Chapter 42
"Junior Sister Song?" Lian Rougang's delicate brows furrowed as the rosy blush on her fair cheeks gradually faded. Her eyes followed Song Jia's intense, narrowed gaze, which seemed fixated on someone else.
Tracing her Junior Sister's line of sight, Lian Rougang realized it was locked onto her Junior Brother, Ji Wuye.
"What are you doing?" she snapped at Song Jia, her soft voice laced with a rare edge of rebuke. However, Song Jia remained unresponsive, her lips pursed into a thin line, betraying no indication that she would relent.
The reason Lian Rougang was angry with Song Jia stemmed from seeing the slender jian gripped firmly in her small hand, while Song Jia's piercing stare bore into Ji Wuye, emanating a faint yet unmistakable intent to kill.
The way Song Jia held the jian, her knuckles whitening from the tight grasp, made it evident that she had come prepared for this confrontation.
Gently, Lian Rougang placed a delicate hand on Ji Wuye's shoulder, softly pushing him back as her unwavering focus remained on the approaching figure of Song Jia.
"Please wait, Junior. This unruly girl needs to be disciplined," she said, her tone laced with disapproval as her gentle and shy demeanor transformed into a more recognizable, stern expression.
Not to mention, this naughty girl also disturbed her moment with her Junior Brother...
With an indifferent air, Lian Rougang unsheathed her own jian, opting for the real sword instead of the wooden practice one.
The gleaming blade caught the moonlight, casting flickering reflections across her porcelain features. It was clear that her Junior Brother, who was only in the 1st realm, stood no chance against Song Jia, whose skills easily surpassed those of Qin Bai.
"I don't understand what has driven you to this state of madness," Lian Rougang said, a hint of disappointment evident in her melodic voice.
"If this were a friendly match, I could act as a judge. However, as an Official Disciple, I cannot condone such intense intent to kill!"
Song Jia, however, remained unfazed by Lian Rougang's words. The anger burning in her eyes showed no signs of abating, her sole focus unwavering from Ji Wuye's figure.
"You despicable man, don't you dare lay a hand on Senior Sister Lian!" she yelled, her voice ringing clear and sharp like the blade she gripped tightly.
Despite her innocent appearance, with her delicate features, Song Jia's gaze fixed on Ji Wuye with the intensity of a predator ready to strike its prey.
In addition, unbeknownst to her, Song Jia's emotions overwhelmed her, leading to unexpected changes. As they drew closer, she abruptly leaped into the air, her frame defying gravity.
Channeling the potent Qi from her Lower Dantian, Song Jia felt the energy surge through her meridians and flow into her jian. Subconsciously, her mind conjured swirling winds within, fueling her technique with an unseen force.
Pulse of the Blade: Second Move, Rising Gale!
...
Meanwhile, Lian Rougang was taken aback by her Junior Sister's violent martial art style, which deviated from the principles of Kunlun martial arts they had been taught.
Despite being in the 4th realm, she could sense the impending danger in the air, a palpable tension that raised the fine hairs on her arms.
However, Lian Rougang's expression remained steadfast, her delicate features hardening with resolve. "Do you truly intend to kill your fellow martial brother?!" Her melodic voice rang out, tinged with a rare sternness as she took a deep breath to calm herself.
Song Jia, suspended mid-air, charged downwards toward Lian Rougang, who stood her ground with her jian thrust forward. Around Song Jia, the momentum generated a heavy turbulence.
Her eyes filled with madness as she reached the peak of her assault. Putting strength into her left hand, her blade sliced through the dense air, ascending in an explosive uppercut that seemed to defy the laws of physics.
SWOOSH-!
The impact created a faint and split invisible air pressure that surged towards Lian Rougang. However, Lian Rougang stood firm, showing no sign of fear or retreat.
Dantian Drilling, Second Move: Middle Drill!
As the Rising Gale technique approached Lian Rougang, she swiftly swiped her blade in a horizontal motion from right to left.
She channeled the Qi from her Lower Dantian in a counterclockwise current through her Middle Dantian, her body moving with a grace that belied the immense power she commanded.
CLANK-!
Lian Rougang's jian deftly deflected Song Jia's attack with precision, as she took a controlled breath in. Using a counteracting rotational force, Lian Rougang redirected Song Jia's ascending blade to the side with a deft flick of her wrist that covered with Qi.
SWOOSH-!
Song Jia's eyes widened in surprise as her attack was disrupted, her body still mid-air, slowly falling as the force dissipated harmlessly into the air. At this moment, she regained her senses, blinking rapidly as if waking from a trance.
"S-senior Sister?!" She realized, with dawning horror, that her Senior Sister was defending the man in question. Confusion clouded her thoughts, but when she noticed Lian Rougang's icy and distant expression, she sensed that something was amiss.
However, it was too late...
A chill ran down Song Jia's spine as a realization struck her – Lian Rougang wasn't finished yet. The air seemed to grow heavy with an unseen force, and Song Jia could only watch, her breath caught in her throat, as her Senior Sister's next move unfolded.
Drawing in Qi from her dantians, Lian Rougang swiftly spun behind Song Jia, her movements a blur of grace and power. Her momentum propelled her forward, robes billowing around her like wings as she closed the distance between them.
With her jian's edge charged with gathered and concentrated Qi, she struck a vulnerable opening in Song Jia's back with surgical precision.
"UGH!" Song Jia let out a pained grunt as she staggered forward, caught off guard by Lian Rougang's swift counterattack. The force of the strike reverberated through her body, and she could feel a warm trickle of blood seeping from the wound.
Stepping back, Lian Rougang looked down at Song Jia's injured back, her expression inscrutable. "You have violated the Sect's rules; for this, you shall be pun-"
"Please wait, Senior Sister." Ji Wuye's voice cut through the tension, his gaze shifting to Song Jia, who still winced in pain, her small frame trembling.
Ji Wuye felt conflicted upon seeing her presence here,'She shouldn't be here, and...'
He sighed, turning his attention back to his Senior Sister, who continued to glare at Song Jia with a steely resolve. "Please forgive her; I believe it's just a misunderstanding," Ji Wuye pleaded.
Considering the consequences if Song Jia were to be punished for a mere misunderstanding, it would negatively impact the current timeline and hinder her growth.
This situation should not have happened...
If he had not accepted Song Jia's challenge, she would not have ended up here.
If he had not easily defeated Qin Bai, resulting in his lack of injuries, Lian Rougang would not have come to the abandoned courtyard.
Instead, she would have stayed in the Outer Disciple Courtyard, swiftly leaving after giving him the Reawakening Sun Pill, never crossing paths with Song Jia.
'But one thing has changed,' Ji Wuye thought to himself, stealing a glance at Song Jia's jian, still gripped tightly in her trembling hand.
The stone ground bore the marks of violent sword cuts, deep gouges etched into the stone...
'She used Rising Gale earlier than expected.'
Rising Gale, the second move of the Pulse of Blade Sword Art, belonged to the Wind Blade Emperor. Ji Wuye's brow furrowed as he studied the aftermath of Song Jia's attack.
'And it holds the key to the upcoming events...'
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