Master Mother.”

Su Ru nodded and was about to say more when the gong sounded, signaling the start of the trials. Tian Yizhe and Su Ru exchanged a glance, nodded, and said, “You all know where your matches are. We’ll watch from below, so don’t disappoint us.”

As they walked away, Tian Ling’er came to Zhang Xiaofan, who felt his heart race. She smiled, “Xiaofan, I have a match too, so I can’t cheer for you. Good luck and be careful!”

Zhang Xiaofan, mesmerized by her beauty, nodded, unable to speak.

Tian Ling’er, unaware of his thoughts, waved and left to join her fellow disciples. Zhang Xiaofan stood alone, watching the names on the red list, noting that his match was on the farthest stage, the ‘Vibration’ platform.

Sighing, Zhang Xiaofan walked towards the stage, hearing the bustling crowd discussing the previous day’s results. The favorites had easily won, and many talked about a young prodigy from Dragon’s Head Peak, likely Lin Jingyu.

Most discussions, however, centered on Lu Xueqi and her Tianya. Though some were disgruntled by her breaking her opponent’s sword, her popularity soared, and many were eager to see her next match.

As Zhang Xiaofan listened, he heard a familiar voice, “Xiaofan!”

He looked up and saw Lin Jingyu, greeting him with a smile. “I’ve been looking for you! Where have you been?”

Lin Jingyu pointed behind him, “I have a match today at the ‘Water’ platform, so I came early to prepare. And you, on which platform?”

Zhang Xiaofan replied, “I’m on the ‘Vibration’ platform. I can’t cheer for you, but be careful.”

Lin Jingyu grinned, “Same to you. Hey, why aren’t your senior brothers and masters here to support you?”

Zhang Xiaofan, feigning a smile, explained, “Our lineage is small, and there are many matches today. They’re watching Master Senior Brother and Senior Sister’s matches.”

Lin Jingyu patted his shoulder and sighed, “Take care, and don’t let anyone say we from Caomiao Village are worthless.”

Nodding, Lin Jingyu left as the gong signaled the start of his match. Zhang Xiaofan watched him go, thinking, “If he comes in time, I might still be standing on the stage. That would be surprising.”

He slowly walked to the ‘Vibration’ platform, finding it at the eastern edge of the Cloud Sea Square, nearly empty except for a few Dawn Peak disciples. On a chair sat an old man with a white beard, who Zhang Xiaofan recognized from the previous day’s commotion.

Approaching, Zhang Xiaofan bowed, “Elder, I am Zhang Xiaofan from Bamboo Peak, here for the ‘Vibration’ platform match.”

The old man glanced at him indifferently, “Oh, you’re here. Go on, the match is about to start.”

Zhang Xiaofan climbed the steps, finding the platform empty. Hesitating, he waited, noticing the Dawn Peak disciples whispering about him.

As the sun rose, its first rays warmed Zhang Xiaofan, who felt a mix of nostalgia and awe. Five years ago, he was a naive village boy, never dreaming he’d witness such a beautiful sunrise on the summit.

Suddenly, a gong sounded, startling him. Turning, he saw a man in his thirties, smiling at him. “Bamboo Peak disciple Zhang Xiaofan, I am Chu Yuhong, honored to meet you.”

Zhang Xiaofan blushed and bowed, “Please, teach me, Senior Brother.”

Chu Yuhong smiled, “I’m flattered. Your calm demeanor is impressive. Let’s begin.”

Chu Yuhong summoned a faintly glowing yellow sword, “This is Shao Yang. Ready, Junior Brother?”

Zhang Xiaofan eyed the sword, noticing its vibrant energy, and reached into his robes, pulling out the black, unremarkable stick.

A roar of laughter erupted from the crowd. Even Chu Yuhong struggled to contain his mirth. “Junior Brother, is this your… um, your…?”

Zhang Xiaofan, blushing, couldn’t speak. Embarrassed, he gripped the stick, knowing he had no choice but to use it.

As Chu Yuhong’s Shao Yang gleamed, Zhang Xiaofan felt a chilling sensation, remembering the horror of the blood-soaked Caomiao Village. A sudden wave of pain and sorrow washed over him.

Chu Yuhong’s Shao Yang surged forward, and Zhang Xiaofan, overwhelmed by memories, felt the coldness in his body responding. The black stick, seemingly alive, emitted a dark, malevolent aura. The crowd’s laughter turned to gasps as Chu Yuhong was pushed back, bleeding from every orifice, and collapsing unconscious.

Stunned silence filled the square. Zhang Xiaofan, holding the sinister stick, stood alone, surrounded by the astonished and frightened onlookers.