Chapter 23 ·Martial Dao Seventh Revolution, Martial Soul!

That ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍night.

Gu ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yan sat cross-legged inside his room, cultivating.

Recently, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍aside from absorbing the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth and steadily accumulating spiritual power, most of his focus had been placed on creating a spell of his own.

As ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a cultivator, all the methods he currently possessed for confronting enemies had not truly departed from the scope of martial arts.

Even ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when powered by spiritual energy, though their might far exceeded that of ordinary martial practitioners, at their core they were still rooted in mundane techniques.

Thus, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he integrated the many martial manuals he had read in the inner sect’s Scripture Pavilion of the Taiyi Dao Sect.

He took their essence and discarded their form, attempting to innovate from the old.

He aimed to create a technique that truly belonged to cultivators—one capable of resonating with the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth for offense.

Thoughts flowed through Gu Yan’s mind.

“If I succeed, this move should be called… Spiritual Insight Finger? No, too ordinary… then Heaven-Severing Force? That sounds too grand…”

Just as he was pondering, a whistling wind suddenly came from outside.

At first, he paid it no mind. Night winds in the mountains were common.

But after a moment, Gu Yan’s brows twitched slightly as he sensed something off.

The wind persisted without interruption, its rhythm monotonous, unlike a natural breeze.

He extended his divine sense, enveloping the entire courtyard.

Outside, the space was empty—no figures, no birds or beasts.

Even stranger, the trees and leaves in the courtyard were completely still. There was clearly no wind!

Gu Yan lifted his gaze toward the window. A cold crescent moon hung in the sky, its pale light casting an eerie atmosphere over the courtyard.

Focusing carefully, he finally spotted, in a shadowed corner of the courtyard, an extremely faint, nearly transparent, distorted human figure!

A ghost?!

Gu Yan was startled.

Having lived in this martial world for twenty-nine years, this was the first time he had personally seen such a thing.

And what place was this?

The Taiyi Dao Sect—a righteous Daoist sect.

Ordinary sinister entities would not dare approach. What origin did this ghost have to be so bold?

He had no intention of meddling and simply waited for it to leave on its own.

Unexpectedly, the transparent figure seemed to sense something and drifted directly toward his room.

Gu Yan’s mouth twitched.

He reached into his robe and took out a folded yellow talisman.

It was the basic Soul-Calming Talisman that every Taiyi Dao Sect disciple could draw.

In the hands of ordinary martial artists, this talisman only had a negligible effect of calming the mind—almost psychological comfort.

But the one Gu Yan had drawn was slightly modified, using his own spiritual power as ink.

Originally made casually in his spare time to test an idea, he had not expected it to come in handy today.

Seeing the transparent figure enter the room, Gu Yan no longer hesitated. Spiritual power surged from his fingertips as he shouted softly, “Suppress!”

The talisman ignited without fire, instantly bursting into golden light that illuminated the entire room.

When the golden light touched the figure, a sizzling sound immediately rang out.

“Ow! Ow!”

A cry of pain completely mismatched with the eerie atmosphere sounded.

The transparent figure fluctuated violently and retreated rapidly.

“Stop! Stop at once! This old man is the Supreme Elder of the Taiyi Dao Sect, Yunchenzi!”

The transparent figure shouted in exasperation.

Supreme Elder, Yunchenzi?

Gu Yan slightly eased the spiritual power in his hand, dimming the golden light somewhat, but did not withdraw it entirely.

His doubts deepened. In a martial world, could souls leave the body?

“How do I know whether your words are true? And if you truly are a Supreme Elder, what are your intentions in entering a disciple’s residence in the dead of night?”

“You!” The figure calling himself Yunchenzi choked on his words.

“This old man was merely cultivating a technique—my Martial Soul wandering at night. Passing by your courtyard, I sensed that the flow of heaven and earth’s energy here was completely different from elsewhere. Out of curiosity, I came in to take a look!”

Though he spoke harshly, Yunchenzi was inwardly shaken.

How could he not recognize the Soul-Calming Talisman of the Taiyi Dao Sect?

It was not entirely useless, but for it to cause such obvious burning pain and deterrence to someone like him—a peak Sixth Revolution Martial Immortal who had already condensed a Martial Soul—

Even if it were drawn by the sect’s founding ancestor, it would never possess such miraculous effect!

This boy… had something unusual about him!

Hearing this, Gu Yan immediately understood.

It must have been that during his cultivation, he had unconsciously drawn in the surrounding Spiritual Energy. Its circulation differed greatly from the qi and true essence of martial artists, thus attracting the attention of this wandering Supreme Elder.

But Martial Soul? What was that?

Seizing the opportunity, Gu Yan asked, “Elder, I only know that the Sixth Revolution of Martial Dao is called Martial Immortal, but I have never heard of the Martial Soul. Please enlighten me.”

Seeing his respectful attitude, and since he himself was somewhat at fault, Yunchenzi explained with a teacher’s air:

“At the Sixth Revolution, as a Martial Immortal, one’s vitality and true essence reach perfection.

But to go further and break through to the legendary Seventh Revolution, one must condense a Martial Soul, shedding the restraints of the mortal body and allowing the spirit to roam the heavens and earth…

In my early years, I once obtained a fragmentary Seventh Revolution technique in an ancient ruin. After years of hard cultivation, I barely managed to form a rudimentary Martial Soul.

Unfortunately, the technique is incomplete. My Martial Soul is flawed, and I have never been able to perfect it or take that final step…”

Gu Yan’s heart stirred.

From the description, this Martial Soul bore a striking resemblance to the primordial spirit pursued by cultivators.

Yet in this world, Martial Dao could condense such a thing as early as the Seventh Revolution?

Indeed, he had underestimated the profundity of Martial Dao in this world.

Seeing Gu Yan’s interest, Yunchenzi probed, “Boy, your talent and temperament are both exceptional. Would you be willing to take me as your master?

I can impart the fragment of the Seventh Revolution technique to you and help you explore higher realms of Martial Dao!”

At the mention of taking a master, Gu Yan immediately calmed down and shook his head: “Thank you for your favor, Elder, but I am used to being unrestrained and have no intention of taking a master for now.”

A master was like a father—too many constraints and obligations.

Even if he was curious about the Seventh Revolution technique, he did not want to suddenly gain a Supreme Elder as a master to restrain him.

Yunchenzi, rejected so bluntly, felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly changed his tone: “Then… how about we make a deal?

You teach this old man the method of drawing that talisman just now, and I will make a copy of the Seventh Revolution fragment for you!”

Gu Yan’s mouth twitched again.

How could he teach that?

His talisman was drawn using spiritual power—the core lay in spiritual energy, not the brushwork.

To teach the other party, he would first have to teach cultivation—drawing in Spiritual Energy.

But did this Supreme Elder possess a spiritual root?

Could he even sense Spiritual Energy?

These were all unknowns.

His own ability to cultivate came entirely from the Five Elements Spiritual Body, which granted him exceptional spiritual roots and perception.

This matter could not be explained, nor could it be casually taught.

“Apologies, Elder. Drawing this talisman requires a special constitution and cannot be taught.”

Gu Yan refused once more, his reason half true, half false.

Yunchenzi snorted. The glow of his Martial Soul dimmed, the eerie aura quickly receded, and his voice grew distant: “Unappreciative boy! This old man is leaving!”

The soul figure dissipated, and the courtyard returned to silence.

Gu Yan stood quietly for a moment, then shook his head.

Though he was somewhat interested in the Seventh Revolution technique that could cultivate a Martial Soul, it was not something he desperately needed.

After all, with his divine sense at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, if he truly wished to seek techniques of the Seventh Revolution or higher, there were other possible methods.

For example, he could visit the royal Scripture Pavilion of the Great Qian Dynasty, said to contain martial arts from across the world.

It was rumored that the Great Qian royal family had deep foundations. Even if they lacked Ninth Revolution divine techniques, they should at least possess records of the Seventh Revolution.

As for how to infiltrate it… with his divine sense, careful planning might make it possible.

On the surface, Great Qian had no Seventh Revolution martial practitioners. Their strongest retainers were likely only at the level of Sixth Revolution Martial Immortals. With caution, it should be manageable.

“This matter is not urgent. I’ll consider it later.” Gu Yan steadied his mind.

“For now, I should focus on cultivation and reach the completion of Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.”

……

The next day, at dawn.

Gu Yan composed himself and set out for the martial arena at Cloud-Mist Peak.

Today was the battle for the top ten of the True Martial Assembly. Lin Wei would face stronger opponents.

Whether by reason or sentiment, he should be there to support her.

As soon as he arrived at the edge of the arena, Lin Wei, who had been waiting for a long time, brightened and quickly walked over:

“Junior Brother! You’re here!”

Gu Yan smiled and nodded: “Senior Sister looks radiant today. You will surely win another victory.”

As the two spoke briefly, Gu Yan suddenly sensed a burning gaze upon him.

Turning his head, he saw not far away that Ye Chen, dressed in fitted attire, was staring at him intently.

His eyes were filled with undisguised fighting spirit and… a trace of complex envy?

Gu Yan felt somewhat puzzled.

He had little interaction with him and had not even registered for the competition. Why such strong hostility?

At this moment, Ye Chen was thinking, ‘I really want to fight Senior Brother Gu Yan!

What a pity he isn’t participating…

And every time Senior Sister Xu Yue mentions him, she praises his transcendent bearing and peerless appearance, her admiration obvious.

If I could defeat him in public, Senior Sister Xu Yue would surely look at me in a new light!

But… he clearly has exceptional talent, and his appearance is even… hmph, why is he so low-key?

If I had his looks, I would definitely…’

Just as Ye Chen’s thoughts surged, a crisp and cheerful voice sounded.

“Junior Brother Gu! Long time no see!”

A smiling Xu Yue, dressed in Sword-Resting Peak attire, approached. Her bright eyes fixed on Gu Yan’s face, her cheeks faintly flushed.

Gu Yan felt a trace of awkwardness.

He had only met Xu Yue once and barely spoken.

“Long time no see” was rather excessive.

But given her enthusiasm, he could not respond coldly, so he politely said, “Senior Sister Xu, it has been well.”

Beside him, Lin Wei’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly as she stepped forward half a step: “And this junior sister is?”

Xu Yue looked at Lin Wei, her smile unchanged: “Sword-Resting Peak, Xu Yue. And Senior Sister is?”

“Pill Glow Peak, Lin Wei.” Lin Wei’s gaze lightly swept over Xu Yue. “Junior Sister Xu also made it into the top ten?”

Xu Yue shook her head, her smile still bright: “No, I came to watch my elder brother.

He made it into the top ten. Senior Sister Lin, you must do your best today—perhaps you’ll encounter my brother.”

Lin Wei’s lips curved slightly: “If we do meet, I will naturally give it my all. Junior Sister Xu can rest assured—I always respect my opponents.”

Though their words were polite, an undercurrent subtly flowed between the two.

Gu Yan felt a hint of helplessness and quietly stepped half a pace back.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen, watching Xu Yue take the initiative to speak with Gu Yan, and seeing Lin Wei, such an outstanding senior sister, by his side—

The envy in his heart and his desire to prove himself grew even stronger.

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