Sword-Body Maiden, Scarlet-Clad Interrogation
Su Rui stepped out of the palace hall, the faint, icy fragrance of Mu Xueyi still lingering on his body, like a flowing spring that refused to dissipate.
He looked up. On the White Jade Sword Field, only Yun Zhixun remained, her petite figure wielding a slender green jade sword. Sword light swirled like tumbling clouds, sharp yet infused with a touch of lively grace.
Her senior brother Qin Zhe was long gone—likely finished with his practice and left ahead.
Yun Zhixun was diligently training the Flowing Clouds Returning Breeze that Mu Xueyi had assigned as punishment. This was the second form of the Wuji Sword Art. Before cultivating the Heavenly Extreme Demonic Flame Art, Su Rui had practiced it himself, though his version paled far in comparison to the girl's fierce execution.
Though penalized to three hundred repetitions, she practiced without a hint of sloppiness. Each swing grew more resounding, the flowing spiritual light faintly evoking the air of a sword master.
This girl's awfully obedient, Su Rui muttered to himself.
Mu Xueyi had ordered three hundred reps, and she obediently swung her sword that many times without complaint.
Su Rui knew he could toy with Mu Xueyi at will, treating master-disciple propriety as nothing. But in Yun Zhixun's eyes, Mu Xueyi was an awe-inspiring, inviolable master.
The contrast amused him.
"Hey! What are you staring at?!"
Yun Zhixun suddenly sheathed her sword, her almond eyes wide as she pointed the tip at Su Rui, cheeks puffed in anger. "It's all because of you that Master made me practice this damn sword form three hundred times! If you've got the guts, come spar with me!"
Her tone was fierce, but her eyes held a girlish innocence—more annoyance than real hostility.
Su Rui just gave a faint smile, his voice lazy. "Senior Sister Yun, you're no match for me."
"What?!"
Yun Zhixun's little face flushed red with fury. She snapped, "Don't think that just because you got third at that crappy Sword Trial Assembly on Sword Guard Peak and beat some late-Foundation Establishment cultivator, you can bully me around like I'm some pushover late-Foundation Establishment girl too! Big mistake! Xiao Yunting beat you in three moves—if it were me, I'd have you on your knees begging in one!"
Su Rui raised a brow, his divine sense sweeping over her.
The girl wasn't boasting. He could already tell she possessed an innate sword body. Though not as peerless as Mu Xueyi's Sword Heart Transparent, she was still a rare genius born with an affinity for the sword.
Any sword art in her hands was mastered instantly and refined with practice.
Her earlier Flowing Clouds Returning Breeze had carried sword intent nearing the threshold of great accomplishment—far surpassing his own practice back then.
Su Rui had no interest in tangling with this green fruit. He chuckled lightly. "Senior Sister Yun's swordsmanship is extraordinary. This junior brother admires it. But I have urgent business, so I won't disturb your training."
With that, he tapped his foot, summoning his flying sword and shooting off as a streak of light, leaving Yun Zhixun clutching her green jade sword. She stomped her foot in frustration, muttering, "That guy's quick to run! Hmph, next time I'll make him see what this grandma's made of!"
Su Rui flew on his sword to a remote mountain on Heaven Sword Peak. Though not as close to the spiritual eye tree as Flowing Cloud Subpeak, the spiritual energy here was still dense as mist—perfect for carving out a cave abode.
He chose a sheer cliff face. Circulating spiritual power, he sensed a subtle divine sense spying from the shadows. He deliberately suppressed his cultivation, using only mid-Foundation Establishment spiritual force to excavate the cave.
Amid booming spiritual light, the cliff wall slowly cracked open, debris flying as the cave's rough form took shape.
It took a full three hours to complete. The interior was spacious and simple, with spiritual energy seeping in through cliff fissures, carrying a faint ethereal clarity.
As he prepared to enter and set up restrictions, the spy finally revealed herself.
A scarlet rainbow gown shimmered like flowing rosy twilight light. Yu Wan'ning landed lightly, a mocking curve on her lips, teasing in her almond eyes. "Su Rui, this your new cave abode? Prime spot—plenty of spiritual energy, not too far from the spiritual eye tree."
Su Rui feigned surprise. Yu Wan’ning waved her fan with a coy smile. "What? Don't recognize me?"
Su Rui quickly cupped his hands respectfully. "Senior Sister Yu is peerlessly radiant, a kingdom-toppling beauty—who in the sect doesn't know you? How could this junior brother fail to recognize you?"
Yu Wan'ning covered her smile with her fan, her voice was alluring. "Such a silver tongue! Since you say I'm not just peerlessly radiant but kingdom-toppling, tell me—who's superior, me or your master?"
Su Rui knew any woman compared to Mu Xueyi would come off short—even insincere flattery would ring false.
So he spoke bluntly. "Senior Sister Yu's beauty is matchless, scoring ninety-nine out of a hundred—enough to stir any male cultivator's heart and soul. Yet Master's elegance edges you out by half a point."
Yu Wan'ning narrowed her eyes, smirking. "Honest enough—you didn't lie through your teeth that I surpass your master."
She paused, her gaze probing. "So you're saying I'm just half a point shy of her?"
Su Rui chuckled inwardly. You get ninety-nine because that's all you're worth.
Yu Wan'ning was beautiful, but she lacked that half-point of ethereal charm Mu Xueyi possessed—the line between stunning and supreme.
His face remained impassive as he changed the subject. "May I ask what brings Senior Sister Yu here?"
Yu Wan'ning tucked away her fan and glided into his new cave abode, her scarlet gown fluttered like flowing sunset glow, outlining her graceful figure.
Her twin peaks weren't as proud as Mu Xueyi's, but they curved alluringly; her waist was slender as a willow, exuding a soul-stealing allure.
Cave spiritual energy swirled mistily, casting a soft glow that made her vibrant features even more captivating.
She stopped, turning slowly, a chill flashing in her almond eyes as her tone turned icy. "Teach you? Hardly. At the Sword Trial Assembly, you publicly rejected taking me as master—first time anyone's slapped my face like that. I'm here to settle the score."
Su Rui pretended to panic, following humbly with cupped hands. "Senior Sister Yu, please calm your anger. This disciple merely..."
Yu Wan'ning cut him off. "No need to explain. Who asked my beauty to fall half a point short of your master's? My fault for not being pretty enough."
Her words sharpened. "But you embarrassed me in public—that debt needs settling. Answer my questions honestly, and I might let you off."
Su Rui bowed respectfully. "Senior Sister Yu, ask away. This disciple will answer everything."
Yu Wan'ning's eyes narrowed. She approached slowly, her gown hem brushing the ground with a waft of fragrance. Her curves teased in the dim light, stirring the heart.
Stopping before him, she smiled lightly. "That day at the Sword Trial Assembly, Mu Xueyi came especially for you. Every time you took the stage, her serene gaze rippled. Spill—what dirty little secret are you hiding with her?"
Su Rui feigned confusion, spreading his hands with a grin. "Senior Sister Yu, this disciple's too dense to know. Master and I have no special ties. Unless... you think she secretly loves me?"
"Loves you?"
Yu Wan'ning snorted with laughter, fanning her lips, eyes dripping sarcasm. "With your average looks and mediocre talent? As if Mu Xueyi would fall for you! She's the top beauty of the entire Cultivation World, with a unique spiritual root genius like Li Chengxuan as her dao companion. Compared to him, you're worlds apart! How could she ever fancy you?"
Su Rui touched his nose. The woman didn't mince words—but how could she know Li Chengxuan's soul was already extracted by him, reduced to a cripple? Mu Xueyi had long been deflowered and thoroughly conquered by him, and now, to reclaim Li Chengxuan's three souls and seven spirits, she yielded to his every demand.
Yu Wan'ning fanned on. "Her gaze was complicated, but not lovesick—more like hiding a secret. Since you're not coming clean, don't blame me for searching your divine soul directly!"
Su Rui's brows furrowed in mock alarm. "Senior Sister Yu, you're going to search my soul?!"
Yu Wan'ning's eyes gleamed triumphantly. "Who told you to reject me and play dumb now? It's just a soul search—I won't hurt you too bad. Cooperate nicely, and maybe you'll suffer less."
Su Rui turned as if to flee.
Yu Wan'ning sneered. "With your mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, escape a Core Formation cultivator? Dream on!"
Before her words faded, mid-Core Formation spiritual power erupted like a storm, sweeping the cave to crush him utterly.
But was Su Rui really fleeing?
He turned only to secretly circulate the Heavenly Extreme Demonic Flame Art. Black demonic flames ignited at his fingertips, instantly forming a bizarre restriction that enveloped the entire cave.
The barrier draped like an inky curtain, spiritual light swirling, sealing off all external probes. Even the outer mists seemed devoured, falling deathly silent.
Yu Wan'ning's pressure hit the barrier and vanished like a cow swallowed by the sea—no response.
Her pretty face changed, eyes flashing shock. "This... what kind of restriction is this?!"
Su Rui slowly turned, dropping his breath-concealment technique. His true cultivation burst forth unrestrained.
Black demonic flames coiled around him, his aura vast as an abyss and sea. The cave's spiritual energy churned violently; the night pearls embedded in the walls flickered unstably, as if about to extinguish.
Yu Wan'ning's lithe body trembled, her almond eyes bulging, fan nearly slipping as she cried out, "Nascent... Nascent Soul stage?! Impossible—you're a Nascent Soul cultivator?!"