Chapter 122: Attending the Sword Tournament
“Senior Brother, teach me swordsmanship.”
What Yu Le had said to Master Qin Haoran wasn’t entirely false. Living on Hanya Peak, his senior brother could indeed guide him.
In the way of the sword, Mo Cunzhi was a genius.
While their fellow disciples were still practicing basic sword techniques from the library, he had spent twenty uninterrupted years honing his sword on the cold cliff, discovering a sword technique perfectly aligned with his nature.
His swordsmanship expressed everything he suppressed internally and unleashed outwardly.
The internal suppression of violent tendencies, the external cold and cutting winds—beneath the overwhelming intent to kill lay boundless desolation and loneliness.
This had nothing to do with the immortal or demonic paths; it was an independent cultivation of the way of the sword.
Thus, in the original storyline, after his descent into madness, he effortlessly stirred up chaos in the demonic path, standing against the protagonist Chang Que and even briefly overpowering him.
Yu Le considered himself a genius too. As long as he wanted to learn, he could surpass anyone.
Mo Cunzhi wasn’t someone who kept his talents to himself. Since his junior brother was eager to learn, he taught him with even more dedication.
The same sword technique, when wielded by different people, would manifest in different ways, also reflecting the wielder’s personality to some extent.
Thus, Mo Cunzhi’s sword technique, filled with loneliness and brutality, transformed into something unpredictable and elusive in Yu Le’s hands.
On Hanya Peak, the lone figure wielding a sword year-round became two. Their exchanges were often long and drawn out, not fierce but rather unsettling in their stalemate.
Mo Cunzhi had never faced such an opponent before. Yu Le’s swordsmanship was ever-changing, impossible to defend against, like a cold serpent that, once coiled around, would not let go.
Of course, Mo Cunzhi didn’t fight him seriously and always kept Yu Le’s physical condition in mind. This allowed for their back-and-forth sparring, yet Yu Le’s rapid progress still left Mo Cunzhi surprised.
Such talent—why had it never shown itself before?
“If you had trained diligently in the past, your cultivation wouldn’t be beneath mine now,” Mo Cunzhi withdrew his sword, offering a high evaluation.
Yu Le leaned on his sword, replying, “I used to be too playful, and my master always advised me not to push myself too hard. He’d say I was still young and that it was fine to enjoy myself more.”
Mo Cunzhi didn’t directly criticize his martial uncle’s approach to teaching his disciples, but his eyebrows furrowed, clearly expressing his disapproval.
Noticing Mo Cunzhi’s expression, Yu Le probed, “Master treats me like his own son. I can’t figure out why he’s so fond of me. Could we really be related somehow?”
Mo Cunzhi hesitated for a moment before gently pressing Yu Le’s back. “Perhaps he pities you.”
Mo Cunzhi was much older than his junior brother. When Martial Uncle Qin brought the young Yu Le to Wuyue Immortal Sect and took him as a personal disciple, Mo Cunzhi was already a teenager, living on Hanya Peak.
Even though he had been focused solely on training and ignored worldly matters, he was aware of his new junior brother. Given their similar experiences, he couldn’t help but pay extra attention.
Mo Cunzhi himself had been brought to the sect as a child by his master, with no known father or family, while his junior brother had also lost his entire family when his clan was destroyed overnight.
However, unlike Mo Cunzhi, who had been strictly trained and disciplined by his master, Yu Le was pampered by Martial Uncle Qin and became known throughout Wuyue Immortal Sect as a bit of a spoiled child.
Because of this, the two rarely interacted.
If it hadn’t been for an unexpected event, they might never have had any real connection in their lifetimes.
Yu Le tried probing a few more times but realized his senior brother didn’t know any deeper secrets either, so he dropped the subject.
He wasn’t all that concerned—just a little curious.
After dedicating himself to “cultivation” for a while, exhausting his senior brother’s combat experience and sword techniques by day and draining his demonic energy at night, Yu Le had already refined half of the demon core in his abdomen.
His cultivation in the immortal path hadn’t progressed, but in the demonic path, inherited from Chang Que, he had already reached the Xuan Dan stage.
If he were to face Mo Cunzhi now using his demonic cultivation, he wouldn’t lose.
Having such a good sparring partner allowed his cultivation to grow rapidly. In a better mood, Yu Le treated his senior brother with more warmth.
To Mo Cunzhi, this junior brother truly had the temperament of a child. When unhappy, he would act passive-aggressively and torment him. But when he was pleased, Yu Le became obedient and affectionate, sometimes leaning on him with a smile, speaking in a soft tone. Mo Cunzhi could even understand why his junior sister adored him so much.
In all his years, Mo Cunzhi had never been this close to anyone.
Day and night together, practicing swordsmanship, offering patient, hands-on guidance, and even engaging in the most intimate acts two people could share.
Even his master, who had raised him, was not as close to him as this.
In the quiet of the wind and snow, listening to the whispers of the person beside him, it almost felt like the two of them were a pair of Dao companions.
But that was an illusion. They were only tied together out of necessity, and his junior brother was even fond of his junior sister.
“Senior Brother, there will be so many people at the Zhongzhou Sword Tournament, and it’ll be chaotic. Will demonic cultivators show up?”
Noticing that the senior brother beside him didn’t respond, seemingly lost in thought, Yu Le reached out and patted his cheek. “Senior Brother?”
Mo Cunzhi grabbed his hand and pulled it down. “They will, so if you’re going, don’t wander off. Stay close to me.”
“How does Senior Brother spot demonic cultivators so easily? Last time at Linzhou Immortal Market, no one else noticed that Xiao Niang was a demonic cultivator, but you figured it out.”
“Perhaps it’s because I’ve dealt with demonic cultivators since I was young. I’ve seen and killed so many that I’ve developed an instinct, a sense for identifying disguised demonic cultivators among immortal cultivators.”
Hearing this response, Yu Le smiled subtly. An instinct? More like the demon core in your body sensing them.
If it weren’t for the ancient artifact, the Dingyang Ring, in his possession, his senior brother would have already discovered him long ago.
He felt a bit of anticipation. What kind of reaction would his senior brother have when he eventually realized that the junior brother he had been sleeping beside for so long was actually a demonic cultivator?
Right, he himself was a demon too.
Thinking of this, Yu Le’s smile grew even brighter, and he suddenly reached out and wrapped his arm around Mo Cunzhi’s neck.
“Senior Brother is really amazing.”
Mo Cunzhi didn’t react much, no longer stiff and awkward like he had been at the beginning. He even turned his head to avoid eye contact.
“It’s getting late. You should rest.”
“I can’t sleep,” Yu Le replied, slipping his foot into Mo Cunzhi’s pants and rubbing it against him.
Mo Cunzhi: “…”
Yu Le flipped over onto him, smiling as he planted a kiss on Mo Cunzhi’s cheek.
Mo Cunzhi froze for a moment. They had done many things, but nothing as intimate as this.
“What are you doing?”
“Just showing some affection for Senior Brother, haha.”
“…Do you enjoy causing trouble this much?”
“Did I cause any trouble?”
Yu Le smiled sweetly, his foot still moving, and Mo Cunzhi had to press down on his waist, warning him, “Stop moving.”
Yu Le giggled, “Hehe.”
Telling him not to do something only made him want to do it more. His mischievous junior brother sometimes truly lacked discipline.
*
At the Zhongzhou Sword Tournament, the disciples of Wuyue Immortal Sect gathered and traveled together.
When away from home, they represented the reputation of their sect and moved as one.
Naturally, the person leading them was the senior brother, who was recognized as the most powerful among them.
Yu Le and his senior brother arrived just outside the sect’s gate. The next second, he spotted Bai Feishuang and Meng Qing, and immediately ran over to join them, laughing and chatting, leaving his senior brother behind.
Mo Cunzhi stood alone on the outskirts of the group. Since this had always been his way, no one found it odd.
He glanced at his junior brother, who was now laughing and saying he wanted to ride on Senior Brother Meng’s spiritual artifact for the journey.
Just last night, he had insisted on kissing him, keeping him up half the night with his antics. The person who had been so intimate with him now acted as if they were strangers.
That was how unpredictable Yu Le was.
Mo Cunzhi withdrew his gaze and said calmly, “Everyone is here. Let’s go.”
He still flew on his sword alone at the front.
Sitting on Meng Qing’s spiritual artifact, Yu Le glanced at the cold-faced senior brother ahead, smiling cheerfully.
Meng Qing whispered to him, “Did you argue with Senior Brother?”
Yu Le replied, “We were just playing around.”
Normally, when leading a trip, Mo Cunzhi would never stop for a break. This time, however, he landed halfway to rest.
Yu Le continued chatting leisurely with his senior brothers and sisters, not sparing a glance at the senior brother standing nearby. Mo Cunzhi also didn’t look at him. After a brief rest, they continued on their way.
The Sword Tournament was being held in Lixing City, in Zhongzhou. The city housed a sword tomb that contained ancient broken swords. Many came here year-round to experience the residual sword aura and gain insight into the way of the sword.
Mo Cunzhi was quite familiar with the place and led the group of junior brothers and sisters, some who had been there before and others who had not, to stay at an inn.
The inn had separate small courtyards, and there was even space to practice sword techniques.
Unlike in the sect, where they lived together with familiar disciples, Meng Qing asked his junior brother, “Yu Rui, will you stay in the same courtyard as me?”
“No, I’ll stay with Senior Brother,” Yu Le replied, not bothering to lower his voice. His fellow disciples overheard him clearly, and Mo Cunzhi, who was arranging the courtyards and preparing to leave, also looked over.
Under the shocked and astonished gazes of those around him, Yu Le walked up to Mo Cunzhi and said, “Senior Brother, I’ll stay with you.”
Mo Cunzhi’s expression remained indifferent. “There’s no need to force it. You can stay with Meng Qing.”
But Yu Le suddenly grabbed his wrist, leaning in to whisper, “Senior Brother, I’m not feeling well.”
Mo Cunzhi grabbed him by the wrist in return and led him into the courtyard.
The other disciples were left speechless: “…”
“We’d heard Senior Brother and Junior Brother have gotten close lately, but it’s actually true?”
“Of course it’s true, they get along very well,” Bai Feishuang said. “Ever since Little Junior Brother changed his attitude, he’s been quite likable. It’s no wonder Senior Brother dotes on him—now I, his actual junior sister, can’t even compare to him.”
She chuckled and then turned to Meng Qing, “Since my senior brother took your junior brother away, I guess I’ll be sharing a courtyard with you, Junior Brother Meng.”
Meng Qing laughed, “I’ll be counting on you, Senior Sister Feishuang, to look after me.”
After some lighthearted conversation, everyone dispersed to rest.
*
Mo Cunzhi had Yu Le sit in a chair and held his hand, channeling spiritual energy to examine him.
After a while, he frowned and said, “Your abdomen… it’s absorbing your blood essence.”
Of course it was—after all, it was a strange pill called a ‘Blood-Born Fetus,’ not a real child.
Yu Le, now looking obedient and pitiful, replied, “This unique method of nurturing can be a bit difficult, absorbing some blood essence isn’t a big deal.”
Mo Cunzhi frowned deeper, worry flickering in his eyes. “I’m not skilled in this. Perhaps Junior Brother Meng should take a look at you.”
“No!” Yu Le slumped into the chair, sulking. “I don’t want Senior Brother to know. It’s just a minor issue, I’ll be fine after some rest.”
Seeing his insistence, Mo Cunzhi had no choice. He left with his sword, returning shortly after with a gourd of medicinal pills.
These pills to replenish blood essence were far more precious than the Blood Ginseng Pills Meng Qing had given him.
Mo Cunzhi sat by the bedside, keeping watch. “If you feel unwell, let me know.”
After hesitating for a moment, he added, “In your current condition, can you still participate in the Sword Tournament?”
Yu Le looked at him pitifully. “I’m afraid not.”
“Even if you can’t compete, just watching can help you gain a lot of experience. There’s no need to feel regret—you’re still young, and you can always come again next time.” Mo Cunzhi’s attempt to comfort him was rather stiff.
Yu Le obediently nodded. “Mm.”
In truth, he never planned on participating. He couldn’t afford to reveal his demonic energy in public, and fighting while being so restricted didn’t interest him. His real goal this time was to see if the demonic sects were planning to stir up any trouble during the Sword Tournament. Plus, he had another task—to solve a problem for Senior Brother.
“I can’t join, so will you win first place for me, Senior Brother?” Yu Le leaned against his knee, his voice sweet and filled with admiration and trust. “If you win first place, I’ll share in the glory.”
Mo Cunzhi simply replied, “Alright.”
He raised a hand, gently patting Yu Le’s head in a controlled manner. “Rest now.”
