If I stay in the Hehuan Sect, I'll live off the pampered daughters of the Heavenly Pride Sect.

On the high platform, Jiang Wei stood up.

The discussion in the room immediately subsided.

Jiang Wei's voice echoed far and wide.

"After the calamity of the ruins, our sect suffered heavy losses, and the positions of Holy Son and Holy Daughter are vacant. Today, we open the Sword Debate Platform to re-establish the ranks of the younger generation."

"This battle will not be based on background or lineage, but only on cultivation foundation, fighting spirit and temperament, and whether one can shoulder the responsibility for the sect's future."

"The victor can be nominated for sainthood, and the loser will also receive a reward."

"However, the main purpose is friendly competition; anyone who maliciously injures another will be disqualified."

As soon as he finished speaking, the spiritual patterns on the bronze pillar lit up, and a pale golden light curtain rose in the center of the battle platform.

The first batch of disciples began drawing lots.

Mo Chengyue looked at the list on the stage and said in a low voice, "Tianqing Peak really did send out its people."

Xie Buci asked, "Who?"

Mo Chengyue said, "Shen Zhaoxuan."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "Never heard of it."

Lin Wanqing immediately responded.

"I know. He wasn't very famous originally. He was an inner disciple of Tianqing Peak. He was only promoted to the front after Ye Wushang's incident."

Xie Buci asked, "How is your cultivation level?"

Lin Wanqing said, "I heard that he has already formed his core, but he never competed for rankings before."

Yu Jianhuan laughed and said, "You've hidden it well enough."

Jin Qiaoqiao said, "It's not necessarily because he was hidden; it could also be because no one wanted to see him before."

Mo Chengyue said, "No matter which one it is, he must win beautifully today."

Su Qingying asked, "Why?"

Mo Chengyue said, "With Ye Wushang dead at Tianqing Peak, there are too many people outside waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves."

"They need a new signboard."

"This brand can't just win; it has to win in a way that makes people feel that Tianqing Peak hasn't fallen."

Xie Buci asked, "So he'll play very aggressively in the first match?"

Mo Chengyue said, "He will be fierce, but he won't go to extremes."

Qin Wanzhuang glanced at him.

Are you sure?

Mo Chengyue said, "I guessed."

Yu Jianhuan said, "Your guess doesn't sound like a guess."

Mo Chengyue said, "Senior Sister Yu, ordinary disciples of the Scripture Pavilion all like to read books."

Jin Qiaoqiao asked, "Does the book you're reading teach this?"

Mo Chengyue said, "Teach."

Jin Qiaoqiao asked, "Which one?"

Mo Chengyue said, "A casual discussion of human relationships and worldly wisdom."

Xie Buci laughed and said, "How come I've never seen it before?"

Mo Chengyue said, "This isn't the category my senior brother is looking at."

Xie Buci asked, "What category should I look at?"

Mo Chengyue said, "A travelogue of romance and pleasure."

Several female disciples nearby couldn't help but laugh.

On the battle stage, the first match has already begun.

Shen Zhaoxuan faced off against a disciple of Chixia Peak.

Shen Zhaoxuan was tall and slender, wearing a black and gold patterned robe from Tianqing Peak. He had high brow bones, thin lips, and held a dark-colored longsword in his hand.

The disciple from Crimson Cloud Peak cupped his hands and said, "Senior Brother Shen, please."

Shen Zhaoxuan returned the greeting.

"please."

The next instant, the two moved simultaneously.

The disciples of Crimson Cloud Peak waved their palms, igniting flames. The palm wind whipped out three streaks of crimson flames, forming a fan shape to block Shen Zhaoxuan's path.

Shen Zhaoxuan did not force it.

He shifted his feet to the side, the back of his blade brushing against the fire line, the light of the blade flashing out from the side, slicing towards his opponent's ribs.

The disciples of Crimson Cloud Peak changed their palms into fists, and the flames gathered into fist energy, which they smashed towards the blade.

The sound of metal clashing echoed.

Using the momentum, Shen Zhaoxuan spun around, his longsword sliding past the fist's energy. With his other hand, he formed a hand seal, and three black talisman nails flew out from his sleeve, pressing down on the shoulders, wrists, and knees of the Crimson Cloud Peak disciples.

Someone in the stands gasped in surprise.

"He also knows how to use talismans?"

"When did Tianqing Peak change its approach?"

"Didn't Ye Wushang used to love using treasures to intimidate people?"

"Shen Zhaoxuan is more reliable than Ye Wushang."

The disciples of Crimson Cloud Peak shouted in a low voice, forming a protective barrier of fire, which burned the three talisman nails off course.

But Shen Zhaoxuan was already beside him.

The longsword flipped, and the back of the blade struck the shoulder of a disciple from Crimson Cloud Peak.

The disciple from Crimson Cloud Peak staggered, and the array patterns beneath his feet lit up, with protective spiritual light catching him in time.

Shen Zhaoxuan did not pursue and strike vital points.

He touched the ground with the tip of his knife and said, "Thank you for the concession."

The disciples of Crimson Cloud Peak looked grim, knowing that they would lose no matter how much they fought.

He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I lose."

The stands erupted in uproar.

"So fast?"

"That guy at Crimson Cloud Peak is quite strong."

"Shen Zhaoxuan didn't even reveal his killing move."

"Are there really people like this on Tianqing Peak?"

Mo Chengyue looked at the battle platform, picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Lin Wanqing leaned closer.

"Senior Brother Mo, you were right just now."

Mo Chengyue asked, "Where is it right?"

Lin Wanqing said, "He won fiercely, but he didn't use any real force."

Mo Chengyue said, "It's not that we didn't use force, it's that it wasn't necessary."

Xie Buci said, "Tell me."

Mo Chengyue put down his teacup.

"The first strike is aimed at the ribs, forcing the opponent to change their move."

"The talisman nails pressing on the shoulders, wrists, and knees are sealing the pathways of spiritual energy, not damaging the meridians."

"Finally, I struck his shoulder with the back of the knife, but the position was off by half an inch."

Qin Wanzhuang asked, "Why the bias?"

Mo Chengyue said, "If it hits the shoulder bone, the opponent will need to recover for at least a few days."

"If you're off by half an inch, you'll only feel numbness and lose badly, but the injury won't be serious."

Su Qingying looked towards the battle stage.

"He wanted to establish his authority, but he didn't want to make enemies."

Mo Chengyue said, "That's right."

Xie Buci held the folding fan in his palm.

"Junior brother, continue."

Mo Chengyue said, "Tianqing Peak is most afraid of two things right now."

"First, people think they have no one left."

"Secondly, others are joining forces to suppress them."

"Therefore, Shen Zhaoxuan needs to appear strong, but also know how to behave appropriately."

"Strength is for outsiders to see, while discretion is for the elders of each peak to see."

Jin Qiaoqiao chuckled softly.

"Even a human contest can take so many twists and turns."

Mo Chengyue said, "Where there are people, there are bends; the demon race is just more unconventional in their bends."

Yu Jianhuan looked at Mo Chengyue, a hint of amusement in her phoenix eyes.

"Junior Brother Mo, it's a real pity you're not participating."

Mo Chengyue said, "It would be a pity if I left the game."

Yu Jianhuan said, "What's a pity?"

Mo Chengyue said, "It's a pity about my life."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "Nonsense."

Wenren Ji said, "You won't lose."

Mo Chengyue said, "Junior Brother, one should be humble."

Wenren Ji said, "You are not modest."

Mo Chengyue was momentarily speechless.

Xie Buci laughed and said, "Junior Brother, your prestige on Qingquan Peak is declining."

Mo Chengyue said, "I never had any dignity; I only had the will to survive."

A disciple in the front row turned around and glanced at Mo Chengyue.

The man lowered his voice and said to his companion, "What he just said seems to make a lot of sense."

My companion said, "Are all the people in the library so knowledgeable?"

Another person said, "Don't forget, the entire group returned from the Qingquan Peak ruins intact; it couldn't have been all just luck."

"Didn't Mo Chengyue say he hid in the cave for seven years?"

"You believe it?"

I don't believe it.

"I don't believe it either."

Hearing these words, Mo Chengyue only wanted to pour the cup of tea back into his mouth.

Being too talkative is a disease.

be cured.

Xie Buci, however, refused to let him go.

"You see, people are starting to realize that you're a hidden talent."

Mo Chengyue said, "Senior Brother, could you please explain this to me?"

Xie Buci asked, "Explain what?"

Mo Chengyue said, "Explain that I am just an ordinary disciple."

Xie Buci laughed and said, "Even my second junior sister wouldn't believe me if I said that."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "Indeed."

Wenren Ji said, "I don't believe it."

Lin Wanqing said, "I don't believe it either."

Mo Chengyue looked toward the last hope.

Su Qingying looked away.

Yu Jianhuan covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

Jin Qiaoqiao was even more direct.

"You've been pretending for too long; there are too many flaws now."

Mo Chengyue said, "Your behavior makes it difficult for me to integrate into ordinary life."

Xie Buci said, "You can choose a different target."

Mo Chengyue asked, "What?"

Xie Buci said, "Immerse yourself in an extraordinary life."

Mo Chengyue said, "Then I'll take leave."