Chapter 50

Chapter 50

When Qin Hongdao and his three companions arrived at the entrance of Cangwu Town, they discovered that the Qingyun Sect members had just arrived, with Mu Shan and her brother among them.

Upon seeing their foes, tempers flared.

Mu Shan's gaze on Wen Qiao turned crimson with rage, her expression revealing a malicious delight.

Mu Ziming, on the other hand, wore a grim face, appearing somewhat taciturn.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou remained composed. Wen Qiao held Wen Tuzi in her arms, preventing the rabbit from slicing Mu Shan into shreds with its glare.

This eerie atmosphere made the other Qingyun Sect disciples' scalps tingle. They cautiously approached Qin Hongdao, greeting her with "Senior Sister Qin."

As the eldest senior sister of the Crimson Heaven Sect, Qin Hongdao's title carried significant weight. When disciples from the three sects encountered her, except for those who were true disciples of certain Celestial Lords, Empyreans, or Sacred Sovereigns, they would all respectfully address her as "Senior Sister Qin."

Despite the tension with Mu Shan, Qin Hongdao maintained her kindness, chatting with them with a warm smile.

Impatient, Mu Shan interjected, "Senior Sister Qin, are you all ready? If so, let's set off. We don't want to delay until tomorrow due to tardiness."

This was a subtle mockery of Qin Hongdao's words from the previous day.

Upon hearing this, the disciples of the Qingyun Sect all wore grim expressions, fearing that Qin Hongdao might think they were in cahoots with Mu Zishan. What if she got angry and he lashed out at them with his blade?

Fortunately, Qin Hongdao was a very reasonable person. He gave her a casual glance and said, "Since Junior Sister Mu is in such a hurry, let's go then."

The group fell silent and proceeded towards the outskirts of the town.

Behind them, a cluster of cultivators followed, their gazes subtly resting on the figures ahead.

Yesterday's challenge between Senior Apprentice Sister Mu Shan and Qin Hongdao, along with Wen Qiao, had already spread throughout the entire Cangwu Town. Some enthusiasts even secretly organized betting pools, wagering on who would ultimately emerge victorious.

Aside from that, they were also highly intrigued by this duel.

The match between Wen Qiao and Mu Shan held little appeal due to their low cultivation levels; it didn't spark much interest. At most, people were curious if Wen Qiao could humble the Qingyun Sect's young lady or how the young lady would ruthlessly punish those who dared to provoke her.

The contest between Qin Hongdao and Mu Ziming was a different story. Both were high-ranking cultivators, and witnessing such a match up close was a rare opportunity. It could also benefit their own cultivation practices. No wonder, early in the morning, some were already stationed at the entrance of Cangwu Town, ready to follow the action as soon as Qin Hongdao and his party appeared.

They arrived at a small grove located ten miles outside Cangwu Town.

Nestled close to Cangwu Mountain, one could merely lift their gaze to behold the sprawling range stretching in the distance, as well as the practitioners returning from their training on the mountain.

The returning cultivators found it peculiar to see people gathering around them. Upon learning the reason, they decided against rushing back to Cangwu Town, choosing instead to stay and witness the impending battle.

This was a clash between Qin Hongdao, the Red-Clothed Longsword, and Mu Ziming, the Young Master of Qingyun Sect – a spectacle not to be missed.

Qin Hongdao stood opposite the disciples of the Qingyun Sect, an air of tension subtly brewing. She lifted her blade with a smile, saying, "Let's have a bout first to warm up the atmosphere. Junior Brother Mu, come on."

Mu Ziming's lips twitched slightly. It wasn't a grand competition between sects; why was there a need for such a buildup? No, even in a sect competition, there was no need for that!

He cleared his throat and said modestly, "Senior Martial Sister Qin, let Junior Sister and Miss Min take the stage first! Junior Sister has been talking about this match all night, showing great anticipation. Why not resolve the conflict between Junior Sister and Miss Min first?"

Mu Ziming was quite articulate. With just a few words, he shifted the narrative of the conflict between Mu Shan and Wen Qiao, making it seem as if Wen Qiao was the one who had provoked Dao Yan's beloved daughter.

Ning Yuzhou glanced at Mu Ziming, the corners of his mouth curling slightly downward.

Qin Hongdao said straightforwardly, "Sure! But let me clarify first: there is no enmity between Junior Sister Mu and Miss Min. It's all due to Junior Sister Mu's own actions and choices."

Mu Shan's pleasant mood was instantly spoiled by Qin Hongdao's straightforwardness. Her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at Qin Hongdao, filled with hatred.

This woman was indeed wicked, always picking on her.

Qin Hongdao smiled nonchalantly. She wasn't Mu Shan's mother; why should she indulge her?

"Miss Min, are you ready?" Qin Hongdao turned to ask Wen Qiao, who was standing aside.

Wen Qiao replied with a serious expression, "I'm ready."

"Alright, let's go! No need to be formal, just perform at your usual level." Qin Hongdao patted the young girl's shoulder encouragingly.

Wen Qiao thanked her and passed the bunny in her arms, Wen Tuantuan, to Ning Yuzhou, saying, "Wen Tuantuan, stay with your Brother Ning. Don't wander off."

Wen Tuantuan hung on Ning Yuzhou's shoulder, whining softly to show its understanding.

Big Sister was going to deal with scum, so it needed to protect Brother and ensure no one took advantage to hurt him.

On the side, Sheng Yunshen, who was draped in a hooded cloak that covered him from head to toe, asked worriedly, "Young Master Ning, is Miss Min really alright?"

Wen Qiao appeared delicate and fragile, still growing into her frame. Standing beside Mu Shan, the latter seemed like a robust and strong maiden, drawing involuntary sympathy towards Wen Qiao.

Sheng Yunshen, witnessing this stark contrast, couldn't help but feel concerned. Considering that Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou were his saviors, his heart had already leaned in her favor.

Ning Yuzhou produced a spirit pill and handed it to Wen TuTu, calmly stating, "I trust Ah Chu."

Sheng Yunshen responded with an "oh." Their acquaintance with Ning Yuzhou was too brief, and they knew little about each other's backgrounds. Wanting to say something yet wary of overstepping, he decided to remain silent.

Qin Hongdao propped her long blade on the ground, observing the two figures stepping into the battlefield.

In Mu Shan's hand was the Graceful Maiden Sword, fixated on Wen Qiao. Suddenly, she flashed a sweet and charming smile, her lips parting to deliver a venomous remark, "Bitch, today I'll make you suffer, just as you tasted the agony of being gnawed by stone bamboo rats."

She could never forget the pain of those creatures tearing at her flesh. If not for Wen Qiao, she wouldn't have been bitten that severely.

Wen Qiao blinked, replying, "Sure, I'm waiting for you, bitch, to make your move."

Mu Shan's face flushed red, "Don't get too cocky!"

"Very well, bitch, please proceed!"

"Who did you call a bitch?" Mu Shan shrieked.

Wen Qiao tilted her head, looking slightly timid yet innocently naive. "Isn't it you? I thought you liked being called that since you call others by that name too."

Mu Shan was fuming with anger.

The onlookers outside the ring heard the conversation and wore strange expressions on their faces. As the saying goes, the one who provokes first is the culprit. Despite Mu Shan's charming appearance, her unfiltered venomous words greatly diminished her appeal. Moreover, when placed side by side, Wen Qiao appeared more beautiful – an exquisite delicacy that seemed fragile and vulnerable, with a weak demeanor that evoked pity.

Considering her young age and sweet, gentle voice, when she tilted her head to look at someone, she resembled an obedient and well-behaved girl. Compared to the over-twenty Mu Shan, she was still just a child.

In every aspect, Mu Shan's actions seemed beneath her, leaving an impression of bullying someone younger.

Qin Hongdao and the others couldn't help but chuckle.

Sheng Yunshen laughed uncontrollably, his cloak fluttering as he whispered to Ning Yuzhou, "Is Miss Min always this amusing?"

Ning Yuzhou glanced at him. "Ah Chu is the most obedient. Of course, she would retaliate when others insult her. It would be disobedient to stand there and take the abuse without a word."

Sheng Yunshen: "..." Do you have the wrong idea about being well-behaved?

The disciples from the Qingyun Sect felt rather uncomfortable.

They were filled with embarrassment. They had known that their junior sister had a bad temper, but this was the first time they had seen her in such an embarrassing situation.

In the past, others would have chuckled it off considering Dao Yan's status and her young age. But this time, they ran into Qin Hongdao, who wouldn't tolerate such behavior, and Wen Qiao, who wasn't one to back down either. This only made Mu Shan appear even more vulgar.

Mu Ziming was well aware of how others now perceived Mu Shan. However, she was too spoiled to listen to reason, and despite her many wrongdoings, they had to protect her from any harm, lest their master blame them when they returned to the sect.

Frustrated, Mu Shan didn't bother with further words and lunged her sword directly at Wen Qiao.

Wen Qiao reached for her waist, flicking her sleeves to reveal a long, stone-gold whip. The whip moved like a nimble serpent, coiling around the approaching maiden's sword as it twisted and turned. With a mere lift of her hand, the weapon was wrenched from its owner's grasp and sent flying.

An awkward silence ensued.

Losing one's weapon in a single move was a tremendous humiliation for any practitioner.

Mu Shan stood there, disbelief etched on her face, her wide eyes reflecting her astonishment.

Wen Qiao abruptly reined in his whip, his voice tinged with disappointment, "Is that all you have to offer? No wonder you resorted to redirecting trouble during our encounter in the Stone Spar Forest. With skills as meager as these, it's only natural you'd find yourself frantically fleeing from the pursuit of stone-spar mice."

This was a blatant act of betrayal.

Mu Shan's eyes were bloodshot with indignation. "This sword isn't my forte. Do you really think I'll lose to you?"

She scoffed and leaped into the air, her movements graceful as she stepped on the ethereal clouds, dashing toward Wen Qiao mid-flight.

With a deft twirl of her hands, it seemed as if gossamer curtains were billowing. The flowing veil extended like a cage, enveloping Wen Qiao in its embrace.

A voice exclaimed, "It's Fairy Flowing Cloud's Flowing Cloud Veil."

Fairy Flowing Cloud was the title of Mu Shan's mother. After forming a cultivation partnership with Dao Yan, her renowned weapon had become well-known to many.

Wen Qiao instinctively sensed danger and would not confront it head-on. Instead, she threw a section of the Stone Gold Python Vine towards Mu Shan.

Mu Shan, assuming it to be an enemy's projectile, enveloped it with her veil, trapping it within the Flowing Cloud Veil, rendering it impossible to recall forcefully.

Unfazed, Wen Qiao lashed out with her long whip, entwining it with the swiftly approaching veil.

As their figures intertwined, Liu Yun Xianzi's ethereal veil danced with breathtaking agility, while Shi Jin's long whip followed like an inescapable shadow. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged several moves, each advancing and retreating, attacking and defending in a mesmerizing dance.

The onlookers were taken aback. Originally, they thought the match would be unremarkable and the outcome predetermined. Yet, as the two competitors proved evenly matched, the spectacle turned out to be quite captivating.

Not only was it captivating, but it was also visually stunning, a feast for the eyes.

Female cultivators differed from their male counterparts. They often favored graceful and delicate techniques, prioritizing aesthetics in their combat styles. Many male cultivators enjoyed watching such displays.

Suddenly, Mu Shan wore a cold smile and flicked her dainty hand.

Wen Qiao swiftly retreated, slapping her storage bag. Dozens of talismans materialized before her, and she chanted a swift incantation.

The talismans rushed towards Mu Shan, encircling a small green jar she had thrown out. A thunderous explosion echoed as the talismans detonated, releasing a cloud of red smoke that carried a cloyingly sweet scent, spreading throughout the air.

The surrounding cultivators caught a whiff and suddenly sneezed.

Soon, more and more people joined in, sneezing in unison. Their noses reddened, and tears welled up in their eyes, leaving them in a pitiful state.

"What is this... Achoo!"

Qin Hongdao, seasoned and astute, held his breath the moment he detected the red smoke, thus escaping unscathed.

On the other hand, Sheng Yunshen, caught off guard, inhaled a few breaths. His sneezes echoed incessantly.

"What is this? It's so uncomfortable..."

Ning Yuzhou flipped his hand, offering a vial of pills to him. "Take one."

Without hesitation, Sheng Yunshen poured out a spirit pill and popped it into his mouth. Soon, his sneezing ceased.

Over at the Qingyun Sect, apart from Mu Ziming, everyone was sneezing nonstop. They glanced at Mu Shan with resentment in their eyes.

Where did the junior sister get such an odd item? Instead of surprising her opponent, it had only caused trouble for them, the spectators.

Fixated on the battling pair, Mu Ziming watched as Wen Qiao remained completely unaffected and steadily closed in on Mu Shan. A foreboding feeling gripped his heart.

Sure enough, after several failed attempts at ambushing Wen Qiao, who deftly evaded each one, Wen Qiao finally drew near to Mu Shan and sent her flying with a punch.

The audience was left stunned.

Mu Shan was also stunned. Even when she crashed to the ground with half her face swollen, she still wore an expression of disbelief.

Wen Qiao seized the opportunity to pounce, pinning her down and continuing the assault.

Everyone was even more astonished.

They had never seen such a ruthless fighting style, especially between two female cultivators.

Ning Yuzhou and Quanshu, who was hiding in the crowd, remained unfazed. They had witnessed Wen Qiao mercilessly beating up monsters on Cangwu Mountain until they wept and dared not show their faces again.

Now, Wen Qiao was treating Mu Shan like one of those monsters.

The problem was that monsters were tough-skinned, so they could withstand her blows. However, Mu Shan was a young woman, a beloved junior sister of the Qingyun Sect, with delicate skin and tender flesh. The outcome of this beating was predictable.

"Ahh—stop— you barbarian— please don't hit me anymore… waa waa waa… Senior Brother, save me…"

Observers outside the ring listened as Mu Shan transitioned from arrogance to pleading for mercy and then crying out for her senior brother's rescue. Their emotions were a jumbled mix.

There was no elegance whatsoever in this female cultivator battle. They now realized how blind they had been to find it beautiful beforehand.

Upon hearing his junior sister's pained cries, Mu Ziming moved forward, only to be stopped by Qin Hongdao's long blade.

"Dude, what are you doing? It's not over yet," Qin Hongdao said with a grin.

"But Junior Sister..."

"This is their match. None of them has surrendered. How can outsiders interfere in their battle? Do you think battles between female cultivators are child's play that you can just barge into?" She narrowed her eyes and asked.

It was a tricky question. If he answered yes, he'd offend all female cultivators. But if he didn't respond, his junior sister was crying so bitterly...

In the arena, Wen Qiao continued to pummel Mu Shan. "Are you going to surrender?"

Dazed from the beating, Mu Shan instinctively replied, "No!"

If she didn't surrender, the beating would continue!

Each punch landed solidly on flesh, causing Mu Shan to scream in agony. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Wen Qiao, her lips barely moving.

Behind them, the abandoned Liu Yun Silken Cloud suddenly stood up and enveloped the area from mid-air.

The surrounding cultivators gasped in shock.

Just as they thought the tide of battle was about to turn and Mu Shan would make a desperate counterattack, Liu Yun Xianzi's veil suddenly burst from within. A dense cluster of vines pierced through the veil, tearing the delicate white fabric into shreds.

Only then did everyone recall that earlier, Wen Qiao had thrown a section of stony golden vine which was absorbed by Liu Yun Xianzi's veil and never released.

With the veil shredded, Mu Shan's blood rushed to her head, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Sis!" This time, Mu Ziming could no longer stand idly by. He rushed forward.

Qin Hongdao also charged, her long blade sweeping across and forcefully pushing Mu Ziming aside, preventing him from approaching the two. Only she had the ability to restrain him here.

Anxious, Mu Ziming exclaimed, "My sister has surrendered!"

Wen Qiao held the lifeless Mu Shan like a dead dog and stared at her. "Are you surrendering?"

Blood stained Mu Shan's face, her eyes were dull, and she seemed to be in a daze, unable to hear a word Wen Qiao said.

Seeing this, Wen Qiao reached into her storage pouch, grabbed a spirit pill, and stuffed it into Mu Shan's mouth.

"Exactly what did you feed her?" Mu Ziming shouted, his face fraught with anxiety.

Wen Qiao ignored him and continued to hold Mu Shan, vigorously shaking her to rouse her. Once she was awake, she repeated her question, "Are you ready to surrender?"

In a daze, Mu Shan felt pain all over her body. She groaned as she opened her swollen, black-and-blue eyes, only to see Wen Qiao. Fear and shock filled her gaze, leaving her too disoriented to comprehend what was being said to her.

Wen Qiao had no choice but to repeat herself. Seeing no response, she said coldly, "Since you're not surrendering, I'll have to teach you another lesson."

Mu Shan: !!!! Is this a devil? !!!!

As the fist was about to land on her again, Mu Shan croaked, "I surrender!"

The punch halted in mid-air. Wen Qiao then asked, "Will you still cause trouble for us in the future?"

"No more..."

"What about the bounty from the Return to Origin Pavilion?"

"I-I'll get them to withdraw it..."

Wen Qiao finally expressed her satisfaction. "Swear an oath and write a contract. That way, you won't be able to renege later. If you dare to go back on your word, I'll hang your written promise in the most prominent spot of the Return Origin Pavilion, so that all cultivators across the Holy Martial Continent can witness it and know how hypocritical and despicable the daughter of Daoist Real Dao Yan truly is."

Mu Shan: "..." Are you a devil?

The surrounding crowd was speechless, while Qin Hongdao laughed heartily. "Sister Min speaks well. We should do just that. I'll adopt this method in the future too!"