Chapter 203: Excuse me... how do I get to the inner court?

Inner Court, Back Mountain.

In a room adorned with red and pink elegance, Su Qianqian and Rao Yinyin sat upright on a soft, large bed.

"Rao Jiejie, why do you think the dean called all the Inner Court disciples to hide this time?"

"I think the Ling Gong Da Zhen seems unstable. Is someone attacking us again?"

Su Qianqian hugged her snow-white greatsword, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Her spiritual sense pierced through the roof, revealing the great array flickering intermittently, clearly under frenzied assault by powerful forces—perhaps more than one.

The array had protected Tian Sang Ling Gong for so many years, yet it rarely showed such violent fluctuations.

The last time it was breached was by that masked person.

"Haven't there been plenty of people sneaking in to attack you at Ling Gong? Every time, they're stopped at the door, right?"

"Even when those from 'Sheng Nu' came last time, they still couldn't get into the Inner Court!"

Rao Yinyin stroked her head, her eyes full of affection.

Her beautiful eyes subtly glanced at the greatsword in front of Su Qianqian, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Famous sword...

Hah, what famous sword!

It was nothing but a thing that brought misfortune to others. If she could, she would throw it into the wilderness and let those crazed outsiders chase after it.

That way, the girl in front of her might finally get a peaceful night's sleep.

Rao Yinyin gently cradled Su Qianqian's little head with heartache. The latter seemed to enjoy the touch and involuntarily lay back on the large bed, even setting the sword aside temporarily.

"If you weren't the sword holder, that would be so much better..."

Watching the young girl relax so completely, she murmured involuntarily.

The identity of a sword holder was clearly not something for someone of Su Qianqian's age. As the saying goes, gaining something always means giving up something else.

Ever since she obtained this sword, the little girl had lost the joys that should come with her age.

"No, it can't be."

Su Qianqian shook her head and said seriously, "I have to be a good sword holder and one day bring glory to the Su family!"

"That way..."

"He... should be happy too..."

Rao Yinyin cupped Su Qianqian's face, seeing the sadness in the young girl's eyes.

For this sword, even her father had died in battle. Was it really worth it?

"Okay, let's not think about that anymore. Let's get a good night's sleep, and by tomorrow morning, your master will have everything sorted out."

Rao Yinyin smiled, deciding not to dwell on this saddening topic.

She slipped her jade-like hand into the little girl's armpit, making her giggle and beg for mercy nonstop.

Soon, the two of them were tumbling around on the large bed.

A jarringly discordant sound echoed from the Back Mountain, startling them both.

The Back Mountain's spiritual site was never entered by outsiders—except recently, when Xu Xiaoshou had been added, but had he returned?

"Brother Xiao Shou?"

Su Qianqian tried calling out.

But Rao Yinyin's brows furrowed. If Xu Xiaoshou had returned, he would have entered through the main gate, no matter how abruptly.

From the Back Mountain? He probably didn't have the nerve for that!

Yet the sound had come from the Back Mountain hot spring, the deepest part of the spiritual site. How could anyone be there?

"Who is it?"

The air grew eerily still, the atmosphere tense, with their heartbeats pounding loudly.

Su Qianqian felt nervous. Was it another assassin?

She picked up "Mu Ming Cheng Xue," as if drawing strength from it, her eyes turning cold as her emotions quickly calmed.

Knock, knock, knock!

A very polite knocking sound came from the door. After a moment of silence, the door creaked open.

"Sorry, I've gotten lost again. Could you tell me how to get to the Inner Court?"

This was a hoarse voice, as if it hadn't been moistened in ten years—like it had been sawed by a blade, making one's heart uneasy.

The newcomer wore a large black robe, with their face completely wrapped, even their hands gloved, as if contact with air would turn them to dust.

The only exposed parts were two murky eyes, cloudy like those of someone on the brink of death, with even the whites yellowed.

"Masked person?"

The two girls' hearts sank at the sight.

So, this time, it was still someone from "Sheng Nu"?

The battle was raging outside, and this person had sneaked into the Inner Court, straight to Su Qianqian?

Rao Yinyin instinctively stepped in front of the girl and the sword, exclaiming in shock, "Who are you? Why are you barging into my room?"

The masked person didn't even glance at her, his gaze piercing straight through to the snow-white greatsword, filled with surprise and delight.

"Move aside."

Rao Yinyin stood firmly in front of Su Qianqian, waving her hand to send a cloud of pink mist drifting through the room.

"Illusion?"

The masked person's eyes grew strange. He finally looked directly at Rao Yinyin and said, "An illusion at your level won't trap me. I'll say it again: move aside."

Rao Yinyin said nothing, her beautiful eyes frosted over as her hands danced through countless seals in an instant.

But before they could form, the greatsword in Su Qianqian's hand behind her suddenly trembled, erupting with endless cold energy that blasted Rao Yinyin, making her spit blood as she was flung toward the masked person.

The masked person didn't even blink, simply swinging a palm that embedded her into the wall.

The wall collapsed with a boom, shattering into pieces.

Su Qianqian panicked, staring in shock at the greatsword in her hand, not understanding why this entity, which usually felt like family, had lost control.

"It wasn't me..."

"Run!"

Rao Yinyin shouted hoarsely. How could she not know it wasn't Su Qianqian's doing?

The problem was that this masked person was far too strong, not on the same level as them at all. Even if Su Qianqian was close to "Mu Ming Cheng Xue," the sword would still go berserk under his gaze!

"So this is the snow sword?"

A ripple finally appeared in the masked person's murky eyes as he looked at the greatsword in Su Qianqian's hand, his affection uncontainable.

"May I... take a look at it?" He stepped forward and extended his hand.

Su Qianqian stared at the flatly outstretched glove, feeling a wave of strangeness.

A normal person's hand, when extended without force, would have a slight curve; this masked person's hand...

It was as if it had no thumbs, completely flat!

"No."

Su Qianqian gripped the sword and stepped back, facing what might be the strongest enemy of the night.

She couldn't run—if she did, what about Rao Yinyin?

"Don't worry, I mean no harm. I just want to take a quick look..."

Su Qianqian could no longer bear the torment of that grating voice. She suddenly drew the sword, stirring winds and clouds, chilling the heavens and earth.

The masked person's eyes shook with even greater admiration.

"Worthy of a famous sword. I..."

"Don't come any closer!" Su Qianqian shouted, her inner fear and anger exploding together as she swung the snow-white greatsword downward.

"Monument Weight!"

It seemed as if a black monument shadow descended from the sky, merging into the sword's blade, compressing the air until it exploded with sound.

Yet the sword halted abruptly, a full zhang away from the masked person.

A terrifying backlash sent Su Qianqian flying backward, smashing through the roof and landing in a sea of flowers outside.

Her tiger's mouth split open, blood gushing out, but even so, she refused to let go of the sword.

The masked person looked up at the sky, as if savoring a bitter memory. After a long while, he shook his head at the fallen Su Qianqian.

"Don't mess around like that—it will only hurt you..."

"In this world, no sword dares to strike at me, not even a famous one!"