Today was the day for the Foundation Establishment cultivators’ matches, so everyone naturally intended to accompany Xu Ziqing to his assigned martial arena and cheer him on.
Xu Ziqing took out his sect identification talisman. At some point, an additional character had appeared upon it: Five. These identification talismans could not be counterfeited, for they were imprinted with the aura of Wuling Immortal Sect when first made. If the sect needed to issue an urgent secret order, it would appear upon them as well.
Seeing the number, he said, “I’m assigned to the fifth martial arena.”
Perfected Qiu He smiled warmly. “Then we’ll all go there together.”
They were about to set off when someone called from the distance, “Ziqing!”
Xu Ziqing turned and saw several young cultivators approaching at a quick pace. He smiled. “A-Yao, you’ve arrived.”
Other voices also sounded. “Greetings, Perfected Qiu He! Greetings, Perfected One Yun!”
Luo Yao had arrived with his companions. Upon seeing Xu Ziqing, he had been the first to greet him.
Luo Yao was already accustomed to the white-robed sword cultivator beside Xu Ziqing. The person who caught his attention now was the slightly plump elderly man.
Though eight female cultivators clustered around the elder, his eyes were gentle and kind, with not a trace of lust. Luo Yao immediately formed a favorable impression of him. As expected of the elder who raised Perfected One Yun and Ziqing. He conducts himself with dignity.
Unlike Luo Yao, Long Xuan, Yue Jun, and Qiu Ze all noticed Yun Lie first and concentrated their attention on him.
That was hardly surprising. Although the three were considered young cultivators, they were probably older than Yun Lie, yet their cultivation was far inferior to his. They did not feel inclined to compete with him, but naturally they were curious.
After secretly examining Yun Lie for some time, they finally looked at the figure dressed in green before the white-robed sword cultivator.
All three raised their brows.
So this was Xu Ziqing?
Judging by his aura, he was indeed gentle and approachable, and his cultivation was not weak. But wasn’t he terribly young? With their practiced eyes, how could they fail to see that he had barely reached twenty?
To have achieved such cultivation at his age, he must possess excellent aptitude, comprehension, and opportunities. It seemed likely that another remarkable genius would emerge in the future.
Xu Ziqing had no idea that Qiu Ze and the others had formed such a high opinion of him in so short a time. He was also studying Luo Yao’s friends. They all looked pleasant to him, with something of Luo Yao’s bearing, though rather more easygoing. At that moment he recalled Yun Lie’s earlier warning. Except when immersed in studying talismans, A-Yao always keeps his feelings so closely guarded. There must truly be much suffering in his heart.
After the brief introductions, it was still Xu Ziqing and Luo Yao who knew each other best.
Xu Ziqing asked, “A-Yao, I’m in the fifth martial arena. Which one are you assigned to?”
Luo Yao was surprised. “What a coincidence! All of us are in the fifth as well.”
Xu Ziqing laughed. “Then we can go together and save ourselves a good deal of trouble.”
That was certainly true. Had they been assigned to different arenas, supporting one another would have required moving back and forth several times, which would have been tiring.
With the tournament about to start, they did not linger outside. After exchanging these few words, they followed the central path into the fifth martial arena.
Inside stood many stone platforms that served as fighting stages. All Foundation Establishment matches were to take place upon them. The broad open spaces on either side contained no platforms; they were set aside for the many cultivators who wished to watch.
They had been delayed a little outside, so quite a few cultivators had already arrived. Among them were numerous Golden Core Perfected Ones and Essence Transformation cultivators, who had come to support members of their own lineages.
Golden Core Perfected Ones held the highest standing here. Each occupied an area and erected an observation platform, separating their followers from the surrounding crowds so that they would not be disturbed.
Perfected Qiu He was no exception. He raised his arm, and a ray of white light shot out of his sleeve.
The light struck an empty space. In an instant, a raised platform several zhang across rose from the ground, gleaming faintly with contained radiance. It looked extremely sturdy.
The nearby cultivators stepped out of the way as the platform emerged. Perfected Qiu He beckoned to his companions and went up first. Looking around, they could see that every Golden Core Perfected One had done something similar, although each had used a different technique.
Xu Ziqing turned toward Yun Lie. “Senior Brother Yun, you…”
Many Golden Core cultivators had established separate viewing platforms. Although his senior brother was Master’s eldest personal disciple, he had also attained Golden Core himself. Xu Ziqing did not know what he intended to do. But Master had come for Xu Ziqing’s match. If his senior brother chose to sit elsewhere, Xu Ziqing feared he would be unable to accompany him. At the thought, he felt a little reluctant to part.
Yun Lie said, “We can sit with Master.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Then after you, Senior Brother?”
Yun Lie nodded slightly. “Together.”
Xu Ziqing turned toward Luo Yao and the others. “A-Yao, hurry and join us.”
With that, he and Yun Lie rose together and landed swiftly on the raised platform.
The eight female cultivators did not dare pass their senior brothers. Yet they also did not know how the four Foundation Establishment men were connected to their second senior brother. They exchanged uncertain looks.
Qiu Ze and the other three were courteous. Yue Jun laughed brightly and said, “Ladies, please go ahead.”
The eight women covered their smiles, glanced over the four men with lively eyes, and gracefully ascended.
Luo Yao and his companions followed them.
Once on the platform, everyone found a place to sit.
Perfected Qiu He was exceptionally friendly, and although Yun Lie was aloof, he caused no trouble. Qiu Ze and his friends soon relaxed and behaved more naturally.
One raised platform after another emerged throughout the arena. Before long, the entire space was crowded.
Suddenly, an even higher stone platform rose on the opposite side. In the blink of an eye, an extraordinarily powerful black vulture puppet had appeared upon it.
A man in black brocade robes descended from its back and stood upright, tall and imposing.
Looking at him from the distance, Xu Ziqing felt momentarily dazed.
He recalled the time he had accompanied his senior brother to the disciples’ recruitment area on disciplinary duty. His senior brother had also had a black vulture puppet, and had likewise worn black robes that gave him an almost merciless appearance.
Seeing this Steward of Discipline, Xu Ziqing almost felt as though his senior brother stood over there instead. Yet the familiar aura beside him brought him back to himself.
Turning with a smile, Xu Ziqing asked, “Senior Brother Yun, do you know that man?”
Yun Lie glanced over. “The sixth-ranked Steward of Discipline.”
Xu Ziqing nodded. “I can sense sword qi around him too. His bearing seems somewhat like yours.” After thinking for a moment, he leaned closer to Yun Lie. “Senior Brother Yun, has he comprehended sword intent?”
Yun Lie replied, “He has not.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Then it truly seems that Senior Brother has traveled the farthest along the path of sword cultivation.”
Yun Lie raised his eyes. “Do not underestimate the heroes of this world.”
Xu Ziqing smiled softly. “I’ve never met a cultivator more accomplished in the sword than you, so of course I consider you the best. If one day I meet someone stronger, I’ll know it then.”
Yun Lie said nothing further.
But Xu Ziqing thought that even if he met someone more accomplished in sword cultivation, he would still consider his senior brother the greatest. He could not say that aloud, though. Yun Lie would probably scold him for being stubbornly unreasonable. The thought almost made him laugh.
After a little while, Xu Ziqing, deeply moved by attending the tournament for the first time, found another topic to discuss with Yun Lie.
Yun Lie did not begin conversations or display much warmth, but he answered whatever Xu Ziqing asked.
Even so, other people found their interactions astonishing.
Qiu Ze and his companions sat together, with Luo Yao closest to the two senior and junior brothers. Not being familiar with Perfected Qiu He, they did not wish to interrupt him, and had been talking among themselves.
When they noticed Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie conversing like this, they grew even more surprised.
Yue Jun could not resist whispering, “Luo Yao, do those two always behave like that?”
Luo Yao had noticed it too. “Always. There’s nothing strange about it.”
Qiu Ze sighed in admiration. “I’ve always heard Perfected One Yun was exceedingly cold. I never imagined he cared so much for his junior brother. When you first told us, I could scarcely believe it. Now I’ve seen it myself, I know you weren’t exaggerating at all.”
Long Xuan sighed too. “I had doubts myself. I’d heard that even disciples on the same peak compete for their master’s favor to obtain more resources. When Luo Yao said that Fellow Daoist Xu had moved into Little Slaughter Peak, I thought Perfected Qiu He didn’t want to teach him and had passed the responsibility to his eldest disciple. But it seems that isn’t the case at all. Rather, those two are so close that Perfected Qiu He simply chose to accommodate their bond.”
The four sighed over the matter. The three who carried no deep hatred in their hearts looked at Xu Ziqing with particular envy.
For ordinary inner-sect disciples like themselves, finding a master was difficult. Finding a master who granted them respectable standing was harder still. Finding a good master was harder yet, and even after that, having senior and junior brothers who treated one another with genuine affection was almost impossible. Xu Ziqing had somehow received all those benefits. He was incomparably fortunate.
Yet although they envied him, none developed any ugly jealousy, and their expressions remained open and upright.
Perfected Qiu He noticed and stroked the short beard beneath his chin, smiling kindly.
These men possessed decent character and had few burdens behind them. There was little need to fear that they concealed wicked intentions. After a moment’s reflection, Qiu He shook his head with an amused sigh. Since Yun’er allowed them to approach Ziqing, he presumably had his own judgment. This old man really had no need to worry so much.
Just then, another group entered the martial arena. Its leader was handsome, but there was something vicious about his eyes and brows. He surveyed the surroundings before fixing his gaze upon their platform.
Xu Ziqing sensed it immediately. He stopped speaking and looked that way.
The newcomer was a young cultivator in extravagant clothing, someone Xu Ziqing had never seen before. There was an irritated look in his eyes that left Xu Ziqing puzzled.
Who was he?
Soon Xu Ziqing realized the young man was not looking at him but… He turned toward Luo Yao.
Could he be a friend of Luo Yao’s?
He dismissed the possibility almost at once.
The young man’s gaze swept across Qiu Ze and the others, then Xu Ziqing, and there was something distinctly hostile about the entire inspection.
Yun Lie’s icy gaze swept toward him. The young man immediately withdrew his eyes, as though nothing had happened, and walked toward a different observation platform.
Xu Ziqing was puzzled. After hesitating, he asked, “A-Yao, do you know that man?”
Luo Yao glanced in the direction he indicated and frowned. “His name is Du Zihui. Ziqing, there’s no need to pay him any attention.”
Qiu Ze and the others had encountered Du Zihui many times, and they too looked unhappy. “That fellow has repeatedly tried to recruit Luo Yao. Luo Yao won’t agree, so he keeps harassing him. He’s really detestable.”
Xu Ziqing understood a little better and nodded, not pursuing the matter.
Shortly afterward, the Steward of Discipline atop the high platform released a black dragon, which circled through the air.
Then his voice rang out. “All Foundation Establishment cultivators present, activate your identification talismans and draw your opponents!”
At last, the sect tournament was officially beginning.