The voices of doubt fell silent under the Sword Pavilion Elder’s stern reprimand.
Under the watchful, predatory gazes of the crowd, Ning Yin hugged Splendor and left the Sword Pavilion.
The Splendor Sword was the only one among the thousands of swords in the Sword Pavilion that had never been stained with blood. Its origins were shrouded in various legends.
Some claimed that a thousand years ago, Splendor’s master was born into a renowned cultivation clan, gentle and kind, living a life of chivalry and justice.
Splendor never left its sheath, and after its master’s death, it was placed in the Jian Tomb, quietly waiting for a fated one.
Others said that Splendor was personally forged by Lingxiao Immortal Lord as a wedding gift for his fiancée. Sadly, Lingxiao Immortal Lord was harmed by the Demon Dao, and Splendor’s whereabouts became unknown.
With all these rumors, true or false, the only certain fact was that ever since its forging, the Splendor Sword had never touched blood or killing intent.
It had remained in the Soaring Cloud Sect for hundreds, even a thousand years, drawing people to it every day.
But to find someone whose heart was truly pure and kind was an incredibly rare thing, so Splendor had become like a stubborn resident in the Sword Pavilion, never recognizing anyone as its master all these years.
Holding the sword, Ning Yin wore a face full of distress. “I didn’t even know this was the Splendor Sword. The sword spirits in the Sword Pavilion are all so fierce, and the bloodthirsty aura is overwhelming. I just wanted to find an easy target, but who knew I’d end up with Splendor.”
Yan Hanzhou was puzzled. “Is Splendor not good?”
“You don’t get it. In the novel, Splendor is Yu Lingyi’s Life-bound Sword. Do you know who Yu Lingyi is?” Certain that Yan Hanzhou wouldn’t know, Ning Yin continued talking to herself, “She’s the most favored little junior sister of Cloud Resting Peak, my narrative counterpart. She’s clever and mischievous but kind-hearted, while I’m arrogant, domineering, and thoroughly bad. Most importantly, Yu Lingyi is a member of the Main Character Group. Both Shi Yunzhao and Si Heyu take good care of her.”
Seeing Yan Hanzhou about to speak, Ning Yin said, “I know what you want to say. I don’t feel guilty for taking her thing. Like you said, in this world, everyone fights for what they want; nothing is predestined to belong to anyone. I just think that it won’t be long before someone comes looking for trouble.”
Just as Ning Yin expected, news that Splendor had recognized her as its master quickly spread throughout the Soaring Cloud Sect.
Many disciples were certain that Splendor only accepted Ning Yin because she had done something sneaky; otherwise, how could such a pure sword willingly become her Life-bound Sword?
Because of this, many disciples close to Yu Lingyi stood up for her, loudly declaring they would seek justice on her behalf!
Ning Yin knew trouble was coming, but she hadn’t expected it so soon. She was blocked by a group of disciples as soon as she reached Evening Cloud Peak.
The leader’s gaze darkened at the sight of Splendor in Ning Yin’s hands.
In a deep voice, he said, “I heard Splendor has chosen its master, so I’ve come today to see for myself. Ning Yin, I don’t know why Splendor chose you, but Junior Sister Lingyi has gone to the Sword Pavilion every day for five years for this sword. If you’re willing to give it up, I can find you a sword even better than Splendor as compensation.”
If Ning Yin guessed correctly, this should be the Senior Brother of Cloud Resting Peak, Yu Lingyi’s Official CP, Xie Wuyu. Sweet and pure, reliable and steady Senior Brother paired with a clever, mischievous little junior sister—she used to ship them herself. But now, with Xie Wuyu’s spear pointed at her, she just wanted to roll her eyes.
Has romance fried your brain?
You’ve been cultivating in this world for hundreds of years—don’t you know how things work here?
Is a Life-bound Sword something you can just hand over?
Every sword in the Sword Pavilion only ends up in the Jian Tomb after its master dies.
If someone loses their Life-bound Sword while alive, it’s either because the sword turned on them, or they were forcibly stripped of their cultivation base and sword.
Doing so not only damages your foundation, but could also harm your Divine Sense, leaving you a cripple, devoid of all Five Senses.
Never mind those fatal consequences, but to offer another sword “even better than Splendor” as compensation? If her cultivation base was destroyed and she became a cripple, who would stand up for an Evil Villain like her?
How can someone say something so brainless? How did he get skin this thick?
Yan Hanzhou, face dark and cold, said, “Hand it over? I’d like to hear how you expect Ning Yin to give up Splendor.”
Xie Wuyu took out a pill. “This Life-Bound Pill can protect your heart meridian and Spiritual Root. If you’re willing to give up Splendor, I’ll ask Master to help. Your foundation and cultivation base won’t be harmed.”
Ning Yin’s face was frosty. “I won’t!”
“Then what will it take for you to give it up? As long as you’re willing to hand over Splendor, I’ll agree to any condition.”
“I won’t! No matter the condition, I won’t! You know how dangerous it is to sever a Life-bound Sword. Would you risk your life for a sword? I’m not stupid. Instead of fixating on Splendor, why not find your little junior sister another Life-bound Sword to comfort her?”
A disciple behind Xie Wuyu shouted angrily, “Ning Yin, you’ve always been arrogant and disrespectful, with evil intentions. You’d do anything to get your way. You even drew your sword against Senior Sister Yun Zhao for a single immortal herb. I don’t believe Splendor would accept you as its master! Draw your sword! I want to fight you!”
“Why should I fight you?”
“If you don’t fight, you’re guilty! You must have tampered with Splendor! If you won’t draw your sword, then hand Splendor over!”
“I won’t waste words with you. Facts speak louder than arguments. Splendor has recognized me as its master and is now my Life-bound Sword. Whether you believe it or not doesn’t matter to me.”
“Ning Yin, don’t go too far! Junior Sister Lingyi went to the Sword Pavilion every day for five years for Splendor. Everyone in the Soaring Cloud Sect knows Splendor belongs to her. Now you’ve used underhanded means to get it—this is thievery!”
“Thievery?” Ning Yin laughed, gripping Splendor tighter. Rebellion flared up in her as she snapped, “In this world, we all fight for what we want. Nothing is predestined to belong to anyone. Whoever gets it, owns it. You say Junior Sister Lingyi went to the Sword Pavilion every day for five years for this sword. The heavens gave her five years, but she still failed to claim Splendor. That’s her problem. Now that Splendor is my Life-bound Sword, nothing you say will change that. I! Won’t! Give! It! Up!”
Sweeping her gaze over the angry crowd, Ning Yin suddenly understood. “I finally get why Yu Lingyi couldn’t get Splendor in five years. When the sword she loves becomes someone else’s Life-bound Sword, she doesn’t have the guts to confront me herself. She hides behind you all, stirring up trouble. That’s the real reason!”
“Ning Yin!” The disciple behind Xie Wuyu wanted to argue, but Xie Wuyu stopped him.
He looked at Ning Yin and said each word clearly, “In that case, there’s nothing more to say. We’ll settle this on the Sect Competition stage.”
With that, he turned and led the others away.
“…You’re threatening me? You think I scare easily? Let me tell you, I’m not afraid of you. If you want to fight, then let’s fight on the Sect Competition stage! If you’ve got what it takes, try taking Splendor from me in front of all the Elders and the Sect Leader! If you don’t dare, I’ll look down on you!”
Ning Yin flashed a very unfriendly gesture at their backs, then turned to Yan Hanzhou.
“There’s too much romance in this cultivation world. Look at Xie Wuyu and the rest, they’re all so lovesick it’s scary!”
Yan Hanzhou, however, looked at her thoughtfully. “I really didn’t expect, just a few days ago you were saying you wouldn’t take what doesn’t belong to you, and now—”
“Isn’t it human nature to bully the weak and fear the strong? I can’t afford to offend Si Heyu and Shi Yunzhao, but now these NPCs are all picking on me. If I keep running, I’d be too cowardly. Most importantly, Splendor chose me as its master—it’s not my fault! It’s not like I stole it!”
Yan Hanzhou raised an eyebrow.
“But…” Ning Yin’s bravado only lasted a moment before she wilted again. Looking at Splendor in her hands, then thinking of her current cultivation base, she drooped. “I didn’t think things through just now. I only wanted to vent. On the day of the Sect Competition, if I really face Xie Wuyu, am I doomed?”
Given the difference in cultivation between Xie Wuyu and Ning Yin, the answer was almost obvious.
Even with pills, secret techniques, and Splendor as her Life-bound Sword, even if she started working hard right now, there were only a few days left.
Even if Lingxiao Immortal Lord himself were alive, he couldn’t beat those prodigies in such a short time, right?
Ning Yin opened the list of disciples participating in the Sect Competition.
For this Sect Competition, each of the twelve peaks, except for her own Evening Cloud Peak, had three disciples attending—every one of them a top talent.
But to her surprise, she saw Si Heyu’s name on the list.
Si Heyu always only participated in the grand competitions between the seven major sects, never the minor internal contests.
After all, as the Sect Leader’s personal disciple, who among the younger generation didn’t admire him? Who could beat him on stage?
She already had to watch out for Sang Wan, deal with Xie Wuyu, and now Si Heyu was thrown into the mix.
The odds of drawing one of them as an opponent had just shot up. Other peaks’ disciples might go easy on her, but these three definitely wouldn’t.
An Evil Villain going head-to-head with members of the Main Character Group?
Wow.
She could practically start her own novel with this plot.
“No way, I can’t be this unlucky,” Ning Yin tried to comfort herself. “As long as I don’t draw Sang Wan, Xie Wuyu, or Si Heyu in the first round, I’ll be fine. Now that I have Splendor, even if I get on stage, I can last ten minutes without embarrassing myself.”
She just hoped she wouldn’t get beaten too badly or lose too quickly on stage.
She still cared a lot about saving face.
After finishing, she looked back at Yan Hanzhou. “You said you’d help me until we found the Heavenly Spirit Spring Water.”
“I did.”
“The Sect Competition is next month. There’s not much time. How do you plan to help me?”
Yan Hanzhou pulled the Scroll with the Sect Competition roster open all the way and pointed at the last name. “I told you, I’ll make sure they’re all crawling before you ever have to fight them.”
Ning Yin looked closely. At the very end of the Scroll, three bold characters were written: Yan Hanzhou.