Chapter 62: Laugh by Day, Cry by Night!

“Liu Jiejie… shouldn’t you go hide for a while…?”

Liu Yiyi was practicing fist techniques alone in the training ground, each movement steady and composed, her punches slicing through the air as her sleeves fluttered.

Sunlight spilled over her, gilding her cold, solitary figure with a faint golden edge.

Behind her, a timid female voice suddenly spoke—soft, careful, laced with quiet concern.

She halted her fists and turned toward the sound.

It was a girl of average build, with a pretty face and a trace of youthful innocence still lingering in her brows; she now gazed at her nervously, fingers twisting her hem, clearly having mustered great courage to speak.

Liu Yiyi recognized her—this was a new junior sister who had joined just a few days ago, named Wang Siyi.

That day, the girl had gotten lost inside the mountain gate and happened to meet her; she had simply shown her the way.

Beyond that, they had only exchanged glances in the training ground, never spoken a word.

She hadn’t expected the girl to remember her.

“Why hide?”

Liu Yiyi’s voice was cold, her expression utterly unreadable, as if asking about something trivial.

“Uh…” Wang Siyi froze, then lowered her voice, speaking quickly:

“Liu Jiejie, I heard… Xu Jiejie’s fiancé, the inner sect’s true disciple Jin Hai, isn’t just powerful—he’s also extremely domineering and fiercely protective of his own…”

She glanced furtively toward the inner sect, her voice dropping even further:

“I think Xu Jiejie just went straight to the inner sect to complain… I’m afraid you’ll get hurt…”

The timid voice brimmed with genuine worry.

Though many outer sect disciples thought Liu Yiyi too cold and hard to approach,

Wang Siyi found Liu Jiejie’s aloof, lofty demeanor incredibly cool.

She adored it.

Unfortunately, she was timid by nature and only at the initial stage of Dark Force cultivation.

She never dared raise her voice, let alone stand up for Liu Yiyi in front of Xu Qinghuan’s clique.

All she could do was sneak over now to give a warning.

“Can I avoid it once, and then avoid it again?!”

Liu Yiyi shook her head slightly, her tone devoid of anger or resignation—only a calm clarity that had seen through the world.

Then she turned her gaze away from Wang Siyi and resumed her practice, each punch and kick as steady as before.

Wang Siyi stood frozen, staring at that serene back, unsure what to say.

Just then.

Boom! Boom! Boom…

A rapid, heavy rush of air erupted along the path to the inner sect.

A brilliant golden light shot toward them like a falling star, moving with astonishing speed; the air tore with sharp whistles, and fallen leaves were whipped into spirals by the gale.

“That’s…”

All outer sect disciples in the training ground paled, their eyes snapping to the rapidly approaching golden light.

The Transmission Master’s composure shattered instantly, his eyes flashing with unmistakable shock:

“Damn… how did he get here so fast…?”

In just a few breaths, the golden light landed squarely on the training ground.

Boom!

The impact shattered the hard ground beneath his feet into fragments, stones spraying outward.

The golden light faded, revealing the true form beneath.

It was a tall young man, his skin as black as charcoal, as if he’d just crawled out of a coal pile.

His features were rugged, his brow heavy with an enduring ferocity; his eyes, sharp as falcons, made everyone lower their gaze.

His aura surged with a piercing sharpness that dared no one to meet it directly—he was like a drawn blade, fully exposed, and even standing still, he sent chills down spines.

In his arms, he held someone firmly—Xu Qinghuan.

Xu Qinghuan nestled against him, her alluring face flushed with grievance, eyes slightly red as if she’d just cried, yet deep within them glinted a trace of triumph.

“It’s Jin Hai, the true disciple of Jin Hai Peak!!!”

Someone cried out in alarm, voice trembling with terror.

Many outer sect disciples had glimpsed this famed true disciple from afar; now they recognized him instantly. The crowd erupted:

“Heaven… Xu Qinghuan really called him over!!!”

“That was fast! How did he get here from the inner sect so quickly?!”

“Embracing the Dan realm… this is the power of the Embracing the Dan realm…”

“Jin Hai is just as rumored—black as charcoal, fierce as a demon…”

The Transmission Master turned pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, yet he forced himself forward.

He mustered a forced smile and bowed: “Greetings, True Disciple Jin.”

Jin Hai cast him a cold glance, his gaze like blades scraping skin, sharp enough to make it ache.

He paid him no mind—not even a nod—only tilted his head slightly, letting Xu Qinghuan speak against his chest.

Ignored so thoroughly, the Transmission Master’s smile froze; he dared not show the slightest resentment, standing helplessly, neither advancing nor retreating, sweat trickling faster down his brow.

“Hai-gege~~~”

Xu Qinghuan clung to him, her alluring face brimming with grievance; she extended a pale finger, pointing viciously at the cold figure at the edge of the training ground:

“That bitch hit me!!!”

“She hurt me so much…”

“I’ve never suffered such pain in my life.”

Jin Hai’s gaze snapped instantly to Liu Yiyi.

His gaze was like two invisible blades, carrying the pressure of an Embracing the Dan cultivator, piercing straight toward her.

Liu Yiyi’s expression remained as cold and calm as ever.

She did not flinch from his gaze, nor show the slightest fear—she simply returned it steadily, like a winter plum standing firm in snow and wind, unmoved by the howling gales.

But Wang Siyi, standing just behind her, felt her heart nearly stop.

The invisible pressure made her legs weaken, nearly buckling beneath her.

She bit her lip hard, stifling any sound, but her eyes were already red.

She couldn’t imagine how Liu Jiejie would possibly handle this…

In the training ground, every eye fixed on Liu Yiyi.

Their gazes held pity, sympathy, tension, and even malicious delight.

Some shook their heads in sighs, others clenched their fists nervously, still others smirked, waiting for the show.

Almost everyone could foresee the fate awaiting this cold, aloof woman.

For Jin Hai’s tyrannical brutality was known to all in the Tianqing Sect.

Jin Hai stared coldly at Liu Yiyi, then finally spoke:

“You. Come kneel before Qinghuan and beg for forgiveness. Then cut off one finger. I’ll spare you this time.”

His voice scraped like steel on iron, each word sharp as a blade.

The moment he finished, the air in the training ground seemed to freeze.

Everyone’s expression changed.

For a mere dispute, he demanded kneeling, confession, and a severed finger…

How tyrannical!

How arrogant!

Yet no one dared speak—not even a breath was raised.

Liu Yiyi gazed steadily at Jin Hai, her cold eyes as calm as still water, as if his words had merely brushed past her ear like wind.

She didn’t move—not so much as a flicker of her eyelashes.

On Jin Hai’s charcoal-black face, expression finally shifted.

The ferocity in his brow nearly solidified; he ground out two words through clenched teeth: “Boldness!!!”

The instant the words left his lips, his right hand blazed with blinding golden light.

The radiance was fierce and sharp, like an invisible blade about to be unsheathed; the surrounding temperature seemed to plummet several degrees.

Simultaneously, no one noticed a sliver of blood-moon-like blade-light flicker in the corner and vanish.

The next instant.

“Jin Hai!”

A deep, commanding voice roared like thunder through the training ground.

A pale blue glow, laced with violent moisture, surged from the mountain path and landed firmly beside Liu Yiyi.

The light faded, revealing a refined yet furious face—Xie Tang, Elder of the Xuan Shui Peak.

“Young man, don’t be so arrogant. This place does not allow your recklessness!”

At the sight of him, the blood-moon blade-light in the corner slowly retracted, as if it had never appeared.

“You made it just in time, Elder Xie!!!”

The Transmission Master’s long-tense heart finally settled.

He exhaled deeply, his back soaked in cold sweat.

Though the sect has prohibitions, someone like Jin Hai, who acts so erratic, tyrannical, and brutal, cannot be judged by ordinary standards.

Who knows what this madman might do?

Fortunately, Xie Tang arrived in time, and the situation was finally stabilized.

“It’s Elder Xie Tang from Xianshui Peak!!!”

“The rumors are true—Liu Yiyi really does have powerful backing...”

“No wonder she isn’t afraid of Xu Qinghuan...”

The outer-disciple students whispered among themselves, their faces filled with sudden understanding.

So this cold, aloof woman also had a Golden Core Elder standing behind her.

No wonder she dared confront Xu Qinghuan head-on, no wonder she remained unmoved before Jin Hai.

Some quietly exhaled in relief; others’ gleeful malice turned to wariness.

“If you’re not bold and brash, are you even young?”

Jin Hai retorted without restraint, his jet-black face twisted with arrogance, not a trace of reverence in his eyes.

Before his words had even faded...

The golden light in his hand suddenly condensed into a three-foot golden blade, its form solid as real steel, its edge gleaming with icy radiance, shrieking as it tore through the air and slashed toward Liu Yiyi’s wrist.

The motion suggested he meant to sever her entire wrist!

Everyone present paled, their hearts nearly stopping.

Wang Siyi’s pupils contracted sharply, her lovely face turning bone-white in an instant.

This Jin Hai was so tyrannical—he didn’t even spare an Elder’s face, striking openly before all.

“Arrogant!!!”

Even Xie Tang’s refined features now showed unrestrained fury.

He slammed one hand forward; pale-blue true qi surged forth like a tidal wave.

Then the qi solidified into a massive hammer that met the golden blade head-on. Instantly, thick vapor filled the air, damp and chilling.

BOOM—!!!

A thunderous crash exploded above the training ground.

The shockwave from their clash swept outward like a gale, sending surrounding disciples tumbling.

Some of the weaker disciples felt as if they could no longer breathe.

Pebbles on the ground trembled and leapt; vapor mingled with lingering golden light, creating a hazy blur.

Xie Tang subtly stepped back two paces, shielding Liu Yiyi.

Jin Hai remained rooted in place, not an inch moved.

Clearly, in this brief clash, he held a slight advantage.

The golden blade in his hand had vanished, yet his overbearing aura grew even fiercer, like a black war god.

Everyone’s pupils shrank to needle-points.

The rumors were true!

Jin Hai’s strength truly surpasses some Elders.

“Hai-gege~~~ You’re amazing~~~”

Xu Qinghuan’s seductive eyes seemed to drip liquid, her voice thick and languid, as if it could be squeezed into honey.

She clung to Jin Hai’s arms, watching the fearful stares around her, her lips curling into a smug smile.

Her gorgeous face screamed: “What can you do about it?”

Her chin lifted high, like a proud peacock.

At the edge of the training ground...

Jiang Ye stared at Xu Qinghuan’s smug face, at her smug posture nestled against Jin Hai, and his lips twitched faintly, curling into the barest smile.

His withered fingers, tucked within his sleeve, slowly twisted.

“Laugh all you want now—I’ll make you cry until you have no strength left tonight.”