Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Mirror That Reflects Falsehood
Page 1 of 3 (Two chapters combined)
When the four arrived, the valley was already crowded with cultivators, their heads surging like a tide.
Today was the Dao Embryo group's quarterfinals—the final eight to determine the top four—with only four matches to be fought, each destined to be a clash of mountains and rivers. As a result, nearly every cultivator without steward duties had shown up.
The main event was undoubtedly the match between Fan Lanzhou and Feng Wanhai. If Fan Lanzhou lost, the disciples of the Unmoving Peak would immediately be demoted to outer sect members.
This was not merely a matter of offerings, but also of reputation, opportunities, and the vital interests of every inner sect disciple—perhaps even more, with secrets unknown to most.
Fan Lanzhou had been injured in his last match. If he forfeited this round, Feng Wanhai would win by default.
At this moment, by Ning Jiuyi's side, several of the disciples could barely contain themselves, frequently glancing toward the direction of the Unmoving Peak, eager to see—would Fan Lanzhou appear for this decisive battle?
Among all the disciples, only Bai Chengzhou, Feng Wanhai, and two or three others maintained a calm and profound demeanor.
"What are you all looking at? Don’t embarrass me! Fan Lanzhou will certainly come to fight this match. If he doesn't, even I would look down on him!" Ning Jiuyi, who saw through the situation more clearly than anyone, couldn't help but curse at those few disciples who were sneaking peeks with such little promise.
He was seldom wrong about people.
Those disciples hastily withdrew their gazes, not daring to look around any further.
...
Soon, Fan Lanzhou and his three companions arrived.
Some outer sect disciples, seeing Fan Lanzhou's bearing, immediately recognized he was about to compete and couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration.
After they took their seats, it wasn’t long before the grand competition began.
The first match: Ji Nujiao versus Youda.
The second match: Yue Yu versus Gu Xijin.
The third match: Fang Henqiu versus Feng Jianmei.
The fourth match: Fan Lanzhou versus Feng Wanhai.
Of the eight, only Feng Wanhai was an inner sect disciple, which spoke volumes about the Peach Blossom Sword Sect’s inner sect elders’ discerning judgment in choosing disciples. Moreover, those directly inheriting from a master were indeed considerably stronger.
For those outer sect disciples struggling outside the mountain gate, even reaching the Dao Embryo stage was exceedingly difficult, not to mention attaining the opportunities at this level.
...
Boom—
The first match began swiftly: Ji Nujiao versus Youda.
Between the two, Ji Nujiao, dressed in flowing robes, unleashed a dazzling array of multicolored lights with each sweep of her sword, setting herself off as an ethereal beauty.
She wielded the profound sword technique of Embroidered Smoke Peak—the Fairy Scattering Blossoms Sword Art—as casually as breathing. Colorful sword lights filled the sky, soaring and darting about.
On this day, the sky was clear and the sun bright, and with Ji Nujiao's display, the valley was awash with flashing brilliance, as if countless colored petals were whirling and drifting about—light and elusive, yet brimming with danger.
Youda, much like his younger brother Youzhi, wielded twin swords—one black, one white—each radiating the aura of a top-grade artifact. Like calligraphy brushes, they slashed at the drifting petals, shredding them in midair.
Bang, bang, bang—
Explosions echoed across the field.
Ji Nujiao moved with ethereal grace, like a fairy dancing in the heavens, drawing cheers from many of her male admirers—some with unsavory thoughts, openly drooling at her graceful, mountainous figure. Even Ouyang Ge of Lingjue Heavenly Palace showed a flicker of lust in his eyes.
As Song Shede once said, stepping onto the path of cultivation did not mean becoming without desire; on the contrary, desires were only magnified.
Nevertheless, though Ji Nujiao’s attacks were dazzling and skillful, Youda’s defense was unyielding. He was not merely defending passively, but taking the initiative.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A black and a white sword light spun into vortexes before and behind him. The surging force sucked the flying petals into the vortex, where they were shredded by sword energy, not a single piece landing on him.
At this moment, he was clearly relying on the power of the artifacts rather than a sword art. These twin swords—named Yin-Yang Twin Swords—were the most famous and cherished top-grade artifacts of Master Murong Hanchan of Grand Void Peak, who had actually passed them on to Youda, a testament to his regard for this disciple.
High atop the viewing platform, Murong Hanchan nodded approvingly at Youda’s composure.
In his youth, he too had been a flamboyant figure who had suffered many setbacks and humiliations. When he later recruited disciples, he chose only those of ordinary appearance and modest demeanor—Youda being his most satisfactory pupil.
Master Luo Caiwei of Embroidered Cloud Peak, known as the “Illusion Sword Immortal,” watched in silent amusement, clearly confident in her beloved disciple.
Seeing her opponent’s mastery of artifacts, Ji Nujiao’s sword arts shifted—her sword blossoms became a flowing river, then a rain of fire, then a gigantic sword of light, dazzling all who watched.
Yet, though Youda suffered a few minor injuries, his defense remained unbroken—he did not appear to falter.
"Youda, I’m going to get serious now!" Ji Nujiao suddenly declared, her voice as sweet and sultry as ever.
"Senior sister, do your worst," replied Youda, who resembled a rotund merchant but carried himself with a certain flair, a sly smile on his chubby face.
...
Bang!
With a sound like ignition, golden light burst from Ji Nujiao’s body—just as it had previously with Fan Lanzhou—shining from her very bones, the golden radiance brimming with a sharp, cutting aura.
Another cultivator in whom the sword path had taken root.
Page 2 of 3
This generation of cultivators carried the high hopes of their elders—not only because of prodigies like Gu Xijin and Long Jinyi, but also because of talents like Ji Nujiao and Feng Jianmei, who, in earlier times, would have been considered candidates for sect leader. Barring catastrophe, they were sure to reach their masters’ heights.
With the sword path’s essence radiating from her, Ji Nujiao continued with the Fairy Scattering Blossoms Sword Art, but now each petal was a brilliant gold, their power multiplied several times over.
Though Youda had been prepared, he was still blasted back, his twin swords sent flying, and he himself forced to dodge aside.
Boom, boom, boom—
Explosions immediately erupted across the barrier; every inch touched by the golden petals was riddled with cracks.
And in the next instant, golden light blazed forth from Youda as well.
"Youda has also reached the sword-in-the-bones stage?" someone exclaimed in surprise—there had been no rumors of this before.
Murong Hanchan, Youzhi, and all the disciples of Grand Void Peak smiled knowingly, not at all surprised. Clearly, they knew long ago that their senior brother would not be outdone.
At this, the senior brothers of Juexian Peak and Wuyun Peak—Xian Qingqiu and Zhou You’an—looked dejected and ashamed.
Now, only the two of them among the leaders had not reached the sword-in-the-bones stage; even Fan Lanzhou, merely the second seat of Unmoving Peak, as well as the outer sect’s Feng Wanhai and Tie Yi, had done so.
Their masters, Liu Feibai and the Lone Star Daoist, felt humiliated as well, their expressions darkening as they glanced at their disciples.
A few lashes might be needed to spur them onward.
...
With Youda’s sword-in-the-bones stage revealed, he no longer used the twin swords merely as artifacts, but unleashed a powerful sword technique!
One of the Seven Swords of the Northern Dipper—Shaking Star Sword Art.
Within the Peach Blossom Sword Sect, the Seven Swords of the Northern Dipper was among the most formidable sets of sword techniques. Six of the peaks passed on six of the swords; the last was too profound, set aside for no one had mastered it.
Fan Lanzhou had learned the Falling Star Sword Art; Youda, the Shaking Star Sword Art.
Whoosh!
Youda’s figure flashed to the lowest edge of the barrier high above, his twin swords dancing. As his sword lights spun, the already trembling valley seemed to shake to its core.
He stood as if amid the starry sky, sword lights forming starlike points of light, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, raining down upon Ji Nujiao as if shaken from the heavens.
Though not large, the starlight numbered in the hundreds, covering the limited battlefield like a blanket.
This move drew cheers from many who had previously judged by appearances.
Ji Nujiao’s expression finally grew grave. She raised her sword in one hand, her slender jade fingers flickering like lightning, sending a dozen sword beams to intercept the fastest of the starlight clusters.
The sword beams pierced through.
The starlight shattered in silence.
No sound of explosion; it seemed a bluff—but that was impossible. Many spectators felt a chill of apprehension in that instant.
Ji Nujiao realized the danger and dodged away instantly.
Boom! Boom!
A moment later, explosions erupted from the flanks.
Two clusters of starlight struck the ground, blasting the earth restored by the masters' spells back to rubble. One cluster, landing close by, struck Ji Nujiao and sent her flying, blood spraying from her lips.
"Senior sister Ji, you have inherited Master Luo’s illusion sword techniques. Why not guess—how many of the stars I’ve shaken down are real, and how many are false?" Youda called out, his sly smile broadening. "I’ve long wanted to see whether your illusion sword arts or my yin-yang sword of reality and illusion is greater."
His voice brimmed with confidence.
Ji Nujiao made no answer, instead darting about the field. Her torn robes revealed swathes of snowy skin, drawing both admiration and sympathy—many thought Youda lacked any sense of chivalry.
The disciples of Grand Void Peak beamed at this turn of events.
Even Murong Hanchan couldn’t hide a wry smile; in a past competition, it had been Luo Caiwei who embarrassed him by stripping him of his dignity. Now, at last, his disciple might reclaim it.
"Senior brother has taught him well. Youda’s Shaking Star Sword Art, one of its three deadly moves—Shaking Stars Like Rain—has reached thirty percent of your proficiency," Luo Caiwei said, standing a few yards away.
She was a dignified, stately woman in her middle years, one of the most renowned beauties among the senior cultivators of the Great River Nation.
"You're too kind. Youda is still far from your level," Murong Hanchan replied modestly.
"Yes, far from it. He’ll lose today just as you did back then," Luo Caiwei said bluntly, seemingly oblivious to social niceties. Murong Hanchan’s face darkened with embarrassment.
Daoist Tianfeng, Daoist Tianzhu, and several other old fellows grinned at the bickering, unconcerned it might cause trouble. They all knew that Murong Hanchan had once admired Luo Caiwei, but it was a case of unrequited affection.
...
On the battlefield, the stars still fell like rain, the sight both mesmerizing and dreamlike.
Explosions thundered endlessly.
Ji Nujiao was repeatedly shaken and forced to cry out. She wielded several mid- and low-grade artifacts without hesitation, determined to fight for a top-three reward.
But Youda was no straw target; his Shaking Star Sword Art was formidable, and soon he was batting her artifacts away like flies. The lowest-grade ones even began to crack and dim.
Seeing this, Ji Nujiao hastily retracted her artifacts.
Page 3 of 3
"Senior sister, you can still concede. There’s no need for our two peaks to fight to the point of serious injury," Youda said calmly.
Ji Nujiao sneered, stubbornness flashing in her enchanting eyes.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, as she dodged, she pointed a finger skyward. From her fingertip flowed a layer of watery blue light, like a thin film, rising to meet the rain of starlight falling from above.
She was making a clever move—if she couldn’t distinguish the real from the false, she would probe with a spell.
Her eyes and divine sense together scrutinized the subtle changes at the moment when the starlight touched the blue screen.
Youda, astute as ever, immediately guessed her intent. A flash of brilliance entered his eyes, but he did not change tactics—he was confident in his technique.
Sure enough, after only a few breaths, a look of shock appeared on Ji Nujiao’s face: real or fake, the starlight was indistinguishable as it passed through the blue light.
...
Fang Junmei, seeing Ji Nujiao release that blue screen, guessed her purpose as well. He, too, could not distinguish with the naked eye, so in that instant, he activated his Three-Breath Divine Sight to secretly investigate.
Everything around him slowed dramatically.
In that split second when the starlight touched the blue screen, Fang Junmei observed everything clearly, a flash of brilliance in his eyes.
His pupils widened.
He saw it!
There was a difference!
Within a few breaths, Fang Junmei cried out inwardly. With his naked eye, he clearly saw that seventy percent of the starlight passed through the blue screen as if through nothing, while the remaining thirty percent, though seemingly the same, caused a faint spatial tremor.
That subtle spatial ripple was almost undetectable, invisible except to those with a Three-Breath Divine Stone or exceptional eyesight; ordinary Dao Embryo cultivators would never notice.
Sadly, though Fang Junmei saw the truth, he could not enter the field—this was not his battle.
...
Unable to break the illusion or approach the cunning Youda, Ji Nujiao could only keep dodging, making many onlookers anxious for her.
But in her own eyes, there was no hint of panic. Amidst her evasions, she glanced toward her master Luo Caiwei, her gaze seeking guidance.
Luo Caiwei, understanding her disciple’s unspoken question, gave her a subtle nod. Few noticed this exchange.
With her master’s signal, Ji Nujiao began her counterattack.
With a sweep at her waist, she drew out a mirror-like artifact, about half the size of her palm, its surface shimmering like water, its rim wrapped in some unknown yellow wood, finely carved and radiating the aura of a superior artifact.
Seeing the artifact, Murong Hanchan was slightly taken aback. He had not known Luo Caiwei to possess such a treasure—could it be Ji Nujiao’s own find? What use did it have?
As the crowd wondered, Ji Nujiao revealed the answer.
With a surge of magic, golden light and mist erupted from the mirror, beaming into the sky.
The golden light fanned out, sweeping over seventy to eighty percent of the starlight.
Strangely, most of those starlight clusters vanished into nothing under the golden radiance, while a minority continued their trajectory.
"What is that treasure?"
"Could it be that the vanished ones were fake, and the remaining ones real?"
The crowd buzzed with astonishment.
Ji Nujiao, sword in one hand and mirror in the other, charged through the remaining starlight, striking at Youda.
Clarity of mind dispels all illusion!
This treasure was called the Mirror of Illusion, which Ji Nujiao had chanced upon during her travels. Besides dispelling illusions, it had other wondrous uses. She had never used it until now, forced by Youda’s prowess.
...
With his Shaking Stars Like Rain countered, Youda’s expression finally grew serious. He switched tactics, unleashing the other two deadly moves of the Shaking Star Sword Art—Shaking Star Hell and Shaking Star Dust.
Bright golden sword lights and dark, deathly sword lights attacked in rapid succession, creating a bizarre world of shifting shadows in the eyes of all present.
Luo Caiwei’s lineage did not pass down any of the Seven Swords of the Northern Dipper, but she had taught Ji Nujiao a technique called the Six Illusion Phantom Sword Art. Though slightly less powerful, it excelled in illusion. At its highest level, one could create six phantasmal avatars identical to oneself, all attacking together. The phantoms’ attacks, while weaker than the original, were formidable nonetheless.
Ji Nujiao had reached the Three Illusion stage, and together with her true form, it was more than enough to keep Youda on his toes.
The tables turned on Youda.
At last, the two engaged in a fierce duel.
As expected, Ji Nujiao emerged victorious, though she too suffered serious injuries. At this stage, no one would surrender easily.
After both stepped down, they were met with thunderous applause. Both Ji Nujiao and Youda had displayed exceptional skill in this battle.
...
Next up: Yue Yu versus Gu Xijin.
Before the excitement of the crowd could subside, it surged even higher.