506: Breaking Legs
Shock, frustration, incomprehension... various emotions instantly filled Jiang Mo's heart.
It wasn't that she envied talent or felt there was anything wrong with her Senior Sister leveling up quickly. She simply couldn't fathom how the other's advancent could be so rapid—calculating the ti, this was only the fifth day of her ti-limited task. She had painstakingly scraped together points and barely managed to gain one level, yet in the sa tifra, her Senior Sister had consecutively gained two levels!
Jiang Mo couldn't understand it. How could a Fusion-stage cultivator's cultivation speed be so fast? Even with her system to cheat, she couldn't achieve this, yet her Senior Sister had effortlessly surpassed her despite her system advantage.
"System, tell , are you so kind of counterfeit product? Or perhaps an outdated version that's been phased out?" Jiang Mo asked hazily, unable to resist questioning the system in her mind.
The suddenly questioned system: "???"
The system had no idea what had happened, but the host's doubts left it quite dissatisfied. It imdiately retorted: "Nonsense! The system is newly manufactured, a new model, generated through proper channels. Absolutely not so counterfeit, shoddy system." After finishing, still indignant, it added: "Host, if you continue to defa , the system can file a complaint against you!"
Jiang Mo hadn't realized the system could actually complain about its host and didn't know what consequences such a complaint might bring. However, she had no ntal energy for such concerns now, still utterly perplexed: "Fine, fine, if you're not a counterfeit piece of trash system, then what's with these tasks you issue? I work hard completing tasks and farming points, yet only gain one level, while my Senior Sister has gained two levels in the sa ti!"
Most importantly, she knew very well that her Senior Sister hadn't encountered any special opportunities lately or consud any precious treasures. In fact, due to recent events, she hadn't even been able to focus on cultivation as before.
Yet her Senior Sister's cultivation had still improved, rising as if propelled by a rocket.
Hearing Jiang Mo's accusations, the system finally took a mont to scan Yun Qingyue, and seeing the glaring Level 76 above her head, it couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. After remaining silent for a while, it provided an answer: "Geniuses and ord... average people are simply different species. Host, you should have self-awareness and not randomly seek comparisons."
Listening to the system's seemingly heartfelt advice, Jiang Mo paused: "System, were you about to call useless or trash just now?"
The system obviously faltered, then wisely began flattering her: "Nonsense! The system is bound to the host precisely because the host is exceptional. An eighty-sothing-year-old Fusion-stage cultivator is absolutely a young talent in the cultivation world!"
Jiang Mo heard the system's final hesitant "right?" and sohow felt it sounded mocking. She was about to say sothing more but was interrupted by the stuttering system before she could speak: "Host, are you sure you want to keep chatting with the system? Senior Sister, Senior Sister has been waiting for you a long ti. She, she's drawn her sword..."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo was startled alert. Looking up, she indeed saw that her Senior Sister had raised her glassy sword embryo.
……
When Yun Qingyue proposed a match, it wasn't a joke—she was very serious and solemn. If even Jiang Mo had noticed her rapid cultivation progress, she herself was naturally more aware. Unlike Jiang Mo's belated realization, as the person directly involved, she had discovered her breakthrough imdiately. The first ti was due to "dual cultivation" with Jiang Mo, and this ti... should also count as a result of dual cultivation, right?
Having cultivated for over a hundred years, apart from her atavism, Yun Qingyue's cultivation had almost always advanced step by step, built on solid practice. She was very clear about her solid foundation and equally clear about each successful step in her cultivation.
This ti was different. The rapid growth in cultivation didn't bring Yun Qingyue joy; instead, it gave her an unreal feeling, like flowers in a mirror or the moon in water.
Of course, setting aside that type of dual cultivation the two had practiced together before, true dual cultivation actually involved many thods. For instance, extracting yin to supplent yang, extracting yang to supplent yin, extracting yin to supplent yin, extracting yang to supplent yang—various forms of extraction were utterly commonplace in the cultivation world.
Yun Qingyue was a proper person and naturally hadn't learned such techniques, but... considering she had been with Jiang Mo last night and suddenly found her cultivation had increased this morning, how could she not overthink? She hadn't noticed this upon waking, only discovering her substantial cultivation progress while out on patrol, which led to a day filled with anxious thoughts.
Today, while patrolling past the Harmony Sect's temporary residence, Yun Qingyue had even considered whether to consult with professionals from the Harmony Sect. But in the end, her thin skin prevented her from asking.
Until she returned to Purple Cloud Peak with a heart full of concerns, she suddenly had the idea to spar with Jiang Mo—if she had inadvertently absorbed the other's cultivation, knowing Jiang Mo's personality, she definitely wouldn't tell her. But a decline in cultivation couldn't be hidden. As long as they fought once, she could roughly guess the other's current state.
Yun Qingyue had her own calculations, but before they could even begin fighting, Jiang Mo's distracted state caused her heart to sink heavily.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Jiang Mo didn't know the extensive considerations behind her Senior Sister's duel proposal. She simply instinctively felt that she couldn't win this match—whoever heard of anything good coming from beating one's wife? Besides, her Senior Sister's magical techniques were profound, and as a sword cultivator with explosive combat power, she was originally more formidable. With both at the sa level, even if she wanted to win, how could it be so easy?
After much hesitation, unable to see any positive outco, Jiang Mo cautiously asked: "Can we not fight?"
Yun Qingyue's heart sank further, her expression unconsciously cooling: "No."
Seeing this, Jiang Mo imdiately dared not say more, stamring: "Then, then shall we fight outside? Both holding back, stopping at just a touch—don't damage the flowers outside." She added in a small voice: "I would be heartbroken."
Yun Qingyue initially suspected Jiang Mo was covering sothing up, but hearing the last sentence, her furrowed brow finally relaxed. Not caring whether the other was concerned about the flowers or the person, she nodded: "Alright, let's spar outside."
The two walked out of the small house and looked around. The top of Purple Cloud Peak was completely filled with purple cloud flowers planted by Yun Qingyue herself. Clearing a space wouldn't be difficult, but with Jiang Mo wanting to restrain her power to avoid harming these flowers and plants, she naturally wouldn't want to clear the entire flower sea. So with tacit understanding, the two flew into the air, exchanged a glance, and simultaneously made their moves.
Though the two had spent many years together and faced countless opponents, they had never truly sparred with each other.
This rare duel proposed by Yun Qingyue began with both holding back. Yun Qingyue held an unrefined glassy sword embryo, and seeing this, Jiang Mo also mobilized her spiritual energy to form a long sword. They exchanged probing strikes back and forth.
Although Jiang Mo hadn't dueled much with her Senior Sister, she had always watched from the side when her Senior Sister practiced swordsmanship. If nothing else, she was thoroughly familiar with her Senior Sister's sword techniques. Thus, without employing sword intent, their exchange of blows seed more like feeding moves to each other. As they continued, rather than displaying fierce killing techniques, there was instead a sense of affection between them. Uninford observers might have thought they were flirting.
Jiang Mo found this quite pleasant. Taking advantage of a sword clash, she suddenly drew close, almost face-to-face with her Senior Sister across their two swords. In the hazy moonlight, the other's figure was reflected in her golden pupils, inexplicably enchanting to lovers.
Yun Qingyue's gaze flickered slightly, not unaware of the gradually floating ambiance around them. However, when she proposed this duel today, it truly wasn't to flirt with Jiang Mo. Continuing like this would be completely aningless. So she employed sword shadows for the first ti. As spiritual energy was expelled from the glassy sword embryo, it imdiately forced back the approaching person.
This wasn't all. The fierce sword energy rushed straight forward, and caught unprepared, Jiang Mo only managed to slightly tilt her head. The sword energy left a shallow mark the length of a finger on her cheek, with a drop of fresh blood and a strand of hair drifting down together.
With a hiss, Jiang Mo's expression changed slightly, not from pain but from shock.
Yun Qingyue's gaze inadvertently glanced at the falling strand of hair, her furrowed brow seeming to reveal a trace of regret, though it vanished before anyone could notice. Her voice was cool and serious: "Fight properly."
Jiang Mo felt sowhat wronged, pouting, but didn't dare continue to be perfunctory. When she engaged again, her techniques were obviously more fierce.
The two began to fight seriously. Though not to the death, they no longer held back excessively. Wounds gradually appeared on both their bodies, each more severe than the scratch on Jiang Mo's face, yet neither stopped.
Perhaps they had worked up their fighting spirit, or perhaps it was the exhilaration of eting a worthy opponent. The two fought more and more intensely. Initially, they had said they would restrain their power to protect the flower sea, but as the fight progressed, both forgot. White and golden spiritual lights clashed at the top of Purple Cloud Peak. The aftershocks of their battle not only flattened the peak but also alard all the cultivators on Purple Cloud Peak.
Given the special circumstances recently, with Xuanqing Sect striving to maintain internal peace, such a commotion from their duel naturally quickly alerted the sect's higher-ups. By coincidence, Peak Master Qingyu arrived and intervened to stop their duel.
By then, both were injured, but as Yun Qingyue withdrew, she still didn't forget to say: "I concede."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Mo didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Then, seeing Peak Master Qingyu who had intervened, her scalp suddenly tightened—terrible, she had just "eaten" soone's daughter, and now was caught by her mother-in-law "beating her wife." Wouldn't she get her legs broken?
Peak Master Qingyu looked at the two, initially thinking they had quarreled and thus fought fiercely. But now, hearing her disciple say she conceded, she imdiately understood the situation. As one who had been fard for points, she didn't think this was a big deal—two juniors sparring to learn from each other wasn't significant. But why did Jianbing look so guilty? Could there be sothing she didn't know?
Thinking of this, Qingyu's gaze toward Jiang Mo suddenly beca sharp as she asked, knowing the answer: "What's going on with you two?"
Already feeling guilty, Jiang Mo beca even more so with her mother-in-law's questioning. Fortunately, as she stamred, Yun Qingyue stepped forward voluntarily to answer for her: "Master, it's nothing. We were just having a match."
Qingyu stared at her disciple for two seconds. Seeing her firm expression and obvious protective intent, she decided not to pursue the matter further.
Just then, a night breeze blew past, lifting Yun Qingyue's hair...
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