Lately, the most talked-about topic within the Heavenly Sword Sect was the upcoming challenge between the Zhūnzhǔ of Tiandu Peak, Jian Wan, and the Zhūnzhǔ of Tianyue Peak, Jian Lu. Officially, Jian Wan claimed it was a friendly exchange of techniques, but everyone knew the real reason: she was fighting for the right to lead the next expedition.
Such challenges weren't unusual in the Heavenly Sword Sect, but battles between high-level cultivators were rare. Both Jian Wan and Jian Lu were at the late stage of Void Refinement. Just watching a clash at this level would bring immense benefit to observers.
Naturally, betting circles had sprung up in secret. Seventy percent of the wagers were on Jian Wan. Only ten percent backed Jian Lu.
Wearing a veil, Qi Hua approached one such gambling den and casually tossed a storage ring onto the table. The person receiving it swept their divine sense across the contents and nearly jolted upright.
Whose brat was this? Did she steal her clan's spirit stone vault?
"You're betting everything?"
"Yes."
"One million top-grade spirit stones and eight million mid-grade ones. Who are you betting on?"
"Jian Lu Zhūnzhǔ."
The man hesitated, raising his eyes to the veiled female cultivator opposite him and asked again, just to be sure.
"Who?"
"Jian Lu Zhūnzhǔ!"
This time, there was no doubt. He entered the information into a special jade slip, then handed it over to Qi Hua. She confirmed its authenticity, tucked it into her storage bracelet, and left without another word.
After Jian Dan received the formal challenge, she replied according to custom and accepted.
At sunset, news arrived from Liu Chuan:
"Not many people are betting on you to win!"
"Mm. I usually keep a low profile. That's normal."
"Low profile? Since when have you ever been low profile?"
"Chuan, I need a favor."
"Don't say it like that, it's gross. Just tell me what you want."
Jian Dan nodded with satisfaction.
"I've been keeping an eye on a child from Sword Pool Peak. He should be about fifteen now. His name is Mao Dou, and on his face—"
"Tsk tsk, you're a thousand-year-old monster. And you're trying to ruin a kid?"
Jian Dan was so angry she nearly burst into flames. She rubbed at the willow-shaped mark on her wrist, circulated her qi a few times, and barely restrained the urge to strangle Liu Chuan.
"Can I finish my sentence?!"
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I want to take him as my disciple."
"You should've just said that. I was trying to figure out how to talk you out of going down a dark path!"
"You were just waiting to laugh at me. Anyway, let's get serious."
"Speak."
"You've seen the child before. He was the one I met at Sword Pool Peak when I visited as Mo Yue."
"The one with the birthmark on his face? The one who mistook a demoness for a fairy?"
Liu Chuan teased.
"That's the one."
"So what do you want to do?"
"We've been gone ten years. I don't know what kind of temperament the kid has now. Watch him for a bit. If his character passes, I want to take him as my first formal disciple."
"That's easy to arrange. I'll observe him for now, but…"
"But what? Spit it out. Since when did you start stammering?"
"You can decide about taking a disciple, but the timing is bad."
"How so?"
"You're about to face Jian Wan in a duel. Once that's over, you'll have made an enemy of her. And she holds grudges."
"You know this?"
"If there are plants, I can get intel. Plus, among her disciples, only Jian Ning turned out decent. The rest are mediocre at best.
If you take a disciple now and she can't hurt you directly, she'll definitely go after the kid. He's barely at the Foundation Establishment stage. He wouldn't survive her schemes."
Jian Dan listened quietly. In her heart, she already agreed with Liu Chuan's assessment.
She had always cultivated alone. Her few friends were all people with powerful backgrounds and strong influence—like Mo Su, Mo Qi, and Mo Yi. None of them had to worry about petty revenge.
But if the child suffered misfortune because of her, then taking him as a disciple wouldn't be guidance—it would be harm.
Seeing that Jian Dan remained silent, Liu Chuan knew she was weighing things seriously. He gave his own suggestion:
"Don't decide yet. I'll observe him for a while. When you return from leading the next mission, we can decide together. Maybe the kid's temperament won't even meet your standards."
"You're right. That makes sense."
"The duel is in three days. Aren't you going to prepare?"
"Prepare what?"
"Gather intel on Jian Wan's strength. Come up with a strategy."
"When have you ever seen me prepare for a one-on-one fight? Besides, someone's more anxious than I am."
"Show-off."
Just as the two—one person, one plant—finished discussing the matter of taking a disciple, Yun Shu came to report:
"Zhūnzhǔ, Jian Sheng-jun is here to visit."
"Let him in."
Jian Sheng had come to deliver something on behalf of someone else. Without wasting time, he handed over a jade slip.
"This is from Jian Li Zhūnzhǔ. The information inside was compiled a hundred years ago by Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ. It should help with your upcoming fight."
"Thank you. Please send my regards to Jian Li Zhūnzhǔ."
Having fulfilled his task, Jian Sheng departed from Tianyue Peak without lingering.
Jian Dan skimmed the jade slip's contents, and the smile tugging at her lips couldn't be suppressed. Liu Chuan, curious, extended a willow leaf to touch the jade slip and peek inside. Jian Dan didn't stop him.
"Tsk tsk. Who would've thought Jian Wan once had a springtime crush? And she only ever hinted at it once. Why did Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ react so strongly?"
"Chuan, you don't understand. Some people just naturally clash. Jian Wan must have done something that touched Jian Jun's bottom line."
"Still, Jian Jun was thorough. She even went to the trouble of collecting this kind of information."
"Only by preparing in advance can you strike with precision. Your enemies will always understand you the best, because to defeat you, they must study you completely."
"Lucky you this time."
Jian Dan didn't answer. Her luck was just that good. Now, all her preparations for the battle were complete.
As usual, she went to teach at the Tongzi's Hall. The little ones shuffled in, all of them wincing and walking awkwardly. Some were even being supported by attendants.
One glance, and Jian Dan could tell they'd all soaked in the body tempering decoction. The medicinal effects clearly hadn't been fully absorbed yet.
"Looks like everyone took a bath in the decoction yesterday."
"Yes."
The little ones replied weakly in unison. Jian Dan smiled and teased them:
"What's the matter, little cultivators? This is only your first step on the path of cultivation."
Yu Jiajia stepped forward on behalf of the group.
"Zhūnzhǔ, after soaking in that decoction, our whole bodies feel sore. It's like we've fallen apart."
"So, you just laid there all night and did nothing?"
"I did circulate my technique, but it didn't help with the pain."
"Not bad. At least you tried. Since you've all worked so hard, I'll let you pet Yue Liang."
With a flick of its fluffy tail, Yue Liang vanished and reappeared in one child's arms. Just as the child tried to reach out, Yue Liang jumped again, landing in another's embrace.
Suddenly, everyone perked up. The room buzzed with excitement as the kids all tried to catch Yue Liang.
In the end, only Yu Jiajia managed to touch Yue Liang's paw, and she was overjoyed.
"How are you feeling now?"
Jian Dan asked.
"Zhūnzhǔ, better than when I first entered the hall. It doesn't hurt as much."
"Good. After a night of rest, most of the decoction should be absorbed."
"Now, Yue Liang will lead you around for a few laps. That will help your body absorb the remaining effects. After that, I'll teach you a body-tempering fist technique to strengthen the effect."
"Yes!"
Over the next three days, the children of the hall experienced another wave of improvement. Most had reached the third layer of Qi Refining, while a few—like Yu Jiajia—had already advanced to the fifth layer.
And so, the day of Jian Dan's battle finally arrived.