Chapter 90: A Mature Sword Spirit Should Ease Its Master

As everyone fled toward Jianfeng, Zhang Yunlu stood on a sloping rock jutting outward, gazing at the silver-gray tide in the distance.

After several minutes, she turned and leapt down from the rock.

There were simply too many of them—even if she had already “understood the principle,” once trapped, she’d likely never escape.

She had understood the principle of “danger,” not the principle of “seeking death.”

With a light step, her figure blurred like fleeting light, shooting toward the distance.

Meanwhile, beneath Jianfeng.

The broad flat ground was no longer empty except for Lin QiuXian.

Li Fengping, Jiang Jing, the alchemist from Jishigu, the body cultivator from Longxiang Qingtian Sect, and Feng Yuan—the wind-affiliated swordsman among the Three Little Swords of Jianzong.

Together with Lin QiuXian, there were six people total, each separated by at least twenty-five meters.

But soon, Lin QiuXian—the one closest to Jianfeng—stood up, and the other five turned their gazes toward him.

Lin QiuXian remained unmoved, his eyes sweeping over them: “Younger brothers, younger sisters, two fellow cultivators—who goes first?”

He calmly challenged the group.

Since the trial’s rules made teamwork virtually impossible, each person was a rival to the others.

“I’ll go first!” grunted the body cultivator from Longxiang Qingtian Sect.

Then he leapt forward, stepping within the twenty-meter range.

But!

His target was not Lin QiuXian—it was… Li Fengping.

Li Fengping, utterly bewildered, was pulled into the combat space alongside the Longxiang Qingtian Sect body cultivator.

Wait, what?!

If he truly had to fight, he wanted to fight the Jishigu alchemist! Not out of fear—just because battling a Longxiang Qingtian Sect body cultivator meant physical agony and mental torment! But it was too late to regret.

As Li Fengping and the Longxiang Qingtian Sect body cultivator entered the combat space,

The Jishigu alchemist moved as well.

But he too did not choose Lin QiuXian; instead, he bowed to Feng Yuan beside him.

“I humbly request your guidance, fellow cultivator.”

Feng Yuan smiled carefree: “Of course.”

The two entered the combat space.

Jiang Jing: “...”

So I’m the only one left with no choice?

“I humbly request your guidance, Senior Brother Lin.”

After all, according to the rules, this was inevitable.

“Hmm, I accept your challenge, younger sister.” To Lin QiuXian, the order didn’t matter.

Jiang Jing stepped forward.

“Aaaah!”

The sudden scream made her freeze mid-step.

She turned back—there, a Huanhuan Sect charm cultivator was being chased by over a dozen Tongxuan Grass Monsters.

Hmm...

Why could she instantly tell this was a Huanhuan Sect charm cultivator? Because her clothing was “torn” in a uniquely distinctive way—the parts that should’ve been torn weren’t, while irrelevant areas were shredded.

Still, she ran fast—far ahead of the Tongxuan Grass Monsters chasing her.

The Huanhuan Sect charm cultivator screamed all the way until she reached Jiang Jing’s vicinity.

Then, right under Lin QiuXian’s nose, both vanished together.

Only Lin QiuXian remained beneath Jianfeng.

“...”

After a few seconds of silence, he drew his sword.

It was the one he’d just taken from Li Fengping; though the Tongxuan Grass Monsters’ blade-arms could be used, they were no match for a true sword.

He planned to eliminate the Tongxuan Grass Monsters first, then wait for others to emerge.

This time, he wouldn’t issue challenges—whomever emerged, he’d find them.

The Tongxuan Grass Monsters drew nearer; Lin QiuXian prepared to strike.

But at fifty meters from Jianfeng, they suddenly halted.

They roared skyward, thrashing their arms in agitation, yet refused to advance another step—as if the space ahead were an absolute taboo.

Huh? Could it be...

“I see.” Lin QiuXian sheathed his sword. “Within fifty meters of this mountain is a safe zone.”

Understanding this, he sat back down, meditated quietly, and began adjusting his state.

The remaining participants would grow stronger—he must ensure he remained at peak condition.

Seeing Lin QiuXian no longer cared, and the agitated Tongxuan Grass Monsters, after their roaring, gave up.

But they didn’t leave—instead, they began wandering around.

Occasionally, they overturned nearby rocks, as if searching for hidden people.

Han Yun: “...”

This third trial was terribly unfriendly to someone like me—a “steady-flow” cultivator!...

The usable area continued shrinking.

Aside from the silver-gray tide slowly spreading inward from the periphery, the Tongxuan Grass Monsters roaming the realm had also become obstacles for many trial participants heading toward Jianfeng.

High above the realm,

Two figures appeared silently beneath the crimson moon.

Chi JiuYu held two paper food bags, peering curiously downward.

After Jiang Yujiu’s livestream was muted, to calm herself, she’d ordered some snacks.

Just as the delivery arrived, she learned her uncle was coming into the realm.

Of course she couldn’t miss it—so she followed along.

“Oh? Only this many left?”

Chi JiuYu’s realm wasn’t suppressed; her spiritual sense swept across and instantly counted the remaining trial participants.

Thirty-seven.

“Huh? There’s still someone hiding over there.” She glanced at Han Yun’s position. “These Taishang Dao Sect bastards are truly sneaky.”

“Zhang Yunlu’s performance isn’t bad, though.”

As she commented, she sat cross-legged.

A golden-green longsword flew out and hovered before Chi JiuYu; she placed the two paper food bags atop its blade.

Then, she pulled out a golden-fried chicken leg from the bag and bit into it with a crisp crunch.

Wum~ The golden-green sword emitted a slightly pained chime.

“No, no, I’d never mistreat you—you’re my most important companion,” Chi JiuYu said seriously. “But a mature sword spirit doesn’t just aid its master in battle—it also eases their burdens in daily life, right?”

Her soul sword’s spirit had never been very sentient; after this manipulation, it hesitated, emitting an uncertain chime.

Wum~?

Is that really true?

“Of course it is!”

...This woman was literally psychologically manipulating her own soul sword’s spirit! Bam! Chi JiuYu suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of her head.

“Who’s there?!”

She spun around—but behind her, nothing but the crimson moon.

Could it be...

“Uncle?”

“You’re imagining things. If I wanted to hit you, I wouldn’t sneak up on you,” Xu Xing said coolly.

Chi JiuYu froze—actually, that made sense.

Then who?

She muttered under her breath and went back to gnawing her chicken leg, watching the trial participants below.

As she chewed, she suddenly remembered something.

She turned stiffly again, staring at the bright, pale crimson moon.

This... was a sword-nurturing realm, wasn’t it?

So it couldn’t possibly be...

Glug!

Chi JiuYu quickly shuffled closer to Xu Xing and looked up.

“Uncle, by the way—I’ve never seen your sword. What’s its name?”

So she finally realized.

“Moonshadow.”

“Huh?”

“My sword’s name is [Moonshadow].”

"Huh? Why was such a name chosen?"

No sooner had these words left her mouth than Chi Jiu Yu felt a chill crawl down her back—as if some terrifying presence was staring at her with unblinking intensity, making her sit on pins and needles.

No, that’s not it!

I’m not saying your name is problematic—I’m just genuinely curious! Truly!

You’ve got to believe me!

"Because…"

Why was such a name chosen in the first place?

Xu Xing still remembered this matter clearly.

"I wanted back then to be like this name—to be able to change something."

This was an aspiration only he understood.

【Moon Shadow】? Which of these two characters has anything to do with change?

Chi Jiu Yu looked utterly baffled.

Yet she felt that, as her aunt spoke those words, the icy chill at her back vanished instantly, as if spring wind had melted frozen ice.

Phew~ She turned around cautiously and saw the red moon hanging still, its surface rippling with concentric waves.

Her aunt’s words really worked!…………

Meanwhile, near Jianfeng.

Lin Qiu Xian suddenly opened his eyes and stared in one direction.

It wasn’t that the combatants had yet determined a victor.

A figure wreathed in violet lightning burst forth from the pile of broken rocks and swiftly entered the safe zone near Jianfeng.

Despite the search by over a dozen Tong Xuan Grass Demons, Han Yun ultimately could not remain hidden.

Retreating was impossible—it would’ve been even more dangerous—so he had no choice but to charge in.

Seeing Lin Qiu Xian just ahead, Han Yun’s expression stiffened, yet he still bowed slightly.

"Yang Sen of the Taishang Dao Sect, greetings, fellow cultivator."

So he’s from the Taishang Dao Sect—no wonder I couldn’t detect his hiding spot.

"Lin Qiu Xian of the Sword Sect, greetings, fellow cultivator."

The two exchanged formal bows.

Then Lin Qiu Xian drew his longsword immediately: "I request your instruction."

Without waiting for Han Yun’s reply, he walked straight toward him.

Han Yun was startled.

Wait, fellow cultivator—we’ve only just formally met! Can’t we chat first? If you really must, this humble Daoist even brought some tea—shall we sit and sip together? As Lin Qiu Xian advanced one step, Han Yun retreated one step.

One advanced, one retreated—until they ended up chasing each other around Jianfeng.

Not to be underestimated—Han Yun, as a magic cultivator, moved with astonishing speed; Lin Qiu Xian couldn’t catch up for the moment.

As the two chased each other—

Zhang Yunlu arrived nearby and paused upon seeing this scene.

What are they doing? With both moving so fast and circling Jianfeng, it was impossible at first glance to tell who was chasing whom.

Whatever.

She didn’t overthink it, stepped forward, and slashed one Tong Xuan Grass Demon with a single sword strike before entering the safe zone.

Han Yun, at that very moment, happened to flee toward this side—there was no time to avoid her.

Their gazes met—one startled, the other calm.

But the next instant, both vanished.

Lin Qiu Xian: "…"

Again?! And again?! I got cut off again!

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(End of Chapter)