The Golden Core Elder serving as the referee, seeing Feng Lingshuang summon a spirit sword, was about to declare her the winner.
But Gu Qingying’s shout, choked with tears yet forced to sound firm, was like a stone thrown into an already turbulent lake.
It instantly made the atmosphere in the entire arena, which had just boiled over due to Jian Mingzi’s astonishing performance, become strange and tense once more.
Countless gazes focused sharply on the stage, on the two “youths” standing there—one with wide purple eyes, face flushed red, holding out a hand with a mix of grievance and anger, like a cat whose favorite dried fish had been snatched away; the other holding a long sword, face veiled by a hat, posture upright yet silent, like a jade statue suddenly caught in a storm.
The approving smile on the Golden Core Elder’s face froze instantly.
He moved, appearing in the center of the Fighting Stage as if teleporting, positioning himself precisely between Gu Qingying and Feng Lingshuang, separating the air that seemed ready to spark between them.
He first glanced at Feng Lingshuang, who was tightly gripping the Love Thread Sword, her knuckles slightly white.
Then he looked at Gu Qingying before him, whose eyes were red with anger, chest heaving violently.
He frowned deeply.
Seeing the Elder approach, Gu Qingying seemed to find her backbone.
Her voice immediately rose, filled with immense grievance and righteous indignation.
She pointed at the silver-glowing long sword in Feng Lingshuang’s hand, her purple eyes almost shooting fire.
Gu Qingying’s voice was fast and urgent, carrying the clear, excited tone unique to a youth, clearly reaching the now-silent square.
Everyone’s gaze instantly shifted once more to Feng Lingshuang, who held the sword.
The Golden Core Elder’s gaze, now carrying scrutiny and doubt, also fell upon Feng Lingshuang.
The pressure instantly shifted to Feng Lingshuang’s side.
Beneath the veiled hat, Feng Lingshuang’s lips tightened slightly.
She could feel the familiar texture and warmth of the Love Thread Sword’s hilt under her palm, and she could feel the gazes from all directions—especially the almost tangible anger and grievance from her Junior Sister in front of her.
Recalling the various events of her former life, Feng Lingshuang gently stroked the hilt as if reminiscing.
Looking at the Golden Core Elder and the aggrieved Gu Qingying, Feng Lingshuang knew that at this moment, all she had to do was lightly deny it, insist the sword was hers.
With the Heavenly Sword Sect’s reputation and the fact of her “successful summoning,” she could likely gloss it over and even secure victory directly.
But…
How could she?
This sword was her Junior Sister’s.
It was the sword Master had bestowed upon her Junior Sister in this life.
Her Junior Sister cherished it so, slept holding it, got angry with her over it…
How could she, in front of their Master, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, snatch her Junior Sister’s beloved treasure?
Even if this sword had once been her life’s companion in her former life.
The silence lasted only a brief moment.
Feng Lingshuang’s hand holding the sword loosened its grip almost imperceptibly.
Then, she lowered her head slightly.
Whoosh—
The arena erupted in an uproar once more.
The Golden Core Elder was also stunned, his face showing disbelief.
Feng Lingshuang nodded slightly, her voice calm.
Feng Lingshuang’s explanation was reasonable, and her attitude was forthright.
This instead made many shift their suspicious gazes to the still-floating Profound Origin Heavy Water sphere or begin to speculate if Gu Qingying’s sword had some special property.
The Golden Core Elder stroked his beard, his expression showing understanding but also difficulty.
Having presided over many Dharma Assemblies, he had seen many strange situations, but Contestant A summoning Contestant B’s magic weapon, and so quickly at that, was truly unprecedented.
How should he rule?
The rules only said “summon one’s own magic weapon.”
They didn’t specify what to do if someone else’s was summoned.
Just as the Golden Core Elder was pondering, Gu Qingying couldn’t wait any longer.
Seeing Feng Lingshuang admit the sword wasn’t hers, her heart settled greatly.
The grievance and anger of having her “sword snatched” subsided slightly, replaced by an eagerness to reverse the situation and prove herself.
Gu Qingying didn’t care about the reason.
The sword was out.
Even if it ended up in someone else’s hands, the sword was hers.
That was enough.
Taking advantage of Feng Lingshuang’s slight relaxation and the Golden Core Elder’s contemplation, Gu Qingying took a swift step forward.
With lightning speed, she snatched the Love Thread Sword right out of Feng Lingshuang’s hand.
The Love Thread Sword let out a faint, delicate hum, seeming slightly uncomfortable with the change of hands, but ultimately offered no resistance, obediently falling into Gu Qingying’s grasp.
Gu Qingying hugged the sword tightly to her chest as if it were a recovered treasure.
She first lowered her head to lovingly stroke the scabbard, then raised her small face to glare fiercely at Feng Lingshuang.
Her eyes clearly said: Hmph. Serves you right.
Then, she immediately turned to the still-troubled Golden Core Elder, puffed out her thin chest, and tried to make her voice sound righteous and unquestionable.
She blinked her purple eyes, which still held a trace of moisture, looking at the Elder with an expectant, hopeful expression.
The Golden Core Elder was momentarily speechless, looking at this youth trying so hard to “reason” with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Having presided over the assembly for many years, he had seen all kinds of cultivators—arrogant, humble, scheming—but one like this Spirit Void Sect disciple, with such peculiar logic and a touch of obstinacy, was truly rare.
The Golden Core Elder tried to make his tone gentle and fair.
Gu Qingying grew anxious upon hearing this, her small face flushing red again, her voice unconsciously rising.
Once Gu Qingying’s argument came out, not only the Golden Core Elder, but even many spectators below couldn’t help but let out low chuckles and murmurs.
On the observation platform, Lu Li held his forehead with one hand, finding his disciple’s performance somewhat amusing.
At the same time, Gong Shangyu sitting beside him covered her face with her fan, her pink eyes filled with disgust and frustration.
She leaned close to Lu Li, lowering her voice, her tone full of helplessness.
Gong Shangyu was practically fuming, both angry and amused by Gu Qingying’s antics.
On the stage, Gu Qingying received her Master’s transmission.
Her face flushed a few shades redder, but the stubborn, unwilling-to-lose spirit within her, along with her desire for victory and to win the Sky-Breaking Stone for her Master, still overpowered the shame.
She secretly glanced at the observation platform.
Seeing her Master looked resigned but not truly angry, and Gong Shangyu looking like she wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground, she pouted but still stood stubbornly on the stage, staring eagerly at the Golden Core Elder, awaiting his final judgment.
The Golden Core Elder was also feeling a headache coming on.
He looked at Gu Qingying hugging her sword, her face practically screaming for a win, then at Feng Lingshuang standing quietly to the side as if it had nothing to do with her, then felt the increasingly heated discussions and many expectant gazes from below.
The Golden Core Elder was thoroughly troubled by this unprecedented strange case.
He took a deep breath, raised his hand to signal for quiet.
His voice, infused with spiritual energy, spread across the square, suppressing the buzzing discussion.
With that, his figure flickered, transforming into a streak of light flying towards a side hall reserved for referee deliberation on one side of the high platform.
On the Fighting Stage, the competition continued.
Gu Qingying and Feng Lingshuang stood in a standoff.
Gu Qingying, holding her recovered Love Thread Sword, vigilantly glared at Feng Lingshuang once more, then craned her neck, staring eagerly towards the side hall.
Her small face was a mix of tension, anticipation, and a trace of unyielding stubbornness.
Beneath her veiled hat, Feng Lingshuang’s expression remained calm and without ripples.
She quietly placed her hands behind her back, her fingertips seeming to still retain the familiar warmth of that long sword.
She slightly turned her body, as if admiring the distant mountain scenery, but in reality, she directed most of her attention towards the green-robed figure on the observation platform—her Master.
Time seemed to stretch exceptionally long during the wait.
The audience below whispered among themselves, breaking into a flurry of discussion, speculating on various possible ruling outcomes.
Other contestants also used this interval to work even harder to sense their own magic weapons, trying to seize the opportunity.
After roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, several streaks of light flew out from the side hall and landed back on the Fighting Stage.
The Golden Core Elder was in the center, with Master Chongyang and the cold-faced Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect flanking him.
The Golden Core Elder cleared his throat and announced the deliberation results in a loud voice that reached the entire square.
This result was a compromise, maintaining the core of the rules while giving both a chance to start over, relatively fair.
Facing this verdict, both Feng Lingshuang and Gu Qingying ultimately said nothing.
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