With the Sect in Peril, How Could I Sit Idly By?

The Ten Duels of Decision were scheduled across five days, two matches each day—one in the morning and one in the afternoon. As afternoon arrived, the battle arena at Lingtian Pass, erected by the hands of a Nascent Soul Perfected Person, hosted another round in the Luotian Sect's internal strife. On one side was Min Longyu, a member of current Sect Master Yao Mingyue's faction, who held the Daoist title Leizhenzi. Legend had it that back when he had just entered the Foundation Establishment stage, he had used a single lightning array to obliterate five cultivators of the same rank! Over a century had passed since then, and Leizhenzi's cultivation had reached even greater heights, advancing into the Golden Core stage. He was now the Luotian Sect's foremost array master, renowned even throughout Lingtian Pass. His opponent was Hongling, whom Si Wenjun had personally invited! Many prestigious titles were attached to her name, but when boiled down, everything could be captured in just two words: sword cultivator! The duel was eagerly anticipated by the gathering crowd. Yet the course of the battle had been decided from the very start. *Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!* Across the arena, sword qi surged in the tens of thousands. Min Longyu's attacks were shattered into utter disarray before that rushing barrage. Even the arrays he had meticulously prepared were torn to shreds. He had no choice but to hole up inside a defensive formation, struggling bitterly to hold on. "You are no match for me!" "Back when I crossed swords with your sect's Supreme Elder, you hadn't even condensed a Golden Core! Why drag out this pointless struggle?" "If you persist in your stubborn folly, do not blame my sword for showing no mercy!" A crisp, commanding voice echoed from all directions. The majestic sword momentum showed no sign of flagging; instead, it intensified, hammering against Min Longyu's protective barrier until it wobbled like a candle in a gale. Min Longyu's hair was completely white. Gritting his teeth, he continually pushed his magic power to keep the pre-fashioned defensive array from collapsing. Yet that alone was consuming every ounce of his mental strength. Seeing that her overwhelming momentum was already complete, he steeled his heart and reached into his robes for an array disk. Right at that moment. "We concede!" A voice called out from beneath the stage. The sword momentum abruptly vanished. The myriad strands of sword qi instantly converged, condensing into a pellet that slipped into Hongling's mouth. Before stepping down from the elevated ring, she cast a lingering, wary glance at the unactivated array disk in Min Longyu's hand. Min Longyu walked down from the arena, his face dark with fury as he stared at Gu Caiyi. "Give me an explanation!" "You cannot die up there," Gu Caiyi said calmly. "Why not?! Li Yingzhang was willing to risk damaging his Dao cultivation and suffering a steep drop in realm just to tear down his opponent! Why can't I? Do you trust me that little?" Min Longyu's expression turned ferocious. His fists were clenched so hard that blood dripped from his palms. It was plain that he had been fully prepared to sacrifice everything for this battle. He had been ready to burn his essence blood to trigger his natal array disk and perish together with that sword cultivator! "Hongling is a powerhouse of the same generation who once competed with my husband. Your expertise lies in the Dao of arrays, which requires preparation in advance. This battle arena simply does not suit your fighting style. There is no shame in losing to her." "You know very well that I don't give a damn about losing face!" Gu Caiyi had no desire to argue with him in public. Saying only that they would talk when they returned, she led the group away. With the Luotian Sect members' departure, the chatter among the dispersing spectators did not subside. Instead, it grew even more heated. "That's the fourth loss, isn't it?" "Yes, the fourth. Leizhenzi's defeat has almost completely erased the confidence Shalongzi clawed back. Two more losses, and the Luotian Sect's authority will pass into Si Wenjun's hands. When that time comes, this Golden Core sect will cease to exist, swallowed whole by the Five Elements Divine Sect. Even if they somehow manage a five-to-five tie, with the joint pressure of the Five Elements Divine Sect and Motian Cliff, Fenghua Palace won't go out of its way to shield the Luotian Sect." "What a pity. Master Li Yingzhang got them off to an unexpectedly brilliant start, yet this is how things unfolded afterward." "Nothing to pity about it. Si Wenjun is backed by two Nascent Soul high sects, and those two giants can rope in powerhouses from other displaced sects to assist them. How could the Luotian Sect possibly win by relying purely on their own strength?" "Indeed. From the moment the Ten Duels of Decision were arranged, the Luotian Sect had already lost. This is merely going through the motions to save face for Fenghua Palace." "Win or lose, War Demon Wang Yuan is certain to fight tomorrow. That's the match I'm looking forward to most!" "Me too! Everyone put heavy wagers on the total score, so there's barely any profit left there. I just want an upset in the War Demon's match tomorrow—that'll make me a fortune!" "Heh, an upset against the War Demon? Keep dreaming!" "Yeah, dream on!" Over the past century, the name of War Demon Wang Yuan had only grown more resounding. That prestige had been forged through countless trials of blood and fire. He had personally spearheaded the path when the Luotian Sect fought its way out of the Howling Moon Mountain Range. He had also charged alone into a sect's mountain gate, slaughtering an ally that had betrayed them while under siege by a horde of cultivators. Not long ago, when the front lines suffered a total collapse, he had unleashed the full extent of his abilities to forcefully hold off a Tier 4 Demon Sovereign. Even if only for a brief moment, it had astonished the world. A Nascent Soul cultivator within Lingtian Pass had even gone out of his way to treat him as an equal, inviting him for wine on his own initiative. It was fair to say that so long as a Nascent Soul cultivator did not step into the ring, no one could fathom how Wang Yuan could possibly lose. *** Gu Caiyi and Wang Yuan led the group swiftly through Lingtian Pass. Rather than leaving the city to return to the Luotian Sect's temporary encampment in the Fenghua Domain, they headed toward a rented inn. Walking among the crowd with his head of white hair, Min Longyu could feel gazes landing on him from time to time. This made his face flush crimson, filling him with a sense of humiliation. Yet gradually, he realized those glances carried neither mockery nor doubt, only the concern of his fellow sect members. He also began to understand why Gu Caiyi had stopped him from fighting to the death. Setting aside whether he could truly have dragged the enemy down with him, his death alone would have been the Luotian Sect's greatest loss! Over these years, the reason the Luotian Sect had preserved most of its strength across so many flights was largely due to his arrays. His arrays had also aided his fellow disciples in advancing their cultivation even while living in exile. In truth, if the Luotian Sect was destined to keep wandering in the future, anyone could die except for their banner figure Wang Yuan and himself. Once he grasped this, he ceased indulging in self-pity. Upon reaching their destination, he stepped up beside Gu Caiyi. "I'm sorry. My tone was too sharp earlier." Gu Caiyi managed a faint smile. "It is for the best that Junior Brother can see it clearly." Within the Luotian Sect, the various Golden Core cultivators did not share the same master, and most had originated as rogue cultivators. Yet after living together for two centuries, they already addressed one another as martial brothers and sisters, a testament to the depth of their bonds. Because Gu Caiyi had formed her core earlier, she addressed Min Longyu as Junior Brother. Min Longyu sighed. "Though I was spared, our sect has already lost four matches. What do we do next?" At these words, everyone's spirits sank even lower. "We will talk inside!" Wang Yuan said flatly and stepped directly through the door. He left behind a back as tall as a great tree and as broad as a mountain ridge. A sense of reassurance settled over the group, and they followed him in. Before long, the upper echelon of the Luotian Sect qualified to take part in major decisions gathered in a single room. There were five people in total; Gu Caiyi had not yet joined them. Min Longyu was carefully inspecting the array designed to block outside probes. Wang Yuan sat resting with his eyes closed, with Shalongzi standing behind him. After narrowly defeating his opponent in the first duel through a grueling battle of attrition, Li Yingzhang had suffered immense damage to his vitality and had already been sent back to the mountain gate to recuperate. At this moment, three other Golden Core cultivators remained present: Chu Kui, Fu Jiusheng, and Yang Pingdu. Chu Kui wore a look of shame. "It's my fault. I should have taken the second match." Fu Jiusheng shook his head. "It isn't your fault. Every helper Sima Wenjie brought in is formidable, and above all, he knows our capabilities inside and out. If Junior Brother Li hadn't held something back, he wouldn't have been able to pull off that unexpected victory in the first match either." Li Yingzhang had once been a cultivator of the Qinhua River's Li family. Since joining the Luotian Sect, he had always kept a low profile. Few within the sect knew he possessed a special constitution—the Nine Curves Looping Physique. Even back in the Qi Refinement stage, his magic power had surpassed his peers'. This gift was supposed to have shone brightly after Foundation Establishment. Yet during the battle at Mount Thunder Accumulation all those years ago, he had been gravely wounded. Even though Supreme Elder Luo Chen had later saved his life, his foundation had sustained lasting damage. From that point on, he had become even more reserved. Yet few realized that he had poured immense effort into studying the *Micromote Origin Art*, advancing ahead of everyone else to bring the technique to grand completion and even using it to ascend to the Golden Core stage. Combining the Nine Curves Looping Physique with the *Micromote Origin Art*, the depth of his magic power was beyond ordinary imagination. Thus, even when facing an opponent a realm higher in the first duel, he had used a grinding battle of attrition to run his foe into the ground. However, the Luotian Sect had lost the next three duels in succession. Chu Kui had underestimated his opponent. Fu Jiusheng had been hard-countered. As for Yang Pingdu, who had joined the sect later, he had simply been outmatched. If not for Shalongzi resolutely severing his emotional attachments in the fifth match, the Luotian Sect might have had its name stripped away this very day. Chu Kui felt so guilty that he dared not look up at Wang Yuan and his disciple. Footsteps sounded outside. Everyone looked up as Gu Caiyi pushed the door open and entered. Chu Kui hurriedly asked, "How is the Old Sect Master?" The Old Sect Master naturally referred to Sima Huiniang. Gu Caiyi hesitated, then let out a sigh. "She can fight, but she wants to hold out until the very end." Yang Pingdu frowned. "Given our current win-loss tally, I'm afraid our numbers won't even let us drag this out to the tenth match!" "Even if we can't, we must!" Gu Caiyi's brows snapped together, her voice resolute. Thinking back to Sima Wenjie's smug, gloating look earlier in the day only deepened her disgust. "I will take the stage tomorrow. I'd like to see how that beast plans to target me!" At that moment, Wang Yuan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. "It is not suitable for you to fight tomorrow." "Mm?" Gu Caiyi asked, perplexed. Wang Yuan said calmly, "Unless driven to absolute desperation, neither you nor Junior Sister Sima should step onto that stage." Gu Caiyi was bewildered. "I can understand why Huiniang shouldn't fight. She is the Old Sect Master, and she and Sima Wenjie are blood siblings. This internal strife is already a laughingstock; brother and sister tearing at each other would only make it uglier. But what reservations should I have?" "You are his Dao companion!" That single line said everything. Gu Caiyi's face flushed crimson, then turned pale. Having just sat down, she shot to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at Wang Yuan, so infuriated she could not speak for a long while. Shalongzi said softly, "Martial Aunt, leave these matters to us! If all else fails, we can still ask Fairy Jueqing for aid." "She isn't a member of our Luotian Sect. Who knows if she might turn against us at the last moment?" Gu Caiyi countered. Shalongzi fell silent. Wang Yuan tapped the table. Once everyone's eyes gathered on him, he spoke in a heavy voice: "Tomorrow's battles are of paramount importance. In the morning, I will take the field myself to secure a win and stabilize the situation." "As for the second match, I have already sent word to the sect for Qin Yuanjiang to come." "Win or lose, he will drag the Ten Duels of Decision into the final day. At that point..." Wang Yuan looked toward Gu Caiyi. "When there is truly no one left in the sect, your turn will naturally come." Qin Yuanjiang was trustworthy. He was the son of Luo Chen's close friends, Qin Liangchen and his wife. When the Luoyun Sect fell, he had fled with his severely injured mother, Murong Qinglian, to seek refuge with the Luotian Sect. Though Murong Qinglian had later succumbed to her grievous injuries despite treatment, he had remained behind. "I don't doubt Qin Yuanjiang's loyalty, but I question his strength." Gu Caiyi was still uneasy; Qin Yuanjiang had formed his core not long ago, so she was more inclined to fight tomorrow herself. If both she and Wang Yuan won tomorrow, they could push things into the final day. During her meeting with Sima Huiniang just now, Huiniang had already made up her mind to personally clean up the sect, even if that scoundrel was her own younger brother. Wang Yuan still disagreed. Just as the two sides reached an impasse, a knock sounded at the wooden door. Had Qin Yuanjiang arrived? So quickly? Amid the group's confusion, Min Longyu went to open the door. A man and a woman stood outside, smiling at them. The man bore a weathered face marked by lingering melancholy, yet his smile remained as bright as it had been in his youth. "Martial Uncles, Senior Martial Uncle Wang Yuan. Your nephew has arrived late." Everyone rose in unison, staring at the visitor in astonishment. Gu Caiyi froze for a moment before stepping forward quickly, grabbing the man's arm. "Lingjun, why aren't you staying safely at Fenghua Palace? What did you come here for?" Qu Lingjun shook his head. "With the sect facing disaster, how could I sit idly by? Besides, I have owed the Luotian Sect a great deal over the years. It is high time I took action." Owed a great deal? Decades ago, those present might have believed that. Now, however, no one harbored any doubts about Qu Lingjun. The fact that the Luotian Sect had continually produced Golden Core cultivators over the years was certainly due to their own diligent cultivation and the core-formation secret art Luo Chen had left behind, but it was also inseparable from Qu Lingjun's covert support. In particular, when the Luotian Sect fled to the Fenghua Domain, unlike other forces who struggled to find a foothold and had to fight local powers, they had immediately been granted an encampment with a Tier 3 spirit vein by Fenghua Palace. All of that had clearly been arranged through Qu Lingjun's influence. He was by no means the sort of person who forgot his roots after climbing to greater heights! It was just that... Gu Caiyi said between exasperation and amusement, "You are only at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. How could it possibly be your turn to fight?" Qu Lingjun smiled faintly and pointed to the woman beside him. "I naturally cannot, but my wife still possesses a fair bit of skill." The extraordinarily beautiful woman nodded in greeting. "Meng Qin'er of Fenghua Palace!" As she spoke, the spiritual pressure of a Golden Core cultivator gradually unfolded.