Chapter 13: A Calculated Retreat

Sikong Qinghe stared at the flying sword, its tip almost touching his face. Cold sweat trickled down his back. He knew, with chilling certainty, that one more inch would mean his demise.

A bitter unwillingness churned within him, yet there was nothing he could do. The disparity in their strength was undeniable.

“I… I concede.”

Sikong Qinghe took a deep, steadying breath before his words of surrender finally escaped.

Upon hearing his concession, Lin Shuang withdrew her treasured sword. She then turned to the surrounding Moonfall Sect cultivators, her voice ringing out in a renewed challenge.

“I wonder if any other fellow daoists from the Moonfall Sect would care to offer guidance?”

“Even veteran disciples are welcome, those stronger than me, too. As long as you are still within the Qi Condensation realm, I am ready to fight.”

Lin Shuang’s words only fueled the Moonfall Sect disciples’ fury. She had defeated the strongest among their new generation, and now she dared to challenge their veteran disciples. Most veteran disciples were at Qi Condensation Seventh Layer or above, possessing years of cultivation and battle experience far beyond what any new recruit could hope to match.

Many of them had cultivated for decades, some even for several.

‘What an arrogant little girl,’ the veteran disciples thought, though none were foolish enough to take the bait. ‘If we step up, whether we win or lose, her reputation will soar. We mustn’t fall into her trap.’

A loss would bring even greater shame upon the Moonfall Sect. A victory would only brand them with the ignominious title of ‘bullying the young’.

The higher echelons of the Moonfall Sect would not permit their veteran disciples to compete against Lin Shuang. There was no benefit to it, and besides, their objective had already been achieved.

“Ah, Uncle-Master Ning, isn’t that enough? Your Spirit Sword Mountain’s objective has already been met.”

Su Muxue let out a soft sigh.

But was it truly enough? Ning Chong was far from satisfied; Spirit Sword Mountain had finally managed to regain some face, and returning now would feel utterly anticlimactic.

“Oh, Sect Master Su, we still have one disciple who hasn’t had a chance to compete yet!”

“Surely, she should at least get one match? This time, I suggest you send a veteran disciple at Qi Condensation Seventh Layer to face her.”

Ning Chong chuckled mischievously.

Ning Chong did not demand Lin Shuang continue her challenges. Instead, he used the pretext of Lin Xue not yet having had a chance to spar, a reason Su Muxue found impossible to refuse.

Su Muxue glanced at the various elders, whose faces were now uniformly grim. The Sixth Elder, in particular, looked utterly crestfallen; he had been responsible for recruiting this generation of disciples, and seeing them utterly dominated by Spirit Sword Mountain left him with no face to save.

This humiliation was tantamount to declaring that Han Heng had recruited a cohort of incompetent disciples, arguably the weakest in the sect’s history.

As for the other elders, they were even less inclined to speak.

“Ah, very well.”

Su Muxue nodded, a hint of resignation in her expression.

Seeing Su Muxue agree, Ning Chong let out a triumphant laugh. He then called out to Lin Shuang.

“Lin Shuang, you can come down now. It’s your sister’s turn.”

The moment Lin Shuang heard this, her face fell.

“Grand Elder, I haven’t even had my fill yet, and you’re making me come down already?” Lin Shuang quickly retorted.

However, at that very moment, Lin Xue rose to her feet and gracefully ascended to the Moonlight Platform.

“Oh, my dear sister, perhaps you should just watch *my* performance.”

“That fellow just now? If it were me, one move would have been enough. So, go on, step down and observe.”

Lin Xue’s tone was laced with a teasing, almost taunting sarcasm.

Lin Shuang’s eyelid twitched involuntarily.

“Hmph! Don’t put on airs. Just don’t lose, or you’ll bring shame upon us.”

Lin Shuang snorted coldly, then prepared to descend.

Yet, just as Lin Shuang and Lin Xue passed each other, Lin Xue spoke.

“Do you think it could be him?”

Lin Shuang paused for a brief moment. Then, she offered her reply.

“I think so.”

With those words spoken, Lin Shuang returned to her original spot.

After Lin Xue ascended the stage, a veteran disciple at Qi Condensation Seventh Layer reluctantly stepped forward from among their ranks.

“Ah, Junior Sister Lin Xue, please enlighten me with your guidance.”

The Young Man’s tone was clearly tinged with resignation.

Indeed, judging by his demeanor, he possessed absolutely no fighting spirit.

Lin Xue, in response, merely smiled and nodded.

“Please, Senior Brother, enlighten me with your guidance.”

Although Lin Xue and Lin Shuang were identical in appearance and shared a profound understanding, their personalities were starkly contrasting.

Lin Shuang was flamboyant and straightforward, acting and speaking without regard for consequences, much like an uninhibited young girl.

Lin Xue, conversely, was reserved and low-key, exuding an aura of maturity, more akin to a sophisticated woman who had weathered the myriad experiences of life.

Yet, this match, too, defied expectations.

Three minutes later…

A sharp clang of metal echoed across the Moonlight Platform. The Moonfall Sect veteran disciple stared in utter shock at his treasured sword lying on the ground before him, and at the maiden opposite, her hair and robes fluttering, a gleaming sword held firmly in her hand.

All the Moonfall Sect disciples were equally stunned. What had they just witnessed?

“How is this possible? She didn’t even use Sword Control Art, defeating a Moonfall Sect veteran disciple with pure swordsmanship alone?”

This time, the Moonfall Sect elders could no longer remain seated.

Previously, their disciples’ inability to contend with Qi-controlled swordsmanship might have been excusable. But just now, Lin Xue had defeated a Moonfall Sect veteran disciple, one who had cultivated for over a decade, in three minutes using pure sword techniques.

What did this signify? It meant that the swordsmanship in which their Moonfall Sect specialized was inferior to the sword arts practiced by Spirit Sword Mountain.

The distinction between ‘swordsmanship’ (剑法) and ‘sword arts’ (剑诀) lay in the former being swordsmanship wielded directly by a person, and the latter referring to flying swords unleashed by controlling spiritual qi.

Just now, Lin Xue had defeated a Moonfall Sect veteran disciple in the very domain where the Moonfall Sect excelled.

“Tch! Would it kill you not to show off?” Lin Shuang muttered under her breath.

After all, if she had been allowed, she could have effortlessly defeated Sikong Qinghe using pure swordsmanship as well.

As their hearts were interconnected, what one knew, the other also mastered. Thus, at Spirit Sword Mountain, they cultivated separately: Lin Shuang practiced sword arts, while Lin Xue specialized in swordsmanship.

In this way, both of them cultivated both types of techniques.

“Hahaha, ah, everyone from the Moonfall Sect, you’ve truly been too generous!”

“Our Spirit Sword Mountain’s visit ends here. Farewell, farewell, hahaha!”

Having secured victory, Ning Chong was eager to depart.

Su Muxue and the others could only offer a wry smile. They then rose, preparing to see Ning Chong and his disciples off.

However, at that precise moment, another unexpected event unfolded.

Lin Shuang, standing not far from Su Muxue, suddenly spoke.

“Um, Senior Sister Su, may I be so bold as to ask if someone in your esteemed sect used a strange weapon today, injuring other disciples?”

She couldn’t help it; Lin Shuang could no longer contain her curiosity. She desperately needed to understand this matter.

Su Muxue and the others exchanged startled glances. A strange weapon? That could only refer to Su Yun. Though they disdained Su Yun’s use of hidden weapons, they had to admit, those hidden weapons were remarkably potent.

Just as Su Muxue was about to reply, Han Heng interjected with a sarcastic tone.

“Oh, while I’m curious why Junior Niece Lin Shuang asks, it’s true that not long ago, in our sect’s grand assembly hall, an unruly disciple did use hidden weapons to ambush a fellow sect member.”

Once Lin Shuang received confirmation from the Moonfall Sect, her face lit up with overwhelming delight.

“Is that so? Then, may I possibly meet this disciple?” Lin Shuang inquired further.

The Moonfall Sect members grew even more bewildered. Lin Shuang’s request seemed utterly inexplicable.

“That disciple is our Sect Master’s son. If you wish to meet him, you should ask the Sect Master herself; we have no authority to decide.” Han Heng explained.

Lin Shuang immediately turned her gaze to Su Muxue.

Su Muxue was unaware of Lin Shuang’s true intentions. Furthermore, her son was currently in no condition to receive visitors, so she naturally would not agree.

“I apologize, Junior Sister Lin Shuang, but my son sustained injuries during a sparring match recently and is not convenient to see visitors.”

Su Muxue flatly refused.

Lin Shuang’s hopes plummeted, replaced by profound disappointment.

“Oh, so it’s Sect Master Su’s son, Su Yun, then. Strange, Lin Shuang, do you know Sect Master Su’s son?” Ning Chong asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Lin Shuang was about to nod. But at that very moment, Lin Xue descended from the sky, landing gracefully beside Lin Shuang.

“Oh, no, we don’t know him. My sister was merely curious.”

“Since Young Master Su Yun is injured, then we won’t impose.” Lin Xue stated, taking charge.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shuang immediately shot Lin Xue a glare. However, she made no further demands.

Subsequently, under Ning Chong’s leadership, the disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain departed.

Once they had flown beyond the Moonfall Sect’s territory, Lin Shuang’s dissatisfaction finally erupted into a mental query.

‘Xiao Xue, what was that all about?’

‘By what right do you make decisions for me? What, are you planning to abandon my brother for someone else?’

Hearing this, Lin Xue let out another long sigh.

‘Are you an imbecile? We are both reincarnators!’

‘What reason would you give to meet someone? Even if this Su Yun *is* your brother Lin Xi, we still need a plausible reason to meet him, don’t we?’

‘Otherwise, aren’t you afraid Senior Sister Su would grow suspicious of our intentions?’ Lin Xue chastised.

Lin Shuang wanted to argue, but found no valid points. From a logical standpoint, Lin Xue was entirely correct.

She could only calm herself for now. She would figure out a way once they returned.