After My Faked Death Failed, My Ex-Wife Came Chasing After Me - Chapter 43.1

Lu Ting’an: I just want to stay close to Senior Sister!

“However…” Lin Zheng paused, a look of difficulty surfacing on her face. “The Grand Heroic Assembly is heavily guarded, and the sect leaders can observe our every move through the Water Mirror. If we wish to escape successfully, this matter requires careful planning.”

Lu Ting’an nodded, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her. “Don’t ask me, I don’t understand these things. When the time comes, I’ll just follow you and run.”

Lin Zheng: “…That works too.”

Having said that, she raised her head slightly and gazed at Lu Ting’an’s face, saying with great seriousness, “I will certainly do my utmost to ensure your safety.”

Hearing her say this, Lu Ting’an finally cheered up. The gloom in her heart swept away, and she almost couldn’t resist hugging her in celebration. Propping her chin in her hands on the table, she looked at her with a beaming smile and said, “By the way, don’t forget to take Bai Xiaowu with us. Otherwise, if the two of us flee and leave her here, she likely won’t have a good time.”

At the mention of Bai Xiaowu, Lin Zheng’s eyes darkened. She let out a sudden, long sigh and said, “I took her back to the Qianzhu Hall today. On the way, I asked about her situation at the Danhe Gathering Immortal Bridge. To my surprise, she told me that Sect Leader Song Yanwu is frequently abusive toward the disciples of demon clan origin. Not only does he forbid them from practicing immortal arts, but he also treats them like slaves, forcing them to serve the daily needs of the other disciples.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Ting’an couldn’t help but be stunned. She frowned and said, “Has Sect Leader Song been possessed? Wasn’t it his own idea to let demon clan children enter the great immortal sects to receive education? Since he dislikes them so much, why did he insist on it back then and even spend a fortune building the Golden Platform? What exactly is he after?”

Lin Zheng sighed softly, equally puzzled.

Lu Ting’an stroked her chin, suddenly remembering something. She turned to Lin Zheng and said, “Hey, I remember Xiaowu saying the gentleman who saved her was Cui Daoyan, right? But when we saw him before, he looked half-dead and had to rely on a wheelchair to get around. How did he manage to go to the Danhe Gathering Immortal Bridge?”

Lin Zheng said, “I don’t know. However, Xiaowu said he went there on behalf of Madam Cui to discuss the Grand Heroic Assembly with Sect Leader Song.”

Lu Ting’an was slightly startled. The image of Madam Cui’s deep loathing for Cui Daoyan back at the Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool surfaced in her mind. Unable to make sense of it, she pressed further, “And what about Cui Daorong? That guy has always had a fiery temper. Can he really endure this?”

Lin Zheng shook her head and spoke calmly, “Ever since he was severely injured by Liyin last time, although Young Master Cui kept his life, his meridians were damaged, and he lost an eye.”

Hearing this, Lu Ting’an couldn’t help but sigh. “What a pity. Truly, the world is fickle.”

The following month, on the day of the full moon, the Grand Heroic Assembly commenced as scheduled.

The Danhe Gathering Immortal Bridge was situated on a solitary island in the heart of Yunmeng Lake within the Jingchu region. The surrounding waters were vast and shrouded in mist year-round. From a distance, one could only see several palace halls floating amidst the distant mountain shadows and forest reflections. A magnificent long bridge spanned across the water like a line of white jade suspended between the clouds and the lake.

Upon entering the palace gates, a towering platform came into view. Below the platform, the lake water circled around, filled with green lotus leaves and blooming lotus flowers. Red-crowned cranes circled in the air, and drifting clouds moved slowly, creating an ethereal immortal atmosphere. Lu Ting’an stood within the ranks of the Baiyun Luying Sect behind Lin Zheng and the others, her heart filled with wonder as she curiously looked around.

Atop the high platform, several sect leaders took their seats in order. Lu Ting’an immediately recognized Lu Qingchen and Sun Youqing on the left, followed by the murderously aura-clad Cui Daorong. He had lost an eye and now wore a half-mask to cover it, his expression so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

On the right were two others. One wore a heavy cloak, had a dark complexion, and was quite tall for a woman. A majestic wolf head was tattooed on her forearm, and a heavy greatsword rested beside her. The other man looked refined and scholarly, dressed simply—at first glance, he looked like a frail scholar who couldn’t even lift a hand. He kept his head slightly lowered, not saying a word.

Having memorized the history of the immortal clans for so many days, Lu Ting’an could roughly guess their identities. They were likely Wu Tianshui, the head of the Hexi Wu Family Fortress, and Ning Hai, the sect leader of the Tanti Shudao Sect.

In the central main seat sat a man with a beautiful beard, a warm gaze, and a refined spirit. He was undoubtedly Sect Leader Song Yanwu. Lu Ting’an quietly tugged at Lin Zheng’s sleeve. Lin Zheng leaned back slightly, and Lu Ting’an covered her mouth, whispering, “Could Bai Xiaowu have been mistaken? I think he looks quite kind and gentle. He doesn’t seem like the type of person who would abuse his disciples.”

Lin Zheng’s brow furrowed. She didn’t reply but stared intently at the person on the platform.

Song Yanwu stood up and walked slowly to the front of the platform. His gaze slowly swept across the disciples below as he spoke in a voice as resonant as a great bell: “Fellow immortals, as a century-old tradition among the immortal sects, the Grand Heroic Assembly was established by our four ancestors. Its purpose is to encourage the younger generation to practice diligently without ceasing, to uphold the righteous path, and to take the salvation of the common people as their responsibility.”

“As you all know, what we rely on to slay demons and eliminate evil is swordsmanship, immortal arts, mental cultivation, and the unique skills passed down through the generations of each sect. Therefore, we gather here today to seek the Way and discuss the sword, to compete and temper one another.”

He paused, his tone becoming more solemn: “I hope you will guard your original intentions and display what you have learned. The victors should use this as a foundation for further advancement; the defeated should use this to reflect on the deficiencies in their cultivation. Regardless of success or failure, do not fail the expectations of the ancestors, and do not fail the trust of the righteous path.”

With that, the disciples below bowed one after another, saying in unison, “Yes, Immortal Sovereign!”

Song Yanwu nodded with satisfaction and then said in a deep voice, “I announce that the Grand Heroic Assembly—begins now!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Song Yanwu waved his hand, and the originally calm water surface immediately began to vibrate. In the next moment, several stone pillars burst out of the water, splashing everywhere. Each top held a stone platform carved with the image of a soaring crane. The patterns were ancient, and the pillars were arranged in order from high to low, creating a magnificent sight.

Lu Ting’an was stunned. She watched as Song Yanwu lit a stick of incense in a beast-headed incense burner beside him, the blue smoke curling upward. He looked down at the crowd and said, “Everyone, this event is called ‘Jianxin’ (Testing the Heart). Disciples from each sect will face off in pairs on the pillars. Within the duration of one incense stick, whoever is the first to fall from the high platform into the water will be considered the loser.”

Hearing this, a commotion broke out among the disciples. The platforms were narrow and slippery to begin with; just staying steady was difficult enough, let alone competing on them. Although there was water below, falling down in front of everyone would be a significant loss of face.

Song Yanwu took out a register from his robe and flipped through it for a moment, then announced loudly, “First match: Yang Ji from Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool versus Wu Guanglu from Hexi Wu Family Fortress!”

“Good!” The disciples of the respective sects immediately cheered. The two stepped onto the Jianxin pillars. One held a Sun Flame Bow and the other a Crescent Moon Saber, both looking solemn.

“The match—begins!” Song Yanwu ordered.

Before the words had even faded, the wind from an arrow pierced the air, and the cold light of a saber flashed. The two were instantly entangled in a fight, their figures interlacing on the pillars. Offense and defense shifted in the blink of an eye. Ultimately, the disciple from Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool used the advantage of his weapon to hit Wu Guanglu’s left shoulder with an arrow. The latter stumbled two steps, unable to steady himself, and instantly fell from the high platform.

“First match—Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool wins!”

The disciples of Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool erupted into cheers. Atop the platform, a smug smile appeared on Cui Daorong’s face. He clasped his hands in a salute toward Wu Tianshui and said, “Sect Leader Wu, thank you for the match.”

Wu Tianshui nodded and returned the salute. “Your sect is full of talent; I admit inferiority.”

Seeing Wu Guanglu crawl out of the lake covered in blood, Lu Ting’an felt her heart tighten. She instinctively looked at Lin Zheng, only to see the latter looking as calm as usual, seemingly already confident of success.

“Second match: Liu Chengying of Tanti Shudao versus Li Su of Danhe Gathering Immortal Bridge!”

“Third match: Zhao Jingyi of Baiyun Luying versus Ye Guanlan of Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool!”

…

After several matches, Lu Ting’an was break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, several of her senior brothers performed well. Except for Zhao Jingyi, who lost, all the others were victorious. Looking at the three flags in the tally bucket, Lu Ting’an couldn’t help but start getting nervous. Now, only Lin Zheng was left to compete.

“Twenty-seventh match: Lin Zheng of Baiyun Luying versus Zhou Mu of Shiya Moon-Drenched Pool!”

Lu Ting’an gave Lin Zheng a worried look. The latter didn’t seem to notice her gaze. With a light tap of her toes, she flew up to the platform with her sword in hand. Her hair ribbon fluttered and her robes snapped in the wind. She gave a slight nod to Zhou Mu and said, “Thank you for the match.”

Before Zhou Mu could even react, a cold light flashed. He let out a startled cry, and before he could even notch an arrow to his string, he was sent reeling backward, falling into the water with a “plop.”

Everything happened too fast, like a spark from a flint. The crowd below was stunned. When they finally regained their senses, they couldn’t help but be greatly shocked.

It was said that the head disciple of the Baiyun Luying Sect had profound cultivation. Seeing her today, she truly stood above the rest. Among the younger generation of the sects, there was likely no one who could surpass her.

Seeing this scene, Cui Daorong’s fingers suddenly tightened under his sleeves. His face darkened, and he ground his teeth.

Looking at Lin Zheng as she landed gracefully, Lu Ting’an gained a clear understanding of her strength for the first time. As expected of the destined female lead of the book, her previous worries were entirely redundant.

Song Yanwu checked the register, confirming that all the disciples had finished their matches, and recounted the flags in the tally bucket. He then announced to the crowd, “The final winner—is the Baiyun Luying Sect!”

Upon hearing this, Lu Ting’an and the others clapped and cheered. Disciples from other sects also cast envious looks, cupping their hands in congratulation: “Congratulations to you all; we are truly convinced of your skill.”

However, even though they had witnessed Lin Zheng’s astonishing performance with their own eyes, very few people actually stepped forward to congratulate her. Instead, Lu Ting’an, who hadn’t contributed much, was surrounded by people. Praises like “Miss Lu has taught them well” and “The young sect leader is truly promising” made her feel dizzy.

While she repeatedly declined the praise, she looked toward Lin Zheng not far away, wanting to tell these people to congratulate her instead. Suddenly, that cold and familiar mechanical voice rang in her mind.

[Ding—The plot node “Instigating disciples to mock the female lead” has been loaded. Host, please be prepared. Current female lead blackening value: 50%, favorability toward host: 60%.]

Lu Ting’an was momentarily stunned. First, she was surprised that the favorability had suddenly soared, and once she realized what the system wanted her to do, she couldn’t help but let out a helpless sigh. She instinctively looked toward Lin Zheng, only to meet her gaze. Her heart tightened, and a hint of guilt faintly arose.

Sensing her hesitation, the system reminded her coldly: [Host, please complete the plot, otherwise you will receive an electric shock punishment.]

Lu Ting’an rolled her eyes and gave the system a “friendly” greeting in her mind. Then, closing her eyes and steeling her heart, she said to the disciples flattering her, “Alright, alright. I didn’t even go up to compete; what’s the use of flattering me like this? If you want to talk about who is truly powerful in the Baiyun Luying Sect, it is my Senior Sister, Lin Zheng.”

Her tone was flighty, seemingly with a hint of mockery. These disciples were all clever; they exchanged knowing glances, bowed to her, and smiled, “Not at all. Lin Zheng is just a member of the demon clan; how can she be compared to Miss Lu? We believe it won’t be long before Miss Lu displays her brilliance in the future Heroic Assemblies.”

Seeing that her goal was achieved, Lu Ting’an replied with a smile, “In that case, I thank you all for your kind words.”

After the crowd dispersed, Lin Zheng stepped forward. She looked down at Lu Ting’an’s slightly flushed face from irritation and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Lu Ting’an instinctively turned her head away and said, “It’s nothing. The next match doesn’t start until tomorrow. Let’s go back and rest first.”