After a long moment, it was still the white-bearded old man who reacted first. His body flashed as he leaped onto the stage and came to Chu Yuhong's side. After carefully examining him, he discovered that his entire body was intact and showed no signs of poisoning. Rather, it seemed he had been heavily wounded by an immortal treasure, his internal organs violently shaken.
He frowned, stood up, and looked at Zhang Xiaofan. He couldn't help but regard this youth in a new light, his gaze sweeping toward the black fire-tending stick that Zhang Xiaofan gripped tightly in his hand.
"You won." The white-bearded old man suppressed the doubts in his heart and said calmly.
Below the stage, the Chaoyang Peak disciples erupted in an uproar, but with the facts laid before their eyes, they were speechless. It was just that Chu Yuhong's defeat was too inexplicable, too inconceivable. Victory had clearly been within his grasp, yet suddenly, with a great roar, he had lost. It was truly unacceptable.
At this time, Zeng Shushu was also dumbstruck, but hearing the white-bearded old man speak those three words, he too rushed up, ran to Zhang Xiaofan's side, heavily slapped his shoulder, and laughed loudly: "Good lad, so you were hiding your true abilities!"
Zhang Xiaofan suddenly turned his head, his complexion like frost, coldly staring at him.
That pair of eyes was ice-cold, yet black!
Zeng Shushu suddenly felt a chill in his heart and said in surprise, "Xiaofan, what's wrong?"
Zhang Xiaofan trembled at his question, as if remembering something. His gaze immediately softened, and that strange icy feeling in his eyes vanished, returning to his usual appearance, though seemingly with some confusion. "Nothing, it's nothing. I'm fine. What's wrong?"
Zeng Shushu stared. "You still ask me what's wrong? Why don't you ask if you even know that you won this match?"
Zhang Xiaofan jumped in fright, surprised. "What, I won? I actually won?"
Zeng Shushu was even more frightened by him, his face paling slightly. He quickly reached out to feel Zhang Xiaofan's forehead. "This is terrible. You couldn't have been burned silly by that ball of fire just now, right?"
Zhang Xiaofan scratched his head. Then he saw several Chaoyang Peak disciples in the distance carrying the unconscious Chu Yuhong off the stage; a few of them even looked at him with resentment.
Watching those people walk further away, the scenes of the duel just now clearly emerged one by one in Zhang Xiaofan's mind. He subconsciously lowered his head, looking at that black fire-tending stick in his hand. This ugly short rod lay quietly in his hand, motionless. But in Zhang Xiaofan's eyes, this fire-tending stick that had accompanied him for two years had never been so unfamiliar, as if he had returned to that secluded valley from many years ago, reliving that terrifying nightmare.
"Smack." It was Zeng Shushu, watching Zhang Xiaofan stare blankly from the side, using the fan in his hand to knock his head. "What are you thinking about?"
Zhang Xiaofan shook his head, sighed, and put the fire-tending stick into his bosom. "Nothing. Let's go. Right, why did you come to watch my match?"
Zeng Shushu glanced at the fire-tending stick he put into his bosom. "Before the match started, I had nothing to do, so I came to watch your match. I didn't expect to actually see a good show. Eh, that three-eyed spirit monkey of yours today, what did you call it again..."
Zhang Xiaofan answered, "Xiao Hui."
Zeng Shushu said, "Right, Xiao Hui. Why didn't I see Xiao Hui today?"
Zhang Xiaofan shook his head. "Didn't see its shadow since early morning. It probably ran off somewhere to play with Da Huang again."
Zeng Shushu exclaimed "Aiya" with a face full of regret. Zhang Xiaofan watched this and couldn't help but wonder if this guy said he came to watch his match, but actually just wanted to see Xiao Hui?
"Wow!"
From afar, a great commotion suddenly arose. The two heard it clearly even from far away. They raised their eyes to look and saw that in the distant center, Qingyun Sect disciples had surrounded the area below the "Qian" stage, exclamations rising and falling.
Before Zhang Xiaofan could react, Zeng Shushu was already stamping his feet and shouting, "Terrible, terrible! I was so focused on watching you that I forgot the most important thing." Saying this, he grabbed Zhang Xiaofan and ran.
Zhang Xiaofan didn't understand why and asked while running, "What is it?"
Zeng Shushu had a face full of regret. "Lu Xueqi is competing there!"
Zhang Xiaofan couldn't help smiling. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a bit moved. He raised his eyes to look at this friend he had only known for two short days. Just now, beneath that cold and empty stage, he had not seen his fellow sect seniors or martial brothers. Only this person had stood alone on his side among the Chaoyang Peak disciples below the stage.
A warmth slowly rose from his heart.
"Senior Brother... Shushu, thank you for coming to see me just now."
Zeng Shushu, who was sprinting, paused, slowed his steps, turned his head to look at Zhang Xiaofan, then smiled. "Hehe, small matter, small matter. If you're too moved, why not just give Xiao Hui..."
"Let's go quickly!"
Zeng Shushu leaned to the side, shook his head, and followed Zhang Xiaofan, who was running as fast as the wind, still mumbling vaguely a couple of sentences.
※※※
The two ran near and saw that groups of Qingyun disciples had already dispersed. Most people's expressions were rather excited, fiercely arguing with one another about something. They raised their heads to look at the stage and saw that it was empty, but the wooden platform was covered in scars. It seemed the match had already ended.
Zeng Shushu's eyes turned, and he pulled Zhang Xiaofan left and right, weaving through the crowd. In no time, he found his target—that group of Feng Hui Peak disciples.
Zeng Shushu quickly leaned over. Those Feng Hui Peak disciples smiled when they saw it was him. Among them, a tall fellow whom Zhang Xiaofan still had some impression of laughed and said, "Junior Brother, didn't you say you absolutely had to watch Lu Xueqi? How did you run off without a trace?"
Zeng Shushu dryly coughed. "I was just, uh, busy with something. Right, quickly tell me the result!"
A thick-browed man beside him said, "No need to even say it. With Tianya there, even Senior Brother Duan Lei of Tongtian Peak from the Head Branch is no match!"
Zeng Shushu said in surprise, "Even Senior Brother Duan lost to her?"
Zhang Xiaofan asked Zeng Shushu from the side, "Is that Senior Brother Duan Lei very powerful?"
Zeng Shushu nodded. "Yes, Duan Lei is a very outstanding figure in the Head Branch in recent years. In this Seven Peaks Martial Meeting, the voices calling for him to win were also very high."
That tall fellow shook his head. "What's the use? You didn't see—the power of the Tianya Divine Sword was truly too great. Blue light flashed a few times, rang out a few times, and Senior Brother Duan Lei lost." Speaking to here, he seemed to still have more to say and sighed. "You won't believe it even if I tell you, but in the end, Lu Xueqi still didn't pull the Tianya Divine Sword from its scabbard."
Zeng Shushu froze. "Then what's the point of competing? Who else is her opponent?"
The tall fellow shook his head. "That's not entirely so. For a divine object like Tianya, even without drawing it from the scabbard, the power is about the same. Rather, Lu Xueqi's cultivation and dao attainment are truly incredible."
Zeng Shushu glanced at him. "Senior Brother Gao, how do you know?"
Zhang Xiaofan looked at that tall fellow and thought inwardly, this surname truly lives up to the name. He only heard Senior Brother Gao say, "I also heard it from Master."
Zeng Shushu said in surprise, "My father?"
Senior Brother Gao said, "Yes. Just now when you hadn't come, Master was also watching here. At the end, he muttered a sentence, saying this girl has probably already cultivated the Taiji Xuanqing Dao to above the eighth layer of the Jade Purity Realm. It wouldn't be impossible for her to have reached the ninth layer."
Zeng Shushu changed color and stood frozen in place, momentarily speechless. Zhang Xiaofan felt strange in his heart. He felt that although Zeng Shushu had claimed from the moment they met that he didn't care about the match results, no matter how you looked at it, he cared very much.
At this time, the sound of bells and dings came from afar. The group of Feng Hui Peak people led by Senior Brother Gao seemed to have someone competing and walked toward the sound one after another. Zhang Xiaofan saw that Zeng Shushu was still standing blankly in place and went over to pull him.
Zeng Shushu woke with a start, then smiled. "Finished, finished. This time, we are thoroughly without hope."
Zhang Xiaofan truly didn't care at all. "Finished then finished. Right, haven't you competed yet?"
Zeng Shushu looked into the distance. "I haven't started yet, but I should go over. What about you, where are you preparing to go?"
Zhang Xiaofan thought. "I want to go find Master and Madam to report, although I won by luck."
Zeng Shushu nodded. "Then come find me when you have time."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded in agreement, and the two parted here.
Zhang Xiaofan turned his body and walked toward the other end of the crowd, hearing most of the Qingyun disciples walking past discuss the match between Lu Xueqi and Duan Lei just now. After searching for a long time, Zhang Xiaofan finally found the group of Big Bamboo Peak people in the west. But from afar, he saw that Tian Buyi had an angry expression, his face ashen. Zhang Xiaofan had always greatly feared Tian Buyi, so he secretly walked over. Tian Buyi glanced at him, then turned his eyes away, not even asking about the result.
Su Ru, Tian Ling'er, and several other Big Bamboo Peak disciples were all here; only Eldest Senior Brother Song Daren was missing. Zhang Xiaofan glanced at everyone. He saw that Tian Ling'er was fine, but the senior brothers' faces were full of dejection, so he quietly asked Du Bishu beside him, "Sixth Senior Brother, what's wrong?"
Du Bishu looked at Tian Buyi and saw that he didn't seem to be looking this way. He whispered, "Just now, besides Senior Brother Song, we all had matches. In the end, only Little Junior Sister won. Master is angry right now."
Zhang Xiaofan froze, momentarily not knowing what to say.
Su Ru stood at the side. Seeing the disciples trembling with fear and Tian Buyi's ashen face, she shook her head and sighed. She said warmly to Zhang Xiaofan, who had just returned, "Xiaofan, you're back. How was the result?"
Zhang Xiaofan hesitated and said in a low voice, "Madam, I... I won by luck."
Su Ru: "Oh, it's fine. If you lost, you lost. Just treat it as gaining experien—" Her voice suddenly trailed off. Looking at Zhang Xiaofan, she said in surprise, "What did you just say?"
Everyone, including Tian Buyi, turned their heads to look at Zhang Xiaofan. Zhang Xiaofan's face reddened, but for the first time in his life under the gazes of everyone, especially the surprised gaze of Tian Ling'er beside Su Ru, he felt a hint of vain excitement. Raising his voice slightly, he looked at Tian Buyi and said, "Master, Madam, I just now... won by luck."
Everyone erupted in an uproar.
※※※
The Big Bamboo Peak people gathered below the "Kun" position stage, watching Song Daren compete in today's final match. On stage, Song Daren and his opponent were fighting fiercely in full swing. The massive sword body of the "Ten Tigers" immortal sword in midair seemed to manifest countless fierce giant tigers, issuing earth-shaking roars, hacking at the opponent with sword after sword, occupying complete advantage.
However, below the stage, while the Big Bamboo Peak people were happy, they still could not accept the fact that Zhang Xiaofan had spoken of.
"Little Junior Brother, you're saying that in the match just now, you were about to lose, but unexpectedly that fellow called Chu Yuhong suddenly fell ill, blood flowing all over his face, and fainted?"
"Yes, Fourth Senior Brother. You, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, and Fifth Senior Brother have asked me twenty-two times already. Why are you still asking? Sixth Senior Brother, quickly persuade them. What I'm saying is really the truth."
Du Bishu: "...Little Junior Brother, you're saying that in the match just now, you were about to lose, but unexpectedly that fellow called Chu Yuhong suddenly fell ill, blood flowing all over his face, and fainted?"
Zhang Xiaofan held his head and groaned. "...Yes, the twenty-third time."
Tian Ling'er beside them said with annoyance, "Why are you forcing him like this? Xiaofan wouldn't lie!" Speaking to here, she also shook her head. "But Xiaofan, your luck being this good is a bit excessive. No wonder people don't believe it."
Zhang Xiaofan was speechless.
Listening to the disciples behind him chattering incessantly, Tian Buyi and Su Ru were still watching the stage. After a moment, Su Ru suddenly said in a low voice, "What do you think?"
Tian Buyi frowned and countered, "Saying he won by real ability—do you believe it?"
Su Ru smiled. "This disciple of ours, his luck really isn't ordinary!"
Tian Buyi hmph'd.
"Rumble!" A great sound rang out. On stage, Song Daren roared, and the Ten Tigers immortal sword's yellow light pierced the heavens, nearly making people unable to open their eyes. Like splitting mountains and cleaving seas, it carried an invincible momentum and killed over. The opponent finally could not withstand it and was overwhelmed by this massive force, spraying blood as he flew backward.
The Big Bamboo Peak people thundered with cheers, and Tian Buyi's face finally showed a trace of a smile.
Song Daren walked down the stage and returned among the people. First, he paid his respects to Tian Buyi and Su Ru, and then received everyone's passionate congratulations.
"Hehe, luck, luck! Sixth Junior Brother, don't be so nauseating! Eh, Little Junior Brother, you're back too. How was today's result? You didn't get hurt anywhere, right? Ai, looking at your appearance, listen to Senior Brother's words. Your cultivation days are shallow; there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Don't take one win or loss to heart—uh, why are you all looking at me like this?"
Tian Buyi was the first to turn and walk away. Su Ru smiled at this eldest disciple and followed. Song Daren couldn't make heads or tails of it and asked everyone, "What's wrong?"
Tian Ling'er walked to his side and told him. Song Daren turned his head in disbelief. Zhang Xiaofan fearfully shrank back and said, "Senior Brother, I know my luck being too good isn't a good thing, but things just happened this way. I had no choice..."
Song Daren stared with wide eyes. "...Little Junior Brother, you're saying that in the match just now, you were about to lose, but unexpectedly that fellow called Chu Yuhong suddenly fell ill, blood flowing all over his face, and fainted?"
Zhang Xiaofan fell down in despair.
※※※
After this day, of the Qingyun Sect Seven Peaks Martial Meeting, only sixteen people still remained to compete. Surprising many people, Big Bamboo Peak, which had always been weak, actually occupied three of those spots, far surpassing previous sessions. Regardless of internal matters, Tian Buyi was greatly proud when facing outsiders. All day his face was smiling. Seen in the eyes of the disciples, they discussed privately among themselves.
Du Bishu: "Look at how happy Master is. This time he can finally hold his head high."
Wu Dayi: "Who says not? Senior Brother Song and Little Junior Sister truly brought honor to the old man."
He Dazhi: "Speaking of which, I'm ashamed. Though Little Junior Sister is young, she is much more promising than this Fourth Senior Brother. Her future prospects are limitless."
Zheng Dali: "Don't forget there's also Little Junior Brother. He also entered the third round."
Du Bishu: "Why don't we start betting again? See how likely Little Junior Brother is to pass another round. Do you dare to bet?"
Wu Dayi, He Dazhi, Zheng Dali, Lü Daxin: "I bet he loses! Double!"
Du Bishu: "...Ahem, eh, how did Senior Brother disappear while walking? Ah, Little Junior Brother? Little Junior Sister? What's going on? Where did everyone go?"
He Dazhi thought and said, "I don't know about Little Junior Brother and Little Junior Sister, but I guessed a few possibilities about Senior Brother..."
Everyone exchanged a glance and said in unison: "Little Bamboo Peak Senior Sister Wen Min!"
Song Daren was a large man, but his body suddenly inexplicably trembled. Wen Min saw this and felt greatly puzzled. "What's wrong?"
Song Daren furrowed his brows. "I don't know. My body suddenly got cold."
Wen Min glanced at him and said with annoyance, "You couldn't be feeling guilty like a thief!"
Song Daren immediately shook his head like a rattle-drum, repeatedly saying, "No such thing, no such thing!"
Wen Min's expression relaxed, but she still hmph'd. "Then why did you secretly run alone to my Little Bamboo Peak female disciples' quarters?"
Laughter came from the side. Song Daren awkwardly looked around. At this time, the matches had ended, and most of the Little Bamboo Peak female disciples had returned, each with a smile on her face, watching him with great interest. Song Daren's face slightly reddened, and he changed the topic. "Oh... how come I don't see my Little Junior Sister?"
Wen Min smiled. "Your Little Junior Sister is naturally beautiful and has a lively temperament. Naturally, she was asked out long ago."
Song Daren was shocked and said in surprise, "What? Asked out by whom?"
Wen Min shook her head without speaking, but said, "If you see your Ling'er Junior Sister, better advise her to be careful tomorrow."
Song Daren, speaking of Tian Ling'er, was no longer as awkward as when alone with Wen Min, and his words flowed more smoothly. He frowned. "I know Little Junior Sister is competing with your Little Bamboo Peak's Lu Xueqi Junior Sister tomorrow. The seniors of our two peaks have always been on good terms, so there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, the Seven Peaks Martial Meeting is just a friendly competition."
Wen Min glanced at him and said lightly, "Your Master's wife, Martial Aunt Su, is naturally on very good terms with my Master. But my Master looks at your Master and is greatly displeased. I'm afraid she is still blaming your Master for running away with our Martial Aunt Su even now!"
Song Daren choked. He still wanted to say something, but saw Wen Min glance again at the surrounding Little Bamboo Peak female disciples. The girls had all quieted down, looking here. Song Daren said in surprise, "What's wrong?"
Wen Min looked at him, seeming to hesitate, then said, "Senior Brother Song, Junior Sister Lu is different from us. Her temperament is somewhat strange, but Master dotes on her very much. After getting on the stage, nothing is certain anymore."
Song Daren's face changed. "How so?"
Wen Min closed her mouth and said no more.