Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As the group advanced, the flora on both sides grew increasingly lush, many of them spiritual herbs discussed in their classes. However, common roadside varieties like these were generally low-grade and not worth harvesting.

You Weiwan turned around and announced, "Everyone may begin harvesting now. For any questions, you can contact me via Jade Slip."

Jiang Ziliu was the first to respond, "Thank you, Junior Sister."

You Weiwan gracefully curtsied, her gentle smile gracing her lips as she replied, "You're too kind, Senior Brother Jiang."

Jiang Ziliu’s demeanor and actions were impeccably refined, and his handsome appearance prompted the other disciples to nod in silent approval. He truly lived up to being personally selected by the elder—even his temperament and looks were exceptional.

However, Jiang Ziliu’s inner thoughts were a stark contrast to his outward composure. His eyes discreetly scanned the surroundings, wondering why the Ying Fish had yet to appear.

He had meticulously planned it: once the Ying Fish arrived, he would play the hero, saving the beauty and earning You Weiwan’s favor. You Weiwan, an inexperienced, sheltered young woman, was bound to develop feelings for him after such an incident.

When the Ying Fish attacked, he would secretly use a magical tool to protect the others while leaving Lu Shitu exposed to bear the brunt of the assault.

Lu Shitu was already a lost cause; this would not only humiliate him before the entire sect but also utterly destroy him, possibly even costing him his life. Taiqing Elder would then clearly see the situation, abandon Lu Shitu, and inevitably turn to Jiang Ziliu.

Even if Lu Shitu didn’t die, the fact that he alone was attacked by the Ying Fish would appear highly suspicious. The sect leader would surely suspect him of possessing a divine artifact again, leading to his imprisonment in the Water Dungeon.

Jiang Ziliu knew all too well that Lu Shitu had never stolen any divine artifact. The entire affair was a scheme he had orchestrated from start to finish.

A cold smile crept onto Jiang Ziliu’s face. When it came to dealing with Lu Shitu, he had always been successful and supremely confident.

He hadn't minded Lu Shitu being cleared of suspicion and released earlier, only because he wanted to continue stepping on him and exploiting him. But Lu Shitu had no business trying to compete with him the moment he was freed.

From now on, this person would no longer be a rival.

The sun was shining brightly, but the sky above the valley had gradually darkened without anyone noticing.

A disciple suddenly cried out, "Quick, look up at the sky!"

The disciples looked up to see a colossal creature blotting out the sun and sky, moving toward them. Simultaneously, gale-force winds erupted from nowhere, howling furiously and bending the green trees on both sides.

Caught off guard, the disciples were thrown into disarray, stumbling and scrambling in panic.

"A monster! Run!"

This was the territory of the Taixu Sword Sect, where only low-threat spiritual beasts were supposed to appear—certainly not high-level ones.

But such a massive creature, with an aura so terrifying, made the disciples realize that this spiritual beast was at least fifth-tier or higher!

In other words, if a Golden Core expert were present, they might stand a chance, but for a group of Qi Refining and Foundation Building disciples like them, they were utterly doomed!

As the spiritual beast drew closer, the entire valley seemed to shake in the violent wind. Panic escalated, and screams and the sounds of running filled the air.

You Weiwan shouted desperately, "Everyone, stay calm! Don’t run around! It’s more dangerous if you get separated!" As one of the only two direct disciples of an elder present—the other being Lu Shitu—and the guide for the Qingxu Peak trial, she had to take responsibility.

But no one listened to her. Most of the participants were new disciples who had never experienced such a scene, running around like headless chickens.

As the spiritual beast approached, the wind howled so fiercely it seemed as if the valley would split apart. Finally, a disciple realized that the hurricane was coming from the creature’s wings.

The beast was as large as a hill, with wings that blotted out the sun and sky. A single flap created a hurricane.

"It’s a Ying Fish! And it’s an adult one!"

"Are Ying Fish not extinct? How could it appear here?"

"We’re done for! Why did it have to be a Ying Fish..." one disciple despaired.

The panic of the other disciples meant nothing to Jiang Ziliu. Amid the chaos, he stayed by You Weiwan’s side, earning several words of gratitude from the beauty, which filled him with pride.

He observed the chaos around him—everything was going smoothly, just as he had anticipated. Jiang Ziliu chuckled inwardly. Now, it was time for him to make his move.

He secretly summoned his Freedom Pagoda, ready to deploy it. He could already envision the future: You Weiwan would secretly give him her heart, Taiqing Elder would pursue him, and the somewhat irritating Lu Shitu would vanish forever.

The colossal creature drew nearer, its chaotic winds whipping wildly in all directions. One disciple, standing closest to the beast, was about to be swept into the air. Clinging to a tree, he screamed in terror, "Ahhh—Help—!"

At that moment, an overwhelming, sky-blotting light suddenly appeared, blinding everyone present. Jiang Ziliu, who had been wide-eyed and focused on deploying his magical tool, was caught off guard by the sudden brilliance.

He staggered backward, nearly falling, and clutched his eyes with a low groan, feeling an intense, burning pain.

The other disciples also cried out in shock, covering their eyes, unable to look directly at the light.

Amid the chaos, only one person remained unmoved from start to finish: Lu Shitu.

Throughout the entire ordeal, he had never once felt panic or fear.

The moment the light appeared, someone covered his eyes. The person’s palm felt cool but brought him immense comfort.

Lu Shitu’s body stiffened slightly, and he blinked gently. Then, he felt Rong Yu’s hand tremble slightly.

In the midst of the chaos, a single thought crossed his mind: *Master... is ticklish? Could someone so omniscient and capable really be ticklish?*

Rong Yu appeared as steady as an old dog, but inside, he was freaking out.

He had merely drawn his sword and swung it once, never expecting it to have such power.

"Damn, it’s so bright! I’m going blind!"

It was only then that he remembered the setting of his current body. He had a Sun Spirit Root, said to rival the sun's brilliance when drawing his sword.

*Did it have to be so literal? Actually rivaling the sun?!*

The moment he saw the light, he instinctively covered Lu Shitu’s eyes. However, his other hand was still holding his sword, so he had to close his eyes and turn his head to avoid the glare.

To his surprise, a warm, soft hand slowly reached over and gently covered his eyes.

It was Lu Shitu. For some reason, his palm felt slightly damp, as if he were nervous and sweating.

Rong Yu’s eyes instantly felt more comfortable, and his heart softened, as if tickled by a feather. He couldn’t help but smile slightly.

*The child must have been frightened too. I’ll comfort him later.*

A long time passed before the light gradually faded. When everyone looked up again, they all held their breath.

The colossal creature had vanished completely, as if it had been turned to dust by that earth-shattering strike!

The sun shone down once more, brighter and more radiant than before—whether due to the sword strike or because it was nearing noon. Under the sunlight, countless tiny water droplets glittered like diamonds in the air, refracting countless rays of light.

After a moment of silence, all the droplets began to fall quietly, drop by drop, landing in the palms the disciples instinctively held out.

One moment, it felt like dark clouds looming over a city about to fall; the next, they were bathed in sunlight, admiring the rain. That single sword strike seemed to have cleaved heaven and earth, transforming the world.

It was said that the Ying Fish could summon wind and rain, and if slain by someone far surpassing its level, it would turn into raindrops. However, since there had never been such a record, no one knew if it was true.

Everyone felt dazed. From the crisis to their narrow escape, everything had happened so quickly it felt like a dream.

Moreover, that sword strike just now was truly spectacular.

You Weiwan was the first to snap out of it, realizing what had happened, and she performed a deep bow of respect toward Rong Yu: "Thank you, Taiqing Elder, for saving our lives!"

Battling down a wave of inexplicable excitement within her, her face flushed slightly as she secretly glanced up at Taiqing Elder.

He stood there like an unshakable pillar amidst the chaos, effortlessly slaying the spiritual beast with a single move, rescuing everyone from peril, and yet he remained so calm and detached.

This was her first time seeing Taiqing Elder. Although most of the other elders also appeared as handsome young men, none of them had quite this... presence.

Amidst the crisis, he seemed like a noble young master strolling leisurely in a garden. Though he looked like a dashingly handsome youth with refined features and ruby lips, he exuded an overwhelmingly powerful presence that made it easy to overlook his good looks and simply submit to such a powerful figure. Complex and contradictory, yet utterly captivating.

Most importantly, he was the strongest person she had ever seen. Truly worthy of being called the Number One Sword in the World—so powerful that it inspired boundless admiration in her. No wonder the world revered martial prowess; such absolute power was hard not to worship.

And that bold and domineering sword strike, for some reason, seemed to shatter certain restraints within her heart, making her feel incredibly light and clear-minded, as if her spiritual wisdom had suddenly awakened.

She shook her head slightly, thinking it must be an illusion caused by her admiration for the strong.

The others soon regained their senses as well, bowing along with You Weiwan and saying in unison, "Thank you, Elder, for saving our lives!"

Rong Yu maintained the composure expected of a renowned master, betraying no sign of the shock he felt, and said calmly, "There's no need for that. All of you, rise. Although I came here to save lives, I have also disrupted the trial rules. I am willing to accept punishment according to the regulations."

The Qingxu Peak trial had always been without danger, so there were no elders leading the team—it was a competition solely for the disciples. If an elder intervened, it would be considered cheating.

You Weiwan quickly shook her head, showing a hint of fluster for the first time, and said, "Elder, you came only to save us and did not break any rules. Besides, the trial hasn't officially started yet."

Rong Yu was not surprised and nodded, saying, "I've just scanned the vicinity. There are no spiritual beasts above the second rank within a hundred miles. Next, I will work with the other elders to set up a barrier around the valley. The trial can continue."

Seeing You Weiwan nod in agreement, Rong Yu prepared to leave. He first turned around, wanting to check on Lu Shitu.

With all the commotion just now, the kid must have been terrified.

However, as he turned, his eyes locked directly with Lu Shitu's.