Chapter 1698: Sisters

Chu Chuyan had been cultivating in seclusion at an annex, preparing for her agreed-upon battle with Qiu Honglei.

Today, hearing the commotion from the Golden Summit, she wondered what was happening. Soon, eager disciples rushed to inform her that Elder Peng of Kongming Island was actually an imposter from the Demonic Cult.

Chu Chuyan's exceptional beauty and ethereal, ice-like aura made her very popular within the Daoist sects. Consequently, several waves of disciples approached her, seizing the opportunity to strike up a conversation.

Upon learning the full story, she was astonished. It had never occurred to her that Qiu Honglei had arrived so early and had even triumphed through all rounds of the previous Daoist Grand Competition.

Realizing the situation at the Golden Summit, she could no longer remain in seclusion. She hurried over, arriving just in time to hear the recent exchange, and promptly volunteered to fight.

Seeing her arrival, Qiu Honglei's eyebrows rose, and a competitive spirit instantly flared within her. She stepped forward, about to accept the challenge.

At that moment, Yun Jianyue subtly blocked her path and said to Chu Chuyan, "Recently, Honglei has swept through your Daoist masters, defeating all of them. Had it not been for today's incident, she would likely have won the championship. If you want to compete, first defeat your fellow Daoist disciples and claim the first place yourself."

Although she wasn't fond of the 'Ice Stone Woman' (referring to Yan Xuehen), Yun Jianyue knew Yan Xuehen's capabilities. A disciple meticulously trained by her would undoubtedly be powerful, and Chu Chuyan herself was exceptionally talented. Their cultivation levels were likely on par, making the outcome uncertain if they truly fought.

She wasn't willing to gamble on such a 50/50 chance, especially since Honglei had been burdened by worldly affairs recently, and many of her skills had already been revealed in the previous rounds. Chu Chuyan, on the other hand, had been in seclusion, preparing for this very battle. Considering this imbalance, any mishap could spell trouble for both master and disciple.

Chu Chuyan frowned slightly, unsure how to respond at the moment.

At this point, Guan Chouhai said, "Niece Chu, we appreciate your good intentions, but eradicating demons and defending the Dao should first be handled by our generation. You can simply observe from the side."

He and Yun Jianyue were in agreement on this matter. In recent days, he had witnessed Qiu Honglei defeat the chief disciples of various sects, and even Wu Xiaofan, previously acknowledged as the foremost young talent in the Daoist world, had fallen to her. Although Chu Chuyan's cultivation was strong, she hadn't demonstrated a level superior to Wu Xiaofan's. If they truly fought, Chu Chuyan would likely lose more than win, so taking such a risk was out of the question.

Then Yan Xuehen spoke, "Demoness, the battle between Chuyan and your disciple was previously agreed upon by the Daoist and Demonic sects. Are you procrastinating because you're afraid?"

Hearing his dream lover speak like this, Guan Chouhai immediately became conflicted. Wouldn't his continued insistence displease her?

Yun Jianyue's phoenix eyes narrowed. "Ice Stone Woman, why would I be afraid?"

Even though she knew it was a provocation, she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

At this moment, Grandmaster Jianhuang said, "This old monk believes this is quite good. It was an agreed-upon match to begin with, and a loss or win between the younger generations will not harm relations."

He secretly sent a spiritual message to Guan Chouhai, telling him not to complicate matters further.

Guan Chouhai understood this logic, but having just been publicly ridiculed by Yun Jianyue, he found it hard to swallow his pride.

Li Changsheng then said, "This humble Daoist also agrees to this match. Niece Chu's cultivation is not weak; I imagine she is no weaker than the Demonic Cult's enchantress."

After all, he was also from White Jade Capital. With his endorsement, the others quickly chimed in their agreement.

The younger disciples, in particular, looked excited and eager. If it were a battle among the older generation, the level would be too high for them to discern much.

However, battles between the younger generation were different. Even if the cultivation level was higher than theirs, it was still within a discernible range. Witnessing such young masters fight would greatly benefit their cultivation.

Furthermore, setting everything else aside, a fight between a popular star like Chu Chuyan and a captivating demoness like Qiu Honglei would be a visual feast in itself.

Wan Tongtian, meanwhile, scoffed, "I don't care who fights whom. All I want is the safety of our Biyue Palace disciples. Demoness, if you hand over Niece Pei, I will not trouble you today."

Pei Mianman was Junior Sister Huoling's cherished disciple and also represented the future of Biyue Palace; nothing must happen to her.

Yun Jianyue chuckled, "Don't worry, someone who cares about her more than you do will rescue her. You needn't trouble yourself."

Everyone assumed she was referring to Master Huoling, but only a few insiders knew she meant Zu An.

As Yun Jianyue was about to say more, Qiu Honglei spoke, "Master, let me fight. This is my destined battle, and I won't disappoint you."

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Yun Jianyue understood what she was striving for. After a moment of hesitation, she finally didn't refuse her. "Alright, your master believes you will win back what you desire!"

Qiu Honglei's face flushed. Her master really had a big mouth; what would Chu Chuyan think if she heard that?

Across from them, Yan Xuehen's expression was strange. These young women seemed to have more courage when it came to love; it was truly enviable...

In contrast, Chu Chuyan's expression was calm. She slowly walked into the arena and said, "Sister Qiu, please!"

Qiu Honglei gave a charming smile. "Miss Chu, you're not necessarily older than me. Perhaps you should call me 'big sister'."

"We'll know for sure after a fight," Chu Chuyan replied, her face as cold as frost. She slowly raised the longsword in her hand.

The spectators in the arena were baffled. What was going on with these two women? In such a crucial match, why were they arguing about who was older?

Xie Daoyun, however, seemed to have an inkling, and couldn't help but glance at Zu An beside her.

Seeing his solemn expression, she thought, "Big Brother Zu must be very troubled right now. After all, on one side is his former wife, and on the other, a close confidante. Just thinking about it gives me a headache for him."

At that moment, with a phoenix cry, Qiu Honglei's twin blades were drawn. The two women stood facing each other, a major battle poised to erupt.

This time, there was no arena or any restrictive barriers, so disciples from all sects led their followers to retreat far away, avoiding collateral damage.

Qiu Honglei said with a smile, "Since this is your Daoist territory, and I am the guest, perhaps I should make the first move?"

Many secretly cursed the Demonic Cult enchantress for her shameless attempt to gain an advantage with words. Yet, they also understood, as this battle was truly significant.

They worried that Chu Chuyan, valuing her pride, might be manipulated. Fortunately, Chu Chuyan spoke, "A guest follows the host's convenience, but demonic evildoers should be exterminated by all. Offense intended!"

No sooner had her voice fallen than she lightly stepped with her lotus-like feet, and her graceful figure appeared before Qiu Honglei. Snowflakes danced around her, and the temperature across the entire Golden Summit seemed to drop by several degrees.

The longsword in her hand seemed to transform into an ice shard, striking directly towards Qiu Honglei's glabella.

"Hypocritical woman," Qiu Honglei sneered. With a twist of her waist, her entire body seemed to transform into a crescent arc of light, dodging the fatal blow.

Simultaneously, the two short blades in her hands emanated a chilling moonlight, carving out two strange arcs: one aimed directly at her opponent's throat, the other at her lower back.

The disciples watching the battle gasped. During the Daoist Grand Competition days ago, although the fights were intense, they mostly adhered to the principle of stopping short of harm, and attacks were generally quite courteous. It was rare for a battle to start with such a perilous situation.

Crucially, both combatants were delicate, peerless beauties. As they maneuvered and dodged, they appeared like celestial maidens descending to the mortal realm, so beautiful that it was impossible to look away, making observers even forget the hidden killing intent behind each move.

Witnessing their back-and-forth exchange, filled with life-or-death killing moves aimed at each other's vital points, Xie Daoyun couldn't help but widen her eyes. Were conflicts between the women around Big Brother Zu truly this terrifying?

For some reason, she suddenly felt a chill throughout her body. She unconsciously hugged her arms, her brows etched with worry and confusion.