Ink-Clad Creator

The real highlight of the Peach Blossom Festival only began on the first day after the Secret Realm Trial ended.

The arena in the center of Rainbow Island has been rearranged—no longer a simple martial arts arena, but divided into three sections: a "martial arts test area," a "literary test area," and an "arts test area." According to the rules set by the ancestors of Peach Blossom Village, the marriage selection competition must last for three days. Based on the combined scores of the three categories, the contestants and the men and women from the village watching the competition will choose each other to form a marriage alliance.

As dawn broke, the arena was already packed with people. Villagers brought their families, while visiting swordsmen and scholars had also secured good spots early on—after all, this might be their only legitimate opportunity to enter the core area of ​​the Seven Islands of Peach Blossom Pool.

Li Xian stood in the contestants' rest area, looking at the number plate in his hand engraved with "Jia San". Miss Chunmeng did not come as promised last night, but Aunt Xiao sent someone to deliver a letter, inviting Xiao Lingshan to meet at Yingyue Island this afternoon.

"Feeling uneasy?" Shen Jiaonan leaned closer and handed him a peach. "Try this. It's an ancient peach tree from Tingyun Island. It only bears fruit once every ten years."

Li Xian took it and took a bite. The fruit was sweet and refreshing, and as it entered his stomach, it transformed into a warm and nourishing energy, causing the pointer in his consciousness space to jump slightly by half a step.

"nice one."

"Of course." Shen Jiaonan sat down next to him with a grin. "But Brother Li, there's something I need to remind you—be careful of Bingwei from Linghan Palace on the arena today."

Why?

"Last night, while I was on patrol, I saw her by the cold pool... concocting medicine." Shen Jiaonan lowered his voice. "She used 'Albizia julibrissin' and 'Bewitching Vine.' These two ingredients, when mixed, can be used to create an extremely potent aphrodisiac called 'One Night of Passion Powder.' Once poisoned, one will have intercourse with the poisoner in a hallucination, but upon waking, one will only remember a erotic dream, with no trace of it."

Li Xian's eyes turned cold.

"Who is her target?"

"It's hard to say. It could be Shen Aonan, or it could be you." Shen Aonan was unusually serious. "The women of Linghan Palace will do anything to achieve their goals. Especially that Aunt Xiao—I always feel that she's plotting something big."

Just then, the sound of drums rang out from the arena.

Clan Chief Peng Huaishan stepped onto the stage and announced: "Today's martial arts test has the following rules: all participants will take turns defending their positions, and the one who wins three consecutive matches will advance to tomorrow's literary test. Losers who are dissatisfied may challenge other champions, but each person can only challenge a maximum of three times per day. Now—the champions voluntarily step onto the stage!"

Before the words were finished, a white figure had already gracefully landed in the center of the martial arts test area.

Bingwei.

Today she wore a moon-white gauze dress, cinched at the waist with a silver belt, and her veil was replaced with a semi-transparent light gauze, vaguely revealing the delicate contours of her jawline. She gave a graceful bow, her voice soft and sweet: "Linghan Palace Bingwei, I offer this as a starting point, please offer your guidance."

This pose captivated many young men in the audience.

"I'll go!" A foreign man wielding a gun leaped onto the stage. "Young lady, swords have no eyes; don't cry if you get hurt!"

Bingwei covered her mouth and chuckled: "That depends on whether Big Brother has the ability."

The competition begins.

The man's spear moved like a dragon, powerful and heavy. Bingwei, however, moved like a butterfly flitting among flowers, weaving through the shadows of the spear. After ten moves, she suddenly closed in, a faint, delicate fragrance wafting from her sleeve.

The man paused, his eyes momentarily unfocused.

In that instant, Bingwei's fingertip touched his Tanzhong acupoint. The man groaned and fell to the ground, instantly losing consciousness.

"Thank you for the honor." Bingwei chuckled, her gaze sweeping across the rest area. "Next, who's next?"

Strange. Li Xian could see clearly that there was something wrong with the aroma.

The next two to step onto the stage both appeared dazed after a few exchanges and were easily defeated. Bingwei won three consecutive matches and advanced directly to the next round.

"She used poison!" someone shouted from the audience.

"That's not quite right," Aunt Xiao said calmly from her seat in Linghan Palace. "The rules of the arena only prohibit deadly poisons. My disciple only used calming spices to help his opponent have a good dream."

"That's just sophistry!" Peng Shitao stomped her foot in anger. "Father, this is against the rules!"

Peng Huaishan frowned, but ultimately shook his head: "The spices are not prohibited... Continue."

Bingwei gracefully stepped off the stage, and as she passed through the rest area, she cast a meaningful glance at Li Xian.

Next, Shen Aonan and Peng Shutao took to the stage one after another, each winning three consecutive matches with their clean and crisp swordsmanship. Although Shen Aonan's wood-based techniques were not good at direct attacks, he relied on his unpredictable control of the field to wear down his opponent until he had to admit defeat.

It was Li Xian's turn.

When he stepped onto the arena, he clearly felt several gazes become sharper—the Linghan Palace, the man in black, and even some elders from Peach Blossom Village were all staring at him.

"Li Xian, number three, begin your defense!" the referee shouted.

The first challenger was a woman wielding twin swords, her moves ruthless, but her strength was only at the high-level of the Earthly Realm. Li Xian didn't use the Northern Darkness Divine Art, only basic movement techniques combined with a few moves of One Yang Finger, striking her wrist acupoints within twenty moves, causing her to drop her twin swords.

The second man was a burly, strong man at the initial stage of the Heavenly Origin Realm, whose palm strikes were fierce and powerful. Li Xian first tested his newly acquired energy manipulation skills—he attached a wisp of holy water energy to his palm, and when he clashed palms with his opponent, the energy penetrated into his opponent's meridians like needles.

The burly man trembled, staggering back seven steps, staring at his palm in astonishment and disbelief: "W-what kind of technique is this?"

"A mere trick." Li withdrew his palm. Just now, he deliberately imitated the appearance of the demonic sect's "Bone-Eating Yin Palm," but the internal technique he used was pure energy penetration.

Sure enough, Miss Chunmeng's eyes lit up in the audience.

When the third person came on stage, Li Xian's pupils contracted slightly.

It was that straw-hatted man who always kept his head down. He took off his hat, revealing an ordinary face, but his eyes...

Hollow, numb, like the eyes of a dead person.

"Please." The man in the straw hat said in a hoarse voice.

He used no weapons, but slowly raised his hands. In his palms, the skin split open, revealing beneath—a metal structure?!

"Cyborgs?" Li Xian's heart skipped a beat.

The man in the straw hat pounced! His speed was incredible, his palms aimed straight for Li Xian's heart! That wasn't palm technique; it was pure killing machine!

Li retreated hastily, unleashing the full power of the Northern Darkness Divine Art! The suction force struck the opponent's palm, but it was like hitting an iron plate—the opponent had no internal energy or meridians, only mechanical energy circulation!

"You're not alive!" Li Xianli shouted.

The man in the straw hat did not answer, but suddenly a black hole opened up in his chest, from which a blazing laser shot out!

Li narrowly dodged to the side, the laser grazing his sleeve and scorching the fabric. An uproar erupted from the audience!

"Deadly weapons are prohibited in the ring!" the referee shouted.

But the man in the straw hat ignored him and fired continuously from the black hole in his chest, relentlessly bombarding Li Xian!

Li Xian was forced to the edge of the ring, a flash of ferocity in his eyes. Since you don't play by the rules—

He clasped his hands together, compressing the excess energy he had absorbed the night before into a ball, and then suddenly pushed it out!

The energy ball collided with the laser, unleashing a blinding burst of light! The shockwave shattered the arena railings!

As the light faded, the man in the straw hat stood still, smoke billowing from the black hole in his chest, yet he continued to move. He raised his hand, and suddenly his five fingers detached, transforming into five throwing knives that shot towards him!

Li Xian was about to take the hit head-on when he heard the administrator in his consciousness say coldly: [Energy core interface, below the third rib on the left side.]

He instantly understood, and his figure shifted to the side like a ghost, dodging the flying knife while simultaneously striking the straw-hatted man's left rib with a precise finger!

"Click."

A slight cracking sound.

The man in the straw hat stopped abruptly, the light in his eyes went out, and he collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

The arena was deathly silent.

Li, panting, stood up straight and looked at the referee: "Isn't this a violation?"

The referee looked at Peng Huaishan. The clan chief, his face ashen, waved his hand: "Take him away! Find out who this man is!"

But Li knew that it couldn't be traced. This kind of human modification could only be the work of a powerful force.

As he stepped down from the stage, Miss Chunmeng chuckled and clapped, "Young Master Li, you have quite the skills; you can even handle a 'puppet slave'."

"Puppet slave?"

"A toy of the orthodox demonic cult." Miss Chunmeng approached, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear. "Transforming people into semi-mechanical killing tools, preserving a portion of their consciousness, and enslaving them forever. The reason I didn't come to see you last night was because... I was investigating this matter."

She looked at the man in the bamboo hat being carried away: "It seems that, apart from us descendants, the true orthodox members of the Demonic Sect... have already infiltrated."

Li Xian's heart sank.

The martial arts test continued into the afternoon. Nine people ultimately advanced to the written test: Li Xian, Shen Aonan, Peng Shutao, Shen Jiaonan, Bing Wei, and four other outside experts.

The afternoon written exam was held at the "Shuxiang Pavilion" on Caixia Island. The exam question was to interpret a manuscript on energy topology left by an ancestor and deduce its application in actual combat.

This was actually one of Li Xian's strengths. Boltzmann's brain had instilled a wealth of knowledge in advanced energy theories. He completed the deduction in just half an incense stick's time, and even corrected an error in the manuscript.

Peng Huaishan, who was in charge of the written test, looked at his answer sheet and remained silent for a long time.

"Chieftain, is there a problem?" Li asked first.

Peng Huaishan gave him a deep look: "This answer sheet... is 70% different from the 'standard answer' left by our ancestors, but its logic is more consistent and its application is more ingenious. Young Master Li, where does your knowledge come from?"

Li had been prepared: "When I was young, I received instruction from a strange person, which was just miscellaneous learning."

"An extraordinary person..." Peng Huaishan murmured, then finally waved his hand, "You've passed. I hope you'll continue to surprise us at tomorrow's art exam."

As Li Xian walked out of the Book Pavilion, he saw Xiao Lingshan standing under a peach tree in the distance, talking to Aunt Xiao. Both of them looked very serious.

He wanted to go over, but Shen Aonan stopped him.

"Brother Li, may I speak to you in private?"

The two walked to a secluded spot by the lake. Shen Aonan cut to the chase: "The puppet slaves on the arena today are after you."

"I know."

"Then do you know that the controller of the puppet slaves might be among us?" Shen Aonan lowered his voice. "Last night, I secretly investigated and found that the ancient peach forest on Tingyun Island had been damaged—someone set up a teleportation array there to send the puppet slaves in. And only someone who is extremely familiar with the energy network of Peach Blossom Village could do this so quietly."

A traitor. Li had suspected it for a long time.

Whom do you suspect?

Shen Aonan was silent for a moment: "There is no evidence at the moment. But Brother Li, in three days the three of us will enter the Star-Picking Island Altar. The energy within the altar is enough to make an ordinary person rise to the top in one step, and it can also make an ambitious person... overturn everything."

"Are you worried about Miss Peng?"

Shen Aonan shook his head, then nodded: "Shu Tao has a cold personality, but a kind heart. I'm afraid she... will be taken advantage of."

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Li Xian suddenly asked, "Brother Shen, are your feelings for Miss Peng genuine?"

Shen Aonan was taken aback, then smiled bitterly: "We grew up together, and our engagement was arranged long ago. But over the years, I've always felt... that she has something on her mind that she doesn't want to talk to anyone about."

Just then, Xiao Lingshan's exclamation came from afar!

The two turned their heads at the same time, and saw that Aunt Xiao shot out an ice spike from her sleeve, straight at Xiao Lingshan's face!

Li Xian shot off with lightning speed! But someone was even faster than him—

Peng Shutao!

She appeared there without anyone noticing, her sword flashing like lightning, precisely shattering the ice spikes! Ice shards scattered, and she stood in front of Xiao Lingshan, coldly staring at Aunt Xiao: "Elder Xiao, what is the meaning of this?"

Aunt Xiao stopped, her expression remaining calm: "It was just a test. Ling Shan, when your mother betrayed her sect, she took with her the 'Azure Wood Token,' the treasure of Linghan Palace. That token can control the spirits of all plants and trees in the world. If you inherit her bloodline, you will definitely be able to sense the location of the token."

Xiao Lingshan's face turned pale: "I...I don't know anything about tokens."

"It's alright." Aunt Xiao turned around. "You'll remember. Because the Green Wood Token is hidden deep within the altar on Star-Picking Island. Your mother left it there to...seal something."

She walked away, her voice drifting back: "Three days from now, the altar will open, and everything will be revealed."

The turmoil has temporarily subsided.

In the evening, Li Xian meditated at Qixia Pavilion. In his consciousness space, the pointer stopped at 76, its increase slowing down.

"The altar's energy is the key," the administrator said. "But before entering the altar, you need to deal with two hidden dangers: Aunt Xiao from Linghan Palace, and a lurking member of the orthodox demonic sect."

"How do we solve this?"

Tonight, someone will approach you seeking collaboration.

Sure enough, after nightfall, there was a knock on the door.

It wasn't Miss Chunmeng who arrived, but rather—Bingwei.

She changed into a pink tulle dress, her makeup exquisite, her eyes sparkling. In her hand she held a jade pot, from which the aroma of wine filled the air.

"Young Master Li, I apologize for any offense I may have caused on the stage during the day." She bowed gracefully, her figure alluring.

Mr. Li didn't let her in: "Please speak frankly, young lady."

Bingwei wasn't annoyed. She walked into the room and placed the jade pot on the table. "Does Young Master know why I used those methods to win?"

"To advance."

"It's to save my life." Bingwei's smile faded. "Linghan Palace has a strict hierarchy. Those who fail a mission will at best lose their martial arts skills, and at worst... become 'medicine people.' My mission this time is to find a suitable 'furnace' for Aunt Xiao during the Peach Blossom Festival."

Furnace? Li Xian's eyes turned cold.

"A dual cultivation furnace," Bingwei said bluntly. "Aunt Xiao's 'Ice Soul Profound Art' requires pure Yang internal energy for harmonization. And you, young master... possess the orthodox Energy Absorption Demon Art of the Demonic Sect, with extremely pure Yang internal energy, making you the best choice."

"So, her test of Xiao Lingshan today was actually a ploy to pressure me?"

"Yes and no." Bingwei approached, a sweet fragrance emanating from her—the same scent used in the arena during the day. "What Aunt Xiao truly desires is the Green Wood Token within the altar. And you, young master, are part of her plan. She will set a trap within the altar, arranging for you and Xiao Lingshan…"

Before she could finish speaking, Mr. Li held his breath. But a little of the fragrance had already seeped in.

The scene before her eyes began to blur. In the flickering candlelight, Bingwei's face even overlapped somewhat with Xiao Lingshan's.

"Young master..." Her voice became ethereal, "A night of passion, each getting what they want, isn't that good? I can help you deal with Aunt Xiao, and you... just need to give me a little internal energy..."

Her hand touched Li Xian's chest.

Li tried to push him away, but his body felt like it wasn't his own. The administrator's cold voice echoed in his mind: "[There are neurotoxins in the fragrance; I'm clearing them. But it will take time. You can use this to your advantage and gather more information.]"

Will it count?

Bingwei's lips were close to his ear, her breath sweet as orchids: "Aunt Xiao's plan is to activate the 'Yin-Yang Reversal Array' on the third level of the altar, forcing you and Xiao Lingshan to have intercourse, using your essence as a catalyst to break the seal on the Azure Wood Token. But we can do the opposite... You cooperate with me, turning against the array's master when it's activated, and seizing the Azure Wood Token. At that time, the token will be mine, and the altar's energy will be yours..."

Her fingers unbuttoned Li Xian's clothes.

Li Xian gritted his teeth and, with his last vestiges of consciousness, asked, "Why...why did you betray your sect?"

Bingwei paused, a deep-seated hatred flashing in her eyes: "Because twenty years ago, when Xiao Lingyue defected... she took not only the Green Wood Token, but also my own sister. She was turned into a medicine man by Aunt Xiao, suffering a fate worse than death."

She ripped open her collar, revealing a gruesome scar that snaked down to her chest below her collarbone: "This is the last mark my sister left me. Before she bit off her own tongue, she carved it with her fingernails—revenge."

The candlelight flickered.

The aroma grew stronger and stronger.

Li Xian's consciousness gradually faded. Before completely losing his senses, he heard the administrator's final instructions: [Toxin analysis complete. Plan: Pretend to be infected to obtain the full plan. However, this woman is cunning; a backup plan is necessary…]

I couldn't hear what was said after that.

He only felt Bingwei's soft body press against him, her warm lips landing on his neck.

Outside the window, peach blossoms are fluttering in the air.

On the roof of Qixia Pavilion, Xiao Lingshan stood there in a daze, holding the late-night snack she had brought for Li Xian.

She looked at the flickering candlelight inside the window, at the two figures close together, her fingertips digging deep into the edge of the food box.

The food box fell over, spilling soup all over the floor.

She turned and disappeared into the night.

Tears fell silently.

Some things, once broken, can never be put back together.