60: Chapter 60: The Dao Discussion Conference Begins! Senior Sister's Cold and Unyielding Sword

Gu Yi retracted his Divine Sense and withdrew from his Sea of Consciousness.

He slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of obscure golden light flashing deep within his profound pupils. He looked full of vigor, and the fatigue left behind by last night's absurdity was swept away.

The daylight outside the window was already bright, and the deep, melodious tolling of an ancient bell echoed over Sword King City.

"Dong—dong—" The bell rang nine times in succession, its steady sound waves piercing through layers of upturned eaves, announcing that this Dao Discussion Conference of the Central Plains, which had gathered forces from all sides, had officially begun.

Gu Yi stood up, leisurely smoothing out his moon-white Xuantian Sect team leader uniform. After confirming the jade pendant at his waist was straight, he pushed open the door and walked down the wooden stairs to the lobby on the first floor.

The inn's lobby was already bustling with noise. Cultivators from all walks of life, heading to watch the battles, were coming and going in an endless stream.

Beside a quiet seat by the window, three beautiful figures had already been waiting for a long time.

Liu Qingwan had changed into dignified Elder attire, lazily resting her chin on one hand, though a trace of lingering shyness and annoyance remained between her brows.

Seeing Gu Yi walk down the stairs, her alluring peach-blossom eyes immediately shot him a glare, and the embroidered shoe under the table discreetly kicked toward Gu Yi's lower leg.

Gu Yi had long been prepared; with a slight shift of his steps, he nonchalantly dodged the Elder's "sneak attack" and sat down with a gentle smile on his lips.

Junior Sister Lin Wanying was munching on a piece of osmanthus cake with great relish. Seeing Gu Yi sit down, she immediately offered the remaining half to his mouth like a little squirrel presenting a treasure.

Beside Gu Yi, Senior Sister Mu Qingxue, dressed in snow-white robes, sat upright. Upon seeing Gu Yi, the gaze of this cold, Fairy-like Senior Sister instantly softened, and she very naturally poured him a cup of steaming Spiritual Tea.

"Junior Brother, how is your energy regulation?" Mu Qingxue asked softly, her tone filled with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. I am fine." Gu Yi smiled, took the teacup, and took a sip. His gaze swept over the surrounding Cultivators who were frequently casting envious glances their way. He put down the teacup and stood up. "It is about time; we should head to the venue."

Half an hour later, at the central plaza of Sword King City.

This massive plaza, paved with solid dark cyan jade, was large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators.

Colorful flags fluttered on the surrounding viewing stands, and the banners of major Sects waved in the wind. In the center of the plaza stood a giant white jade arena reinforced by a Formation, with an indestructible defensive light barrier flowing around it.

As a major Sect of the Righteous Path, the Xuantian Sect was assigned seats in the front row with an excellent view.

Following some routine opening remarks by the high-level officials of the Sword Sect from the main seat, the arena battles of the Dao Discussion Conference officially began.

Initially, those who went on stage for sparring were mostly Disciples from second or third-rate Sects. Although their Moves were flashy, in the eyes of true experts, it was more like performing flowery, embroidered-leg kung fu. The atmosphere in the viewing stands was also slightly dull.

Just as a few warm-up battles concluded, a young Cultivator wearing a cyan sword robe with an air of intense arrogance between his brows flew onto the arena.

He had a slender build and carried a green-edged longsword on his back. When he landed, he stirred up a sharp Sword Qi wind, causing many female Cultivators nearby to let out low exclamations.

"It is the Genius Disciple of the Sword Sect's inner Sect, Zhao Han!" Someone in the crowd recognized his identity.

Zhao Han stood in the center of the arena, his gaze arrogantly sweeping around once, before finally locking precisely onto the direction of the Xuantian Sect's viewing stand.

"Zhao Han of the Central Plains Sword Sect. I have heard that the Northern Region's Xuantian Sect is a giant of the Righteous Path, and its Disciples are all heaven-favored Geniuses. I am untalented, but I dare to ask for pointers from the fellow Daoists of the Xuantian Sect. I just do not know…"

He deliberately dragged out the end of his sentence, a contemptuous arc curling on his lips as his gaze swept over Gu Yi and the others.

"I wonder if the swords of the Northern Region are sharper than those of our Central Plains, or if they are just famous in name only?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the vast plaza fell silent for a moment, followed by an eruption of low discussions. This was tantamount to a naked public provocation; it was clear that the Sword Sect wanted to take this opportunity to step on the Xuantian Sect's reputation to establish their own prestige.

On the viewing stand, Liu Qingwan frowned slightly. Just as she was about to flare up, Gu Yi slowly raised his hand, stopping this hot-tempered Elder.

Gu Yi sat upright in his grand master chair, turned his head to look at the cold, snow-like figure beside him, and said in a gentle tone: "Senior Sister, they have called us out by name. Why don't you go and exchange a few Moves with him? Mind your boundaries, and don't kill him."

"Okay." Mu Qingxue nodded slightly.

Without any superfluous movements, she didn't even draw the longsword from her back. One could see her white robes fluttering gently; she was like a Fairy walking on waves, transforming into a stream of ice-blue light, landing lightly upon the white jade arena.

As she stepped onto the stage, the temperature in the plaza seemed to drop by a dozen degrees out of thin air. A cold, pure-to-the-extreme Sword Intent spread quietly from her as the center toward the surrounding Formation light barrier.

Looking at the white-clad female Cultivator with peerless beauty and a frosty temperament before him, a flash of astonishment crossed Zhao Han's eyes. Confident in his deep cultivation, he cupped his hands in a pretentious manner: "Zhao Han of the Sword Sect, please, Xuantian Sect, grant me your instruction!"

Before he finished speaking, he exerted force under his feet, causing the bluestone ground to crack with spiderweb-like patterns. His longsword left its sheath, bringing with it a dazzling cyan Sword Qi, transforming into sky-filling sword shadows that swept toward Mu Qingxue like a violent storm.

"It is the Sword Sect's famous ultimate technique, the Wind Sweeping Away the Clouds Sword Technique!" A knowledgeable Cultivator off-stage exclaimed.

Facing such an imposing offensive, there was not the slightest fluctuation on Mu Qingxue's unblemished, pretty face.

She stood quietly in place, and not until the sky-filling sword shadows were about to reach within three feet of her did she slowly raise her right hand.

"Zheng—" A crisp and melodious sword hum resonated throughout the venue. Mu Qingxue's longsword behind her left its sheath by half an inch.

That was the Sword Bone that Gu Yi had found for her in the Sword Tomb, which had long since fused with her life-bound Flying Sword.

Following the Sword Intent, Mu Qingxue simply swung her sword horizontally forward.

A ribbon of ice-blue Sword Qi emerged across the air. This Sword Qi was pure to the extreme, carrying a chilling cold capable of freezing the Soul, cutting into the sky-filling cyan sword shadows like a hot knife through butter.

"Crackle, crackle—" Harsh shattering sounds rang out one after another. Zhao Han's proud sword technique, in front of that ice-blue Sword Qi, was like paper, instantly shredded to pieces.

The remaining power of the cold Sword Qi did not diminish, slamming heavily into Zhao Han's chest. "Pfft!"

Zhao Han's eyes widened in disbelief. He didn't even have time to scream before his whole body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily into the defensive light barrier at the edge of the arena, then sliding down off the stage, passing out on the spot.

A layer of fine frost had even condensed on his eyebrows and hair.

One Move! With just one Move, the Genius Disciple of the Central Plains Sword Sect was easily crushed by the Xuantian Sect's female Cultivator.

The entire central plaza fell into a deathly silence. All the watching Cultivators had their mouths agape, looking in shock at the white-clad female figure standing on the arena with her sword.

Mu Qingxue sheathed her longsword expressionlessly. She paid no attention to the shocked gazes below the stage, instead turning around impatiently, leaping lightly off the arena, and walking straight back to the Xuantian Sect's viewing stand.

When she walked up to Gu Yi, the cold Sword Intent that had been surrounding her, which kept people at a distance, instantly vanished without a trace.

She tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes sparkling, staring at Gu Yi without blinking, just like a child who had achieved excellent grades in school and was obediently waiting for their teacher's praise.

This huge contrast between being an aloof iceberg on stage and an obedient kitten off stage instantly stunned the circle of male Cultivators nearby.

A deep doting look appeared in Gu Yi's eyes. He stood up, reached out his slender fingers, and very naturally smoothed out a stray lock of hair at Mu Qingxue's temple that had been messed up by the sword wind. Then, he picked up the cup of Spiritual Tea on the table, which was at just the right temperature, and brought it to her lips.

"Senior Sister's sword technique has become increasingly masterful. Let this cup of tea serve to moisten your throat."

Two clouds of red flush appeared on Mu Qingxue's fair cheeks. She did not reach out to take the teacup, but instead sipped the tea directly from Gu Yi's hand, small sip by small sip, her eyes and brows filled with undisguised joy.

"It is all because Junior Brother taught me well." She replied softly, her voice sweet and soft.

This scene, falling into the eyes of the Genius Disciples from various Sects nearby, was simply more unbearable than killing them.

Countless gazes, maddened with jealousy, gathered on Gu Yi's back like tangible substance. If not for the fear of the Xuantian Sect's prestige, someone would likely have been unable to hold back and rushed up to duel him.

Just at the moment Gu Yi withdrew the teacup, a powerful aura belonging to the Peak Golden Core stage erupted from the Sword Sect's main viewing stand.

A young Cultivator wearing luxurious purple robes, with the Sword Sect's true Disciple emblem embroidered on his chest, slammed the table and stood up. His face was livid, his gaze staring viciously in Gu Yi's direction, his right hand already gripping the sword hilt at his waist tightly, his killing intent no longer able to be contained.

"The Xuantian Sect goes too far! Do you really think my Central Plains Sword Sect has no one left?!"