Chapter 128: Snake Shedding

The final matches of the sect competition came to a complete end.

Originally, Gu Liangtian had a greater chance of victory with his staff in hand and having just advanced into the Spirit Transformation realm. However, before the match, Lu Chenhan obtained the Seven Absolutes Sword, a sword whose sword spirit had once taken human form.

In the end, Lu Chenhan still won.

Ning Qianyao did not spend any more time repairing the Cang Sword and directly went on stage to fight Lü Jiu.

Lü Jiu had only just recovered from his arm injury and fought desperately once again. Ning Qianyao nearly lost, but the magical treasure in her hand was far superior to Hong Yongye's, so she ultimately won the match.

The others also finished their matches one after another.

The top ten of this sect competition were thus decided. From first to tenth place, they were: Ye Su, You Fushi, Lu Chenhan, Gu Liangtian, Yi Xuan, Mei Chouren, Lian Lian, Zhou Yun, Ning Qianyao, and Lü Jiu.

The Shangque Sect was completely shut out, yet its sect master did not seem overly concerned. After all, even Kunlun's Lu Chenhan had nearly failed to enter the top three this time, and the entire Kunlun Sect had only managed to place one disciple in the top ten.

Compared to that, the Shangque Sect Master actually found a trace of comfort.

"The competition is already over. Why hasn't Ye Su come yet?" After Yan Hao lost her match, she no longer had any battles and spent her time wandering around. On the second day, she came to peer outside Qianji Sect's courtyard and asked Xia Er, "We're about to head to Kunlun Hall."

Although she was not going herself, she was anxious on Ye Su's behalf.

Xia Er said, "Senior Sister is still at Qianji Sect. She should make it back this morning."

"What is she doing back at Qianji Sect at a time like this?" Xu Chengyu walked over and asked. He had finally emerged from his enlightenment yesterday. Although his realm had not advanced, it was obvious he had gained a deeper understanding of the sword path.

"Taking... Little... Junior... Brother... To... Get... Something." Ming Liusha said slowly.

Xi Yu checked himself in a mirror, making sure his hair-blade was still in its original position, then looked up and said to the people outside the door, "You all go to Kunlun Hall first. Senior Sister probably won't be back for a while."

The group then turned and headed toward Kunlun Hall to await the announcement of this sect competition's results.

About half an incense stick's worth of time later, Huang Erqian returned with Ye Su and You Fushi.

The moment they returned, the Chongming Sword flew over, circling around the two of them repeatedly while bobbing up and down. Red light flickered from the crack in its ancient silver scabbard, revealing an indescribable sense of grievance.

"Fourth Junior Brother, this sword looks like a butterfly," Xi Yu nudged Xia Er beside him. "One day, you should forge a sword like this too."

"It... Looks... More... Like... A... Little... Dog... Wagging... Its... Tail... Madly... After... Seeing... Its... Owner... Return." Ming Liusha accurately mocked.

Xi Yu thought about it and nodded.

"That seems true too."

"Senior Sister! They've already gone to Kunlun Hall!" Xia Er suddenly stood up and shouted.

"I know." Ye Su pulled along the still somewhat dazed You Fushi and flew toward Kunlun Hall.

Naturally, the results were announced by Kunlun Sect Master Daoist Fengchen. Just as he picked up the scroll, Ye Su and You Fushi hurried in from outside.

This time, the brown-haired elder frowned slightly but did not say anything.

The moment the two stopped in place, the gazes of all the sect masters landed upon them.

"...He advanced again?" The Five Elements Sect Master stared at You Fushi and muttered. With this, among the four Qianji Sect participants, three had entered the early Spirit Transformation stage. The remaining one did not have a particularly high realm, yet was a complete madman and even had ties to Wujian Sect's Madman Xin.

"Why didn't we see any heavenly tribulation?" Wanfo Sect Master Le Ji stared at You Fushi and asked.

Wujian Sect Master Zhou Qi said, "He returned to Qianji Sect. Even if Sect Master Le wanted to see it, he wouldn't have been able to."

Daoist Fengchen listened to their conversation without any extra emotion on his face. His tone remained calm yet authoritative.

"This sect competition has officially concluded. Some people achieved unexpectedly good results, while others failed to attain the rankings they hoped for. But I believe everyone has already done their utmost, and that is enough."



"Remember that you are all part of the cultivation world. In the future, you must contribute to the extermination of demons."

After he announced the top ten rankings, those individuals stepped forward to receive a jade token engraved with their placement in the sect competition. The tokens were personally handed out by the sect masters.

"Three months from now, you will use this jade token to enter the Rotating Wheel. Make sure you keep it safe," the brown-haired elder reminded them.

"Where is the Rotating Wheel?" Ye Su asked.

The brown-haired elder replied, "You may continue staying at Kunlun. Three months from now, come to Kunlun Hall, and we will naturally take you there."



You Fushi lowered his head and glanced at the jade token in his hand before casually tossing it into Ye Su's storage pouch, successfully attracting the brown-haired elder's attention.



With the sect competition now over, Gu Liangtian and Lu Chenhan were the two most silent people present.

Originally, they had been competing for first place. In the end, they ended up fighting for third place instead. No one could easily accept such a huge difference, especially when they had genuinely lost.

"Want to get together tonight?" As soon as several sect masters left, Lian Lian turned around and asked Zhou Yun, Ye Su, and the others.



"Count us in too!" Mei Chouren casually took out a flower and offered it to Lian Lian.

Lian Lian clicked her tongue regretfully.

"If this were before, I would have accepted your flower."

"So you can't accept it now?" Mei Chouren said in the tone of a good brother. "I can tell you're one of our kind. Let this flower serve as a bridge of friendship."

"Tonight at the largest restaurant in Kunlun's outer city. Don't be late."

Lian Lian quickly walked out of the hall. Cheng Huaian was already waiting in the distance.

Ye Su grabbed You Fushi's hand and was about to leave as well.

Holding the Seven Absolutes Sword, Lu Chenhan stepped forward and blocked their path. "Fight me again," he said to You Fushi.

You Fushi completely ignored him. In truth, ever since waking up, he had remained in a state of confusion.

"You lost, so you lost." Ye Su was not in a good mood either. In particular, the way Lu Chenhan acted as if possessing the Seven Absolutes Sword meant he controlled the whole world was especially irritating. "Even if you fight again, first place in the sect competition still won't be yours."

Lu Chenhan's expression turned cold.

"I wasn't talking to you."

Yi Xuan immediately drew his sword and stood before the two of them, facing Lu Chenhan.

Mei Chouren deliberately dragged out his words.

"Yo~ You're Kunlun's number one genius, aren't you? Can't accept defeat?"

Everyone who had not yet left the hall looked over.

Aside from Gu Liangtian, who showed no reaction, and Ning Qianyao, who stood in the rear with her head lowered, everyone else was clearly on Ye Su's side.

You Fushi suddenly lifted his head and looked at Lu Chenhan.

His black eyes were unfathomably deep.

"Do you want this sword of yours broken too?"

Lu Chenhan tightened his grip on the Seven Absolutes Sword and barely stopped himself from taking a step back. The inner demon left behind from that day on the arena platform had never disappeared.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, we got up too early today and need to return and rest." Ye Su smiled politely before turning to the others. "See you tonight at the inn in the outer city."

After pulling You Fushi out of the hall, she immediately flew back to their courtyard on her sword.

The courtyard was empty.

Ming Liusha and the other two were once again refining artifacts in their rooms.

Ye Su brought You Fushi to his room to rest.

He sat on the edge of the bed, kicked off his boots, and secretly glanced up at her.

Ever since waking up at Qianji Sect, You Fushi had realized that he had shed his skin, yet he could not quite remember where it had happened.

He secretly studied Ye Su's face.

She seemed no different than usual.

She probably had not noticed.

Ye Su accurately caught a certain junior brother's gaze and met his eyes.



"What's wrong?"

You Fushi immediately shook his head.

Ye Su walked closer to the bed and erected a barrier, isolating their voices from the outside world. Then she leaned toward him.

You Fushi looked up at her blankly and surprisingly did not dodge.

Just as the two were about to get close, Ye Su turned her head slightly and whispered into his ear:

"Who are they?"

Her breath was light and warm.

To avoid it, You Fushi simply lay back on the bed.

"Who are they?"

Ye Su looked at his lazy appearance and remembered the long tail he had revealed inside that separate space.

So his true form was a snake.

No wonder he was always so lazy and even had a hibernation period.

"I picked up something that belongs to you."

Ye Su pulled over a chair and sat down.



You Fushi's body stiffened.

A bad premonition suddenly arose.

Ye Su took out a handful of scales from her storage pouch and showed them to him.

So she really had discovered them.

You Fushi frowned.

He did not even remember how he had shed his skin.

"And there's also a whole snake skin."

You Fushi immediately covered both ears with his hands, closed his eyes, and pretended he could not hear anything.

Ye Su laughed softly.

After putting the scales away, she pulled his hands down.

"They're beautiful. Once I glue these scales back on, I'll return them to you."

You Fushi raised his eyes to look at her.

"You can use them as materials."

"Not as materials."

For the first time, Ye Su directly rejected him.

"Keep them properly."

"Then you keep them."

You Fushi turned around and faced away from her.

"Someone used to keep them for me too."

Before...

As the Senior Sister thought about how someone else had once seen her junior brother's shed snake skin, she suddenly felt inexplicably uncomfortable.