The disciple tournament came to an unexpected yet complete close.
Everyone gradually dispersed, leaving only Zhou Li and Zhou Dai still kneeling in place, afraid to move even an inch.
The two had sustained serious injuries from Zhao Wuji's furious kicks. Now, they had to endure not only the pain in their bodies, but the suffocating weight on their minds.
If not for having each other for support, they weren't sure they would even last the night.
They had walked through storms together before, side by side, but now, both brothers had the same dazed look in their eyes. For the first time, they didn't know where the road ahead would take them.
Zhao Wuji's disgust for them had grown bone-deep. As disciples, they had no right to rebel against their master.
At this moment, they even found themselves envying Gu Jinghong.
Though Gu Jinghong had become someone else's servant, at least he had broken free from this mire and carved out a new path for himself.
And what about them?
All they could do was endure, day after day, year after year, waiting to be slowly crushed beneath the weight. One day, they might even be beaten to death. That kind of ending might almost feel like mercy.
Night fell, and the world fell silent.
Zhou Li and Zhou Dai were still kneeling, their bodies numb. Gu Jinghong approached quietly, stopping in front of them. Calmly, he extended a porcelain bottle.
They both looked up, surprised.
"Second Senior Brother, what's this?" Zhou Li asked.
Gu Jinghong's face didn't change. "My master sent me. This is top-grade Huiyuan Pills. You two were badly injured by the Sect Master. These pills should be just right for you."
Zhou Li's eyes lit up and he reached out to take the bottle.
Zhou Dai, however, stopped him with a bitter smile. "Second Senior Brother, thank Junior Sister Yun for us. But our punishment was meant to be endured. If we take pills to heal, it might just make the Sect Master angrier."
And if that happened, no one could guess how far the punishment would go.
Gu Jinghong raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. He tucked the bottle away again and said, "That's exactly what my master said. But she still told me to put on a show."
Zhou Li and Zhou Dai were speechless.
Did he have to be so blunt?
"Senior Brother Gu," Zhou Dai asked, "then what did you really come to say?"
Gu Jinghong raised an eyebrow again. "Just one thing."
Zhou Dai nodded. "I'm listening."
Gu Jinghong spoke slowly. "The three of us were never favored. Now that I've become a servant, I'm actually freer than the two of you. If you want to survive, you need to find a way to sever your ties as disciples."
As long as they were tied to Zhao Wuji as his disciples, no one could intervene no matter how cruelly he treated them.
Only by breaking that bond could they find a path forward.
Zhou Dai's expression shifted slightly. He didn't reject the idea, but replied, "But if we betray the sect, that's not a good reputation either."
Gu Jinghong smiled faintly. "Then you need to make him abandon you first."
Seeing Zhou Dai's continued hesitation, Gu Jinghong added, "Think about Ye Cheng."
Zhou Dai's eyes flickered. He was about to ask more, but Gu Jinghong had already turned to leave.
Zhou Dai let out a quiet sigh and pulled his gaze back.
"Senior Brother…" Zhou Li whispered, "Does Second Senior Brother want us to be like Ye Cheng?"
Zhou Dai gave a wry smile. "I wish we could. But our situation isn't the same."
They were inner disciples, and their relationship with Zhao Wuji was more deeply entwined.
And they were still of some use to him. Zhao Wuji wouldn't just cast them aside. If anything, he might keep them close, slowly grinding them down until they broke. Letting them go? That was out of the question.
Ye Cheng had managed to escape partly because Elder Ma had helped him.
But Zhao Wuji would never cooperate like that. Without his permission, they couldn't be expelled from the sect, and without that, they'd never get a clean break.
Unless… something happened that forced Zhao Wuji to drive them out.
Zhou Dai's gaze sharpened.
That Junior Sister Yun… there was something extraordinary about her.
She had Gu Jinghong deliver this message. It was unlikely to be just small talk. She had deliberately brought up Ye Cheng. Could it be she had a way to make Zhao Wuji abandon them?
If that were true…
Zhou Dai's eyes brightened.
If Tianjian Peak could walk away safely after this tournament, then he would definitely find a chance to speak with Yun Jin.
Of course, if Yun Jin were to help them, there would be a price.
But in Zhou Dai's eyes, it was a price worth paying. He would rather join Tianjian Peak than suffer under Zhao Wuji any longer.
"What are you thinking about, Brother?" Zhou Li asked, confused by his brother's thoughtful look.
Zhou Dai only smiled. "Nothing. We'll talk later."
Zhou Li sighed. His brother was good at everything, except he was always so secretive.
Still, he didn't mind.
His brain wasn't as sharp as his brother's. These schemes and calculations were better left to him. Zhou Dai would never harm him anyway.
With that, he felt reassured.
The night deepened.
Shen Yanye snuck out of Tianxing Sect and made his way to a nearby mountain. There, a graceful figure stood waiting. His face lit up when he saw her. "Master, you're finally here."
The woman before him was none other than Liu Li Zhēnzūn of the Beastmaster Sect. She had arrived.
Liu Li Zhēnzūn gave a faint smile. "I arrived earlier today. You said Qing Yun was present, so I didn't dare approach too closely. But I watched Yun Jin's match from afar. That girl is quite something."
Shen Yanye nodded eagerly.
"She's a natural Beastmaster. And when she awakened, you saw the full spiritual image. Her soul realm is already at the Divine Transformation stage. Divine Transformation, in just three months. Her soul potential is beyond imagination." Liu Li Zhēnzūn sighed.
She didn't say it aloud, but she suspected Yun Jin might be the reincarnation of some powerful being. Otherwise, no matter how many rare herbs and pills she consumed, such speed was simply impossible.
Putting all the clues together, she came to one conclusion:
This disciple must be taken.
Liu Li Zhēnzūn said, "Tomorrow, after the Sect Assembly ends, Yun Jin will likely let down her guard. I'll strike then and take her away immediately. You just focus on covering for me. Don't let Qing Yun sense my presence."
Shen Yanye nodded solemnly. "Understood, Master."
Elsewhere, another figure had arrived on a different mountaintop.
Cang Li looked tense. "Master, you made it."
Ji Wusi nodded. "Barely. But I'm here. Listen carefully, Cang Li. As soon as the tournament ends tomorrow, I'll make my move and take Yun Jin away first. Do you understand the meaning of first impressions? If we show her the true might of sword cultivation first, those other two won't even get a chance."
Cang Li's eyes lit up. "Understood!"
After watching the tournament today, he realized Yun Jin wasn't just a sword prodigy, she was a forging genius too.
This junior sister… he was determined to have her on their side.