"So, you really are a spy, Junior Brother," Li Rong's words sliced through the tension like her perfectly honed jian. Her delicate fingers tightened around the sword's intricately carved hilt, the bluish glow of her aura pulsing in rhythm with her escalating anger.

She straightened her slim figure, widening her stance as she leveled the blade before her chest. Her right foot slid forward, left leg braced to maintain her centered balance. The flickering firelight cast dancing shadows across her fair features, her brow furrowed in steely determination.

A faint aquamarine shimmer emanated from the jian's razor edge, mirroring the cerulean aura enveloping Li Rong's form. The scent of smoldering ashes from the nearby corpse hung thick in the air, adding a grim undertone to the charged scene unfolding.

"It's such a pity. Junior Sister, stay behind me," Li Rong commanded, her focus locked on Ji Wuye's seemingly nonchalant demeanor as he watched her impassive preparations unfold.

Ji Wuye exhaled a weary sigh, sensing the sharp prickle of Li Rong's hostile Sword Aura permeating the air around them like an ominous fog. His crimson eyes coolly appraised her stance, noticing the way her bluish Qi thinned and concentrated around her vital points.

'A Sword Aura and Concentrate Qi,' he pondered mentally. It confirmed that the Senior Sister was indeed a 5th realm or above martial artist.

'Normally her stats should be 50,' he pondered.

While it looked impressive, a 5th realm martial artist's physical body had yet to transcend mortality through tempering.

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'But with the Tower's presence, it should be around 60. There are also skills,' Ji Wuye added.

Even if the Tower challenge adjusted based on the challenger's power. With her martial arts gaining incredible or amazing achievements, it probably was not a hard task for Li Rong, coupled with the fact her starting realm was quite high.

Even Ji Wuye could overcome such challenges with his knowledge and skills, despite being at 2nd realm.

But that was not the thing that should be discussed. Instead...

A flicker of disappointment ghosted across his expression as he shook his head slowly. 'I thought Elder Qiao's disciple would be different...'

Like most martial artists, she was just... too classic... narrow-minded...

'Most orthodox martial artists are like her,' Ji Wuye commented inwardly, a tinge of disappointment coloring his thoughts. What truly disheartened him was the apparent lack of cunning or nuanced perspective that Elder Qiao had instilled in his Senior Sister's personality.

His crimson gaze flicked to Song Jia, noticing how the Junior Sister was forced to stand obediently behind the increasingly hostile Li Rong.

Song Jia's conflicted expression betrayed her inner turmoil as her eyes anxiously darted between him and her Senior Sister.

However...

Their eyes met briefly, and she gave a small, hesitant nod before parting her lips to speak up once more in Ji Wuye's defense.

"Senior Sister, Brothe--" Song Jia began, but the frosty glare Li Rong leveled over her shoulder instantly stilled her words.

"If you speak one more time, your punishment will be more severe," Li Rong's steely rebuke sliced through the taut silence, causing Song Jia to shrink back in chastised silence.

On the other hand, "So this is your FINAL decision, accusing your Martial Sibling of being a spy and ignoring the fact that I sincerely saved this village?"

His voice carried a slight edge as he took a step forward, the air around him growing taut and caustic.

The tattered white folds of his martial robe, stained from his battles in the Dungeon, began to shred under the invisible lash of her sharp faint Sword Aura in the surrounding air.

"Don't try to change the topic," Li Rong replied without hesitation, her eyes cold and resolved.

SWOOSH!

In a blur of motion, she seemed to disappear from her stance, rematerializing in a heartbeat mere feet from Ji Wuye. Her jian was a metallic whisper through the air, the razor edge angled to open his chest before a chorus of alarmed voices shattered the tension.

"Please...don't hurt him...Big Sister..."

The soft, childlike plea came from behind Li Rong. Her pupils dilated as she whipped her head around to the source - the village residents now gathered, their expressions ranging from pleading to outright shock and disappointment.

"H-how could he be a traitor? He saved our lives!" Another voice, gruff but impassioned, reinforced the child's appeal.