Chapter 35: The Beginning of the Great Battle (Part 2)

Walking in the square, watching numerous disciples of the Sky Sword Academy shuttle back and forth, everyone was busy with their own affairs. When those disciples saw Lu Yun, their eyes carried a strange look, slightly tinged with displeasure. It seemed that because he had defeated the third-ranked disciple of the Sky Sword Academy, Leng Jiahao, here yesterday, there was an underlying dislike for him.

Looking around, Lu Yun smiled and said, "If I really defeat Sword Dust, I'm afraid no one here would welcome me. This is the biased side in everyone's heart, and it's particularly evident here." After finishing, he glanced at a few people approaching from a distance.

Lin Yunfeng smiled, "So what? Next time they come to our Easy Garden, we can give them a taste of their own medicine. Who cares? As long as you can defeat him, even if these disciples are unhappy, who dares to say you're not capable? Believe me, they may not be happy in their hearts, but they won't dare to say it to your face."

Lu Yun chuckled, "Alright, since people from other academies are here, let's go meet them." After that, he walked towards the approaching group. Yun Feng heard this, looked up, his eyes showing a trace of doubt, as if trying to see through something.

Seeing the people in front of him, Lu Yun smiled, "Brother Bi Tian, Brother Ben Yi, and Brother Wu Wang, what brings you here? Haven't the others come?" It was Bi Tian from the Ru Yuan, Ben Yi from the Pu Ti Academy, and Wu Wang from Dao Yuan, the three of them walking towards Lu Yun and Lin Yunfeng.

Bi Tian from the Ru Yuan looked at Lu Yun with a strange look, as if hiding something. After looking at Yun Feng, Bi Tian spoke, "I thought the competition was in the morning, so I started preparing early. Who knew it was suddenly changed to the afternoon. We came out for a walk since we had nothing else to do. We happened to run into Ben Yi and Wu Wang. The competition is this afternoon; I wonder how well you are prepared?"

Lu Yun heard this and smiled bitterly, "There's no preparation. It's too late to work hard for half a day. Well, since you're here, let's not talk about these things. Let's hear what the three Dao Brothers have to say. If you have time, I'd like to invite you three to chat here. Let's have a good time together." After finishing speaking, he exchanged a glance with Yun Feng.

Ben Yi and Wu Wang looked at each other, then at Bi Tian. Bi Tian spoke, "This place is full of Sky Sword Academy disciples. Let's go to the woods and talk. What do you think?" Ben Yi and Wu Wang both nodded, agreeing.

Yun Feng came with Zhang Aoxue and Li Hongfei, and after they greeted each other, Bi Tian suggested going to the woods. So, the seven of them turned towards the left side and walked towards the woods, gradually disappearing into the dense forest.

The sunlight, penetrating through the sparse branches and leaves, was like thousands of light swords, shining on the surroundings. On a clearing, the seven of them were chatting, appearing very enthusiastic. Ben Yi asked, "Brother Li, I wonder if you are clear about the opponents for this competition?" This question stumped the four from Easy Garden. They exchanged glances, all shaking their heads. They still didn't know how the opponents were arranged for this competition.

When Lu Yun saw Li Hongfei remaining silent, he couldn't help but speak, "For this competition, I only know that I will be competing against Bi Tian in the afternoon. As for the others, I don't know."

As he said this, Li Hongfei and Zhang Aoxue both had a slight change in their expressions, as if they thought of something. Bi Tian sighed softly, "Indeed, the competition between the two of us is in the afternoon. I wanted to avoid it, but unfortunately, it's inevitable. In truth, our two academies have always had a good relationship, and I really don't want to compete with each other. Unfortunately, there is no other way. For the afternoon competition, Lu Yun, let's rely on our abilities. No matter what the result, we are still good friends privately. What do you think?"

Lu Yun nodded with a gentle smile, glanced at everyone, and whispered, "You're right. Regardless of the outcome of this competition, we'll all be friends in the future. Our gathering here is a matter of fate, and we should cherish it. Isn't that right, senior brothers?" Among the group, except for Aoxue, everyone nodded in agreement with Lu Yun's words.

Li Hongfei spoke up, "Brother Ben Yi, could you share some information about this competition? We haven't received any notifications from our sect, so we're not aware of the details yet."

Ben Yi glanced at him and sighed slightly, "To be honest, this competition is relatively unfavorable for Easy Garden. This time, Lu Yun will face Bi Tian, Sister Zhang will face Zhan Yu, and you will encounter the one no one wants to face—Sword Dust. As for me, I'll be competing against Yun Hua from Dao Yuan, Wu Wang against Du Li from Ru Yuan, and Cang Yue against my junior brother Jie Chan."

Upon hearing this, the four from Easy Garden showed expressions of shock, clearly not expecting such results. They exchanged glances, each with a trace of worry in their eyes. Lin Yunfeng expressed some dissatisfaction, "It's really strange. Every time we come here, Easy Garden always ends up facing Sky Sword Academy. First, it was me and Lu Yun, and now it's senior sister and senior brother. It's really odd." Lu Yun and the others sighed, apparently agreeing with his words.

Looking at Li Hongfei, Lu Yun whispered, "Senior brother, give it your best. This afternoon, the three of us will work hard together, and there will definitely be results. Don't worry; we all support you. You will definitely win. Definitely!" After speaking, he looked at him with comforting eyes.

Li Hongfei's expression quickly returned to calmness as he looked at Lu Yun. He patted Lu Yun's shoulder and whispered, "I won't give up. If I lose, remember to work hard, both you and Aoxue. Someone must enter the top six for Easy Garden, bringing glory to our sect. Competition is always cruel and does not allow for retreat unless it's a voluntary withdrawal. Otherwise, we must bravely face it. Even if I lose, I will understand where I need to improve, giving me a chance to catch up in the future." After finishing, he looked at everyone and lowered his head in contemplation.

Zhang Aoxue looked at Li Hongfei with a hint of regret in her eyes, as if sighing for him encountering Sword Dust. She was well aware of his cultivation level, and as long as he didn't face Sword Dust, she believed he could enter the top six. Unfortunately.

Wu Wang looked at Li Hongfei and whispered, "The path of cultivation is ever-changing. For cultivators, one cannot be too attached to worldly matters. The Six Academy Martial Arts Conference, on the surface, is for determining superiority and inferiority, but it's also a test for every cultivator. To transcend the Three Realms, besides having strong power, the most important thing is the heart, understanding, and the unwavering perseverance to pursue the ultimate truth. If you lose to Sword Dust today but gain many insights, then it's a harvest for you. If you win without any insights, what have you gained besides reputation?"

Everyone fell into contemplation after hearing this. Lu Yun looked at Wu Wang, feeling that both Ben Yi and Wu Wang had a unique and different aura, something they shared. It was the essence of Buddhism and Dao, a deep understanding of the principles. Perhaps they were not as advanced in cultivation as himself, but in certain aspects, he was inferior to them.

Bi Tian paid no attention to what Wu Wang said; he just secretly looked at Zhang Aoxue, his eyes flickering with a hot gaze. Lin Yunfeng, on the side, had been watching his expression, clearly understanding what he was thinking. Lin Yunfeng secretly thought, "It's hopeless for you. I'm afraid no one besides Lu Yun has a chance. Hey hey, with such a beautiful senior sister, do you think Lu Yun is a fool? How could he let you take her away."

After hearing Wu Wang's words, Li Hongfei's entire being trembled slightly. He looked at Wu Wang, and the two locked eyes without speaking, quietly gazing at each other. Suddenly, Li Hongfei, rarely, showed a smile. He stepped forward and shook hands with Wu Wang, nodding in thanks.

Everyone looked at the two of them strangely, seemingly aware that something had happened between them. However, the specifics were unclear.

Looking at the sky, Zhang Aoxue's elegant voice came, "It's getting late. We should go back. There's a competition in the afternoon." After speaking, she turned around indifferently, and her captivating figure danced in the breeze. That wonderful posture, that charming back, deeply attracted Bi Tian's eyes.

Lu Yun looked at Bi Tian and his eyes showed a strange light, as if hinting at something. Turning around, he saw Li Hongfei pulling Wu Wang away, and Lu Yun smiled faintly, exchanging a glance with Yun Feng. The two of them also followed.

Ben Yi looked at Lu Yun's figure, his eyes showing a trace of contemplation. Raising his head, he glanced at Bi Tian who was still in a daze. Ben Yi sighed slightly, patted his shoulder, and his figure vanished silently into the forest.