Ling Luo hadn’t said anything yet when Song Yuanyuan sprang to her feet with the agility of a carp flipping over and angrily exclaimed, “I think you’re the one who doesn’t understand the rules! I worked hard and relied on my skills to get this, and now you want to take advantage of it? Hah! You’re simply—”

Her words were cut short as she caught sight of the group entering from the mountain valley’s entrance.

Hall Master Fan chuckled and glanced at his little disciple.

Song Yuanyuan instantly deflated, quickly standing up straight with a respectful posture as she greeted, “Master.”

Regret swirled in her heart. Why did I have to have such a sharp tongue? Couldn’t I have waited to see who it was before speaking?

Accompanying Hall Master Fan were the elder in charge of the Saha Realm, Ling Luo’s second senior brother Yu Xiu, and Mu Ya, the instigator of the Ten Thousand Demons Chaos.

When Ling Luo met Mu Ya’s cold gaze, she realized that the female voice earlier had been hers.

She smirked internally, pushed Yue Liangze aside, and reversed her grip on her sword, pressing it against the throat of the still-living Great Black Demon.

“Stop!” Mu Ya commanded coldly.

The long sword embedded in the rock wall responded to her call and returned to her hand.

This was her divine weapon, named Wang Shu.

The sword emitted a gentle, radiant glow. Its slender and elegant appearance was complemented by an inherent, fierce sword aura.

When Master Mu learned his wife was pregnant, he traveled the world to find this divine weapon for their beloved daughter.

Mu Ya had grown up alongside it, and divine weapons, even without spiritual energy, would respond to their master’s summons.

“The demons that appear during the Ten Thousand Demons Chaos belong to the instigator and can only be slain by them. Don’t you know this?” Mu Ya said as she thrust her sword toward Ling Luo.

Ling Luo parried with her sword. As the two clashed, Mu Ya’s eyes gleamed slightly.

She struck down Ling Luo’s dagger with a single blow, and the fierce wind from the sword cut a few strands of black hair from Ling Luo’s temple.

That strike could be considered repayment for the grudge of the broken sword during the Three Trials Hall event.

Seeing that Ling Luo’s dagger was broken, Mu Ya didn’t stop her attack.

She struck again, but this time her blade was blocked with a crisp sound by a red folding fan.

Mu Ya was slightly startled when she saw the folding fan, Yingxi, in Ling Luo’s hand.

It was evident this high-grade weapon had been given to her by Yun Shouxi.

Yet Ling Luo had only joined the sect two days ago, and the Third Sect Master had already gifted her a high-grade weapon?

Such favoritism toward a new disciple was remarkable.

Ling Luo flicked open Yingxi’s fan face, half-covering her face.

Only her mocking, laughing eyes were visible. “I just joined and truly didn’t know. But now that this Great Black Demon has been subdued and can’t resist, are you saying, Senior Sister, that you intend to take it from us juniors?”

Chang Fei exchanged a glance with Song Yuanyuan and gave Ling Luo a silent thumbs-up. Wow, you’re bold!

“Who let you interfere?” Mu Ya’s aura turned heavier as she scolded angrily. “A mere Great Black Demon—I could have easily dealt with it alone! Instead, you meddled and injured it. And now you accuse me of taking advantage? I think you’re the ones coveting the divine weapon it drops!”

Song Yuanyuan and Chang Fei bowed their heads in shame.

She wasn’t wrong—they were after the divine weapon dropped by the Great Black Demon.

Sixteen million coins—who wouldn’t covet that?

The sword and folding fan clashed, sparks flying.

Ling Luo scoffed. “What’s so covetable about a mere Great Black Demon? It attacked us while we were working on the cliffside. You took so long to arrive—should we have let it harm us instead of fighting back?”

Mu Ya didn’t believe her. “The valley has a protective array. Even if you fell off the cliff, you’d be unharmed!”

“Senior Sister, it was the Great Black Demon that hurt people. What does the valley’s protective array care about whether your neck is bitten through?” Ling Luo taunted. “Are you saying we deserved to be chased and endangered by the demon without fighting back, all to wait for you to show up?”

“You’re spouting nonsense!” Mu Ya’s anger surged.

She resolved to teach Ling Luo a lesson but was surprised when Ling Luo suddenly shifted tactics.

Instead of engaging her, she turned and attacked the Great Black Demon.

The heavily injured demon needed a final blow to be killed and to complete the Sky-Swallowing Tower trial, granting the reward.

Mu Ya saw through her intention and moved to stop her, aiming to kill the demon herself.

“Why are they fighting now?” Elder Wang, who managed the Saha Realm, was bewildered by the scene. “Do they have some grudge?”

Hall Master Fan nodded.

Elder Wang’s eyes widened. “Impressive! To dare provoke the young lady. What’s that girl’s background?”

Hall Master Fan replied, “The Third Sect Master’s new disciple.”

“Oh, is she the one who said she liked drinking dew water earlier today?” Elder Wang slapped his thigh and looked at Yu Xiu. “See how thoughtful your junior sister is? She shared with the entire sect on her first day, yet you haven’t shared a thing in all these years!”

Yu Xiu: “…”

You probably don’t know why my junior sister was punished and sent here.

“Enough, stop this.” Hall Master Fan sat cross-legged on his plush mat, which held a teacup.

He addressed the two combatants, “By the rules, this Great Black Demon belongs to Mu Ya. But since it appeared here and was severely injured by you, the circumstances are understandable. Consider this matter balanced.”

He added, “The punishment for cleaning the Saha Realm is rescinded.”

As the divine weapon and high-grade weapon collided, dazzling light and shadows danced in the air.

Hearing this, Ling Luo retreated, putting distance between them.

Mu Ya decapitated the Great Black Demon with a single strike.

Blood sprayed across the rock face as the demon let out a harrowing scream before dissipating into glowing motes of light.

When the black feathered blades vanished, what remained was a golden flower.

Mu Ya’s expression darkened at the sight.

Ling Luo, however, felt pleased.

Her face darkened.

No divine weapon dropped—just a medicinal herb.

Figures. The eight-thousandth floor of the Sky-Swallowing Tower might yield a divine weapon, but expecting one from the three or four hundredth floor’s Ten Thousand Demons Chaos?

Not everyone has such luck.

Everyone present had been after a divine weapon.

Seeing only a medicinal herb drop and hearing that the punishment had been canceled, they figured it wasn’t a total loss and said in unison, “Congratulations, Senior Sister.”

Though the words were meant as congratulations, they sounded like mockery to Mu Ya.

Clenching her sword, Wangshu, she could no longer hold back.

Turning around, she raised the blade and pointed it at Ling Luo, only to be stopped by Yu Xiu.

“Since the punishment from the Shabara Realm has been lifted, I’ll take Ling Luo back to Qingshi Workshop to see the master,” Yu Xiu said calmly, his tone mild, showing no sharpness.

He clearly wished to resolve the conflict peacefully.

“Senior Brother Yu, this junior sister of yours isn’t as delicate as you think, needing protection!” Mu Ya said harshly. “You heard what she just said—it’s as if she’s blaming me for this whole affair. Wasn’t she the one who injured the black demon bird first and then, in front of me, tried to kill it for the reward?”

Yu Xiu sighed slightly, his expression showing a hint of helplessness. “The black demon bird attacked first…”

“So what?” Mu Ya snapped, her voice sharp. “You saw her try to kill it afterward, didn’t you?”

While she continued her aggressive stance, Ling Luo smiled innocently, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I thought Senior Sister wanted to snatch the kill. That’s why I got upset and tried to finish the demon bird. It seems I misunderstood. I owe Senior Sister an apology.”

She bowed her head and clasped her hands respectfully, her demeanor proper and obedient.

Mu Ya was instantly reminded of the scene at the Triple Trials Hall a few days earlier, when Ling Luo had sliced through her sword.

Back then, Ling Luo had also appeared sweet and humble, politely saying, ‘Thank you for letting me win, Senior Sister.’ Yet that polite humility only deepened Mu Ya’s humiliation.

Watching from the side, Chang Fei and Song Yuanyuan cheered for Ling Luo in their hearts, deeply impressed.

To bow or rise as needed—she’s adapted remarkably fast.