Villainous Master (12)
The cultivation world seems devoid of ugly people.
Zhao Wuyou’s mother, Zhao Lin, is also a beautiful woman with a delicate nose and rosy lips, appearing gentle and kind.
For some reason, although Zhao Lin was all smiles, the moment Song Xuyi saw Zhao Lin, she instinctively felt a bit of fear.
Zhao Lin did not put on the airs of a sect leader; she chatted amiably with everyone after entering, her behavior extremely courteous, with no sign of the rumored madness and doting on her daughter to the point of losing her senses.
However, no matter how diplomatic Zhao Lin was, she encountered Ning Jingyu.
After responding with a few polite phrases like “Has Master Ning made any progress in her cultivation recently?” and “Are you adapting well here?”, Ning Jingyu tugged at the corners of her lips: “If Sect Leader Zhao has no other matters, please forgive Jingyu for taking her leave.”
Ning Jingyu was already being more patient than usual.
According to her usual temper, even if the head of the Xuanshu Sect came, she would dare to show a sour face, let alone chat with Zhao Lin for so long.
However, Zhao Lin seemed unaware of Ning Jingyu’s personality. After hearing Ning Jingyu’s words, her expression changed slightly. She glanced at Zhao Wuyou, who was standing shyly behind her, and sighed deeply: “To be honest, I have an important matter to ask of Master Ning this time—”
Ning Jingyu pursed her lips and said nothing.
Zhao Lin continued: “Although my daughter was not born with a singular water spiritual root, she has good comprehension, and her spiritual power is now quite abundant. To my shame, since she met Master Ning, Wuyou has admired you immensely and wishes to become your disciple—”
Ning Jingyu looked up thoughtfully at Zhao Lin.
Meeting Ning Jingyu’s gaze, Zhao Lin thought there was hope, and her smile deepened: “I know that Master Ning is pure and noble, uninterested in mundane affairs. Our Xun Sect recently obtained several secret treasures, among which the ‘Falling Snow Sword’ remains unmastered. Only a rare genius like Master Ning can make it submit…”
Ning Jingyu’s expression did not change, but the others’ eyes widened: it must be said that the Xun Sect was really making a great effort this time, even managing to find the Falling Snow Sword, which was rumored to be the top divine weapon!
Even though Song Xuyi had not been in the cultivation world for long, she had heard of the Falling Snow Sword. She couldn’t help but glance at Ning Jingyu: could Ning Jingyu really resist such a temptation?
……
Ning Jingyu slowly stood up.
She looked directly at Zhao Lin, her gaze seemingly passing through Zhao Lin to another person: “Your daughter is innocent and lively, but my Luoyun Peak is dull and monotonous, with simple food. I’m afraid it would delay your daughter’s progress. Sect Leader Zhao, please seek another master.”
Rejected?!
Before Ning Jingyu finished speaking, Zhao Wuyou, standing behind Zhao Lin, already had red eyes in disbelief.
The smile on Zhao Lin’s face also faded: “Master Ning, there are many misunderstandings about my daughter. She is sincere and not as rumored…”
“Sect Leader Zhao,” Ning Jingyu interrupted Zhao Lin, “why don’t you teach your daughter yourself?”
“Perhaps Sect Leader Zhao has forgotten, but a hundred years ago, we met once. Sect Leader Zhao’s swordsmanship was extraordinary, fighting fiercely against the demon invasion, disregarding life and death, earning great respect,” Ning Jingyu pursed her lips, glanced at Zhao Lin again, and surprisingly showed a hint of regret in her eyes.
This was a rare emotion in Ning Jingyu’s usually calm gaze.
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Ning Jingyu carefully chose her words, paused, and then continued: “Seeing you today, if it weren’t for your unchanged appearance, I would have thought Sect Leader Zhao had become a different person…”
Zhao Lin’s expression changed, and her smile could no longer be maintained.
“Master Ning, you’re joking,” Zhao Lin forced a smile, stood up, and although she tried to remain courteous, it was clear to anyone that her expression was not good.
“We’ll meet again in tomorrow’s competition.” Zhao Lin made a perfunctory bow, pulling the tearful Zhao Wuyou out of the room.
Before leaving, Song Xuyi clearly felt Zhao Wuyou’s venomous gaze. She knew that Zhao Wuyou probably hated her even more now, but Song Xuyi was not afraid and calmly returned the gaze—
Perhaps people living together unconsciously start to resemble each other. Song Xuyi didn’t realize that her gaze at this moment closely resembled Ning Jingyu’s, which only deepened Zhao Wuyou’s jealousy and anger, her eyes almost bleeding—
This visit ended unhappily. After Zhao Lin and her daughter left, the Xuanshu Sect members who accompanied them soon dispersed. Song Xuyi and Ning Jingyu resumed their formation training, but Song Xuyi couldn’t shake the feeling that Ning Jingyu seemed somewhat distracted.
Song Xuyi didn’t sleep that night, focused on cultivating.
To increase the excitement of the competition, the matches were decided by drawing lots.
The next day, Song Xuyi did not draw Zhao Wuyou, but a very formidable opponent, one of the top contenders besides herself and Zhao Wuyou. The opponent seemed to have studied Song Xuyi’s techniques thoroughly, making the fight extremely tough. After a long struggle, Song Xuyi barely won.
It was a thrilling and intense match, and the applause continued even after both participants left the stage.
Zhao Wuyou, on the other hand, won her match with ease.
She once again used previously unseen equipment. Among them was a rare artifact mirror that specifically targeted the opponent’s eyes. Her opponent, a talented young man, left the stage with red, swollen, tearful eyes, looking utterly miserable.
An experienced cultivator sighed, saying that the young man had injured his soul.
While accidents and injuries are expected in competitions, with participants signing life-and-death contracts, most cultivators usually fight with restraint, and injuries are typically unintentional.
However, it was obvious that Zhao Wuyou had done it on purpose:
The spectators were silent, their sympathy aroused. Only after Zhao Lin’s prompting did scattered applause begin.
Zhao Wuyou sneered as she jumped off the stage, casting a venomous glance at Song Xuyi nearby.
But Song Xuyi didn’t look at her.
Song Xuyi’s hard-won victory had left her with almost no spiritual power, and she was meditating to recover.
Zhao Wuyou met Ning Jingyu’s gaze.
Ning Jingyu’s eyes were as calm as ever, but Zhao Wuyou, overly concerned about Ning Jingyu, noticed the hidden killing intent in her gaze.
Peak Master Ning usually didn’t even spare her a glance, but now she looked at her because of Song Xuyi.
Zhao Wuyou was stunned, overwhelmed by grief and resentment. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms—
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Her mother had promised that as long as she crippled Song Xuyi in the competition, she would become Master Ning’s disciple. But in that moment, Zhao Wuyou changed her mind: crippling Song Xuyi wouldn’t suffice. As long as Song Xuyi was around, Master Ning would never notice her. To gain Master Ning’s attention, she had to kill Song Xuyi…
Song Xuyi was unaware of Zhao Wuyou’s thoughts.
But she knew she was already a thorn in Zhao Wuyou’s side. Zhao Wuyou’s mirror was indeed a tricky artifact; a single mistake could injure one’s eyes. Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage haven’t yet trained to observe with their souls, so if their eyes are injured, continuing the battle would be very difficult.
Song Xuyi was unaware of Zhao Wuyou’s thoughts.
But she knew she was already a thorn in Zhao Wuyou’s side. Zhao Wuyou’s mirror was indeed a tricky artifact; a single mistake could injure one’s eyes. Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage haven’t yet trained to observe with their souls, so if their eyes are injured, continuing the battle would be very difficult.
The final match was set for three days later. What could she do during these three days?
Song Xuyi pursed her lips, looking at Ning Jingyu’s back. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with an idea—
The three days passed quickly.
Zhao Wuyou looked at Song Xuyi, who was ready for battle on the opposite side of the arena, and a smile of satisfaction appeared on her lips.
She had intentionally leaked the information about her mirror artifact in advance, just to make Song Xuyi spend these three days in futile anxiety and fear.
What did it matter how great Song Xuyi’s movements were? She was going to die soon!
“Seeing that you’re young,” Zhao Wuyou played with the mirror in her hand, feeling increasingly smug. She arrogantly lifted her chin and glanced at Song Xuyi: “I’ll let you make the first move!”
“Much obliged!”
Song Xuyi didn’t stand on ceremony. She took two steps back and pulled something out of her sleeve.
When Zhao Wuyou saw the cloth strip that Song Xuyi had taken out, she frowned slightly. She had thought it was some important magical artifact, but then saw Song Xuyi tie the cloth strip over her eyes before charging at her with a sword!
Is she crazy?
Zhao Wuyou was stunned, then felt a strong sense of humiliation: Song Xuyi actually thought she could defeat her while blindfolded. How arrogant!
Furious, Zhao Wuyou immediately threw aside the mirror and attacked.
With the cloth strip covering Song Xuyi’s eyes, the mirror was useless against her, but Zhao Wuyou didn’t believe she couldn’t defeat a blindfolded Song Xuyi!
As expected, Song Xuyi’s abilities decreased significantly after being blindfolded. However, during the fight, Zhao Wuyou felt an increasingly obvious sense of suppression: although Song Xuyi’s sword movements had slowed, it seemed she could predict Zhao Wuyou’s actions and even anticipate her moves…
The longer Zhao Wuyou fought, the more flustered she became. What was going on?
Zhao Wuyou didn’t know that during the past three days, Song Xuyi had been practicing blindfolded with Ning Jingyu, who played her role. A cultivator like Ning Jingyu only needed to see Zhao Wuyou fight once to fully understand her techniques and predict her moves.
The more Song Xuyi fought, the more accustomed she became, her moves getting faster and more forceful. Zhao Wuyou gradually fell behind.
Anxiety grew in Zhao Wuyou’s heart.
She could distinctly feel Ning Jingyu’s gaze on the arena. If she had a choice, she would rather die than lose in front of Ning Jingyu.
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But the situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable. Song Xuyi’s attacks were almost impenetrable. Seeing Song Xuyi’s white sword blade sweeping towards her, Zhao Wuyou had to step back again—
Looking at Song Xuyi, whose eyes were covered and only her lips visible, resentment surged, completely clouding Zhao Wuyou’s mind!
In a fit of rage, Zhao Wuyou forgot her mother’s admonition to use it ‘in secret.’ Seizing the moment as she dodged, she pulled out a syringe filled with concealed needles!
“Die!”
With Zhao Wuyou’s shout, a multitude of fine, poison-tipped needles shot out from the syringe, swarming towards Song Xuyi…
The author has something to say:
Ah!
Today I tried the konjac snack recommended in the comments. It’s so delicious!
LP: Re-translated on May 31, 2024
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