"This..."
Jian Wan hesitated slightly. Jian Dan, however, spoke with a tone that was neither heavy nor light.
"Is Senior Sister afraid to lose to me?"
Jian Wan immediately frowned.
"Why would you say that? We haven't even fought yet. How do you know I would lose?"
Jian Dan responded right away.
"That was my mistake, Senior Sister. Then I'll be waiting for your challenge."
She turned to Jian Sheng, who had been silently standing by like background scenery.
"Jian Sheng, is this arrangement appropriate? We haven't broken any sect rules, right?"
"No, it's all within regulations."
Jian Sheng was quick-witted with his reply.
Jian Wan nodded in satisfaction. With Jian Sheng as a witness, this matter was already halfway confirmed.
Still, Jian Wan didn't rush to issue the formal challenge. She intended to investigate Jian Lu's combat capabilities before making any moves.
"Junior Sister, I came out in a hurry today. I'll deliver the challenge to you officially another day."
"Very well. I'll be waiting."
With a smile bright across her face, Jian Dan personally escorted Jian Wan out of her cave residence. Anyone watching might have thought the two were close friends. There was no hint of an impending duel between them.
Once Jian Wan was gone, Jian Sheng also excused himself promptly.
He had witnessed quite a show today and needed to report it to Jian Li Zhūnzhǔ right away.
"Jian Sheng, when you go back and tell Jian Li Zhūnzhǔ what happened, speak carefully. Don't ruin my image."
Jian Dan added this as Jian Sheng reached the door. He stumbled for a second, gave her another bow, then quickly departed Tianyue Peak.
Yue Liang hopped back to Jian Dan's side and leaped straight into her arms.
"Zhūnzhǔ, I found out just now that the elders of the children in Tongzi Hall are quite satisfied with you."
"Hmm? And where did you get that information?"
"Yue Liang just chatted with some spirit beasts that already have masters."
"Oh? Expanding your social circle now, are you?"
Jian Dan gently stroked Yue Liang's fur while chatting with her.
"It's nothing really. Yue Liang just gave them some Beast Spirit Pills, and they shared a little gossip with me."
"Look at you, bribing your little friends. But don't go asking about anything too sensitive."
"Yue Liang knows."
Back on Tiandu Peak, Jian Wan called over Qi Hua.
"Qi Hua, do you remember the new Tianyue Peak Zhūnzhǔ, Shan Yunzu? I looked into it and found out you two joined the Enforcement Peak selection trial a hundred years ago."
Qi Hua's impression of Jian Wan Zhūnzhǔ was average. If not for the fact that her cultivation was higher, Qi Hua wouldn't have bothered coming. But being under the same peak, certain things couldn't be avoided.
Hearing Jian Wan asking about Shan Yunzu, Qi Hua was instantly on alert. She pretended to think hard.
"Zhūnzhǔ, that was a hundred years ago. It's true we joined the same trial, but we weren't in the same group. We only fought once during the final round."
Jian Wan thought she wouldn't get much from this, but perked up immediately at the mention of a past duel.
"Oh? What stage were you both at back then, and who won?"
"I was late-stage Golden Core. She was probably mid-stage. Naturally, I won."
Qi Hua said shamelessly. In her heart, she thought, "I'd better hope Jian Lu Zhūnzhǔ never hears about this lie, or I'm dead."
"And how was her combat strength?"
Jian Wan pressed further.
"She lost, didn't she? What else is there to say? Pretty average. Just a typical sword cultivator."
Qi Hua had a vague suspicion about what was going on, so she continued belittling Jian Dan. But seeing Jian Wan nodding thoughtfully beside her, she quickly added,
"Still, she's now a Void Refinement Zhūnzhǔ, while I've only just entered Divine Transformation. I'm a bit outmatched now."
Jian Wan's lips curled faintly as she said,
"Rare to hear you admit that. Your clan uncle Jian Wu only just reached late-stage Divine Transformation. You'll catch up someday."
Satisfied with the partial intel, Jian Wan dismissed Qi Hua.
Qi Hua rolled her eyes the moment she stepped out of the cave. She hadn't wanted to come here in the first place. But since Jian Wan was probing Jian Lu Zhūnzhǔ's strength, something was clearly brewing. Qi Hua immediately changed direction and headed straight for Law Enforcement Peak.
Halfway there, she bumped into Pi Piao and Fu Yao returning together. When Fu Yao spotted Qi Hua coming from Jian Wan's direction, she quickly pulled Pi Piao to block her path.
"Fu Yao greets Martial Uncle Qi Hua."
Qi Hua had no intention of dealing with them at first, but thought better of it and nodded at Fu Yao, then cupped her hands toward Pi Piao.
"Where have you two been? You should be helping Jian Wan Zhūnzhǔ, yet I was the one she asked to investigate something."
Pi Piao and Fu Yao exchanged a glance. Fu Yao quickly responded.
"Thank you for letting us know, Martial Uncle. I'll go see Master right away."
They hurried off. Qi Hua looked after them with a sneer in her eyes. Scouring the sect for spirit beast support, as if no one would notice. Laughable.
Meanwhile, Jian Dan went directly to Jian Wu to learn more. Jian Wu and Jian Sheng were in the middle of discussing Jian Wan's challenge to Jian Lu Zhūnzhǔ.
Qi Hua overheard enough to piece the whole story together. She immediately turned around to borrow spirit stones from her ancestor.
"Why is Qi Hua running like her hair's on fire?"
Jian Sheng caught only a glimpse of her back and turned to ask Jian Wu. Jian Wu, who knew Qi Hua well, glanced in the direction she went.
"Probably off to see her old ancestor."
Tianyue Peak
That evening, Jian Dan was meditating when Liu Chuan, rarely seen, brought her a message.
"Jian Wan is asking around about your combat abilities. Seems she's being cautious."
"Of course. Our cultivations are close. If she doesn't want to lose, she has to be sure before issuing the challenge."
Tiandu Peak, Jian Wan's Cave
"Master, I just ran into Qi Hua. If you needed someone to gather intel, I could've done it. Why trouble an outsider?"
"You two don't know the new Jian Lu. Qi Hua has interacted with her, so I called her in to ask."
"Jian Lu Zhūnzhǔ?"
Pi Piao and Fu Yao exchanged surprised looks. Jian Wan noticed something was off and asked directly.
"You've heard of Jian Lu? Or met her?"
Unable to avoid the question, they recounted their encounter with Jian Dan at the marketplace. Fu Yao deliberately left out the part where Jian Ning stepped in to help, and since Pi Piao wasn't present for that, no one mentioned it.
The next day, Jian Dan and Yue Liang returned to teach at Tongzi Hall.
"You've all drawn in Qi now. As the saying goes, the master leads the way, but cultivation is up to the individual. Now that you're in the Qi Refining stage, keep refining your bodies and don't neglect your sword practice. You'll also start learning the basics of the five elements based on your individual progress."
"Yes, Zhūnzhǔ!"
"Good. Can you feel the weight from your gravity rings now?"
"We can!"
"Then off you go. Run laps with Yue Liang."
"Aiyo!"
The group of little radishes groaned as Yue Liang led them off to start running laps again.
This time, Yu Jiajia finished first and immediately scampered over to Jian Dan's side. Her round eyes spun as she asked,
"Zhūnzhǔ, now that we're in the Qi Refining stage, do we still need to soak in the body-tempering decoction?"
Jian Dan tapped Yu Jiajia's little head with her fan.
"You clever little fox. Starting to enjoy the benefits now, are we?"
"Hehe, Zhūnzhǔ sees through everything."
"You'll need a new formula. Come see me after class to pick it up."
"Thank you, Zhūnzhǔ!"
After the morning session, all twenty children received new recipes. Jian Dan had tailored the formulas to each child's individual needs. This time, their elders had warned them to be careful, so the kids tucked their prescriptions away securely to hand over when they got home.
As Jian Dan strolled back to her cave, Ting Feng and Wang Yu stepped forward and bowed.
"Zhūnzhǔ, the challenge letter from Jian Wan Zhūnzhǔ just arrived."