Chapter 118: Senior Brother's Ambition

Lin Zhan departed, immediately changing his robes and altering his appearance with the Art of Bewildering Illusions before returning to Donglai City.

The Shadowless Studio sought his life, and Shui Hanmeng was not fighting alone; she had her senior fellow apprentice, Huangfu Qi, who was searching for information about him everywhere. Lin Zhan had to remain a hundred times more vigilant.

Donglai City seemed unfazed by the earlier skirmish on the city walls. It was night, yet the streets remained bustling and brightly lit.

Returning to the pre-arranged inn, Lin Zhan found Fang Daguang and the others resting in their respective rooms. He chose not to disturb them, assuming they were all practicing to improve their cultivation. With the final tournament only a few days away, Lin Zhan also needed to bolster his own strength.

Back in his designated room, he drank half a flask of Holy Spirit Spring water to soothe his parched throat. Feeling refreshed in body and spirit, he sat cross-legged on the bed and entered a state of meditation.

At the second grade of the Yellow Stage, his spiritual perception, profound spiritual power, and mental state had all ascended to a new level. In particular, he gained insight into certain principles regarding the manipulation of objects.

With a surge of thought, he produced the Thousand-Flower Sword he had obtained from Fan Ning. Compared to his Ink Sword, the Thousand-Flower Sword was lighter, making it the perfect tool for practicing telekinetic sword control.

All famous swords from the Burial Sword Peak were owned by someone, but once brought into the Nine-Star Space and then retrieved, they became entirely ownerless. Although bonding with the sword through a drop of blood would create a deeper synergy, Lin Zhan had no desire for that yet; he was using it solely for training.

Inside a sword, there is typically a state of chaos. Controlling a sword involves imbuing it with a portion of one’s own divine sense, clearing out a space, and establishing oneself as the master. As for artifacts like the ancient white pagoda, they had yet to develop a spirit, but their interiors were no longer purely chaotic; they possessed their own environments and conditions. Whether a spirit would eventually manifest depended on destiny and, to some extent, the owner’s methods.

For instance, Lin Zhan had his suspicions about the Nine-Star Space. He wondered if there was some sort of "old master" figure within it, as the Nine-Star Diagram occasionally acted on its own volition, such as when it rescued Little Zi.

The Thousand-Flower Sword hovered steadily before him. Lin Zhan’s preliminary attempt at sword control had shown initial success.

Next, he focused on making the sword move according to his will. At first, he only succeeded once in over a dozen attempts, but gradually, his success rate improved. Although the speed was slow and the trajectory somewhat erratic—with the sword wobbling during movement—it was steadily progressing.

Through his experimental training, Lin Zhan discovered that using the Power of Creation yielded the best results for controlling the flying sword.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

As he grew more proficient, the speed became dazzling, and the flight path largely met his requirements. Lin Zhan became immersed in the process, striving to comprehend its nuances, until dawn began to break.

Dense morning mist drifted into the cave where Shui Hanmeng slept. In her deep slumber, she instinctively hugged her arms, curling her body toward the entrance.

At the opening, a black-clad figure darted in. Like Shui Hanmeng, he wore black robes and a mask—it was Huangfu Qi, who had found this location after failing to find his junior sister at the inn.

"Strange, why did she come here?"

Huangfu Qi entered the cave cautiously. At that moment, a sliver of morning sunlight leaked through a crevice in the cave roof, casting a beam directly upon Shui Hanmeng.

Huangfu Qi caught the rich scent of wine and roasted chicken. His nose twitched, then he frowned. Finally, he saw Shui Hanmeng sleeping soundly, completely unguarded, and froze, staring blankly at his junior sister.

*Gulp!*

The cave was silent; Huangfu Qi heard the sound of his own throat swallowing.

He had been fond of his junior sister, Shui Hanmeng, since childhood and had long decided she would become his dao companion. Together, they would inherit the Shadowless Studio, a legendary couple bringing glory to the sect, rather than remaining obscure in some godforsaken, desolate hidden realm. Throughout their journey, Huangfu Qi had been calculating, convinced that if he showed her enough care, she would surely be moved.

Her long, waterfall-like hair was spread out. Her porcelain skin, flawless and delicate, was flushed with a captivating crimson. Her long eyelashes flickered like trembling harp strings, beneath which sat a dainty, elegant nose. Her tender, slightly pouting lips seemed to stir.

Not to mention the exquisite, alluring curves of her body—everything was relentlessly eroding Huangfu Qi’s reason and defenses.

His blood seemed to rush to his head and to a certain place below. Huangfu Qi finally walked toward Shui Hanmeng step by step, his hand trembling as he reached out.

*Bang!*

Unnoticed, he struck a water flask at his feet. The flask shattered, and the Holy Spirit Spring water spilled out in a gurgle.

"Senior Brother, what are you trying to do?"

Shui Hanmeng jolted awake, her eyes immediately falling upon Huangfu Qi’s hand, which was still hovering inches from her chest!

She sprang up as if stung by a bee, her gaze sharp and cold as she looked at the strange man.

All night, Shui Hanmeng had been dreaming. She dreamt of the outside world Lin Zhan had described, wearing stylish clothes, browsing brand-name shops with him, and driving a sports car along a beautiful coastal highway. She dreamt of delicious food, but just as she was about to eat, the hotpot exploded.

Her beautiful dream had been shattered by her senior brother. She was already furious, and waking up to see his strange behavior only filled her with contempt.

"Huangfu Qi, what were you trying to do while I was asleep?" Judging by his posture and expression, Shui Hanmeng realized exactly what was happening.

"I... I... Junior Sister, you know how much I love you. I want to be with you; I dream about it! I am twenty-one, and you are twenty. Why don't we become dao companions right here, right now?"

"Dao companions? You’re overthinking it, Senior Brother. You are my senior; while I have always respected you, I do not have those kinds of feelings for you. Do not speak such nonsense! Besides, we are here to complete the mission assigned by our Master; we shouldn't be entangled in petty romance." Shui Hanmeng’s expression was like a block of ice, staring coldly at him.

In truth, she knew Huangfu Qi was not a good man. She had seen him slip into the rooms of various senior sisters in the middle of the night more than once—and it was never the same sister.

"Don't act so holier-than-thou. I see you've been drinking—are you longing for a man? I am your senior brother, the only son of your Master. Be with me, and you will be the mistress of the Shadowless Studio. Come, you’ll be mine sooner or later anyway, let's enjoy ourselves now." Huangfu Qi finally showed his true colors, his face contorting into a sinister grin as he lunged toward her.

However, blinded by his own arrogance, he completely failed to realize that his junior sister’s cultivation level was actually a grade higher than his own.