Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Letting Off Steam

Wang Jie didn’t move.

Li Mo’s sword continued forward, closing the distance.

The closer it got, the more savage the cold became. Even the void seemed to pale, as if the air itself were freezing.

Wu Mian’s heart lurched. He’d seen Wang Jie defeat Full-Star Realm enemies from the Luo Kingdom. But swordsmanship was different. Li Mo’s attainments were no joke—Little Sword Mountain’s sword arts were famous throughout the sect.

How would Wang Jie respond?

Li Mo’s blade stopped.

One inch from Wang Jie’s throat.

It couldn’t advance another fraction.

Li Mo lowered his eyes slowly—and found Wang Jie’s sheathed sword pressed against his chest.

The blade wasn’t drawn. It was only the sheath connected to the hilt, resting there with a weight that made Li Mo’s lungs feel too small.

Wang Jie hadn’t stepped.

He’d only lifted his hand.

Li Mo withdrew his sword, bitterness flickering across his face. “I lost.”

The crowd below stared, confused. Lost? How?

Wang Jie hadn’t even drawn his blade.

Very few people understood what had happened.

Li Mo did.

That pressure from the sheath could have pierced his heart at any moment. Whatever Wang Jie’s cultivation was, in sword moves Li Mo had been controlled from the first instant.

Wang Jie removed the sheath and nodded. “Thank you for yielding.”

The gap was too large.

Just like that, no one stepped onto the stage again.

That night, Wang Jie returned to rest.

Luo Yan came running to him, face full of misery. “Guest Elder… I found the third pair.”

Wang Jie’s eyes lit up. “Take me to them.”

If he wanted to expose secret admirers, he couldn’t just drag out the admirer—he needed both sides, face-to-face.

Humiliating enough to imagine. That was why he’d dumped the work on Luo Yan.

Luo Yan looked like he’d swallowed a rock.

A man and a woman arrived together, led by Luo Yan. Luo Yan coughed, then awkwardly backed away.

“I… I have something else to do. You two can talk to Guest Elder.”

He fled.

The pair watched him go, baffled and uneasy. This was inside the sect—danger wasn’t the concern.

But Luo Yan was acting too strangely.

“I heard Senior Brother Luo has been asking about people’s private affairs lately,” the woman said quietly.

The man nodded. “I heard too. That habit is… not good.”

“Exactly.” The woman snorted. “He even asked Senior Sister Gao if someone secretly admires me. Hmph. I like bold men. Anyone who secretly admires me must be disgusting. I wouldn’t even look at him.”

The man blinked. “Ah… right. Yes. Junior Sister is right.”

Wang Jie walked in.

The two immediately bowed. “We greet Guest Elder.”

Wang Jie nodded once. Then he pointed at the man, and then at the woman.

“You secretly admire her.”

The man froze.

The woman went blank.

Wang Jie patted the man’s shoulder. “If you like her, go for it. Secret admiration is the most pathetic kind. Be brave.”

Then he turned and walked out.

The second pair.

The third pair.

By the time he was done, Wang Jie released a long breath, as if he’d survived a battle.

He felt guilty. He never wanted to do this again.

Still… maybe it wasn’t so bad. Exposing it might actually help them. Breaking the paper window, right?

And if it blew up in their faces?

He grimaced. That would make him the villain.

When Wang Jie returned to his lodging on Bing Qiao Star, Luo Yan was there—along with Xia Zhen Zhen.

Xia Zhen Zhen’s eyes were… strange.

She clearly knew.

Wang Jie coughed. “Why are you here?”

Xia Zhen Zhen looked like she wanted to call him insane, but somehow held it in. “Why did you do something like that?”

“Letting off steam.”

Xia Zhen Zhen’s face twitched. To her annoyance, it almost sounded reasonable.

She exhaled. “I came to remind you. Be careful of Xia Mu.”

Wang Jie’s focus snapped tight. Xia Mu… a true disciple.

One of the remaining materials for the Heaven-Reversal Path required defeating a true disciple.

“One of the true disciples?” he asked.

Xia Zhen Zhen nodded, serious. “He’s a true disciple. A Full-Star Realm expert. And he founded Little Sword Mountain.”

Wang Jie finally asked what Little Sword Mountain was. Xia Zhen Zhen explained—simple and blunt.

It was where the sect’s sword-focused disciples gathered to cultivate.

“Don’t underestimate Xia Mu,” she warned. “I know you’ve beaten powerful Full-Star Realm enemies, but Xia Mu is a sect true disciple. He’s trained the sword since childhood—his talent is terrifying. He’s spent years watching sword experts spar. He even cared enough to visit the Outer Court multiple times. That tells you how obsessed he is.”

Her gaze held his. “If you underestimate him, you’ll regret it.”

Wang Jie nodded sincerely. “Thank you.”

Xia Zhen Zhen left.

Wang Jie had the distinct feeling her view of him would never be the same again.

All because of materials.

Luo Yan, meanwhile, dropped to his knees, pale. “Senior, please forgive me! Disciple… disciple accidentally let it slip.”

Wang Jie waved a hand. “It’s fine.”

He paused, then added casually, “Oh—help me find five emotional people.”

Luo Yan looked up, bewildered. “Emotional?”

“People who cry.”

Luo Yan left.

And Wang Jie realized something almost more unsettling than the request itself: Luo Yan didn’t even look surprised anymore. If Wang Jie had asked him to find five sexy people, Luo Yan might have looked relieved.

Wang Jie shook his head and checked his progress.

The “expose secret admirers” material was complete.

But “swordsmanship fame” still wasn’t.

Not enough?

Then only one thing remained.

Xia Mu.

If he defeated Xia Mu with sword moves, it would be more than enough.

He’d already pushed the Outer Court arena to its limit. Hardly anyone would challenge again.

So he would go to Little Sword Mountain.

The next day, the arena was dismantled.

Outer Court, Outer Sect, Inner Sect—people had gathered in hopes of watching more. When they found the stage gone, many groaned in disappointment.

Then Wu Mian spread a new message.

Wang Jie was going to Little Sword Mountain to challenge Xia Mu.

The news shook the Frost Splendor Sect.

Not just the people on Bing Qiao Star. Even stewards and elders heard it.

Xia Mu was a true disciple. His every move drew attention. And now someone was challenging him in swordsmanship?

Some claimed it was a lie—Outer Court disciples couldn’t even reach Rainbow Peak.

Then Wang Jie’s identity spread, and the sect was rocked again.

“What? He’s a Guest Elder?” Li Mo blurted.

Around him, Inner Sect disciples nodded grimly. “Yes. We didn’t know either. He’s a Guest Elder—and a Chen refiner.”

“Is he that lockforce Chen refiner Master Xu is targeting?”

“I heard he doesn’t dare face Master Xu at all. If Domain Lord Han becomes the Lord of Mist Peak, he might be driven out. So why is he doing this now?”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to be a Guest Elder anymore and wants to become a disciple instead.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s still a Chen refiner.”

“Senior Brother Li,” someone asked, “will Senior Brother Mu accept the challenge?”

Li Mo’s gaze lifted. “Of course.”

On Little Sword Mountain, Xia Mu heard the news and spoke only three words:

“Let him come.”

The momentum had been built by Wu Mian—and now Wu Mian was more terrified than anyone.

“Master Wang,” Wu Mian asked, voice tight, “are you sure you can win?”

Wang Jie glanced at him. “You’re afraid I’ll lose?”

Wu Mian gave a bitter smile. “Lockforce cultivators finally have a chance of entering the sect’s eyes. The last one who managed it was Old Chu… but he couldn’t break through and gradually faded out of sight.”

Wang Jie’s eyes sharpened. “Old Chu? The old senior who uses Intercepting Sword Art?”

“Yes.” Wu Mian nodded. “He respects you greatly. He also asked me to remind you—Xia Mu’s greatest strength isn’t fighting. It’s observing.”

Wu Mian hesitated, then continued, “Back then, Xia Mu fought Old Chu three times. He lost the first two and only won the third. After that, he never came to the Outer Court again—because Old Chu’s Intercepting Sword Art had no value left to him.”

He took a breath. “Old Chu said: if you want to beat Xia Mu, don’t give him time to observe. Even the smallest change he catches can be folded into his drifting moves… and become a killing strike.”

Drifting was one of the Frost Splendor Sect’s top sword arts, famous for its countless variations.

Most who trained it mastered sixteen changes—that was the first realm. Xia Mu had once used thirty-two changes to defeat every sword challenger. In the entire sect, perhaps only elders could surpass him.

Among disciples, very few could push Drifting to thirty-two changes.

Wang Jie nodded. “Understood. Thank you.”

He didn’t stop Wu Mian from spreading the message further. Wu Mian held high status in the Outer Court, and Elder Zhong didn’t interfere.

Within days, the entire sect’s attention tilted toward Rainbow Peak.

Inner Sect disciples gathered outside Little Sword Mountain, waiting for Wang Jie to arrive.

When Wang Jie judged the timing right, he boarded a ship and landed at the foot of Rainbow Peak, beneath Little Sword Mountain.

“He’s here.”

“I wonder how many changes Master Wang can take from Senior Brother Mu.”

“I’m more curious how many changes Senior Brother Mu will actually use.”

“He can’t compete with Master Xu in star-refining, so he’s showing off like this,” someone sneered. “Senior Brother Mu’s swordsmanship is famous throughout the sect. He’s about to suffer.”

Xia Zhen Zhen and Xia Xiao Nian were both present, watching Wang Jie climb, unsure what exactly he was thinking.

Not far away, Xia Bei Yi wore a faint, satisfied smile. Others didn’t know, but Xia Bei Yi did—Xia Mu’s swordsmanship had earned praise even from the Sect Master.

This time, Wang Jie would be humiliated.

Did Wang Jie really think the Frost Splendor Sect was like the Silver Radiance Empire, some tiny backwater?

Forget Ten Seals. Even Roaming-Star Realm experts had to keep their heads down here.

No matter his goal, he wouldn’t pass Xia Mu’s blade.

Wang Jie felt countless gazes on him.

Good.

That was exactly what he wanted.

He climbed at a steady pace. Swords were embedded along the mountain path at regular intervals, blades thrust into the earth like markers—cold, sharp, merciless. For ordinary sword cultivators, even walking this road was a trial.

Wang Jie’s thoughts, however, were strangely practical.

He was short on swords. He couldn’t help wondering if he could take one or two.

At the summit, Xia Mu waited.

Around him stood Inner Sect disciples with blades at their hips and frost in their eyes—sword experts acknowledged by Xia Mu to train on Little Sword Mountain.

Xia Mu stepped forward and bowed. “Disciple greets Master Wang.”

Wang Jie hadn’t expected him to be so courteous. Wang Jie’s challenge was blatantly provocative. Xia Mu couldn’t possibly have missed that Wu Mian had manufactured the momentum.

Wang Jie returned the nod. “No need for formality. I came for two reasons: to temper my sword through battle—and to clear the name of lockforce cultivators.”

Xia Mu nodded calmly. “I understand. But if you want those two things… you must win.”

“Naturally.”

Xia Mu’s gaze stayed steady. “That may not be easy.”

Wang Jie smiled and drew his sword. “I’m told you’re skilled at observation. You catch an opponent’s changes and fold them into your own variations.”

He lifted his blade slightly. “This challenge is me provoking you on purpose. So, as an apology, I’ll win on the hundredth move. Until then, you may observe as much as you like.”

The Inner Sect disciples around them erupted instantly.

“Arrogant! Don’t think being a Guest Elder makes you untouchable!”

“Senior Brother Mu treated you with courtesy, and you really think you’re his senior?”

“A Guest Elder is still only a Ten Seals lockforce cultivator. Don’t get ahead of yourself!”

“Senior Brother Mu can beat you with a single change!”