Today, The Villain Couple is Settling Scores Again

The next day, at the martial arts arena.

The dozens of high platforms that had been set up earlier slowly sank into the ground under the spell of the elders, merging into a single large platform to allow Jian Huan and Niu Zizhao to unleash their full potential.

There was still a quarter of an hour before the match, and the arena was already packed with spectators.

Most of the first-year disciples had come to watch, along with some senior disciples from the inner sect who enjoyed a good show.

The spring rain from the night before had stopped before dawn, but the sky remained overcast, casting a somber atmosphere over the arena.

However, this heaviness did not affect Jian Huan.

On the west side of the platform, Jian Huan stood under a peach tree, chest out, stomach in, feet shoulder-width apart, humming a tune as she warmed up: "Three circles to the left, three circles to the right, twist your neck, wiggle your hips. Early to bed, early to rise, let’s do some exercise…" (Note 1)

Beside her were Jiang Mian, Gong Feihong, Yang Ye, and a few fellow disciples from the Talisman Hall.

Jiang Mian and the others were already used to Jian Huan’s warm-up song, but the other disciples were curious.

One of them asked, "Jian Huan, what song is that you’re singing?"

Jian Huan turned to them and answered seriously, "This song is actually a mantra. If you chant it in a melodic way, it can ease the fear and anxiety in your heart, helping you maintain a calm state of mind. It’s useful in any situation."

Because Jian Huan’s expression was so earnest, the disciple actually believed her for a moment and was about to ask her to sing it again so he could memorize the lyrics when a faint chuckle came from behind.

The disciple turned to see a tall figure leaning against the dense foliage.

"What are you laughing at?" Jian Huan took a few steps back, her back against the tree trunk, glancing sideways with a light snort. "Are you here to cheer me on or to mock me? If it’s the latter, you might as well go back to your Equipment Forging Hall."

Shen Jizhi was holding a half-finished green bamboo flute, using his spiritual energy to carve runes into its surface.

Hearing her, he replied, "I’m just here to see if my half-finished spirit wood has any hope."

"Then stop making those sarcastic noises," Jian Huan shot back.

Once the runes were complete, Shen Jizhi gently wiped the flute and held it in mid-air, slowly rotating it as he inspected it. "The one who laughs means no harm; it’s the listener who takes it to heart."

Jian Huan scoffed, "I wonder who’s laughing but won’t admit it."

The two exchanged a few more jabs when suddenly, a commotion broke out in the crowd.

Jian Huan stepped out from under the tree and saw that the Sect Leader had arrived.

"The Sect Leader is here to watch a first-year match?" someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise. "Even during the Nine Provinces Conference’s sect selection, when his own personal disciple was competing, he didn’t show up!"

"That’s right. I vaguely remember that the Sect Leader rarely attends these kinds of events."

"Strange. Niu Zizhao is talented, but he’s not among the very top of the Jade Clarity Sect. Why would the Sect Leader come?"

"Could it be because of Peak Master Yue? Peak Master Yue is the Sect Leader’s junior brother…"

Not only were the disciples surprised.

At the side, Peak Master Yue and Elder Yu Qing, along with other elders, stood up to greet him. "Greetings, Sect Leader."

Dao Xuan raised his hand slightly, signaling for them to be at ease.

Peak Master Yue, who had been sitting in the main seat, moved aside, and Dao Xuan took his place.

Peak Master Yue asked, puzzled, "Sect Leader, I thought you had already left for Lingkong Temple."

He had gone to see the Sect Leader the night before to ask for some spirit stones but was stopped at the door. His disciple had told him that the Sect Leader was leaving for Lingkong Temple early the next morning and wanted to rest early.

"I’ll go later. I happened to have some time, so I came to take a look," Dao Xuan replied, taking a sip of the spirit tea offered by a disciple. He sighed inwardly, "Junior Brother Yue, why are you here?"

If he had known, he wouldn’t have come.

Peak Master Yue pointed to Niu Zizhao below. "This disciple practices the Yue Mountain Sword from my peak. I’m here to see how he’s progressed this year. If he’s good enough, I’ll take him as my personal disciple."

Dao Xuan nodded.

Peak Master Yue then changed the subject. "By the way, Sect Leader, last month I mentioned to you whether the sect could allocate some resources for Yue Mountain Peak…"

Dao Xuan’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly. He took another sip and said leisurely, "We’ll discuss that later…"

This was precisely why Dao Xuan rarely made public appearances.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Whenever he showed up, someone would come asking for spirit stones. Really, Yue Mountain Peak had mountains and peaks, and the palace wasn’t bad either. Sure, it was a bit old, but it was perfectly livable—better than his own side hall, in fact.

Ah, this junior brother of his was excellent in every way, except for his constant requests for the sect to fund repairs for Yue Mountain Peak. He had no idea how to consider his senior brother’s difficulties.

Dao Xuan knew full well that Peak Master Yue had earned quite a bit of spirit stones outside the sect under the guise of being a Jade Clarity Sect peak master.

Why didn’t he use his own spirit stones for the repairs?

Wanting the sect to foot the bill? He’d have to wait another ten thousand years.

Peak Master Yue wasn’t ready to give up. "Senior Brother, a month ago you said we’d discuss it later…"

"The wind is a bit strong this morning," Dao Xuan stroked his long beard, closing his eyes as if to feel the morning breeze, completely ignoring Peak Master Yue’s words. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked back, asking, "Why hasn’t the match started yet?"

Let’s get it over with so I can leave.

Peak Master Yue: "…"

The other elders who had been eavesdropping: "…"

Well, if even Peak Master Yue couldn’t get any spirit stones, there was no point in them asking.

The match was about to begin.

Before Jian Huan stepped onto the platform, Shen Jizhi walked out from behind the tree and said to her, "The Sect Leader is here. You don’t need to worry too much."

She turned back, smiled at him, pounded her chest twice with her fist, then pointed at him, lifting her chin with a confident air. "Don’t worry, your spirit wood is in good hands."

Shen Jizhi’s eyebrow twitched slightly. "Good."

Jian Huan lightly tapped her toes, her hands fluttering like butterfly wings as she gracefully landed in the center of the platform.

Niu Zizhao was already standing there.

He was a man who exuded steadiness, about the same height as Jian Huan, standing as still as a mountain.

The two exchanged a polite bow.

Then, at the elder’s command, the match officially began.

Niu Zizhao didn’t give Jian Huan any time to react. He raised his sword and swung it down.

It was a simple move, but it gave Jian Huan an overwhelming sense of danger.

She dodged quickly, and the sword landed where she had been standing. The platform, reinforced by the sect’s powerful elders and said to withstand a full-force strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator, trembled slightly.

As she dodged, Jian Huan activated a defensive talisman with her fingertips, but even so, the sword’s gust of wind instantly shattered her talisman. A strand of hair at her forehead was caught in the wind, a section of black hair floating in the air before being swept into the residual force of the sword strike, turning into a wisp of smoke.

"Brother Niu’s sword technique is becoming more and more refined."

"Indeed. But why did he use his sword technique right from the first move? In previous matches, Brother Niu would hold back for at least ten moves before drawing his sword. Jian Huan is a woman; shouldn’t he show some courtesy?"

"Haven’t you heard? On the battlefield, there’s no distinction between father and son, let alone between man and woman. Who would willingly give up a hundred thousand spirit coins?"

"It’s not just that," someone glanced at Peak Master Yue, who was nodding with satisfaction from the seats. "I heard Peak Master Yue is considering taking Brother Niu as his disciple. Naturally, Brother Niu wants to put on a good show for him."

"Then Jian Huan is in trouble. She probably won’t last more than a few moves before losing."

"Who says otherwise? Jian Huan, a talisman cultivator, making it to the final round is just luck!"

The spectators below commented as they watched, but Jian Huan didn’t hear a word of it.

She was indeed struggling.

A Foundation Establishment talisman cultivator facing a Golden Core sword cultivator felt like being stripped bare.

As she dodged, the hidden talismans she had placed around the arena and the talismans she threw at Niu Zizhao from tricky angles were all swept aside.

"Ha, useless, isn’t it?" someone gloated. "I’ve watched Jian Huan’s matches a few times before. The only reason she won was because of these petty tricks. They might work against cultivators of her level, but against Brother Niu, it’s like an ant trying to stop a chariot!"

Jiang Mian overheard these comments and clenched her fists, wanting to argue, but seeing Jian Huan on the platform, she held her tongue and continued to watch with a worried expression.

Back and forth, Jian Huan and Niu Zizhao were nearing the tenth exchange.

Jian Huan wasn’t in a hurry to use her talisman sword. She dodged while silently counting the moves in her mind.

In all of Niu Zizhao's previous matches, Jian Huan had attended almost every one. He never used a lethal move within the first ten strikes—less about holding back and more about observing his opponent. He would study their fatal weaknesses and then deliver a thunderous blow in the eleventh strike, ending the match.

According to Jian Huan's original plan, she intended to set up her talisman array within the first nine moves. By the tenth move, she would surge forward with the power of her talisman sword, combined with the array on the field, catching Niu Zizhao off guard and knocking him out of the arena.

But Niu Zizhao seemed to sense her intentions from the very beginning. He drew his sword immediately, destroying her setup.

It was only when she truly faced him that Jian Huan realized why, from the day she first entered the sect, Yu Qing had said that the difference between the Foundation Establishment stage and the Golden Core stage was like the difference between clouds and mud.

Jian Huan had underestimated the situation.

In the Lotus Square Secret Realm, she and Wen Jiu had teamed up to defeat a Golden Core cultivator, so she had thought that while Golden Core cultivators were powerful, they weren't unreachable.

Now, looking back, the reason they had been able to defeat the eldest of the three brothers so easily was entirely thanks to the wolf king that had severely injured him beforehand.

The tenth move ended.

Below the stage, Shen Jizhi, hidden in his sleeve, clenched his fist.

A breeze swept through the area, and in that moment, Niu Zizhao suddenly vanished from Jian Huan's sight.

She tightened her grip on her sword, her lips pressed into a thin line. Just as the audience's hearts skipped a beat, Jian Huan raised her sword, her wrist twisting as the blade moved like a talisman brush, dancing through the air like a dragon!

A ripple of golden spiritual energy spread out, perfectly blocking the spot where Niu Zizhao reappeared!

A deafening crash echoed as the ground shook violently.

Niu Zizhao's mountain-like sword was blocked, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Sensing danger, he didn’t linger in the fight, immediately darting to the side to evade.

Sure enough, hidden within the golden spiritual energy was a tiny strand of green energy. It seemed harmless at first glance, but it suddenly shot straight toward Niu Zizhao.

Niu Zizhao dodged just in time, and the green energy slammed into the arena floor with a muffled thud, like a sudden thunderclap!

The arena was protected by a barrier, but even so, the spectators outside couldn’t help but sway slightly from the impact.

The crowd, which had been murmuring and pointing, fell silent, their faces filled with disbelief!

They had thought the outcome of this match was already decided, that Jian Huan would surely be eliminated. But who could have guessed that she would actually use her sword?

Jian Huan had brought her sword to every match, but she had never used it. Everyone assumed she carried it solely to mock sword cultivators!

Among the elders seated at the sidelines, expressions of shock were evident, with some even standing up.

Dao Xuan, who had been sipping tea, furrowed his brow slightly.

That sword technique felt so familiar, reminiscent of the senior who had been close with Lotus Heart back in the day...

Having failed with her first strike, Jian Huan sent another sword strike toward Niu Zizhao.

Niu Zizhao reacted swiftly, parrying her attack and launching himself toward her.

The two clashed rapidly on the stage, their sword moves leaving afterimages. Various colors of spiritual energy collided within the barrier like fireworks on New Year’s Eve, the roaring sounds unceasing.

First-year disciples in the audience rubbed their eyes, unable to distinguish which figure was whose within the barrier, or whose sword moves were so fierce.

In terms of strength, Niu Zizhao was undoubtedly superior, and he was the one actively pursuing Jian Huan.

Jian Huan, aware of her weaker position, focused mostly on defense, occasionally seizing opportunities to toss out a few talismans or feint an attack.

After a prolonged stalemate, Niu Zizhao looked at Jian Huan before him and, as they passed by each other, suddenly said, "Miss Jian, my apologies. I didn’t want to use this."

He wanted to end the match quickly. The sect leader and the peak masters were watching, and he didn’t want to drag it out. The longer Jian Huan, a Foundation Establishment talisman cultivator, managed to hold him off, the worse it would reflect on him. What would the sect leader and peak masters think of him?

The elders undoubtedly had different expectations for Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.

Before Jian Huan could react, the world before her eyes suddenly changed.

The arena vanished, and the surrounding people disappeared, replaced by mountains.

Endless ranges of mountains stretched as far as the eye could see.

And she was standing right in the middle of them.

"Brother Niu has actually developed a **Danxiang**!" The crowd outside was utterly shocked.

Niu Zizhao had only recently entered the Golden Core stage, yet he had already developed a **Danxiang**!

Golden Core cultivators all form a Golden Core in their dantian.

But not every Golden Core cultivator’s core contains a **Danxiang**. Those who can develop a **Danxiang** are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Jian Huan hadn’t expected to encounter one of these rare individuals.

In this small **Danxiang**, the earth shook violently, and the surrounding mountains were uprooted, crashing down toward her.

Jian Huan cursed, "Damn it!"

She looked around, realizing there was no way to escape.

Above her was the descending mountain, below was solid ground, and all around were mountains.

The towering mountains, every falling rock, every tree, even every leaf, became a sword as they approached.

A dense, unavoidable rain of swords.

This was the Sword Mountain **Danxiang**.

Jian Huan gritted her teeth, using her sword as a shield. She raised one hand above her head while biting her fingertip with the other, using her blood to draw a talisman on the blade.

Golden and green spiritual energy enveloped her, forming a protective sphere.

One after another, the mountains toppled down, piling onto her energy sphere, growing heavier and heavier.

All she could see were endless cliffs and rocks, blocking out the sky, as if they intended to bury her alive.

Gradually, Jian Huan’s body was forced downward. Her straight back bent, her knees buckled, and her limbs groaned under the unbearable weight. Blood trickled from her lips and nose.

On the elders’ platform, Yu Qing suddenly stood up and said to the elder in charge of the arena, "Senior Brother, shouldn’t you intervene now?"

The elder hesitated.

While others couldn’t see it, the elders could clearly see the scene within Niu Zizhao’s **Danxiang**.

Jian Huan was struggling, but she hadn’t surrendered or given up.

The elder instinctively glanced at the sect leader.

The sect leader looked at Shen Jizhi before turning his gaze back to Jian Huan within the **Danxiang**. After a moment of consideration, he said, "It’s fine. Let’s wait a bit longer. I’ll step in at the critical moment."

Hearing this, the elder breathed a sigh of relief.

At the same time, with a thud, Jian Huan’s left knee hit the ground.

She still held on, gritting her teeth, her body wracked with pain as her bones shifted, but she continued to endure.

She thought to herself.

The arena elder hadn’t intervened.

The sect leader was present, and he hadn’t intervened either.

Since they hadn’t stepped in, since they were still watching the match, it meant that even in this dire situation, she wasn’t in a completely hopeless position.

There was still a chance for her to turn the tables.

But where was that chance?

Hope.

Hope?

In her dazed state, Jian Huan suddenly remembered something that had happened in the inheritance secret realm.

That day, an ordinary day, the three of them—master and disciples—had returned from practicing talisman swords.

Shen Jizhi had gone to the kitchen to prepare dinner, and Jian Huan had wanted to help, but she was suddenly called by Fang Quan: "Jian Huan, come with me. I have something to say to you."

Jian Huan followed Fang Quan out of the courtyard and into the bamboo forest.

Slender bamboo leaves drifted down in the breeze, and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the forest.

Fang Quan turned to her and asked with a smile, "How do you think you’re doing?"

Jian Huan was momentarily stunned, feeling as if she’d been called in for a heart-to-heart with her teacher. After a moment of thought, she replied earnestly, "I’ve memorized all the talisman sword techniques, but when I actually use them, I always feel like something’s missing."

Fang Quan stroked his beard and nodded. "After some thought, I’ve decided to be straightforward with you. Your sword skills are not as good as your senior brother’s."

After a pause, he added, "Of course, your senior brother’s talisman skills are also not as good as yours."

Jian Huan couldn’t help but laugh. She bowed to Fang Quan. "Master, please speak freely. Your disciple won’t take it to heart."

There were so many people in the world stronger than her. If Shen Jizhi’s sword skills were better than hers, she would only be happy for him, not jealous or disheartened.

She wished for her friends to have bright futures.

And that didn’t conflict with her own bright future.

"Your sword lacks sword intent," Fang Quan said carefully. "In fact, your talismans also lack a bit of talisman intent. Your talismans are indeed well-drawn, but they’re missing something uniquely yours. Take your senior brother Shen Jizhi, for example. His sword intent—"

Fang Quan thought for a moment, then described it, "is extremely frugal. Every move he makes is purposeful, making it ruthless and deadly. But Jian Huan, I don’t see that in you."

"Sword intent or talisman intent—it’s different for everyone. As your master, I can’t help you much with this. You’ll have to comprehend it on your own." Fang Quan reached out and gently patted her shoulder. "But I believe you’ll surely find your own path."