Spectating the Angsty Romance of the Master and Disciple from the Sect Next Door Chapter 60

Li Jin’an froze for a moment, glancing down at Xie Huaixue’s hand resting on hers. She then interlaced her fingers and looked up at Xie Huaixue’s profile.
Her towering rage dissipated considerably at the sight of Xie Huaixue.
Sensing Li Jin’an’s gaze, Xie Huaixue remained focused on the match in the arena. However, her thumb, on their clasped hands, gently caressed Li Jin’an’s wrist in a soothing manner.
At this moment, even Jingting Dao Lord’s attention was fully on the arena, so she didn’t notice their discreet actions.
This subtle comfort significantly calmed Li Jin’an’s mood, allowing her to finally face the one-sided humiliation in the arena with equanimity.
Perhaps knowing that her formerly flawless facade had shattered, Lan Ci was in no hurry to send Qi Lingzi off the arena, instead taking more leisurely delight in tormenting her.
Lan Ci’s act of humiliating her opponent wasn’t truly a major offense in the cultivation world. If she wanted to explain it, there would naturally be countless excuses. For instance, she couldn’t stand the Jijin Sword Sovereign’s bullying of her master, and in a moment of impulse, her methods became somewhat cruel…
If one wanted to argue, they could always find an angle.
Furthermore, the prevailing belief in the cultivation world had always been ‘the strong prey on the weak’ and ‘might makes right.’ This point had never changed and would not change for thousands upon thousands of years to come.
Qi Lingzi’s inability to defeat Lan Ci was her original sin.
If Li Jin’an were to pull Qi Lingzi off the stage, Qi Lingzi would be even more firmly nailed to the pillar of shame.
If she truly did that, then in the future, wouldn’t every cultivator who competed or sparred with Qi Lingzi have to consider: if they couldn’t defeat Qi Lingzi, so be it, but if they could, wouldn’t they have to worry about the Jijin Sword Sovereign pulling her away mid-match, and also whether they would face retaliation from the Jijin Sword Sovereign afterward?
What would be the point of competing then? They might as well just solder the first place title onto Qi Lingzi’s head.
At that point, Jijin Peak’s reputation would be ruined, because this was different from the Sword Sect’s overbearing protectiveness. The difference was between others bullying them without regard for rules, and them bullying others without regard for rules.
This was why Lan Ci was so brazen.
Or perhaps, Lan Ci’s original intention was to scheme against Qi Lingzi and Li Jin’an, this master-disciple pair.
She didn’t plan to stay in the Dao Sect. After humiliating Qi Lingzi to become the first place winner of the Grand Sect Competition and receiving the rewards, she would continue her external training.
As for whether the scheme succeeded, it didn’t really matter. She had already received a portion of her remuneration from Zhong Fei and Ning Zhufeng. After all, with such a significant person no longer hovering around their master, Zhong Fei and Ning Zhufeng owed her compensation.
Since she couldn’t directly harm the Jijin Sword Sovereign, and petty tricks would easily be discovered, she would simply leave the Dao Sect and distance herself from the Jijin Sword Sovereign, training externally to seek opportunities. She refused to believe the Jijin Sword Sovereign couldn’t be eliminated!
By this time, Lan Ci already knew that her two ‘good’ junior sisters were not simple individuals, especially Ning Zhufeng. However, at this moment, Zhong Fei and Ning Zhufeng were not her enemies. She was naturally delighted to see her junior sisters cause trouble for the Sword Sovereign, hoping for a mutually destructive outcome, after which she could exploit the weakness.
Of course, this was impossible. Zhong Fei and Ning Zhufeng trying to deal with the Jijin Sword Sovereign was akin to an ant trying to shake a tree.
As she thought this, a smile graced Lan Ci’s gentle and refined face. She struck Qi Lingzi’s heart meridians with a palm, sending her crashing heavily onto the arena, unable to rise for a long time. She then asked, seemingly with reluctance, “Do you wish to continue? Perhaps it’s better to concede defeat? Your junior sisters appear quite distressed and angry.”
Can the Jijin Sword Sovereign still bear it?
Rush onto the stage, then. Even if you severely injure her to avenge Qi Lingzi, it won’t matter. In that case, the Dao Sect and Sword Sect will maintain their current relationship, won’t they?
If her image in front of her master is ruined, all her schemes in the Dao Sect will be for naught, and Jijin Peak will also have to pay a corresponding price, right?
Concurrently, Li Jin’an, from atop the high platform, was also watching Qi Lingzi. As she gazed at her eldest disciple’s tightly shut eyes, her hand involuntarily tightened around Xie Huaixue’s.
Xie Huaixue allowed her hand to be held. She tilted her head to look at Li Jin’an, a flicker of worry in her eyes.
“I trust my disciple.” Li Jin’an seemed to have heard Xie Huaixue’s unspoken thoughts, and repeated firmly, “I trust my Qilin child.”
Since Qi Lingzi had persisted with clenched teeth until now, not bringing shame upon Jijin Peak’s reputation, she, as her master, naturally couldn’t hold her back.
The elders, seeing the Sword Sovereign not break the rules, instead felt she was enduring humiliation and carrying a heavy burden, suffering great injustice.
Xiaoxiang Sword Lord and Junxing Sword Lord both had very grim expressions.
As fellow members of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, the Dao Sect was indeed unfathomable, but the Sword Sect wasn’t to be trifled with either. To humiliate a Sword Sovereign’s disciple in such a manner—did they think sword cultivators were easily bullied, and that the Sword Sect had no one?
On the arena, Qi Lingzi suddenly opened her eyes, drew her sword with a backhand, leaped into the air, drained all her spiritual energy, her gaze intensely focused, and forcefully swung a sword strike.
Sword light flared brightly, completely engulfing Lan Ci, whose expression was frozen halfway between triumph and terror.
The situation instantly reversed.
Li Jin’an abruptly shot to her feet, staring in astonishment at her eldest disciple. After recovering, she exclaimed delightedly, “Good, good, good!”
This child actually had a breakthrough in her sword intent at the last moment!
Although in Li Jin’an’s eyes, Qi Lingzi’s sword intent was still very nascent, it was enough to rewrite the outcome of this match!
Qi Lingzi possessed dual spiritual roots, primarily cultivating fire spiritual root. However, perhaps due to her personality, her sword intent had a sense of ‘great virtue supporting all things’ and ‘broad-mindedness,’ being too steady, lacking the scorching fierceness and wild abandon of fire spiritual root cultivators. This was why Li Jin’an used to constantly instigate her to do bad things to change her temperament, and later had her bring Tan Yanyi and Ling Qiu along—besides finding it troublesome, it was also to make her personality livelier.
However, the sword intent of this strike gained a forward momentum born from desperation, and along with its broad-mindedness, it also manifested a fearless and resolute sharpness.
It gave one a refreshing and exhilarating feeling, like ‘parting the clouds to see the sun’ or ‘waiting for the clouds to clear to see the moon.’
A comeback against the odds!
Tan Yanyi and Ling Qiu, who had been on tenterhooks, suddenly relaxed their entire bodies, too overwhelmed to speak from extreme tension. Ling Qiu’s eyes welled up with tears, while Tan Yanyi hooted and jumped like a monkey below the stage, venting her turbulent emotions.
Even from the perspective of these peak masters and elders, a certain degree of astonishment was inevitable.
However…
The elders atop the high platform directed their gazes more towards the two clasped hands—one person standing, the other seated.
Wonderful, seeing ghosts in broad daylight!
The elders, who had seen so much evil yet remained skeptical, began to ponder: Was Jingting Dao Lord’s ‘face’ truly that influential, enough to make the cold-natured Immortal Venerable and the still rebellious Sword Sovereign hold hands?!
In that case, could she perhaps help discipline their own disciples who were useless at everything and only good at eating?
Then they noticed that the Daoist was entirely pleased by the Sword Sovereign and Immortal Venerable holding hands, showing no anger at all about the Grand Sect Competition’s first place slipping away… Fine then, the old woman truly was a qualified matchmaker; there was no denying it.
“The Jijin Sword Sovereign has a worthy successor, and she is about to marry the Qingxiao Immortal Venerable—a double blessing!” Jingting Dao Lord declared with finality.
Whether unintelligent or clever, everyone was thinking the same thing: How on earth did the Daoist manage to utter those four words with such a matter-of-fact tone?
Why are they suddenly getting married? Is that word even used like this? Is it even used for these two?!
No, no, we know you’re in a hurry, old one, but can you not be so hasty for a moment?
Is this right? This isn’t right!
Xiaoxiang Sword Lord and Junxing Sword Lord blinked, their faces blank with confusion. They hadn’t missed a single day, yet why did they always feel that the cultivation world changed in places they couldn’t see?
By the way, did Chixin Sword Lord and the Sect Master know about the Sword Sovereign and Immortal Venerable getting married?
Li Jin’an was still excited. After regaining her senses, she heard Jingting Dao Lord’s remark. She first gave Xie Huaixue a look, then hastily said, “Old one, please wait! Qingxiao and I have our own pace for our matters. If we truly form a pact, you will definitely be the first to be notified!”
Just rest, please. Don’t cause more trouble. There’s no hurry to find entertainment!
As she spoke, her hand, still holding Xie Huaixue’s, did not let go. She even secretly caressed and played with it a bit, clearly reluctant to part with it.
Jingting Dao Lord sighed regretfully.
The elders, who hadn’t realized the gravity of the situation, smiled with relief. That’s more like it!
Li Jin’an, invigorated, sat back down, raising an eyebrow at Xie Huaixue with a smug smile, shaking her head proudly, her grin utterly audacious.
Her meaning was simple: her disciple was truly impressive. Xie Huaixue could just wait to be called ‘Master’s Wife’!
Xie Huaixue remained silent, attempting to withdraw her hand.
However, Li Jin’an held it firmly, refusing to let go.
In the arena, the sword light dissipated, and sword intent permeated the air. Blood streamed from Qi Lingzi’s lips as she knelt, supporting herself with her sword, slowly raising her eyes to look.
Lan Ci lay sprawled on the ground, spitting large mouthfuls of blood, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The defeat was sealed, yet she still couldn’t believe she had lost to Qi Lingzi, whom she hadn’t even considered worthy of her attention.
How could this be?
How could she lose!
Just as the Jijin Sword Sovereign would forever lose to her master, Qi Lingzi ought to have been her permanent stepping stone!
Meeting Lan Ci’s wild, bewildered gaze, Qi Lingzi pondered for a moment, then lightly uttered two words: “My thanks.”
Lan Ci spat out another mouthful of blood, and the next second, her eyes rolled back as she fainted dead away from sheer fury.
It was evident how destructive those two words were.
The observing referee silently affirmed one thing: Qi Lingzi was absolutely a true disciple of the Jijin Sword Sovereign, not watered down in the slightest. Her ability to speak sarcastically was no weaker than her achievements in the Way of the Sword.
The moment she opened her mouth, that infuriating, life-taking aura was just perfect!
Qi Lingzi slowly turned, giving Ling Qiu a faint smile. The last breath she had been holding onto mentally dispersed, and she closed her eyes, her body tilting to the side.
Someone gently supported her shoulder and infused her with gentle spiritual energy.
It was Li Jin’an.
She let out a hearty laugh. “Qilin roam the deep marshes, bears and monstrous beasts gather in the royal gardens. My Qilin child has surpassed her master!”
Her pleased master even quoted an ancient text… Oh, Xie Huaixue had told her just now, it means ‘Qilin wander through the great swamps, and bears leisurely roam the imperial gardens.’
Li Jin’an looked at the eager Ling Qiu, speechless for a moment. “Take your senior sister away for healing.”
“Yes! Your disciple obeys!”
Tan Yanyi also quickly followed.
Xie Huaixue strolled over. Zhong Fei and Ning Zhufeng were about to approach, but after a moment of thought, they reluctantly carried Lan Ci away to find a medical elder.
No matter how much they contended privately, in front of their master, they still had to feign sisterly affection.
The referee, however, felt a bit numb. Both first and second place had fainted, yet their respective masters appeared to be in excellent spirits.
The two stood side by side.
Li Jin’an raised an eyebrow with a playful smile, hinting, “Can’t run away now.”
“I’m not running,” Xie Huaixue said, then looked up in a certain direction.
Li Jin’an followed her gaze, looking into the distance. A moment later, a paper crane flew into her palm. She scanned it with her divine sense and instantly became speechless.
“This Jie Yunjin… she’s really something else.”