The Awakening of Lin Wan’er

Though the current spectacle didn’t erupt into a full-blown clamor, whispers and murmurs certainly filled the air. Lin Mo, a figure of considerable interest, was the subject of everyone’s scrutiny; they yearned to witness the true capabilities of this direct disciple of the Sect Master, and, more pressingly, ascertain the truth behind the rumors of a chronic ailment sustained during her forceful breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. After all, this was the genius disciple whose recruitment had provoked none other than the Grand Elder and the Sect Master themselves into a heated dispute! Naturally, all eyes were eager to behold her rumored prowess. Yet, in this very moment, the eager anticipation that had gripped so many quickly dissolved into profound disappointment.

“What’s going on? This is the Sect Master’s direct disciple? This is simply an embarrassment to the Sect Master!”

“It’s true, just as rumored. She truly sustained injuries during that forced Foundation Establishment breakthrough, leaving her with a chronic ailment.”

“If you ask me, what Wei Qing said might well be true; this person is merely a charlatan, boasting an undeserved reputation. Perhaps that poison was secretly administered to Wei Qing during their previous encounter. Now, with the host overseeing the match, she can’t use poison, and thus, she’s utterly humiliated!”

“Exactly!”

As no one truly knew the truth, the topics of discussion multiplied, giving rise to increasingly outlandish and exaggerated speculations, conjured from thin air. Whispers circulated about her having bribed the Sect Master, or perhaps colluded with higher-ups to tamper with the testing stone, orchestrating a grand farce. Others speculated about a princess having somehow consumed her cultivation, leaving her weakened. A deluge of theories poured forth, and even if she could silence the immediate vicinity, she remained powerless against the distant, deceitful whispers. ‘How she wished she could silence those distant, foul-mouthed women whose words were nothing but hot air, yet the ceremonial stage was partitioned by a shimmering light barrier, isolating the combatants.’ This separation applied not only to the disciples but also to the masters observing the match. Harsh clamor and contemptuous whispers crashed against the arena like icy tidal waves, relentlessly assaulting the stage.

Meanwhile, beyond Mingxin Hall, within the main hall of the Xuan Nü Sect, others had gathered to observe the martial arts demonstration.

Elder Qing You’s lips curved into a trace of undisguised sarcasm.

Grand Elder Qing You’s lips curved into a trace of undisguised mockery. Turning her head slightly, her voice, though not loud, carried with chilling clarity to Mu Qingli, who sat not far away.

“Is this the brilliant disciple who cultivated after *Ming Jue Xuan Yin*, Acting Sect Master? With such a flimsy foundation, unable to withstand even a few blows from an inner-domain disciple, perhaps the problem lies with the cultivation technique itself?”

Mu Qingli sat composedly on her elevated seat, her expression serene, yet beneath the wide sleeves of her robes, her jade-like fingers were subtly clenched, her nails digging into her palms. Despite her inner turmoil, she found herself utterly unable to refute the words of that wicked woman, Qing You. Lin Mo’s performance moments ago had indeed been utterly dismal. Yet, it shouldn’t have been this bad. If all else failed, using her own Profound Yin Qi wouldn’t be out of the question; at worst, she could simply sneak in later to replenish it. What truly perplexed her was what could have possibly affected Lin Mo so profoundly. The projection currently hovering in the main hall wasn’t solely under her control. Every presiding elder wished to observe their newly accepted disciples, so the view shifted constantly. By the time the focus finally landed on Lin Mo, the display showed her being steadily overwhelmed, retreating step by step, before ultimately being knocked unconscious by a single punch. Now, however, she found herself utterly helpless; all she could do was place her trust in Lin Mo.

“Grand Elder Qing You truly is something else. If she channeled all this energy spent fabricating nonsense elsewhere, why would my family ever lack prosperity? A mere momentary lapse in decorum, and the Grand Elder spins such a dire tale. If her words could substitute for cultivation, claiming she possessed the ability to penetrate the nine orifices, wouldn’t she truly be unstoppable?”

As the two women exchanged veiled barbs openly, the others present chose to feign deafness, for such exchanges were hardly a novelty. They simply continued to observe the martial arts demonstration.

Upon the arena, a fervent battle intent that had previously animated Zhao Miaozhi’s scarred, dark complexion was now swiftly being supplanted by profound disappointment. She held her punching stance, her gaze fixed on the slumped figure at the edge of the arena, whose aura seemed to wane, her brows furrowed in a tight knot of displeasure. While the force behind her opponent’s hurried defenses had not been weak, the chaotic mental energy and disorganized counterattacks had been akin to a startled rabbit, flailing aimlessly; she could hardly be considered a worthy adversary.

“It’s over,” Zhao Miaozhi growled, a muffled sound escaping her throat, laced with both disdain and a touch of disappointment.

She strode forward, her massive frame casting an imposing shadow across the arena, completely engulfing Lin Mo. Her right fist rose once more, earthen-yellow, heavy spiritual energy coalescing at its tip, emitting a dull, resonant hum. She intended to utterly sweep this “Sect Master’s direct disciple,” a mere name without substance, from the stage, bringing an end to this utterly uninspired battle. The fist wind, sharp and biting, tore through the air, laden with monumental force, as it plummeted towards Lin Mo’s head!

Now!

Just as that pot-sized fist hovered mere inches from Lin Mo’s head, and the host herself prepared to intervene for a rescue—

Those eyes, which had been either tightly shut or clouded with bewildered confusion, snapped open with startling suddenness! There was no trace of anger, no hint of fear, nor the slightest anxiety to prove herself. Only an absolute tranquility and intense focus, like a deep spring surging silently beneath a layer of ice, radiated from her gaze. In her eyes, the entire world seemed to decelerate in an instant. The dust particles churned up by Zhao Miaozhi’s descending fist, the intricate weave of every muscle fiber in her arm, even the delicate undulations of the earthen-yellow spiritual energy under immense pressure… Every detail was imprinted with crystalline clarity upon her senses. There was no protective qi barrier, no flamboyant burst of spiritual energy. Lin Mo’s body seemed to transform into a weightless shadow. In the very instant the fist was meant to connect, with a seemingly minuscule yet exquisitely precise sidestep and twist, her body, as if boneless, slipped gracefully along the very edge of that incomparably ferocious punch. The fist grazed her hair and the hem of her shoulder, then slammed heavily onto the stone slab where she had been moments before.

“Boom—!” Stone fragments erupted, and a shallow crater marred the edge of the arena!

Zhao Miaozhi’s pupils constricted abruptly!

‘She missed?! Impossible!’

Astonishment pounded in her chest like a frantic drum. She possessed absolute confidence in her speed and strength; that punch, she knew, would shatter bones and tear tendons even for an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, let alone a distracted Qi Refining practitioner! How much more so for Lin Mo, this supposed cripple?

‘Was it mere coincidence?’

Zhao Miaozhi’s thoughts raced, but her movements remained unhindered; she launched another punch. Yet, a chilling aura surged! An icy chill instantly coiled around her arm! Her entire arm felt as though it had been plunged into a frigid abyss, the bone-chilling cold piercing deep into her marrow, accompanied by waves of intense, stinging pain! Even as Zhao Miaozhi forced her arm to swing, the punch was noticeably sluggish, hampered by the stiffness and bone-deep cold. A hand, cold to the very marrow, suddenly pressed against her lower abdomen! The piercing chill instantly penetrated her garments! Instincts honed through years of life-and-death struggles screamed a frantic warning! Beneath her, it was clearly Lin Mo, who had been utterly suppressed moments ago—

“No! This sensation of impending death couldn’t possibly be mistaken!”

Zhao Miaozhi abruptly slammed the brakes on her assault, recoiling backward with the feral grace of a wild beast!

“Screech—!”

Ghastly white ice crystals coalesced from thin air, and a spear tip tore through the frozen atmosphere with a sharp, explosive crack! A Profound Ice long spear erupted from the ground, narrowly grazing her rapidly retreating afterimage! Had she lingered there for another moment, her abdomen… would surely have been pierced! And… was Lin Mo’s spiritual energy truly so abundant? To instantly condense a massive spear nearly twenty feet long? And… her aura had changed. Zhao Miaozhi could sense it; gone was the previous disarray and hesitant confusion. Now, Lin Mo’s eyes were as clear as water. Her mind was free of distractions, calm as a still pond. This kind of opponent was the most formidable.

“Oh, my!” Lin Mo rose to her feet, scratching her head, a sheepish smile on her face. “I almost forgot, there’s so much spiritual energy can do. I was distracted by some trivial matters just now and didn’t perform well.” Lin Mo tapped her knuckles against the spear shaft, and the Profound Ice spear shattered instantly! Frost dust, like pale bone powder, diffused into the air, while frozen shards hovered above the Jade Terrace. She ascended through the icy mist, her robes and hair dusted with fine frost. She began to walk towards Zhao Miaozhi, the soles of her shoes crunching over the frozen layer, the creaking of cracking ice spreading through the dead silence. As she lifted her gaze, a chilling mist snaked along the ground, creeping towards Zhao Miaozhi’s ankles. “Could you grant me another chance, to truly fight a proper match? To let everyone see whether I, Lin Wan’er, am worthy of these four words: ‘Sect Master’s Direct Disciple’!”