Chapter 289 - 160: Fellow Senior Sister

Chapter 289: Chapter 160: Fellow Senior Sister

Hearing this, Yang Wenqing put down the briefing. His expression remained impassive as he asked, "Did she give a name? What does she look like?"

The clansman hurried to reply, "She said her surname is Wu, and her given name is Jing. She looks to be about thirty, is dressed in plain, blue-gray clothes, and seems to be from the north."

"Show her to the main hall and serve her tea. I will be there shortly," Yang Wenqing instructed after a moment’s thought.

"Yes, Patriarch." The clansman accepted the order and departed.

After some thought, Yang Wenqing did not head to the main hall immediately. Instead, he first activated the Communication Array within his badge, using an emergency encrypted channel to contact his master, Qin Huaiming.

"Master, a female cultivator calling herself Wu Jing has come to my home, claiming to be a senior martial sister from our sect. Since I’ve only just joined, I don’t know her. I’m contacting you to verify her identity and to ask for instructions on how to handle the situation."

Yang Wenqing’s tone was steady, his words concise and to the point.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by Qin Huaiming’s somewhat deep voice. "I had intended to wait until your formal induction to tell you about the sect’s internal affairs. Since someone has already come to your door, I’ll give you a brief overview now."

"It has been over six hundred years since the Sea Guardian Ancestor Master passed away. He had three True Disciples, who eventually split into three branches due to differing philosophies and geographical locations. Each branch considers itself the true lineage of the Ancestor Master. One of them, which cultivates in the northern interior, is known as the Beixuan Sect."

"Another branch, known as Yunji, is rooted in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southwest. Our own lineage, the Xuanyue Lineage, is mostly active in the southeast."

Qin Huaiming’s voice turned grave. "While the three branches share a bond from a common origin, they also have a competitive spirit. To motivate the younger generation, a pact was made long ago: every thirty years, disciples under forty in the Marrow Cleansing Realm must compete. The next competition is in three years. Originally, the Three Sects had five disciples who qualified. Now, with you, there are six."

"The winner of the competition may enter the Qingxu Blessed Land—a realm the Sea Guardian Ancestor Master created with his own Golden Core—to undergo their Foundation Establishment. For a cultivator practicing the Yuqing Secret Skill, it is the ultimate treasure ground for this purpose. The land is currently guarded jointly by our Three Sects."

He paused, his tone turning cold. "I’ve heard of this Wu Jing. She is one of the most outstanding disciples of her generation in the Beixuan Sect and holds a nominal position in the Bailan Province City Defense Hall. She has been traveling in recent years. Her temperament is not bad, but she has an air of arrogance, as she’s been called a genius since she was a child."

"I imagine she’s sought you out now because she happens to be traveling through Donghai Province. She’s here to probe your true strength and weakness in preparation for the competition three years from now. You need to handle her with caution, but don’t be too timid, either. Don’t diminish the reputation of our Xuanyue Lineage."

"If she challenges you to a spar, there’s no need to worry. Just accept. I doubt she would dare to do anything out of line. Besides, with your abundant Spiritual Qi, you won’t necessarily lose."

"Based on my understanding of her, she won’t do anything inappropriate. But we must prepare for the unexpected. Have your people prepare a Recording Array. If she really has malicious intent, just use your gun!"

Yang Wenqing nodded and replied, "I understand, Master. Thank you for the information."

After ending the communication, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. ’Since it can’t be avoided, I’ll just have to face it head-on.’ He straightened his collar, his expression returned to one of calm, and he strode toward the main hall.

Inside the main hall, Wu Jing was not seated. Instead, she stood at the entrance with her hands behind her back, gazing at the slender bamboo in the courtyard. When she heard footsteps in the corridor, she immediately turned around.

Yang Wenqing walked toward her, getting a clear view of this senior martial sister from the Beixuan Sect. Her features could only be considered average. Her eyes and brows weren’t especially striking, but she had a straight nose and a complexion that was fair, as if it rarely saw the harsh sun.

Yet, when combined, it all came together with a strange sense of harmony. This was mainly due to her calm and confident aura, like a reef deep beneath the sea—unmoved no matter how turbulent the waves. Her gaze was clear and direct, yet not the least bit aggressive.

"Junior Martial Brother Yang Wenqing?" Wu Jing spoke first, her voice as emotionless as her demeanor.

"The very same. Wenqing greets you, Senior Martial Sister Wu Jing." Yang Wenqing cupped his fists in a salute. "I was unaware of your arrival and failed to give you a proper welcome. My master just told me about you."

"Mm. I presume Martial Uncle Qin has already informed you of the reason for my visit."

Wu Jing gave a slight nod, showing little interest in exchanging pleasantries, and cut right to the chase. "The competition in three years for the right to achieve Foundation Establishment in the Qingxu Blessed Land concerns our very paths of cultivation. I have come today, first, to meet Martial Uncle Qin’s new junior brother, and second, to have a friendly spar."

She looked at Yang Wenqing calmly. "You’ve only just achieved Bone Marrow Cleansing, so your cultivation is still shallow. A direct fight to the death would be unfair and would easily harm the harmony between us. How about we keep it simple? We can compete on the strength of our Spiritual Qi and a clash of our Divine Sense. We’ll stop before it goes too far. What do you say?"

Yang Wenqing’s mind raced. ’A contest of Spiritual Qi strength? I have the Golden Core World, so the purity of my Spiritual Qi most likely isn’t inferior to hers. Plus, I can endlessly replenish my Qi Sea. As for a clash of Divine Sense, I have a Golden Core firmly seated in my mind, and my Divine Sense is already powerful to begin with.’

’The competition Wu Jing proposed seems fair, but it actually plays right into my hands. You could even say she’s handing me victory on a silver platter... assuming I’m willing to win, of course.’

’Winning this battle of pride would certainly be gratifying, but it would also mean immediately drawing the attention of the Beixuan Sect and even Yunji.’

’In the competition three years from now, I would be under the most pressure and become their primary target.’

’On the other hand, if I were to lose narrowly now, I could hide my true strength and feign weakness. It would be perfectly reasonable, too. After all, nothing is more normal than a newcomer who just completed his Bone Marrow Cleansing losing to a senior martial sister in the same realm.’

"An excellent proposal, Senior Sister. As I’ve only just entered the Marrow Cleansing Realm, I am in great need of your guidance," Yang Wenqing said. "I only ask that you go easy on me."