A few days later, the Lord of Zhu Jian Peak indeed changed his mind and personally selected the sword attendants to accompany him to the secret realm this time. 

The news spread like wings throughout the entire sect, instantly causing a stir. Those who had been eliminated in the preliminary rounds, anyone with the slightest willingness, rushed to sign up, eager to present their swords to the Lord, almost ready to fight to the death over it. After all, everyone knew that being chosen meant they would receive personal guidance from their elders and have the chance to undergo trials in the secret realm. Who could resist such a tempting opportunity?

“There are so many people that it’s almost impossible to squeeze in,” Feng Funian also came to join the excitement and couldn’t help but ask Lu Xiaobai, “Are you sure Luo Xiang can stand out among them?”

Lu Xiaobai replied, “Regardless of victory or defeat, my junior sister needs this opportunity. Otherwise, this missed chance will become an obsession she can’t let go of, which is detrimental to her cultivation.”

The junior brother beside them scratched his head and said, “Well, it feels a bit strange to have a girl as a sword attendant…”

“On the path of cultivation, it’s all about winning or losing, not about gender.” Lu Xiaobai raised his eyes and smiled lightly, “You’re here too? I thought you didn’t like to join in the fun?”

Lin Ji walked over to his side with a serious expression, “I’m not here just to watch the fun; I’m here to observe the performance of everyone present.”

“…” Alright, you’re right, Lu Xiaobai pouted.

Suddenly, his hand was tugged, and Lin Ji leaned in to ask, “How did you convince Elder Zhu Jian to change his mind?”

Lu Xiaobai became interested and leaned closer to him, saying seriously, “Guess?”

Lin Ji: “…”

Lu Xiaobai chuckled lightly, “It’s simple. The Lord has admired Elder Xiyun from Lianyao Peak for a long time. Unfortunately, despite sending gifts several times, none of them hit the mark.”

“I concocted a beauty-enhancing pill for him to give to Elder Xiyun, and he was in a good mood, so he agreed.”

After all, he had to take a sword with him when he went out, so which one he took didn’t matter.

Lin Ji was puzzled, “You had him deliver pills to someone from the Alchemy Peak?”

Feng Funian and the other friends were astonished, “What? The Lord of Zhu Jian Peak likes Elder Xiyun?”

They thought the Lord only cared about sword forging; he was usually strict and unsmiling when teaching them. How could they tell he liked someone?

Lu Xiaobai shot them a glance and only answered Lin Ji, “It’s not about the value of the gift, but about knowing what the other person likes. Showing off in front of an expert only highlights your sincerity.”

“The premise is that both parties must have mutual feelings to understand this clumsy pursuit. If one side doesn’t like the other, they can only perceive it as foolishness.”

The others were momentarily confused, as if they were trying to think something through but couldn’t quite grasp it.

Lin Ji secretly gritted his teeth: Lu Xiaobai understands so well; he must have given gifts to quite a few people in the past, right?

After chatting for a while, the registration finally closed, and the next step was another decision of victory or defeat.

Selecting sword attendants wasn’t a formal competition, and the rules were naturally set by the Lord of Zhu Jian Peak. 

The Lord stood at the front of the training ground at Zhu Jian Peak, his figure particularly tall and robust, his voice filled with righteous energy: “I don’t care what your intentions are for signing up. Since you’re here to serve as my sword attendants, please do your job well and don’t pursue personal matters.”

“The rule for this competition is—hold the sword. Whoever can hold this sword the longest will win.”

As he spoke, the Lord had his disciple step forward to demonstrate: the disciple stood straight, held the sword in a standard posture, and had to maintain a smile while looking straight ahead.

Originally, the Lord was just taking someone out to maintain appearances; the sword attendants had to stay by his side for the entire first day without any breaks. They also had to pay attention to their image and expressions; they couldn’t let others think he was mistreating them, right?

Lin Ji glanced at Lu Xiaobai, wondering why he felt this task suited Lu Xiaobai, the smiley muscle man, perfectly. If he went, it would be like a tailor-made fit for him.

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder; it was Lu Xiaobai, who had draped his arm over him and was eagerly watching the show.

“…” Lin Ji turned to look; over the past three years, Lu Xiaobai had grown quite a bit but was still half a head shorter than him.

“Alright.” The Lord took back the sword, and the disciple hurriedly ran to the back, exchanging glances with the other disciples.

They were avoiding a task that so many people were eager to take on!

“Please. Who wants to go first? If no one volunteers, I’ll call names from the list.”

Among the crowd, there were naturally brave souls. A male disciple stepped forward and bowed, “Elder, I’m willing to be the first!”

The Lord nodded in appreciation, “Good, are you ready?”

“I’m ready!”

The Lord casually tossed the sword, and the disciple confidently caught it, only to fall to the ground.

Everyone: “…”

The disciple’s face turned red as he struggled to pick up the sword again, only to drop it once more after three breaths.

“Hmm, commendable courage, but you underestimated the weight of this sword. You can step down now, and remember this: do your homework before taking action.”

The first attempt ended in failure, and both the stage and the audience fell silent.

Lin Ji asked, “How heavy is the Lord’s sword, anyway?”

Feng Funian shook his head, “There’s no specific weight.”

The weight of the sword doesn’t depend on the material but on the concept. The Lord had once used this sword to subdue a stone demon in his youth, sealing the spirit of the demon within the sword, making it his sword spirit.

The weight of the sword depends entirely on the Lord’s intention. If he wants to test his disciples, he will likely command the stone demon to apply weight based on the challenger’s cultivation level and physique, ensuring it doesn’t harm the juniors while still testing the limits of the challengers.

That disciple had clearly lost his breath right from the start, and with so many people watching, he wouldn’t have been so embarrassed otherwise.

After waiting for a while, a second person stepped up to challenge, their face contorted as they took the sword, making the others cringe in sympathy.

The Lord: “… Your expression is too painful; why don’t you come back later?”

The second person didn’t last long either.

The third and fourth challengers also didn’t last long. A disciple was specifically recording their sword-holding times, postures, and performances for a comprehensive ranking later.

Finally, a few body cultivators came up; the first one managed to stabilize himself, showing off a bit, only to drop the sword and be scolded by the Lord, retreating in shame. The others learned from this, and most participants barely lasted half an hour.

Some were knocked out immediately, while others quietly left, seeing no hope.

“I didn’t expect that sword-holding could reveal so much about each person’s character and abilities,” Feng Funian couldn’t help but exclaim.

“It seems the winner will likely emerge from the body cultivators this time!” someone discussed.

Luo Xiang stepped onto the stage when the number of participants was about half. She deliberately avoided the hottest part of the day.

At the same time, she didn’t dare to continue watching the tragic scenes on stage; she was afraid of losing her nerve.

When Luo Xiang appeared, the onlookers were stunned. First, she was a well-known beauty in Peifeng Sect, and second, there were only a handful of female cultivators participating in the sword attendant trials.

Luo Xiang stepped onto the stage, bowed without saying anything, and the Lord looked at her deeply before raising the sword: “Hold it well.”

The moment Luo Xiang took the sword with both hands, it felt as if someone had tied a heavy iron hammer to each of her hands, so heavy that she almost couldn’t hold on.

She had prepared herself mentally beforehand, and now she worked hard to stabilize her facial expression, slowly turning around and holding the sword in a standard posture.

The crowd fell silent, all eyes focused on her. The onlookers couldn’t help but hold their breath, waiting for the sound of the sword hitting the ground.

However, until they could no longer hold their breath, Luo Xiang didn’t falter.

Luo Xiang kept telling herself in her mind: Damn it, she had already been unlucky enough; she had to seize this last opportunity. She wanted to go to the secret realm.

She also wanted to improve her cultivation; no one could stop her!

“…”

An hour later, Luo Xiang’s face was pale; she had never felt time pass so slowly. Her mind wandered between wanting to cry and wanting to die countless times, and all that remained in her mind was the thought of going to the secret realm.

“Will Luo Xiang have an accident if this continues?” the onlookers began to worry.

But the Lord didn’t call for a stop, and others could only continue watching.

Lin Ji felt complicated emotions; he had an infinite amount of thoughts in his heart and unconsciously glanced at the person beside him.

Lu Xiaobai had already put away his frivolous demeanor and, like everyone else, was staring intently at the stage.

Lin Ji recalled that over the past three years, he had spent the most time with Lu Xiaobai, and he basically knew where Lu Xiaobai was going.

Lu Xiaobai and Luo Xiang weren’t as close as described in the story; their interactions over the past three years had been neither too much nor too little, and they had interacted normally with their peers, with hardly any inappropriate behavior.

Luo Xiang had sought out Lu Xiaobai privately a few times, and each time, Lu Xiaobai would either pull him along or speak a few polite words to her, gradually leading Luo Xiang to stop seeking him out alone.

At least for now, Lin Ji hadn’t seen any romantic feelings between them; they did help each other and cared for one another, that much was true.

Two hours later, the Lord cast a spell to remove the sword spirit’s power, and Luo Xiang suddenly lost the heavy pressure. She relaxed and took a few steps back but didn’t drop the sword directly. A fellow female disciple who had come to watch rushed forward to help her sit down and rubbed her hands to stimulate her meridians.

“Alright, the young girl is quite stubborn at such a young age, but she’s very resilient,” the Lord took back the sword and used spiritual power to transmit his voice, “Don’t worry, this is a serious matter regarding the secret realm. I’m only this strict this time; when you hold the sword for me later, it won’t be as exaggeratedly heavy.”

If she couldn’t even withstand this minor test, it would be dangerous for her to go to the secret realm.

He made it clear to everyone, but his gaze was directed at Luo Xiang.

The companions who had come to support her hurriedly stepped forward; Lu Xiaobai quickly took out a water flask and pills, handing them to the other female disciples to feed to Luo Xiang.

Once Luo Xiang regained her composure, she looked at them and sighed in relief, “I’ve already done my best.”

Lu Xiaobai and the others comforted her, “Junior sister has done very well.”

And two hours was already quite a long time; the later disciples might not surpass her. Lin Ji felt that it was already a sure thing.

Only he was lost in thought, standing outside the crowd, staring intently at Lu Xiaobai, suddenly wondering: What does it feel like to be someone Lu Xiaobai cares about?

The next day, the dust settled, and Luo Xiang was chosen as the sword attendant. The other disciples had barely managed to last an hour, and no one had stood longer than her.

The disciples going to the secret realm were also finalized after multiple screenings, and everyone gathered again in Zhengyang Hall to listen to the elders read the names.

“Have the disciples going to the secret realm heard their names? Is there anyone with doubts?”

“I have!”

A powerful young voice suddenly rang out, using the Spirit Control Technique to spread the sound so that everyone could hear.

Elder Su Ling covered his head, and the Sect Leader’s kind and official smile fell.

You really have one?

Usually, when elders ask such questions, it’s just a formality. If someone points out a mistake, that’s fine, but they don’t want any unexpected complications.

It had been half a month since the elimination rounds, and so many days had passed without private complaints. To suddenly jump out in front of everyone like this, the elders’ faces were filled with “joy,” but they had no reason to stop it. The elder could only ask, “Who has doubts?”

However, the one who suddenly stepped forward was Su Qinghe, who hadn’t been seen for three years, so it wasn’t surprising.

Meng Wanqiu glanced at him and immediately knew what he wanted to say, his heart hanging as he looked down at the stage.

Sure enough, Su Qinghe walked forward with his head held high, bowed first, and then pointed at Lu Xiaobai, “I question him!”

“Other direct disciples have at least reached the Foundation Establishment stage after two years of entering the sect, yet he is still at the Qi Refining stage. What strength does he have to occupy a spot in the secret realm?”

In an instant, the entire hall fell silent, and a pin drop could be heard.

No one spoke up or stopped him, indicating that most people thought the same way.

To be precise, Lu Xiaobai going to the secret realm didn’t violate any rules, nor did he take anyone else’s spot. Whether the rules were fair or not wasn’t something he set… but his presence in the secret realm was simply unacceptable to the crowd.

In the past, those direct disciples had at least outstanding talents and realms that surpassed ordinary disciples. So even if they didn’t participate in the elimination competition, others could reluctantly accept it.

Only Lu Xiaobai was the exception.

Even if his qualifications and cultivation level would likely make him cannon fodder in the secret realm, others didn’t even have the chance to be cannon fodder.

Senior Brother Lu’s strength was even inferior to that of ordinary disciples, yet just because he held the title of a direct disciple, he could go to the secret realm.

Even Luo Xiang, who used her position as a sword attendant to leverage her way in, was more convincing than Lu Xiaobai.

Not long ago, Luo Xiang had exposed a fellow disciple who had deliberately destroyed the summoning order, presenting complete evidence to the deacon to seek justice.

In the competition for cultivation opportunities, having one less opponent meant one more chance for oneself, and the disciple who had acted maliciously was eliminated in the first round.

To warn against such vile behavior, the law elder had concealed their name and widely publicized the negative example, and most disciples had heard about it.

Luo Xiang had lost her opportunity due to being schemed against, but later, she had been selected as a sword attendant based on her own abilities, which made the eliminated disciples feel much better.

Why should Senior Brother Lu…? But questioning the rules meant questioning the elders, and apart from Su Qinghe, no one dared to step forward.

Perhaps the rules weren’t the problem; the elders hadn’t expected that the Ling Yun Zunzhe would take a mixed spiritual root as a disciple, and that his cultivation would be so slow.

Under everyone’s gaze, the elder could only harden his resolve and ask the Sect Leader. The Sect Leader looked at Meng Wanqiu, “Junior Brother… what do you think?”

Meng Wanqiu lowered his gaze; he admitted that the rules were unfair to others, but he still had selfish motives, hoping for a chance to slip through.

After reflecting, Meng Wanqiu felt guilty and said loudly, “Lu Xiaobai, I have taught you that we should not seek fame and fortune but should be true to our hearts.”

“Now, facing doubts, how do you intend to respond?”

Though he said this, Meng Wanqiu was already calculating that if Lu Xiaobai was blocked, he would use the favor he had once shown to the sect to plead with the Sect Leader, ensuring that he could go to the secret realm.

Little Bai couldn’t lose any opportunity to refine his spiritual root; he was clearly not lacking.

Lin Ji had anticipated this situation; he silently observed, waiting for Lu Xiaobai to respond.

Lu Xiaobai stepped forward, calmly looking at Su Qinghe, “Since Su Shidi is unconvinced, why don’t we have a bet?”

“Let’s duel; whoever loses will withdraw from the secret realm trial.”

Lin Ji was taken aback; he rarely saw Lu Xiaobai being so rude to others, especially publicly provoking someone.

Su Qinghe suddenly took a step back, staring at Lu Xiaobai in shock, “Why should I compete with you? I’m not a direct disciple; whether I win or lose doesn’t conflict with you! I won’t bet my spot!”

He had already lost to Lin Ji once; if he lost to Lu Xiaobai again, how would he continue to live?

The crowd was taken aback; they had expected Su Qinghe to readily accept, but he actually lacked confidence in defeating Lu Xiaobai and retreated?

Lu Xiaobai coldly said, “So you do know; after three years of seclusion, you’ve actually gained some sense.” He turned away, too lazy to look at Su Qinghe, “You’re spineless.”

“You!” Su Qinghe was furious but hesitated to retort, feeling the strange gazes from others. He quickly explained, “I’m not afraid of losing to him; it’s just that this person is cunning and treacherous, and I won’t fall for his tricks!”

“Then shut up.” Lu Xiaobai raised his smile again, clasping his fists and kneeling on one knee, “I’m willing to accept an additional test; please, esteemed elders, set the challenge!”

After a long while, the Sect Leader stroked his beard and said, “In the end, youth is impetuous and cannot withstand provocation, but it’s quite ambitious. Then let it be as you say.”

The sect itself would also raise some spiritual beasts and demons; the former were used to guard the medicinal gardens of each peak, while the latter were used for disciples to practice.

After discussion, the elder took out a scroll and tossed it into the sky, showing Lu Xiaobai, “This is the list of exotic beasts raised by Peifeng Sect over the years. You can choose one to fight; as long as you can defeat it, you’ll pass.”

Lu Xiaobai: “Any form is fine?”

The elder nodded, “Exactly.”

Lu Xiaobai chose a relatively good-looking one, “Alright, I choose that one.”

Lin Ji looked up: Yan Yu Shou, neither righteous nor evil, just a temperamental beast that had cultivated into a spirit.

Years ago, it had been subdued by an elder and was now placed in the trial area as a checkpoint, spitting fire at anyone who dared to challenge.

“Do you want to go back and prepare?” The elder asked, seeing that he had made up his mind.

“No, let’s start now; I don’t want to waste everyone’s time.”

Lu Xiaobai stood up and directly ran off to the trial area set by the sect.

So hasty?

The crowd was puzzled; although the Yan Yu Shou wasn’t ridiculously strong, it would still be difficult for him to defeat.

In the past, when disciples went to trials, the Yan Yu Shou was one of the checkpoints; they usually just exchanged a few moves with it and escaped to pass, without needing to defeat it.

Lin Ji thought: The Yan Yu Shou… being a bird type, its strength probably couldn’t compare to the Six-Winged Bird Demon, right?

Waiting was also boring, so the Sect Leader simply had someone bring up the water mirror, infusing it with spiritual power, enlarging it, and hanging it in the air for everyone to watch Lu Xiaobai’s movements in real-time.

Everyone was curious about how Lu Xiaobai would defeat the Yan Yu Shou.

They saw him jog to the back mountain of the trial area, and the crowd scoffed at him for not even being able to fly with his sword and having to run on foot. Lin Ji suddenly spoke up, “It’s just daily training.”

“…” Everyone fell silent.

Almost forgot, whether Lu Xiaobai was capable or not didn’t hinder him from being a three-time champion of the sect competition… better to say less to avoid attracting hatred.

Lu Xiaobai barely passed the first two trials with spiritual power and reached the edge of the high suspended bridge.

The third trial was to dodge the beast’s attacks and reach the other side of the bridge.

Lu Xiaobai grabbed the ropes binding the bridge and looked down; it wasn’t a bottomless drop, but falling would still be enough to turn him into a pancake.

Below the cliff were sharp stones and withered trees, enhancing the sense of fear. He quickly looked up.

The Yan Yu Shou sensed the presence of a living being, spiraled down from the sky, and without a word, spat fire, both speed and destructive power exceptional.

However, Lu Xiaobai showed no intention of dodging. The crowd outside the water mirror craned their necks to watch, only to see flames collide with golden light, creating smoke but causing no harm.

Lin Ji was speechless: Here we go again.

Lu Xiaobai held the Hidden Light Stone in his hand to withstand the attack, forming a protective shield and leaning against a tree to sit down, “I’m already tired from passing the first two trials; I don’t feel like fighting anymore.”

As he spoke, he looked up at the sky, “The sect’s task is to have me subdue you; I see you’re also quite tired, so why don’t we just skip the fight?”

The Yan Yu Shou had been in the trial area for many years and was highly intelligent; it understood human speech. It paused for a moment, then its flames doubled in size, and it charged at the barrier, crashing into it.

“You bird-type beasts are indeed quite irritable.”

Lu Xiaobai ignored the impact and took out his water flask and food, starting to rest.

“…” The crowd exchanged glances.

Su Qinghe: “He’s being a cheat!”

Lin Ji looked at him, his tone flat yet filled with sarcasm, “Haven’t you always said he’s a rogue? Still not used to it?”

Su Qinghe: “…”

The Sect Leader raised his hand to stop the two from arguing, “Knowing one’s own strength is insufficient, first angering the opponent to diminish their fighting spirit is a good tactic.”

“Everyone, when the enemy is stronger than you, there’s no need to fight head-on; conserve your energy for later. This is something you can learn from Lu Xiaobai.”

Once the Sect Leader spoke, others could only listen attentively. Besides, having such a powerful mentor was also a blessing for him.

However, Lu Xiaobai dragged it out until nightfall.

“… He doesn’t want to fight at all?”

“What he said about not wasting our time running so fast, isn’t he wasting it now?”

Complaints filled the hall, and they stood until their feet were numb. The Sect Leader and the elders frequently shifted their positions, exchanging glances from time to time.

Originally, they could have just read the names and dispersed, but now it had turned into a test of endurance. Su Qinghe felt as if countless gazes were piercing through him, feeling trapped.

Meng Wanqiu propped his head up, dazed; no wonder he had packed him a bag of jerky in the morning, but with so many people staring at him, he couldn’t sneak a bite…

“Junior Brother?” An elder finally couldn’t help but call him.

Meng Wanqiu sat up straight and transmitted his voice to Lu Xiaobai in front of everyone, “Xiao Bai, can you finish this quickly? We can’t just disperse like this.”

“Young disciples are fine, but your senior uncles are all over a hundred years old; they can’t hold out.”

The elders: “…”

Lu Xiaobai wiped his mouth after finishing the jerky and stood up, “Alright.”

He saw that the Yan Yu Shou was also panting beside him, and there was no need to torture his future spiritual pet.

Lu Xiaobai picked up the Hidden Light Stone, walking straight towards the bridge without looking sideways.

The Yan Yu Shou realized it couldn’t break through the barrier and was now flying nearby, waiting for an opportunity.

Just as Lu Xiaobai was about to reach the other side of the bridge, it remembered its duty and, with a stiff face, attacked again.

After being bounced back, the Yan Yu Shou suddenly froze, its eyes wide open.

Lu Xiaobai took out a dark feather from his storage bag, light and soft, resembling earthly velvet, but it looked too wide and long, larger than a palm.

An elder exclaimed, “Isn’t this the feather of the Six-Winged Bird Demon from Fengming Mountain?”

Not only was it a feather, but judging by its shape, it was also the underwing feather of a bird. A human might not recognize it, but the Yan Yu Shou would definitely see it at a glance.

Lin Ji suddenly realized; no wonder Lu Xiaobai chose a bird-type beast. But when did he take the underwing feather from the Six-Winged Bird Demon? Could it have been after he passed out?

What kind of situation would allow a bird to have its feathers plucked from under its wings? Either it had no chance to fight back, or it had already been killed…

The Yan Yu Shou was several levels weaker than the Six-Winged Bird Demon, but its spirit and intelligence were much stronger than the latter. Seeing its kind’s large underwing feather displayed in Lu Xiaobai’s palm, it was frightened and folded its wings, standing on the rope at the edge of the bridge.

Lu Xiaobai then opened a bottle, tossing it outside the barrier, and using spiritual power, suspended the liquid in the air.

Lin Ji’s eyes widened: He really knows how to utilize successful experiences!

The Yan Yu Shou loved the morning dew from Peifeng Sect’s spiritual plants, but in the past, it had to wake up early to search for it in the forest. This was the first time it saw so much dew laid out before it, and the fresh natural aura almost made it dizzy with delight.

Lu Xiaobai spread his hands, also levitating the feather in the air, and softly coaxed, “So, do you choose the morning dew, or do you want to fight to the death?”

“If you choose the delicious food, we won’t have to fight; come closer, and I have a few words to tell you.”

The Yan Yu Shou turned its head back and forth, finally joyfully calling out and pouncing towards the morning dew, pecking at it.

The Sect Leader waved his hand to close the water mirror, coughing loudly to attract everyone’s attention, “Let’s wait patiently for the results.”

The disciples below were somewhat dazed: So this is also an option?

The Sect Leader looked at Meng Wanqiu helplessly, “Junior Brother, your disciple is really…”

This won’t do; they can’t learn this.

If all the disciples were this cunning, how would these old men manage Peifeng Sect in the future?

Meng Wanqiu humbly replied, “Too much praise, too much praise; it’s all my fault for having such good taste and not accepting the unusual.”

Sect Leader: “…”

Half an hour later, Lu Xiaobai returned unscathed, a beautiful red bird perched on his shoulder, which was the Yan Yu Shou.

Lu Xiaobai first bowed to everyone, then said, “Come, greet the Sect Leader.”

The little bird bowed.

Lu Xiaobai: “Greet my master.”

The little bird bowed again.

Lu Xiaobai: “Greet all the elders and fellow disciples.”

The little bird bowed a third time.

Everyone: “…………”

Finally, Lu Xiaobai looked at Lin Ji, who had a gloomy face, with a smile and whispered something to the Yan Yu Shou.

The Yan Yu Shou’s eyes suddenly lit up, flapping its wings and flying towards Lin Ji, stopping on his shoulder just as he was about to draw his sword, swaying as if it were very close to him.

Lin Ji was stunned.

Lu Xiaobai stepped forward, “I told the little Yan Yu that you were the main force in defeating the Six-Winged Bird Demon, so it admires you very much.”

“From now on, it recognizes us as its masters.”

Lin Ji looked at the Yan Yu Shou and recalled the past. After a long time, he smiled, “Alright, from now on… we have plenty of time ahead.”

The crowd dispersed. Everyone felt a bit more dispirited than when they arrived, and the elders rubbed their waists.

Lin Ji stood alone in place, lost in thought.

“Lin Ji, my lord!”

Lin Ji looked towards the light orb, “You’re back. I want to ask, what did Lu Xiaobai say to the Yan Yu Shou?”

A few drops of morning dew could bribe the Yan Yu Shou? It must be too easy to tempt.

Wen Ling checked the data, “This is simple.”

Long Aotian said to the Yan Yu Shou:

“From now on, follow me. You have no future here. Every day doing the same thing, when someone comes, you spit fire, and you get beaten by different disciples. Don’t you find it boring?”

“The sect raising you is simple; they just feed you some food. You’ve worked hard for the sect for decades, and that’s enough.”

“Unlike me, if you follow me, I’ll gather morning dew for you every day, prepare delicious food, and take you along as you cultivate.”

Wen Ling recited the original text: “The Yan Yu Shou thought, as if seeing the light through the clouds, that its previous decades had been meaningless. Although Long Aotian was still quite inexperienced now, he was willing to treat it sincerely, so it gladly formed a master-servant contract with Long Aotian.”

Then he added, “Don’t worry, Long Aotian’s various ways of gathering little brothers are just basic skills. Lu Xiaobai indeed keeps his word regarding his camp, maintaining various support; it’s not a loss for him.”

After a pause, Wen Ling leaned closer to Lin Ji, “But do you know that the plot has changed?”

Lin Ji, feeling a bit annoyed, looked up indifferently, “Oh?”

Wen Ling: “In the original text, Lu Xiaobai actually defeated the Yan Yu Shou in a real fight before taking it as a spiritual pet.”

Wen Ling transmitted the scene into Lin Ji’s mind, “You can see for yourself.”

In the scene, Lu Xiaobai was scorched by the Yan Yu Shou, his clothes tattered, and only found the opportunity to pin it to the ground, almost falling off the bridge.

But now, Lu Xiaobai hadn’t suffered at all; he was directly playing tactics.

Lin Ji thought for a moment and understood: The challenge was to show his attitude, and how he subdued the Yan Yu Shou was also to show his stance.

Others could question him, but he couldn’t leave an impression that he could be easily manipulated.

Wen Ling suddenly exclaimed, “Wait, this segment has significantly reduced the bond between Lu Xiaobai and Luo Xiang compared to before!”

The bond with Lin Ji, however, was artificially constructed and steadily rising.

Lin Ji asked, “What did Lu Xiaobai and Luo Xiang do?”

Wen Ling: “The plot points have changed; you can see for yourself.”

It turned out that Lin Ji hadn’t been mistaken earlier; the setting of the sword attendant was indeed tailored for Lu Xiaobai.

In the original text, he had long anticipated that he would be jointly questioned by everyone, so he had gone to Zhu Jian Peak to participate in the selection of sword attendants, remaining motionless for a day and night to successfully be chosen.

But the incident of Luo Xiang being set up still occurred, so after being publicly provoked by Su Qinghe, he didn’t refuse the additional test and went to defeat the Yan Yu Shou.

However, upon returning, he proposed a counterattack, insisting on an explanation.

He was both a sword attendant and had passed the test. Originally, he wouldn’t have the treatment of a direct disciple, and the Lord of Zhu Jian Peak needed him to go; he had narrowly escaped from the Yan Yu Shou, yet the two efforts only achieved one goal. Wouldn’t that be a huge loss? Logically, he should have two spots.

He publicly gave the spot that originally belonged to the direct disciple to Luo Xiang.

Wen Ling: “However, the current satisfaction has changed its form of expression but hasn’t decreased; it’s still quite good.”

The previous hardships and the final counterattack, as well as the ease of defeating the enemy, all met the standards of a satisfying story.

Lin Ji, however, left Wen Ling behind and quickly walked away, flying his sword to Zhu Jian Peak to see the Lord.

Meng Wanqiu was like a benchmark in Peifeng Sect, earning everyone’s respect.

As his disciple, there might be some who were unconvinced, but the elders looked kindly upon them due to Meng Wanqiu’s reputation.

Moreover, Lin Ji was the most talented and fastest cultivator of the younger generation; even if he wasn’t Meng Wanqiu’s disciple, he would still be valued by the elders.

The Lord of Zhu Jian Peak personally received him and inquired about his intentions.

Lin Ji first pushed out the spiritual stones he had saved, “With the secret realm trial approaching, I would like to ask the Lord to help me reforge my spiritual sword.”

“I see.” The Lord thought for a moment and said, “You could have chosen a good sword from me; I can lend you one!”

Lin Ji stood up and bowed, “Thank you, Lord!”

He hadn’t yet obtained his own destined sword, so if he could temporarily get a good sword, that would be great. The more prepared he was for the secret realm, the better.

The Lord took Lin Ji to the forging hall in the back, showcasing his proud works from recent years, “Look, which one do you like?”

Lin Ji looked around and suddenly stopped at one.

The sword inserted there looked very slender and light.

The Lord smiled and stood beside him, “You have a good eye; this sword is the opposite of the heavy sword. I named it the Light Sword. This time, it’s made of lightweight materials, and for cultivators, it’s almost weightless.”

Lin Ji drew the sword and gazed at it, and the Lord continued to explain, “But the blade can cut through iron like mud. If the enemy gets too close, when you use your spiritual power—”

He raised his hand close to the sword, and within three inches, his palm was cut with a deep wound.

“Lord!” Lin Ji exclaimed.

“It’s nothing, nothing.” The Lord waved his hand, “For a swordsmith, having someone who can recognize treasures and make the best use of them makes me happier than anything else.”

He used spiritual power to stop the bleeding and said, “This sword is most suitable for cultivators with strong spiritual power, but it’s hard to control the force. If you’re not careful, you might hurt yourself. You need to adapt and judge your opponent’s situation in advance.”

“The heavy sword has power; once you’re familiar with it, it’s fine. But the light sword relies entirely on feeling. The secret realm journey is not far away; are you sure you want to borrow this sword?”

Changing swords also requires caution; each sword has its own feel, and there will definitely be differences in operation.

Lin Ji raised the sword blade and gazed at it, “I will cultivate my heart.” Saying this, he returned the sword to its sheath, “And I will practice diligently, not to disgrace this good sword. Please, Lord, grant me this!”

“Good!” The Lord patted Lin Ji’s shoulder in appreciation, “Very well, this light sword will be lent to you.”

After a pause, he couldn’t help but sigh, “Senior Brother Meng’s vision is indeed excellent; he picked it up before others even noticed the treasure.”

“I see that both you and Lu Xiaobai will achieve great things in the future.”

Lin Ji lowered his gaze, “Thank you, Lord.” After a moment, his voice unconsciously lowered, “But why does the Lord prefer to carry the heavy sword among so many swords forged?”

The Lord laughed, “It’s merely to give the disciples a chance.”

Moreover, he needed to promote one of the swords to gain a reputation, so he could later establish himself as an excellent swordsmith!

The two exited the back hall and returned to the front hall, where the Lord had someone bring tea, “However, your senior brother is a bit strange.”

“This time, I originally planned to bring the heavy sword, but he came to tell me that others want to go to the secret realm, not really wanting to serve as sword attendants. If I flaunt it like this, it would lead to others fighting over it, which wouldn’t be beneficial for the harmony of the sect. That’s why I gave up on bringing the heavy sword.”

“Yet, a few days later, he came to find me again, saying that it’s not easy for the disciples of Peifeng Sect, and having more opportunities and paths is better, and he asked me to select sword attendants again!”

Of course, the Lord of Zhu Jian Peak wouldn’t mention that he had accepted gifts both times.

Lin Ji sneered; it was just as he thought.

After bidding farewell to Zhu Jian Peak, he sorted through his thoughts.

Aside from the change in Luo Xiang’s way to the secret realm, the plot of the story had circled back to its original position.

The people hadn’t changed, nor were there any external factors interfering. What was Lu Xiaobai up to?

Could it be… Lin Ji shivered all over, could it be that Junior Sister Luo Xiang died in the secret realm?

“Lu Xiaobai… Lu Xiaobai.”

Muttering that name between his lips felt like grinding his teeth, yet it also contained a hint of reminiscence and nostalgia.

He had once suspected that Lu Xiaobai was no longer the original Lu Xiaobai, but later dismissed that doubt.

Now, however, he was filled with suspicion again; perhaps Lu Xiaobai really wasn’t the original Lu Xiaobai, but the meaning was entirely different.

Lin Ji even started running, constantly questioning himself: If it were truly as he thought, would he have to kill Lu Xiaobai?

While he was still weak, before he became strong.

He hated him!

Even though the Mermaid Pearl had already been destroyed by him, the greatest grudge from his past had been settled by himself.

Lu Xiaobai hadn’t taken anything from him yet, but he would eventually make himself lose everything!

Lin Ji slowly walked back to Luoxia Peak, having adjusted his mindset.

He chose the light sword, so he couldn’t disgrace it.

Sword cultivators love their swords more than their lives.

After that day, Lin Ji focused on cultivating the light sword, melding with it.

Lu Xiaobai often brought the Yan Yu Shou to watch, asking, “Do you think he’s impressive?”

The Yan Yu Shou nodded: Yes, but he has too much killing intent!

Lu Xiaobai sat by the tree: It’s been three years, and he’s still facing a person he can’t open his heart to, along with the lingering hostility on him.

He still remembered the last life when Lu Xiaobai saw Lin Ji for the second time, it was in front of the Yunshang Immortal Sect’s gate on the way to the secret realm.

Led by Su Qinghe, the followers routinely mocked him, but at a certain moment, they all fell silent.

A disciple dressed in the sky-blue robes of the Yunshang Immortal Sect walked over, glancing at them.

Disciples of the Yunshang Immortal Sect were the easiest to recognize; unlike other sects, they wouldn’t pretend to be harmonious in front of outsiders. The discord among the Yunshang disciples was evident to anyone with eyes, and they looked down on disciples from other sects with an air of superiority.

Su Qinghe was outwardly arrogant but inwardly timid; he didn’t dare to cause trouble and quickly stepped aside, while Lu Xiaobai was already squeezed to the back edge.

There were quite a few factions, and among the group passing by, someone sneered, looking at Su Qinghe as if he were a chick.

“Didn’t I tell you to come and receive and guide? What are you doing?”

Suddenly, a tall man walked over, also dressed in sky-blue gauze. His long hair was tied up high, and he was exceptionally handsome.

“Cat got your tongue?”

In a moment, the disciples below reluctantly bowed and dispersed to guide the various guests.

“I go…” Even Su Qinghe, who had been running rampant in Peifeng Sect, was astonished; they weren’t even pretending!

Those who could easily command others were undoubtedly the chief senior brother of the Yunshang Immortal Sect.

It was said that the disciples of their sect were ranked based on their strength, crushing all others, and enjoyed the most cultivation resources.

Lin Ji looked at them and suddenly frowned, asking, “Why are there only a few of you? Did you get lost?”

Su Qinghe: “…” He certainly couldn’t say he had specifically brought people to block Lu Xiaobai; most of the disciples of Peifeng Sect had already moved forward.

Fortunately, Lin Ji didn’t need them to answer and turned back, “Follow me.”

His long high ponytail fluttered in the wind, and there was nothing unattractive about him.

Lu Xiaobai silently assessed him several times, having already judged from his attire and the patterns on the sword at his waist.

So it’s him.

He was truly arrogant.

But his arrogance was different from others. His pride came from strength, while others’ pride stemmed from arrogance and looking down on the weak.

The last person who was proud yet unashamed had already become a deity.

Lu Xiaobai smiled: If I could become that kind of person…

In a moment, he lowered his gaze, hiding the brilliance that was about to be concealed in his eyes.