A max-level player in Jade Dynasty: Awakening the Innate Dao at the start.

As soon as the morning light broke through the clouds, the people in Dazhufeng Square were already lined up.

Song Daren straightened his clothes, while He Dazhi repeatedly checked the talisman bag hanging from his waist.

Lu Daxin yawned there, while Zheng Dali flexed his wrists.

Tian Ling'er stood at the front, her red dress standing out conspicuously in the hazy morning mist, like a cluster of flames that had been lit ahead of time.

Zhang Xiaofan came from the kitchen, carrying a bamboo basket.

The fire poker was tucked diagonally into his belt, its dark body almost the same color as his gray Taoist robe.

He walked up to everyone, lifted the cotton cloth covering the basket, and a burst of heat mixed with the aroma of wheat wafted out.

"Steamed buns, fresh out of the steamer."

Song Daren took one, took a big bite, and mumbled:

"Xiao Fan is so thoughtful."

Everyone shared the steamed buns and ate them for breakfast, enjoying the morning breeze.

When Tian Ling'er took the steamed bun, her gaze fell on the fire poker at Zhang Xiaofan's waist, and her brows furrowed slightly.

"Xiao Fan," she said in a low voice.

"You're going to use this... to participate in the Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament?"

Zhang Xiaofan looked down at his fire poker and nodded calmly.

Tian Ling'er bit her lip and suddenly pulled a long sword from her sleeve.

The sword blade is slender, and the scabbard is very simple.

There were no fancy decorations, only a light blue spirit stone inlaid at the rim.

"This is a spirit sword I forged last year. It's not some divine weapon, but it's still better than..."

She paused, but ultimately didn't say the words "fire poker." "You can take it," she said.

Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment.

Tian Ling'er had already shoved the sword into his hand, her movements so swift that there was no room for refusal.

The hilt of the sword still carried the warmth of her palm, and the spirit stone gleamed softly in the morning light.

"Senior sister, this..."

"Just take it."

Tian Ling'er turned her face away, her ears turning slightly red.

"Anyway, I already have the Amber Crimson Silk, so I don't need this sword."

Du Bishu, who was standing nearby, came over and tossed three wooden dice in his hand:

"That's right, Xiao Fan, what's wrong with the fire poker?"

Look at me, my secret weapon is the dice!

"As long as it works, who cares what others think!"

Tian Ling'er glared at him:

"How can you be compared to Xiao Fan? Your gambling addiction is incurable!"

Du Bishu chuckled, flipping the dice between his fingers.

At this moment, the door of Shoujing Hall opened, and Tian Buyi and Su Ru came out.

Tian Buyi was dressed in a dark green Taoist robe, his back ramrod straight.

Su Ru followed beside him, dressed in a plain-colored dress, her hair neatly combed.

The moment the two of them stood there, the aura of the chief of Dazhu Peak and his wife was immediately apparent.

Tian Buyi's gaze swept over his disciples, pausing briefly on Zhang Xiaofan's face.

He then slid his hand toward the unfamiliar spirit sword in his hand, a knowing smile flashing in his eyes.

"Is everyone here?" he asked in a deep voice.

"All done!" Song Daren bowed and replied.

Tian Buyi nodded, said nothing more, and simply said, "Let's go."

The Crimson Flame Sword was drawn in response, and a fiery red sword light shot into the sky.

Tian Buyi stepped onto the sword, his Taoist robe rustling in the morning breeze.

Su Ru followed closely behind, and the Ink Snow Sword transformed into a cold, clear stream of light.

The two elders left first, leaving behind several young disciples in the square.

Song Daren unleashed the Ten Tiger Immortal Sword, its blade broad and thick.

It hovered steadily three feet off the ground.

"Fourth brother, fifth brother, follow me."

He Dazhi and Lü Daxin jumped onto the sword.

Zheng Dali looked at Wu Dayi, and the two tacitly shared a sword.

Du Bishu tossed his sacred wooden dice into the air, and the three dice grew larger in the wind, forming a triangular platform.

He jumped up and waved to Zhang Xiaofan: "Xiaofan, come here!"

Tian Ling'er grabbed Zhang Xiaofan's wrist first.

"Xiao Fan, come with me." Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unyielding tone.

Song Daren and the others looked at Zhang Xiaofan with complicated expressions in their eyes.

They all remembered that one could only fly on a sword after reaching the fourth level of Jade Purity.

Xiao Fan can't even control a weapon on his own right now...

How much of his cultivation was damaged by that qi deviation?

Zhang Xiaofan sensed the regret in those gazes, smiled bitterly to himself, but remained composed on the surface.

"Okay." He replied to Tian Ling'er, then turned and leaped onto the red ribbon that the amber brocade had transformed into.

Tian Ling'er stood in front, and the ribbons slowly rose.

She glanced back and saw Zhang Xiaofan still standing there, then said softly:

"Stand firm...you can hold on to me."

She spoke quite naturally, but the blush from her ears had already spread to her neck.

Zhang Xiaofan reached out and gently supported her waist.

Through the fabric of her clothes, you could feel the warmth of the girl's body and the slender curve of her waist.

Tian Ling'er's body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.

The amber-red silk transformed into a stream of light and shot towards the direction of Tongtian Peak.

A cloud of mist swept over us, carrying the crisp, clear air characteristic of high altitudes.

Zhang Xiaofan stood behind Tian Ling'er, his palm pressed against her waist through her clothes.

The wind was strong, causing their robes to cling tightly to their bodies.

He could clearly feel the lines of Tian Ling'er's back, and the faint fragrance emanating from her hair—

It's not the scent of flowers, but the aroma of some kind of plant spirit mixed with the scent of sunshine.

"I'll fly more steadily."

Tian Ling'er suddenly said, her voice slightly shaky from the wind.

"If you're scared... just hold on tighter."

She didn't turn around when she said this, but Zhang Xiaofan saw that the tips of her ears were bright red.

"Senior sister," he leaned closer and whispered in her ear.

"You seem to have grown a little taller."

Tian Ling'er trembled, turned around and glared at him: "Don't you dare say that!"

Zhang Xiaofan smiled, his gaze sweeping over the curves of her figure outlined by the wind.

In two years, the girl grew up quickly, her waist became thinner, and the lines of her shoulders and back developed a soft curve.

Her body, wrapped in red, resembled a nearly ripe fruit in the morning light, its unripeness revealing a breathtakingly vibrant beauty.

"Still looking!" Tian Ling'er's cheeks flushed red, her reproach tinged with shyness.

"My senior sister is pretty, why can't I look at her?"

"You...you've gone bad!"

Tian Ling'er turned her head back, the skin on her neck was so red it looked like it was burning.

Zhang Xiaofan stopped teasing her and turned his gaze downwards.

The mountains rise and fall amidst the sea of ​​clouds, resembling the spine of a giant beast.

Tongtian Peak was already in sight, the towering mountain gleaming with a jade-like luster in the morning light.

Little Grey peeked out from Zhang Xiaofan's arms, but was startled by the wind from above and squeaked back, its claws gripping his clothes tightly.

"Almost there." Zhang Xiaofan patted the monkey's head.

Ahead, Song Daren's Ten Tiger Immortal Sword flew steadily and smoothly.

On the sword, He Dazhi and Lü Daxin sat cross-legged, meditating with their eyes closed.

Du Bishu's sacred wood dice flew erratically, the three dice colliding from time to time.

It made a muffled "thump" sound, but he himself looked excited, clearly still getting used to the new magic weapon.

Further away, the two sword lights that Tian Buyi and Su Ru had transformed into had long since disappeared into the horizon.

Half an hour later, the outline of Tongtian Peak became clear.

on the square.

It was full of people.

As far as the eye could see, there was a dense, dark mass of thousands of Qingyun disciples gathered in the main square of Tongtian Peak.

The sounds of voices, footsteps, and the soft ringing of ritual implements blended into a low, buzzing sound, like the chirping of cicadas at midday in the height of summer.

The group from Dazhufeng landed at the edge of the square.

The moment he landed, Zhang Xiaofan released his grip on Tian Ling'er's hand and casually retrieved the spirit sword.

Tian Ling'er put away the amber cinnabar silk, and the red ribbon turned back into a bracelet and slipped back onto her wrist.

All eyes turned to them.

Those gazes lingered on Tian Ling'er's face for a moment—the girl in red was indeed conspicuous in the sea of ​​gray-robed people.

Then, glancing over the group from Dazhu Peak, he saw the dice that Du Bishu was tossing in his hand.

Seeing the fire poker at Zhang Xiaofan's waist and the ordinary spirit sword in his hand, something else appeared in his eyes.

curious.

To look at.

There are also subtle emotional states that are not easily detected.

The Qingyun Sect is founded on swordsmanship, and the Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament is a major event.

The disciples from each peak all unleashed their most skilled immortal swords and magical treasures.

Dazhufeng is the only place that brings dice and fire sticks.

Song Daren straightened his back, his expression unchanged.

He Dazhi adjusted his glasses, his gaze calm.

Lu Daxin scratched his head and grinned sheepishly.

Zheng Dali and Wu Dayi stood side by side, their eyes scanning their surroundings.

Tian Ling'er stood next to Zhang Xiaofan, intentionally or unintentionally blocking some of the gaze directed at her.

Zhang Xiaofan looked down at the spirit sword in his hand. The scabbard was simple, and the spirit stone was warm and smooth.

He raised his head, his gaze passing through the crowd to the tall arena in the center of the square.

The arena was made of a single piece of white jade, with each side measuring thirty feet long. At each of the four corners stood four stone statues: the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise.

Runes flow across the surface of the stone statue, forming a powerful protective barrier.

A bronze mirror hangs directly above the arena, its surface as smooth as lake water, presumably a magical artifact used to broadcast the battle.

"What a grand scene," Du Bishu clicked his tongue.

"It happens only once every seven years, so it should naturally be a grand occasion," Song Daren said.

As they were talking, the crowd suddenly became agitated.

The sound came from the west side of the square and spread out like ripples on water.

The voices lowered, and thousands of eyes turned in unison in the same direction.

"Look..."

"The people from Xiaozhufeng are here!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a group of women in white walked through the morning mist and stepped into the square.

They wore plain white Taoist robes, had cascading black hair, and each carried a long sword at their waist.

They walked slowly, but their steps were neat and orderly, like a flock of cranes skimming across the snow.

The morning light shone on the white clothes, creating a hazy halo that made the whole group look like they had stepped out of a painting.

The person at the front had an especially upright posture, dressed in white that was as white as snow, with hair as black as ink.

Even from a distance, when you can't see her face clearly, her cool and aloof aura has already pierced through the crowd and struck everyone's eyes.

The square fell silent for a moment.

Then the whispers suddenly exploded.

Zhang Xiaofan tightened his grip on the sword.

coming.