Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi are still fighting.

Zhang Xiaofan was covered in wounds, his Taoist robe was torn in several places, and blood was seeping out, but his eyes were frighteningly bright. He gritted his teeth and kept slashing with his sword, refusing to retreat.

Lu Xueqi remained calm, never drawing her sword, Tianya, but using the scabbard as a substitute for the sword to parry, deflect force, and occasionally counterattack, forcing Zhang Xiaofan to retreat and defend.

Jiang Xiaochuan squeezed to the edge of the ring, watching with bated breath. Zhang Xiaofan's fighting style was completely reckless.

Lu Xueqi noticed that there was an extra person in the audience, and her Tianya Sheath paused slightly.

Zhang Xiaofan seized this fleeting opening, unleashing a burst of lightning from the Abyss Thunder Sword, and thrusting straight forward with all his might!

Lu Xueqi's eyes narrowed, and the Tianya scabbard traced an arc, gently touching the spine of the Yuanlei Sword.

"Ding!"

Zhang Xiaofan felt a powerful yet flexible force surge through him, causing his tiger's mouth to split open and the Abyss Thunder Sword to fly out of his hand, landing with a clatter on the edge of the arena.

He himself was so shocked that he staggered backward and fell to the ground with a thud, feeling a tightness in his chest and his vision going black.

The referee announced loudly, "Xiao Zhufeng, Lu Xueqi, wins!"

The applause of the audience was thunderous.

Lu Xueqi sheathed her sword and looked down at the audience.

Jiang Xiaochuan was looking at her, nodded to her, and smiled, silently saying "Amazing."

Lu Xueqi naturally curved the corners of her lips into a smile, but quickly suppressed it again.

Master Shuiyue sat in the head seat below the stage. When he saw his disciple's smile, his eyes deepened.

She glanced at Jiang Xiaochuan, who was squeezed in the crowd, but didn't say anything.

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't dare to approach Shuiyue, so he secretly slipped behind Su Ru.

Su Ru was talking to Tian Buyi when she saw him, smiled, and actually pulled him directly to Shuiyue's side.

"Senior sister, look, Xiao Chuan is here," Su Ru said with a smile.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a chill run down his spine and quickly bowed, saying, "Uncle-Master Shuiyue."

Master Shuiyue glanced at him, hummed in response, and then turned her gaze back to the arena.

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief, and only then did he have the mind to look around. He didn't see Tian Ling'er.

He frowned, feeling a little uneasy, but didn't think much of it.

Lu Xueqi stepped down from the ring, walked up to Jiang Xiaochuan, and asked softly, "Did you teach him?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback: "What?"

"Zhang Xiaofan".

Lu Xueqi said calmly, "Their playing style is tricky, unconventional, and focuses on exploiting weaknesses. Did you teach them that?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was a little embarrassed and scratched his head: "Uh... I just gave you a few pointers."

"No wonder."

Lu Xueqi glanced at him and said, "How despicable."

Jiang Xiaochuan choked.

Despicable? That's called tactics! Don't you understand?

Lu Xueqi didn't continue the topic, instead asking, "You won?"

"Ah, lucky me, the opponent forfeited," Jiang Xiaochuan said.

"Luck is also part of ability," Lu Xueqi said, her voice seemingly tinged with amusement.

Jiang Xiaochuan was secretly pleased. He liked hearing those words.

He turned to look at the arena. Zhang Xiaofan had been helped down by Du Bishu and the others, sitting on the edge of the arena, panting, his face pale and his eyes dull. Jiang Xiaochuan's heart tightened, and he walked over.

"Xiao Fan, are you alright?" He crouched down to check Zhang Xiao Fan's injuries. "Are you badly hurt?"

Zhang Xiaofan shook his head and forced a smile: "It's nothing, Senior Brother Jiang. I... I embarrassed you."

"What a disgrace!"

Jiang Xiaochuan patted him on the shoulder, "You played very well, much better than yesterday! Senior Sister Lu is so amazing, it's incredible that you could last this long!"

Zhang Xiaofan looked at him with a complicated expression, opened his mouth but didn't say anything.

Lu Xueqi also walked over and stood next to Jiang Xiaochuan, looking down at Zhang Xiaofan, her voice calm: "You're not bad."

Zhang Xiaofan twitched the corner of his mouth but didn't respond.

Jiang Xiaochuan, oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, was only focused on comforting Zhang Xiaofan: "Alright, don't be discouraged. If we ever meet again in the ring, your senior brother will definitely avenge you!"

Lu Xueqi glanced at him and said calmly, "What if we lose?"

"Impossible!" Jiang Xiaochuan blurted out without thinking.

Lu Xueqi looked at him without saying anything, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly, and her eyes shone.

Looking at the two of them standing together, one laughing carefree and the other with a rare tenderness in his eyes, Zhang Xiaofan felt the tightness in his chest even more intense.

He lowered his head, his voice muffled: "Senior Brother Jiang, I'm a little tired, I'll go back and rest first."

"Huh? Okay, okay, go and get some rest." Jiang Xiaochuan didn't think much of it, patted him, and said, "I'll bring you your medicine tonight."

Zhang Xiaofan nodded, stood up, and followed Du Bishu and the others. His back looked a little unsteady.

Jiang Xiaochuan frowned as he watched his retreating figure.

I feel like something's off with Xiaofan today. Did he lose too badly and get too much of a blow?

"Let's go." Lu Xueqi's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Huh? Where to?"

"Let's eat," Lu Xueqi said, naturally tugging at his sleeve. "I'm hungry."

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned for a moment, then, as she pulled him along, he turned back to look in the direction Zhang Xiaofan had left.

I felt inexplicably uneasy.

……

Of the four arenas, two remain.

The buzzing of voices was like stirring up a hornet's nest.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood on the Qianwei arena, feeling a buzzing sound in his ears.

To his left was Qi Hao, dressed in white, standing ramrod straight, with an impeccable gentle smile on his face, his gaze sweeping across the audience with composure.

On the right is Zeng Shushu, waving his pretentious folding fan, his eyes darting around, looking at this and that, a smile playing on his lips, who knows what mischief he's up to now.

To the right is Lu Xueqi.

She wore a light blue dress, with the Tianya sword hanging at her waist and the moon-white sword tassel drooping quietly.

She stood straight, her profile as white as jade in the sunlight, expressionless, her eyes cold and aloof as she gazed ahead.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood next to her, and the thing in his chest started to get restless again.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Each sound grew more urgent than the last, pounding against his eardrums. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress it, but it was no use.

The thing seemed to have its eye on the person next to it, and it started jumping around wildly with such force that the man suspected his ribs were about to break.

He secretly glanced at Lu Xueqi.

She seemed to have no reaction, still staring straight ahead, with only her eyelashes trembling almost imperceptibly.

Dao Xuan Zhenren stood before them, dressed in a dark green Daoist robe, with a long, flowing beard, a smile on his face, his gaze slowly sweeping over the four of them.

The Taoist Cangsong stood beside him, his face serious. His gaze lingered on Qi Hao for a moment, then swept over Jiang Xiaochuan, a complex emotion flashing deep in his eyes.

Below the stage, nearly a thousand Qingyun disciples were packed together, making it impossible to move.

The front row was occupied by the heads and elders of each branch. Tian Buyi and Su Ru stood on the side of Dazhu Peak. Tian Buyi's chubby face was unusually free of its usual sternness, with the corners of his mouth turned up and his small eyes sparkling.

Su Ru stood beside him with a gentle smile on her face. Her gaze fell on Jiang Xiaochuan, then looked at Lu Xueqi, her eyes deepening.

Master Shuiyue stood in front of the disciples of Xiaozhu Peak, dressed in moon white, with a cold expression and a quiet gaze fixed on Lu Xueqi, revealing no emotion.

Dao Xuan Zhenren cleared his throat, his voice calm yet clearly carrying throughout the entire hall:

"Gentlemen, as of today, the Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament has selected four disciples. They are exceptionally talented and possess profound magical skills. They are all elites of our Qingyun Sect and will shoulder the important responsibility of bringing glory to our Qingyun Sect in the future."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the four people on the stage again, and slowly said:

"Tomorrow, Qi Hao from Dragon Head Peak will face off against Lu Xueqi from Little Bamboo Peak."

A low murmur rippled through the audience. Qi Hao and Lu Xueqi were two of the most outstanding young talents.

"Jiang Xiaochuan of Dazhu Peak," Dao Xuan Zhenren turned his gaze to Jiang Xiaochuan, a smile in his eyes, "to face Zeng Shushu of Feng Hui Peak."

Zeng Shushu slammed his fan shut, leaned close to Jiang Xiaochuan's ear, and whispered in a cheeky tone, "Old Jiang, why is your heart beating so fast? Could it be... because of me?"

Jiang Xiaochuan's face darkened, and he squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: "Get lost."

Zeng Shushu clutched her chest, feigning injury: "Ouch, I'm so sad."

He paused, then leaned closer, lowering his voice even further, his eyes glancing at Lu Xueqi beside him: "Or is it... because of Senior Sister Lu?"

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart tightened, and he subconsciously wanted to turn his head to look at Lu Xueqi. As soon as he moved his neck, he felt a cold gaze sweep over him.

Lu Xueqi was looking at him. Her eyes were fixed on him without blinking, her gaze devoid of emotion, yet Jiang Xiaochuan felt a chill run down his spine and cold sweat break out on his back.

He dared not move.

Zeng Shushu was also caught in that gaze, shivered, shrank his neck, and remained silent, not daring to say another word.

Lu Xueqi dislikes Zeng Shushu.

I don't know why, but I just hate it. Seeing him talking so close to Jiang Xiaochuan makes me uncomfortable.

But then she wondered, could it be because of her that Jiang Xiaochuan's heart was beating so fast?

The thought sent a slight flutter through her heart, and her ears felt a little hot. She pursed her lips, looked away, and stopped looking at them.

……

After stepping off the stage, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Jiang Xiaochuan let out a long sigh of relief. He walked to Lu Xueqi's side, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Um... Senior Sister Lu, tomorrow..."

"Call me Xueqi," Lu Xueqi interrupted him.

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback: "Huh?"

"That's what my master calls me too." Lu Xueqi looked at him. "You promised me that before."

Jiang Xiaochuan remembered that he seemed to have made a promise that night at Hongqiao.

He scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "Oh, right... Xueqi. Um, you're fighting Senior Brother Qi tomorrow, be careful. Senior Brother Qi is very strong, don't... don't lose before the finals."

A soft chuckle came from the side.

Qi Hao walked over at some point, a gentle smile on his face, and looked at Jiang Xiaochuan: "Junior Brother Jiang, does this mean... you don't think highly of me?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was a little embarrassed and quickly waved his hands: "No, no, Senior Brother Qi misunderstood, I just..."

"He was just reminding me," Lu Xueqi replied calmly, "I am naturally aware of Senior Brother Qi's strength."

Qi Hao smiled and said nothing more, but his gaze shifted between Jiang Xiaochuan and Lu Xueqi, a hint of understanding flashing in the depths of his eyes. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Then I would like to ask Junior Sister Lu for guidance tomorrow."

"You're too kind, Senior Brother Qi." Lu Xueqi nodded slightly.

Qi Hao smiled at Jiang Xiaochuan again, then turned and left.

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Zeng Shushu, saying, "Shushu, I won't hold back tomorrow. Nine years ago..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop!"

Zeng Shushu lunged forward and covered his mouth, her face flushed red, her eyes darting around, and she whispered, "Old Jiang! Keep your voice down! Can we not talk about that anymore! What will people think of me if they hear this?!"

Jiang Xiaochuan made a couple of muffled noises as his mouth was covered, then pried his hand away and chuckled, "Okay, okay, let's not talk about it anymore. Anyway, be careful tomorrow."

Zeng Shushu looked distressed and sighed.

Lu Xueqi stood aside, watching them play around. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and her eyes grew colder.

……

Back at the small hut where we were temporarily staying on Dazhu Peak, my fellow disciples were already waiting for us.

As soon as the door opened, Du Bishu jumped up and slapped Jiang Xiaochuan on the back: "Sixth Brother! You're doing great! You've made it to the semi-finals!"

"This has brought honor to our Dazhu Peak!" He Dazhi also came over, his face beaming with joy.

Wu Dayi, Zheng Dali, and Lü Daxin also gathered around, chattering away, and the room immediately became noisy.

Tian Buyi and Su Ru stood at the door, looking at the lively scene inside, both with smiles on their faces.

For once, Tian Buyi wasn't stern. Instead, he smiled and narrowed his eyes into slits as he looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, who was surrounded by his fellow disciples, and then at Zhang Xiaofan, who was grinning sheepishly beside him. He couldn't suppress the smugness in his heart.

Dazhu Peak really showed off this time. One team made it to the semi-finals and another to the quarter-finals. They haven't been this glorious in years.

Su Ru's gaze softened as she looked at her husband's rare moment of joy, then at Jiang Xiaochuan, who was surrounded by his fellow apprentices, his face a mixture of helplessness and a touch of smugness. Her heart warmed. But the thought of her daughter dampened that warmth once more.

She sighed softly.

……

At night, Tian Buyi and Su Ru lay in bed.

There were no lights on in the room; the moonlight filtered through the paper windows, creating a hazy, indistinct glow.

"Ling'er didn't come to watch the competition today," Su Ru said softly.

Tian Buyi hummed in response but didn't say anything.

"That child was heartbroken. I saw that her eyes were swollen, and she wouldn't say anything when I asked her; she just hid in the room."

Tian Buyi rolled over, facing inward, and said in a muffled voice, "Kids will be fine after a few days of tantrums. I watched Xiao Chuan grow up. He's a bit lazy, but he's not a bad person. He doesn't have feelings for Ling'er, so it's better to make things clear sooner rather than later."

Su Ru was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "What if... what if Xiao Chuan also has feelings for Ling'er?"

Tian Buyi didn't answer immediately. After a long while, he slowly said, "That also depends on Ling'er herself. You can't force matters of the heart. As for Xiao Chuan... I think his mind isn't on Ling'er."

"You mean...Nephew Lu?" Su Ru asked.

Tian Buyi snorted: "The disciples taught by that woman Shuiyue are all like her, cold and aloof. What's so good about them?"

Su Ru laughed and gently nudged him: "You just don't get along with Senior Sister Shuiyue. I think Junior Nephew Lu is a good kid, talented, quiet, and kind to Xiao Chuan."

Tian Buyi fell silent.

The moonlight streamed in quietly, and the room was completely still.

……