’How could he possibly still have feelings for Song Wanning?’

’My heart only belongs to Chuxue!’

’But why does seeing Song Wanning’s indifferent, uncaring expression make me feel so awful?’

He frowned and silently clenched his fists.

"Alright, are you two done yet?"

Feeling utterly speechless as she listened to the two of them trade barbs, Song Wanning rolled her eyes.

"Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re planning to fight with your words!"

’If you’re going to fight, then fight. Why so much useless talk?’

Lu Xingyao: "..."

’She scolded me. I feel so wronged.’

Gu Qingyuan: "..."

’Junior Sister Song really does still care about me.’

He shot Lu Xingyao a smug glance.

Lu Xingyao’s face darkened. "Fine, let’s go compete right now! I’d like to see if your strength is as tough as your talk, Gu!"

As he spoke, he started toward the Martial Arts Arena.

Gu Qingyuan snorted coldly.

’I’m not an idiot!’

"My injuries have not yet healed, so it is inconvenient for me to accept the challenge. Wait a few days. When the time comes, I will definitely show you what I’m made of!"

His aura was menacing, as confident as he had always been.

It made Song Wanning’s lips curl into a smile.

’For years, Gu Qingyuan has poured all his energy into his disciple, taking quite a few injuries for her and letting his cultivation fall behind. Does he really think he’s as strong as he used to be?’

’I’m more than ready to watch the show.’

’Yes, I’d better prepare some nice snacks.’

In the end, Lu Xingyao left for Guest Welcoming Peak.

If an outsider like him, a man, were to actually stay overnight on Song Wanning’s peak, it would be bad for her reputation.

With both of them gone, the air instantly felt much more pleasant.

Song Wanning calmly averted her gaze, feeling more and more that men were just trouble.

"Li Rao, there’s going to be a good show in a few days. Let’s make some delicious food."

"You got it!"

Li Rao immediately bobbed her head up and down like a chick pecking at rice.

’I’m also dying to see Gu Qingyuan get beaten up. It’s his own fault for treating Master so badly!’

’When I’m older, I’ll beat the crap out of him too!!!!’

...

Lu Xingyao temporarily took up residence in the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, causing a flurry of discussion among the disciples.

"The Ten Thousand Sword Sect is too arrogant! To come straight to our doorstep and challenge us... that’s a slap in the face to our Heavenly Inquiry Sect!"

"I know, right? The Ten Thousand Sword Sect is just too cocky. I saw it back during the Genius Competition!"

"Ugh, don’t even mention the Genius Competition, it’s just depressing. Neither Ye Chuxue nor Bai Yang were reliable!"

"Grandmaster Gu won’t lose this time, right? If he loses too, that would be too humiliating..."

"It’s hard to say. Lu Xingyao is a famous Sword Dao master. He’s the kind of person who struts about the Ten Thousand Sword Sect with impunity."

"Sigh, if only they’d let Grandmaster Song handle it. She’s much stronger than Grandmaster Gu!"

Everyone had doubts about Gu Qingyuan’s combat strength. The last time, he was easily defeated by Song Wanning, which had already shattered his image in everyone’s minds.

Besides the disciples, the Sect Master was even more worried, so much so that he lost his appetite and couldn’t sleep at night.

He couldn’t get over his anger and sent an indignant message to the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect, questioning why he would destroy the long-standing good relationship between their two sects.

After all, he usually had a decent relationship with that old bastard. The speed at which he’d turned hostile was simply too fast.

Little did he know, the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect was also completely bewildered when he received the message.

"What do you mean the Ten Thousand Sword Sect isn’t playing fair? What did the Ten Thousand Sword Sect do to you?"

Right now, countless factions were eyeing the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, all wanting to take advantage of this opportunity to get a piece of the pie.

Surrounded by crisis, it was normal for the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s Master to be worried, but he couldn’t just make baseless accusations.

"Didn’t you send Lu Xingyao to challenge Gu Qingyuan? Your Ten Thousand Sword Sect is trying to take advantage of our misfortune!"

The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect: "????"

His mind was full of question marks, and his face twisted into a pained expression.

’That guy Lu Xingyao actually went and issued a challenge?’

"Argh—!"

He slapped his thigh in agitation. "What’s that guy doing stirring up trouble now?"

"Doesn’t he know what kind of time this is? Won’t everyone who sees this think I was the one who put him up to it?"

The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect was extremely frustrated. Although he did want to take this opportunity to bring down the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, he couldn’t rashly take on the offensive role of being the first to strike—it was the kind of thing that made enemies.

If things went even slightly wrong, he would be used as a pawn.

"For crying out loud, you really know how to pick your moments!"

But it was too late to say anything now. He could only offer an explanation, trying to claim that the whole affair was Lu Xingyao’s idea.

But even he himself didn’t believe his own words, let alone the Sect Master of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Reading the insincere excuses in the reply, the Sect Master of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect was so angry he smashed several cups in a row. "Outrageous! This is outrageous!"

"You old bastard, you just wait! Our Heavenly Inquiry Sect will definitely make you pay!"

He quickly went to Gu Qingyuan’s peak again to shower him with concern, wishing he could stuff all the Elixir Pills into his mouth to eliminate any hidden risks.

...

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. Under the Sect Master’s supervision, Gu Qingyuan finally cleared up his lingering injuries and made a full recovery.

These past days, the Sect Master had been running over to his place every day like a nagging mother, to the point that just seeing him now made Gu Qingyuan’s ears ache.

And now, before the match had even begun, the Sect Master was already nagging in his ear again.

Gu Qingyuan suppressed his impatience, his lips thinning into a displeased line.

’For the sake of all those Elixir Pills, I can’t really argue with the Sect Master. I’ll just have to endure it for now.’

He cut off the Sect Master’s incessant chattering and said coolly, "Chuxue is due to come out of the Erosion Wind Cave today. I will go pick her up first, then I’ll head to the Martial Arts Arena!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Qingyuan sped away, so fast that the Sect Master couldn’t even grab him.

"He—he—"

The Sect Master was so angry he nearly fell over backward.

’Damn it!’

’Is Gu Qingyuan out of his mind? At a critical time like this, he’s going to pick up a disciple?’

’I really want to pry open his head and see what the hell he’s thinking!’

But things had already come to this. The Sect Master could only swallow his anger and lead his people to the Martial Arts Arena.

The day of their duel finally arrived. The Martial Arts Arena was packed to the brim, surrounded by disciples who had come to watch. Everyone wore a solemn expression. Although they weren’t the ones fighting, they all knew this match was especially crucial and that nothing could be allowed to go wrong.

The Sect Master led the elders to their seats on the high platform, feeling even more aggrieved at the sight.

’The disciples are all more nervous than Gu Qingyuan.’

Sigh!

Just as they were all seated, Song Wanning arrived fashionably late with her entourage.

Lu Xingyao walked by her side, his gaze sharp and his body wreathed in a flowing Sword Intent that kept others at a distance. Only on the side closest to Song Wanning was there not a trace of Sword Intent.

It looked rather disjointed.

Bai Yang and Li Rao walked behind them, a veritable galaxy between the two, as neither could stand the sight of the other.

For the past several days, Bai Yang had been cultivating diligently.

’I’ve already thought it through. Master’s preference for Li Rao now is only temporary. Once she invests resources and energy into her only to find she gets nothing in return, she’ll regret it.’

’At that time, Master will realize that I am her most outstanding disciple!’

’But...’

After a period of secluded cultivation, he had emerged to find the famous Lu Xingyao present.