Chapter Ninety-One: An Old Acquaintance

The Four-Fingered Music Emperor truly lived up to his reputation as one of the foremost figures on the Luminous Continent. In midair, he performed an impossible maneuver, forcibly redirecting his Purple Blood Three Tones toward the aura blast that had struck from behind. With a thunderous crash, the air shook violently—the fiercest clash of spiritual power since the tournament began, rattling the entire arena.

He descended slowly to the ground, then turned with his instrument clasped in both hands and said coldly, "Young Master One-Blade Two, what do you mean by this?"

Across from him stood a handsome young man holding a crescent-shaped saber. He smiled and said, "Mr. Ping, my Azure Sea City is establishing a new sect and founding a new lineage. Though we must defeat our opponents, we cannot leave a trail of carnage. Only by winning people over through virtue can Azure Sea City truly take its place among the Five Directions. So just now I was somewhat discourteous; I hope Mr. Ping will forgive me." The speaker was none other than Azure Sea City's second young master, Azure Sea One-Blade.

"Hmph. What Young Master Two says is too simple. I do not care what Azure Sea City's intentions are. I only know that I take payment and do the work. However, that blade of yours just now was far too formidable. If Mr. Ping had not made some progress in spiritual cultivation, the one who would have died moments ago would have been I, the Four-Fingered Music Emperor. Then what virtue would there be in your Azure Sea City speaking of winning people over through virtue?" the Music Emperor said harshly. Clearly, he could not agree with Azure Sea One-Blade's words.

"Alas, the Emperor of Strings speaks wrongly. How could One-Blade fail to know the Emperor's abilities?" Azure Sea One-Blade chuckled.

Then the Four-Fingered Music Emperor lifted his face and cried out to the heavens, "If that is so, then I, Ping, shall take my leave. Still, this suits me as well. To let such a lovely woman die beneath my zither would surely grieve me for months." As he spoke, he cupped his hands toward Azure Sea Heart in the viewing stands and said, "Only do not forget, old master, how Mr. Ping came here." With that, and before anyone could say more, he shifted his body and floated off the arena. Two attendants had already draped a heavy cloak over him, and with a path of flowers laid before him, he disappeared from sight.

From his seat in the stands, Azure Sea Heart's eyes flashed. He looked toward Azure Sea One-Blade, uncertain what his second son intended. Though only he knew the true purpose behind founding a new sect, could it be that this child truly believed he still had to contend for supremacy at his age? Even if he did, he would not be so short-sighted. One-Blade, One-Blade, do you really think Father means to win men over through virtue?

At last Azure Sea Heart opened his aged eyes. Then, from behind Azure Sea One-Blade, he saw Jade Brush. He drew in a sharp breath. Though Jade Brush still wore the plain garb of a Taoist nun, he had not expected her to be so breathtakingly beautiful. If this woman were to be slightly adorned, she would surely be a peerless beauty who could topple kingdoms. Could it be...?

At that moment, Azure Sea One-Blade on the arena said, "Miss from the Iris Flower Gate, you have already lost, and there is no need for you to remain on the arena. Let someone else take your place. Although my Azure Sea City is establishing a new sect, we would never do such a thing as drive others to utter ruin."

Jade Brush's face turned pale and red in turn. Just as she was about to speak, someone below the stage said, "Junior Sister, you have fought two rounds in a row. Let me take this one." Jade Brush immediately recognized the voice of her senior sister, Red Forest Woman. Looking again at the red iris flower robe of her own, she saw that the little hole pierced by the Four-Fingered Music Emperor had still not closed. Her heart sank. Lifting her eyes toward Azure Sea One-Blade, she gave a flick of her whisk. A streak of blood-red whisk-hair shot out of it, stabbing straight into the ground before Azure Sea One-Blade's feet. Then Jade Brush swept her body and drifted down from the arena.

Red Forest Woman's expression eased somewhat. She also did not understand why Azure Sea One-Blade had saved Jade Brush's life at the critical moment. Could it truly be, as he said, that Azure Sea City wished to win people over through virtue? Red Forest Woman did not want to know the truth, but at this moment there could be no softness of heart. Azure Sea City could use virtue, but the Iris Flower Gate must now use force.

She swept her red robe and was just about to step onto the stage when a man's voice said, "Autumn Leaves and Iris Flowers are both indispensable. How can the Five Great Spiritual Sects allow the Iris Flower Gate to shoulder such worldly burdens alone?"

Red Forest Woman paused. She had assumed that the Cloud Heaven Sect, who had arrived early, would send one or two experts to help the Iris Flower Gate fight the arena, yet she had not expected the speaker to be someone else—and from those words, he seemed to be a member of the Falling Leaves Sect.

Looking toward the sound, she saw that a man was already standing at the edge of the arena. He was in his thirties, not yet forty, dressed like a scholar. Beneath his chin hung a sparse beard of three neat strands, carefully groomed. In his hand he held a folding fan, which swayed lightly from side to side, making him a truly elegant figure. Though this man could inspire a woman's affection as readily as the Four-Fingered Music Emperor, he differed from the Music Emperor's opulence, carrying instead a refined and unadorned air.

Red Forest Woman curtseyed deeply and smiled. "May I ask which brother from the Falling Leaves Sect you are, to come forward and defend the Iris Flower Gate? This little sister is deeply grateful."

The man smiled faintly. "Sister Red Forest, have you forgotten? Eight years ago we met once at Rain Blossom Terrace. That year, you were dressed in exactly this same crimson outfit, though you lacked today's radiance."

Red Forest Woman was suddenly jolted awake. Only then did she realize why he looked so familiar. He was an old acquaintance from the last Luminous Gathering. The Luminous Gathering was the grand assembly of spiritual cultivators on the Luminous Continent, held once every ten years by one of the Five Great Spiritual Sects. When cultivators gathered there, the victor would not only win renown across the continent, but also receive an unrivaled spiritual treasure bestowed by the host sect.

That previous gathering had taken place precisely at Rain Blossom Terrace of the Iris Flower Gate. Looking more closely at the middle-aged scholar, she finally recalled who he was. "It's you, Brother Jun. Eight years without seeing you, and I never expected you'd grown a beard. No wonder I could not remember at once who you were."

The scholar was none other than Jun Without Rudeness, one of the Eleven Heroes of the Falling Leaves Sect and the esteemed bearer of tributes. After attending the wedding feast of Gan Yu at Gan Family Fortress and being seized by Mo Bai in demonic possession form, he had not hurried back to the Falling Leaves Sect. Instead, he had come to enjoy the excitement of the Spiritual Rising Arena. Earlier, he had recognized his old acquaintance Red Forest Woman, and thus this scene of waiting beside the arena had come to pass.

Jun Without Rudeness smiled broadly. "Sister Red Forest, I am no longer the impetuous youth of those years. There will be plenty of time for us to reminisce later. First, let your brother help you spar with one of the core figures of the Azure Sea family."

With that, the bearer of tributes shook himself and turned his gaze to Azure Sea One-Blade.