Su Luo was dumbfounded. Why hadn’t Li Siyi formed a defensive circle with Lin Xuan? She probably couldn’t handle it alone, right?
The truth was that Su Luo had underestimated Li Siyi, or rather, his impression of her strength was still stuck in the earlier parts of the story.
The current Li Siyi was much stronger than before. Even when facing several Fierce Bear Demons, she hadn’t been defeated.
Su Luo finally felt relieved, especially when he noticed Nangong Xiyun nearby.
With her around, there was no need to worry.
Nangong Xiyun was indeed secretly protecting everyone. Without anyone noticing, she quietly weakened the Fierce Bear Demons and saved the disciples of the Seven Stars Sword Sect.
For someone like Nangong Xiyun, acting without being detected was all too easy.
“We can’t hold on much longer!”
“We have to hold on, even if it’s hard. I don’t want to die here!”
“Lin Xuan, what should we do?”
“Hold the line and wait for reinforcements from the sect.”
The sect members, however, were also in desperate need of reinforcements.
There were simply too many Fierce Bear Demons. If they had been facing Pig Demons, this number wouldn’t have been a problem.
Who would have thought they’d end up being the prey instead of the hunters?
The Seven Stars Sword Sect was on the verge of complete collapse.
But with Nangong Xiyun around, no one died.
This was the power of a true master to control the battlefield.
......
While the battle raged on the ground, the fight above had already ended.
“Not bad, not bad. Once this is done, we can head back.”
The Fierce Bear Demon King held Elder Xuanying and Elder Yan Xi by their necks, one in each hand.
The two elders no longer looked like the powerful figures they had been when they first arrived. Their faces were pale, blood trickled from their mouths, and they struggled helplessly, unable to break free from the Demon King’s grasp.
The Fierce Bear Demon King noticed Elder Yan Xi opening his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.
“What? Last words? Go ahead, I’ll let you speak.”
The Demon King, confident in his victory, loosened his grip just enough to allow Elder Yan Xi to speak.
Once he was done, the Demon King would crush the two human experts like ants.
But Elder Yan Xi showed no fear, no concern that he was about to die.
“Nangong Xiyun, if you don’t act now, you’ll be attending our funeral.”
The Fierce Bear Demon King suddenly sensed something was wrong.
But he never got the chance to speak or act.
The Demon King was cut in half at the waist, and then his head was severed. No matter how strong his vitality was, there was no way he could survive.
Moreover, Nangong Xiyun’s sword strike carried absolute lethality. No amount of vitality could withstand it.
At the same time, the other Fierce Bear Demons also fell, lifeless.
The scene unfolded so suddenly that no one had time to react.
“What happened? What’s going on?”
“I don’t know! Who is she? She’s even stronger than the two elders!”
In the sky, another powerful figure stood, hovering in the air. She wore plain clothes, had an ordinary appearance, and wielded a simple sword.
Not only were the newcomers stunned, but even the sect members were confused. No one recognized the woman who had just annihilated the Fierce Bear Demons with a single strike.
Elder Xuanying removed the Demon King’s hand from his neck and took a moment to recover. He then joked, “Cough, cough... You’re really something, letting us old bones get tossed around like that.”
“No, I just had faith in you.”
“You’ve gotten stronger.”
“Have I? I don’t feel any different.”
Nangong Xiyun truly didn’t feel any change. She had always been this strong.
Elder Yan Xi straightened his robes and said, “Alright, let’s head back. We’ve scared the newcomers enough.”
“It’s fine. This is a good experience for them. They shouldn’t underestimate demon beasts,” Nangong Xiyun replied nonchalantly.
“True.”
Elder Xuanying didn’t dare say much more. After all, he had nearly been defeated. If it weren’t for Nangong Xiyun, they might have all perished here.
Thinking back, it had been a close call.
......
On the way back, the newcomers were still shaken, but they were quickly drawn to a new topic.
Elder Xuanying asked Nangong Xiyun, “So, have you found any suitable disciples? You know the sect leader has given you an ultimatum. Why not just pick one or two here? It’s not like you ever leave Cloudpeak anyway.”
Hearing this, the newcomers’ eyes widened.
Although they hadn’t seen the sword strike clearly, they had witnessed the result—all the Fierce Bear Demons had been slain simultaneously. It was an incomprehensible level of power.
Having such a master would already put them ahead of most others.
With her guidance, their cultivation would soar. Even if their talent was lacking, a simple “Help me, Master!” would likely solve most problems.
Under the hopeful gazes of the crowd, Nangong Xiyun casually pointed.
“Her and him.”
She pointed at Li Siyi and Lin Xuan.
Su Luo was stunned. How had Li Siyi actually succeeded?
All she did was share snacks and chat, and now she was chosen?
This was beyond ridiculous.
In the original storyline, Li Siyi’s master was supposed to be the peak master of another mountain. But now, she had somehow ended up as Nangong Xiyun’s disciple.
Well... it shouldn’t be a problem, right?
And so, Li Siyi and Lin Xuan were taken away by Nangong Xiyun to Cloudpeak.
The remaining newcomers were led by their senior brothers and sisters into the Seven Stars Sword Sect. They were given a brief tour of the sect’s layout and then assigned their living quarters.
After that, there was a small celebration—commonly known as the newcomers’ welcome party.
The event was filled with good food and drinks, and the senior brothers and sisters put on performances, showcasing sword techniques, blade skills, formations, alchemy, and more.
The newcomers were amazed, their hearts filled with hope for the future. The Seven Stars Sword Sect wasn’t just about swordsmanship—it had everything.
Overall, it was a lively and festive event, full of ceremony.
Su Luo sat alone, eating. No one sat near him.
His cheating scandal had spread throughout the sect, and in a place where self-reliance was highly valued, Su Luo’s actions had made him an outcast.
But then, someone sat down beside him.
It was Little Yu.
“Oh, when did you finish?”
Su Luo was asking about her enlightenment session.
“I don’t know. After it ended, I couldn’t find you. I was worried.”
“Stop. Since you’re here, it means you’ve joined the Seven Stars Sword Sect, just like them. You should keep your distance from me.”
Su Luo had his principles. Little Yu was still young, and he didn’t want her to suffer from the backlash of being associated with him.
“No.”
“Then should I leave?”
“Don’t.”
“You’re still young. There’s a lot you don’t understand, but keeping your distance from me is the right thing to do. Trust me.”
“I trust you, but I don’t want to keep my distance.” Little Yu even moved closer, reducing the already small gap between them until they were almost touching.
Su Luo sighed and let her be.
“By the way, what happened after your enlightenment?”
“The sect leader took me as his personal disciple.”
“Well, I’m out of your league now.”
Su Luo decided it was best to leave her. Little Yu wasn’t a key figure in the original storyline, but now that she was the sect leader’s personal disciple, it was even more inappropriate for her to be close to him.
Su Luo quickly ate a few more bites of food and then left in a hurry.
Little Yu followed his example, eating a few more bites and even taking some food with her before catching up to Su Luo.
It would have been easy for Su Luo to shake her off, but avoiding her now wouldn’t solve anything. Besides, as the sect leader’s personal disciple, finding him would be no trouble for her.
Reluctantly, Su Luo accompanied her for a walk, ate some snacks, and chatted with her as if she were a child.
When it was time, he used the excuse of being tired to send her away.
For now, his storyline was still manageable, but if things got darker later on and he remained close to Little Yu, he might end up being punished by the sect leader.