166: Chapter 166 Xu Ruyu reveals the truth, Leng Ningshuang is incredulous.

A deathly silence lasted for five breaths.

Then, the sound of gasps rose like a tide from every corner beneath the platform.

Qi Refining Layer 23.

This number was like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely into everyone's heart.

In the three thousand years since the Hehuan Sect was founded, no classic had ever recorded such an absurd Realm as "Qi Refining Layer 23."

Reaching Perfection at the fourth layer of Qi Refining should lead to Foundation Establishment; this is the iron Law of the Cultivation World, the Law of the Heavenly Dao, and an immutable common knowledge.

But the aura on Xu Ruyu could not be faked.

That aura was pure, condensed, and vast as the sea; clearly it was only the Qi Refinement Stage, yet it made many Disciples at the Foundation Establishment Stage beneath the platform feel a suffocating sense of oppression.

Even more bizarre was that the quality of this aura was completely different from ordinary Spiritual Qi—it had no elemental bias, neither cold nor hot, neither sharp nor dull, yet it carried a profound charm of encompassing all things and evolving all Laws.

"Tai Xu..."

In the front row of the spectator area, Ning Caihe softly spat out these two words, sword light flickering violently in his eyes.

"What?" Zhao Yan turned his head.

"His True Qi is not Spiritual Qi." Ning Caihe said each word distinctly, "It is something more Origin-based."

On the platform, turbulent waves finally surged in Leng Ningshuang's ice-blue eyes.

She had Cultivated the Mystic Ice Heavenly Maiden Art to the seventh level and was extremely sensitive to Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

The aura Xu Ruyu was displaying now reminded her of an ancient legend recorded in the Sect's secret texts—that ancient Qi Refiners did not refine Spiritual Qi, but the Origin of Heaven and Earth.

But that was just a legend!

"You..." Leng Ningshuang's hand holding the sword trembled slightly, not out of fear, but from the shock of having her perception overturned, "Who exactly are you?"

Xu Ruyu did not answer this question.

He just watched her quietly, then looked at the six Senior Brothers behind her whose auras were becoming increasingly sharp, and said softly, "Senior Sister Leng, are you sure you want to continue fighting here, in front of everyone?"

This question was abrupt.

Leng Ningshuang was stunned.

Xu Ruyu continued, "Some words, some things, perhaps should not be known by too many people."

His gaze swept across the suspended pavilion high above—although he couldn't see it, he knew Xiao Nianyin was there.

Leng Ningshuang followed his gaze, and her heart jumped violently.

She suddenly remembered what the Sect Master had said to her in the secret chamber: "Ningshuang, this battle concerns the reputation of the Hehuan Sect, and also concerns... this Seat's secret. Some things cannot see the light."

At the time, she thought the Sect Master was referring to the matter of Xu Ruyu "blackmailing" her.

But now...

Leng Ningshuang looked at Xu Ruyu's calm eyes and suddenly realized—perhaps the truth was far more complex than she had imagined.

After three breaths of silence, she made a decision.

Her left hand's sleeve sword sheathed with a "clang," while her right hand raised the luoyun sword high above her head.

"Fellow Disciples." Leng Ningshuang's cold voice spread throughout the venue, "The following battle involves Sect secrets and is not suitable for public viewing. I will set up a sound-isolation barrier, please wait quietly for the result."

As she finished speaking, she formed a seal with her left hand and chanted silently.

Ice-blue Spiritual Qi surged from her palm, turning into countless fine runes that drifted like snowflakes toward the perimeter of the Law Execution Platform.

The runes melted upon touching the ground, merging into the depths of the bluestone floor.

The next moment, four ice-blue pillars of light rose from the edges of the Law Execution Platform, converging at a height of thirty zhang to form a hemispherical transparent barrier, completely enveloping the entire Law Execution Platform!

The barrier's light screen rippled like water, isolating all sound and sight between the inside and outside.

From the outside, one could only see a blurry ice-blue light, with figures moving inside, but could not hear any sound or see any details clearly.

There was an immediate uproar beneath the platform.

"Why did it cover up?"

"What Sect secret? Could it be that Xu Ruyu really has some unspeakable background?"

"What does Senior Sister Leng mean by this? Is she going to settle it privately?"

"Could it be... she wants to cover for that brat?"

Amidst the heated discussion, inside the suspended pavilion high above, Xiao Nianyin's fingers gripping the railing tightened slightly.

She watched the ice-blue barrier below, cold light flickering in her eyes.

Sound-isolation barrier...

What is Leng Ningshuang trying to do?

Could she have sensed something?

No, that's impossible.

Only she, Xu Ruyu, and Lady Qingli knew about that matter.

Lady Qingli would never tell, and Xu Ruyu... would he dare to?

Xiao Nianyin took a deep breath, suppressing the unease in her heart.

Forget it.

A barrier is fine too.

Some words really shouldn't be heard by too many people.

As long as the final result remains unchanged—Xu Ruyu dies—the process does not matter.

She sat back down, picked up the tea that had already gone cold on the table, and with Spiritual Qi flowing from her fingertips, the tea became warm again.

Inside the barrier.

The ice-blue light screen isolated the outside world; on the Law Execution Platform, only Xu Ruyu, Leng Ningshuang, and the six Senior Brothers behind remained.

The temperature inside the barrier was extremely low, the ground covered in thick frost, and the air was filled with a bone-chilling cold.

This was Leng Ningshuang's Domain; here, the power of her Ice Soul Heavenly Maiden Sword could increase by thirty percent.

But at this moment, she did not strike immediately.

"Xu Ruyu." Leng Ningshuang put away her dual swords, her ice-blue eyes staring at him, "You can speak now. Who exactly are you? Who sent you to the Hehuan Sect? What is your purpose in approaching the Sect Master?"

She paused, her voice colder: "If you confess honestly, I can plead with the Sect Master to leave your corpse intact."

Xu Ruyu looked at her and suddenly smiled.

The smile held some exhaustion, some helplessness, and some... self-mockery.

Xiao Nianyin, you were unkind first, so don't blame me for being unrighteous.

Since you have gained the advantage yet still want to put me to death, and you want to maintain that icy, pure, and high-and-mighty stance of yours, then I have no choice but to expose the conflict between us through the mouths of those you value!

Since the conflict cannot be resolved, then I will make it public.

This is the realization of a modern man like him who Transmigrated here—one can endure things, but one cannot endure forever.

Thinking this, Xu Ruyu looked at Leng Ningshuang and said: "Senior Sister Leng, if I tell you that I never actively approached the Sect Master, would you believe me?"

Leng Ningshuang frowned.

"If I tell you that it was the Sect Master who summoned me to this world, would you believe me?"

"If I tell you that the Sect Master taking me as a Disciple, letting me live in Ningyin Hall, and even... the things that happened between us, were all just to use my Physique to reconcile the backlash of the Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art, would you believe me?"

Xu Ruyu asked three questions in a row, his tone calm, yet it was like a thunderclap exploding in Leng Ningshuang's heart!

Summoned?

This world?

Using Physique?

Reconciling backlash?!

Every word impacted the boundaries of her perception.

"You... are spouting nonsense!" Leng Ningshuang said sharply, "What kind of cultivation does the Sect Master have, what kind of status, how could she..."

"How could what?" Xu Ruyu interrupted her, a flash of sorrow in his eyes, "How could she lower her status to Dual Cultivate with a junior in the Qi Refinement Stage?"

"How could she be so weak that she needs to rely on Plucking and Supplementing others to survive? How could she... after recovering her cultivation, immediately burn bridges, and even want to use a borrowed knife to kill, to eliminate me, this 'stain'?"

With every sentence he spoke, Leng Ningshuang's face turned a shade paler.

"Senior Sister Leng, you Cultivate the Mystic Ice Heavenly Maiden Art, which emphasizes 'Mirror Heart Reflecting the World,' using the icy heart as a mirror to reflect the truth." Xu Ruyu said slowly, "Then now, use your icy heart to reflect—is the Sect Master's behavior over these past three months truly reasonable?"

"A Sect Master who has always loathed men and is icy and pure, why would she suddenly take on a male Disciple?"

"A Saint Realm Expert with heaven-reaching cultivation, why would she use her Lifebound Treasure to suppress things when Liu Rurao caused trouble?"

"A Revered Master who should be teaching her Personal Disciple everything she knows, why would she immediately summon you in right after I moved out of Ningyin Hall to personally instruct you in secret killing techniques?"

"And today—" Xu Ruyu's gaze swept over the six people behind her, "Six Senior Brothers who have been in seclusion for decades have all come out, and seven Late Golden Core Stage experts are besieging one person in the Qi Refinement Stage... Senior Sister Leng, do you really think this is a 'fair fight'?"