Chapter 156 Burial Sword Abyss
A few days later, the day of the annual opening of the Wandao Sword Sect's Sword Burial Abyss arrived. The Sword Burial Abyss was not an actual abyss, but a special small Secret Realm opened with supreme power by the Sect's great masters and maintained year-round. This place was the final resting ground for the swords and Sword Dao Legacies of the Sect's past masters after they passed away or perished. The residual Sword Qi, Sword Intent, and Sword Dao insights of countless powerholders intertwined and settled here over the years, forming a unique "Sword Qi pressure field." For low-level Disciples, this place was incredibly dangerous; Sword Qi crisscrossed everywhere, and a moment of carelessness could lead to being injured by residual Sword Intent or even suffering mental trauma. However, for the Inner Sect or Core Disciples qualified to enter, it was an excellent treasure land for polishing their Foundation, condensing Sword Qi, and comprehending the Sword Dao. Within a controllable range, enduring the washing and pressure of these masterless Sword Qis could greatly temper the Physical Body, toughen the Meridians, and purify Sword Qi. There was even a chance to trigger a resonance and gain fragments of a Senior's Sword Dao insights. If one could persist to the inner regions, they could even obtain the Cultivation Technique Legacies and companion swords of those great masters.
Mu Changge naturally wouldn't miss such an Opportunity. Although he felt these things certainly couldn't compare to the items rewarded by the System, such an Opportunity to temper his Foundation and enhance his latent potential was equally beneficial for perfecting himself and solidifying his basics. More importantly, a place like this "dungeon" was often a high-frequency location for "plot" events; how could a Child of Fortune be absent? He didn't want to miss any possible Opportunity to fleece the Child of Fortune and intercept their opportunities.
In the early morning, the huge White Jade Square in front of the Sect's Main Peak was already crowded with people. Disciples who met the requirements and were preparing to enter the Sword Burial Abyss gathered in small groups, talking in low voices, the air filled with excitement, anticipation, and a hint of nervousness. In the center of the square, the phantom of a huge light gate outlined by complex Formation runes loomed, emitting heart-palpitating spatial fluctuations and sharp Sword Qi. That was the entrance to the Sword Burial Abyss Secret Realm, which required several Elders to work together to open and stabilize.
Mu Changge was alone, blending into the crowd and appearing unremarkable. Today, he had changed into black-and-white clothing similar to a Daoist robe. His posture was upright, his aura restrained, and his gaze calmly scanned the surroundings, as if he were just an ordinary Core Disciple.
Not long after, a slight commotion suddenly broke out in the crowd. A brilliant sword light streaked through the sky with great momentum, landing in front of the square in an instant. The sword light faded, revealing a tall, upright figure dressed in snow-white clothes; it was the Saint, Jian Wushuang.
As soon as he appeared, he attracted the gaze of everyone present, especially many female cultivators. Having not seen him for several days, Jian Wushuang's aura had become increasingly dense and sharp. The Spiritual Pressure fluctuations he faintly emitted were actually a step above his last appearance. He had clearly stabilized at the Mid Spirit Severing stage and had taken a solid step toward the Late Stage of Soul Transformation, perhaps even touching the threshold. Standing there, he was like a sharp sword about to be unsheathed, his brilliance contained within, yet making people afraid to look directly at him. Many Disciples' eyes showed awe, envy, and even fanaticism.
“As expected of someone with great Luck, the cultivation progress of this child of destiny is simply illogical,” Mu Changge thought to himself, though his face remained calm.
As if sensing something, Jian Wushuang's gaze—which seemed gentle and peaceful but actually contained sharpness—slowly scanned the crowd, finally fixing precisely on Mu Changge. Their eyes met, and invisible sparks seemed to fly in the air.
In Jian Wushuang's eyes, the gloom and killing intent from the day they had faced off at Heavenly Sword Peak had long been perfectly hidden, replaced by a high-and-mighty indifference and a nearly imperceptible, cat-and-mouse-like mockery. The corners of his lips even curled into an extremely faint, symbolically friendly arc. But Mu Changge could clearly perceive that deep within that gaze, it was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice and as sharp as an unsheathed sword, locking onto him with undisguised scrutiny, hostility, and a confidence that he was about to take control of the situation.
Meeting his gaze, Mu Changge didn't back down in the slightest. Instead, he lightly curled the corners of his mouth into a half-smile, his eyes calm and even a bit nonchalant, as if he were just looking at a... not-so-interesting stranger.
The two men's gazes clashed silently in the void. Although there were no spiritual power fluctuations, it caused some perceptively sensitive Disciples nearby to feel a strange sense of oppression. They unconsciously quieted down, their gazes moving back and forth between the two, full of curiosity and inquiry. Everyone knew that the relationship between these two was like fire and water; seeing them meet on the day the Sword Burial Abyss opened, there was bound to be a good show.
Just then, the Elders responsible for opening the Secret Realm entrance appeared and began to work together to activate the Formation. The light gate gradually solidified from a phantom, stabilizing and emitting a strong spatial suction.
Jian Wushuang suddenly moved. He stopped looking at Mu Changge and instead took a step forward, facing the Disciples. His voice was gentle yet clearly reached every corner of the square: “Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, the Sword Burial Abyss contains both danger and Opportunity. I hope you will act according to your abilities and not be greedy for progress.” Having said that, he changed the subject and his gaze fell on Mu Changge again, the smile on his face appearing more “sincere” as he said loudly, “Junior Brother Mu, I heard that not long after you joined the Sect, you showed amazing performance; you are truly a pillar of our Sect. The Sword Qi inside the Sword Burial Abyss is sharp and poses a great test for first-timers. It's better to act within your limits. How about... this Senior Brother gives you a half-hour head start to enter first and adapt?” He had a gentle expression of concern for his fellow Disciples, but how could Mu Changge not know? This guy was most likely trying to provoke him or mock him.
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire square fell silent, followed by a low wave of commotion.
A half-hour head start? This seemed like a Senior looking after a junior, showing the Saint's magnanimity. But who present didn't know about the friction between the two? This was clearly a blatant provocation and humiliation! The subtext was: You, Mu Changge, are just a newcomer who needs "looking after"; you aren't fit to enter at the same time as me, Jian Wushuang, let alone compete with me! Even if I give you a half-hour head start, what can you do?
Normally, especially for a proud Genius, facing this kind of "charitable" "care" would surely be seen as a great humiliation. They would either refuse on the spot and even retort sharply, or be provoked into a bet to compete within the Secret Realm. This was exactly the effect Jian Wushuang wanted—to further strike at Mu Changge's prestige, enrage him, make him lose his composure, and even fall into his verbal trap in front of everyone.
However, Mu Changge's reaction completely exceeded everyone's expectations, especially Jian Wushuang's.
Mu Changge first showed a perfectly timed look of "surprise," which quickly transformed into "gratitude." He even cupped his hands toward Jian Wushuang in a proper manner, his voice clear and filled with "sincerity":
“Oh my! Saint Senior Brother is indeed magnanimous! To look after your Junior Brother like this, Changge is truly moved to tears of gratitude! Since that's the case, then I won't be polite. Everyone else as well, the Saint Senior Brother is not someone we can compare to; don't be polite, let's take the first step.”
After saying that, he actually didn't hesitate at all, turning around and walking toward the newly stabilized Secret Realm light gate. His steps were light, showing no anger at being humiliated nor any embarrassment at being given charity. Instead, it was as if he had picked up a huge bargain!
The "gentle" smile on Jian Wushuang's face instantly froze.
He was completely stunned, his brain feeling like it had "buzzed," unable to react for a moment.
Wait? He agreed? He actually agreed? Shouldn't he have immediately refused and then retorted with something like "Who wants your head start" or "Who are you looking down on"? Wasn't he supposed to be that kind of proud, arrogant Genius who couldn't stand even a hint of "humiliation"? How could he... how could he accept it so calmly, even with a bit of "gratitude"? And be so "impolite" about it?
Jian Wushuang felt his thoughts stall for a moment. That perfect mask on his face cracked once again, and veins seemed to throb faintly on his forehead. This feeling was like he had gathered all his strength, prepared to meet the opponent's thunderous counterattack, only to punch a pile of cotton. The opponent not only didn't take the bait but also said "thanks" with a smile and then just ran off! This... this was completely not playing by the rules!
A strong sense of frustration and absurdity welled up in his heart, making his handsome face turn green and white in an instant, like he had swallowed a fly. He stood there, unable to move forward or back. All the follow-up speeches and response plans he had prepared were stuck in his throat, nearly choking him to death.
Mu Changge caught a glimpse of Jian Wushuang's colorful expression out of the corner of his eye and was laughing hysterically inside. Suppressing the urge to laugh out loud, he suddenly stopped before stepping into the light gate, turned around, and made his expression of "gratitude" even more brilliant. He even specifically raised his voice to ensure every Disciple in the square could hear clearly:
“Saint Senior Brother has a noble character and is a man of his word! Since he said he'd give a half-hour head start, he definitely won't go back on it! The Saint's righteousness in letting us be the first to sense opportunities is truly a model for our generation! Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, hurry into the Secret Realm, don't keep the Saint waiting!”
With these words, he essentially placed Jian Wushuang on a roasting spit. In front of so many people, the words had already been spoken, and he himself had taken the initiative to offer the "half-hour head start." Now that Mu Changge had "thanked" him and "praised" him so much, if Jian Wushuang dared to go back on his word and enter early, wouldn't he be slapping his own face and proving himself to be someone who breaks promises and is narrow-minded?
Sure enough, the gazes the surrounding Disciples directed at Jian Wushuang became somewhat strange. Some of the more clever ones couldn't hold back their laughter and quickly lowered their heads to hide it. Most felt that this Junior Brother Mu... really had something special about him, actually using this method to checkmate the Saint.
Jian Wushuang felt a surge of blood rush to his head, his chest heaving violently, almost spitting out a mouthful of blood. He stared fixedly at Mu Changge, the killing intent in his eyes nearly solidifying, wanting to cut the other man into a thousand pieces. He had never seen someone so... so thick-skinned and unpredictable!
In this awkward and volatile moment, on a White Jade Viewing Platform at the side and rear of the square, a cold and ethereal figure stood alone; it was Yun Qingyao, who had just arrived. She had seen everything that just happened. When she saw Mu Changge's "sincere gratitude" and Jian Wushuang's instantly frozen, constipated expression, even with her cold nature, she couldn't help but let out an extremely soft snort of laughter.
But immediately after, she sensed several gazes turning toward her and quickly retracted her smile, returning to her ice-beauty persona that seemed aloof from worldly affairs. However, the slight blush rising at the tips of her ears betrayed her earlier loss of composure. Her gaze fell complexly on Jian Wushuang. After Mu Changge's "unintentional" pointers from a few days ago, combined with her own secret observations and memories during this time, seeing Jian Wushuang's suppressed rage and nearly lost composure now made the doubt in her heart spread like ripples on a lake after a stone had been thrown in. The image of the gentle, jade-like, and perfect Brother Wushuang from the past seemed to be quietly fading.
[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]
On the other side, Mu Wanning, who had been standing behind Mu Changge, witnessed the entire verbal exchange between Mu Changge and Jian Wushuang. Seeing that Mu Changge not only did not suffer any losses but actually choked the high-and-mighty Saint, the trace of inexplicable worry in her heart lessened slightly. However, she forced herself to perk up, thinking disdainfully: 'Who would care about that bastard? I just... I just don't want him to die at someone else's hands.'
Having barely managed to calm herself down, her heart tightened again as Mu Changge was about to enter the dangerous Secret Realm. She bit her lower lip, watching Mu Changge's back as he was about to step into the light gate, her heart filled with hesitation and struggle.
Just as Mu Changge was about to reach the light gate, Mu Wanning finally made up her mind. She stepped forward abruptly, her voice not loud, yet it clearly reached Mu Changge's ears: "Mu... Changge!"
Mu Changge's figure paused slightly. He turned his head and looked at her with some surprise, muttering to himself: 'What's wrong with this woman again? I haven't really provoked her these past few days, and I've barely asked her to do any maid work.'
Seeing his slight frown and confused expression, Mu Wanning no longer hesitated. With a flick of her fair hand, a stream of light shot towards Mu Changge: "Here, take this!"
Mu Changge instinctively reached out to catch it. It felt warm and smooth to the touch. Looking down, he saw it was a bracelet strung with several pale yellow, glowing beads. Inside the beads, milky yellow light seemed to flow like water, emitting a warm and resilient protective fluctuation. He instinctively opened his System to scan it and was immediately shocked.
A Heaven Rank peak-grade defensive Magic Treasure! Its effect was simple and brutal: it could automatically trigger to block one "fatal injury," with a cooldown of seven days. The most crucial part was that the judgment for this "fatal injury" had absolutely no cultivation restriction! This meant that regardless of whether the opponent was in the Soul Transformation, Void Refining, or an even higher Realm, as long as the attack was judged to be able to cause a "fatal" effect, the bracelet could block it! This was simply a Divine Artifact for saving one's life! Its value was likely far beyond that of an ordinary Heaven Rank peak-grade Magic Treasure!
Mu Changge was greatly shaken, his eyes narrowing as he thought: 'It's a good thing I didn't make a move on Mu Wanning earlier. If I had messed up and failed, I fear it would be a case of "surviving a disaster, only to face endless trouble"!' Immediately, his trademark cheeky smile appeared on his face.
"Sister, you are so kind!" A warmth surged in Mu Changge's heart. This woman, while sharp-tongued, had given him such a precious life-saving item at a critical moment. He raised his head and looked at Mu Wanning, his eyes filled with genuine amusement.
Mu Wanning's heart skipped a beat at his "Sister" and the smile in his eyes, and a blush quickly flew to her cheeks. But seeing that bastard's trademark cheeky smile, she secretly gritted her teeth, forced herself to stay calm, turned her head away, and huffed: "Who, who was being kind to you! I just... I was just afraid you'd die inside. This bracelet is only lent to you! Remember to return it when you come out!" She tried hard to maintain an arrogant and indifferent expression, but her slightly trembling eyelashes and flushed cheeks betrayed her inner turmoil.
"Understood, my dear sister." Mu Changge gave a wicked smile and put the precious bracelet on his wrist. It fit perfectly, and a warm aura spread along his wrist, bringing a sense of security. After putting on the bracelet, he didn't enter the Secret Realm immediately. Instead, he turned around and walked step by step towards Mu Wanning.
Seeing him approach, Mu Wanning was stunned for a moment, then alarm bells rang in her heart! According to the "blood and tear lessons" from spending time with this bastard these past few days, him taking the initiative to get close never meant anything good! She instinctively wanted to step back and create distance. But her reaction was half a beat too slow. Under the eyes of everyone, Mu Changge walked quickly to her, and before she could react, he suddenly stretched out his arms and gently pulled her into his embrace!
"You...!" Mu Wanning's whole body stiffened, her pale golden eyes widened instantly, and her mind went blank. The next second, Mu Changge lowered his head and quickly, yet with absolute clarity, pressed a warm kiss onto her smooth forehead. "Boom—!" Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
Mu Wanning felt a rush of blood "buzz" into her head. Her cheeks, ears, and neck instantly flushed red, like a boiled shrimp. The warm sensation of their lips and forehead touching, along with his refreshing scent lingering at the tip of her nose, made Mu Wanning stiffen, her heart beating like a drum, almost jumping out of her chest.
Immediately after, countless gazes suddenly converged on her, filled with shock, astonishment, envy, jealousy, curiosity, ambiguity... an incredibly complex mix of eyes that felt like tangible needles pricking her. She could even hear the low gasps and discussions erupting from the crowd: "Damn! The heavens are unfair!" "Junior Brother Mu is so gentle!" "Oh my god! Are they siblings? Why do they give me the feeling of lovers?" "So envious! I want a sister like that too! Give me a dozen sisters like that!" "His relationship with his sister... is really 'good'!" "Junior Brother Mu, I want to be your brother-in-law! Do you still need a brother-in-law?" "Shh! Keep it down! Don't you see the Saint's face has turned green?"
These words were like demonic sounds entering her ears, making Mu Wanning want to die of shame and indignation; she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into immediately! In her heart, she had already cursed that damn, shameless bastard Mu Changge ten thousand times! "You... bastard!" She finally snapped out of the massive shock, both ashamed and angry. With a low shout, her spiritual power erupted uncontrollably, and a pale golden light instantly rippled out, pushing the caught-off-guard (or perhaps well-prepared) Mu Changge away with a "bang."
Mu Changge seemed to have anticipated her reaction. Using that push, he floated backward several yards, landing right at the edge of the Secret Realm's light gate. With a successful, punchable, and radiant smile on his face, he waved at the flushed, trembling Mu Wanning, and then glanced provocatively at Jian Wushuang, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot and whose eyes were practically murderous. He laughed loudly: "Don't worry, Sister, I will definitely come back safely! Wait for me!"
Having said that, he didn't delay any longer. With a flash, his figure merged into the swirling light gate and disappeared. "Mu... Chang... Ge...!!!" Mu Wanning squeezed these three words out from between her teeth. She raised her hand, spiritual power gathering in her palm, wishing she could chase in and drag that bastard out to beat him up! But looking at the now calm light gate, she forced herself to stop. She felt her face burning fiercely, and the surrounding gazes made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles. She stomped her foot hard, unable to stay any longer. Without even glancing at Jian Wushuang beside her, her figure turned into a pale yellow stream of light and shot into the sky, disappearing into the horizon in an instant, having quite literally "fled" the scene.
On the other side, Jian Wushuang stared fixedly at the direction of the light gate where Mu Changge had disappeared, and then at Mu Wanning's retreating back as she left in shame and anger. He felt a violent rage and killing intent crashing wildly in his chest, almost snapping the strings of his sanity! His teeth chattered as he gritted them, his fists clenched tightly inside his sleeves, his nails digging deeply into his palms, unaware even as blood began to seep out. (This is the classic move of a Child of Fortune—nails digging into flesh!)
How dare he! How dare he be so frivolous in front of so many people! And Fairy Mu, she actually... actually didn't immediately dodge or tear that bastard into pieces, and she even... gave him a protective Magic Treasure! (His vision was extraordinary, so he naturally saw that the bracelet was extraordinary, though the naked eye certainly couldn't discern what the bracelet's function was.) Could it be... Endless jealousy, anger, and the sense of humiliation from being publicly "cuckolded" (though he had no explicit relationship with Mu Wanning, he had long regarded her as his exclusive property) bit at his heart like a poisonous snake.
He blamed all of this entirely on Mu Changge! This bastard, who popped out from some unknown corner, had stolen the attention that should have belonged to him, challenged his dignity, and now, had actually laid hands on the woman he had his eyes on! "Mu... Chang... Ge!" He gritted his teeth and said this name in his heart again, every syllable soaked with bone-chilling killing intent. He must make him die! Die miserably! Inside this Sword Burial Abyss was the best Opportunity! Although he had promised to "yield" for half an hour, the Secret Realm was vast and filled with crises; having a few "accidents" was the most normal thing in the world...
Thinking of this, Jian Wushuang forcibly suppressed the violent energy that was about to erupt. He took a few deep breaths, forcing a stiff, graceful smile back onto his face. He nodded to the Disciples around him who had not yet entered, signaling that he would keep his promise and wait here. He needed this half-hour to calm his emotions, and he also needed time to think about how to make that damn Mu Changge "reasonably" disappear inside the Secret Realm.
He subconsciously lifted his foot, wanting to walk towards the observation platform not far away. Just now, he seemed to have seen Yun Qingyao there. Qingyao... He needed to get some comfort from her, or at least, confirm that during this time when he was away (he had been in secluded cultivation during this period), she hadn't had her heart captured by Mu Changge. He had to maintain his image in her heart.
Jian Wushuang adjusted his expression, striving to look as gentle as jade and elegant as ever, then walked slowly towards the observation platform, towards the spot where Yun Qingyao might be standing. However, just as he arrived, the gentle smile he had re-adjusted and thought was impeccable had not yet fully unfolded, and he hadn't even had time to clearly see the more complex emotions in Yun Qingyao's eyes at that moment, when that cold, otherworldly white figure had already sensed his approach.
Yun Qingyao turned her head slightly, her gaze seemingly casting a light glance in his direction. Just a single glance. That gaze no longer held the trace of familiarity and faint trust that might have remained in her usual coldness; instead, it was replaced by a kind of distant scrutiny, and a trace of... indescribable exhaustion and impatience. Especially when she thought about the unreserved intimacy Mu Changge had just shown with Mu Wanning (even if they were siblings, it was too overstepping), she felt inexplicably troubled in her heart. At this moment, she was even less willing to deal with others, especially this person... who was making her heart grow increasingly suspicious.
Jian Wushuang was about to speak, intending to use his usual, spring-breeze-like tone to greet her, and planned to invite her to wait together, perhaps even exchange a few words before entering the Secret Realm to solidify their "friendship" (because he had been in secluded cultivation lately, he hadn't really paid attention to her, and later, when he finished his seclusion and went to greet her or invite her, he had been put off with various excuses). But Yun Qingyao seemed to lack even the patience to listen to him speak. In his stunned gaze, she very coldly, and even with a hint of imperceptible irritability, softly spat out two words. Though her voice was light, it clearly and unmistakably reached his ears: "Go away."