After Breaking Off the Engagement, I Started Pursuing My Master-Chapter 25 - Eighty-seven peach blossoms

Chapter 25: Eighty-seven peach blossoms

Jiang Huai opened the bamboo-handled umbrella.

The rain in the mountains was fine and continuous, and Luo Qingyu huddled obediently under his umbrella. The umbrella wasn’t large, so they had to stand close together, while Chu Xianning walked indifferently in the rain, protecting herself with spiritual energy so that not a drop of rain could stain her.

Today was the last day of the elimination round.

Because of the rain, after Jiang Huai and Luo Qingyu sat down, Luo Qingyu used spiritual energy to shield them from the rain. Jiang Huai, having stayed up late craving Luo Qingyu’s watery eyes the night before, began to feel sleepy as soon as he sat down. He leaned his head on Luo Qingyu’s shoulder, lazily watching the competition below with half-closed eyes.

Wen Wanwan’s match was in the seventh round, and it seemed she was lucky, facing a female swordsman who ranked five hundred and ninety-second in the last inner sect competition. Although she won, she was still injured.

Jiang Huai was asleep; it was Luo Qingyu who shook him awake and whispered,

“That sister with the surname Wen is injured again.”

“Give her some healing medicine.”

Jiang Huai shook out a small medicine bottle from his storage ring.

Luo Qingyu obediently ran down and handed the healing medicine to Wen Wanwan. Wen Wanwan looked at Jiang Huai from afar, but saw him lying on the chair with his eyes closed, and for some reason, a sense of inexplicable loss quietly emerged in her heart.

“Brother Jiang Huai stayed up too late with me last night, so he’s very sleepy.”

Luo Qingyu seemed to have quietly noticed something and explained to Wen Wanwan, who responded softly, lowering her eyes, “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing, the friends of Brother Jiang Huai are also my friends,” Luo Qingyu replied with a smile, then hopped back to Jiang Huai’s side, allowing him to continue his nap on her shoulder.

It seemed the rain continued all day, and Jiang Huai slept nearly the whole day until his name was called in the evening. When he woke up, Luo Qingyu took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of his mouth.

Jiang Huai stood up, holding the umbrella as he walked slowly to the competition platform.

His opponent looked somewhat familiar, but Jiang Huai couldn’t remember who it was at the moment. He looked at the opponent’s slightly sinister eyes and was a bit dazed.

Ah? An enemy? He doesn’t seem to come with good intentions.

“Jiang Huai, long time no see,”

The person opposite him said with a bit of a grinding tone.

“Who are you…?”

Jiang Huai scratched his head.

“Three years ago, you came to my Alchemy Mountain to stand up for an outer disciple and broke my hand tendons. I remember it all!”

“Sorry, but who are you?”

Jiang Huai still couldn’t remember the other person’s name.

“Li Qiuyuan.”

The person opposite Jiang Huai, Li Qiuyuan, had undisguised hatred in his eyes. Hearing his name, Jiang Huai began to remember a bit. He was one of the people who had bullied Zhao Shi along with several other Alchemy Mountain disciples during a mission three years ago.

His brother is Li Qiusheng, and the two brothers are children of the master of Alchemy Mountain.

“So it seems you really hate me,” Jiang Huai said somewhat helplessly.

“Jiang Huai, you’ll soon know what it feels like to have your hand tendons broken.”

“Ah, okay, okay, go ahead and draw your sword.” Jiang Huai yawned.

He was still holding the umbrella, and the sound of raindrops hitting it could be heard.

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Qiuyuan’s cultivation aura was released, at the great completion of the Core Formation stage.

Jiang Huai didn’t want to waste words, but clearly, Li Qiuyuan had a lot to say. He walked step by step towards Jiang Huai, and with each step, the malice in his eyes deepened.

“For the past three years, every day I practiced swordsmanship with the thought that one day, I would trample you underfoot and let you also experience the taste of humiliation!”

“I thought you would become the only nightmare of my life, but I didn’t expect you to be ruined, to waste your cultivation for a bunch of foolish mortals. I know you have cultivated the Immaculate Golden Body, but even if you’ve perfected it, at most you’ll only have the combat power of Core Formation, while I… will steadily rise, and you can only look up to my pace, and then… deeply remember the humiliation I give you today!”

The sound of the rain seemed to become a bit noisy.

Jiang Huai didn’t respond, mainly because he didn’t know what to do for a moment. Having gotten used to being the elegant and amiable Eldest Senior Brother, he couldn’t bring himself to say any harsh words; it always felt so awkward.

Li Qiuyuan approached with his sword, the spiritual energy on the blade glowing faintly. This was a profound-grade spirit sword, which could cut through iron like mud with just a little spiritual energy.

“This is my profound-grade Cangyuan Sword, I wonder if your Immaculate Golden Body can withstand my sword?!”

With a roar, Li Qiuyuan drew his sword and slashed at Jiang Huai’s neck. Jiang Huai dodged, and for a moment, he felt a chill on his neck as the sword grazed it. He was still holding the umbrella in one hand and made a fist with the other, taking advantage of the moment when the opponent couldn’t swing his sword to block, he threw a left hook straight at his chest.

Jiang Huai silently stepped back, using the umbrella as a shield to avoid the blood that Li Qiuyuan spat out.

The blood on the umbrella slowly trickled down, and the rain quickly washed it away. He heard the sound of the sword again and once more sidestepped, looking at Li Qiuyuan in front of him, who was now bleeding from the mouth and looked like a madman.

Jiang Huai calmly put the umbrella back into his storage ring. As Li Qiuyuan swung his sword again, Jiang Huai stepped forward, using his hand as a knife to strike at his wrist. Li Qiuyuan’s wrist shook, and the sword fell to the ground, kicked away by Jiang Huai. Then he punched him in the chest again, and Jiang Huai faintly heard the sound of bones breaking.

“Come back!”

Li Qiuyuan raised his hand, activating his spiritual energy, and the spirit sword that Jiang Huai had kicked away returned to his hand. He mumbled an incantation with his mouth, and the blade burst into intense flames. The fire illuminated both of their figures, and steam filled the platform.

Li Qiuyuan surged his spiritual energy throughout his body, moving even faster than before, and his spirit sword turned red hot. Jiang Huai could no longer dodge as easily as before, and he frowned slightly, looking into his red eyes.

If it hadn’t been for his bullying of Zhao Shi back then, Jiang Huai wouldn’t have gone to Alchemy Mountain to seek justice. But it seems that people are like this, it’s okay to bully others, but not okay when others bully them.

So Jiang Huai still preferred to be alone.

Jiang Huai punched him in the chest again, actually holding back a bit with each punch because he wasn’t sure how strong his Immaculate Golden Body was at the moment. He was afraid that if he accidentally shattered Li Qiuyuan’s heart meridian, it would be difficult to save him.

It had barely been ten breaths since Li Qiuyuan had started his threats.

Li Qiuyuan spat out blood again, and his sword movements became erratic. Jiang Huai stepped back and finally spoke,

“Your swordsmanship is in disarray, continuing the fight won’t change the outcome.”

“Why?”

“Ah?”

“Why are you still so powerful even though you’ve already ruined your cultivation? Why do you have such talent and luck without doing anything!”

Jiang Huai sighed helplessly,

“I have good fortune, but why are you comparing yourself to me? From birth, you’ve enjoyed cultivation resources that most outer disciples will never have in their lifetime.”

“I never practice swordsmanship seriously, always lazing around and sleeping, but I can still beat you, and you can’t do anything about it. So what? Does it make you angry?”

Jiang Huai shrugged, taking advantage of his rage to knock the spirit sword from his wrist again. But this time, he held the sword in his hand, raised it to Li Qiuyuan’s neck, and said coldly,

“The victor is decided.”

The fog on the platform gradually dissipated.

Jiang Huai stood in the rain, once again opening the umbrella. His white clothes were slightly dampened by the raindrops, and Li Qiuyuan in front of him had already fallen to his knees. Jiang Huai had returned the spirit sword to him, and it lay beside him.

Li Qiuyuan raised his head, his chest bones shattered, the spiritual energy in his meridians in disarray, causing him to be unable to stand steadily, but the malice in his eyes remained undiminished.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

“Do you want it?”

Jiang Huai squatted down, propped the umbrella over his head, and took out a bottle of healing pills.

“My elder brother will avenge me.”

Li Qiuyuan stared intently at Jiang Huai in front of him, paying no attention to the healing pills Jiang Huai had taken out.

So, Jiang Huai felt perfectly justified in putting the healing pills away, saving a bit where he could.

“Alright, I’ll wait for him,” Jiang Huai softly agreed.

Li Qiuyuan’s brother was the top disciple of Alchemy Mountain, Li Qiusheng, ranked third in the inner sect, and at the great perfection stage of Core Formation.

Since there was nothing left to say, Jiang Huai walked off the stage with his umbrella. Luo Qingyu was waiting for him below. Seeing him descend, Luo Qingyu immediately rushed over, her delicate hand resting on his chest,

“Did Brother Jiang Huai get hurt?”

Jiang Huai shook his head, covering her with the umbrella.

“Nope, I’m fine.”

Relieved, Luo Qingyu returned with him to the spectator seats. Jiang Huai had had enough sleep, and now it was Luo Qingyu’s turn to rest her head on his lap. Jiang Huai began to peel peanuts, occasionally feeding one to Luo Qingyu until the elimination round was finally over. Several disciples who had lost had to fight in the revival matches, but Jiang Huai was not among them. The inner sect competition would resume in three days, with each person fighting three matches a day, several matches happening simultaneously.

Jiang Huai could finally rest properly for a few days.

Back in the courtyard, Jiang Huai suddenly remembered something. After coaxing Luo Qingyu to sleep, he returned to the courtyard where his master was practicing swordsmanship under the glow of the firefly stones, the rain shimmering brightly. Jiang Huai spoke softly,

“I’m going out for a bit and will be back later.”

Chu Xianning didn’t respond, just silently continued her sword practice. Jiang Huai left the courtyard.

......

The courtyard was drenched in a downpour.

Spring had slipped away unnoticed, and a sudden torrential rain enveloped the entire Tianxuan Sect.

Wen Wanwan’s body soaked in the open-air bath, the petals in the water scattered by the raindrops. Her body submerged in the water, the sword wounds from the day slightly ached.

The light from the firefly stones illuminated her translucent skin in the bath.

It was deep into the night, and she had been soaking for quite some time.

Usually, at this hour, she would have returned to her room to accompany her sister to sleep, but for some reason, she was reluctant to go back. The chilly rain made Wen Wanwan shiver.

Perhaps Senior Brother Jiang Huai didn’t come because of the rain.

Or maybe Senior Brother Jiang Huai was already asleep in Luo Qingyu’s embrace.

A sudden sourness welled up in Wen Wanwan’s heart. She put on a pale blue robe and returned to the pavilion in the courtyard, listening to the rain hitting the banana leaves, watching the raindrops fall on the bluestone slabs under the light of the firefly stones, blooming into rain flowers.

She began counting the fallen peach blossoms on the ground, reaching the eighty-seventh when there was a knock on the courtyard gate.