Luo Jinxiao sucked in a breath, quickly closing her eyes to steady the sudden tension in her heart.
The surrounding noise instantly faded, leaving only the two of their hearts racing; it was unclear whether the rapid beating was from fright or the closeness between them.
After what felt like an eternity-long enough for Luo Jinxiao’s legs to feel a bit numb-Qu Weiyin finally stepped back. She looked at Luo Jinxiao, her expression seemingly full of confusion.
“Junior Uncle, is it true that you cannot measure her? This has never happened before. I suspect there’s something unusual about her; otherwise…”
“Foundation Establishment, Phase One,” Qu Weiyin said淡淡地, her voice calm and steady
“What? But…” Cheng Siyu wanted to say more, but Qu Weiyin interrupted him.
“Don’t you believe me?” Qu Weiyin spoke slowly, her beautiful phoenix eyes glancing toward Cheng Siyu. He quickly dropped his gaze, afraid to challenge her further.
“When our foreheads touch, the measurement will surely be more accurate,” Qu Weiyin added, meaningfully redirecting her gaze back to Luo Jinxiao, looking her up and down as if assessing her.
At that moment, Luo Jinxiao was utterly confused. Judging by the demoness’s expression, it seemed she was just as unclear about the situation.
Then why was she willing to lie to help her?
“Continue. I’ll be watching,” Qu Weiyin instructed Cheng Siyu, not sparing him a glance, before turning and striding confidently up to the platform.
Standing tall in the center, Qu Weiyin gazed down at the crowd, resembling a deity.
Watching her, Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but let out a wistful sigh in her heart.
“You’ve passed. Hurry up and leave,” Cheng Siyu growled menacingly, roughly shoving Luo Jinxiao forward.
Luo Jinxiao stumbled slightly from the shove, rolling her eyes as she joined the others on the steps. The number of people waiting gradually increased, and some who had not passed the trials had to leave in disappointment.
The second trial was quite simple for Luo Jinxiao. It merely involved holding a Soul-Focusing Mirror to reflect upon each participant, assessing the strength of their will. Those whose determination wavered fainted or cried out, creating quite a spectacle in their panic.
Luo Jinxiao spotted the earlier confrontational girl among the participants. She had impressive abilities; despite appearing to suffer greatly when facing the Soul-Focusing Mirror, she managed to hold herself together and passed the trial without any overt display of weakness.
“Hey, what kind of magical tool is this? Why do they look so miserable?” Someone nudged Luo Jinxiao’s shoulder from behind, whispering in curiosity.
Luo Jinxiao turned to see that the girl asking the question was slightly older than her, dressed in a bright yellow dress adorned with pearl-like patterns. She wore a string of agate bangles on her wrist that jingled softly whenever she moved.
“It’s called the Soul-Focusing Mirror. Those who are reflected upon will see their greatest fears,” Luo Jinxiao replied casually, as there wasn’t much else to do.
“Ah, what should I do then?” The girl panicked, gripping Luo Jinxiao’s hand tightly. Not used to such close contact, Luo Jinxiao instinctively pulled her hand away.
“The fears usually stem from past experiences. Just try to recall and be mindful,” Luo Jinxiao said, maintaining her composure as she took a step back, increasing the distance between them.
“When my father scolded me, it was very frightening, and that worm I saw yesterday was also terrifying,” the girl said, biting her lip, her brows furrowed in distress.
Luo Jinxiao, hearing the girl’s fears, found herself at a loss for words and ultimately shook her head. It seemed the girl was just a child raised in a pampered environment.
A pang of envy hit Luo Jinxiao at that thought.
Quickly, it was her turn. Luo Jinxiao closed her eyes slightly, gripping her palms tightly.
It was simple enough, yet it didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid. The mirror would replay the fears she had faced as a child when confronted by vengeful spirits and hungry ghosts. She had been terrified each time, but the harsh training enforced by the Luo family had prevented her from showing any fear.
She had experienced the effects of the Soul-Focusing Mirror many times in her youth.
“Pass.” The disciple holding the mirror announced loudly before moving on to the next person.
In the distance, the wind howled. Qu Weiyin stood unmoving, her gaze fixed on the figure on the platform. The girl stood a bit taller than those around her, her dark hair styled high-clean and silent.
“Luo Jinxiao,” she murmured, furrowing her brow.
Her talent was far stronger and more mysterious than Qu Weiyin had anticipated. How could such a person be regarded as a waste in the eyes of the world? In her past life, she had been crushed in the cradle.
When they first met, this girl had exhibited the same panic, fear, and hostility as those who despised Qu Weiyin, blending seamlessly into the crowd.
Yet, from her current perspective, those emotions were merely facades.
For some reason, she found herself curious about her.
“I’m Lu Fanzhi. Who are you? It’s impressive how you keep your composure!” The girl from earlier squeezed her way through and instinctively clutched Luo Jinxiao’s arm.
Luo Jinxiao smiled, effortlessly slipping her arm away.
“Luo Jinxiao,” she replied.
“Luo Jinxiao, what a lovely name. You’re from the Luo family…” Lu Fanzhi began but then suddenly trailed off, awkwardly clearing her throat.
“Indeed,” Luo Jinxiao replied with a smile, showing no concern.
Lu Fanzhi scratched her head, then abruptly threw her arm around Luo Jinxiao’s shoulders, declaring boldly, “My mother often says that meeting someone is destiny. Now you and I can consider ourselves fated individuals!”
“I heard that the third trial is about finding a master. If one lacks fate, or if no one is willing to take them on, they cannot enter the Wuhui Sect.” She leaned in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial tone. “My dream is to become her disciple.”
Luo Jinxiao followed her gaze upward, finally resting her eyes on the figure of the woman in red from afar.
“Qu Weiyin. She is the most accomplished person in the Wuhui Sect aside from a few elders. It is said that she has reached Phase One of Transcendence and wields the legendary Crescent Moon Star Sword, making her incredibly powerful.”
Lu Fanzhi’s hopeful expression quickly shifted to disappointment. “However, she hasn’t taken on any apprentices to date, so it’s likely she won’t make an exception this time either.”
So the demoness has already reached a level of Transcendence. No wonder her power is unmatched after succumbing to demonic transformation. Luo Jinxiao thought as she observed Qu Weiyin from a distance.
Moreover, from Lu Fanzhi’s reaction, it seemed she was completely unaware of the situation between the two of them. It was uncertain who had kept the information under wraps-perhaps Qu Chengzhou or Qu Weiyin herself. This could explain why news of their impending engagement hadn’t spread.
This worked to her advantage. If Qu Weiyin had forgotten, that would be even better.
Just then, her thoughts were interrupted as she unexpectedly locked eyes with Qu Weiyin. Luo Jinxiao’s heart raced, and she quickly averted her gaze.
“They’re coming! They’re coming!” Lu Fanzhi exclaimed in excitement, grabbing Luo Jinxiao by the shoulders and pushing her toward the crowd. With no choice in the matter, Luo Jinxiao had to follow her lead.
The second trial was evidently over, with nearly half the participants having left. The remaining disciples formed a line on the stone steps, each holding a piece of milky-white jade pendant.
The jade pendants emitted a faint glow, further emphasizing their warmth and preciousness.
The spiritual jade was used for taking on disciples. Every qualified master had to leave their mark on it, and the disciple simply had to infuse their spiritual energy into the jade. If fate allowed, they could establish a master-disciple bond.
The crowd had already begun channeling their spiritual energy. In an instant, the originally milky-white jade transformed, displaying a dazzling array of colors.
Luo Jinxiao felt a twinge of tension. After all, choosing a master was a serious matter. If she ended up with a poor master, her cultivation progress would undoubtedly suffer.
She took her jade pendant and quietly offered a prayer before infusing it with her spiritual energy. The jade gradually changed colors, enveloped in a faint golden light.
Luo Jinxiao’s eyes widened in disbelief. Could she truly be this unlucky?!
The commotion surrounding her drew the attention of those nearby, and someone remarked, “Golden? Isn’t that the mark of Junior Uncle Qu?”
“But she has never taken on a disciple and has never had anyone connected by fate with her. Who is this person?”
“What person? Can’t you tell that this is the Luo family waste?” A sharp comment rang out, and Luo Jinxiao didn’t need to look up to know who it came from. However, she was too absorbed in her own shock at being involved with the demoness again to respond.
She almost suspected that there might truly be two people in this world fated to be each other’s nemesis.
“Qu, Junior Uncle Qu.” The nearby disciples suddenly bent at the waist, and Luo Jinxiao looked up to see Qu Weiyin had appeared before her without her noticing, gazing thoughtfully at the jade pendant in her hand.
“Junior Uncle Qu, she…” The girl who had been so quick to mock was about to say something, but Qu Weiyin’s piercing gaze silenced her, forcing the words back down her throat.
“Who are you?” Qu Weiyin frowned slightly.
“I-I am Yan Ying,” the girl stammered, instinctively taking a step backward, her voice much softer than before.
“True to your name-noisy,” Qu Weiyin remarked.
The girl’s face immediately flushed red with a mix of embarrassment and anger. She wanted to retort but dared not speak up, and the look of helplessness brought a sense of pleasure to Luo Jinxiao.
Qu Weiyin ignored her and continued to scrutinize Luo Jinxiao, remaining silent.
“Junior Uncle Qu, will you take her as your disciple?” Cheng Siyu quickly moved to Qu Weiyin’s side, asking carefully.
“With an unstable celestial vein, weak spiritual energy, and no talent, even if the Wuhui Sect was willing to accept someone like her, I would not,” Qu Weiyin stated matter-of-factly. Her expression remained indifferent, but her words dripped with sarcasm and disdain.
Even someone as level-headed as Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but frown, her fists clenching tightly at her sides.
“Only the strong can survive here. I, Qu Weiyin, do not take in waste.”
As she spoke, Qu Weiyin suddenly reached for the spiritual jade in Luo Jinxiao’s hand. With a delicate grip of her pale fingers, the jade was crushed to powder, scattering in the wind.
A surge of anger boiled within Luo Jinxiao.
The spiritual jade was extremely important to cultivators; it represented a contract between them and their sect when taking on a master. The bond of life and death was tied to it, and cultivators were expected to protect it diligently.
Therefore, shattering a cultivator’s spiritual jade was akin to breaking their backbone-an immense insult.
The powder clouded Luo Jinxiao’s vision, but she refused to rub her eyes, instead glaring at Qu Weiyin with eyes ablaze. She rarely harbored such animosity toward anyone, not even those who had caused her demise by mere coincidence, and she’d never placed blame.
But this was different. In front of so many people, the blatant insult struck her pride, and she wasn’t one to swallow her anger meekly.
Onlookers were left stunned, the atmosphere falling into a hushed silence, with no one daring to speak.
Luo Jinxiao gritted her teeth and suddenly raised her hand. Qu Weiyin’s eyes flickered slightly, caught off guard for a moment, as the spiritual jade hanging at her waist shattered in the same manner as Luo Jinxiao’s. The difference was that it broke into two halves rather than being reduced to powder.
The crowd gasped in shock, waves of nervous intakes of breath reverberating through them. Junior Uncle Qu was notorious for her bad temper in recent years, and this Luo girl was incredibly bold to shatter Qu Weiyin’s spiritual jade with her own hands!
At that moment, Luo Jinxiao regained her composure and suddenly realized that she was not merely facing anyone, but the very Qu Weiyin who had ruthlessly killed her in a past life. How had she let herself lose control? She truly was recklessly risking her life.
Qu Weiyin looked down at the jade on the ground before raising her gaze to meet Luo Jinxiao’s. An overwhelming pressure descended upon Luo Jinxiao, making her knees tremble as if a thousand-pound weight were pressing down on her back.
The distinct aura of Qu Weiyin bore down on her, causing Luo Jinxiao to feel dizzy, relying solely on her willpower to remain upright.
She was unwilling to concede, grinding her teeth and remaining silent.
But suddenly, the pressure vanished. When she raised her head, she realized that Qu Weiyin was now just two inches away, a hand gripping her collar, bringing their faces perilously close.
Qu Weiyin’s features appeared even more refined and chilling up close, and the light floral scent surrounding her made Luo Jinxiao momentarily dizzy.
Qu Weiyin opened her mouth but said nothing. Instead, with a flick of her right hand, she lightly snapped her fingers in the air before releasing her grip and turning away, prompting the crowd to hastily part a path for her.
Luo Jinxiao finally gasped for air, her gaze following Qu Weiyin’s retreating figure, her red attire fluttering-solitary yet somehow melancholic.
As she came to her senses, Luo Jinxiao noticed a piece of spiritual jade in her hand, emanating a greenish glow. Inscribed in small, elegant characters were the words: “Mr. Liu Zhi.”
“Mr. Liu Zhi? That’s the name of an elder who hasn’t emerged from seclusion in a long time. This was left by Junior Uncle Qu! She wants you to take Mr. Liu Zhi as your master!” Lu Fanzhi appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Luo Jinxiao’s arm with evident excitement.
“Mr. Liu Zhi?” Luo Jinxiao exclaimed, staring at the jade in her hand, feeling overwhelmed and confused.
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