Chapter 83: Chapter 18: The Background Intelligence of Senior Sister An (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch Chenlun Shengge for the additional chapter)
As is known to all, the drawing of lots for the Shushan Martial Arts Competition is entirely random.

The fact that Ling Yunpo faced off against Duan Fenhai so early on was a result of the Sect leadership’s random outcome.

However, the final result of the sword fight shocked the vast majority.

The oddity was that, owing to the “Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains” which prevents the probing of Divine Sense, most people had no way of knowing exactly how Ling Yunpo defeated Duan Fenhai.

Until now, Ling Yunpo’s historical sword-fighting record, excluding bouts against Lou Zhizheng and Duan Fenhai, has been one of instant kill.

Lou Zhizheng has fallen, and according to private accounts from Ziyun Peak, his wounds appear to be traces caused by lightning.

This assertion was also confirmed by Duan Fenhai’s side.

Although he himself had not uttered a word, the fact that his Starry Sky Iron Sword was directly blasted away and severely damaged was something that countless spectators had witnessed with their own eyes.

The Life-bound Sword Artifact is intrinsically linked to the Sword Master’s Qi and Divine Soul, and as long as it is not completely broken or damaged, it can be repaired.

And according to the Armament Pavilion servant responsible for repairs, the Starry Sky Iron Sword, which was damaged at its core, was indeed harmed by lightning magic.

The two Immortal Swords used by Ling Yunpo are no secret, one of which seems to be the legendary Green Duckweed Sword, and judging by the “Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains” Forbidden Technique, it is deduced to be Tenth Rank of the Water System.

The other Flying Sword had never been seen in this world before. Its power of lightning, it seems, must be related to this Flying Sword.

At that moment during the competition, someone took note of its external features and later went to the Armament Pavilion to consult the “Compendium of Arms Under Heaven”.

The results finally indicated that it was indeed an ancient Flying Sword from Kunlun.

The so-called “ancient Kunlun” refers to the remnant forces left in the Kunlun Mountain Range between roughly nine thousand to eight thousand years ago, after the fall of the Clarify Cult, which is the forerunner of today’s Kunlun Taiqing Sect.

According to historical records, the sword is called “Nine Heavens Thunder Execution Sword”, a Flying Sword used by the True Person Pu Hua of ancient Kunlun. Reportedly, it was forged from Western Geng Metal gathered from the Extreme West and smelt at the golden summit of Kunlun Heavenly Pillar with thunder for eighty-one days.

As is widely known, the Heavenly Stem Sword Casting Method did not emerge until after the fall of the Clarify Cult. Before that, all Flying Swords were Immortal Swords.

Overwhelmingly powerful swords like the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword could destroy heaven and earth in the hands of immortals; the weaker ones like the Starry Sky Iron Sword could be wielded by Foundation Establishment Rank novices pecking at each other.

Therefore, the strength disparity between Immortal Swords can be enormous, with no quantitative standards for judgment.

The so-called “Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword” in the folk is nothing more than a jest.

As for this Nine Heavens Thunder Execution Sword, the records did not specify if it’s “particularly powerful,” but judging from Ling Yunpo’s performance in these several bouts, its Daoist Magic is formidable enough to be considered upper-mid-level among Tenth Rank Flying Swords.

While it is an object of envy, considering the fate of Lou Zhizheng from Ziyun Peak, and now Ling Yunpo’s defeat of Duan Fenhai, it has been proven that he is not a pushover.

So, in the subsequent sword-fighting matches, the opponents Ling Yunpo drew not only were those who did not make it onto the Immortal Sword Ranking but also immediately conceded without hesitation upon taking the stage, not even giving him the chance to draw his sword.

Knowing this was again the result of the “random” selection by those above, Ling Yunpo sighed in his heart.

When I feigned weakness before, they arranged for a strong opponent to assassinate me; now that I’ve shown a hand and proved my strength, they only send up these incompetents to fight me, don’t they want to give me a chance to establish my power?

They really have gone to great lengths, these people…

With this in mind, Ling Yunpo felt somewhat disheartened again.

Shushan Shangqing Faction, the internal atmosphere of this Sect is quite somber indeed.

The lower ranks are openly combative while the upper echelons engage in subtle machinations. Can one truly achieve immortality by practicing with these vermin?

Hmm, but on second thought, the other two factions, Kunlun Taiqing Sect and Penglai Yuqing View, are not necessarily harmonious sanctuaries either.

Let’s not talk about Kunlun, where two of my senior brothers still lie dead in the Pavilion Secret Realm.

Penglai is mainly characterized by numerous independent peaks, each guarding their own turf, thus the atmosphere is much more peaceful.

Even so, Luo Yan was truly enlightened by some of the inner secrets and scandals of the Sect mentioned by senior brother Linghu Chu when he was drunken.

Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes; this saying is indeed a most profound truth.

After today’s sword-fighting event ended, An Zhisu took Ling Yunpo back to the Qingluo Peak pavilion, descended from the sky by the gleam of the sword, and said:

“By the way, junior brother.”

“`

“You’ve taken the second seat on the Immortal Sword Ranking, we must tell Master of this joyous news.”

Ling Yunpo was shocked and lost for words. What, Master has left seclusion?!

He followed An Zhisu, passing through the outer hall of the Daoist temple, the corridor, the inner chamber, and the secret room, arriving within the depths of the rock belly deep in Qingluo Peak.

An Zhisu knelt down on a meditation cushion, and Ling Yunpo also took an old cushion covered in dust from a shelf nearby.

Then he knelt down in the same manner.

An Zhisu brought her hands together in prayer, closed her eyes and whispered a prayer, her lips slightly moving as if she truly was communicating with Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, who was in closed-door cultivation behind the stone wall.

Ling Yunpo glanced out of the corner of his eye at Senior Sister An and followed suit, bringing his hands together and pretending to pray with closed eyes.

As expected, there was no response.

An Zhisu silently uttered her prayers in her heart, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

Ling Yunpo noticed that Senior Sister An’s eyes were actually smaller than Junior Sister Xu’s, but her surprisingly long eyelashes made her eyes seem bright and expressive.

Her figure was also more graceful and enchanting…

It is said that the cultivators of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, irrespective of gender, mostly have slender and well-proportioned bodies, with few robust men or tall figures.

In the Shushan Shangqing Faction, perhaps due to the emphasis on root bone, there are many tall and strong male cultivators, and the female cultivators often also have outstanding figures, tall and statuesque.

However, probably worrying that it might affect the speed of drawing their swords, at least Ling Yunpo had never heard of any fellow disciples having a Daoist Companion.

If there were any, they would be secret Daoist Companions, certainly inconvenient to make known to others.

Fortunately, Senior Sister An was still single.

Ling Yunpo, who spent day and night with her, could confirm this for certain.

After finishing her prayer, An Zhisu stood up and signaled for Ling Yunpo to follow her and leave.

Ling Yunpo thought silently: So we really just came to “inform Master” huh…

As for whether Master can hear us or not, we just don’t need to worry about that, right?

Ling Yunpo, laden with thoughts, followed his Senior Sister out from underground, and it was only after returning to the Daoist temple that he spoke:

“Senior Sister, how much longer will Master need to continue his seclusion?”

“I don’t know,” An Zhisu shook her head, “but it shouldn’t be too long now.”

“Did Master speak to you just now?” Ling Yunpo asked tentatively.

“No,” An Zhisu blinked and mysteriously said, “But I believe that Master will leave seclusion soon. This is your Senior Sister’s intuition.”

Ling Yunpo was left speechless.

Damn intuition, Senior Sister, you’re not a cultivator skilled in art calculation, where does this intuition come from?

The two of them came to the pavilion behind the Daoist hall, sitting for a while beside the clear spring.

Ling Yunpo pointed to the inscribed stones across the stream and laughed:

“There are two lines of poetry written there; I wonder who wrote them.”

“It must have been Master,” An Zhisu casually remarked.

Ling Yunpo: ?

No way, that Shushan’s top killer Su Jian, actually has such tender feelings as ‘This sorrow is endless and without reprieve’?

“What kind of person is Master?” Ling Yunpo asked cautiously.

“Master,” An Zhisu also revealed a somewhat sad smile, speaking softly, “to me, he’s like a father.”