The woman dressed in dark robes and veiled in gauze had a face that was indistinct, yet her aura was incomparably pure and cold.
Only her eyes shimmered with brilliance, and just from looking into those eyes, one would find it hard to forget her.
If one had only interacted with Shen Xingzhu a few times, they would undoubtedly harbor no suspicions.
From head to toe, from temperament to the pressure her cultivation emitted, everything about the figure before them was entirely and unmistakably Shen Xingzhu.
Especially now, when very few people had ever met Shen Meinan in person.
But for Chen Kuang, the difference between the two sisters was as obvious as the difference between a strawberry and a cherry.
There was no comparison at all.
Just seeing that pair of eyes for a brief moment was enough for Chen Kuang to determine that the one standing before him was Shen Meinan, not Shen Xingzhu.
If it were Shen Xingzhu, her gaze would never be so clear. Her eyes were always shrouded in a layer of cold mist, like an eternal moon high above the world. When she looked at others, it never felt like she was looking at fellow humans, but rather at insects, or corpses.
Of course, in truth, that was exactly how she saw people.
However, after making this judgment, Chen Kuang's brows furrowed.
There was no doubt the person was Shen Meinan.
But the question was... why had the Mysterious Divine Path Sect sent Shen Meinan here?
And why was she disguised as Shen Xingzhu?
As these two questions surfaced in his mind, Chen Kuang immediately noticed even more inconsistencies.
To begin with, Mysterious Divine Path Sect had absolutely no reason to make Shen Meinan impersonate Shen Xingzhu, this was something entirely unreasonable, nearly inexplicable.
Aside from the eyes, this woman before him looked exactly like Shen Xingzhu in terms of appearance and build.
But there was one key detail, this "Shen Xingzhu" held her back a little too straight.
It wasn't to say that Shen Xingzhu didn't stand with a straight back, on the contrary, as the current Dao Child of the Mysterious Divine Path Sect, a figure whose very name carried immense weight, her every movement was impeccable. Good posture was the bare minimum.
However, precisely because her bearing had long been instilled in her, she had no need to consciously maintain it.
Her back might be straight, but her posture would naturally be relaxed.
Yet this "Shen Xingzhu" at the moment had a noticeably tenser shoulder and backline than usual, as if intentionally keeping an erect posture, so much so that she even leaned slightly too far back.
Under normal circumstances, such a subtle difference would go completely unnoticed.
But the one noticing now was Chen Kuang.
The only person he had ever seen with this habitual posture, intentionally stiffening the spine to maintain balance, was Shen Meinan.
That young woman always held her back overly straight, because she relied on it to keep the front and back of her body in balance...
And now, though that balance was no longer needed, the habit remained, creating this subtle distinction.
Coupled with the earlier uncertainties that had arisen in his heart, a nearly inconceivable thought began to form in Chen Kuang's mind.
Perhaps, it was not Shen Meinan pretending to be Shen Xingzhu...
But that now, she was Shen Xingzhu!
As this wave of tumultuous speculation surged within Chen Kuang, the other people present had already begun to bow in greeting to "Shen Xingzhu."
She was a "dao marker" personally praised by a Confucian scholar, a once-in-a-millennium unrivaled genius, and a Grandmaster at only twenty-five years old. Everyone present could be considered her junior, and thus naturally should salute her.
Suppressing the upheaval in his heart, Chen Kuang also calmly bowed along with the others, not betraying the slightest sign of suspicion.
At the same time, as the others began to introduce themselves, he took the chance to observe them closely.
"Yan Hui of the Three Calamities Sect, pays respects to the Dao Child."
The first to speak came from none other than the old enemy, Three Calamities Sect.
Chen Kuang's brow twitched as he turned to look.
Yan Hui of the Three Calamities Sect looked like a youth of sixteen or seventeen, dressed in bright red robes, his long black hair flowing, his features exceptionally handsome. Two golden bangles adorned his wrists. Though he was offering a salute, his expression was indifferent and his tone cold, carrying a touch of arrogance.
Clearly, his attitude was less than respectful, and he showed none of the awe most held toward Shen Xingzhu. His gaze even contained a trace of provocation.
Ordinarily, such behavior was tantamount to seeking death.
But Yan Hui had the qualifications to act like this.
He was the adopted son of Yan Taiyi, the Three Calamities Sect's Supreme Elder, a figure only a step away from achieving the Dao Fruit of a Sage.
He was also one of the only two present who had stepped into the Master Realm!
Although he appeared only sixteen or seventeen on the outside, he was in fact forty-two years old. Even so, his natural talent still fell far short of Shen Xingzhu.
He had been the top of the Canglang Evaluation in his year.
And the very year he descended from that evaluation, Shen Xingzhu had suddenly burst onto the scene and taken first place by storm.
At this moment, Chen Kuang's impression of this man boiled down to two words:
Open flamboyance.
Though cultivators in this world might live for centuries or even millennia, their mental maturity did not lag behind like that of demonic beasts.
Countless methods existed to preserve youthful appearances, but most people would at least keep the look of a young adult, if not fully mature.
Yet Yan Hui had chosen to remain in his adolescent form.
There was probably no special reason for it. Judging from his vividly colored clothes and dazzling appearance, it was likely pure vanity.
Everyone enjoys beauty, but this guy clearly leaned toward flamboyance.
Still... with such a personality, such a background, such strength, why then was the Three Calamities Sect's young master a mere Sea-Cleaving Realm cultivator named Wei Su, and not Yan Hui?
That could only mean one thing: internal conflict within the Three Calamities Sect must run deep.
Otherwise, there was no way such a disparity between worth and title would arise.
As his thoughts shifted rapidly, Chen Kuang moved his gaze to the girl standing beside him, and paused in surprise.
It was someone he knew.
That woman smiled charmingly, her eyes full of seductive allure. Her posture was graceful and bewitching, her chest a dazzling white, just one glance was enough to stir a sense of heat in one's body:
"This humble one is Mingyan, disciple of the Glazed Lapis Tantric Sect."
Her Dharma Name was Mingyan.
It was none other than the same Mingyan whom he had briefly encountered on the boat at Eastern Court Lake!
Back then, Lin Eryou and several others had brought Chen Kuang onboard mid-journey, and afterward, once Mingyan disembarked, she had vanished without a trace.
He hadn't expected to meet her again here!
Yet Chen Kuang felt no joy at the reunion, for the aura emanating from Mingyan now was that of a Moon-Embracing Realm cultivator!
Back on the boat, though he hadn't discerned her level directly, the casual attitude of Lin Eryou and the others suggested that her cultivation was not particularly high.
But now, she had transformed into a Moon-Embracing Realm expert!
Even Lin Eryou, ranked eleventh in the Canglang Evaluation, was merely at the Moon-Embracing Realm.
So no matter what, Mingyan could not be an unknown nobody.
Moreover, if she had been sent by the Glazed Lapis Tantric Sect, that meant her status within the sect was quite high, definitely not an ordinary disciple.
This meant that back on the boat, she had deliberately hidden her identity right under Lin Eryou's nose.
Lin Eryou had seen through Chen Kuang, but not Mingyan.
So her appearance at that time couldn't have been mere coincidence... but as for her goal, that remained a mystery.
Chen Kuang drew in a quiet breath, now on heightened alert.
Clearly, this journey into the Ancient Battlefield of Meditation was going to be even more filled with variables than he had thought.
Off to the side, a tall woman in black spoke with a faint voice:
"Ji Wangquan."
Just two simple words.
But everyone present instantly understood who she was.
Ji, the imperial surname of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
Ji Chengtian had three sons and two daughters. The youngest daughter was not even a year old.
Which meant this woman could only be the twenty-eight-year-old eldest princess!
Chen Kuang raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected the eldest princess of the Great Zhou to dress so plainly, there wasn't a single excess ornament on her person, her attire bordering on austere.
Yet on her body, there was an aura Chen Kuang was very familiar with, the sharp, cold killing intent cultivated by those in the military.
However... he had never heard of this eldest princess contributing anything of note on the battlefield. Could it be that she merely spent some time in a military camp for the sake of training?
After that, a young man in white robes, bearing an air of scholarly refinement, gently held a jade flute and spoke in a warm voice:
"Tang Qiusheng of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion. I humbly ask for your guidance, everyone."
Following him, a delicate-looking young monk rubbed his bald head and looked at Chen Kuang with wide, eager eyes, as if waiting for him to speak first.
Chen Kuang smiled and made a "please go ahead" gesture.
The little monk blinked, then nervously pressed his palms together and said:
"Amitabha. Greetings, everyone. This humble monk is Xiuzhu of the Garan Temple."
Garan Temple?
Hearing the name of someone he intended to swindle in the future, Chen Kuang gave the young monk a second look. Yet he saw no glimmer of wisdom in the boy, he really did appear to be just a regular monk.
But logically speaking, the Wugou Pure Land rarely produced innate geniuses.
Most were reincarnated sages or former great powers, blessed with the accumulated wisdom of past lives. They should be far more composed and mature than average cultivators.
Yet this Xiuzhu behaved like a perfectly ordinary young man.
That was far from normal.
Once the other five had all introduced themselves, Chen Kuang, who had been feigning modesty and restraint, finally closed his folding fan and spoke:
"Chen Ruogu, from Liberty Mountain."
He was still publicly known by the name Chen Kuang, while Ruogu was something only a few who had been on Lin Eryou's boat that day knew.
Hearing this unfamiliar name, the others showed no reaction, except for "Shen Xingzhu," who suddenly blinked and looked up at Chen Kuang with a stunned expression.
Their gazes met across the distance. Chen Kuang smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "Greetings, Dao Child."
Mingyan narrowed her eyes and smiled even more sweetly, her gaze rich with meaning, as if she had just remembered something amusing.
"Shen Xingzhu" gave a light "Mm" in response, nothing more, as though simply out of politeness.
But, she hadn't reacted at all when the others introduced themselves!
Immediately, the other five couldn't help but cast their gazes toward Chen Kuang. No matter how they looked at him, the only thing truly out of the ordinary was... his exceptionally low cultivation compared to the rest.
Fortunately, "Shen Xingzhu" quickly turned her gaze back toward the group, gave a slight bow, and said evenly:
"Shen Xingzhu, of the Mysterious Divine Path Sect."
Her formal greeting smoothed over her earlier reaction.
Before long, three more white silks drifted down from the sky.
Only then did Chen Kuang take note of their surroundings: above them stretched a radiant sea of stars, so near it felt as though it could be touched. Below, the ground was like mirrored water, perfectly reflecting the starlit sky, blurring the boundary between heaven and earth.
All across the surface, shattered swords stood upright, as though growing from the ground.
Where exactly was this place?
As the final three landed, the first stepped forward and said:
"Wen Yao, from the Martial Saint Pavilion!"
The tall man had striking features and a majestic bearing. His voice was thunderous, and his arms hung so long that they extended past his knees. He walked with unhurried ease into the group.
What truly caught the eye, however, were his eyes, each containing two pupils.
Dual pupils, an innate anomaly, a legendary trait of sages. A natural-born saint, fated to ascend.
Wen Yao's gaze swept around the group, pausing only on Shen Xingzhu and Yan Hui, completely disregarding the others. His arrogance was absolute.
Of course, as the son of Wen Hongsheng, the Pavilion Master of the Martial Saint Pavilion, and one of the two personal disciples of the "Martial Saint," it was an arrogance he could afford.
Next came a composed man in cyan robes, who clasped his hands in greeting and said:
"I am Shen Yuliu, a junior of the Central Domain Shen Clan, here on my elder's orders to assist a younger member of the clan."
He turned toward "Shen Xingzhu" and offered a warm, familiar smile with a cupped-fist salute:
"Cousin, it's been a while."
Unfortunately, "Shen Xingzhu" didn't even glance at him, and Shen Yuliu's smile froze slightly.
Still, he quickly coughed twice and turned to greet the others, full of slick charm and easy politeness, just as one would expect from a noble family's offspring, far more socially polished than those of cultivation sects.
But at that moment, all eyes shifted to the final newcomer.
A youth with long snow-white hair, carrying a longsword on his back, stood quietly with an icy expression. He gave a slight nod and introduced himself:
"Jiang Yunqing, of the Sword Furnace Pavilion."
Second on the Canglang Evaluation, unrivaled beneath the Master Realm, "Wisdom Sword" Jiang Yunqing!
This was the man regarded as the strongest young cultivator of the current era, second only to Shen Xingzhu.
At just twenty-two years of age, he was already half a step into the Master Realm.
Many even believed he might one day catch up to Shen Xingzhu.
But what Chen Kuang cared more about was the fact that Jiang Yunqing hailed from the Sword Furnace Pavilion, the very sect that produced the Demon Sword Wujian, the home of Tie Baiyuan and Jie Kun.
In other words, Jiang Yunqing wasn't just a sword cultivator, he was also a swordsmith?
Was the sword on his back forged by his own hand?
Chen Kuang's gaze dropped to the blade behind Jiang Yunqing, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Rather than calling it a sword, it was more like a flattened lump of iron.
The sword did have an edge, but only on one side. The other side was caved inward, as though someone had sliced a chunk off.
The blade was full of jagged, uneven dents, like it had been hammered ten thousand times. And due to uneven force, the thickness varied wildly, some parts were as thick as a finger, others as thin as a cicada's wing.
Calling it a sword was an insult to swords.
But because it was carried by Jiang Yunqing, no one dared question it.
Chen Kuang recalled the elegant, exquisite, and eerie form of the Demon Sword Wujian and couldn't help but silently scoff.
The Sword Furnace Pavilion didn't expel this guy from their sect?
Just as he was thinking this and shifting his gaze, he realized, Jiang Yunqing was looking at him.
Chen Kuang's heart skipped a beat. This wasn't his imagination.
Because Jiang Yunqing then spoke solemnly:
"It's true this sword is ugly, but it's the only one I've successfully forged. My master acknowledged it."
He was... explaining himself to me?
Chen Kuang froze.
Everyone else turned their gazes to him once again, with looks of shock and curiosity.
They were clearly wondering: Why would Jiang Yunqing suddenly speak to this guy?
Under their collective stares, Chen Kuang was momentarily stunned, then awkwardly coughed and cupped his hands:
"I didn't mean to intrude upon your sword, Senior. I hope you'll forgive me, it won't happen again."
Everyone immediately understood.
Ah, he lost his composure and stared at Jiang Yunqing's sword, got caught in the act, and was being warned.
Yan Hui narrowed his eyes and gave a mocking snort:
"I thought Liberty Mountain's Six Gentlemen Arts cultivated noble character, but it turns out they're just full of petty thievery..."
Before he could finish, Jiang Yunqing shook his head, then unexpectedly removed his sword and held it out toward Chen Kuang:
"It's fine. If you want to look at it, you can."
Chen Kuang: "..."
Everyone was dumbfounded.
This was a sword cultivator's personal sword!
And yet, just because Chen Ruogu glanced at it once, Jiang Yunqing personally offered it up for him to examine?!
Who was this Chen Ruogu?!