Xia Xilou's usually gentle face stiffened slightly, a hint of unease creeping in.
Years ago, feeling sorry for Yun Ying, he had quietly added Qin Si's name to the candidate list to have Yun Ying removed from the selection.
At that time, Qin Si was only fifteen, having just entered the late stage of Foundation Establishment. His opponents were all either long-time cultivators in the late stage of Foundation Establishment or those at the peak of Foundation Establishment. He had almost lost his life.
Xia Xilou knew his actions were not entirely justifiable and tried to gloss over the matter.
"Little Junior Brother, this was so many years ago, you still remember it? Can Senior Brother apologize to you?" he said apologetically, advancing by retreating.
"This Venerable nearly lost his life, so naturally, I remember it all too clearly." Qin Si looked at Xia Xilou with a half-smile, "An apology is acceptable, if you kneel down and apologize, this Venerable will let this matter drop."
"Little Junior Brother!"
Xia Xilou's face darkened. His usual gentle and refined expression could no longer be maintained. These were mere old matters, why did he have to be so aggressive?
"If you don't want to, then forget it," Qin Si snorted coldly. "But regarding Little Junior Sister becoming a candidate, this Venerable will not agree!"
"You are disregarding the overall situation of the academy!" Xia Xilou saw how tense Qin Si was about Bai Shengyi and became even more determined to push this matter through.
"Does the academy's overall situation require a new disciple to maintain it? Then what were the previous batches of disciples taken in for? Is the academy providing charity?" Qin Si said coldly.
The two began to argue in front of the many elders of the main peak.
No one on the main peak went to mediate. One of them was a disciple of Venerable Qingyun, and the other was a disciple of Venerable Song Sheng. No one dared to offend them.
Wen Jiu Yin hurriedly asked Mu Xing to invite Qian Ying, who was currently the only one who could speak to them.
After hearing the entire story, Qian Ying couldn't help but say, "Senior Brother, stop arguing with Senior Brother Xilou for now. Have you asked Little Junior Sister for her opinion?"
Qin Si's expression stiffened.
He really hadn't.
"Can't this Venerable even make a decision for her on such a small matter?"
Qian Ying smiled but said nothing.
Qin Si let out a cold snort and directly tore through space, disappearing from the main peak.
"Venerable Qian Ying, then what about this list..." Mu Xing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, hoping Qian Ying could help him decide.
"Just show it to those people later. It's already been delayed for so long, a day or two won't make a difference," she said, then greeted Xia Xilou and left.
Bai Shengyi was unaware of the farce on the main peak. She was currently entertaining unexpected guests.
"You want me to remove Xingjin for your fiancé right now? Why the sudden urgency?" Bai Shengyi looked at Sun Ling in surprise, saying, "Of course, I'm not going back on my word, I'm just a bit curious. If it's inconvenient for you to say, you don't have to."
"There's nothing inconvenient to say. Sun Yun seems to have been stimulated by something and wants to marry Chang Xing early." Sun Ling gave a helpless wry smile, "I couldn't resist my family's wishes."
This was not surprising. Previously, Sun Yun was not eager to marry Lou Chang Xing because she was captivated by Qin Zhao and was deeply interested in him.
But now, Qin Zhao had become a ruffian who lay on his bed and wailed in agony every day. Naturally, Sun Yun was unwilling to spend her thoughts on Qin Zhao anymore.
"I'm just unwilling, that's why I came to find you again." Sun Ling knew that coming to find Bai Shengyi early was a bit impatient, but she truly had no other options. She pursed her lips, "If you can't..."
"Of course, why not," Bai Shengyi smiled faintly, "As long as you trust me."
"I naturally trust you. I'll take you there now." Sun Ling hurriedly got up to lead the way.
Bai Shengyi thought they were going to the Sun family, but she didn't expect Sun Ling to be even bolder. She directly knocked Lou Chang Xing unconscious and took him to her residence on Sword Peak.
"Uh... is there anything I need to prepare?" Seeing the interest in Bai Shengyi's eyes, Sun Ling smiled awkwardly.
It was because Chang Xing kept mentioning Sun Yun that she felt angry, so she had to resort to this plan.
Bai Shengyi didn't expose her and said with a smile, "No, you can wait outside for a while."
After Sun Ling went out, she skillfully used the Dragon Chasing Star Fire within her body to remove the Xingjin from Lou Chang Xing. Lou Chang Xing hadn't been affected by Xingjin for too long, and since it hadn't reached his dantian, Bai Shengyi resolved it quickly.
"Done! Just give him some pills that nourish the spirit and consciousness."
Bai Shengyi patted Sun Ling's shoulder, leaving the space to Sun Ling and Lou Chang Xing, and decided to look around.
She had never been to Sword Peak before, so she was a bit surprised to see that Sword Peak was formed by three peaks resembling sword bodies.
Sun Ling's residence was halfway up the mountain. Bai Shengyi walked around for a while and was about to return when she heard a familiar and arrogant voice.
"You're nothing special! You were praised to the heavens by Elder Ying Se, I thought you were a genius, but you can't even learn such a simple sword move! Trash! Useless!"
"You! If you have the ability, don't use these disciples as targets. Let's have a fair fight!"
Bai Shengyi didn't intend to meddle, but the voice that followed made her change her direction.
As she walked a few more steps forward, the scenery ahead seemed to open up suddenly, revealing a perfectly flat open space. In the clearing, several disciples wearing white robes of Sword Peak were tied to wooden stakes, with Chu Tianle and Li Yihui standing on either side.
However, Chu Tianle was injured, while Li Yihui held his chin high with a contemptuous expression.
Upon seeing Bai Shengyi, both of them changed their expressions.
"It's you!"
"Shengyi..."
Li Yihui glanced at Chu Tianle, who looked flustered and distracted with a complicated expression, and instantly understood.
"Oh! So the trash is lovesick! No wonder you're so embarrassing, truly disgracing the word genius!"
"Shut up!"
Chu Tianle's feelings were exposed, and he couldn't help but recall how he had helped Bai Murong for Li Shiqing. Enraged, he drew his sword and lunged at Li Yihui!
However, he had only recently switched from using a saber to a sword, and he was no match for Li Yihui's understanding of swordsmanship. Before long, he was subdued by Li Yihui and forced to kneel on the ground, with Li Yihui's sword resting on his neck.
Li Yihui said provocatively and arrogantly, "You don't believe me when I call you a useless piece of trash. You've fought so many matches, and I haven't seen you win once. I had a method for you to win, but you refused to listen, insisting on showing off in front of the beauty. Fine, I'll grant you your wish!"
A deep sense of humiliation emanated from his knees, but all of this was overshadowed by the suffocating feeling of being in such a state in front of Bai Shengyi.
Chu Tianle had always been spirited in front of Bai Shengyi. When had he ever been so controlled?
"If you have the guts, kill me! Li Yihui, otherwise, you wait for me to kill you!" Chu Tianle said fiercely, his eyes fixed on Li Yihui like a wolf eyeing its prey.
Li Yihui paid no attention to his threat. He was merely a discarded slave, likely never to leave the continent of Shenqi. In a few days, he would be returning, so how could he cause him trouble?
It was this little beauty, however, that he encountered again.
Li Yihui's eyes seemed to be glued to Bai Shengyi. He smiled and said, "Little beauty, I haven't properly thanked you for the medicine you gave me last time. We can consider ourselves acquaintances who met in battle. How about you let me accompany you on a tour of Sword Peak?"