Breakthroughs in the middle of combat weren't rare but they also weren't common. Sometimes, when a person was mired in a life-or-death battle, the will to survive would draw out all of their strength and desperation for one last struggle. Otherwise, it was usually because someone had already stayed at the threshold for a long time. The right trigger was all they needed to break through finally.
Long Yifei was the latter case. She reached the 10th Level of the Spirit Initiate Realm when she was twenty-nine. Now, she was thirty-four. It was a whole five years of cultivation without a breakthrough. The thrill of the tough duel combined with her comprehension of the higher stages of Winter's Snow Dance provided just enough impetus for her advancement.
"Very good! Fei'er, let's wrap up this duel!" Chen Wentian said.
"Yes, master!"
With a gust of chilling wind, the entire arena was covered by a powerful snowstorm. Nobody could see anything but they could still sense what was going on. Xuanyin Shujun no longer emitted any spiritual energy… because she had been completely encased in ice. She couldn't move, she couldn't fight back. What else could she do?
"We surrender." Her masked acolyte said heavily.
The bell rang to end the duel.
Long Yifei pulled back her ice art immediately afterward.
As the fog dissipated, the soggy, freshly-thawed figure of Xuanyin Shujun collapsed onto the ground. She had already expended most of her spiritual energy chasing Long Yifei around the arena. She had nothing to defend against the last attack. Her body could no longer hold on and she fell unconscious.
Her masked acolyte pulled her to him with spiritual force and wrapped her in a layer of warm cloth. He then carried her to the judge's table.
Chen Wentian, sensing something was about to happen, beckoned to Long Yifei who followed him over as well.
"Abbotess Zhang, I demand justice for my sacred daughter!" The masked immortal said. His voice was low but filled with unmistakable fury. "These two clearly cheated!"
"Who cheated? If you want to accuse people, you better have proof!" Chen Wentian retorted.
"Proof? My eyes are proof. There's no way Long Yifei could have so much endurance. Nobody had the 10th Level of the Spirit Initiate has so much spiritual energy to outlast Shujun at the Lesser Realm of Spiritual Growth. That's simply impossible!"
Chen Wentian laughed, "Don't say things are impossible just because you lack experience and have not seen the wider world. Such things are far from surprising. On the other hand, why was your sacred daughter's spiritual energy at the Spiritual Growth realm? If anyone is a cheater, then it's this dog couple. They obviously tampered with the special outfit. Everyone here sensed it. Don't dare deny it. Unless you want to tell me that everyone here has the spiritual sense of a muddy tadpole!"
"Enough!" Abbotess Zhang snapped. Her glaring eyes shifted from Chen Wentian to the masked acolyte, "Who cheated? Nobody cheated. This is the end-of-year examination for the Virtuous Order. If you two want to settle your grudges, take it elsewhere!"
Chen Wentian snorted derisively at her words. Such convenient words… nobody cheated? They weren't going to deny it no matter what happened.
"What a farce… Fei'er, let's go."
"Stop right there!" A gruff voice spoke behind.
Chen Wentian slowly turned around as a pillar of flames erupted around him, "If you want to fart, then fart quickly."
The masked immortal's spiritual aura also soared, "Don't think this is over. You'll pay for this."
Chen Wentian laughed, "And just who are you?"
"Immortal Scholar of Tombs Du Jun." The other replied simply.
Many people gasped at the name. Everyone cast their attention on the masked immortal as if he was someone they could not afford to miss.
Chen Wentian shrugged, "Don't know you."
He turned away and quickly walked away with Long Yifei, leaving a furious Du Jun and a stunned audience behind.
Chen Wentian and Long Yifei arrived at their usual side garden. He instructed her to take some recovery pills and meditate for a while to recover her strength. Although he had supplied almost all of the spiritual energy she used during the duel, she was still physically and mentally drained from the long ordeal.
As he was thinking about what to do in the meantime, another person arrived and interrupted them.
"Prioress Xuan, why do you keep following me?" Chen Wentian asked.
Xuan Xina frowned, "You don't know who Du Jun is?"
He beckoned to her so that they wouldn't disturb Long Yifei. They stepped out of the garden and into a small fountain terrace. They were still in a far corner of the campus so they were alone.
"I know who he is." He replied.
"Then why did you…" She scoffed, "You just wanted to piss him off? Why are you so ridiculous? Immortal Scholar of Tombs Du Jun, Crown Prince of the Sunken Empire of the East… is a far more dangerous person than that Yang Gehu you beat up before."
"I know. But would it make any difference if I acted scared and fawned over him like the rest?"
She hesitated before sighing, "No, it doesn't."
"Hmmm." Chen Wentian studied Xuan Xina and took a few steps toward her.
She was as beautiful as always. But a few hairs were out of place and she looked tired.
He took a few more steps until he was right in front of her and his nose was almost touching hers.
"You seem different," He said, "You're not as icy or feisty as yesterday. What changed?"
"Nothing." She mumbled, not meeting his gaze.
"Were you worried about me?"
"Worried? In your dreams."
He touched her narrow chin, lifting her face. Her shimmering eyes were filled with conflict and uncertainty. But they didn't have the disdain and coldness from last night.
"Were you berated by your abbotess for failing your mission?"
She bit her lips but didn't reply.
He chuckled, knowing he had guessed correctly, "Don't worry. You haven't failed your mission, yet. But you won't be able to succeed so easily either."
"You…" She looked up at him helplessly, "What do I need to do to convince you?"
Chen Wentian didn't reply but answered with a kiss. He hugged her tight and pressed her against him as he tasted her. This time, she only struggled a little. She didn't even try to bite him.
Smiling against her lips, he let his hands roam freely, caressing her slender back down to her small but perky buttocks. He gave them a good squeeze, making her gasp. Breaking the kiss, she glared at him.
He laughed, "Prioress Xuan, I'll think about your offer. But right now, I have to care for my sacred daughter."
He gave her butt a sharp slap and strolled away merrily, leaving a furious Xuan Xina behind.
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