Chapter 644: “Demon Purification

“To spar with a prodigy like Brother Zhu, this junior is more than willing.”

Lin Changsheng spoke politely, but his hands showed no courtesy whatsoever—he casually took the elixir from Yi Ming True Person’s grasp.

Du Ruoheng: “...”

He always felt that Little Changsheng had changed considerably since the Immortal Sect Competition.

Could it be the effect of the Joyful Sect’s “Emotional Fraud Prevention”?

“...” Yi Ming True Person paused, then finally smiled, “Then I’ll leave it to you, young friend.”

“Senior, you’re too kind.”

Then Lin Changsheng turned to Zhu Feng.

“Brother Zhu, please follow me.”

Though he’s among the top of his generation’s Soul Transformation cultivators, it’s not easy for him either!

As a swordsman, he must nurture his primordial sword—and now he’s also got ‘Qing,’ brought back from a mission world.

She’s currently obsessed with alchemy, and her early material expenses all rely on him to fund...

I just hope she can actually produce something worthwhile.

Sigh~

Being a swordsman is truly not easy.

It seems that once my realm stabilizes, I should carve out time to study metallurgy more deeply.

These past few years, I’ve focused solely on cultivation and neglected metallurgy quite a bit...

Lin Changsheng put away the elixir, thinking about his future plans.

He paid little attention to Zhu Feng, the one he was about to face.

After all, this guy is truly weak in his eyes...

Though he’s a Soul Transformation cultivator, any random prodigy from the Immortal Sect Competition could single-handedly beat him senseless.

Zhu Feng was unaware of Lin Changsheng’s thoughts; he raised an eyebrow, his challenge intensifying:

“Then I humbly ask, Brother Lin, for your guidance.”

Lin Changsheng snapped back to attention.

He completely ignored the challenge in Zhu Feng’s eyes and smiled:

“Brother Zhu, you’re too modest.”

Soon, both bowed to Yi Ming True Person and Du Ruoheng, then turned and left together.

Watching their retreating figures,

“Senior, isn’t it a bit too much to have your disciple face Little Changsheng?”

Though both are Soul Transformation cultivators, their gap is far from ordinary.

Let him suffer a little, learn his place.

He founded [Qiu Zhen] many years ago and has taken on seven disciples; the first six are now capable of standing on their own.

Only this youngest disciple has had smooth sailing since beginning cultivation, breeding a haughty, arrogant nature.

That’s why he brought him here—to temper his temper...

Sharpness is important.

But sharpness without ability is merely insolent foolishness.

“Senior, your intentions are deeply thoughtful.”

“I merely worry he’ll keep acting this way and bring trouble upon himself...”

The two walked and chatted as they entered the Sect Master’s Hall.

Meanwhile,

Lin Changsheng first took Zhu Feng to submit his mission report.

Then, based on Qing Fa’s information, he exchanged a batch of spirit herbs and sent his primordial sword back to his cave dwelling.

As a swordsman who had been self-reliant since beginning cultivation, he had long ago obtained licenses for sword-riding passenger transport, flying-sword parcel delivery, and intermediate sword-smithing.

As Shenghuang Yuan once said:

In the cultivation world, more skills never weigh you down!

Not to mention his lifelong idol, the Sword Ancestor, who mastered all arts!

After circling the entire Immortal Sword Sect under the pretense of “touring its scenic beauty,” he finally arrived at the usual sparring arena.

Rolling mountain ranges stretched endlessly; countless mystic mirrors glided between peaks, displaying the outcomes of each arena’s battles.

Everywhere he looked, square-shaped arenas rose and fell, hovering above flat ground, mountain slopes, and cloud-capped peaks.

Fierce sword qi crisscrossed, shredding the mist that clung to the mountains.

Yet due to the barrier array, the howling sword qi remained confined within safe boundaries.

Most arenas were crowded with onlookers, but the four highest ones—radiating terrifying bloodlust, dark red as if forged from dried blood, with banners snapping in the wind—remained untouched.

Zhu Feng gazed at the open-air sparring grounds.

He remembered the Immortal Sword Sect had specialized combat spaces designed to prevent outsiders from spying...

But fine.

To face a Sword Sect prodigy before the public and defeat him honorably—that was his goal!

“There’s an arena unoccupied over there, Brother Zhu. Let’s fight there.”

Lin Changsheng quickly spotted an empty arena.

Zhu Feng frowned:

“Aren’t those top four arenas also empty?”

He stared at the four utterly distinct arenas above.

“Oh! You mean those?” Lin Changsheng glanced and explained, “Those are the ‘Zhi Ge’ and ‘Xue Zhan’ arenas borrowed from the Dragon-Elephant Holding Heaven Sect.”

And they’re upgraded versions.

The Dragon-Elephant Holding Heaven Sect’s ‘Zhi Ge’ arena currently has three versions.

The first is the one sold publicly in Xuanjian City—generally, as long as your performance is decent, the arena won’t berate you too harshly.

The second is the internal version used by the Dragon-Elephant Holding Heaven Sect itself; supposedly, its mental assault ability far surpasses the first.

As for the third...

It’s this upgraded version before us—no matter your performance, win or lose, it unleashes merciless mental assault upon you.

Rumor says the Sword Ancestor borrowed them, but no one knows why...

“Brother Zhu, want to try one of those?”

“...” Zhu Feng fell silent for a moment. “A normal one is fine.”

He’d heard of the Dragon-Elephant Holding Heaven Sect’s ‘Zhi Ge’ arena before.

Though Zhu Feng was confident in himself, his opponent this time was a Sword Sect prodigy—if he lost...

Lin Changsheng wasn’t surprised by his retreat.

After all, anyone with a functioning brain wouldn’t fight on a ‘Zhi Ge’ arena.

As for body cultivators...

Those body cultivator brutes have never had much sense anyway.

“Let’s go.”

Lin Changsheng floated ahead toward the empty arena.

Zhu Feng hesitated, glanced once more at the four high arenas, then followed.

Many sword cultivators passed by, most focused on the arena matches, so the two attracted little attention on their way.

Soon, they reached the vicinity of the empty arena.

Lin Changsheng landed on the arena, walked with practiced ease to a device near the edge, and prepared to inject a trace of magic power to activate the arena’s barrier array.

Zhu Feng had been watching the arena, but a striking figure appeared in his peripheral vision and instantly captured his attention.

The newcomer wore a simple black combat suit.

Her waist was slender as a willow branch, swaying gently.

Her silk-like long hair cascaded down her back, lightly tied with a silver ribbon.

Her skin outshone snow, her neck long and elegant—but most striking were her eyes, clear as a mountain spring.

Her phoenix eyes tilted slightly upward; a vermilion mole, shaped like a tear, adorned her left corner, like a red plum painted on her pale, delicate skin.

She glowed like the moon in a cold night, too radiant to gaze upon directly.

Zhu Feng’s eyes flickered with awe.

As she drew nearer, a strange unease stirred within him.

Could she have recognized him?

How should he greet her?

Casually?

Or warmly?

Just as Zhu Feng was lost in thought, she didn’t even glance at him—she passed right by and landed near Lin Changsheng.

Lin Changsheng, upon seeing her, raised an eyebrow:

"Old Yue? You're here so early."

As he spoke, a thread of magic power flowed into the arena, activating the barrier array.

"I don't have time to fight you today—I still need to face Brother Zhu."