34: Chapter 34 Shadows as Blades, the Grand Competition Begins

In the night, Xiao Wu did not reach out to take the Jade Slip capable of stirring up the winds and clouds of the Qingming Sect.

Instead, a Killing Intent cold enough to chill the marrow instantly locked onto Shen Xiao's throat.

With a "ding," a pitch-black short blade pressed against Shen Xiao's carotid artery.

Xiao Wu's figure pressed close like a phantom, the face that was originally an ordinary herb-gathering girl now appearing exceptionally ferocious.

"Who exactly are you?"

Xiao Wu's voice was low and hoarse, devoid of any of her usual weakness.

"Since you've seen through my identity, you should know that people from the Shadow Sect never cooperate with lunatics of unknown origin. If I kill you now and take your corpse, I can still report back to the Sect."

Shen Xiao tilted his head slightly, not even looking at the short blade coated in a lethal poison that kills upon drawing blood. He just shook his wine gourd, listening to the hollow echo inside, and looked regretful.

"Kill me? Xiao Wu, it seems you still haven't grasped the current situation. You've been lurking by Lin Yun's side for three years for that 'Heavenly Dao Legacy Record,' right? Unfortunately, this Child of Destiny you serve is not only a leaky sieve, but also poisonous bait.

With this explosion at Green Water Valley, do you think Lin Yun can still make a comeback? No, he is now the primary target of the Law Enforcement Hall of the entire Qingming Sect. As his closest 'herb-gathering girl,' if I hadn't protected you today, do you think you'd be on my roof right now, or inside the Soul-Searching Lamp of the Law Enforcement Hall?"

Xiao Wu's pupils shrank suddenly, and the short blade in her hand trembled slightly.

"Lin Yun is already finished. A person like him is a Dragon when his Luck is Heaven-Defying, and just a foot-rag when his Luck fails."

Shen Xiao sneered, his gaze sharply fixed on Xiao Wu's eyes.

"The Shadow Sect wants results, not burial items. This Jade Slip contains solid evidence of Lin Yun colluding with his Family to embezzle the Sect's Spirit Pills and mines. If you turn it in, you will be a meritorious hero for the Shadow Sect, and you might even directly replace Lin Yun as the new person in charge of this area. Do you need me to teach you whether to drown with a sinking ship or step on this stepping stone to climb higher?"

The Killing Intent diminished inch by inch in the standoff, finally receding like a tide.

Xiao Wu stared at Shen Xiao for a full three breaths, and for the first time, struggle appeared in those cold eyes.

Finally, she snatched the Jade Slip, tucked it into her bosom, took a step back, and merged directly into the shadows.

"Shen Xiao, I hope you can really do as you said and leave his head to me."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Team Leader Xiao."

Shen Xiao raised his empty wine gourd toward the empty night.

Three days later, the Qingming Sect Outer Sect Grand Competition, Martial Arts Arena.

This was a grand event held once every five years by the Qingming Sect, with tens of thousands of Disciples gathered, the roaring human voices almost overturning the clouds.

The air was filled with the smell of cheap Spirit Pills mixed with sweat, and the massive interference of Qi made the vegetation around the Martial Arts Arena look somewhat listless.

"Look! That's Senior Brother Lin Yun!"

A burst of exclamation erupted from the crowd.

Lin Yun, who had originally been taken away by the Law Enforcement Hall for investigation, was now walking onto the main stage with his head held high.

The bloodstains on him had long been washed away, and he had changed into a magnificent purple robe with dark patterns. The decadent aura he originally had due to the destruction of Green Water Valley not only disappeared but became even more violent and powerful.

"Foundation Establishment... Late Stage?!"

Someone shouted in horror.

Shen Xiao stood under the stage, hands tucked into his sleeves, his eyes slightly narrowed.

[System Alert: Detected that Child of Destiny Lin Yun has triggered the "Heavenly Dao Compensation" mechanism.]

[Due to the destruction of core assets, the Heavenly Dao forcibly performed an empowerment for him. Current cultivation: Foundation Establishment Late Stage (Unstable).]

"Shen Xiao! Get up here!"

Lin Yun stood in the center of the stage, the crimson longsword in his hand, which originally had restrained spiritual light, now faintly emitting the sound of a Dragon's roar.

He scanned the audience with a twisted expression, finally fixing his gaze on Shen Xiao, his voice carrying a near-pathological fanaticism.

"You think those despicable little tricks could destroy me? No! I am favored by destiny! I am the protagonist of this land! Heaven not only did not let me sink, but instead bestowed upon me even greater power. Today, I, Lin Yun, hereby issue a life-and-death duel. Shen Xiao, do you dare to come up and die, and use your blood to wash away my shame!"

The audience was in an uproar, and all eyes instantly converged on Shen Xiao, this "insignificant nobody."

On the VIP platform, the Special Envoy sat composedly. He glanced at Shen Xiao under the stage with contempt and turned to say to Xia Lengbai beside him:

"See that? This is destiny. Although Lin Yun had a minor setback, the Heavenly Dao favors him, and his cultivation is advancing by leaps and bounds. Lengbai, as his fiancée, you shouldn't be swayed by those rumors about this loser. A clown like Shen Xiao is merely a whetstone on Lin Yun's path of cultivation."

Xia Lengbai wore a snow-white plain dress today, and the light veil under her bamboo hat moved with the wind.

She ignored her clan uncle's warning, her eyes, originally as cold as frost, now locked tightly onto Shen Xiao, who was walking slowly toward the stage.

She could feel the broken memory fragments deep within her Divine Soul trembling crazily.

Whenever she saw Shen Xiao, she felt an inexplicable, almost tearing resonance—that was the instinct of the plundered, and also a madness longing for redemption.

"He... hasn't shown his true self yet."

Xia Lengbai whispered, her voice barely audible.

Shen Xiao stepped on the stone stairs, walking up to the stage step by step.

His movements were unhurried, and under everyone's gaze, he even leisurely dusted off his sleeves.

"Senior Brother Lin, it seems that fire in Green Water Valley burned quite brightly, burning your brain out too."

Shen Xiao stood ten steps away from Lin Yun, a signature dangerous arc on the corner of his mouth.

"Wager your life? Fine, since you want to be reincarnated so early, as your Junior Brother, I have no reason not to send you on your way."

"You're courting death!" Lin Yun roared, about to draw his sword.

"Stop!"

Just then, a shout like a booming bell resonated throughout the arena.

An Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall wearing black dharma robes descended from the sky, landing between the two with a livid face.

Lin Yun was stunned, and the Sect's higher-ups under the stage also showed expressions of confusion.

Only Shen Xiao remained with that calm, composed look.

The Elder walked quickly to the high platform, whispered a few words to the Sect Master, and presented a secret report emitting a faint blue light.

The Qingming Sect Master's originally indifferent eyes erupted with two terrifying beams of light the moment he finished reading the report.

He stood up abruptly, the pressure of the Dao Integration Stage released in that instant, plunging the entire Martial Arts Arena into a deathly silence.

"Lin Yun!"

The Sect Master's voice was as cold as if it came from the Nine Nether Abyss.

"This Seat thought you were just greedy for merit and lax in governance. But you are actually so insane to this extent!

Colluding with the Demonic Path Shadow Sect, privately reselling the Sect's prohibited war supplies 'Hunyuan Crystals,' and to cover up the evidence, you didn't hesitate to blow up the Green Water Valley medicine warehouse and kill fellow Disciples! The evidence is solid, what else do you have to say?"

The whole arena was like a heavy bomb being detonated. Reselling prohibited items? Colluding with the Demonic Path?

"No! That's impossible! This is a frame-up!"

Lin Yun's originally fanatical face instantly turned pale, and he stumbled back a few steps.

"It's Shen Xiao! It must be Shen Xiao! That Green Water Valley is my life's work, how could I destroy my own home!"

"Hmph, this is a transaction list personally signed by the Special Envoy of the Shadow Sect, it even has the cultivation imprint you carved yourself, do you still want to deny it?"

The Sect Master waved his sleeve, and a list magnified by spiritual power appeared in mid-air.

Lin Yun slumped to the ground, staring blankly at the list, Xiao Wu's face flashing in his mind.

He turned his head stiffly, looking toward a corner of the crowd, and saw that the herb-gathering girl who used to be obedient to him was now standing behind Shen Xiao, showing him a cold and disdainful smile, and made a "completed" gesture to Shen Xiao extremely subtly.

"It's you... It's you!"

Lin Yun lunged at Shen Xiao like a madman.

"You designed all of this! You beast!"

"Boom!"

Before he could get close to Shen Xiao, the Sect Master's pressure directly crushed him onto the granite stage, cracking it with countless spiderweb-like fissures.

"Law Enforcement Hall, take orders: revoke Lin Yun's Core Disciple status, reclaim all Sect rewards, immediately press him into the crime prison, and after investigating the rest of his accomplices, execute him publicly on a chosen day!" The Sect Master ordered coldly.

Several black-clothed Law Enforcement Disciples instantly rushed onto the stage, pressing Lin Yun down like tigers and wolves.

Just when everyone thought this farce was about to end, Shen Xiao suddenly spoke.

He did not retreat, but instead, facing Lin Yun's red, despair-and-hatred-filled dead fish eyes, walked slowly to the very center of the stage.

"Sect Master, wait a moment."

Shen Xiao bowed to the high platform, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Lin Yun resold prohibited items, his crime is unforgivable. But just now, the life-and-death duel between him and me was established, with the Heavenly Dao as witness.

According to the rules set by the Ancestral Masters of the Qingming Sect, on the life-and-death stage, Karma is settled by itself. Even the Law Enforcement Hall has no right to take away the parties involved before the duel is completed."

Shen Xiao lowered his head, looking at Lin Yun who was pressed to the ground, his eyes devoid of pity, only a cruelty like a cat playing with a mouse.

"Sect Master, could you let him finish settling the half-life he owes me on the stage before sending him to the crime prison?"

At this moment, the whole arena was so silent that even a pin drop could be heard.

Everyone looked at Shen Xiao like he was a monster. This man, who was regarded as "cannon fodder," was now standing at the commanding height of justice and rules, about to personally crush that once unattainable Child of Destiny.