novelraw Chapter 44 Head-to-Head!
Chapter 44 Head-to-Head!
The backyard of the Enforcement Hall.
The two women met unexpectedly, and the atmosphere tensed up quietly as they stared at each other in silence.
Pei Yourong frowned slightly as she sized up the ordinary woman in front of her who called herself Mu'er's wet nurse.
She wore coarse cloth clothes, had an ordinary, almost wooden appearance, but a plump figure. What was that lingering, inescapable sense of familiarity that clung to her?
Xue Baining smiled slightly, with a hint of sarcasm.
"Why does the renowned Sword Immortal Pei look so familiar to everyone I meet?"
Hearing the other party's undisguised arrogance, Pei Yourong's delicate brows furrowed even more, her cold gaze hardening like a frozen pool, a hint of anger flashing across her eyes.
As a sword immortal of the Great Qian Dynasty and the head of a peak, when had she ever been questioned so rudely?
Because of her status as Mu'er's wet nurse, he had been tolerant of her, but she showed no sign of restraint.
-
Outside the Hall of Law Enforcement.
Li Muyu followed Ma Zou Ri out.
From afar, one could see a large group of disciples gathered under the old locust tree in the front courtyard, discussing animatedly in a lively atmosphere.
Under the locust tree, on the blue stone slab, sat a young man.
He was dressed in a simple blue shirt, and what was most striking was that his face was covered with a white cloth, completely obscuring his eyes and leaving only his straight nose exposed.
He sat quietly, holding a longsword with its sheath still attached to his chest. The sheath was simple and unadorned. He seemed oblivious to the scrutinizing gazes around him, as if he were in another world.
"Is this the legendary top-ranked student on the Sky Ranking, Senior Brother Yun Yi?"
"You look no different from an ordinary person, don't you?"
The crowd whispered amongst themselves as if they were watching some rare animal, their eyes sweeping over Yun Yi.
Yun Yi showed no reaction to this, simply holding his sword quietly until Li Muyu's presence appeared, at which point he slightly raised his head.
"You've arrived."
His voice was flat and emotionless, without any small talk or pleasantries, as if he were waiting for an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.
Li Muyu frowned slightly. The two had never met before, so why was he speaking to him in such an overly familiar tone?
"I have long admired Senior Brother Yunyi's name. May I ask what brings you to the Hall of Enforcement today?"
This chief is renowned, yet mysterious and low-key. His sudden appearance at this moment makes it hard not to think of a scene involving disruption or something similar.
When the disciples who were watching saw Li Muyu walk out, they became even more excited, and their eyes lit up.
One is a rising star in the sect who has recently achieved remarkable success, and the other is a mysterious chief who has firmly held the top spot on the Sky Ranking.
Long ago, people began to compare the two. Is today the day to determine the winner?
Li Muyu glanced at the growing crowd around him and gestured for them to enter.
"This is not the place to talk, Senior Brother Yunyi. Please come with me to the inner courtyard for a chat."
Yun Yi stood up, sword in hand, his movements fluid and natural, unaffected by the blindfold, and followed Li Muyu into the inner courtyard of the Enforcement Hall.
The inner courtyard and rear residence.
Upon hearing the news, a group of disciples from the Enforcement Hall rushed over, their faces filled with tension and anticipation.
Shouyin rubbed his hands together and whispered to Ma Zouri beside him.
"Brother Ma, who do you think will win between Brother Yu and this Senior Brother Yunyi?"
Ma Zouri stroked his chin and analyzed with a serious expression.
"Brother Yu's strength is obvious to all and indisputable."
"However, this top-ranked individual on the Sky Ranking is extremely mysterious. It is rumored that he is already at the peak of the fifth realm. In terms of cultivation alone, he is slightly better than Brother Yu."
Shouyin, however, looked completely confident.
"I actually think the eldest brother is the better choice."
His reasoning was simple and blunt, without any analysis, only his unwavering trust in Li Muyu.
Ma Zouri paused for a moment, looking at Li Muyu's tall and straight back, recalling the incredible things he had created these past few days, and a sense of anticipation rose in his heart.
"Yes, Brother Yu always brings surprises, and perhaps this time will be no exception."
Compared to the tense discussions among the crowd on the outside.
The atmosphere between the two people in the center of the inner courtyard was strangely harmonious.
"You mean you came looking for me as soon as you got out of customs?"
Yun Yi nodded, his eyes, which were covered by a white cloth, twitched slightly, but his tone remained calm.
"The Grand Elder told me to come and challenge you to a duel after I emerge from seclusion."
Li Muyu frowned. What on earth was that old man doing?
"So, how do you plan to fight?"
Since forming his Nascent Soul in the Dao Palace and undergoing body tempering by dragon energy, Li Muyu has been lacking a worthy opponent to test his cultivation results.
This enigmatic leader of the Sky Rankings is undoubtedly an excellent litmus test.
Yun Yi seemed to think for a moment, then spoke very seriously.
"Just... a normal competition."
"In that case, please enlighten me, Senior Brother Yunyi!"
Upon seeing this, the disciples who were watching immediately became excited and called out to their companions.
"Look! They're about to make their move!"
"Make way! Make room!"
"This is a battle of the titans!"
Li Muyu adopted a balanced stance, his aura was deep and concentrated, and his true essence surged through his meridians. His gaze was fixed on Yun Yi opposite him.
However, Yun Yi remained seated on the stone bench, neither getting up nor drawing his sword.
He simply raised his palm slightly, spread his fingers, and faced Li Muyu's direction, then gently shook it.
You lost.
Li Muyu: "???"
He maintained his boxing stance, looking utterly bewildered: "What do you mean?"
Yun Yi waved his hand again, his tone carrying a hint of matter-of-fact.
"I am paper, you are stone, so I win."
Upon hearing this, Li Muyu's face immediately darkened, and his eyes became somewhat dangerous.
"Senior Brother Yunyi, are you making fun of me?"
Yun Yi, however, seemed oblivious to Li Muyu's anger. His face, covered by a white cloth, remained serious, revealing a hint of earnestness.
"I didn't, this is a contest."
"You...you're not trying to deny it, are you?"
Li Muyu stared at Yun Yi for a long time, then suddenly an absurd thought flashed through his mind, and he tentatively asked.
"Was this the same when you competed with others before?"
Yun Yi nodded, a hint of pride seemingly showing on his face, which was covered by a white cloth.
"It has always been like this; it has never been defeated."
"You haven't practiced any martial arts techniques?"
Yun Yi shook his head.
"What is that?"
The disciples on the periphery waited for a long time, but only saw one of them assuming a fighting stance and the other sitting and waving his hands. They couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.
"What's going on?"
"Yeah, something seems off about the atmosphere..."
One of the disciples, who seemed rather clever, stroked his chin and said in a pretentious manner.
"You don't understand, do you? True masters' duels often don't rely on fists, feet, or weapons, but on a clash of wills!"
"Don't be fooled by their stillness; they've probably already exchanged hundreds of blows on a level we can't see. It's incredibly dangerous!"
Shouyin looked up at the disciple with a suspicious expression.
Where did you hear that from?
The disciple puffed out his chest and said smugly.
"That's how it's written in traditional Chinese novels!"
Just then, Li Muyu in the arena suddenly sighed, put away his fist stance, and the aura gathered around him dissipated.
He shook his head, a complex and indescribable expression on his face, and turned to walk towards them.
"Brother Yu? What's going on?"
Everyone looked puzzled and asked.
Li Muyu sighed softly, "I lost!"
"What?!"
"We lost?!"
"How did we lose? We didn't see anything!"
The crowd was in an uproar, utterly shocked and bewildered.
Was what that disciple said true? The two engaged in a thrilling battle of wills.
This top-ranked player on the Sky Ranking is indeed unfathomable; even Brother Yu is no match for him!
Li Muyu was too lazy to explain, and couldn't explain it anyway. He was about to go back to his room to be quiet when he noticed Yun Yi suddenly get up and follow him closely.
"Senior Brother Yunyi, the competition is over, why aren't you going back yet?"
"The Grand Elder said that during my time out of seclusion, you will be assigned to the Enforcement Hall."
Li Muyu frowned again.
What exactly does the Grand Elder want? Is he leaving this problem child in his care?
Suddenly, a muffled sound came from the back courtyard, and two opposing auras of pressure spread out. Although they quickly subsided, the burst of power in that instant was noticed by everyone in the Enforcement Hall.
Li Muyu sensed something was wrong and immediately dodged away.
Seeing this, the disciples of the Enforcement Hall stopped dwelling on what had just happened and followed them.
We arrived at the back courtyard.
The sight before them startled the people who had rushed over, and then their eyes widened in surprise.
In the center of the training ground paved with bluestone, two figures faced each other from afar.
One is Pei Yourong, the female sword immortal and head of Nainai Peak, dressed in white with a cool and aloof demeanor.
The other person was none other than the woman who claimed to be Li Muyu's wet nurse, with an ordinary appearance and an eccentric temperament.
The two had clearly already exchanged blows briefly.
Pei Yourong still had a trace of lingering, chilling sword energy around her, and her clothes fluttered slightly.
The woman stood several feet away, her coarse cloth dress slightly disheveled, but her demeanor remained aloof.
Although they didn't seem to be giving it their all, it was more like a test.
However, the surge of spiritual energy in her attack allowed her to withstand Pei Yourong's sword strike without being at a disadvantage. This profound cultivation level was something that no ordinary woman could possess!
Pei Yourong's beautiful eyes flashed with a cold light, her tone filled with icy doubt.
"Are all the wet nurses from the Wuyuan Prince's Mansion so highly skilled in cultivation?"
Xue Baining let out a disdainful sneer and retorted sharply.
"What? Is the martial arts world opened up just for you, Pei Yourong? Are others not allowed to cultivate it?"
Li Muyu had a splitting headache.
He knew that even with different faces, these two women together would never be able to live peacefully.
The disciples from the Enforcement Hall who rushed over all had strange expressions when they heard this.
Shouyin's eyes widened even more, and he sighed softly to Ma Zouri.
"My goodness, no wonder he comes from the Wuyuan Prince's Mansion."
"This wet nurse has such a strong temper! How dare she speak to Pei Jianxian like that?"
Pei Yourong's pretty face turned slightly cold, and the sword energy around her seemed to be about to explode.
Seeing that the situation was not going well, Li Muyu quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Master, what brings you here?"
Upon seeing Li Muyu, Pei Yourong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her anger, and slowly withdrew the sword energy around her.
When she turned to face Li Muyu instead of Xue Baining, the frost on her face melted away instantly, and she returned to her gentle and quiet demeanor.
It was as if the female swordswoman who had just appeared with such imposing sword aura and piercing gaze was merely an illusion.
Suddenly, she produced a small food box in her hand and handed it to Li Muyu in a soft voice.
"Last time at Jade Maiden Peak, Master noticed you really liked osmanthus cake, so he made some himself. Why don't you try it and see how it tastes?"
As soon as the food box was opened, a sweet and fragrant aroma of osmanthus wafted out, revealing several kinds of pastries shaped like flower petals.
Each piece was made with great care, showing that Pei Yourong had put a lot of thought into it.
Before Li Muyu could speak, Xue Baining, who was standing next to him, crossed her arms and said in a cold tone with an undisguised sarcasm on her face.
"Tsk tsk, a female sword immortal of the Southern Immortal Sect, the head of a peak, doesn't think about improving her swordsmanship and protecting the sect."
"They have the leisure and inclination to imitate the manners of ordinary women, spending all day making pastries for their apprentices; it's truly astonishing."
"you--!"
Pei Yourong's anger, which she had just suppressed, suddenly flared up again. Her beautiful eyes flashed with murderous intent as she glared at Xue Baining.
Seeing the smell of gunpowder rising, Li Muyu quickly blocked his view with his body and picked up a piece of pastry in his hand.
"Hmm...it tastes good!"
Seeing Li Muyu praise her skills, Pei Yourong ignored Xue Baining and looked at him with her almond-shaped eyes full of affection.
"Really? This is my first time making this, and I was worried it wouldn't taste good."
"Master is too modest. You should all come and have a taste."
Li Muyu summoned the disciples of the Enforcement Hall who were standing nearby.
Everyone looked at each other in dismay. Those were pastries made by Pei Jianxian himself. If it weren't for Li Muyu's influence, who would have such good fortune?
Shouyin glanced at Li Muyu, then looked at Pei Yourong, who had a faint smile on her face and seemed not to object.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
With Shouyin taking the lead, the other disciples couldn't contain their curiosity and gathered around.
They quickly devoured all the pastries in the food box, praising them highly.
As Pei Yourong watched her disciples shower her with praise, her initial displeasure gradually dissipated. Her expression softened, and she stood quietly beside Li Muyu.
Xue Baining watched all this with a cold eye, her red lips pursed, and she let out a barely audible snort.
He seemed extremely disdainful of the scene, but did not utter any further provocative words.
-
I finally made it to the end of the night to pay my bills.
After having a simple dinner at Nainai Peak, Li Muyu took a short break to catch his breath before getting up to head to Jade Maiden Peak.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a figure emerged from the shadow of the pillars and blocked his way.
"Where are you going?"
She asked in a flat, emotionless voice, but her posture clearly indicated that she had been waiting there on purpose.
Li Muyu paused, sighing inwardly. With this guy, hiding things or being evasive would only bring trouble.
"Go to Jade Maiden Peak to remove the curse mark."
Xue Baining's gaze went over his shoulder and towards the entrance of the small courtyard not far away.
There, Pei Yourong, dressed in an elegant white robe, stood quietly in the moonlight, her skirt swaying slightly, clearly waiting for Li Muyu to set off together.
"She's going too?" Xue Baining's tone rose slightly, with a hint of amusement.
Li Muyu nodded helplessly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.
"Hmm, Master... I'm a little worried."
During this period, the master has been monitoring the entire exorcism process almost every step of the way, for fear that the demoness might cause some more trouble.
Upon hearing this, Xue Baining's lips curled into a smile, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Then I'll go too!"