Chapter 5: The Invincible Hero’s Feel-Good Tale (4)

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Recently, a rumor has been spreading like wildfire within the Infinite Sect.

“Shocking! The righteous hall has appeared with a ‘task hoarder’! Infinite Sect disciples have found themselves with no tasks to accept!”

“Is this moral decay or a perversion of human nature?”

The crimson headline was jarring, scrolling word by word on the communication jade slip, as if accusing the two task hoarders of their misdeeds.

Outer disciples of the Infinite Sect are required to complete at least three tasks of their own realm each month. For example, Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators must take on three Yellow-rank tasks monthly, while Heart-Moving stage cultivators must accept three Xuan-rank tasks.

Yet recently, those rushing to take tasks before the month’s end found there were no tasks left to claim!

The senior disciple Shen, who was usually stationed at the Righteous Hall, disappeared, replaced by another inner disciple.

Rumors circulated that Shen was often seen entering and exiting the hall alongside a particularly beautiful outer disciple female, arriving before dawn to sweep through the hall. Some gatekeepers even reported seeing the two return on swords from outside the sect deep into the night.

Previously, Infinite Sect disciples completed their monthly Righteous Hall tasks as a mere formality, usually picking only the simplest ones. Suddenly, the hall’s tasks were nearly all swept clean, coinciding with the upcoming inner sect evaluations, causing widespread anxiety and sleepless nights.

Every time they closed their eyes, images of the outer disciple and Shen returning late by sword flew through their minds.

No one could sleep!

Absolutely no one!

Within the Infinite Sect, there were many discreet romances between male and female disciples, so some suspected a relationship between the female disciple and Shen. But on second thought, even if they were involved, their level of “task hoarding” was outrageously intense!

Now, dating an inner disciple or pursuing an outer disciple meant completing nearly twenty Xuan-rank tasks per day?!

Unwittingly, the entire Infinite Sect was caught up in this frenzy.

Meanwhile, Su Bai and Shen Xing stayed up all night, completing nearly all the Yellow, Xuan, and Earth-rank tasks within the Righteous Hall, then set their sights on the Mysterious Array Hall.

As Su Bai put it, obsessing over a single track was meaningless.

One must develop comprehensively—in every direction.

The Mysterious Array Hall was constructed by the sect’s elders, renowned for their expertise in formations, housing thousands of array formations. Sword cultivators could temper their sword intent and hone their sword hearts within these arrays, while spell cultivators practiced their magic and footwork.

Some arrays contained sealed sword intents from great masters ranging from Fragmented Soul to Tribulation stages, allowing disciples to experience the profundity of those sword intents.

Moreover, the arrays contained the divine consciousness of past sect leaders and elders, who personally select favored disciples within the hall and teach sword techniques.

However, these great masters’ divine consciousnesses were haughty and rarely appeared, with no disciple having gained their favor in over a century.

Except for Qin Yang.

Before Qin Yang joined the Infinite Sect, he accidentally entered a primordial secret realm sealed with the residual soul of the ancient Sword Sage.

The Sage told Qin Yang that ten thousand years ago, he sealed the malevolent Candle Dragon, but now the seal’s power was weakening. The Candle Dragon would soon bring disaster upon the world. Only the Heavenly Yan Divine Sword Technique combined with the extraordinary Flame of Burning Heaven could truly defeat it.

Before his demise, the Sage left behind two divine consciousnesses to pass on his sword legacy.

One remained in his secret chamber within the primordial realm; the other, containing the Heavenly Yan Divine Sword Technique, was entrusted to his close friend, Elder Qing Yan. After founding the Infinite Sect, Qing Yan placed this divine consciousness within the Mysterious Array Hall.

Just one year after joining the sect, Qin Yang became the third disciple since its founding to receive the ancient great master’s inheritance within the hall, gaining unparalleled prominence.

Su Bai and Shen Xing just entered the hall when they saw Qin Yang standing with two female disciples.

To his left stood a tall, petite-faced girl with delicate features, arched eyebrows, and a crimson beauty mark beneath her eye, accentuating her alluring charm and captivating demeanor.

This was Qin Yang’s beloved, Yun Zhu.

On the right stood another female disciple sporting the fashionable Flying Immortal Bun. Her peach-blossom eyes sparkled like spring water, and her smile revealed two small sharp tiger teeth, giving her a gentle yet dignified air.

The 888 system whispered nearby: “Host, the girl beside Yun Zhu is none other than the sect’s top-ranking inner spell cultivator, Yue Nianxin.”

Su Bai glanced at Yue Nianxin.

The two stunning girls standing by Qin Yang attracted countless gazes.

[Isn’t this Yun Zhu’s best friend? She’s already online?]

[Poor girl, the plot says she secretly loves Qin Yang but ends up never marrying for his sake.]

[Isn’t this just the classic bad man’s trick? We found him an inner disciple brother, and he countered with an inner disciple sister! Ha! Bet you’re mad.]

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[Huh? Didn’t Qin Yang treat the streamer like a little sister before? Why would he do this?]

[You’re naive. Qin Yang wants the pills from Chun Valley and the resources and connections of Luowa City, so he can only pretend the streamer is his little sister.]

[Let’s all just give up] I’m so furious! Streamer, please break off the engagement! If you do, I’ll tip you ten thousand divine coins!

Finally, a long-silent patron appeared.

Under the pressure of money, even the usually unresponsive Su Bai replied mentally: [Don’t panic, wait until the inner sect exams are over and Qin Yang is defeated—that will be the best time to break the engagement.]

[Such a bold streamer! Qin Yang is at the peak of Heart-Moving stage, and she’s just starting.]

[Exactly! Qin Yang wields the Guiyi Sword left by the Sage in the primordial realm. She uses the Tianpin Solitary Wild Goose Sword, but the Guiyi Sword ranks tenth on the Divine Weapon list!]

[Not to mention, six years later Qin Yang will obtain the top-ranked Dragon Roar Sword and sign a contract with the Vermilion Bird, stacking resource buffs.]

Qin Yang turned his head, catching Su Bai’s scrutinizing gaze.

Since the last incident, he didn’t know how to face Su Bai.

After much thought, he concluded that Shen Xing must have whispered something into Su Bai’s ear during his absence, causing her change in attitude.

Thus, Qin Yang diligently reported his whereabouts daily via jade slip, taking a keen interest in Su Bai’s cultivation progress, urging her to come to him if she encountered any difficulties.

He even emphasized Shen Xing could accompany her.

See how magnanimous and generous he was!

Qin Yang wanted Su Bai to know who truly cared for her.

His efforts showed results; although they hadn’t met, he sensed Su Bai’s responses were getting friendlier.

Of course, he had no idea Su Bai never actually saw those messages.

It was all 888, expertly baiting him.

“Jiao Jiao!” Qin Yang called excitedly. “Are you here to watch me spar with the Sage?”

Spar with the Sage?

What’s this about?

Su Bai recalled that ever since receiving the Sage’s inheritance, Qin Yang had come to the Mysterious Array Hall twice a month to duel with the Sage’s divine consciousness.

Two years ago, feeling no progress in his cultivation and unable to advance the Heavenly Yan Divine Sword Technique, he decided to venture outside the sect. Though not an inner disciple, his exceptional talent had earned him familiarity with the elder ranks, so no one stopped him.

Yun Zhu, standing beside Qin Yang, turned to look at Su Bai.

She scrutinized Su Bai from head to toe, sneering coldly: “So you’re Su Bai? The ‘little sister’ Qin Yang talks about?”

Yun Zhu knew Su Bai was Qin Yang’s fiancée but refused to mention it.

Su Bai, treating Qin Yang merely as a rival and wanting to avoid troublesome talk of their engagement, replied calmly: “I’m my father’s only daughter.”

Qin Yang’s smile dimmed slightly: “Jiao Jiao…”

Yun Zhu, spoiled and unreserved, retorted bluntly: “You’re sharp-tongued and interesting, but a few days ago you refused to see Qin Yang behind closed doors, yet today you rush to the Mysterious Array Hall just to see him. Seems your mind is elsewhere.”

In her eyes, Qin Yang was a rare prodigy with the Thunder Spirit Root and the Sage’s sword legacy. His cultivation speed over two years was staggering—far beyond what Su Bai could dismiss lightly.

Su Bai countered smoothly: “By that logic, Shen also refused to see Qin Yang one day, yet today he too came to the Mysterious Array Hall. Was that deliberate?”

Yun Zhu’s words were clearly confrontational, but Su Bai remained unruffled.

Yun Zhu: “?”

“What do you mean?”

Su Bai: “I mean, Qin Yang waited for Shen all day that day.”

The crowd nearby gasped.

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What?

Shen Xing and Qin Yang have a thing?

Seeing the suddenly strange gazes, Shen Xing hurriedly explained: “Hey, junior sister, don’t spread rumors! Qin Yang and I are completely innocent!”

Everyone: ! They’re already rushing to clarify?

Su Bai understood and added: “That’s right, there’s nothing between Qin Yang and Shen.”

So, there’s nothing between her and Qin Yang either.

The crowd understood immediately.

Some things are better left unsaid.

Those who know, know.

Behind Yun Zhu, Yue Nianxin chuckled at Su Bai’s words.

Though a spell cultivator, she had admired sword cultivators since childhood. Seeing Su Bai in plain outer disciple robes with a treasured sword at her waist and a poised stance, despite Yun Zhu’s constant whining about how annoying Su Bai was, Yue Nianxin felt no ill will toward her.

A girl who can cultivate swords is truly formidable!

The appointed time for Qin Yang and the Sage arrived.

Thousands of jade slips hovered, trembling subtly, awed by the ancient great master’s lingering power. A white jade slip slowly materialized, golden light embossing the words “Sage” upon it.

The pressure of a perfected great master instantly spread throughout the hall. Hundreds of surrounding disciples, intimidated by the divine consciousness’s penetrating gaze, dared not meet the jade slip’s eyes.

Though it was only a divine consciousness of a great master.

Yet two people inside the hall held their heads high.

This Sage’s divine consciousness had dwelled in the hall for nearly ten thousand years, chatting daily with other divine fragments within the jade slips, developing a personality distinct from the one in the primordial realm.

He disliked Qin Yang, thinking him too ambitious, overthinking, and somewhat arrogant.

However, as the Sage’s seal weakened, the power of both divine consciousnesses waned. Finding a successor for the sword legacy became urgent.

The primordial realm consciousness admired Qin Yang, so the jade slip consciousness reluctantly accepted him for its own sake.

Squinting, the jade slip consciousness transformed into a shadowy figure, striding smoothly before Su Bai, catching Qin Yang’s stunned gaze.

The consciousness within Qin Yang’s jade pendant also awakened and conversed with the jade slip consciousness: “You old man, for all your age, you don’t visit your good disciple but instead hang around this young lady?”

The jade slip consciousness chuckled, repeating: “My good disciple?”

“That’s your good disciple!”

He had long said he disliked overthinking kids.

Qin Yang braced himself and respectfully greeted: “Master.”

The jade slip consciousness ignored Qin Yang, circling Su Bai instead, curiously asking: “You’re not afraid of me?”

Su Bai met his gaze without flinching: “Why should I be?”

The kneeling disciples in the hall broke out in cold sweat, stunned at her audacity to speak so boldly to the Sage’s divine consciousness.

But the jade slip consciousness burst out laughing.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, he said:

“Girl, I see you are gifted, your bones are extraordinary. You must be a once-in-a-century martial prodigy!”

“How about considering becoming my disciple?”

The disciples were left speechless.