Its late at night again.

  Zhang Xiaofan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The monkey Xiao Hui beside him also opened his eyes wide, blinking at him. As for the other senior brothers, they had all been snoring loudly, including Da Huang, who was now fast asleep on the ground.

  The moonlight is like water, shining in through the window and sprinkling on the ground, like frost and snow.

  Zhang Xiaofan quietly got up, and Xiao Hui immediately scurried into his arms. Zhang Xiaofan hugged it, stroked its head, and walked out.

  The corridor is quiet and deserted, with no sound of human voice.

  He secretly smiled wryly, and since arriving at Tongtian Peak, he had hardly had a peaceful nights sleep, thinking that the next day would be his duel with Xue Qi, his heart still had an inexplicable tension.

  At this moment, the monkey Xiao Hui in his arms suddenly moved restlessly. Zhang Xiaofan looked at it and saw that under the moonlight, Xiao Huis sharp eyes were staring at the shadows in front of him.

  In the darkness, as if a figure flashed by.

  Zhang Xiaofans heart skipped a beat as he followed after them.

  That figure didnt run very fast, and while running, the shoulders seemed to be constantly heaving, as if crying. Zhang Xiaofan recognized from a distance that it was Tian Linger, and his heart became even more strange. At the same time, seeing his master sisters crying appearance, he also felt a hint of inexplicable sadness.

  Tian Linger ran straight to the center of the Cloud Sea, arriving at the edge of the arena. Looking around and seeing no one, she seemed unable to bear it any longer, squatting down on the ground and bursting into tears.

  Zhang Xiaofan had never seen his master sister so heartbroken, a daze in his mind, he slowly walked to her side and softly called out: "Master sister, you..."

  Tian Linger was startled and jumped up, turning around to see that it was Zhang Xiaofan. She finally put her heart at ease, but then her heart ached again, and she couldnt help but throw herself into Zhang Xiaofans arms, sobbing loudly on his shoulder.

  Zhang Xiaofans body stiffened in an instant, his entire body was petrified, and he couldnt move again.

  Her sobbing voice echoed in my ears, and I felt a faint warmth from her body on my shoulder, as if the scene that often appeared in dreams had actually come true today. A faint, almost imperceptible fragrance wafted over.

  Zhang Xiaofan stood there, gazing into the distance, and although countless thoughts in his heart wanted to embrace this woman, he still didnt.

  Maybe if I had really hugged you, life would have been different from then on?

  Tian Linger left his shoulder at this time. Zhang Xiaofan felt a sense of emptiness in his heart, and vaguely felt that he had lost something.

  His shoulders had been wetted by tears.

  Tian Linger rubbed her red eyes with her hand, saw the shoulder of Zhang Xiaofan that was wet from her tears, and her face turned red as she said: "Sorry, Xiaofan."

  Zhang Xiaofan shook his head and said, "Sister, whats wrong with you."

  Tian Linger was about to speak, but heard something "squeak" twice under her feet. She looked down and found that Xiao Hui had also followed her up. She silently bent down and hugged Xiao Hui in her arms.

  "This has never happened before, Xiao Fan, this has never happened before." The woman stood in the moonlight of the dark night, elegantly beautiful with a hint of sadness, and said to Zhang Xiaofan: "Father and mother have never scolded me like this before."

  Looking at that beautiful face filled with sorrow, Zhang Xiaofan felt a tearing pain in his heart, as if her sadness was all caused by him. He steadied himself and asked softly, "Sister, whats wrong? Why did Master and Mistress scold you?"

  Tian Linger hesitated for a moment, looked up at Zhang Xiaofan, from childhood to adulthood, this little brother had always been her closest companion besides her parents. At this moment, in her heart, it seemed that she vaguely thought of an idea: when did Little Fan start being so gentle with me?

  However, this thought only flashed through her mind for a moment, and her heart was filled with sadness. She finally turned to Zhang Xiaofan with tears in her eyes and said, "Its all for the sake of Qi Hua!"

  Zhang Xiaofans face turned white in an instant, and he involuntarily clenched his fists, gripping them so tightly that his fingernails dug deep into his palms.

  "You dont know yet?" Tian Linger once opened the conversation, and she no longer had any guard against this little Shidi. However, Zhang Xiaofan was wildly shouting in his heart: "I know, I know, Ive known for a long time!"

  The moonlight is cold and pours down on the world of men.

  "Qí Huà Shīxiōng and I are mutually in love, I told them, I really, really like him." Tián Língér calmed down a bit, but didnt notice that every time she said a sentence, Zhang Xiǎofáns face lost a bit of blood color.

  "But Father scolded me loudly, saying I didnt understand things, and even my mother, who usually doted on me, changed her expression and stood on Fathers side. How could this be, Xiao Fan?"

  Zhang Xiaofan lowered his head, not letting Tian Linger see his face, and said in a low voice: "How did Master and Mistress know?"

  Tian Linger was so emotional that she didnt notice the flaws and inconsistencies in Zhang Xiaofans words. Her mouth twitched, and she almost burst into tears again: "I didnt think of it at first, but later I found out that it was because my fellow disciple Xiangyun Shizhi and the others told Shuiyue Shibo, and then Shuiyue Shibo told my mother. Im so close to Xiangyun Shizhi and the others, and Ive reminded them many times, but they still spilled the beans...I, I..."

  Her eyes welled up with tears and they finally flowed out.

  "Perhaps your parents are doing this for your own good, they will never harm you!"

  Tian Linger wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes and said loudly, "What do they know! They only understand sectarian views, they only know that Qi Huan is the proud disciple of Long Feng Cang Songs Shifu, they only know that if I get along with Qi Huan, they will not be able to hold their heads up in Qing Yun Men, and they have never thought about me at all."

  "With a tinge of sadness, a tinge of anger and a tinge of determination, she said: Compared to my happiness, what do those faces amount to? I really wonder if they value their pride or me, their daughter?"

  Zhang Xiaofan suddenly raised his head and looked at this sudden unfamiliar senior sister.

  What a heartbreaking gaze!

  Wandering helplessly, like a young bird that has lost its parents standing alone in the wind and rain, with sorrow accompanied by a hint of horror, it pierced his soul like a knife!

  Xiao Fan was almost immediately defeated by this gaze, a kind of unprecedented sadness rising from his heart. If he could bear the pain for this woman at this moment, he would be willing to take on any difficulty, but he didnt know what to say, and could only call out in a low voice:

  "Sister!"

  "I want to be with him," Tian Linger said resolutely, and it was not that she was saying this to Zhang Xiaofan, but rather she was saying it to her own heart, to the absent Tian Naiyu couple. "I must be with Qi Huan Shixiong, we have sworn an oath of loyalty, even if Father and Mother oppose us, even if we have to wait until the seas dry up and the rocks crumble, we will still be together."

  She gazed up at the night sky, making a vow to that bright moon. The clear and cold moonlight quietly poured down on her body, she was as beautiful as a lily blooming in the night with sorrow, making people dizzy from her beauty and forgetting the desolate and heartless shadow beside her.

  ※※※

  Standing high up, the warm sunlight shone down on Zhang Xiaofans body, warming his skin but not his heart. He stood expressionless on the stage, facing the beautiful Xue Qi who was standing opposite him, looking like a celestial being.

  The disdain in that icy womans eyes was so obvious. On the square, everyone knew that he had made it into the top four more through luck than actual ability.

  Behind her, Tian Jue was emitting a faint blue glow. Zhang Xiaofan looked at this legendary divine object and thought to himself: In just a moment, he would be facing it head-on?

  Then he forgot about it in an instant, and since coming back last night, his mind had been in a daze.

  Above the sea of clouds, at this moment, only two large arenas are left, but in terms of the number of Qingyun disciples watching from the sidelines, the number of people watching Qi Hua and Zeng Shu Shus trial on the west side is probably less than a third of that here. Almost everyone has been attracted by the most popular Xue Qi and Zhang Xiaofan, who have been lucky enough to get here, and among the seniors, including the sect leader Dao Xuan True Person, the vast majority are seated below this arena.

  Just as the crowd saw Xue Qi step onto the stage, after a round of cheers, most people were discussing whether Zhang Xiaofan would be defeated in one breath or one move.

  Below the stage, Tian Yes eyebrows were tightly furrowed. Although he knew Zhang Xiaofans background very well, hearing the mocking discussions from the people behind him still made him uncomfortable. However, Su Ru, who was sitting beside him, was looking around for her daughter everywhere. After a big quarrel last night, Tian Linger had run away crying, and this morning she was nowhere to be found. As her mother, Su Ru understood her daughters temperament all too well, and she suspected that the stubborn girl must have gone to the Qi Hui martial arts arena.

  She shook her head, although she loved this only daughter very much, but this time she stood on her husbands side. Perhaps it was the instinct of being a mother, she always felt that people in Longfengli were not very good.

  She turned her head and looked at the stage, at the same time, Zhang Xiaofan on the stage also looked over with a blank expression. Their eyes met in mid-air, after a moment, Zhang Xiaofan glanced around beside her, as if he hadnt found who he was looking for, then silently withdrew his gaze.

  Su Rou slightly furrowed her brow and said to Tian Naiyi, "Xiao Fans expression today seems a bit off, it looks like hes carrying a heavy air of death."

  Tian calmly said: "Hes just nervous, a child who hasnt seen the world before, its nothing to be surprised about."

  Su Ru fell silent and didnt speak again.

  Zhang Xiaofan withdrew his gaze and landed on the face of 6 Xueqi, whose absolutely beautiful face was radiant in the rising sunlight, shining brightly. Soon, 6 Xueqi felt Zhang Xiaofans gaze and a hint of disdain reappeared in her eyes.

  But this time, Zhang Xiaofan did not avoid it again. He didnt even feel the sarcastic gaze from the opposite side. That beautiful face had no meaning to him at all now. There was only one sentence echoing deeply in his heart, low and painful: "Shes not here, she went to watch Qi Huans trial!"

  As clever as Xue Qi, she quickly realized that her opponent was only staring at her with his eyes, but in his empty gaze, he was clearly thinking of something else and completely ignoring her existence. This was almost the first experience in her life, and a hint of surprise also appeared in her eyes.

  "Right!"

  The bell and drum sounded in unison, echoing on top of Tongtian Peak. The surroundings suddenly fell silent.

  Xue Qi stood up straight, took a deep breath, and thought that if she could just win two more matches, she would be able to fulfill her own dreams as well as the expectations of her mentor. Behind her, Tian Huis blue aura gradually lit up.

  "Xiao Zhufengs disciple Xue Qi, please instruct me."

  Zhang Xiaofan was like waking up from a dream, his first reaction wasnt to return the gift, but with a hint of expectation, he looked down at the crowd below, where peoples heads were bobbing up and down, everyones eyes fixed on him, yet there was no sign of the person he wanted to see.

  Xue Qis face changed, and the Qingyun disciples below were also in an uproar. This was the first person to be so rude to Xue Qi. Tian Bu Yi and Su Ru exchanged a glance, both sensing that something was off about this little disciple today.

  Zhang Xiaofan slowly turned his head, his face as pale as death, and said faintly: "I am Zhang Xiaofan of Dazhu Peak, please dont hold back, Shijie."

  Xue Qi was taken aback, although the words exchanged before the match were just pleasantries, but this Zhang Xiao Fan seemed quite strange, who would say something like "dont hold back", it sounded like sarcasm, but looking at him, he didnt seem to be.

  But Xue Qi was after all the proud disciple of Shui Yue Dashi, her will unshaken, her expression unchanged, she said nothing more, her right hand gestured and behind her, "Tian Qu" slowly rose.

  Zhang Xiaofan gazed at the blue light as it grew deeper and larger, illuminating his body with a blue hue. He could no longer find any sense of tension, but instead felt an indistinct anticipation deep within his heart.

  He took out that black and ugly fire poker.

  A burst of laughter erupted from the audience, and compared to the dignified and noble "Tianzhuang" on the opposite side, Zhuohuotong looked like an ugly worm on the ground.

  But at this moment, it is still a heartless and lifeless worm.

  A cool feeling once again filled his entire body, and for some reason, the fire poker in his hand today seemed to have gained a spiritual quality, making him particularly excited. The degree of movement of this cool feeling was much faster than usual. Zhang Xiaofan even felt that if it werent for the fact that he had a physical connection with the fire poker, if he hadnt been holding onto it, it would have probably rushed towards Xueqi by itself.

  No, it should be towards Tianyue, not Xueqi. That inexplicable feeling is like two sworn enemies with a deep and bitter hatred for each other.

  At this moment, Xue Qis face also changed slightly. Tianyaos light was too dazzling, and it seemed that she herself felt a bit strange.

  But Zhang Xiaofan didnt have the heart to think deeply about it, he gazed at the beautiful woman in the blue light, suddenly she seemed like his senior sister, but "senior sister" had an icy gaze, coldly staring at him.

  On the stage, something unexpected happened. Zhang Xiaofan and 6 Xueqi, the two of them, didnt make a move, they just stared at each other, motionless.

  The scene was in an uproar, with everyone talking and speculating.

  Xue Qi suddenly woke up, and Tianyao, who had always been in spiritual communication with her, suddenly appeared to have an unusual movement that she had never seen before, making her feel strange. However, when she checked Tianyao with her mind power, there was nothing out of the ordinary, only a faint sense of eagerness to try something new.

  Feeling the countless strange gazes below, Xue Qis eyebrows furrowed, she calmed her mind, let out a cold hum, and pushed all sorts of miscellaneous thoughts out of her brain. With a soft shout, the Tianyue Blue Light burst forth, shooting towards the sky, but still didnt leave its scabbard.

  Since the start of the martial arts tournament, Tianyue had become the focus of everyones attention. However, up until now, Xueqi had defeated all her opponents without even drawing her sword, which led people to wonder who could make her unsheathe her divine sword. At this point, everyone thought that it would have to be the final showdown, and with Longfeng Zhihaos level of cultivation, he might just be able to do it.

  Blue light shone on Zhang Xiaofans face, but couldnt reveal any expression. The black fire poker emitted a faint blue glow and slowly left his palm, hovering in front of him.

  Although he had already taken out the firework to show everyone, most of the people on Mount Da Zhu, including those who were watching from afar, were seeing Zhang Xiaofan perform magic for the first time. Du Bi said, "If I hadnt seen it with my own eyes, I wouldnt have believed that the silly little junior brother from two years ago had suddenly become a born genius."

  On the stage, Xue Qis face was solemn, her fists clenched like a mountain. Suddenly, Tianyuan turned around in mid-air, swift as lightning, with an aura of opening mountains and cutting seas, charging towards Zhang Xiaofan.

  The firewood immediately went up to meet it, and the mysterious blue-green light in mid-air collided with that boundless blue light. The momentum was as if it didnt fear anything at all.

  The next moment, amidst the stunned gaze of everyone, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly appeared to be unable to withstand a single blow, as if he had suffered heavy injuries. His entire body flew backward, and the firework stick lost its luster, spinning blackly in mid-air before flying back towards its master.

  At this moment, everyone in Dazhu Peak stood up, and some impatient people like Du Bishu even shouted out loud.

  Zhang Xiaofans back hit the pillar of the stage, and he fell down, his throat sweet, a mouthful of blood spurted out, splashing onto the flying fire poker, bringing a few drops of blood color. Then, under no ones notice, Zhang Xiaofans fresh blood quickly seeped in.

  Tianyues power was so great that everyone was shocked into stupidity!

  Xue Qis face was cold as frost, and without hesitation, a blue light flashed, and Tian Jue ruthlessly chopped down in mid-air. At this moment, the firewood suddenly emitted black smoke, especially at the top of the stick, where the green light was even more intense. Zhang Xiaofan had bloodstains on his mouth, slowly stood up, his face pale but his eyes like blood, and his appearance seemed to have a few strands of savagery.

  Time waits for no one, the Fire Spirit rushed towards Tian Que once again amidst the dark energy and green light. The two magical artifacts touched in mid-air and immediately bounced off each other. Xue Qi and Zhang Xiao Fan, who were standing behind, stumbled backward in shock.

  In mid-air, blue light flickered and green light shone brightly, flying back and forth in the air. Wherever it went, the originally extremely hard giant wood on the arena was like scattered paper scraps, with loud thunderous sounds that shook ones ears to deafness. Nearly a thousand Qingyunmen disciples watching from the sidelines all changed color. Since the start of the trial, there hadnt been a single match as intense as todays, which started out so fiercely. The scene was even more grand than before, and in just an instant, this enormous arena had been torn to shreds by these two peerless treasures.

  The people who were originally watching from below retreated a distance, and saw that Zhang Xiaofan and Liu Xueqi were now floating in mid-air. Liu Xueqis hands grasped the spell seal, controlling it with all her might, her expression serious yet elegant. But looking at Zhang Xiaofan, he seemed somewhat strange - although the power of his fire poker was beyond everyones expectations, he didnt hold a spell seal like Liu Xueqi did. Instead, he floated in mid-air, dancing and waving his hands, and that fire poker moved according to his will, swift as lightning, battling Tian Huan with great relish.

  Despite this, Zhang Xiaofans heart was filled with unspoken bitterness. The power of Tianyue far exceeded his imagination. Every time he clashed with Tianyue, his entire body would be severely shaken. If it werent for the fact that he had secretly practiced the "Mahavairocana" technique from the Temple of Heavenly Sound since childhood, which strengthened his meridians and protected him with a powerful aura, he would have been defeated and spat out blood long ago. However, looking at Xueqi in front of him, she seemed completely unaffected, and under her control, Tianyues blue light grew stronger and more intense, gradually suppressing the green light and black energy of Zhang Xiaofan.

  In this room, Zhang Xiaofan was wailing in distress, while on the other side, Xue Qis heart was also filled with great surprise. The unassuming fire-starting treasure of her opponent unexpectedly possessed spiritual energy that could rival Tian Huas, not to mention it seemed to have a subtle absorbing power that was constantly drawing in the spiritual energy and vital blood within her own body. If her foundation wasnt solid, she feared she wouldnt be able to suppress the surging hot blood within her body.

  At this point, Xue Qis heart was filled with another wave of surging blood and energy, her body floating in mid-air almost losing its balance. She felt shocked, angry, and anxious, and from the situation at hand, she intuitively sensed that her opponents cultivation in Taiji Xuanclear Dao was actually not very high, far inferior to hers. But for some reason, he was able to wield this strange ancient treasure with such immense power, even Tianyuan could only gain an advantage on the surface.

  Xue Qis silver teeth bit down, her face turned pale, and her clothes fluttered without wind. Tian Jue was seen in mid-air, colliding heavily with the fire poker, causing Zhang Xiaofans body to shake violently, and the fire poker slowed down for a moment.

  Taking advantage of the moment, Tianyue suddenly flew back. Xueqi swiftly stretched out her right hand and grasped Tianyue. The instant her jade-like palm touched Tianyue, a burst of blue light engulfed her figure, and Tianyues sword body shook violently, emitting a deafening roar like a dragons wail. With a mighty surge, Xueqi seemed to merge with Tianyue as one, charging towards the sky and soaring into the heavens.

  Zhang Xiaofan had already forgotten everything outside of himself, only feeling an increasingly intense connection to the burning fire poker in front of him, as if it were a living thing, now excited beyond control, a strange and ominous energy surged up into his mind.

  He stood in mid-air, proudly shouting loudly.

  The sound shakes the fields and forests, heaven and earth change color!

  Black light shoots up to the sky, strong winds blow wildly, and clouds are boiling!

  Suddenly, a blue light flashed, and a sharp whistle came from afar, growing louder until it was deafening, making it impossible to hear any other sound. The countless blue lights merged into one massive pillar of light that struck down with incredible force, its momentum almost enough to split the Qingyun Mountains in two.

  Zhang Xiaofans face contorted, and his five senses suddenly started bleeding in this instant, but looking at his expression, he didnt show any fear, his eyes gleaming brightly, also stretching out his hand to grab the fire poker, instantly grasping the surging black air like a handful of dark energy, directly confronting the blue light pillar rushing down.

  The outer circle, the young disciples of Qingyun all held their breath, staring with wide eyes, and no one dared to show any disdain towards Zhang Xiaofan again. The elderly elders in the inner circle also changed their expressions.

  This contest has become a matter of life and death.

  But for some reason, no one came out to stop it?

  "Boom", like a thunderclap in the sky, shook the world, as if the entire Tongtian Peak trembled violently, blue light flashed back, Xue Qi appeared in the sky, tightly grasping Tianyuan, but a trickle of blood slowly flowed from the corner of her mouth.

  Under the stage, Master Shuǐ Yuè suddenly stood up.

  In mid-air, Zhang Xiaofans ears were left with only the sound of howling wind, his eyes a blur, and scarlet blood almost covering his eyes. If he could hear the outside worlds cries, he would have heard the shocked voices of the people below him on Dazhu Peak.

  Su Rous lips lost their color, gazing at the little apprentice who was almost a bloody person in mid-air, and urged Tian Bu Yi in a low and urgent voice: "Bu Yi, let Xiao Fan admit defeat, quickly let him admit defeat."

  Tian did not easily move, his body shook slightly, staring fixedly at mid-air, slowly shaking his head.

  No longer feeling the pain, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly had a thought in his mind amidst the rapidly changing air. He even wondered if after he died, would his masters sister come to see him? Many years later, when she was living a happy life, would she have forgotten about him too?

  He wiped away the blood from his eye corners with water.

  Xue Qi only felt a severe pain all over her body, the blood and gas inside her were violently shaking in the meridians, as if they were about to burst out of her body, cheering and rushing towards the terrifying green light and black air in front of her, where the ferocious devil was.

  This is a matter of life and death!

  This is an eternal moment!

  This beautiful woman stands proudly in the strong wind, allowing the force of the gale to cut like a knife, yet she doesnt retreat even half a step. She raises her head and gazes up at the sky.

  The wind suddenly stopped and solidified in mid-air.

  The world suddenly fell silent, frozen in this moment.

  "Rumble!" The low whistle seemed to come from the edge of the sky and echoed between heaven and earth.

  Xue Qi flipped her hand and drew out the "Tian Jue Divine Sword".

  In an instant, the blue light that filled the sky dissipated and contracted, as if it was being sucked into the sword blade like a giant dragon sucking water.

  On top of Tongtian Peak, all is quiet!

  The legendary Tian Jue has finally been unsheathed after a thousand years!

  Xue Qis face was as cold as frost, her hand grasping the sword hilt. She was in a state of suspension, her feet treading on the seven-star position, taking seven steps in mid-air. Her long sword suddenly stabbed towards the sky, and her jade-like complexion instantly lost all its blood color. She chanted incantations from her mouth:

  "The Nine Heavens Mystic Realm transforms into divine thunder."

  "Resplendent heavenly might, with sword in hand, I shall guide it!"

  In an instant, the originally clear blue sky turned dark, and a sudden appearance of dark clouds surged endlessly at the horizon. Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed continuously at the edge of the black clouds, galloping across the sky, with a solemn and murderous atmosphere, and strong winds howled wildly.

  A strong gust of wind blew in, and Zhang Xiaofan slightly opened his mouth. This scene seemed to have appeared once before in a distant memory. On the ground, from Daoxuan True Person to the various vein elders, everyones face was filled with shock and bewilderment as they stood up together, then turned to look at Water Moon Master on Little Bamboo Peak.

  After a while, Tian said in a hoarse voice: "Youve taught a good apprentice!"

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī however was completely ignoring the crowd, a worried expression appeared on his normally indifferent face as he gazed at those two people in the sky.

  "Divine Sword, Thunderous Truth!" Dao Xuan Zhenren slowly withdrew his gaze, his heart greatly shaken. He had not expected that among the younger generation of Qingyun Gate, there would be such an extraordinary talent.

  Just looking at the female disciples face, although she managed to display such a remarkable technique with great effort, her body was trembling and her face was as white as paper, Im afraid she was overexerting herself.

  In the sky, the thunder grew more urgent. Zhang Xiaofan clearly felt that from the moment Tianyue was unsheathed, a boundless and unparalleled power burst forth from the burning fire in his hand, as if this treasure connected to his very flesh and blood was letting out a deep roar from the depths of his heart.

  As if it had been waiting for this moment for a thousand years!

  The sky grew darker, with black clouds pressing down, and a massive whirlpool slowly appeared in the thick cloud layer.