Watching the Mountain

When many people saw Shen Wuchen’s aloof and arrogant posture, as if he looked down upon all creation, a question would surface in their minds.

The New Domain Grand Competition was a grand event for the entire Cultivation Realm. Countless Sects participated. Even after dividing it into the five regions—East, South, West, North, and Central—competitors in each Realm still had to fight in five hundred matches, followed by team battles.

Yet Shen Wuchen had not won a single one of his five hundred individual matches, nor had he eliminated a single opponent in the subsequent team battles.

But it was precisely this person whose posture, as he walked out, was even more imposing than that of the undefeated Yue Qingyu and the Evergreen Sword Saint, Zhang Zhentian.

No, not just a bit more. After all, those other two didn’t have an overbearing aura. His was a good ten times more intense.

When many people saw the aloof Shen Wuchen, looking like a Banished Immortal who had descended upon the world, the corners of their mouths couldn’t help but twitch.

’Just who is the undefeated one here?’

Even Little Xiyue, standing beside Xu Ran, was stunned. She knew Shen Wuchen liked to strike this pose to hide his true feelings.

’But... there are so many people here.’

"Junior Brother Shen is really interesting," she said, then added with a sigh, "But he’s also very strong on the inside."

Just the fact that he could face the stares of so many fellow disciples without flinching was something an ordinary person couldn’t do. At the very least, she asked herself, if she were in his shoes, she wasn’t sure she could remain as calm as he was.

Xu Ran nodded slightly at her words. He could only say that only someone as mentally strong as Shen Wuchen was suited to walk the path of Realm-advancement.

Anyone with a less steadfast Dao Heart would have probably crumbled or retreated long ago under the gazes and ridicule of others.

Just as they were reflecting on this, upon confirming Shen Wuchen’s identity, many disciples in the crowd suddenly swarmed forward with excited expressions.

"Shen Wuchen! Junior Brother Shen, come on, have a match with me!"

"No, Senior Brother Shen, fight me!"

Many began shouting invitations for Shen Wuchen to fight them, disregarding the occasion. This scene caused many of the Elders present to frown.

However, just as they were about to speak up and stop it, someone else on the scene acted faster.

Just as the disciples were rushing toward Shen Wuchen, a beautiful figure in an elegant, light-blue dress with dark hair dancing in the wind suddenly appeared, shielding him behind her.

Even facing the agitated crowd of disciples, she showed no fear and spoke calmly:

"Fellow disciples, do you all enjoy challenging others to matches this much? If that’s truly the case, then I, Ye Qingyue, though untalented, am willing to take my Senior Brother’s place and fight you all."

Her expression was calm, devoid of any overbearing aura, but her determined tone made everyone feel her resolve.

This sudden turn of events changed the atmosphere once again. The disciples who had been agitated just moments before stopped in their tracks, staring blankly at Ye Qingyue, who now blocked their path.

Even the numerous Elders who had planned to prevent the situation from escalating all closed their mouths, their gazes flickering as they stared at Ye Qingyue in the center of the crowd.

If the disciples were challenging Shen Wuchen without regard for the occasion, it would be considered causing a disturbance, a blow to the Sect’s dignity.

But now... this was the romance of the youth.

More importantly, this was exactly the kind of thing they loved to see. They wanted to see it. They were even getting a little impatient.

Xu Ran stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding, a surprised look on his face.

’Seriously, with the way she’s so protectively domineering over him, she really is from the same family as Ye Qingxue.’

’But when did they develop this kind of relationship?’

Little Xiyue gasped in surprise. "Master, when did Junior Brother Shen and Junior Sister Qingyue get into a relationship like this?"

Hearing this, Xu Ran stroked his chin, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "That, your master doesn’t know. But I suppose it must have happened naturally during the Grand Competition, since they were together day and night."

*

*

*

However, what the people inviting Shen Wuchen to a match were thinking was perhaps a little different from what most had imagined.

They cupped their fists toward Ye Qingyue, who was blocking their path and shielding Shen Wuchen, and said:

"Junior Sister, don’t get so worked up. We’re not trying to cause trouble for Junior Brother Shen. We want to invite him to a match with only one thought in mind: to let him win one."

"What?" Ye Qingyue’s expression froze, and she suspected she had misheard.

As she hesitated, the disciples cried out with pained expressions:

"It’s true, Junior Sister! We understand you want to protect your beloved, but we really aren’t trying to cause him trouble! We just want to let him win a single match! Really, even just one!"

The one who spoke held up a single finger, his face contorted in frustration. He suppressed his voice and said through gritted teeth, "Just one. We just need him to win one single match."

As soon as he finished speaking, many others in the crowd also showed the same frantic expression, as if they could break down at any moment.

"If he doesn’t win a match, my Dao Heart will be unsettled!"

"I only have one thought in my head every day now: no matter what, Shen Wuchen has to win a match! He must win! If anyone dares to stop me from letting him win, I’ll fight them to the death!"

A ferocious glint appeared in many of their eyes. Their expressions were more terrifying and crazed than those of starving beasts.

Letting Shen Wuchen win a match had already become a Heart Demon for many disciples of the Profound Pure Sect.

Seeing their reactions, Ye Qingyue timidly lowered her head and took a few steps back. "Fellow disciples, please, go ahead."

But after saying that, she added an explanation, "But please don’t misunderstand. Senior Brother Shen isn’t my beloved. I was just..."

But the disciples, already impatient from the torment of their Heart Demon, were in no mood to listen to her explanation. Before she could finish, someone waved his hand impatiently and roared:

"If he’s not your beloved, what are you doing blocking us? Mind your own business! Get out of the way, and be a little more observant next time."

"Exactly! If he’s not your beloved, why the hell are you getting involved?"

"Don’t say that kind of thing again. After today, if I hear you say that again, we’ll beat you up too. From the moment you stood up for him, your fate with Junior Brother Shen was sealed."

Ye Qingyue was stunned. She blinked her beautiful eyes, which were filled with confusion.

’Have these fellow disciples really been tormented by their Heart Demon to this extent?’

’It’s kind of terrifying.’

*

*

*

Shen Wuchen won.

He had finally defeated someone of the same Realm.

And not just one, but dozens, even hundreds.

Amidst the exaggerated performances and pained cries of the Profound Pure Sect disciples, he won over a hundred matches against opponents of the same Realm on the arena stage.

This was probably the highlight of his life.

He probably never even imagined that he could defeat so many people of the same Realm in a single day.

But compared to all that, Xu Ran, as his teacher, was more curious about how far he and Ye Qingyue had developed their relationship. One moment she was being protectively domineering, and the next she was suddenly explaining that there was nothing between them.

’This relationship is impossible to figure out.’