Chapter 3

The Yunlai Sword Sect’s buildings cover a vast area. The entire Yunhai Peak, spanning ten thousand square meters, is filled with various structures. Qin Tianji’s residence is located in the area near the peak. Standing in an open space and looking down the mountain, one can see a large number of courtyards, pavilions, and living quarters neatly distributed on the waist of Yunhai Peak, which can accommodate over five thousand people if crowded.

In some of the larger courtyards, one can see many people practicing sword techniques and training their physical abilities under the guidance of martial arts instructors.

However, although there are still some people, compared to the numerous buildings that can house three to four thousand people, they appear very sparse. Even without personally entering the cluster of buildings of the Yunlai Sword Sect, the atmosphere of desolation and decline is palpable.

"In my memory... there are records of the Yunlai Sword Sect. This sect was established by the Yunlai Swordmaster 160 years ago. At its peak, it once ranked among the top sects, with six thousand disciples. Even though it has declined over the past hundred years, it has remained in the second-tier sect category, with over two thousand disciples. However, at present..."

Qin Tianji glanced around and, based on the human activity in the sect, estimated that the total number of people in the entire sect...

is probably less than three hundred.

This includes servants, maids, and other staff.

Leaving aside those who remain due to lack of a home or fear of losing their jobs, the true number of disciples... is likely less than a hundred.

After a brief moment of thought, Qin Tianji headed towards the main courtyard at the center of the Yunlai Sword Sect’s mountain gate.

He did not have strong feelings about the glory or decline of the Yunlai Sword Sect; to him, this sect was merely a temporary stepping stone to reach the peak.

When Qin Tianji arrived at the main courtyard, he found that the atmosphere there was far from harmonious.

In front of the courtyard, a middle-aged man and two young girls were confronting Qin Yuyan, whom Qin Tianji had met earlier.

"Is this a bad time?"

Qin Tianji, who only wanted to use the Yunlai Sword Sect’s resources to cultivate to the Great Swordmaster level, initially intended to retreat. However, as soon as he appeared outside the courtyard, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl shouted, "The Young Sect Master has come! The Young Sect Master is here!"

These words immediately drew the attention of the middle-aged man and the two young girls to Qin Tianji.

"Young Sect Master, you should take a look. These people are simply outrageous."

With everyone’s eyes on him, it was too late for Qin Tianji to retreat. He stepped forward and clasped his hands, saying, "Qin Tianji of the Yunlai Sword Sect. May I ask who the three of you are?"

Before Qin Tianji could finish his greeting, one of the two girls, a girl in yellow, immediately smiled and said, "You are Qin Tianji? The top disciple of the Yunlai Sword Sect who was stripped of his cultivation three years ago by Gu Wushuang, a suitor of Ning Xuewei, because you rejected Ning Xuewei?"

Her words not only made Qin Yuyan frown but also caused the other girl in white to wrinkle her brow.

The girl in white immediately said in a calm voice, "Junior Sister Qingxi, you must not be impolite."

Although it was a nominal reprimand, there was no real blame in her tone.

As for making the girl in yellow apologize for her words? That was out of the question.

"Ning Xuewei? Gu Wushuang?"

Qin Tianji’s inherited memories were too limited and contained no information about these two people.

However, his silence made the two girls clearly disdainful, as if they felt that speaking to him was beneath them. The girl in yellow said, "So, where is Qi Lingyun? Why hasn’t he come out? Now, in your Yunlai Sword Sect, there’s only Qi Lingyun. Let him come out and talk to us."

Qin Yuyan glanced at Qin Tianji, a sigh in her heart, but she still stepped forward and said in a solemn voice, "My master is unwell and cannot receive guests. What brings the three of you here?"

The girl named Qingxi waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing away flies, and said impatiently, "You? Do you have the authority to make decisions? Quickly call Qi Lingyun out."

"Although I cannot make major decisions, if it’s a minor matter..."

"Major decisions?" Qingxi glanced around the quiet and desolate Yunlai Sword Sect, her tone cold and pitying, "Your sect is so destitute, how can there be any major decisions?"

This woman’s rudeness made Qin Yuyan’s expression quickly turn cold, and she said in an unfriendly tone, "Please speak with respect. The rise and fall of our Yunlai Sword Sect is none of your business. If the three of you have no further business, we will not detain you."

Her words were a clear dismissal.

"You..."

Qingxi’s fair face flashed with anger. As a direct disciple of the Qingxuan Great Swordmaster of the Xuanling Sect, she was used to people deferring to her, fearing that any slight misstep might offend the Xuanling Sect and bring disaster. When had anyone dared to defy her so openly, treating her with such disrespect!

"You dare to be insolent in front of me!"

As she shouted, her sword was instantly drawn!

"Qingxi!"

The girl in white, who was standing next to her, immediately focused her gaze on Qingxi and said in a stern voice, "Losing control of your emotions like this, have you forgotten what Master taught you?"

"Senior Sister..."

"Enough." The girl in white waved her hand to cut off Qingxi’s words, her gaze lightly sweeping over Qin Yuyan. Perhaps due to her long-term position of authority, her tone naturally carried a commanding air, "Qin Yuyan? Go tell your teacher Qi Lingyun that if he doesn’t want to be a dishonest person, he should come out quickly."

Qin Yuyan snorted and was about to speak when she heard Qi Lingyun’s voice from inside the courtyard, "I wonder what brings the three of you here."

Seeing Qi Lingyun come out, Qingxi said in a condescending tone, "Hmph, Qi Lingyun, look at the disciples you teach. They are arrogant and disrespectful. What kind of discipline is this?"

"Heh, I know my disciples well, Qi Lingyun. At least they are better in character than some people."

Qingxi was once again subtly mocked by Qi Lingyun, and her fair face turned red with anger. Just as she was about to say something, she was silenced by a glare from the girl in white.

"Master, why did you come out?"

Qi Lingyun waved his hand, pushing away Qin Yuyan, who was about to support him, and indicated that he was fine. However, when he saw the attire of the two girls, his expression suddenly changed, "You, you are from the Xuanling Sect!?"

"The Xuanling Sect!"

Qin Yuyan immediately thought of the Qingxuan Great Swordmaster who had severely injured Qi Lingyun. Wasn’t he one of the eight Great Swordmasters of the Xuanling Sect?

"Didn’t expect you to have some discernment." Qingxi looked at Qi Lingyun, noting his completely ruined condition, and sneered, "You are Qi Lingyun? Not much to look at. With such weak strength, you dared to boast to our Xuanling Sect. You deserve to be beaten to death."

This woman’s repeated insults finally made Qin Yuyan, who had been seething with anger, unable to hold back. Her face turned cold, "Shut up! Do not be disrespectful to my master!"

"Hmm?"

The girl in white beside Qingxi glanced at Qin Yuyan. As an eighth-level expert, she did not release her aura, but a faint sword pressure enveloped Qin Yuyan.

Qin Yuyan felt her weak internal energy suddenly stagnate, as if blocked by an invisible force, making her breathing slightly disordered.

However, before Qin Yuyan could gather her strength to counterattack, Qi Lingyun, worried that she would not withstand the sword pressure, stepped between the two. The balanced and harmonious sword aura he had cultivated as an eighth-level swordmaster immediately neutralized the girl in white’s pressure and prevented her from retaliating, "Enough. Regardless, the three of you are guests of the Yunlai Sword Sect. Please come in and rest. Yuyan, prepare some tea to entertain the guests."

Feeling her aura neutralized, the girl in white did not attack again. It was clear to everyone that Qi Lingyun was severely injured, and she would not stoop to fighting a severely injured person.

"Number Two, have you calculated it!?"

Among the group, Qin Tianji, who seemed to have been ignored, was covered in a fine sweat.

"Calculation results: Three targets. Target One: Qingxi, danger level four. Target Two: danger level six. Target Three: danger level seven!"

"Level seven!"

Qin Tianji’s pupils constricted.

Danger level seven!

The middle-aged man behind the two girls was actually a ninth-level swordmaster!

Facing a clearly hostile ninth-level swordmaster, with his mental level severely restricted, Qin Tianji desperately wanted to extricate himself from this situation...

"There’s no need to go inside. We are here today to have you fulfill the agreement."

"Agreement?" Reminded by the girl, Qi Lingyun’s expression changed instantly, "The bet from last time?"

"Exactly. You lost, and you must fulfill the bet. Hand over the Yunxiao Sword!"

The Yunxiao Sword.

The Yunxiao Sword, the personal sword of the founder of the Yunlai Sword Sect, Swordmaster Qin Donglai, is a spirit sword. It is not only a symbol of the sect leader but also a spiritual emblem of the Yunlai Sword Sect. The entire sect reveres the Yunxiao Sword, treating it like a divine object.

Now, these people from the Xuanling Sect are demanding the Yunxiao Sword, which symbolizes the sect leader of the Yunlai Sword Sect. No wonder his expression was so grim.