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It was already noon when Qing Xuanling exited the Scripture Tower. She walked cheerfully, pondering what to do next. She'd considered visiting madam Yechan—but now she was eager to test her new techniques.
"Mmm… I can visit Madam Yechan in the evening. Better to make the most of today's remaining hours practicing these new techniques! I might even go to the clan's battle rings!"
The Qing Clan territory was immensely vast—essentially a city in itself. It contained all manner of structures to facilitate clan members' cultivation, including the battle rings: platforms where members could spar under the supervision of clan elders.
Qing Xuanling had never visited them before—she saw no need. Most users of the battle rings were mid-stage cultivators with extensive combat experience. Though quite strong among her peers, she didn't believe she could defeat seniors with years of experience. She preferred fighting beasts over humiliating herself by losing in front of dozens of onlookers.
But things were different now. First, the deep-seated inferiority Qing Xuanling had carried until now was rapidly fading thanks to her constant achievements and discovered talents—she no longer feared mockery if she lost.
Second, she felt she now stood a real chance of victory against those seniors with her current strength.
'Though before that—I should study these techniques a bit first…'
Qing Xuanling sought a suitable resting spot. She didn't take long to find a grassy patch with a large tree at its center casting pleasant shade. Without hesitation, she sat down and began reading the Wandering Sword Art.
She quickly immersed herself in the text.
The technique was profoundly deep—featuring eight sword moves and a fundamental art that temporarily boosted Qing Xuanling's speed, strength, and reaction time considerably. She was quite impressed.
The Iron-Cutting Sword Art—a low-grade technique—had only one sword move and a circulation method to generate sharp Qi! The difference between the two techniques was as stark as day and night!
"Turns out I've basically been using trash all this time…" Qing Xuanling smiled wryly.
Yet simultaneously, she felt excited. How powerful would she become if she mastered such a formidable technique to the Perfection realm?
She took a deep breath and swiftly began studying the first sword move: Invisible Cut. Qing Xuanling had doubts about the move's name—but the technique itself was profound.
It involved wrap the sword in a layer of sharp Qi, extending the blade's length by a full foot. The move's power lay in its invisibility—the sharp Qi used was completely undetectable! An opponent who dodged attacks by a hair's breadth would have a very bad time.
"What a vicious move…" Qing Xuanling smiled. She was grasping the essence of the Wandering Sword.
This wasn't a sword art meant to be powerful and imposing—it was a blade meant to kill the moment it was drawn. The sword of a wanderer accustomed to a world of kill or be killed.
It wasn't a technique filled with honor and valor—but Qing Xuanling quite liked it. These subtle tricks, capable of catching enemies off guard, suited her personality well.
She didn't seek glory—she sought victory and survival.
Of course, this technique was only effective against humans or beings with weak defenses. Using Invisible Cut against a demonic beast would likely only leave a scratch on its hide.
Still, Qing Xuanling studied the move seriously. She planned to learn one move before moving on to the next. She quickly memorized the meridians she needed to activate and their sequence. Her nearly perfect memory proved especially useful in moments like these.
Half an hour later, she'd already drawn an ordinary-quality sword from her storage pouch and begun training the first move: Invisible Cut.
Surprisingly, she found it incredibly easy to do. Most minor meridians required were the same ones she'd used with the Iron-Cutting Sword Art. After an hour of practice, she'd managed to generate an invisible inch-long layer of sharp Qi.
She gazed at her sword—the tip now wreathed in a practically invisible inch-long layer of sharp Qi!
"It's impossible to see unless you have supernatural vision! Pity it's not very suitable for friendly sparring…" Qing Xuanling sighed. She'd wanted to visit the battle rings for the first time—but Invisible Cut was far too vicious.
It was clearly a killing technique.
She closed her eyes—and after some thought—decided to study the second move of the Wandering Sword: Nine changes.
"I've already mastered the first move! With luck, I'll master this one in two hours! By then, it'll still only be 3:30 in the afternoon—the battle rings should still be bustling with activity!"
Qing Xuanling reopened the Wandering Sword manual and studied the second move—which fortunately was suitable for friendly combat.
She successfully executed the move in exactly two hours and ten minutes. With two of the technique's eight moves learned, Qing Xuanling had already reached the entry level of the Wandering Sword Art.
All in under four hours.
She walked happily toward the battle rings.
* * *
The battle rings consisted of ten platforms situated on flat terrain surrounded by seating—much like a coliseum. And indeed, they could be considered one.
Clan members not participating in matches could observe fights from the stands, gaining experience by watching skilled combatants.
Initially, most clan members opposed constructing such a facility—no one wanted their techniques and combat methods analyzed by others.
However, the Young Master insisted for over a year that the battle rings be built, arguing they would improve the clan's youths' strength. Thanks to his persistence, the clan head eventually agreed.
To everyone's surprise, the battle rings did greatly enhance the strength of clan members at low or mid cultivation levels. So effective was it that from the single ring initially constructed, their number gradually multiplied to the current ten rings.
Or so Qing Xuanling had heard. Anyway—it was merely one of countless changes the Young Master had brought to the clan. He hadn't earned the title "Young Master" for nothing.
But setting that aside—the important thing was the battle rings were constantly packed. People never stopped coming after discovering they could indeed learn tricks by watching experienced cultivators spar.
Fighters lost nothing either—they could face opponents of equal strength without risk of death. Not to mention they could earn contribution points for winning matches.
It was one of the clan's several—and most popular—methods for earning contribution points, alongside completing clan missions.
Thus, Qing Xuanling had a difficult time reaching the registration counter where one could sign up for matches.
The girl at the counter—a youthful-looking attendant—smiled at her. "Good afternoon—would you like to participate in a match?"
Qing Xuanling returned the smile while tidying her disheveled appearance—the result of squeezing through a crowd.
"Yes—I'd like to participate in mid-stage matches. I'm still at low-stage, so I'll offer a reward of fifty spirit stones to whoever defeats me." Qing Xuanling produced a cloth pouch containing the spirit stones directly.
One couldn't earn contribution points by defeating cultivators of lower stages—so if she wanted opponents, she'd need to offer a separate reward. Fortunately, she still had some spirit stones obtained from Zi Moyan's lair and the other demonic cultivators. She offered them as direct reward.
The counter girl looked at Qing Xuanling with slight surprise. It was rare for an low-stage cultivator to seek matches beyond her level. But upon seeing Qing Xuanling's age, she understood.
Normally, fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds would already be at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement. Most would take years for their next breakthrough—but at least they'd be mid-stage. Seeing Qing Xuanling, the counter girl "understood."
'Another of those lagging youths trying to prove their worth… What a pity. Many end up depressed after being beaten for fighting above their level.'
The counter girl regarded Qing Xuanling with faint pity—but offered no advice. For youths unable to accept their fate, a harsh blow was best received early—before they wasted too much time on futile pursuits.
Qing Xuanling smiled wryly upon noticing the girl's compassionate gaze. She vaguely understood what the girl was thinking. She'd often received such looks from clan elders whenever she attempted something beyond her level to improve.
That was precisely why she'd isolated herself for two years to cultivate—she couldn't bear being pitied. But that would finally change.
She smiled. "My name is Qing Xuanling—third layer of Qi Refinement. Please match me with an opponent as soon as possible."
The counter girl was startled upon hearing her name. Her gaze toward Qing Xuanling transformed completely—not with pity or mockery, but with intense curiosity.
Qing Xuanling frowned. It was the same look she'd been receiving lately. She was deeply puzzled—she didn't understand why people suddenly regarded her this way.
It couldn't be due to her recent mission—the clan head had ordered its contents kept secret. No member of mission was permitted to disclose the information.
'If that's the case—why am I receiving so many of these looks…?'
The counter girl quickly regained her composure and handed Qing Xuanling a token.
"Go to battle ring number four—it's free. Give this token to the elder there and wait for him to send a challenger who accepts your match." She smiled. "Mmm… and by the way—could you come back here after your match…? I'd like to… get close to you…"
Qing Xuanling accepted the token calmly—but her forehead immediately sprouted black lines upon hearing the last part.
She regarded the counter girl suspiciously and stepped back after taking the token. "Mmm… No, sorry—I don't want to get close… Goodbye!"
The girl watched in astonishment as Qing Xuanling hurried away. She tried calling after her—but Qing Xuanling was already gone. The girl sighed disappointedly. "Oh what a loss… I almost managed to latch onto a golden thigh…"
Qing Xuanling, meanwhile, felt an urge to check a mirror. Had she suddenly transformed into a beauty overnight? Otherwise—why would a girl suddenly ask to get close to her?
"No—it can't be. Otherwise, boys would've approached me too…" Qing Xuanling frowned. "Sigh… Whatever. Let's focus on this first."
She quickly dismissed the matter and headed toward battle ring number four. Along the way, she received numerous stares and whispers wherever she passed—especially from younger individuals—but she ignored them effortlessly.
She was quite skilled at that.
Qing Xuanling considered this ability more sad than useful as she arrived at battle ring number four. It was a circular platform forty meters in diameter—ample space for comfortable combat.
She approached the middle-aged woman covered in scars who appeared to be the ring's referee.
"Elder sister—I'll be fighting on this ring. Here's my token." Qing Xuanling clasped her hands respectfully as she presented the token.
The woman glanced briefly at the token and nodded. "Qing Xuanling, correct? This might sound presumptuous—but it's standard procedure when matches involve cultivation gaps: Are you certain about this? Fifty spirit stones aren't trivial."
Qing Xuanling smiled faintly, ignoring the stares she was receiving from people below her ring. Though her name didn't resonate much among the clan's elders, there wasn't a single youth her age or younger who didn't know her.
Her presence seemed to ignite a flame among these drama-loving youths. Many were already shouting bets below.
"The false pearl, Qing Xuanling, finally reappears after two long years of disappearance! And it seems she plans to fight above her level! Anyone wanting to bet on her defeat or victory—come immediately!"
"I don't know who she'll face—but I bet twenty spirit stones on her loss!"
"Hey are you crazy?! She might have low cultivation due to those trash roots—but she's incredibly strong! She fights day and night! I bet fifty spirit stones on her victory!"
"I don't care! She might've gained some fame recently—but she's still low-stage! I don't believe she can fight above her level against the seniors who frequent the battle rings!"
Opinions about her were, as always, quite negative. However, she was slightly surprised to hear several people betting on her victory. She recognized Qing Linxi—who had wagered a hundred spirit stones on her win…
She chuckled softly and replied to the female referee. "Thank you for your concern—but I have confidence in my strength. I also want those twenty contribution points I can earn by winning a match above my level!"
The woman shrugged—but now regarded her with curiosity. Especially after finally recognizing who she was amidst all the commotion.
'This poor girl has been constantly harassed due to Qing Wentian's brilliance—which continues shining as intensely as ever—making it impossible for people to forget the person once compared to him for so long… I wonder what results she'll show today.'
She genuinely had expectations for today's match.
Fifteen minutes passed before someone finally arrived at Qing Xuanling's ring.
Three figures—extremely familiar to Qing Xuanling—approached from the distance.