Chapter 24 ·Divine Sense Steps In to Help!

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍noon, the battle for the top ten of the True Martial Assembly officially began.

This ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍time, the arena was no longer overseen by ordinary attendant disciples.

Instead, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was presided over personally by Qin Su, the head elder of the Enforcement Hall of Sword-Resting Peak, known as Elder Jiansu.

Notably, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xu Yue, Xu Gang, and even the recently rising Ye Chen were all from his lineage.

Qin ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Su had a resolute face, his gaze sharp as a sword. With just a casual sweep of his eyes, the entire arena fell silent.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wasted no words and directly announced the first match:

“First match, Lin Wei of Pill Glow Peak versus Ye Chen of Sword-Resting Peak.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Wei leaped lightly onto the platform.

On the other side, Ye Chen also stepped forward, holding his sword.

Recently, he had been in the spotlight, winning consecutively with only mid-stage Second Revolution cultivation, with no opponent lasting more than three exchanges against him.

He was the biggest dark horse of this assembly.

“Ye Chen versus Lin Wei? This will be interesting!”

“I heard Ye Chen has an extremely powerful sword move—no one has been able to take it head-on…”

The crowd below immediately erupted into discussion.

Ye Chen’s name was now known to every inner sect disciple.

On the stage, Ye Chen cupped his fists: “Senior Sister Lin, please.”

Lin Wei returned the gesture, her expression calm.

She knew Ye Chen was no simple opponent—she had to go all out.

The moment Elder Qin Su declared the start, Ye Chen moved!

He did not rush to attack, instead holding his sword diagonally. A restrained yet sharp sword intent quietly spread.

Lin Wei’s eyes sharpened. She dared not be careless. The Flowing Light Splitting Shadow Sword emerged instantly, sword light splitting into multiple illusions like drifting fireflies, enveloping Ye Chen.

Yet Ye Chen seemed to have anticipated it. His sword suddenly trembled, accurately striking toward the true body among the many shadows!

Clang!

As their swords collided, Lin Wei felt a domineering force surge through the blade, numbing her wrist slightly.

She was inwardly shocked—Ye Chen’s sword was not only fast but also carried a nascent sword intent!

She herself had reached Third Revolution, yet sword intent was not something that could be cultivated merely through higher realms.

Seizing the momentum, Ye Chen pressed forward with continuous strikes.

His swordsmanship was not flashy, but every strike targeted vital points, carrying an unstoppable pressure.

Though Lin Wei’s Flowing Light Splitting Shadow Sword was exquisite, against this style of overpowering force and momentum, she gradually fell into suppression.

After dozens of exchanges, sweat appeared on Lin Wei’s brow, her breathing growing unstable.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen grew more vigorous with each strike, brilliance shining in his eyes as his sword intent faintly solidified.

I’m going to lose… Lin Wei’s heart sank, and she was already considering conceding.

But just as she was about to speak, Ye Chen suddenly let out a low shout, his sword piercing toward her shoulder with a piercing sound of breaking air!

This strike was extremely fast and dangerous!

Though not intended to kill, if it landed, injury would be inevitable.

Ye Chen had already calculated this—since the competition required restraint, he would not truly harm Lin Wei.

His true aim was to provoke the person below the stage—the one who had been calmly watching yet exerted invisible pressure on him: Gu Yan.

If you truly care about this Senior Sister, can you still remain unmoved now?

Ye Chen thought inwardly.

As long as Gu Yan became angered, after the competition, he could naturally challenge him.

Under the watchful eyes of all, with the matter involving a senior sister he cared about being humiliated, Gu Yan would find it difficult to refuse while maintaining his low profile.

Below the stage, Gu Yan’s gaze sharpened slightly.

A strand of invisible divine sense swiftly spread onto the arena.

Ye Chen suddenly felt the scene before him blur for an instant, as if an invisible hand had smoothed out the folds of his mind.

As a result, his sword slowed involuntarily by half a beat.

At the same time, Lin Wei felt her sword gently guided by an irresistible soft force.

The sword tip naturally lifted, striking precisely against Ye Chen’s sword guard.

His grip numbed, and the sword flew out of his hand.

Lin Wei’s momentum did not stop. The blade followed through, striking his chest.

Ye Chen let out a muffled groan, retreating several steps before falling directly off the platform.

The entire arena fell silent.

Many disciples had not even seen what had happened—only witnessing Ye Chen’s overwhelming strike, followed by his sudden defeat.

Several elders revealed looks of surprise, their gazes lingering on Lin Wei.

That final move had been exquisitely timed and executed with precision, yet…

It did not entirely seem like Lin Wei’s own style.

Seated at the main position, Elder Qin Su looked at Ye Chen, who still stood dazed below the platform, and shook his head, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

He raised his voice and declared: “This match, Lin Wei wins.”

Lin Wei sheathed her sword, yet her confusion deepened.

That final strike—had it been inspiration in the moment, or had some unseen force assisted her…?

Suppressing her doubts, she leaped down from the platform and quickly walked to Gu Yan, saying softly: “That was close just now… thanks to that final strike.”

Gu Yan smiled and nodded: “Senior Sister adapted well in the moment. Your swordsmanship has improved—you won beautifully.”

At this moment, Xu Yue also approached with a smile: “Senior Sister Lin’s last strike was truly brilliant. I admire it!”

Lin Wei smiled but did not dwell on it.

On the other side, Ye Chen stood frozen, his face pale.

He looked down at his slightly trembling hand, replaying the moment before his defeat.

Why? He had clearly held the upper hand… where had that momentary lapse come from?

After a long while, he slowly clenched his numb fist, the dejection in his eyes gradually replaced by stubborn determination.

Still… not strong enough.

……

An hour and a half later, the top five were decided.

Xu Gang narrowly lost in the advancement match to a palm technique expert at the early stage of Third Revolution, stopping at the top ten.

The five remaining disciples drew lots to determine who would advance directly.

Perhaps by luck, the lot that symbolized direct advancement into the top three was drawn by Lin Wei.

She was briefly stunned, then joy appeared in her eyes.

At this stage, the remaining four were all at the early stage of Third Revolution, their strengths closely matched.

Avoiding one battle and conserving strength was undoubtedly a huge advantage.

The next two matches were indeed extremely intense.

Sword lights and palm shadows intertwined, various exquisite martial techniques displayed as both sides fought fiercely, drawing continuous cheers from the audience.

In the end, two sword cultivators narrowly defeated their opponents with superior endurance, joining Lin Wei in the top three.

Elder Qin Su stood once more, his voice resounding across the arena:

“The top three will enter a round-robin.

Each will fight two matches.

The one with all victories will be champion, one win and one loss second, two losses third.”

Perhaps due to the heavy exhaustion from consecutive battles, the final matches were not as spectacular as before.

Though Lin Wei gave her all, she ultimately ranked third in this True Martial Assembly.

This result far exceeded her initial expectations.

If not for Gu Yan’s subtle intervention in her match against Ye Chen, she might not even have entered the top ten.

At the conclusion of the assembly, rewards were distributed on the spot.

The top ten all received pills, cultivation techniques, and martial resources.

As for the top three, each could choose one of the three high-quality longswords.

The first-place winner chose first, taking a sword gleaming with cold light, faint dragon patterns visible.

The second-place winner did not hesitate, selecting another sword.

Its spine was wrapped in crimson patterns, like flowing lava.

When it was Lin Wei’s turn, only the final sword remained.

This sword was entirely pitch-black, without any patterns.

Though less dazzling in appearance than the other two, the faintly emanating steady aura marked it as no ordinary weapon.

……

After the assembly dispersed, Gu Yan briefly bid farewell to Xu Yue.

He then glanced at Lin Wei, who was surrounded by several senior sisters from Pill Glow Peak offering congratulations, before returning alone to his courtyard.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, Lin Wei came to his courtyard, holding the black longsword, and said:

“Junior Brother, this sword… is for you.”

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