The Thousand-Layer Schemes of the Sickly Beautiful Master - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Qing Zhuxue endured the metallic taste in her throat and wiped the bl00d from her lips.

Though injured, she knew this strike meant victory was near.

Earlier, her opponent’s spiritual power surged because his dantian exploded instinctively to protect him. Now, with his dantian depleted, he likely had no strength left to fight.

Sure enough, the man, large as a mountain, slowly knelt and then collapsed with a thunderous crash.

After waiting half a minute, he showed no sign of getting up.

“Qing Zhuxue wins,” Senior Sister Lin Xunqin announced loudly. She took the nearby record, dipped her brush in red ink, and marked Qing Zhuxue’s name.

Not long after resting, Qing Zhuxue drew another token. Luck was on her side; it read “bye.”

Ruan Mingzhu also advanced to the top three, narrowly winning her second-to-last match.

Qing Zhuxue sighed softly, knowing she would have to face her.

Both were in poor condition. Qing Zhuxue’s lips still bled from internal injuries, and Ruan Mingzhu’s red robe was torn to shreds, her face weary.

She climbed onto the arena, dragging her long saber and panting. She smiled at Qing Zhuxue and said, “The first place is earned by skill. I won’t go easy on you, and you don’t go easy on me. We’ve never fought before, so let’s have a good, fierce match!”

“Senior Sister, here I come!” With a sharp cry, her saber slashed from below, and scorching flames engulfed the entire arena.

Ruan Mingzhu had a fire spirit root, a rare single fire spirit root, making her a prodigy among thousands.

She matched Qing Zhuxue’s skill.

For Qing Zhuxue, this was tough. Fire and ice seemed natural enemies. The blazing flames melted her frost into water.

In the searing heat, Ruan Mingzhu thrived.

Her saber struck true with every swing. Qing Zhuxue blocked with her sword but was forced back several steps. Unable to keep defending, she attacked instead, her sword tip laced with cold intent, thrusting at Ruan Mingzhu’s chest.

Ruan Mingzhu dodged slightly and retracted her saber.

A clang rang out as sword met saber.

Qing Zhuxue’s sword was coated in thick frost, but the fire from Ruan Mingzhu’s saber melted it into water.

She spun her sword, dispersing the water as mist, extinguishing most of the flames on the ground like a gentle spring rain.

“Evenly matched,” the Sect Leader said with a smile, looking nostalgically at Yun Shuchen and Liu Xunqin. “Back then, you two fought on this arena, neither yielding, both refusing to lose, battling to the death until Master stopped it and carried you both off.”

Liu Xunqin raised an eyebrow. “Yun Shuchen was never my equal. She was just stubborn.”

Yun Shuchen lowered her gaze, fingers brushing her sleeve. “If he hadn’t stopped us, you wouldn’t be sitting here as an elder now.”

“Enough,” the Sect Leader said sternly as the mood tensed. “Focus on the match.”

In a brief clash, Ruan Mingzhu touched her lips and let out a long whistle. A soft cry echoed from the sky, and two massive golden eagles flew in.

“Is this against the rules?” someone asked.

The Sect Leader thought for a moment and shook his head. “The rules ban spirit beasts, but those are ordinary eagles. It’s not a violation.”

The eagles couldn’t harm Qing Zhuxue much, but their constant harassment was annoying. Struggling to cope, she couldn’t fully dodge Ruan Mingzhu’s saber strikes.

Her white robe was slashed, faint bl00d seeping through. Suddenly, Qing Zhuxue stopped and let Ruan Mingzhu’s saber hit her shoulder.

Ruan Mingzhu, bold but not foolish, knew no one would stand still to die. Startled, she lessened her force, but it was too late. Ice spikes rose from the ground, trapping her saber.

Qing Zhuxue gained a moment to breathe. She leaped and slashed at the air, cutting the eagles before they could escape. Feathers and bl00d rained down, splattering her face.

The frozen eagles fell before her. Ruan Mingzhu, visibly pained, bit her lip and shattered the ice spikes. With a surge of anger, her next saber strike blazed fiercely, as if to split the heavens.

Too close to dodge, Qing Zhuxue lowered her stance, channeling all her spiritual power into her sword to meet the blow.

Ice met fire with a sizzle, and a massive white mist swallowed their figures.

The crowd gasped. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators fought with the intensity of Tribulation Elders.

Everyone watched closely. When the mist cleared, the one still standing would be the champion.

As the mist faded, both figures appeared.

Neither had fallen.

But in the next moment, Ruan Mingzhu’s saber snapped in two, and Qing Zhuxue’s sword shattered into dust.

Ruan Mingzhu reacted faster. Without a weapon, the match continued. She grabbed Qing Zhuxue’s collar, but Qing Zhuxue seized her hand and pressed down hard.

Ruan Mingzhu tried to trip her. They locked in a twisted struggle. Qing Zhuxue was tripped but pulled Ruan Mingzhu down with her.

They crashed together. Ruan Mingzhu, more experienced in rough fighting, moved like a snake, locking Qing Zhuxue’s neck from behind and squeezing to choke her.

Qing Zhuxue drove her elbow back into Ruan Mingzhu’s vulnerable stomach. Already injured from her broken saber, Ruan Mingzhu bled from her mouth and trembled in pain but held on, biting her lip.

Two minutes later, Qing Zhuxue was near fainting, still struggling. Ruan Mingzhu was no better, bl00d pooling beneath her.

Yun Shuchen frowned slightly. Other elders found the brutal fighting style too savage, almost unlike cultivators, and looked away.

“If you can’t continue, you can surrender,” Senior Sister Lin reminded them.

Qing Zhuxue barely heard, her consciousness fading from lack of air, but her body kept fighting, elbowing her opponent.

The last time she felt this close to death was leaping off One Dream Cliff.

Would she die on this stage? Should she surrender?

For ten years, she trained tirelessly for this day, studying without rest, practicing her sword in blizzards at Crane Feather Peak where snow buried her legs. Day after day, year after year, even the Sect Leader said, “Child, you don’t need to push so hard.”

But she remembered the shame of being defeated by Senior Brother Xiao Hong in a few moves, forcing Elder Yun to discuss it with the Sect Leader.

As Elder Yun’s first disciple, she couldn’t be weaker than the Sect Leader’s.

She had to fight for this title.

Gathering her remaining spiritual power, she kicked her legs and inched toward the arena’s edge. Ruan Mingzhu’s position was closer to the boundary, so she would fall out first.

Bit by bit, Qing Zhuxue moved. Ruan Mingzhu, nearly spent, seemed to have injured her spine in the fall, her lower body numb. She noticed Qing Zhuxue’s plan but couldn’t stop her, only tightening her chokehold to make her pass out first.

The brutal fight ended in a way no one expected. It was a test of willpower. With her last breath, Qing Zhuxue pushed Ruan Mingzhu out of the arena.

Ruan Mingzhu, having lost too much bl00d, fainted, her grip loosening at the last moment.

Qing Zhuxue closed her eyes, hearing the crowd’s chaos before her consciousness faded.

When she woke, she was at Elder Liu’s Lingsu Peak, familiar with its surroundings.

Turning her head, she saw Ruan Mingzhu, wrapped in white bandages. Awake earlier, Ruan Mingzhu glared at her fiercely, then gave a strained smile.

After smiling, she grumbled, “You owe me for my eagles!”

Qing Zhuxue turned away, resting her eyes.

“Why do you both fight so desperately?” Senior Sister Bai Su entered, changing their bandages. Looking at Qing Zhuxue, she sighed, “Especially you, Junior Sister Qing. How many times have you ended up here?”

Qing Zhuxue coughed. “Is the disciple selection ceremony over?”

“The first round is done. The second starts when you two can walk.”

“Elder Yun…” Qing Zhuxue began.

“Why call me?” A familiar voice came from the door as Yun Shuchen entered gracefully.

Bai Su froze. “Uncle Yun, when did you arrive?”

“The ceremony ended, so I came to check on these two reckless girls,” Yun Shuchen said with a smile. “Bai Su, you can leave now.”

“Alright.” Bai Su finished changing the bandages, gathered her things, and left, closing the door.

Though unable to move, Ruan Mingzhu’s eyes brightened. Struggling, she blurted, “Elder Yun, I like you! Will you take me as your disciple?”

Qing Zhuxue nearly choked on her own bl00d.

“Really?” Yun Shuchen’s gaze fell on Qing Zhuxue, teasing, “You haven’t spent time with me. How do you know you like me?”

Turning to Ruan Mingzhu, she smiled. “Your spirit root suits Elder Zhong’s teachings. He excels with weapons, especially sabers.”

“Fine, fine,” Ruan Mingzhu muttered. “You walked in staring at Senior Sister Qing. She doesn’t suit you either. I don’t like you anymore. I’d just get bullied under you.”

Yun Shuchen smiled again, saying nothing.

“Wait,” Ruan Mingzhu suddenly asked, “Does Elder Zhong’s peak have many beauties?”

Yun Shuchen paused. “Hmm?”

Qing Zhuxue couldn’t listen anymore. “Ruan Mingzhu, your wounds aren’t healed. Rest and talk less.”

Qing Zhuxue stayed the night. Under Elder Liu’s skilled healing, she could walk again. Ruan Mingzhu, perhaps pondering beauties on Elder Zhong’s peak, soon fell back asleep.