C13 Geshu Yuan(1)

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

...

Zhang Heng relentlessly thrust his spear again and again.

The onlookers were so astounded their jaws nearly hit the floor.

"Little Brother Xiao Luo is actually on the losing end!"

"The tide has completely turned in Zhang Heng's favor. Little Brother Xiao Luo is merely reacting defensively."

"Unless something unforeseen happens, Little Brother Xiao Luo's defeat seems inevitable."

The clash raged on.

Now, Zhang Heng was mercilessly kicking a man when he was down.

Little Brother Xiao Luo was pursued so relentlessly that he was a picture of distress.

His once pristine white robe was now tattered and torn.

His body was riddled with spear wounds, some shallow, leaving thin lines of blood, while others were so deep that bone was visible through the torn flesh, bleeding profusely.

Little Brother Xiao Luo finally bowed his head in defeat. While fleeing, he looked back and pleaded with Zhang Heng in a subdued tone, "Brother Zhang Heng, we're all disciples from the same sect. Is there really a need for such a bitter struggle?"

"Enemies should seek resolution, not prolong conflicts. Let's let bygones be bygones."

"I may not be the most skilled, but I'm also part of the Hall of Judgement. If Brother Zhang Heng ever finds himself in a bind, I can still put in a good word for you."

"Brother Zhang, I concede to you. Whatever compensation you demand, I won't argue."

...

The crowd stood dumbfounded.

Was this the same aloof and suave Little Brother Xiao Luo they knew?

Zhang Heng's relentless pursuit had shattered the once grand image of Little Brother Xiao Luo in the eyes of the onlookers.

Zhang Heng ignored Little Brother Xiao Luo's pleas and continued his spear assault without a moment's pause.

Finally, there was a snap.

The nearly destroyed Damascus Steel Spear, after repeated clashes with the superior Scarlet Blood Sword, had reached its breaking point.

The dark spearhead snapped off.

Both Zhang Heng and Little Brother Xiao Luo were taken aback.

Seizing the moment, Little Brother Xiao Luo quickly maneuvered his Scarlet Blood Sword, aiming a deadly strike at Zhang Heng's throat.

Zhang Heng scoffed, "Hmph, you think you can gain the upper hand that easily?"

"I won't give you that chance!" Zhang Heng declared, a pine-patterned ancient sword materializing in his right hand. It was a high-grade yellow weapon, comparable to the Scarlet Blood Sword, and he didn't bother to stow away his Damascus Steel Spear.

With the spear shaft in his left hand and the ancient sword in his right, Zhang Heng faced off against Senior Brother Xiao Luo's Scarlet Blood Sword. Senior Brother Xiao Luo burst into laughter, "What a farce!"

"A weapon is crucial for unleashing one's ultimate skills," he taunted. "Zhang Heng, how effective can you be using a spear shaft and a sword to execute spear techniques?"

Zhang Heng responded with icy brevity, "Why not try me and find out?" No sooner had the words left his mouth than the tip of his Damascus Steel Spear struck the Scarlet Blood Sword once more. Senior Brother Xiao Luo felt an overwhelming force that nearly wrenched the sword from his grasp.

Before he could regain his composure, Zhang Heng's ancient sword, guided by the Fearless Spear Technique, was already upon him. "No!" Senior Brother Xiao Luo could only cry out as his right arm was abruptly severed, sending waves of excruciating pain through his shoulder.

"You've crippled my right arm?" he exclaimed in disbelief.

Zhang Heng paid him no mind, flicking his ancient sword to dislodge the falling limb still clutching the Scarlet Blood Sword, and secured it in his storage bag. Only then did he turn to give Senior Brother Xiao Luo a chilling stare. "You had the audacity to humiliate Lee Qi, break his right arm, and torment him. This is the retribution you deserve."

Senior Brother Xiao Luo opened his mouth to retort, but Zhang Heng was already in motion, his left hand delivering a vicious twist. The spear shaft, now devoid of its spearhead, plunged into Senior Brother Xiao Luo's mouth, reducing his neat row of teeth to rubble. "This too, is what you deserve."

With that, Zhang Heng walked past him without a trace of emotion. As they brushed shoulders, a voice that only they could hear whispered icily into Senior Brother Xiao Luo's ear, "If we were outside the academy, you'd be dead."

Whether from blood loss or shock, all the onlookers could see was Senior Brother Xiao Luo's complexion turning deathly pale as Zhang Heng strode away.

Unseen by anyone, his left hand, hidden within his sleeve, was shaking uncontrollably.

Zhang Heng returned to his room.

Lee Qi, now seated and with his face cleaned up considerably, was smiling at Zhang Heng.

Despite the torture that twisted his smile into a ghastly expression, Zhang Heng was deeply moved.

He immediately opened the jade box.

He removed all five seeds of the Dark Night Demonic Lotus and put them into Lee Qi's mouth.

Then, he poured five bottles of Qi Refining Pills down Lee Qi's throat.

Until Lee Qi was nearly choking to death.

"Qi Refining Pills replenish Qi and blood."

"The seeds of the Dark Night Demonic Lotus can accelerate the speed at which those in the Qi Refining Realm condense the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi."

"These treasures are incredibly beneficial to the brave. Consuming them should aid in healing Lee Qi's injuries."

"At the very least, they won't cause any harm."

Zhang Heng thought, desperately hoping to prevent any further harm to Lee Qi.

"He's going to be alright."

"His arm was broken, but I've set it properly."

"The rest are just superficial injuries."

"As a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm, he can be considered brave. With their robust vitality, even his teeth will quickly regrow."

Noticing Zhang Heng's concerned gaze on Lee Qi, a young girl nearby spoke up.

This girl was one of the five newcomers who had condensed their Qi Sea that day.

Previously, Zhang Heng, due to the constant threat of death, had poured all his energy into his cultivation, often overlooking those around him.

It was only because she had assisted Lee Qi that Zhang Heng took a moment to really look at her.

And that glance nearly captivated him.

The girl was truly beautiful.

Seeing her, Zhang Heng, who was seldom artificial, found a line of poetry rising unbidden in his mind.

"In the snow-covered mountains, the noble hermits rest; beneath the bright moonlight, a beauty arrives."

The original second half of the poem described the hazy moonlight and plum blossoms in the snow, likening them to a beauty with skin as pure as jade, an enchanting and elegant sight to behold.

The girl before him had a delicate oval face, slender eyebrows, and eyes that sparkled like stars. Her skin was as pale as snow, and her demeanor as cool as the moon's glow.

The young woman was adorned in a flowing purple gown, her waist graced by a three-foot-long white jade sword.

She seemed like a nymph stepping out from the Moon Palace, or a proud plum blossom unfurling in the hazy moonlight—an utterly breathtaking vision.

"Thank you!"

Zhang Heng gazed at the girl, his face etched with astonishment.

"Being alive is certainly better than being dead."

The girl offered a faint smile as she spoke. Yet, whether she was speaking or smiling, her delicate eyebrows would furrow ever so slightly at the center, betraying a persistent wisp of sorrow that seemed to envelop her.

After ensuring that Lee Qi was in Zhang Heng's care, the girl gave a slight nod to Zhang Heng and turned to leave on her own.

As she passed, the crowd parted, giving her a clear path.

Zhang Heng watched her departure until she vanished from sight, realizing then that he still didn't know her name.

Subsequently, Zhang Heng devoted his attention to tending to Lee Qi, oblivious to the fact that in a shadowy corner outside the room, Senior Brother Xiao Luo was observing him with a pair of dark, malicious eyes.

The moment Zhang Heng opened the jade box and retrieved the lotus seeds, Senior Brother Xiao Luo's eyes narrowed sharply.

And upon spotting the ancient patterned sword that Zhang Heng had laid on the table, a mysterious cold smirk slowly crept across his lips.

In the midst of the noise and bustle, he slipped away from the small mound and dashed toward the inner reaches of the academy.

Deep within the academy.