For many years after that, Elder Su Ling would often reflect on the past and feel grateful for Lin Ji’s brutal beating of Su Qinghe. 

That day, Lin Ji had knocked his nephew Su Qinghe into a state of self-doubt, leaving him in a slump for quite a while after returning home. Su Qinghe, who had always thought of himself as a genius misunderstood by others, finally paused his self-pitying attitude. As his uncle, Elder Su Ling had comforted him a few times afterward, and Su Qinghe had cried in his arms like a child.

From then on, Su Qinghe’s temperament finally calmed down a bit, and he focused on his cultivation, no longer parading around with his entourage, chattering away. However, looking at the scene on the stage now, Elder Su Ling couldn’t help but suspect that his nephew had offended Lin Ji in the past, as their match seemed to carry a hint of personal grudge. Even when others fought against Lu Xiaobai, they would try not to embarrass him, but Lin Ji was merciless, targeting only Su Qinghe.

When Lin Ji came down from the stage, Lu Xiaobai approached him, excitedly giving him a hug. “You were amazing! Keep it up!” How could he not come to watch Su Qinghe’s defeat? Especially since it was Lin Ji who had taken the initiative to challenge him; the outcome was obvious!

However, Lin Ji felt a bit dazed by the hug. In his previous life, he had never been praised with words like “You’re amazing.” His mentors always told him, “Not enough.” He awkwardly pushed Lu Xiaobai away and averted his gaze. “Don’t get too touchy-feely with me.”

Before long, he couldn’t help but look back. He really wanted to question Lu Xiaobai about whether he was still the person he knew, but that guy had already dashed off to watch the commotion elsewhere.

Lin Ji: “…”

Winning against Su Qinghe wasn’t Lin Ji’s main focus; he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage to challenge the inner disciples of the same realm. He had declared that in this life, he would continue the glory that had been cut short in his previous life, aiming to become the most renowned Sword Cultivator in the cultivation world, and he had to surpass Lu Xiaobai.

Lin Ji fought his way through without a single defeat and finally, on the last day, challenged the other Foundation Establishment cultivator who had also made it to the end: Shen Che. Shen Che was also a direct disciple of the Sect Leader, and the last time they met, Feng Funian had gone into seclusion to break through and didn’t participate in the matches. It was said that the two had a deep friendship and their cultivation levels were comparable.

Unlike Su Qinghe, Shen Che wouldn’t waste time belittling others; in fact, he was a bit too serious. Although Lin Ji had been a loose cultivator before joining the sect, his rapid cultivation speed and quick ascension in realm should not be underestimated.

After both of them stepped onto the stage and exchanged polite gestures, they surprisingly didn’t say a word of courtesy and immediately began to compete. As expected of two main Sword Cultivators, their match seemed less flashy, but the tension in their exchanges was palpable.

The audience watched in awe, calling it thrilling. In reality, Lin Ji was still holding back; he was afraid others would notice his youthful, bloodthirsty aura. However, the experience he revealed in every move was hard to hide from those who were paying close attention.

Elder Su Ling sent his nephew back, while Meng Wanqiu continued to observe from above, his brow slightly furrowed. The two young sword cultivators on stage were both brimming with youthful vigor; if their tempers flared and they couldn’t rein themselves in, would they end up injuring each other?

Lu Xiaobai, who wasn’t competing today, was also watching from below. Suddenly, he heard Meng Wanqiu’s secretive whisper: “Xiao Bai, keep an eye on them. If you notice anything off, shout to stop it. After all, this is your strong suit.”

“…” Lu Xiaobai looked up at the sky. “Why don’t you stop it yourself?”

Meng Wanqiu adjusted his clothes. “I’m the elder; I have to maintain my dignity.” Besides, one of them is my disciple, so I need to avoid suspicion.

“…”

Lu Xiaobai turned back, his eyes filled with an unreadable emotion.

Lin Ji still hadn’t obtained his destined sword in this life; the sword he held was just an ordinary spirit sword he had received when collecting supplies from the sect, so he couldn’t unleash the power he had in his previous life. 

But his strikes were quick and fierce, and his swordsmanship was sharp, almost flawless. If one wasn’t careful, they could easily get hit. Shen Che had to defend himself rigorously, but he couldn’t keep it up for long; otherwise, he would only exhaust his stamina. He suddenly unleashed a sword light to push Lin Ji back, giving himself some breathing room.

“Shen Shixiong is about to use magic!” 

When sword techniques were evenly matched, cultivators with spiritual power had to rely on the techniques they had mastered. 

“Shen Shixiong has been in the sect longer and is a direct disciple of the Sect Leader, so he must have mastered many exquisite techniques!” 

“But Lin Shixiong’s talent is unexpectedly high; he might quickly come up with a counter technique!” 

Lu Xiaobai thought otherwise; Lin Ji didn’t like to engage in magical combat. 

As expected, Lin Ji only created a protective shield for himself, gripping his sword and standing still. 

When Shen Che launched a vortex attack relying on his water spiritual root, the spectators could barely see the inner arena. They didn’t get to see much before the water dragon, transformed by spiritual power, retreated. 

Lin Ji retracted his sword, listening to the gasps of the crowd. 

Shen Che then unleashed even more advanced water techniques, but each time, Lin Ji quickly found the flaws and countered with just his sword moves. 

Lin Ji possessed a top-tier gold spiritual root, which could be said to be the holy body of a Sword Cultivator. His cultivation philosophy from his previous life to this life was to refine his innate talent to the extreme. 

To be honest, no matter how flashy others were, the feeling of breaking through with a single sword move was incredibly satisfying… until he encountered Lu Xiaobai. 

Who would have thought that the useless Lu Xiaobai, who had such fragmented spiritual power, would later become the strongest spell cultivator in the cultivation world? 

After several consecutive attacks, Shen Che stopped the magical combat, panting heavily. It wasn’t that he had run out of techniques; it was just that if he continued fighting like this, he wouldn’t lose to Lin Ji but to himself! 

Since ancient times, sword cultivators consumed stamina, while spell cultivators consumed mental energy. Engaging in both magical combat and physical fighting was digging his own grave, so he had to give up one of them. 

But Lin Ji didn’t give him a chance to catch his breath. Seeing him pause, he switched from defense to offense. Shen Che had no choice but to raise his sword to meet him, but the advantage had already slipped away. 

Shen Che was in a state of disarray; he had never thought he would be at a disadvantage. Lin Ji had previously been too lazy to engage in magical combat and only countered with his sword, which had provoked him. This person had good talent but shouldn’t be so arrogant. He even caught a glimpse of Lin Ji glancing down at the audience; what did that mean? 

He had trained day and night; was he really going to lose to a junior disciple who had been in the sect for less than a year? 

If Lin Ji could hear Shen Che’s thoughts, he would actually understand and empathize. Sometimes, it was just hard to accept and unwilling to concede. 

So when he noticed Shen Che’s expression seemed off, he didn’t pay it much mind; it was normal for young people to get hot-headed. 

Suddenly, Shen Che unleashed all his strength, leaping forward with a sword move aimed directly at Lin Ji. If Lin Ji hadn’t dodged in time, the attack would have left no room for mercy. 

Lin Ji’s mind flashed back to the scene in his previous life when he was hunted by numerous cultivators, and he suddenly gathered his strength for a palm strike, hitting Shen Che in the chest and forcing him back. 

He thought Shen Che would be knocked down, but to his surprise, Shen Che managed to stand firm with the last of his strength. Then the stage was enveloped in mist, obscuring the view for the spectators. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” 

In the midst of it all, Lin Ji felt a gust of wind behind him and instantly realized it was a trap. Shen Che had cast a technique before his outburst, creating the mist to confuse the vision. 

He vanished in an instant, and the next place he would appear was, of course, behind him. 

Lin Ji turned around and saw Shen Che lunging at him. He sneered, turning his left hand behind him to open a glass box. 

Shen Che stared in shock as two golden threads floated into the air. One moment they were bending and soft, and the next, they shot straight like ice needles, deflecting his sword move and heading straight for his face. 

He saw the glaring killing intent in Lin Ji’s eyes! 

Lin Ji also noticed that at a critical moment, his opponent had actually frozen in place. While he was mocking him in his heart, he suddenly saw a familiar figure blocking in front of him. 

The mist dissipated. 

The crowd fell silent for a moment, and someone shouted in confusion, “Lu Shixiong, what are you doing up there?” 

Wasn’t this a match between two people? Why was a third person, especially a senior brother, intervening? Wouldn’t that raise questions about fairness? 

The Sect Leader, sitting at the top, changed his expression drastically, and Meng Wanqiu quickly leaped down from his sword, looking at his two disciples with uncertainty. 

Shen Che was stunned, coming back to his senses with cold sweat pouring down, regretting his reckless action, and feeling fear for Lin Ji. 

Even more stunned was Lin Ji, who had just treated Shen Che as an enemy from his previous life. If Lu Xiaobai hadn’t stopped him, what would have happened? 

Lin Ji shuddered and quickly pulled Lu Xiaobai over, checking him from head to toe. “Are you okay?!” 

Lu Xiaobai smiled and shook his head, but his eyes were filled with coldness. “I’m fine.” 

Soon, he turned around and admitted his mistake, saying, “Sect Leader, Master, and everyone, I’m very sorry for impulsively ruining this match.” 

“But I was also worried about my junior brother getting hurt. You all saw where Shen Shixiong was standing; we witnessed the mist obscuring the view. If my junior brother hadn’t dodged in time, the consequences would have been very dangerous!” 

Everyone followed his gaze and saw that Shen Shixiong was indeed behind Lin Shixiong. Did he intend to win by sneak attacking? 

Lu Xiaobai still wore a kind expression, looking at Shen Che and kindly advising, “It’s just a match; leave some leeway.” 

Though he was speaking to Shen Che, Lin Ji behind him shivered. 

Shen Che’s face burned, and he truly had no strength left to sit on the ground, his sword slipping from his hand. 

Since neither of them wanted to continue the match, the supervising elders discussed it and decided to count the exchanges to determine the winner, provided they could see them clearly. 

Lin Ji had three more moves than Shen Che and won. He was undoubtedly the first in this inner sect competition, showcasing his strength. 

After the match, the Sect Leader, looking displeased, called Shen Che over, while Lin Ji stood in place, lost in thought. 

Meng Wanqiu said, “A Ji, let’s go listen in. If the other party sneak attacked, they should give you an explanation.” 

For the first time, he saw a look of fear on Lin Ji’s face. “I don’t want to!” 

Lu Xiaobai spoke lightly, seemingly comforting Lin Ji. “What are you afraid of? You have Master to back you up.” 

“I’m tired; I’m going back.” 

With that, Lu Xiaobai turned and left. 

Meng Wanqiu was initially puzzled, but then hearing Lu Xiaobai’s tone and seeing him leave without a second thought, he felt a jolt in his heart, sensing something was off. 

This kind of tone during a lively event could only mean… Xiao Bai was very angry. 

Meng Wanqiu stood in the air and saw Shen Che circling behind, but some abnormalities could only be noticed by those involved nearby. 

Lin Ji wanted to return to his cave but was urged by Meng Wanqiu, who had his arm around his shoulder. “Let’s go, let’s go.” 

Fearing that refusing would raise suspicion, he could only follow his master to the Zhengyang Hall’s inner chamber. 

Shen Che knelt in front, while the ethereal Sect Leader sat in the main seat, exuding a strong sense of pressure. Meng Wanqiu was called to the secondary seat, and Lin Ji stood beside him. 

The Sect Leader looked at everyone gathered and coldly said, “Rebellious disciple, do you know your mistake?” 

Shen Che, having calmed down after a moment, quickly replied, “Disciple knows his mistake and has failed to live up to Master’s teachings!” 

Hearing this, the Sect Leader’s expression softened a bit. “Then tell me, where did you go wrong?” 

Shen Che lowered his head. “I was wrong to attempt to sneak attack Lin Shidi.” 

“And what else?” 

“I had ill intentions, bringing shame to my Master…” 

With that one sentence, the Sect Leader was so furious he almost slammed the table but restrained himself and sat back down. “Nonsense! Am I such a proud person?” 

Shen Che didn’t dare to retort, silently agreeing in his heart. 

The Sect Leader shot a glance at Lin Ji. “Your greater mistake lies in disregarding the consequences for the sake of your own victory and fighting against your fellow disciples!” After a pause, he added, “Moreover, attacking from behind is simply too dishonorable!” 

Shen Che accepted the latter, but he had some objections to the former, though he didn’t dare voice them while the Master was angry. 

Lin Ji had almost wanted to kill him too, but no one else had seen it, so he could only swallow his grievances: “…Yes, disciple knows his mistake.” 

Lin Ji lowered his gaze; in fact, he didn’t think either he or Shen Che had done anything wrong. He didn’t blame Shen Che for the sneak attack; after all, whether one succeeded or not depended on skill, which was a perspective he had personally experienced in his previous life. 

But why did he feel so ashamed when the Sect Leader scolded Shen Che? 

The Sect Leader sighed and finally said, “Get up; come to my side.” 

Shen Che stepped forward, and the Sect Leader patted his hand. “You are still young and don’t understand many things; as your Master, I should guide you.” 

“There are many exceptionally talented individuals in the world. When you go out to experience the world, you will encounter even stronger opponents. There will be people like Lin Ji, who are more gifted and cultivate faster than you. What will you do then?” 

“If others can easily defeat you, will you be disheartened and fade into obscurity? Or will you become resentful and overly obsessed, taking the wrong path?” 

“Child, winning and losing is not about a moment’s impulse; it’s about looking at the long term. The future is still unknown, and those with ambition will achieve their goals. So, keep your mindset steady in the future. Also, when you go out, you need to rely on those around you; build good relationships with your fellow disciples and trust each other. Point your sword at demons, not at each other.” 

“What happened today is not trivial; I hope you take it as a warning. Go to the back of Lingxiu Peak and meditate for three months, and pay a fine of half a year’s worth of spirit stones. Think it over.” 

Shen Che, who had been on the verge of tears due to a moment’s lapse in judgment, quickly knelt again, clasping his fists in apology. Under the Sect Leader’s gaze, he walked up to Lin Ji and bowed, saying, “Today, I was narrow-minded and almost hurt my junior brother. I hope my junior brother can forgive me.” 

He looked up, meeting Lin Ji’s gaze sincerely, but his mistake had already been stopped, and he had been scolded and punished. After apologizing, his face was filled with relief. 

In contrast, Lin Ji awkwardly returned the bow, feeling uncomfortable all over. 

The Sect Leader approached Meng Wanqiu to wrap up the mess caused by his disciples. “Wanqiu, you see, today’s incident has turned into this…” 

Before he could finish, Meng Wanqiu offered a way out: “It’s not a big deal. The kids are still young; it’s normal to make mistakes. It has nothing to do with you and me; we just need to pay more attention in the future.” 

The Sect Leader’s anger turned into a smile as he glared at Shen Che. “Hurry up! Because of you, I can’t show my face to the disciples for a while!” 

“…” 

Indeed, the Sect Leader was a bit concerned about his reputation when it didn’t matter. 

Meng Wanqiu looked at Lin Ji. “A Ji, let’s head back.” 

After returning, everything was calm. Meng Wanqiu didn’t bring up the match again, and his interactions with Lin Ji were as usual. 

During dinner, it was the same, except one person was missing. 

“Xiao Bai probably went back to his cave to recover; he must have sustained quite a bit of injury this time.” 

At night, Lin Ji wandered outside Lu Xiaobai’s cave for a while, but when he knocked on the door, there was no response. 

Lin Ji retraced his steps, passing through the bamboo forest, when he saw a figure standing not far away, gazing up at the moon. 

This scene felt strangely familiar, as if he had seen it in his memories. 

Lin Ji’s heart raced, just like when Lu Xiaobai had stood in front of him today. 

Lu Xiaobai turned around, and Lin Ji’s heart instantly cooled, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. 

Lu Xiaobai’s expression was obscure, and between his index and middle fingers was the Silk Fang Jin. 

“When did you refine this? Its power is quite impressive.” Lu Xiaobai rarely smiled and didn’t play coy. “Fortunately, when my life was at stake, the fire control technique that had never ignited in the kitchen worked this time. I found this in your cave.” 

The silkworm brought back from Tianshan by Meng Wanqiu was naturally of the ice attribute. After refining, it became incredibly tough, like fine needles, but it was still a semi-finished product; Lin Ji hadn’t reached the point where it was invulnerable to fire and water. 

After a long pause, Lin Ji asked calmly, “Are you going to tell Master?” 

“You should tell Master yourself.” 

“You running up to the stage was beyond my expectations. Who told you to stand in front of me…” Lin Ji finished speaking and bit his tongue, feeling a bit annoyed. 

But could Lu Xiaobai really melt his Silk Fang Jin with the techniques he could use? 

“Right, getting hit was my bad luck. I’m not going to hold that against you.” Lu Xiaobai said, “But I thought you refined the Silk Fang Jin for defense, not for attack, and certainly not to kill fellow disciples. This magical artifact is too convenient; after casting it, even without fire techniques, it will melt on its own, making it undetectable.” 

Lin Ji had just been scolded by the Sect Leader and didn’t feel rebellious or resistant. But when Lu Xiaobai said this, a surge of anger suddenly rose in his heart, and his rationality began to crumble. 

“Yes, I want to kill.” Lin Ji laughed. “When facing someone who sneak attacks me, I can’t wait to eliminate them. You may not like me, but the magical artifact is in my hands; what I refine it for is none of your business!” 

Lu Xiaobai was amused by his anger and suddenly said, “I think you need a good lesson.” 

Lin Ji was taken aback; he finally remembered why Lu Xiaobai seemed so different today. 

In his previous life, the proud protagonist had this demeanor, a smile on his lips, and a calmness in his eyes. 

So calm that it seemed he could see through everything about him. 

Lin Ji suddenly drew his sword. “Want to teach me a lesson? Beat me first!” 

He struck mercilessly, but Lu Xiaobai didn’t dodge or evade. When the sword reached his throat, Lin Ji quickly halted. 

But then he thought, why stop? Hadn’t he always wanted to kill the protagonist and take everything from him? 

He didn’t need to spare the protagonist who hadn’t yet turned the tables; he was an outsider and didn’t need to be kept alive! 

Lu Xiaobai suddenly stepped forward. “Then let’s make a deal; if I win, I can say whatever I want about you.” 

Lin Ji was momentarily stunned, and Lu Xiaobai flicked his finger to deflect the sword blade, using an unknown amount of strength to make Lin Ji’s wrist tremble. 

But he still couldn’t use spiritual power. Suddenly, he took out a green pill from his storage bag and crushed it. “Let’s be mortals together.” 

As the pill dispersed, Lin Ji realized he couldn’t feel the spiritual power stored in his dantian anymore, and he was shocked, questioning, “What did you do?” 

“I blocked the spiritual veins, making it impossible for you to mobilize spiritual power, but it’s only temporary.” Lu Xiaobai smiled and then drew his spirit sword, launching an attack at him. 

Lin Ji raised his sword to block, and the two began to fight without using spiritual power. 

He discovered that Lu Xiaobai’s swordsmanship was surprisingly good; he reacted faster than Shen Che, as if he already knew Lin Ji’s next move! 

While attacking, Lin Ji sneered, “You’re quite good at pretending!” 

Lu Xiaobai retorted innocently, “What am I pretending about? I really can’t cultivate spiritual power! But am I not allowed to be a little clever and agile?” 

Lu Xiaobai actually made himself laugh, as if he was deliberately provoking Lin Ji. The anger in Lin Ji’s heart surged, turning his vision red: ah, he was told not to pretend, and he pretended even more! All the grievances from his past life and this life surged up: 

Why was this person always so annoying? Why did he always want to see his vulnerable side? 

Lin Ji’s strikes became increasingly fierce, viewing Lu Xiaobai as a sworn enemy! 

Lu Xiaobai’s swordsmanship ultimately couldn’t match Lin Ji’s; he shifted from attacking to dodging, but his agile movements allowed him to evade quickly. Still, each sword strike came perilously close, making him feel a bit disheartened. “A Ji, I’m risking my life to practice with you; are you really willing to kill me?” 

Unfortunately, playing the victim only made Lin Ji hate him more. However, after fighting several matches without rest, especially the one with Shen Che, he was somewhat exhausted. Lin Ji gritted his teeth and persevered! 

Lu Xiaobai resorted to his old tricks, continuously wearing Lin Ji down. 

The two fought from the rising moon to the mid-sky, and by the third or fourth watch, Lin Ji was on the verge of collapse: how could Lu Xiaobai, who had also been competing recently, have such endless stamina? 

Finally, Lin Ji made a mistake and his sword was knocked away. Lu Xiaobai threw away his sword and switched to punches, pinning him down. “Can you calm down?” 

Lin Ji panted heavily. “You were the one who kept picking at my wounds!” 

Lu Xiaobai also gasped a couple of times; he was tired too. “If I don’t do this, you won’t listen to me.” 

He patted Lin Ji’s clothes and released him. The two sat on the ground, disregarding their image, taking deep breaths, too exhausted to continue fighting. 

Suddenly, they both noticed something they had accidentally knocked to the ground and rushed to grab it, but Lu Xiaobai was a step faster. He looked at it and felt the last bit of his anger dissipate. “So, you came to deliver medicine to me?” 

Lin Ji scoffed. “You’re being overly sentimental; I have injuries too.” 

Lu Xiaobai thought back to how far he had chosen to stay away from him; he figured Lin Ji wouldn’t pass by here. 

He didn’t say it out loud, smiling instead. “Then let’s use it together!” 

Lin Ji glared at him. “On what basis?” 

The atmosphere became awkward. 

After a long time, Lin Ji indignantly said, “On what basis do you get to lecture me? Can you guarantee that you’ll always be an upright gentleman, never plotting behind others’ backs, never competing for opportunities without resorting to underhanded means, and never treating others as stepping stones?” 

The law of the jungle, using any means necessary to achieve one’s goals, was a conclusion Lin Ji had drawn from blood and tears in his previous life. 

And Lu Xiaobai was certainly not a pure and innocent gentleman; he was quite cunning. 

“You say that, but I estimate I can’t do any of those things.” 

Lu Xiaobai met Lin Ji’s gaze, speaking each word clearly. “I’m not a good person either. At the same time, I have a strong sense of purpose in what I do; once I decide to accomplish something, I will find a way to achieve it.” 

“But A Ji,” Lu Xiaobai adjusted his posture to face him, “I’m not trying to persuade you to be a great person today.” 

“I just think your behavior is too easily swayed by emotions, and you act extremely recklessly without considering the consequences. It’s very dangerous. Moreover, while one might not do good deeds, one should have a bottom line, don’t you think?” 

Lin Ji scoffed. “Bottom line?” 

Lu Xiaobai replied firmly, “Yes. Even if you don’t want to make things easier for others, you should think of yourself and leave yourself a way out; that’s also a kind of bottom line.” 

Lin Ji felt a surge of indignation but also pondered. 

Lu Xiaobai smiled at him. “Besides, I believe no one hopes to become a bad person from the start.” 

“And,” Lu Xiaobai suddenly stood up, “don’t think I’m completely useless.” 

“To establish myself in the Peifeng Sect, of course, I have to keep a hand in reserve. Since I’m your senior brother, I must have a way to suppress you!” 

Lin Ji sneered. “Today, I was caught off guard; do you think I can fall for your tricks a second time?” 

Heh, it seems I still need to find an opportunity to assassinate him!