Chapter 274: Only for a Spar
The sunlight split across the distant mountain peaks and shone upon Sun Moxing. He raised his eyes to look; the glare made them sting slightly.
Sun Moxing’s mood did not improve with the rising sun. He still felt trapped.
He had originally thought that by coming to the Scripture Repository he could probe the Dao techniques stored within. Yet there was a Spirit Perception Realm cultivator inside, and he did not dare enter at all.
At present, let alone investigating the intelligence of the Clear Sky Sect, he did not even have time to go watch the Grand Dao Tournament.
The more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong. Why had he been stationed here the moment he arrived?
And that Spirit Perception Realm cultivator inside the Scripture Repository—why was he staying there without leaving?
Could it be that Zhao Zhen was deliberately targeting him?
This was not Sun Moxing’s first time infiltrating an Immortal Cultivation Sect. He had always been able to withdraw unscathed, relying on his instincts. The moment something felt off, he would pull away and leave.
“Forget it. I’ll find an opportunity to leave next. I’ll head north to take a look first, then come back later to gather information.”
He thought this through. In any case, when he returned to Ziyang Island, he would have to pass by the Clear Sky Sect.
Although the Grand Dao Tournament was still ongoing, disciples came to the Scripture Repository every day in great numbers. There were quite a few Outer Disciples like Sun Moxing guarding nearby. Under such circumstances, stealing a secret manual from within the Scripture Repository would not be easy.
Having made his decision, Sun Moxing felt a weight lift from his heart. He returned to his earlier composure and observed the disciples coming and going.
Standing guard here made time pass quickly.
As evening approached, finally a group of disciples arrived to relieve them.
He walked down the mountain with the disciples from his courtyard, chatting and laughing. It was only a rotation; he could not rid himself of this assignment for the time being. Unlike him, the other disciples in his courtyard were very satisfied with this duty. As long as they endured until the Grand Dao Tournament ended, they would all receive generous rewards, including the Clear Sky Sect’s most important Dao Fate.
Following the mountain path of Clear Sky Mountain downward, they talked and laughed, each carrying beautiful fantasies about the future.
Suddenly—
A group of female disciples approached from below, drawing the gazes of Sun Moxing’s courtyard companions.
Each of the female disciples possessed an outstanding bearing. Their laughter rang clearly, not quiet at all. At the very front was Yun Cai.
Yun Cai walked in front without speaking. With a cold expression, she looked extremely difficult to approach.
These female disciples were precisely the women who had come from Panchi City together with Yun Cai. After years in the sect, they had formed a small team centered around her, distributed among the various halls.
Yun Cai’s gaze was suddenly drawn to the group of disciples descending from the mountain. Her eyes fell on Sun Moxing, and her brows furrowed.
Sun Moxing noticed her gaze but did not pay much attention. He had not witnessed Yun Cai’s Dao duels before and did not know that she was currently the most talked-about genius within the sect.
The other disciples from his courtyard were the same. They had been assigned to the Scripture Repository shortly after entering the sect and had not seen many Dao duels, so naturally they had never seen Yun Cai.
Faced with this group of female disciples whose presence was far from weak, Sun Moxing and the others instinctively fell silent.
As the two sides were about to meet, Sun Moxing’s group chose to step aside and give way.
Yet Yun Cai stopped in front of Sun Moxing and cast him a sideways glance. That single look made his heart skip a beat—he felt as though he had been seen through.
This woman’s cultivation was not low!
Sun Moxing immediately shifted his gaze away. He trusted his Aura Concealment Method. Even the Spirit Perception Realm cultivator in the Scripture Repository had not detected him. It was impossible for a Nourishing Vital Energy Realm cultivator to see through him.
However, Yun Cai’s voice rang out, “Come with me.”
The moment those words fell, Sun Moxing looked up at her in astonishment. The other disciples from his courtyard were also stunned.
“Yun Cai, do you know him?” one female disciple asked curiously.
Yun Cai!
The name caused Sun Moxing and the others’ expressions to change. Recently, they had often heard her name. Her momentum had already surpassed Zhao Zhen and Hu Yan. More and more people believed she was the Clear Sky Sect’s number one genius.
Yun Cai replied, “I don’t know him. I just want to ask him something.”
The female disciples nodded and all turned their gazes toward Sun Moxing.
Though Yun Cai held no real authority, she was personally instructed by the Sect Master. If she wanted to question a disciple, who would dare obstruct her?
The disciples who lived in the same courtyard as Sun Moxing were all suppressed by the presence of the female disciples and did not dare speak up for him.
“Are you coming or not?” Yun Cai asked again, her eyes carrying a trace of threat.
Unease stirred in Sun Moxing’s heart. He could only brace himself and agree.
He followed Yun Cai toward a nearby forest. The female disciples remained where they were to wait. The disciples from Sun Moxing’s courtyard showed some loyalty and did not leave either, also waiting in place.
Walking behind Yun Cai, Sun Moxing felt uneasy, uncertain why she had sought him out.
If she had truly seen through his cultivation, how should he explain it?
He forced himself to calm down.
This was the Clear Sky Sect after all. Unless absolutely necessary, he must not make a move.
They walked all the way into a deserted part of the forest. Yun Cai turned around and looked at Sun Moxing.
“Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm. Speak. What is your background?”
Sun Moxing’s expression changed slightly. He had not expected her to truly see through his cultivation.
“What Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm?” he said, unwilling to give up.
Yun Cai’s expression remained indifferent. “You don’t want to make this a big matter, do you?”
At this point, Sun Moxing knew he had to change tactics.
He took a deep breath. “I bear no ill intent. I am a wandering cultivator who wishes to settle down here. I joined the Clear Sky Sect several months ago. I have not done anything out of line. You may inquire with other disciples. During this period, I have been standing guard outside the Scripture Repository.”
After hearing this, Yun Cai did not question him. Instead, she stared at him with blazing eyes.
“Shall we have a spar?”
“What?”
Sun Moxing froze, thinking he had misheard.
He had considered many possibilities, but never expected she had come merely to spar with him.
He frowned. “Is that appropriate?”
Yun Cai said, “Don’t worry. Even if the matter grows and others arrive, I will speak for you.”
Looking into her eyes, Sun Moxing felt displeased. She seemed to be looking at prey.
He had heard of Yun Cai—Eighth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, only twenty-five years old.
She knew he was at the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, yet still dared to challenge him?
These junior disciples of the Clear Sky Sect were truly detestable!
In a low voice, Sun Moxing asked, “If you lose, you won’t fly into a rage out of humiliation, will you?”
Yun Cai raised her brows. “I won’t lose.”
Those words infuriated Sun Moxing.
Were the cultivators of the Nine Provinces truly so shallow in experience? Did they not know that the gap between realms could not be crossed?
“Then come!”
He lifted his hand, producing a jade fan. His entire bearing changed abruptly. The afterglow of the setting sun streamed into the forest and fell upon him. The aura of the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm flared up like blazing flames.
Yun Cai’s eyes turned silver-blue. The instant that change occurred, she lunged toward Sun Moxing.
…
Night gradually deepened.
Li Qingqiu walked into Lingxiao Courtyard and saw Zhang Yuchun, Jiang Zhaoxia, Li Dongyue, and Li Sifeng seated around a long table in discussion.
“Senior Brother, you’ve finally arrived. A mysterious cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm infiltrated the sect and was discovered by Yun Cai. What do you think we should do?” Li Dongyue asked as she looked at Li Qingqiu.
A smile hung on Zhang Yuchun’s face. Rarely did he not feel worried about such a matter.
Jiang Zhaoxia’s brows were tightly furrowed, clearly deep in thought.
Li Sifeng toyed with his wine gourd, his gaze also landing on Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu walked over and sat beside Li Dongyue. “What happened? Explain clearly.”
Li Dongyue immediately recounted what had occurred at dusk.
Yun Cai had run into Sun Moxing and proposed a spar. In the end, she severely injured him. The commotion of their Dao duel had been too great, alerting other disciples. After learning that Sun Moxing was a wandering cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, the upper ranks of the sect were alarmed, which was why the four of them had gathered here.
“Where is he now?” Li Qingqiu asked.
Zhang Yuchun replied, “He has been sent back to the courtyard where he previously lived. Yun Cai did not allow us to arrest him, so we could only assign people to guard that courtyard.”
Li Qingqiu nodded. “Since Yun Cai made him a promise, we must honor it. This wandering cultivator has not done anything out of line since joining, correct?”
Zhang Yuchun shook his head. “No. His assignment to the Scripture Repository was coincidental. With Zhao Zhen stationed inside, he had no chance to cause trouble. We can observe him further.”
Back then, Shen Yue had come to challenge Li Qingqiu and joined the Clear Sky Sect after his defeat. With many precedents like that, encountering a wandering cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm made Zhang Yuchun inclined to attempt recruitment first.
Cultivating a Ninth Layer Nourishing Vital Energy Realm cultivator was no easy task.
Li Qingqiu knew that Sun Moxing was a spy from another Immortal Cultivation Sect. If Sun Moxing did not possess the Three Hearts Two Minds Fate Trait, he would not have gone through so many twists and turns.
Now that Sun Moxing’s movements had been exposed openly, it was just as well. It allowed others to handle the matter.
“I don’t think he’s a wandering cultivator. A wandering cultivator would not be this formidable,” Li Qingqiu said.
Zhang Yuchun nodded; he thought the same. He was already considering how to recruit Sun Moxing.
Jiang Zhaoxia looked at Li Qingqiu. “Senior Brother, when Yun Cai reaches the Spirit Perception Realm, may I spar with her?”
After learning that Yun Cai had defeated a Ninth Layer Nourishing Vital Energy Realm cultivator while at the Eighth Layer, Jiang Zhaoxia’s impression of her had completely changed.
A second Xu Ning had appeared!
He could not surpass Xu Ning—surely he would not be overtaken by another woman as well?
Li Qingqiu smiled and nodded. “She will certainly be delighted.”
Although he was full of confidence and expectation toward Yun Cai, her performance this year had still surprised him.
Ever since she began studying the Primordial Unity Scripture, it felt as though she had entered an unprecedented phase of explosive growth in strength.
“It seems the First Place of this Grand Dao Tournament has already been decided,” Zhang Yuchun said with a smile. He had a good impression of Yun Cai.
Yun Cai was very similar to Xu Ning—she listened only to Li Qingqiu and did not hold power. Zhang Yuchun hoped there would be more genius disciples like them. They could consolidate the Sect Master’s authority without affecting the power of the sect’s upper ranks.
Not everyone could treat power like dirt. The higher one’s talent, the easier it was for ambition to grow. Genius disciples like Xu Ning and Yun Cai were rare within the sect.
Li Sifeng recalled how his two sons had praised Yun Cai. His feelings were complicated. He had previously witnessed Yun Cai’s Dao duel and had to admit he was not her match.
Being surpassed by the younger generation did not feel pleasant.
Meanwhile—
Sun Moxing lay on his bed, staring at the bright moon outside the window. He gritted his teeth as two streams of tears slid down from the corners of his eyes.
He had been utterly defeated.