Chapter Thirty-Four: Abbess Miejue Pays a Visit

The live stream chat was still ablaze with excitement—netizens adored nothing more than a dramatic reversal. Yet, the director's face was ashen. The higher-ups had assigned a clear task: Wen Xinyao was to become the champion, and even the five hundred thousand yuan prize was sponsored by the Miao Scripture Pavilion.

But now, a dark horse had appeared out of nowhere. Liu Shuangling’s performance was a serious threat to Wen Xinyao’s path to victory.

The director’s gaze swept toward Hua Qinqin, who was responsible for contestant selection. Though he said nothing, the murderous look in his eyes made his fury plain as day.

Hua Qinqin kept her head down, her expression full of bitterness. She hadn’t expected things to unfold like this. She’d thought Liu Shuangling was nothing more than a pretty face with little substance—who could have guessed her strength would be so formidable?

In the audience, the female disciples of Miao Scripture Pavilion wore oddly complex expressions. When Liu Shuangling had made her bold proclamations earlier, they’d scoffed, certain that Wen Xinyao’s skills were more than enough. But now, Liu Shuangling’s display had shaken their confidence, anxiety bubbling within—surely they wouldn’t lose on their own turf? That would be utterly humiliating!

Thinking of their master, who was proud and fiercely protective of her disciples, one young woman quietly took out her phone and typed rapidly: “Master, something terrible has happened. Wen Xinyao’s championship may be snatched away by someone from Azure Cloud Sect…”

The Miao Scripture Pavilion stood on the western side of Shanghai City, wedged between two modern skyscrapers—a nine-story pagoda. From outside, it looked like any other temple tower; only upon entering did one sense the vastness and grandeur within. Utilizing spatial scripture, the Pavilion had expanded its interior tenfold.

The ground floor was typically used for business transactions; the second floor was reserved for VIP negotiations. Above that were the spaces where disciples practiced calligraphy and elders tended to their duties. Those who dedicated themselves to mastering scripture here were often people with little talent in other areas, or whose sword spirits’ initial or final releases were ill-suited for combat, so they turned instead to full-time support roles.

Su Li was one such person.

With her hands clasped behind a slender waist, she strolled through the inner disciple classroom on the fourth floor, overseeing their calligraphy practice. Her gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s; when she spotted an incorrect grip, she quietly corrected it. If the spiritual pressure in a character was uneven, she pointed it out at once.

Suddenly, her phone in her coat pocket rang.

Su Li paused, glanced at the screen, and her face changed dramatically. Furious spiritual pressure erupted from her, freezing the very air in the classroom. A nearby disciple was so startled, she nearly lost control on the spot.

Su Li’s expression was ice-cold. “Continue practicing your calligraphy. I have some business to attend to. Xiao Ling, call Elder Yu to take over the class.”

Before her words had faded, she was already gone.

With a high-level Yubu step, the scenery blurred and vanished behind her. An instant later, she appeared inside Songhe Hall.

“Who is the head of Azure Cloud Sect?” Su Li’s voice rang out, proud and imperious, echoing through the hall.

The hostess on stage was clearly stunned, unsure who this sudden arrival could be. But the camera crew, sensing a surge in viewership, hurriedly swung their lens to the entrance.

There stood a woman of striking elegance. Her long black hair was pinned up, her neck delicate and fair, a black suit jacket buttoned tightly at her chest, her waist slender as a willow. She wore a knee-length skirt, legs sheathed in black silk, and on her feet, scarlet high heels. Her features were beautiful, but her brow was marked by a haughty disdain, as though looking down on everyone present.

The live chat exploded at Su Li’s entrance.

“Everyone, be careful what you say—that’s Elder Su Li from Miao Scripture Pavilion, a notorious feminist!”

“Yeah, no joke—run your mouth and she’ll track you down offline for real.”

“I remember last time, someone made a joke online, and she found him in real life, beat him for three days and three nights. She even healed him while hitting him, and the authorities didn’t intervene.”

“She’s known as the Extinction Master!”

“Damn, the previous commenter is a true warrior!”

“I’m out. Don’t let the blood splash on me.”

With Su Li’s arrival, the atmosphere grew instantly tense.

Bai Yujing hadn’t expected a challenger to arrive so swiftly. He rose calmly, his expression unflustered. “I am. What business do you have with me?”

“Hmph. So it’s a worthless male—no wonder your disciples are so ill-mannered.” Su Li’s eyes were full of scorn, her tone aggressive. “Your disciples dared to publicly call our Miao Scripture Pavilion trash. Very well, let’s see which of us deserves that name!”

Though she specialized in scripture, that didn’t mean she lacked fighting skills, nor that her temper was gentle. On the contrary, Su Li was infamous throughout Shanghai. Her temper was explosive, her arrogance legendary; she’d argue with anyone, and fiercely protected her own, right or wrong. Plenty of people longed to give her a good thrashing, but her mastery of scripture was unmatched—so, grudgingly, they still bought her wares.

Bai Yujing showed no anger, his calm unbroken. “Tiya, Zhu Ying, stay here and cheer for Shuangling. I’ll be back soon.”

“Oh? You’ll be back soon, will you?”

Su Li’s voice rose mockingly, as if she’d just heard the world’s funniest joke. She’d ruled Shanghai for years, the bane of arrogant men everywhere. It looked like she’d notch another victory today.

Her lips curled in a sneer, her expression dripping with contempt. “Indeed, you’ll be back soon enough.”

The disciples from Miao Scripture Pavilion saw their master’s expression and silently pitied the Azure Cloud Sect’s leader. They knew her temper all too well. When he returned, he’d no doubt bear wounds that wouldn’t fade for days.

Wen Xinyao’s face was touched by emotion. Of course she understood—her master had come in person to defend her honor after being called “trash.” She clenched her fists in determination. “I mustn’t disappoint Master!”

She glanced at Liu Shuangling, searching for any sign of panic. Yet Liu Shuangling remained composed, showing no concern that Bai Yujing might lose.

“Let’s go,” said Su Li. She had no intention of causing a scene in public. Even if she wanted to teach Bai Yujing a lesson, she wouldn’t do it under the gaze of so many. After all, he was a sect leader—any punishment should be administered behind closed doors, in private.

“Then let’s go to Azure Cloud Sect,” Bai Yujing suggested. He refrained from using his sonic technique, lest his opponent couldn’t keep up, instead opting for a high-level footwork technique he hadn’t used in ages.

The two vanished from sight, leaving only a faint breeze stirring the audience seats.

The live stream chat erupted once more.

Tiya was not optimistic about Su Li’s fate. Bai Yujing, though seemingly indifferent to fame and fortune, cared deeply about the reputation of Azure Cloud Sect. Anyone bold enough to insult him or his disciples in public would be lucky to escape with their spirit intact.

When it came to protecting their own, Bai Yujing and Su Li were much alike. The difference was, the former could distinguish right from wrong, while the latter cared nothing for such things.