Chapter Forty-Nine: The Fierce Battle

At this moment, Ling Yun’er also realized that Li Ningyue was by no means an easy opponent. The Longquan Sword in her hand was a legendary artifact, renowned far and wide. Now, facing her in battle, its reputation proved well-deserved.

Though Li Ningyue’s cultivation was slightly inferior to her own, with the Longquan Sword in hand, Ling Yun’er found herself unable to gain the upper hand. She had exerted her Hunyuan Red Sash to its utmost, yet still could not withstand the bone-piercing chill radiating from the Longquan Sword. She felt her inner power gradually slow and stagnate, a realization that sent a jolt of alarm through her heart. Prolonging the fight would serve no purpose, she feared.

With this thought, she called out, “Junior Sister Li, be careful!” Crossing her hands, she sent out two invisible waves of force. Li Ningyue felt a gust rush toward her, sharp as knives and impossible to resist. She raised her Longquan Sword diagonally and retreated. The twin waves struck the sword, bursting forth two strange flames: one curved like a new moon, the other round as the bright sun. They flickered briefly, then vanished.

“Divine Fire of Sun and Moon!” Abbess Zhimi’s eyes flashed, and she nodded to herself. “So, she is a descendant of the Ling family’s sixth ancestor, the Purple Void Sovereign. No wonder her talent is so extraordinary!”

Li Ningyue felt a wave of heat surge from the sword, but before she could summon her energy to resist, she was a step too slow. A jolt struck her chest, leaving her breathless and her meridians injured.

Ling Yun’er floated forward, her palms sweeping forth with a whooshing sound, while the Hunyuan Red Sash spiraled up, unleashing a roaring red dragon. With her internal energy in disarray, Li Ningyue’s only option was to admit defeat and withdraw her sword. Suddenly, the Longquan Sword transformed into a jade-green dragon, coiling and soaring, its radiance dazzling and its might unprecedented, clashing with the red dragon. In a brief whirl, it effortlessly blocked all of Ling Yun’er’s attacks.

Li Ningyue’s heart settled slightly—this was the sword spirit of Longquan, autonomously protecting its master. Though she could no longer wield the sword’s power, the sword spirit itself, having been refined by many sages, possessed unfathomable abilities and was more formidable in defense than she could be in her current state.

With the Longquan Sword spirit holding the advance, Li Ningyue evaded Ling Yun’er’s fierce assault and managed to regulate her internal energy. “Senior Longquan, I’m fine now. Please stand down.” She struck with her left palm, while her right hand guided the force, sending thirty-two variations and eighty strikes at Ling Yun’er.

Ling Yun’er was alarmed. “Junior Sister Li has mastered the Jade Maiden Palm from the Scripture of Jade, with endless transformations—truly remarkable!” She met the attack in kind.

Below the stage, the spectators watched as the two dueled for a long time. One radiated a scorching wind, the other a blade-like chill that cut to the bone. The lower-ranked disciples could barely endure it and gradually retreated. On stage, a whirling mass of white and red shadows spun rapidly, merging and parting in a dazzling display, accompanied by a rapid volley of claps like a string of pearls. Their speed defied all imagination.

Suddenly, a muffled thud echoed. The two figures separated and landed on opposite sides below the platform, both swaying slightly and breathing heavily. Ling Yun’er and Li Ningyue had both been knocked from the stage; their weapons, reverting to their original forms, flew back to them.

Ye Hua rushed forward. “Senior Sister! Senior Sister!” She found Ling Yun’er trembling, her face pale and her breath shallow. “I… I’m all right,” Ling Yun’er managed, clutching her chest and coughing softly.

Ye Hua quickly supported her, startled to find her hands icy cold. “Master! Master, please come see to Senior Sister!” she cried in alarm.

Zhiku had already placed two fingers on Ling Yun’er’s wrist, sensing her slow and weak pulse. He knew she was not seriously harmed—merely depleted of inner strength. Producing a porcelain vial, he poured out a golden-yellow restorative pellet. “Yun’er, take this Eight Yang Divine Pill to restore your energy.” Ling Yun’er nodded and swallowed the medicine, saying no more.

Only then did Ye Hua relax and glance across to see that Li Ningyue seemed likewise unharmed. Zhimi stood protectively by her side, glancing back at them. From below, several elders from the Grand Virtue Vulture Temple intoned, “Amitabha. This match has ended with no victor nor vanquished. Both disciples may rest, and the contest may continue with the next bout.” Zhiku and Zhimi bowed in thanks. “Thank you, senior brothers, for your understanding.”

Ye Hua and the others were deeply relieved by this outcome. Ling Yun’er turned to Li Ningyue and smiled gently. “Junior Sister Li, it seems we are evenly matched. Let us call it a draw.” Li Ningyue returned her smile. “It is Senior Sister Ling who showed mercy. Had you fought with all your strength, I would not have lasted so long.”

She then whispered to Zhimi, “Master, let us depart.” Zhimi and her party bid farewell and left. The crowd watched the Longquan Temple disciples depart, marveling, “Who would have thought such formidable talents emerged from Longquan Temple? They are on par with Senior Sister Hanmei Blade, Bai Xuemei, who is one of the Five Gentlemen, the most distinguished among the Five Terraces lineage and the one hundred and twenty-two monasteries of the Five Great Zen Forests.”

Though pleased, the audience’s minds were not fully at ease, for the next contest was between Li Yulin and a disciple of Bamboo Grove Temple. Li Yulin, being inferior in both cultivation and inner strength, had little hope of victory. He had resolved to treat the match as a friendly exchange, and so remained at peace.

As expected, Li Yulin was defeated within ten exchanges by his opponent’s Great Joy Vajra Palm and sent off the stage. Fortunately, his opponent showed restraint, leaving him with only minor injuries—just as everyone had anticipated.