Dabi

When the memorial about the case was rushed to Chang'an, Xiao Wan'er was free again.

The city was small and there wasn't much to see, so she decided to go out with Pei Yingguan. Both of them were powerful monks, so they didn't need to take a horse carriage, carry any food, or wear warm clothes for the night. They could leave the city with light luggage.

Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan would go out of the city to play from time to time, and their return date was uncertain, so when the imperial edict from Chang'an arrived, the two were watching the stars in the desert dozens of miles away.

The messenger failed to knock on the door of the official residence and came back in panic to report. Zhang Renyuan shook his head helplessly.

"Your Excellency, why don't you leave the imperial edict in the government office and I will pass it on to them when they come back." He said this to the eunuch who came from Chang'an.

The eunuch thought for a moment and agreed to the proposal.

So, when Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan returned to Zhongshoujiang City, they were taken into the government office by the guards who were waiting for them before they even reached the city gate.

The two were somewhat embarrassed to learn that they had missed the imperial edict from Chang'an. Fortunately, the eunuch who delivered the edict and Zhang Renyuan did not blame them. After Xiao Wan'er received the edict, they let them leave.

"Thank you, Lord Zhang." Xiao Wan'er thanked him shyly and then said goodbye.

"Okay, now let's see what's written in this imperial edict." After returning to the official residence, Xiao Wan'er couldn't wait to open the imperial edict to see what task she had been assigned.

When she finished reading the contents of the imperial edict, her mind went blank and only one word remained.

"ah?"

Pei Yingguan also finished reading the imperial edict, and then he also looked embarrassed.

"According to custom, monks who have been recruited by the imperial court no longer interact with the cultivation world. Why did Your Majesty give us such an order?"

Xiao Wan'er started talking nonsense in a daze: "Could it be that you can't stand us having fun?"

Pei Yingguan held his forehead helplessly.

In August, a grand competition will be held in Shuzhong among all the sects of monks. Taoist temples, Buddhist monasteries, families, and even independent cultivators will be welcome to participate. Upon hearing the news, the emperor decided to send Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan to participate in the competition under the name of Biyun Temple, and to strive to achieve a high ranking.

The reason they participated in the competition under the name of Biyun Temple was because the vast majority of cultivators considered themselves hermits, not participating in worldly affairs and not welcoming interference from the imperial court. As a Taoist temple, Biyun Temple had legitimate reasons to participate in the competition, but the Divine Dragon Guards did not.

However, Biyun Temple's entire sect was loyal to the imperial court, a fact widely known within the monastic community. Biyun Temple had not participated in the previous Grand Competition ten years prior, so no one could predict what would happen this time around.

"Since we have received the imperial edict, let's set off as soon as possible." Xiao Wan'er made a prompt decision, and Pei Yingguan held the same opinion.

Pei Yingguan was a swordsman, relying solely on his sword for battle, and needed no other preparations. However, Xiao Wan'er was different. She locked herself in her official residence for three full days before opening the door and heading straight for Pei Yingguan's guesthouse.

"Are you ready?" Pei Yingguan had been waiting for a long time and was ready to set off at any time.

Xiao Wan'er nodded.

"Then let's go."

The two of them didn't delay any further and went straight out of the city, heading south.

Although they say July is the hottest month of the year, it was still very hot in Shu at this time. Even though she was no longer afraid of cold or heat, Xiao Wan'er still felt a little stuffy for the first time in a long time.

"We're finally here." Xiao Wan'er looked at the huge villa at her destination and let out a long sigh.

This villa belonged to a family of cultivators, and the owner was also the patriarch. Only cultivators at the Transcendent Realm could become the organizers of sect competitions, and this villa was no exception. Although the owner was only at the Nascent Dao Realm, his younger brother was a true Transcendent Realm expert.

The two hurried along without a break, and upon reaching their destination, both were dusty and exhausted. After using a simple cleaning technique to remove the dust from their bodies, they headed towards the villa's main gate.

As soon as they reached the gate, the gatekeeper stopped them.

"Please show your identification. No unauthorized persons are allowed to enter."

Xiao Wan'er took out the abbot's order of Biyun Temple.

"Biyun Temple's abbot Xiao Wan'er and disciple Pei Yingguan are participating in the sect competition."

Seeing the token, the two gatekeepers looked unhappy. However, since Biyun Temple was fully compliant with the competition regulations, they had no choice but to let Xiao Wan'er and the others in.

"Please follow me." Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan waited for a while at the gate before the servants of the villa led them to the residences of the monks of various sects. As expected, they were assigned to the most secluded area.

"This is your residence. During the competition, many people will come. If you don't have important matters, please don't wander around."

"Okay, I understand." Xiao Wan'er agreed.

The servant handed over the key and left. Xiao Wan'er opened the door and walked into the courtyard with Pei Yingguan. The most remote courtyard was small and simple, barely enough for two people. Thinking of the servant's less than polite attitude just now, Xiao Wan'er sighed and endured the master's arrangement.

"What a cold reception." Pei Ying sighed after watching around.

"There's nothing I can do about it," Xiao Wan'er curled her lips, "If you force yourself into a circle that doesn't belong to you, you'll inevitably be met with indifference."

She first occupied a room as a practice room and walked in with her luggage.

"This room belongs to me, and the other room belongs to you, Senior Brother. Let's just focus on training and preparing for the battle for the time being."

At least we must not lose in ranking.

The two of them practiced in seclusion until the day of the competition. On the first day of the competition, when the two, both first-time participants, arrived at the competition venue on time, it was already packed with people. At the end of the sea of ​​people, eight massive arenas were lined up before everyone, each one enshrined in a protective formation.

"This formation can only defend against those at the Entry-level."

Xiao Wan'er understood the trick at a glance.

When the time came, the owner of the villa announced the start of the competition. As Xiao Wan'er had seen, the first to compete were the cultivators at the Entry Stage.

All Dao-entry cultivators under the age of forty are eligible to participate in the competition. Under this regulation, a large number of Dao-entry cultivators participate in the competition.

The organizers divided the monks into eight groups, each with its own arena. After drawing lots, the groups would fight each other in pairs. The winners would advance, and the losers would be eliminated. Finally, the top performer in each group would repeat this process for three rounds to determine the final winner.

Xiao Wan'er looked at the crowded stadium and suddenly thought of Liu Mingyin.

"In fact, Your Majesty should have sent Mingyin and me," she said to Pei Yingguan who was standing beside her, "I am in the Transcendent Realm, and he is in the Entering Dao Realm. It's just right that we have both realms."

I don’t know if it was her illusion, but as soon as she said this, the aura around Pei Yingguan became a little gloomy.

"Your Majesty, this arrangement is very good," he immediately expressed a different opinion. "The key to the competition is still the Transcendent Realm cultivators. It will be safer if both of us come."

"That's right." Xiao Wan'er immediately accepted this statement.

After the first day, the two did not go to the competition venue again until the last day of the introductory competition. The first place duel ended in the evening, and the sect that won the first place in the previous competition won the first place in the introductory group.

Afterwards, the owner of the villa announced: "The Transcendent Stage Competition will begin at noon tomorrow."

At the beginning of the next day, all the cultivators in the villa, whether they were transcendental, entering the Dao, or just beginning, rushed to watch the competition. An old man with white hair and beard stepped out of the referee's seat and introduced himself as the host of the transcendental competition. Xiao Wan'er looked at him curiously, and when she accidentally met his eyes, she couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart.

"This old man is very strong," she sent a voice message to Pei Yingguan, "I'm afraid I'm no match for him."

Pei Yingguan didn't reply, but secretly grabbed her hand and held it tightly. However, after a few breaths, Xiao Wan'er silently pulled her hand free and shook it off quietly.

I clenched it too tightly and my hand hurt.

"Please step forward, all the Transcendent Realm cultivators who wish to participate in the competition."

The old man's voice was like a resounding bell, and Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan unconsciously walked out of the crowd and came to the front. The other Transcendent Realm experts did the same.

This person is probably not far from the realm of returning to the truth.

Fourteen Transcendent Realm cultivators participated in the competition. Unlike the Nascent Dao Realm, they were not divided into groups. The original eight arenas were removed, replaced by a single, larger one with a more robust protective formation. The fourteen people drew lots one by one. Xiao Wan'er opened the lot and saw the bright "one" on it.

"What number did you draw, brother?"

Pei Yingguan showed her the lot, and there was a "five" on it.

"Please come onto the stage, first group." The powerful voice resounded throughout the venue again. Xiao Wan'er did not delay and walked directly onto the stage.

Xiao Wan'er's opponent happened to be the younger brother of the villa owner, and he looked at Xiao Wan'er with a very unfriendly look.

"Why would the imperial court's lackeys come to participate in a competition between us hermits?"

Xiao Wan'er sighed in her heart, actually she didn't want to come either.

With the old man's "Begin," the two men attacked simultaneously. Both monks excelled in magic, but the villa owner's brother was already at a disadvantage after just three rounds.

After that, he had no chance of a comeback, being suppressed by Xiao Wan'er from beginning to end. In less than two sticks of incense, he was frozen into an ice cube by Xiao Wan'er's magic, and then was pulled off the stage by a huge vine that emerged from the ground.

"Xiao Wan'er from Biyun Temple wins." The old referee calmly announced the result of the competition.

The ice shattered completely when it hit the ground, revealing the person inside. He scratched the back of his head, unhappy, but said nothing more. He gave Xiao Wan'er a cursory greeting and left in a hurry.

The owner of the villa, seated in the main seat of the spectator booth, saw clearly that Xiao Wan'er had shown mercy, sparing her brother from serious injury. As soon as Xiao Wan'er returned to her seat as a contestant, a waiter brought her snacks and iced drinks.

"This is a gift from my master, senior." The waiter explained and quietly withdrew. Xiao Wan'er looked at the owner of the villa, only to see that he looked calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.

Xiao Wan'er watched the rest of the competition over a snack and a drink. The first round wasn't too difficult for them, and Pei Yingguan did make it to the second round.

The competition was incredibly fast-paced, with the second round starting the very next day after the first. This time, in the top-seven round, Xiao Wan'er was incredibly lucky to have drawn a bye. Seeing that there was nothing for her to do, Xiao Wan'er headed straight back to her residence.

Unexpectedly, Pei Yingguan lost.