陆瑶's fingers quickly retracted like an electric shock upon touching Jiang Yun's lips. Her cheeks also flushed red. Unfortunately, at that moment, Jiang Yun had already closed his eyes, focused on repairing the meridians within his body, and didn't witness this instant of coquettish shyness from Luyao.
With Jiang Yun's eyes closed as he healed, Luyao started unabashedly observing his face, as if she had discovered something intriguing, watching with great interest.
Although Jiang Yun was quite young, he exuded a sense of maturity that contrasted with most other young people. Instead of flaunting himself like a display of a peacock, he seemed composed.
As a young woman herself, Luyao's position among the top three of the younger generation in the Heavenly Sword Sect indicated her exceptional talent, surpassing most. She had also put in more effort than many. She had encountered numerous so-called geniuses and naturally wasn't fond of those who liked to show off.
However, Jiang Yun was different. His talent surpassed anyone she had ever seen, yet he rarely exhibited any sense of conceit. During the three days in the Qingyang Cave, apart from tending to his injuries, Jiang Yun had been dedicated to his cultivation, seemingly unaffected by fatigue.
Luyao considered herself diligent, but she couldn't match Jiang Yun's unwavering dedication to cultivation, a level of mental fortitude that was remarkably high. Initially, she had expected Jiang Yun's cultivation to have progressed when they met again, but now she realized that not only had he not advanced, but he had regressed significantly.
Luyao didn't know what had happened to Jiang Yun after he left the Qingyang Cave, which piqued her curiosity. It was widely known that when a woman became curious about a man, she wasn't far from falling for him.
Time flowed quietly. Jiang Yun's expression remained unchanged as he focused on his healing. Luyao shifted her gaze away from his face, quietly glancing at him before leaving his room. Once the door closed, Jiang Yun opened his eyes briefly, then closed them again to continue his healing.
Jiang Yun could sense that Luyao might have developed a slight fondness for him, but he didn't intend to reciprocate. First, he didn't want his relationship with Luyao to attract stronger adversaries like Roche. Second, he hadn't considered matters of romance for the time being.
Had this been before today, Luyao's display of favor might have stirred some feelings in Jiang Yun. However, given the humiliation he suffered at Roche's absolute strength today, even a hint of affection toward Luyao could trigger Roche's murderous intent.
Strength, only absolute strength, could determine one's freedom. Jiang Yun's previous life held the saying that true freedom came from economic independence. In that world, money equated to power. Here, it was strength in martial arts that determined power.
Indeed, Luyao's medicinal effects were remarkable. By the second day, Jiang Yun's injuries had mostly healed. Yet, Roche's retaliation came swiftly. Looking at Wan Yankun standing outside the door, Jiang Yun frowned and asked, "What are you here for?"
Among the inner disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Wan Yankun held a relatively high position, aside from the core disciples of the true teachings. This status was largely due to Roche's appreciation. However, since news of his defeat at Jiang Yun's hands reached Roche, his attitude had turned chilly.
After losing Roche's support, Wan Yankun's status within the sect plummeted. The respect he used to receive from his fellow disciples disappeared overnight. Especially the person he had previously bullied, Qin Haifeng, had now ascended using Wan Yankun's shoulders to become Roche's representative among the inner disciples.
Qin Haifeng used to go out of his way to avoid Wan Yankun, but just yesterday, Wan Yankun was cornered by Qin Haifeng at the door. He was mocked by a group of disciples who used to follow his orders. However, he couldn't resist because Qin Haifeng was Roche's representative. While he wasn't afraid of harming Qin Haifeng, he was afraid of Roche.
Wan Yankun didn't dare to provoke Qin Haifeng, so he turned to Jiang Yun. He believed that the reason he lost Roche's trust was entirely because of Jiang Yun. If he hadn't lost to Jiang Yun during their last encounter, he wouldn't have fallen to the point of being humiliated by Qin Haifeng.
Though he had lost to Jiang Yun before, Wan Yankun believed that Jiang Yun had a talent for swordsmanship but wouldn't actually be stronger than him overall.
An individual's strength is primarily reflected through their cultivation level. Jiang Yun was at the Qi Martial Fifth Layer, while Wan Yankun was at the Yuan Martial Sixth Layer. He believed he wouldn't lose to Jiang Yun. If he could defeat Jiang Yun, perhaps Roche would trust him again. His status and identity would naturally be restored.
So today, Wan Yankun came to Jiang Yun with the intention of challenging him. He wanted to prove to Roche that unlike during the assessment, he could defeat Jiang Yun in a real fight using spiritual energy.
"Jiang Yun, your swordsmanship is indeed impressive. Today, I've come to challenge you once again."
The Heavenly Sword Sect had rules against members killing each other, but sparring was allowed as long as it didn't result in serious injury or death. The condition was that the one being challenged had to agree.
"You want to challenge me?" Jiang Yun looked at Wan Yankun, an idea crossing his mind. He playfully asked, "Why should I accept your challenge? Give me a reason."
This question caught Wan Yankun off guard. If Jiang Yun didn't accept his challenge, there wasn't much he could do. He couldn't force Jiang Yun to fight him; that would violate the sect's rules. He thought for a moment, then clenched his teeth and took out a small bottle from his pocket. He said, "There are three Body Refining Pills in here. If you win, they're yours."
Three Body Refining Pills?
Jiang Yun was tempted. His current cultivation method, the Jiuli Divine Technique, heavily relied on the assistance of pills. Wan Yankun was essentially offering him a lifeline. Soon, Jiang Yun agreed, saying, "Alright, deal."
Once Jiang Yun agreed, Wan Yankun breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried Jiang Yun wouldn't accept, leaving him with no reason to provoke him or prove himself to Roche.
"Good. Let's meet this afternoon at the training ground."
With Jiang Yun's agreement, Wan Yankun now had to prepare himself. Primarily, he needed to inform Roche of this development. If Roche wasn't aware that he had defeated Jiang Yun, it would be meaningless.
Watching Wan Yankun's departing figure, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Jiang Yun's mouth. He had been contemplating the difficulties of cultivating the Jiuli Divine Technique, and now suddenly, Wan Yankun came to his doorstep to offer a solution. However, that wasn't enough. Jiang Yun went outside and found Li Dadan, whispering something in his ear.
"Alright, consider it done. I promise to take care of it," Li Dadan assured, patting his chest.