Heart's Blood 07

In the world of cultivation, time flows unheeded, and soon the annual Grand Sect Tournament of Jiuchen arrived. For the thousands of outer and inner disciples, this tournament was a golden opportunity to leap over the dragon’s gate. Whether one could rise to fame in a single stroke and pave a relatively smooth path for their future cultivation depended entirely on this day.

"Truth be told, our outer sect matches don't attract much attention," a short-haired disciple chattered. He was well-connected among the outer sect, friendly to everyone, and loved gossip, making him a walking encyclopedia of Jiuchen’s affairs. With the tournament imminent, many disciples sought him out for information, so he simply addressed them all at once. "The inner sect disciples and the great Daoist Lords are only watching to see if there are any talents worth noting. If not, the outer sect matches pass by without a ripple. We’re given the name 'Phoenix Duel,' which is really just our seniors being kind—implying that while our talents aren't apparent early on, we will eventually chirp like fledgling phoenixes and make a name for ourselves. One can only hope!"

"The real focus of the sect is the 'Dragon Duel' among inner sect disciples. Those are the high-profile figures at the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stages. Every year, someone challenges the true-disciples in hopes of seizing their rank. It’s intense, educational, and we learn a lot just by watching."

Li Lingchen listened to the disciple’s endless prattling. The youth glanced at Li Lingchen, clearly not considering him part of the group he was describing. "To enter the inner sect, one must place in the top ten across all three trials of the Phoenix Duel, and ideally, have one's spiritual veins fully opened. In the past, there were unlucky souls who placed first in all three trials but were disqualified because they neglected to open their spiritual veins—leaving even an inch obscured. What a tragedy!"

The crowd clicked their tongues, acting as if they were the geniuses who had suffered such a fall, when in reality, most couldn't even reach the top ten.

The short-haired disciple chuckled and continued, "Secondly, for those of us who don't aspire to the inner sect, we cannot slack off! It doesn't matter if your ranking is poor, but if you fail even one trial, all your past hard work will be for naught! Such disciples are expelled from the sect immediately. Naturally, the same applies to the inner sect."

Everyone knew this well; aside from a few anxious souls, most remained calm. After all, to be an outer disciple of the Jiuchen Sect was to be a talent nurtured by any mid-tier sect elsewhere. If they lacked the confidence to even survive here, how could they talk of pursuing immortality?

Seeing the others grow impatient, the short-haired disciple didn't take offense. He bowed slightly and said with a smile, "Although the Phoenix Duel isn't widely watched, we have a few figures this year. First—" He gestured toward the west, "is Senior Brother Lu Mao. He has not only entered the Foundation Establishment stage but has also achieved the 'splitting stone into gold' realm in swordsmanship. Even against inner sect disciples, he holds his own."

"And then," he looked at Li Lingchen, "there is Senior Brother Li. I won't say much since he is here, but his cultivation is plain for all to see."

Regardless of their private thoughts, the disciples offered praises and congratulations. Li Lingchen found this tiresome, but since the upcoming information concerned him, he waited patiently.

"Senior Brother Du Wuyue, Senior Sister Lin Qing... these are the prominent figures of our outer sect." He listed a few others before moving on. "As for the inner sect, the real main event—"

The disciples perked up. This was what mattered!

"There are too many dragons and phoenixes in the inner sect to name, and who is first or second doesn't concern us. But if you want to know whose matches are worth watching, there are a few to mention."

"Senior Brother Jiang Yanwen comes from the main branch of the Jiang family. He showed talent from a young age and reached the Golden Core stage at just over forty. He is already addressed as a 'True Man.' He is also a sword cultivator, and compared to Senior Brother Lu, Jiang is even further along. The thunderous rumbles at Understanding Peak recently were said to be caused by his advancement, which triggered a phenomenon in the heavens and earth."

That meant he already possessed his own sword and reached the state of resonance! Li Lingchen’s eyes flickered. After the shock, a surging battle intent welled up within him. Though his cultivation was still low, he vowed that one day, he would defeat Jiang Yanwen and win in glorious fashion.

He would prove that he was the best disciple his master ever had!

Li Lingchen stopped listening and returned to his room to cultivate, waiting to "unsheathe" his blade.

...

On the day of the tournament, one hundred and eighty-one bronze bells rang across Jiuchen. The majestic, ancient sound shook the peaks, its echoes traveling ten thousand miles.

The venue was set on Seeking Dao Peak. On the clouds above, great cultivators arrived one after another. Even those in seclusion sent avatars. Leng Fangxie arrived, his cold beauty drawing glances. Soon after, Jiang Jianyu arrived on a mist of water. She didn't care about the attention, simply floating beside Leng Fangxie to discuss the progress of a sword they were forging.

Finally, a gentle breeze swept through the empty seat. A handsome cultivator appeared with a smile—the current number one of Jiuchen, the Holy Venerable Fuxu!

"Apologies for the wait," Fuxu said softly. Even at the Tribulation stage, he lacked all arrogance. Among the observers, only Leng Fangxie and Jiang Jianyu held a lukewarm attitude. Jiang Jianyu stared at Fuxu, thinking to herself: *Hypocrite.*

The Sect Master, noticing the tension, attempted to bridge the gap by praising the disciple Leng Fangxie had brought back—Li Lingchen. Fuxu smiled faintly, though his eyes remained icy.

Deep within, Fuxu’s inner demon mocked him: "The Sect Master thinks he can foster your fondness for Li Lingchen, not knowing that is exactly why you despise him! Lowly born, extraordinary talent, cold and arrogant... how familiar. He is you from the past! You fear he will steal your reputation, your power, and most importantly, your beloved disciple!"

"Leng Fangxie prizes him—how do you know it wasn't stolen from you?"

"You are the world's greatest hypocrite, Fuxu. You don't care for the common people; you only care for yourself. A great Holy Venerable, fearing a mere novice—if word got out, it would be a laughingstock."

...

Down below, the first two trials concluded. Li Lingchen had crushed the veteran students to take first place on both lists. Lu Mao, the former top disciple, could only settle for second.

The third trial involved drawing lots for duels. Li Lingchen stood alone in a corner, his small frame radiating an unconventional aura. When he looked up toward the observation platform, he focused his spiritual energy to pierce the fog. He expected to see nothing, but suddenly, the mist cleared around one figure.

It was the elegant, white-clad Holy Venerable Fuxu.

Fuxu was smiling—a gentle, kind smile that seemed to see even a lowly Qi-refining disciple. Yet, Li Lingchen felt a chill. The smile felt... fake.

As he watched, Li Lingchen saw a crimson glow emanate from the Holy Venerable’s eyes, eventually turning them entirely blood-red.

Li Lingchen recoiled in shock, a memory of the demons who slaughtered his family flashing through his mind. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes, the figure was just a blur again.

Was it a hallucination? He looked around, but no one else seemed to have noticed anything.

*Could the second most powerful person in Jiuchen be a demon?*

Li Lingchen bit his lip, his heart heavy. The Holy Venerable, the man who detested him most, was staring down at him from the center of the platform.