Chapter 12: A Bullet’s Revelation and a Challenge Issued

Lin Shuang was currently engrossed in a question far more crucial than anything else: whether this metal casing was indeed the object she suspected it to be.

After a period of silence, she suddenly paused. Then, she quickly took a few steps forward, approaching a patch of dried blood on the Moonfall Platform.

Her gaze sharpened as she examined the ancient, dried blood. Nestled within a crack in the Moonfall Platform’s surface, at the very spot of the bloodstain, she discerned a faint golden metallic object.

Lin Shuang immediately reached out, attempting to dislodge the metal. However, it was wedged too tightly, forcing her to draw her sword and use its tip to pry it free.

There was no need for further inspection. This was undoubtedly the bullet that Su Yun had used to pierce Han Yu’s right foot.

Lin Shuang’s peculiar actions thoroughly bewildered the disciples of the Moonfall Sect and Ning Chong alike.

Just then, Su Muxue finally managed to clearly discern Lin Shuang’s intentions.

“This thing… isn’t this something Yun’er made? Her residence is filled with these. Why is Lin Shuang from Spirit Sword Mountain so fixated on it?” Su Muxue was utterly perplexed.

After retrieving the bullet casing, Lin Shuang quickly reassembled it with the bullet head. Thus, a complete bullet was formed, albeit with a slightly dented tip.

Lin Shuang’s eyes widened like two bells. If she had merely harbored suspicions before, now, she was practically certain.

Within the Moonfall Sect, there was another reincarnator just like her and her sister. Moreover, this individual was capable of manufacturing firearms and bullets.

Yet, this wasn’t the question that truly consumed Lin Shuang’s thoughts.

“Ning Chong, Brother, what’s wrong with your disciple? Is she going to compete or not? She’s been on stage for so long, and her mind doesn’t seem to be on the spar. If she doesn’t want to spar, then just have her come down.” Han Heng voiced his displeasure with a reminder.

He couldn’t fathom why Lin Shuang was so engrossed by that trivial metal casing. However, he felt that Lin Shuang was being disrespectful.

Ning Chong also sensed that continuing like this was unwise. He quickly sent a telepathic message to remind her.

“Lin Shuang, what are you doing? Why haven’t you started the challenge yet? Don’t forget our purpose in coming to the Moonfall Sect.”

Yet, Lin Shuang remained distracted, completely disregarding Ning Chong’s warning. Her eyes seemed to hold nothing but the bullet clutched in her hand.

Why would she recognize this object? In her previous life, her older brother had studied military weapons manufacturing, and his room was filled with models of various bullets and weapons.

Her brother had been involved in the same accident as her and her sister at the time. It seemed they had all been struck by lightning.

Since both sisters had been reincarnated into this world with their memories intact, there was a high probability that her brother had also arrived.

‘Brother, is that you?’ Lin Shuang murmured inwardly.

****

Just at that moment, Sikong Qinghe, a sixth-stage Qi Condensation cultivator from the Moonfall Sect, suddenly ascended the stage.

From their perspective, Lin Shuang seemed to hold the Moonfall Sect in utter contempt. Her prolonged inaction on stage felt like a blatant display of disrespect.

Regardless of whether they could defeat her, they could not permit an outsider disciple to flaunt their arrogance at their grand assembly.

“Moonfall Sect’s Sikong Qinghe requests guidance from the young lady.”

Upon hearing the voice, Lin Shuang finally lifted her head slightly to glance at her opponent. Noticing that Sikong Qinghe was only at the sixth stage of Qi Condensation, she immediately uttered words that enraged all the cultivators of the Moonfall Sect.

“Only sixth-stage Qi Condensation? Does your Moonfall Sect not have anyone at the seventh stage?”

“You—” Sikong Qinghe’s expression instantly darkened.

Below the stage, the disciples who had initially been captivated by Lin Shuang’s appearance erupted into a collective clamor.

“What? How arrogant! This is our Moonfall Sect, not your Spirit Sword Mountain. Besides, there isn’t a huge difference between sixth and seventh-stage Qi Condensation; a slightly higher cultivation realm doesn’t automatically mean greater combat prowess. Brother Sikong, teach this woman a good lesson! Show her the true might of our Moonfall Sect!”

Sikong Qinghe found himself in an impossible position, unable to back down. Clenching his fist, he drew his personal sword and addressed Lin Shuang in a deep voice.

“Young lady, you are far too confident. The fight hasn’t even begun, so how can you be certain I am not your match? You may look down on me, but you shall not insult my sect. Let us begin.”

Lin Shuang put away the bullet casing and head, then focused her attention entirely on Sikong Qinghe.

“It seems you are the strongest of this generation. If I defeat you, then this spar can conclude,” Lin Shuang stated calmly.

Sikong Qinghe had no desire to speak further. He simply wished to properly teach this arrogant woman a lesson.

Seeing that both were ready, the Moonfall Sect’s referee announced.

“Spirit Sword Mountain’s Lin Shuang versus Moonfall Sect’s Sikong Qinghe! The spar officially begins!”

The moment the words left his mouth, a cold glint flashed in Sikong Qinghe’s eyes. His body blurred into an afterimage, appearing to Lin Shuang’s right, simultaneously delivering a horizontal sword slash.

“The Moonfall Step! Brother Sikong truly lives up to his reputation as one of the best disciples of our generation; he’s even mastered the Moonfall Step!” Some Qi Condensation disciples exclaimed in awe.

The Moonfall Step was one of the Moonfall Sect’s secret techniques, notoriously difficult to cultivate. Under normal circumstances, only Foundation Establishment cultivators could truly master it; Qi Condensation practitioners required immense comprehension and perseverance.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Lin Shuang was no ordinary individual either. The moment Sikong Qinghe’s sword struck, Lin Shuang seemed to split into two, flickering to both the left and right, deftly evading his attack.

“What?” Sikong Qinghe was momentarily unable to discern which way Lin Shuang had dodged, forcing him to glance left and right.

But then, a clear, cold voice echoed from behind him.

“Sword Control Art.”

As the voice resounded, Sikong Qinghe spun around abruptly. The instant he turned, a sharp sword tore through the air towards him. Sikong Qinghe’s face blanched, and he hastily raised his own sword to parry.

The incoming sword struck precisely against the blade of his own.

‘Clang…’ A crisp metallic clash rang out. Sikong Qinghe was sent flying by the impact, but thankfully, he didn’t fall. He steadied himself in time, then stared with a grave expression at the serene, white-robed young woman opposite him.

The sword that had attacked him had already returned to Lin Shuang’s hand.

“Not bad, it seems the Moonfall Sect still has capable individuals. If this were at our Spirit Sword Mountain, I would have already won with that last strike,” Lin Shuang chuckled softly.

The higher-ups of the Moonfall Sect fell silent.

“The Roaming Movement Technique, the Sword Control Art… to have mastered Spirit Sword Mountain’s core techniques at such a young age. Her future is truly boundless,” Su Muxue murmured.

The ancestors of the Moonfall Sect and Spirit Sword Mountain had diverged due to a fundamental dispute. They argued over whether sword cultivators should wield swords through personal control or through spiritual energy.

The concept of ‘wielding swords through personal control’ implied an inseparable bond between person and sword, focusing on close-quarters combat.

Conversely, ‘wielding swords through spiritual energy’ involved using magic power to command flying swords, akin to a long-range battle mage.

Both methods belonged to the Way of the Sword, yet they represented two distinct paths of cultivation.

Back then, the ancestors of the Moonfall Sect and Spirit Sword Mountain had debated which path was more suitable for achieving mastery in the Way of the Sword.

Unwilling to yield, they ultimately founded their own separate sects. Each taught their disciples either the art of wielding swords through spiritual energy or through personal control, respectively.

****

“Enough talk, come!” Sikong Qinghe knew he couldn’t win, but he refused to lose too disgracefully.

Lin Shuang chuckled, and her personal sword shot out once more. Sikong Qinghe hastily parried it away with a single strike, but Lin Shuang merely wiggled a finger, and the precious sword attacked again. Sikong Qinghe was instantly overwhelmed, unable to decipher or counter her moves.

Sikong Qinghe retreated again and again, quickly reaching the edge of the Moonfall Platform. The distance between him and Lin Shuang grew steadily wider.

He knew clearly that to win, he had to attack Lin Shuang’s main body and interrupt her spellcasting. The problem was the flying sword’s relentless assault, which gave him no chance to catch his breath or close the distance.

“Damn it, I can’t let this continue. I’ll stake everything!” Sikong Qinghe glanced behind him; he couldn’t be forced off the stage so easily. If he was to lose, it would be on the platform itself.

“Radiant Moon Sword Art: Luminous Moon’s Radiance!” Sikong Qinghe’s personal sword began to glow with a faint light.

He rapidly brandished his sword, enduring the flying sword technique, and charged towards Lin Shuang’s main body.

“Alas! Too late, it’s far too late. If he had used the Radiant Moon Sword Art from the beginning, he might have stood a chance.” Su Muxue shook her head, a hint of regret in her voice.

Indeed, the sword art Sikong Qinghe was using consumed a great deal of power. Sure enough, when he was still three or four meters from Lin Shuang, he suddenly lost his momentum. His internal power was completely depleted, and Lin Shuang’s flying sword knocked his personal sword from his hand.

Sikong Qinghe’s expression was utterly crestfallen as he watched his sword fly away. When he tried to retrieve it, a cold glint appeared before him, freezing him in place.

“You lose,” Lin Shuang’s voice drifted from opposite Sikong Qinghe.