The Sima Sword Hall, reopening this time, was marked by the Hall Master, Sima Changfeng, who had specially commissioned the contemporary calligraphy master Mi Jian to create a long plaque. Upon this plaque were inscribed the four magnificent, free-flowing characters: "Sima Sword Hall." Furthermore, the gate of the Sword Hall had been freshly painted with vermilion lacquer, and the two guardian lions had been replaced with imposing bronze statues.
Today was the opening day for the Sima Sword Hall, and Sima Changfeng had deliberately set up a martial platform in front of the dojo to draw a crowd.
It is necessary to clarify here that Sima Changfeng was the paternal cousin of the Great Sun Sword Immortal, Sima Changbai. However, he lacked Sima Changbai's skill, possessing only mediocre talent. Due to this familial tie, he had been appointed the master of the Sima Sword Hall.
This time, we must make a spectacular debut.
Sima Changfeng thought to himself.
Having endured the storm at North Peak a year ago, Sima Changfeng had patiently waited. A year felt long enough; now, he could finally resume the matters under his control. Sima Changfeng smiled, looking at the gathered onlookers, feeling quite confident about making a grand entrance today.
"For our reopening, the Sima Sword Hall will adhere to the old tradition: ten challenges will be set up. Passing each level comes with a substantial reward, and perhaps I might even get a few pointers from my elder brother."
"In addition, for those who manage to pass several levels today, there might even be some special gifts," Sima Changfeng declared with a hearty laugh.
Hearing this, the surrounding crowd also laughed along.
The rogue cultivators gathered here were waiting for precisely this opportunity. As long as they could pass a few of the dojo's challenges, they stood to gain rich rewards, and perhaps even an opportunity to join the ranks under Sima Changbai. For these cultivators without powerful backing, joining the retinue of a Ninth Generation Sword Immortal like Sima Changbai would be an absolute blessing.
The mortal onlookers cheered as well. They were only there to watch, eager for the challenges of the cultivators to commence swiftly; nothing else concerned them.
At this moment, Sima Changfeng laughed loudly: "Oh, by the way, for our opening today, I heard a few other sword halls intended to come and challenge us. But haha, let them come! We at the Sima Sword Hall will accept every single challenge." This statement was, of course, pure bluster.
What a joke! Which sword hall under Sima Changbai’s influence would dare to provoke a challenge?
Sima Changbai was the renowned Ninth Generation Sword Immortal; who had not heard of the Great Sun Sword, Sima Changbai? Even though his authority and prestige were slightly diminished after the events of last year, the Great Sun Sword, Sima Changbai, remained a soaring figure among the Six Sword Immortals of North Peak.
Sima Changfeng smiled, surveying the surging crowd beside him.
This reopening of the Sword Hall will surely succeed.
——————
Meanwhile, within the throng of people.
Lu Yuan smiled.
Ye Fang and Ye Yuan, standing beside him, simultaneously noticed Lu Yuan’s smile.
Ye Fang had a sudden premonition: "Sixth Senior Brother, what are you planning?"
Lu Yuan chuckled: "Why, to issue a challenge, of course."
Ye Yuan interjected, "If you challenge them like this, the Sima Sword Hall is one of Martial Uncle Sima’s affiliated forces. Won’t this offend Martial Uncle Sima?"
"Hmph, the poor state of my relationship with him is already known to everyone. Why wouldn't I challenge him? Why should I grant him face?" Lu Yuan sneered. Over the past year, the people under Sima Changbai had been severely purged by the North Peak storm and had only recently begun to stir again.
Lu Yuan smiled now, a smile of genuine pleasure.
Ye Fang and Ye Yuan, standing beside him, simultaneously noticed Lu Yuan’s smile.
Ye Fang had a sudden premonition: "Sixth Senior Brother, what are you planning?"
Lu Yuan chuckled: "Why, to issue a challenge, of course."
Ye Yuan interjected, "If you challenge them like this, the Sima Sword Hall is one of Martial Uncle Sima’s affiliated forces. Won’t this offend Martial Uncle Sima?"
"Hmph, the poor state of my relationship with him is already known to everyone. Why wouldn't I challenge him? Why should I grant him face?" Lu Yuan sneered. Over the past year, the people under Sima Changbai had been severely purged by the North Peak storm, and he hadn't found an opportunity to strike until now.
If he could slap Sima Changbai’s face and cause him some trouble, and since he happened to have nothing better to do, he might as well act. He was, after all, a naturally indolent person, not someone utterly cynical who insisted on a killing blow upon first contact; that kind of dark, meticulously calculating strategy didn't suit him.
His style was simply to slap Sima Changbai’s face whenever he could.
"Right, neither of you needs to come up," Lu Yuan stated.
Ye Fang scoffed, "We are friends, very good friends. If you're going, of course, we're going too."
"Even if it offends Martial Uncle Sima, for the sake of friendship, it doesn't matter," Ye Yuan added from the side.
"Besides, as long as we don't completely alienate Sima Changbai, we each have our own masters backing us. At worst, we’ll just face some reprimand," Ye Fang said dismissively. This was what friendship meant: facing adversity together and sharing fortune, otherwise, why bother making friends?
Lu Yuan stopped trying to dissuade them and began contemplating how to initiate the challenge.
There were different ways to issue a challenge.
But regardless of the method, there was never any intention of showing the target any respect. Lu Yuan surveyed the area. Ahead, there was a massive plaque bearing four gleaming characters: "Sima Sword Hall." These four characters looked brand new, flowing with artistic energy, clearly the result of a recent commission for a master calligrapher.
Good. Lu Yuan stood up and delivered a swift kick, soaring nearly ten feet into the air. A cultivator in the Qi Refining stage could not truly fly, but a leap of ten feet was achievable. The brand-new, long plaque was hanging exactly ten feet high. Lu Yuan launched himself upward, delivering a powerful kick that landed squarely on the plaque inscribed with the gleaming characters.
CRACK!
The single kick was too much for the plaque; it immediately began to fracture, splitting in two from the center.
Satisfying!
This feeling was utterly exhilarating.
Of course, Lu Yuan knew the intense satisfaction stemmed from his own psychological state—it was impossible not to feel it when opposing Sima Changbai and causing him a setback.
Lu Yuan's action instantly stunned the entire audience; all eyes fixed upon him.
The crowd was utterly dumbfounded. On the very day the Sima Sword Hall reopened, someone dared to issue a challenge, and with such blatant disregard for decorum! The very first move shattered the exquisitely prepared, gleaming plaque of the Sima Sword Hall. This showed absolutely no respect for the Sima Sword Hall, nor for Sima Changbai. Who was this challenger, this indifferent-looking youth, who dared to act so boldly? Sima Changfeng stared at Lu Yuan in disbelief. Someone dared to challenge them? It was unimaginable. The Great Sun Sword Immortal Sima Changbai was at the zenith of his power; no one dared to disrespect him. Such incidents were virtually unheard of in recent years, except when the Venerable Yuanyuan spoke out during the North Peak storm a year ago. Now, what was this youth doing? Was he courting death, or what? Sima Changfeng truly couldn't comprehend it.
Lu Yuan stood there, speaking with a languid air, "What, are you unaccustomed to it? Didn't you realize what I was doing? I’m here to challenge the hall." His Yangwu Sword remained sheathed, the scabbard resting casually on his shoulder, an image of utter nonchalance.
BOOM! The entire assembly erupted into chaos.
Someone actually dared to challenge the hall!
No one had expected anyone to dare confront a sword hall affiliated with Sima Changbai, choosing the very moment of its grand reopening. This youth clearly held the famous Ninth Generation Sword Immortal in utter contempt—a truly audacious act. Yet, despite the myriad gazes upon him, the youth’s face remained fixed in a look of utter indifference.
(Monday burst! There should be five chapters or more today, and right after one major event, another one is coming. With two major arcs arriving simultaneously, the plot will be intense, and updates will be frequent—at least five chapters! Double the momentum on plot and updates—what are you waiting for? Send those recommendation tickets now to help me climb the charts!)