ARLQLCC chapter 20

 

The Sword Trial Tournament officially began at the sixteenth quarter of the Chen hour. There was still half an hour before it started, enough for the few of them to handle breakfast.[mfn]Chen hour (辰时) = 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM[/mfn]

Yue He came to find them early in the morning. Everyone did not want to eat in the dining hall, so Su Ji took out pastries he had brought from Linggu Mountain, laying out a little of every flavor and variety.

After eating and drinking their fill, only two quarters of an hour had passed.

Although there was still plenty of time, various sects were already sending disciples to the martial arena in advance. Participants would spread out and take positions according to their cultivation realms, standing in order from front to back based on cultivation level, waiting for the opening of the Sword Trial Tournament.

Because Yunxian Sect was the host, they did not gather and go like other sects. After Su Ji and his group left the courtyard, they could already see small groups of Yunxian Sect disciples walking toward the martial arena.

The martial arena was located at the center of the six peaks, wrapped in a sea of clouds. Six chain bridges connected the peaks to the arena. Beneath the bridges was a bottomless abyss covered by clouds. Disciples heading to the martial arena had to cross the chain bridges.

The peak where Su Ji and the others were located was called Lianshuo Peak. It was usually used for disciples’ daily rest, meals, and classes. When the sect had guest-related events, Lianshuo Peak was also used as lodging for disciples of other sects.

Along the way, they passed many side courtyards. These places were usually unoccupied and had been cleaned up before the Sword Trial Tournament. At this time, many disciples were gathered at the entrances.

Disciples in the same uniforms mixed together, waiting for the leading elders to escort them into the martial arena in batches.

Along the way, Su Ji attracted curious gazes from disciples of various sects.

He was not wearing the uniform of any sect, nor did he carry a sword. Instead, he was holding a small black cat, and beside him were several Yunxian Sect disciples.

Among those disciples was the sect master’s only son, Yun Xicheng, who was well-known among all sects.

At this moment, the few of them were talking and laughing, and their attitude toward Su Ji was friendly, which made the curiosity of the surrounding disciples even stronger.

Yun Xicheng was usually friendly to others, but his attitude toward a cultivator who clearly did not belong to any sect and whose cultivation could not be seen was so close—this person’s identity must be unusual.

Could he be a powerful rogue cultivator who had been recruited by Yunxian Sect before the Sword Trial Tournament?

Such thoughts arose endlessly, and the gazes toward Su Ji grew more and more concentrated.

Su Ji simply pretended not to see them, walking forward with Yun Xicheng and the others without glancing aside.

Just as they were about to reach the chain bridge, familiar uniforms appeared at the far end of the courtyard ahead.

As one of the four great sects, ranked third, Chenxin Sect’s participation in the Sword Trial Tournament was a given. Along the way, Su Ji had not seen a single Chenxin Sect disciple, but he did not expect them to be arranged at the exit of the courtyard.

Su Ji did not know whether any acquaintances were ahead. Since his master passed away, he rarely went out. He did not form enmity with others, and also had few close friends. Even if he knew people, it was usually only brief acquaintance.

He took out the spectator token Yun Xicheng had given him yesterday from his storage artifact, and passed smoothly through the barrier of the chain bridge with the group.

Just as he stepped onto the bridge, Su Ji paused slightly and stopped in place, looking back.

Everything behind him looked normal, but he still felt as if a gaze had been watching him all along.

Seeing him stop, Yun Xicheng and the others also halted in confusion. Su Ji shook his head and turned back toward the martial arena.

It must have been an illusion.

……

Only after their figures disappeared at the end of the chain bridge did Yuan Chenxin finally withdraw his reluctant gaze.

He was extraordinarily handsome, wearing a light gold uniform, tall and upright, standing outside the Chenxin Sect courtyard.

The day Su Ji left the sect, he was in seclusion breaking through to Nascent Soul and advancing toward Soul Transformation. When he stabilized his realm and came out of seclusion, he only then heard that Su Ji had been framed and cut off ties with the sect.

If not for his master stopping him, he would have already left the sect to search for Su Ji’s whereabouts.

However, he never expected that he would actually see Su Ji again at the Sword Trial Tournament!

Yuan Chenxin had not spoken to Su Ji in a long time. That fleeting glimpse just now, seeing that Su Ji seemed to be doing well, finally settled his heart.

His mind was filled with the image of Su Ji walking slowly under the sunlight, standing tall and graceful. He became so absorbed in thought that he did not notice until his friend beside him patted him.

An Jingcheng looked puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Possessed or something? I called you several times just now and you didn’t respond, I had to hit you.”

Yuan Chenxin touched his nose, joy clearly visible in his eyes. “I saw someone.”

Seeing his expression, An Jingcheng felt sour. “Saw someone? Who could make you look like you’re out of your mind? Don’t tell me you saw Su Ji in Yunxian Sect, haha!”

“……”

An Jingcheng laughed for a while, but when he still received no answer, his laughter gradually faded. “…No way. Really Su Ji?”

Yuan Chenxin gave him a slightly shy smile.

An Jingcheng pressed his lips together and finally understood.

Of course. Who else could make Yuan Chenxin look like this except Su Ji?

He shouldn’t have even asked.

“Weren’t you always trying to sneak out and find Su Ji when your master wasn’t watching during the Sword Trial Tournament? Now’s perfect timing—he came right to you!”

An Jingcheng looked toward the chain bridge where Yuan Chenxin had been gazing. “You’re pretty restrained. Back in the sect you were desperate to go find him and even got punished and confined for it. Now that you finally saw him, you didn’t even rush over?”

Yuan Chenxin kicked him, but An Jingcheng dodged. “Although I miss him, there are many disciples from other sects here. If I go up directly, I might attract attention. He… has completely severed ties with the sect. With his personality, he probably wouldn’t want to draw attention again because of me.”

An Jingcheng clicked his tongue. “Didn’t expect you to think this carefully. Now that Su Ji is a lone cultivator, with his personality he probably wouldn’t join the Sword Trial Tournament, he’s likely just here to watch.”

“I’ll help you look for him in the spectator stands later. If you two end up together, you’d better thank me properly!”

Yuan Chenxin fell silent for a moment. For some reason, his ears turned slightly red. He stammered, “W-what do you mean end up together, don’t talk nonsense!”

An Jingcheng laughed. “Ha! Now you’re shy? Just admit you’ve got that idea!”

Yuan Chenxin shut his mouth and turned away, no longer speaking to him, which made An Jingcheng almost flip over in anger.

.

As the sixteenth quarter of Chen hour approached, disciples from various sects entered the martial arena under their leading elders. Since Su Ji was not participating, after coming down from the chain bridge, he separated from Yun Xicheng and the others and went alone to the spectator stands.

He found a corner and sat down quietly, waiting for the Sword Trial Tournament to begin.

As time passed, more and more sects arrived at the martial arena. Disciples in different uniforms were dispersed into their respective cultivation zones.

Each zone had a barrier. After entering, it would guide participants to their assigned positions.

The entire martial arena was noisy yet orderly, and the spectator stands gradually filled with people.

Su Ji thus blended perfectly into the seating area.

The earlier feeling of being watched made him slightly uncomfortable. If someone had truly been staring at him for a long time, then it was likely someone he knew.

Su Ji did not want further ties with his former sect. From the beginning, he chose a seat blocked by the crowd to avoid being seen by anyone with intent.

By the sixteenth quarter of Chen hour, the martial arena was already packed.

Four formations corresponding to different realms were filled with participating disciples. Compared to the earlier noise, the arena had now fallen into complete silence—aside from wind and bird calls, there was no other sound.

In front of the arena stood a grand hall, surrounded by immortal aura, glowing as if coated in divine light under the sun.

With the sound of a distant bell, the giant doors at the center of the hall slowly opened. The people walking out were the sect masters and elders of various sects.

The Yunxian Sect master was still in seclusion, so the one leading was the Great Elder handling affairs on his behalf.

As for Chenxin Sect’s sect master Fang Que, he wore a smiling expression as he walked leisurely beside the Great Elder.

Seeing that perfectly gentle face, Su Ji felt slightly nauseous.

He had left the sect for less than a month, yet he was already seeing that hypocritical face again—it was truly revolting.

Since Fang Lanting was still in confinement, she probably would not appear in Yunxian Sect for now. That was at least some relief.

Su Ji’s mood worsened after seeing Fang Que. He only glanced once before looking away, lowering his head and absentmindedly stroking the cat in his arms.

Chu Zhaoye was very sensitive to his emotional changes. He obediently let himself be petted, but his eyes were fixed on the group of high-status sect masters and elders, scanning them meaningfully.

Su Ji had been in a good mood earlier, but it shifted after these people appeared.

Clearly, someone among them must be someone he knew—and someone he disliked intensely.

But Su Ji had told others he was a lone cultivator without a sect. How could he have conflicts with sect masters of the four major sects?

Chu Zhaoye silently questioned this while once again despising this kitten body.

If he could speak, he would simply ask directly—there would be no need for guessing!

……

At the front of the hall, the Great Elder began delivering words of encouragement one by one.

Among them were peak experts at the Mahayana realm. Their powerful spiritual energy carried each sentence across the entire martial arena. Su Ji listened somewhat bored and could only squeeze the cat’s paw to pass time.

Every tournament had this process, and the content was always the same—phrases like “do your best” and “stop at the appropriate point,” the kind that made one’s ears grow calluses.

This speech went on for quite a while. Just as Su Ji felt the cat’s paw was about to be squeezed swollen, they finally reached the highly anticipated prize announcement stage.

He finally became a bit more attentive, lifting his head while also raising Chu Zhaoye to chest level.

The Great Elder stepped forward, took out ten items from his storage artifact, and with a push of both hands, the ten prizes transformed into ten streaks of light, instantly floating into the air above the center of the martial arena.

He stroked his beard and smiled. “This first batch of prizes will be awarded to the top ten disciples in the Foundation Establishment realm.”

Everyone looked up. The ten items were glowing white, and even from afar, one could feel their powerful spiritual energy.

After seeing their true forms, gasps rang out across the martial arena.

 

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