Chapter 312: Unintentionally Causing a Good Outcome

Snow crowned the tall buildings of the Heavenly Ranking, and scattered footprints marked the flat, soft snow.

Xiao Qiu dragged his spear, watching the person who passed him by.

He was already exhausted, feeling as if something heavy pressed down on his eyelids, making them want to close. Through the blurred scenery, a faint yet serious voice reached his ears, and the words "the fourteenth disciple of Sword Pavilion" struck him like thunder, temporarily scattering the pain and weariness that emanated from his body.

In recent months, too many major events had occurred in the world.

He was well aware that Sword Pavilion had accepted its fourteenth disciple. This was because when the eighth disciple, Zhan Si, left the pavilion and defeated him, it was specifically to issue Sword Pavilion's recruitment order for disciples. Later, Zhan Si departed half a month early because Sword Pavilion had found that disciple ahead of schedule.

In the past, though every disciple taken by the Sword Saint was a genius, none had ever caused such a stir. Many were curious about the identity of this fourteenth "sword."

But since then, Sword Pavilion had again retreated from the world. Even the defeat of the seventh disciple hadn't led to any follow-up. As many other major events unfolded, this matter faded into obscurity, and few people intentionally discussed it anymore.

Xiao Qiu hadn't expected to have the fortune of meeting this disciple today.

The disciple's attire was simple.

The person's black short hair fell smoothly to their neck, its edges as neat as a sliced watermelon, with the tips curling gently inward towards the cheeks in a graceful curve. The hair on their forehead was also neatly trimmed, slightly parted in the middle and swept to the sides, revealing a red cinnabar mark. On either side of their softly curved cheeks, two thin locks of hair hung down by their ears, making them look somewhat endearing.

They wore a broad black cloak, fastened at the center of the collarbone. The cloak hung straight, covering their ankles and gently sweeping the snowy ground at its lower edge, completely concealing their body.

After observing for a while, Xiao Qiu still couldn't determine their gender.

Although their demeanor and bearing were like that of a young nobleman, their face more closely resembled a young lady from a prominent family, strikingly spirited.

He didn't have much energy to try and identify them.

Physical exhaustion and the dissipation of his fighting spirit tormented Xiao Qiu. He held his spear, his steps unsteady, watching the disciple slowly ascend the tall building.

He knew that after today, news of the Sword Pavilion's fourteenth disciple appearing would spread throughout the Central Plains.

Originally, he was supposed to face this person... fighting two Sword Pavilion disciples consecutively was almost unprecedented and would have been a great honor, but now it had nothing to do with him.

Well, it was good... this matter could just happen to cover up his defeat.

Xiao Qiu smiled self-deprecatingly. He dragged his spear and, leaning on the staircase, slowly walked down.

"Oh, a young man just went upstairs and hasn't come down yet. He's probably broken his leg or is crippled. Now another young girl is going up. They're both just asking for trouble," said the little boy, who was translating inscription scrolls, in a precocious tone.

The little girl beside him looked at him, blinking.

This brother and sister practiced a cultivation method that reversed aging to childhood. This technique focused on reversing the natural cycle of spring and autumn; they only needed to revert to childhood four times to transform into true Nascent Souls and enter a new realm.

"Are you talking about the one who just passed?" the little girl asked.

The little boy nodded.

The little girl bit the end of her brush. "So that was a little girl! No wonder you were staring at her the whole time, big brother," she said.

The little boy shook his head. "No, I just thought she was a bit strange."

"Strange? What's strange about her?" the little girl asked.

The little boy said, "I don't think she's complete."

"Incomplete?" The little girl asked curiously. "But that older sister didn't seem to have any physical defects."

"That's what's strange," the little boy said.

"Oh," the little girl said. "I get it. Big brother means her life isn't complete; she's missing a partner, right?"

The little boy laughed helplessly. "You spend all day talking nonsense instead of cultivating properly."

The little girl paid him no mind. "Is this older sister also going to challenge Xiao Qiu?" she asked.

"Yes," the little boy said with a sigh. "Today is truly strange. Usually, this place is deserted, with no one coming, but today two people arrived all at once. It's quite a coincidence that both the little girl and the young man before her walked in similar ways."

The little girl thought for a moment and chuckled, "It seems people in this world who don't know their place are always similar. If they knew each other, they might even make a fated pair of lovers."

The little boy smiled, not responding. While these diversions piqued his interest, they were merely seasoning for his tedious life and wouldn't impede his path to enlightenment. He extended his chubby, somewhat childish hand and began to decipher and transcribe the revelations from the spiritual scrolls, one by one.

Just as the little boy was concentrating on writing, the little girl's scream rang out again.

"Big brother! Big brother!" she cried twice, her voice almost a shriek. Rubbing her eyes, she leaned on the window, her head sticking out, her gaze fixed on the distance. "Big brother, quick, look over there!" she exclaimed in shock.

"What's all the fuss about?" The little boy frowned, put down his pen, and looked in the direction the little girl was pointing.

He froze too.

In the various buildings of the Heavenly Ranking, people gradually turned their gazes to that spot.

A young man walked dejectedly towards the stairs. He carried his spear, but it seemed as heavy as a sluggish, hibernating python. He raised his head and looked ahead.

The winter sun was dazzling.

The person approaching was indeed Xiao Qiu.

People's gazes burned into him.

He could have chosen to rest and then depart by riding his spear, but he chose to confront his defeat directly.

"Big brother..." The little girl was stunned for a long time before finally snapping out of it. She looked at the little boy with a terrified expression and said, "He looks like Xiao Qiu."

The little boy nodded gently. His face seemed to be covered by a dark cloud.

"Xiao Qiu lost?" He couldn't believe it.

The little girl loudly exclaimed, "Of course he lost! Silly big brother, do you think he just came downstairs for some fresh air?"

"How is that possible?" The little boy knew Xiao Qiu's strength better than anyone, making it even harder to believe. Moreover... Xiao Qiu looked quite seriously injured.

This was unexpected by everyone.

The little girl made a long face and said, "Big brother, it seems we were both mistaken."

"Mm..." The little boy remained silent.

The little girl said, with hindsight, "I always thought he was amazing. Big brother, you really have no discernment."

The little boy muttered to himself, "Who... who exactly is he?"

The little girl asked, "Should I go ask Grandpa Constellation?"

Just as the little boy was about to nod, his peripheral vision caught something. He glanced towards the other end of the street and whispered, "Who's that now?"

The little girl looked over.

Inadvertently, a woman's figure suddenly appeared on the previously empty snowy path. She wore her hair in a high ponytail, a black and white sword-robe, and carried a broad, thick sword on her back. Her face was beautiful, but at first glance, one's gaze was drawn only to her sharpness, like a long-buried sword suddenly piercing through the snow.

"She is..." The little boy's expression was one of shock.

The little girl stared at the woman, scratching her head. "Her clothes look a bit familiar," she said.

"Clothes?" The little boy paused, then immediately saw a black sword emblem embroidered on her chest.

He had seen that sword emblem before.

When Zhan Si, the eighth disciple of Sword Pavilion, came, he also had the same emblem on his chest!

"Sword Pavilion?!" Wave after wave of shock crashed over his mind.

"No way!" The little girl's mouth fell open.

The little boy also couldn't believe it, but in this world, who would dare to put Sword Pavilion's emblem on their clothes?

A Sword Pavilion disciple...

If this was true, according to rumors, Sword Pavilion previously had three female disciples: the eldest senior sister, the second senior sister, and the tenth senior sister... Which one was this newcomer?

The little girl covered her head, feeling a headache. "What day is it today? Why is the Heavenly Ranking so unusually brilliant?"

The little boy didn't answer; he was deep in thought.

This newcomer was a Sword Pavilion disciple, but why hadn't she gone to challenge the ranks?

He suddenly remembered the little girl who had passed by earlier...

Could that little girl be...?

On the snowy street, Xiao Qiu, carrying his long spear, looked up and saw the tall and elegant figure on the street.

His brow furrowed more and more.

Then, he slung his spear onto his back and cupped his hands in a respectful bow towards the woman.

The woman accepted it calmly.

"May I ask which master you are?" Xiao Qiu asked.

The woman replied directly, "Sword Pavilion's second disciple."

Xiao Qiu said, "Greetings, Second Master. May I ask why someone of your stature has come to this place?"

The woman looked at him and said lightly, "You clearly know the reason, why pretend otherwise?"

The Second Master's words confirmed his guess.

She must have come to accompany that fourteenth junior sister...

"So that's how it is," Xiao Qiu nodded.

The woman looked at him, her brows slightly furrowed. "Among the younger generation, your cultivation is already top-tier. I didn't expect you to be defeated by my junior sister so quickly. It seems she is even more formidable than I imagined."

Her voice was soft.

But their conversation on the street reached everyone's ears.

A rumbling like thunder.

Sword Pavilion... Second Master... Junior sister? Everyone immediately understood.

So the graceful young girl in the cloak with short hair, who passed by earlier, was actually Sword Pavilion's fourteenth disciple, and this woman was none other than the legendary Second Senior Sister of Sword Pavilion, whose name was only ever heard!

What... what exactly was going on?

Defeated by the junior sister?

Only then did everyone remember that Xiao Qiu had come down after that young girl went upstairs.

Everyone immediately felt relieved. "No wonder," they thought. "How could that unknown, unremarkable young man possibly have beaten Young Master Xiao Qiu like this?"

So Xiao Qiu was defeated by a Sword Pavilion disciple...

Amidst the wind and snow, Xiao Qiu gently shook his head. He bowed again respectfully and sincerely said, "To answer Second Master, I did indeed meet your junior sister, but I... was not defeated by her."

Ning Changjiu defeated Xiao Qiu.

He brushed a light layer of dust off his clothes, sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall, and adjusted his breathing.

He won cleanly and decisively, using only four moves, proving much stronger than Zhan Si had been that day.

However, because he met every move head-on, his victory wasn't as effortless as it might have seemed.

Xiao Qiu was a master of the Eighth Purple Court, and at full power, the strength he displayed far surpassed that of his peers.

It was just unfortunate that he encountered Ning Changjiu.

Fragments of his memories fighting the Sinful Monarch were enough to let him overwhelm anyone who wielded a spear in the human realm.

Back then, beneath the Sinful Monarch's long spear, forged of lightning and piercing the sky, he had died countless times, only surviving by clinging to infinite power. Compared to that, Xiao Qiu's spear was no more than a gentle drizzle.

After adjusting his breathing, he slowly stood up, preparing to walk towards the top floor.

It was said that the Spirit of the Heavenly Ranking was there, and it would meet every challenger who claimed a spot.

Just then, Ning Changjiu's already relaxed mind tensed up again.

In his spiritual perception, he heard the faint sound of footsteps crunching on snow—someone was coming upstairs.

Could it be a new challenger?

He stared at the doorway, suddenly feeling a surge of unease.

At that moment, the short-haired girl had also reached the doorway. She seemed to sense something too, and her delicate brows furrowed beneath her fringe.

She stopped.

The two were separated by half a door.

Ning Changjiu stared at the doorway, waiting for the person to turn the corner.

The person hadn't arrived, but the cold wind first swept in with snow.

Snowflakes scattered chaotically.

The short-haired girl looked at the drifting snow, feeling increasingly uneasy.

She was accompanying her Second Senior Sister on travels throughout the Central Plains, gaining experience. Passing by the Heavenly Ranking, her senior sister, on a whim, told her to give it a try.

It was said that the current master of the Heavenly Ranking was someone named Xiao Qiu, who had good spear skills.

Only then did the girl remember the young man who had passed her earlier, walking down the stairs—that young man seemed to be carrying a spear on his back.

Could he have been Xiao Qiu?

The girl realized this belatedly.

If he was Xiao Qiu, then who was in the room now?

The girl suppressed the unexplainable surge of emotions in her heart and took a delicate step forward.

In Ning Changjiu's vision, amidst the swirling white crystals of snow, a patch of black clothing fluttered out like a cloud.

Ning Changjiu's heart stirred, and the Ashura within him let out a low growl. The growl was not hostile but nostalgic.

At the doorway, a figure cloaked in black blocked the wind and snow.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her features were delicate and graceful.

In the wind and snow, an old acquaintance arrived.

In the gambling dens of the Heavenly Ranking buildings, the thresholds were worn out from constant foot traffic.

Those who resided in the Heavenly Ranking were all great cultivators who prided themselves on their status, many even considering themselves scholars. But today, everyone seemed fervent.

Xiao Qiu, the chief disciple of the younger generation of the Profound Elixir Sacred Pavilion; the mysterious young man whose name was unknown; and the fourteenth disciple of Sword Pavilion—all were important figures, either renowned or shrouded in mystery. And the Sword Pavilion's Second Senior Sister, in particular, was truly outstanding throughout the entire Central Plains Divine Continent.

It was said that her cultivation realm was at least as high, if not higher, than that of the leaders of the other Eight Divine Sects.

Today, in the gambling den, this goddess-like woman sat on the second floor like an ordinary person. She cradled a famous sword, watching the bustling crowd below. Xiao Qiu stood beside her, his long spear on his back, his expression humble.

"Who was the young man who defeated you?" the Second Senior Sister asked.

Xiao Qiu replied, "I don't know him. He only said his name was Zhang Jiu, and he was from the Ancient Spirit Sect."

"Zhang Jiu... Ancient Spirit Sect?"

The Second Senior Sister had heard some things about the changes in the Ancient Spirit Sect, but she didn't care. Although there was a saying in the Central Plains about Sword Pavilion's four floors and the Eight Divine Sects, all eight sects combined weren't qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as Sword Pavilion. She alone, with a single sword, could defeat each of the Eight Divine Sect leaders.

Let alone a mere disciple from the Ancient Spirit Sect.

"Well, this young man..." Xiao Qiu thought for a moment, unable to find the right words, and finally said, "He's terrifying."

"Terrifying?" The Second Senior Sister quietly noted down the name.

But she didn't take it too seriously.

Xiao Qiu might lose, but her junior sister would not.

Because not only had her junior sister been trained by her, but she also had... Master.

When her junior sister first joined the sect, Master had made an exception, breaking seclusion to see her, personally anointing her and bestowing the true ancient legacy of Sword Pavilion upon her.

Thus, within a few months, this young girl continuously broke through realms at an astonishing pace.

Moreover, each of her cultivation realms was extraordinary.

That unknown young man named Zhang Jiu might have some skill...

...The Second Senior Sister could already imagine the scene of the young man, having endured for years, finally achieving fame in a single day. What a pity, though, that he had met her junior sister.

The Second Senior Sister stood up and walked downstairs.

"Is Second Master also going to gamble?" Xiao Qiu asked.

The Second Senior Sister said, "Wan'er is sure to win, why wouldn't I gamble?"

"Wan'er?" Xiao Qiu immediately realized that was the young girl's name.

But the young girl seemed so cold and aloof; the name didn't suit her at all.

The Second Senior Sister smiled slightly. "Liu Xiwang, that's the name I gave my junior sister. Soon, she will be a famous figure in the Central Plains."

Xiao Qiu pressed his lips together, his face grim.

In the past, if Sword Pavilion's Second Master had appeared before him, he would have been utterly deferential. He wouldn't have doubted a single word she said.

But today he had experienced the most profound defeat, making him exceptionally calm.

Most importantly, he had terrifying confidence in the young man who had defeated him.

"Second Master, don't go," Xiao Qiu suddenly said.

The Second Senior Sister asked, "Why?"

Xiao Qiu kindly advised, "Sword Pavilion is a sacred land in the Central Plains; I hope Second Master will prioritize Sword Pavilion's reputation."

The Second Senior Sister paid no attention.

People from Sword Pavilion had always been arrogant, especially her.

She unfastened her treasured sword and placed it as a wager on her junior sister's victory.

The gambling den fell silent.

The girl stood at the doorway, looking at the familiar white clothes inside the room, feeling a sense of unreality.

"Ning..." she softly began.

Cold wind, mixed with snowflakes, swept past her cheeks.

Ning Changjiu also looked at her.

He also hadn't expected that the two of them, separated for more than half a year, would reunite in such a way.

"'You'? We're not strangers; why use formal address?" Ning Changjiu replied with a slight smile after a moment of surprise.

The familiar tone...

The girl, perhaps recalling some past events, suddenly grew annoyed, her youthful face turning cold. "Ning Changjiu, long time no see!" she said icily.

Ning Changjiu looked at her hair, which had originally been grayish-white but was now a rich black, and asked, "Did you still cut your hair yourself?"

The girl took a deep breath.

Why was this person still like this? As soon as he opened his mouth, he asked such irrelevant questions...

"Yes," the girl said, looking at him. "Does it not look good?"

Ning Changjiu listened to her tone and smiled faintly. "So you chose to be a little girl."

The girl's expression stiffened, her face immediately turning icy cold. Her voice was stern: "You're the little girl! I am a dignified man!"

"Oh, really?" Ning Changjiu sized her up.

Her attire was simple: neat short hair, delicate and graceful features, and her body was completely hidden under the cloak, concealing any curves.

The girl said, "Are you also here to challenge the rankings?"

Ning Changjiu nodded. "Yes, I have urgent business. Why have you come?"

The girl's expression turned resentful. "My senior sister made me come."

"Senior sister?"

"Yes, Second Senior Sister. She was bored at Sword Pavilion and insisted on traveling around. So she used the excuse of taking me for experience to see the winter scenery. Passing through here, she told me to give it a try," the girl said with a sigh.

Ning Changjiu said, "Your senior sister is truly carefree."

"Indeed," the girl said.

Ning Changjiu looked at her clean, pleasant features and said, "You actually became a Sword Pavilion disciple?"

"Yes, I was being hunted by the Slaughter Imperial Court, and Sword Pavilion saved me," she explained.

Ning Changjiu said, "Back in Broken Realm City, didn't you say that if you weren't trapped in my body, you would have already slaughtered everyone?"

The girl frowned.

She couldn't understand why this person's words were always so infuriating.

He never remembered good things, but when it came to embarrassing revelations, he remembered them clearer than anyone.

"Hmph, if it weren't for me, you would have died countless times already. Not only are you ungrateful, but upon our reunion, you provoke me with words..." The girl said coldly, "Indeed, you're an ungrateful wretch. It seems I was right to leave you back then."

Ning Changjiu smiled, noncommittally. He said, "Why are you still standing at the door? Come in and sit down."

The girl let out a cold, soft hmph from her delicate nose and slowly walked inside.

"How have you been recently?" the girl asked casually, out of politeness.

Ning Changjiu said, "No different from back in Broken Realm City, constantly full of ups and downs, without a moment's rest."

The girl said, "With your disaster-prone constitution, sooner or later, you'll be struck dead by five bolts of thunder on a rainy day."

Ning Changjiu said with a wry smile, "We've fought side by side for so long; we have some friendship, after all. Why must your words be so harsh?"

The girl rolled her eyes at him and said, "Weren't you the one who tricked me into this in the first place? If I weren't bound to the same fate as you, I wouldn't care if you lived or died."

Ning Changjiu looked at the girl, who sat ramrod straight, her slender neck elegant, her face cold. He asked, "You're already inside; why are you still wrapped in such a thick cloak? What, do you think I'm too weak and want to give me a handicap?"

The girl said coldly, "What I wear is none of your business. You're not Shao Xiaoli, to be manipulated by you every night."

"..." Ning Changjiu sighed, "Fortunately, my wife isn't here, otherwise, after a comment like that, I wouldn't have any peace for days."

"I don't care if you have peace or not," the girl said flatly, her hands clasped over her cloak.

As soon as she finished speaking, she remembered something else and immediately asked, "Oh right, after you left back then, did you go see Lu Jiajia or Zhao Xiang'er first?"

Ning Changjiu was speechless, thinking, *Didn't you say you don't care about me? How do you remember Jiajia's and Xiang'er's names so clearly?*

"I went to see Jiajia first," Ning Changjiu said.

"Mm." The girl looked at him, nodding with satisfaction. "It seems you're quite obedient after all."

Back then, she and Blood Feather Lord had endless debates about the rightful empress, with her firmly supporting Lu Jiajia and Blood Feather Lord being a proponent of Zhao Xiang'er.

Ning Changjiu looked at the crimson mark between her brows amidst her beautiful hair and chuckled, "You look quite cute now."

"Shut up!" The girl spoke icily. "I am a dignified man! Don't disgust me with your vulgar words."

Ning Changjiu folded his hands into his sleeves, nodding approvingly. He asked, "Then, my iron-blooded sir, what is your name?"

"My name is Liu Xi..." The girl was about to speak.

Her current name was Liu Xiwang.

This was the name given by her Second Senior Sister. Second Senior Sister's surname was Liu, and she hoped the girl would be less cold and more gentle, so she gave her this name.

But this name sounded like something for a little girl; how could she possibly say it aloud?

It needed to be tougher, more masculine...

Liu Xiwang paused slightly. After a brief deliberation, she stared at Ning Changjiu and said aggressively, "My name is Liu Xitian! As in, Liu Xitian who sends you to the Western Heavens!"

"Oh..." Ning Changjiu slowly nodded and asked, "Liu, as in 'unintentionally planting a willow'?"

If it were Lu Jiajia, she might have hesitated for a moment, but the Sword Spirit Liu Xiwang had been in his body for so long; how could she not know his vulgar thoughts?

"Ning Changjiu!" Liu Xiwang suddenly stood up and declared, "I've disliked you for a long time!"