The next day.
At the third martial platform of Qianding Peak.
A crowd of disciples had gathered below, watching the spectacle with eager curiosity. Yet when their eyes fell upon the scene unfolding on the platform, identical expressions of complexity flickered across their faces.
On the elevated stage, Xu Wanci and Qi Shi exchanged blows in a fierce duel.
The moment a Thunder Control Talisman materialized before her, Xu Wanci flicked it back with the tip of her spiritual sword, sending it hurtling toward its caster. At the same time, with just two deft steps, she effortlessly evaded every hidden Wind Blade Talisman concealed in the air.
Qi Shi, watching her figure draw closer, hastily slapped a Swiftness Talisman onto himself and leaped backward, widening the gap between them.
A split second later, a deep sword mark split the ground where he had just stood.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down his temple.
The disciples below watched as Xu Wanci relentlessly pressed Qi Shi, driving him toward the edge of defeat. Their gazes grew increasingly conflicted.
Qi Shi was one of the seven elite inner disciples of Mingfu Peak, a master of talismans and combat. Countless disciples across the Taiqing Sect had fallen to his prowess—yet now—
"Was Xu Wanci always this strong?"
Regardless of character, the cultivation world revered strength above all else.
The battle on the platform intensified. A storm of talismans—wind, fire, thunder, and lightning—rained down upon Xu Wanci as if their caster had no regard for their cost.
Yet she moved effortlessly, finding the sole safe foothold amid the chaos while steadily closing the distance between herself and Qi Shi.
Cornered, Qi Shi had no room left to retreat.
If this continued, defeat was inevitable.
With Xu Wanci now just five steps away, he took a deep breath.
If talismans couldn’t be used against her, he would use them on himself!
All he needed was a single moment of distraction—one instant where her focus wavered—and he could strike.
Without hesitation, Qi Shi slapped a pre-prepared Spirit Transformation Talisman onto his own body.
In the next heartbeat, the onlookers gasped.
Just as Xu Wanci’s sword was about to pierce Qi Shi’s chest, a radiant glow enveloped him. His previously unremarkable features twisted and reshaped—until the face of Chu Qingchuan stared back at the crowd.
A collective inhale swept through the spectators.
Qi Shi had used an Illusion Talisman to take on Chu Qingchuan’s appearance!
Who in the Taiqing Sect didn’t know of Xu Wanci’s infatuation with Chu Qingchuan?
Even if she knew this face was fake, surely the sight of it would shake her focus.
What a ruthless—yet effective—tactic!
But just as everyone expected Xu Wanci to falter, her sword moved faster than ever—so fast it blurred.
In the next instant, the tip of her blade pressed against Qi Shi’s chest.
At the same time, she tilted her head slightly, allowing the hidden Needle Talisman he had launched to graze harmlessly past her neck.
She emerged unscathed.
Meanwhile, the glowing emblem marking Qi Shi as a participant in the tournament flickered—then dimmed.
Victory was decided.
Gazing at Qi Shi’s face—now identical to Chu Qingchuan’s—Xu Wanci didn’t so much as blink. From start to finish, her expression remained unreadable.
Witnessing this, a hesitant voice rose from the crowd:
"Does Xu Wanci really like Senior Brother Chu?
She doesn’t… seem like it."
Seven days later.
Xu Wanci swept through the sect’s grand tournament with unstoppable momentum, advancing all the way to the finals.
The disciples’ attitudes toward her shifted from disdain and hostility to reluctant admiration.
In the cultivation world, strength commanded respect—this was an unshakable truth.
Many began studying Xu Wanci’s swordsmanship, searching for the secret behind its dominance.
In the end, they all reached the same conclusion:
Power and speed.
Once she identified an opponent’s weakness, her sword strike became unavoidable.
And yet, no one could conceal their vulnerabilities from her.
"Are you certain about this?" Lin Hao’s voice was low and dangerous as he glared at Qi Zhiyuan, who stood before him with an ingratiating smile.
"Senior Brother Lin, how would I dare lie to you?" Qi Zhiyuan thumped his chest emphatically. "After investigating in secret, I’m certain—Xu Wanci’s left hand is injured."
Recalling the two humiliating defeats he had suffered at Xu Wanci’s hands, he ground his teeth. "Exploit that weakness, and victory will be yours!"
Lin Hao studied him, resolve hardening in his gaze.
Only four disciples remained in the tournament, competing for the championship.
Himself, Xu Wanci, Chu Qingchuan, and Shen Wenxin.
Between Chu Qingchuan and Shen Wenxin, the former would likely emerge victorious—his goal being the Bloodflame Essence to refine his spiritual roots.
As for Lin Hao and Xu Wanci…
No matter what, he had to win.
Only victory would secure the quasi-immortal artifact—the Windshifter Needle.
The next day.
The matches began simultaneously—Lin Hao versus Xu Wanci, Shen Wenxin versus Chu Qingchuan.
The winners would face each other the following day for the championship.
The first martial platform was packed to the brim.
Jiang Qiuning, Xie Tingbai, several elders and peak masters, and Ning Menglan stood at the forefront, their gazes fixed on the figures atop the stage.
Ning Menglan stroked his beard, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as he reflected on Xu Wanci’s performance throughout the tournament.
"Wanci showed little interest in cultivation before. I never realized her talent was this exceptional."
To rebuild her sword intent within a month after her Sword Heart shattered, master the Guiyuan Sword Art, and advance this far…
With such resilience and aptitude, had circumstances been different, her name would have long echoed across the cultivation world.
But perhaps this was for the best.
Since Xu Wanci no longer sought death and had reignited her passion for cultivation, she would likely accept guidance from the Taiqing Sect’s elders and venerables.
In doing so, the karmic debt between the sect and the Immortal Venerable could soon be resolved.
And if one of the venerables were to ascend further…
No other sect would ever challenge the Taiqing Sect’s position as the foremost in the cultivation world.
A blessing for both Xu Wanci and the sect.
"Indeed," the Grand Elder beside Ning Menglan intoned, his solemn voice laced with faint approval. "It won’t be long before she reforges her Sword Heart."
The Second Elder lowered his gaze, offering no comment.
Xie Tingbai listened with a faint smile, observing every shift in their expressions.
He didn’t need to ponder deeply to recognize the change in their attitudes toward Xu Wanci.
Human nature.
Even the exalted venerables were not immune.
And Xu Wanci, naturally, would be no exception.
His gaze drifted back to the martial platform, his lips curving in a gentle, amiable smile.
The duel was about to begin.
On the stage, Lin Hao stared grimly at Xu Wanci.
She stood motionless, her expression calm, betraying no trace of tension.
Having studied countless recordings of her battles, he understood her threat all too well.
But while Xu Wanci was fast, he was no slouch either.
The moment the golden barrier around the platform sealed shut, Lin Hao struck.
Dozens of wind blades materialized, encircling Xu Wanci in an inescapable storm.
With a light tap of her toes, she balanced atop one of the blades, narrowly avoiding the onslaught. Even as she dodged, her sword lashed out.
A razor-sharp sword aura shot toward the opening Lin Hao had exposed with his attack.
The strike was too swift to evade fully. Instinctively, Lin Hao twisted aside—but not before the sword aura severed the sleeve of his right arm, sending it fluttering to the ground.
In the observation pavilion, Jiang Ze’s fingers twitched imperceptibly.
He had always known Xu Wanci was gifted.
In the entire cultivation world, the number of cultivators who could hold their own against him for thirty moves within a month of training could be counted on one hand.
Watching Xu Wanci on the dueling platform, her sword strokes flowing like ink, finding the perfect opening to strike and force her opponent back, his heartbeat quickened for a fleeting moment.
Jiang Ze frowned slightly, a trace of discomfort crossing his face, but it smoothed away in the next instant.
In the cultivation world, strength was the answer to all questions.
He merely admired the strong.
That was all.
On the dueling platform, Lin Hao struggled slightly as he resisted Xu Wanci’s sword aura, all while discreetly observing her left hand with the corner of his eye.
Because Xu Wanci always wielded her sword with her right hand, and her strikes were impossibly fast, even with the presence of memory stones, few paid attention to her left hand.
But after testing her with wind blades a few times, he keenly noticed—Xu Wanci’s left hand seemed just a fraction slower than her right.
Qi Zhiyuan’s words, it seemed, held some truth.
Between masters, even a fraction of a second was enough to decide victory or defeat.
Just as his focus wavered, Xu Wanci’s sword aura pierced through the dense barrage of wind blades, shooting straight for his chest.
Without hesitation, Lin Hao flicked his wrist, sending wind blades infused with frigid spiritual energy hurtling toward Xu Wanci’s left hand.
Xu Wanci dodged the moment she sensed the wind blades.
The blades didn’t stop, continuing their trajectory toward her left side. She swiftly sidestepped to the right, her sword deflecting most of them—but her left hand lagged just a beat too slow, and one wind blade struck true.
Blood dripped from her wrist, falling to the ground one drop at a time.
Jiang Qiuning, who had been watching the duel intently, suddenly clenched her fists.
Her gaze was locked onto the platform, her heart pounding in her throat.
Beside her, Ning Menglan and the others remained outwardly composed, but their brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
On the platform, Lin Hao’s eyes gleamed. Overt wind blades and hidden wind needles surged forth like a storm, all aimed at Xu Wanci’s left hand.
Xu Wanci leaped back, slashing through the air, her sword aura repelling the surrounding wind blades.
When Jiang Ze had sparred with her, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the Netherworld Needle’s injury, he had rarely targeted her left hand.
And she had always wielded her sword with her right, relying on it to fend off opponents. Even after her left hand had mostly healed, she had never paid it much mind.
This was her weakness.
It felt like the first time she had practiced swords with Jiang Ze—endlessly dodging, barely managing to evade his strikes with only the faintest perception of spiritual energy.
But her spiritual energy would eventually run out. And now, she had this weakness in her left hand.
She had never learned the sword to dodge.
She learned it to win.
Even as her left hand became a bloodied mess, her expression remained utterly calm.
She dodged the wind blades while studying Lin Hao’s stance.
His defenses were riddled with openings—if she was fast enough, if she ignored her left hand—
Xu Wanci’s gaze turned icy, resolute. Her sword, carrying an indomitable will, shot straight toward Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao’s eyes widened in shock as the spiritual sword closed in—was Xu Wanci insane?
Did she not care about her left hand at all?!
With most of his spiritual energy devoted to controlling the wind blades, he couldn’t evade this strike.
The sword pierced through his chest. Clutching the wound in disbelief, Lin Zhao collapsed.
Meanwhile, Xu Wanci’s left arm was shredded by countless wind blades and needles. In mere moments, hundreds of wounds crisscrossed her flesh, exposing bone.
Yet her expression remained serene. She stood there, calm and unmoving, her sword intent swirling around her before finally settling into her heart.
At this moment, her Sword Heart was forged.
One standing, one fallen—victory was decided.
The spectators below finally understood her sword path.
To win.
Even gravely wounded, even at the cost of life or death—only to win.
A path destined to be strewn with thorns, drenched in blood, one that few could walk to the end.
