Chapter 171: Pretending to Fight.
A few days later, the second round of the competition arrived as scheduled.
At dawn, the crowd gathered on the Four Spirits Peak, and the place was bustling with noise.
The second round was a one-on-one competition, which was obviously more exciting than the first round, attracting a large audience.
This was, after all, a grand competition that drew heroes from all corners of the human realm, captivating the hearts of all seven realms—even those who were not cultivators spared no expense in acquiring a single spot.
Among them were many students who had been eliminated in the first round. Most of them did not seem upset. Instead, they looked on with great excitement at the teams on the field, which were significantly fewer than a few days ago, and discussed among themselves.
"Who was that guy who fought to a draw with Yue Qifeng before?"
"How could anyone defeat her! It must be a coincidence. Wasn't there supposed to be an illusion before that? Senior Sister Yue must have exhausted too much energy!"
"That's our Senior Sister Qiao from Taihui. There's nothing she can't do against Yue Qifeng. Just wait and see what happens in the next match!"
With so many people talking, some had already started arguing about who to bet on. Then, a few shouts were heard—
"Place your bet now! Come and win spirit stones!"
"The list of students for the competition is here!"
Hearing the commotion, Shen Lixia lowered her voice and said with a smile, "Senior Sister Yue is really popular."
Tang Huairou stood beside her, saying helplessly, "She's always been like this..." Despite saying that, she still received a lot of cheers as she walked out of the group. After speaking, she glanced behind Shen Lixia, a look of doubt flashing in her eyes.
What's wrong with her?
—She was talking about Simmons, which was huddled behind Shen Lixia.
Seemingly not satisfied with such concealment, Simmons reached out another hand and carefully tugged at the hem of Qiao Yanshen's robe. The young man raised his eyes, sighed, and, following Simmons's lead, joined Shen Lixia on either side, completely blocking her out.
This is so novel! Is there something terrifying on the field? Tang Huairou blinked and followed Shen Lixia's gaze to look at the teams of the other students.
Perhaps it was intuition, or perhaps the person was simply too conspicuous, but she immediately became certain of the reason why Simmons was so timid.
Amidst the crowd, a lone figure stood quietly, surrounded by no one else, creating an unexpectedly spacious atmosphere. She likely didn't belong to, nor did she consider herself to, any group, so she quite naturally stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze cold yet subtly revealing curiosity as she scanned her surroundings.
When the student she was watching noticed her gaze and turned his head, she hurriedly turned her face away, returning to her quiet and dignified appearance.
But this drew the attention of many people. Several teenagers seemed quite surprised, glancing at her and whispering among themselves.
—That's really strange.
It was as if a pure white snow lotus had suddenly bloomed in the sun-drenched mountains. The girl had long, silvery-white curly hair, thick eyelashes, and a pair of crystal-clear amethyst eyes. She wore exotic-style gorgeous clothes, all covered in fluffy fur from the sleeves to the boots. She wasn't tall, only reaching about shoulder height compared to the girls next to her.
Like a little lamb, it got lost from its mother and somehow ended up here.
Even with his extensive knowledge, Tang Huairou couldn't guess her identity and exclaimed in surprise, "Which holy maiden from the snow mountain has run away? She's obviously not from the Central Plains."
Simmons responded weakly from behind, "Yes... Saintess..."
The ghost lingers. She had seen it in the illusion reflected in the water mirror before, thinking she was seeing things, but it turned out to be real.
Even if it wasn't that person, they shared an identical face. She couldn't possibly take her anger out on a child, so she simply looked away in annoyance and stopped looking. The boy, too, paid no attention to the others, focusing solely on waiting for the competition to begin.
Just like in the previous round, Yan Xueya emphasized the rules once more before waving her hand, scattering countless orbs of light that floated in front of the crowd, allowing them to choose for themselves. Shen Lixia casually grabbed one, and a name instantly entered her sea of consciousness.
The second round today, Yunzhixiao.
Both being in the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm, by sheer coincidence, they were paired with Senior Sister Yun, who was skilled in music and belonged to the Xihe Palace.
It's likely to be a tough battle.
After the draw, the two arenas slowly rose, and the Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators split into two groups, walking down to the other arenas. Shen Lixia glanced curiously at the Golden Core arena, wondering who had the best luck and would be the lucky winner of the day...
Then Lin Yuqian appeared on the arena, and opposite her was Chu Mingxin, the disciple of Kuanglan Sect whom she had inquired about before.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lin Yuqian stepped calmly onto the arena with her hands behind her back. She always appeared very poised and composed, and after standing still, she raised her head to look at the young man opposite her.
She said, "Emperor Taihui, Lin Yuxian. Please give me your guidance."
The Mad Waves Sect is considered mysterious among all sects, as it resides far away in the South China Sea and is a branch of cultivators who evolved from islanders on a remote island. Shen Lixia had previously inquired and only knew that they began fishing and hunting at sea from a young age, seeking survival amidst the raging waves. Over time, the sea's fury ceased to be a challenge for them, but rather a source of strength, allowing them to fight sea beasts and defend against external enemies.
At this moment, the young man in a dark blue robe stood on the field, like a piece of cold, blue jade emerging from the deep sea, his figure tall and slender. She raised her hand, unfastened the long spear from her back, held it in her hand, and twirled lightly in a circle.
"Chu Mingxin of the Kuanglan Sect." Her azure eyes gazed at Lin Yuqian with a smile. "Nice to meet you. By the way, may I call you Qianqian?"
After saying this, she hesitated for a moment, seemingly feeling it was inappropriate, and added, "In exchange, you can also call me Mingxin. Of course, you can also call me 'Yujing.' Isn't that somewhat similar to you?"
Lin Yuxian paused for a moment, then frowned slightly. "Hmm?"
Yu Jing. The bright moon shines on my heart, its shadows sway gently... This must be her courtesy name. But courtesy names are usually used by close friends or family; what meaning would it have to convey to someone I'd only recently met?
"Your name is beautiful, and you have a unique temperament, unlike others. I fell in love with you at first sight."
"...You speak very nicely too." Lin Yuxian was completely bewildered, not understanding a word she was saying—or even the meaning behind it.
She replied politely, "However, I am foolish and do not know what Senior Sister Chu meant by saying these words before the battle?"
Chu Mingxin offered no explanation, but instead smiled, her spiritual energy flashing like lightning, instantly unleashing countless rays of light. A sharp thunderclap tore through the crowd's senses, as if in an instant the world consisted only of the two of them. She gripped the gun handle, the silver tip drawing a powerful arc in mid-air, pointing directly at the young man's face.
"Let's begin, Qianqian." The voice, accompanied by crackling thunder, reached Lin Yuqian's ears. Her expression darkened, and an array plate appeared in her hand, its dark gold spiritual power instantly surging, summoning winding array patterns.
At this point, Shen Lixia withdrew her gaze and stopped paying attention to the commotion over there.
Junior Sister Lin seems to lack awareness of her own popularity... However, if calling someone by a nickname on the first meeting is a way of expressing goodwill rather than a provocation, then she has to wonder if Chu Mingxin has lost her mind and lacks a sense of boundaries.
Since she wasn't in the first round, she had more time to observe others. After watching the Golden Core realm arena, Shen Lixia turned to the Nascent Soul realm arena and saw two people facing off at the top. One was a disciple of the Boundless Sword Sect, and the other...
He seems to be a rogue cultivator.
It was truly remarkable that a rogue cultivator could break through the encirclement and reach this round. Shen Lixia felt a deep respect for her. She herself had once come from a state of having nothing, so she naturally understood how difficult it was.
The rogue cultivator held a silver-white longsword with a light blue tassel at the end of the hilt. The tassel looked ancient, with the bottom tassel faded and slightly white.
Shen Lixia didn't know why she saw the sword tassel at first glance, but she subconsciously pursed her lips, a subtle ripple in her heart.
Her gaze shifted upwards. Just as the two were exchanging names, the young man she was watching suddenly twisted his wrist, lightly kissed the sharp blade with the tip of his sword against his lips, and then waved his hand, letting it glide across the ground with a soft, clear sound.
"The capital city of Nanjun..."
The name seemed familiar, yet she couldn't recall where it came from. Just then, as if sensing the gazes that had been fixed on him, the young man slightly turned his head, his bright, smiling eyes meeting Shen Lixia's gaze as he pierced through the throng.
A chill suddenly rose up, only to vanish as she lightly turned her gaze away.
"Luo You".
Suddenly, her sleeve tightened. Shen Lixia turned to the side and saw that Qiao Yanshen was pale, one hand pressed tightly to his brow, the other hand clutching her sleeve, as if in great pain, cold sweat sliding down his forehead.
On the other side, in the arena.
With a single thrust of the spear, a thunderous roar descended, knocking the talisman from the boy's hand.
Lin Yuxian let out a muffled groan and tried to retreat hastily. She seemed to have never expected that the gentle and refined young man who wielded a gun would fight with such a sharp and ruthless style, unlike any other gunman she had ever seen, showing no intention of engaging her in a prolonged struggle.
This feeling was as if she wasn't an opponent, but rather—
A fish that is agile in the sea is born to be prey for the islanders who live off the sea.
Each shot, crackling with brilliant lightning, came rolling in. She retreated, and Chu Mingxin advanced; she shifted her body, and Chu Mingxin immediately twisted her arm, changing the direction of the spear tip. This spear, gleaming with a faint blue light, and Chu Mingxin, with her narrowed eyes and smiling expression, were like a water snake in the sea, electrifying yet possessing a set of venomous teeth, relentlessly and coldly pursuing her.
She's completely unable to set up a formation!
Fortunately, the array plate contained several arrays in various locations, which could still help her dodge and counterattack. Chu Mingxin's attacks were fierce, but the price was that she could not sustain them for long and would gradually weaken at some point.
That will be the best time for her to retaliate.
Lin Yuqian recalled the self-defense techniques her mother had taught her, constantly dodging the spears that grazed her vital points countless times. Despite being pressed, she never furrowed her brow, calmly and steadily dodging.
Sure enough, although it was still bright, Lin Yuxian noticed with her sharp eyes that the lightning had dimmed a little, and seemed to be less tyrannical. She took out a talisman, and in an instant, a gust of wind gathered, carrying the boy a short distance away, placing him about ten steps away from Chu Mingxin.
That's enough.
Lin Yuqian frowned and held her breath, her hands constantly shifting, spiritual energy transforming into dazzling runes that shone brightly with the light flowing from the array plate.
The next moment, a sharp sound suddenly pierced the noise.
However, when she heard it, all she saw was a white light flashing before her eyes, piercing through the air.
—The spear, like a shooting star, pierced through her left shoulder.
Blood splattered instantly, a shocking crimson flower branch emerging from the boy's dark clothes. A numbing sensation spread, causing Lin Yuqian's legs to buckle, and she collapsed uncontrollably. Chu Mingxin strode over, not hastily withdrawing his weapon, but instead reaching out and firmly catching her around the waist.
Her calm and gentle eyes gazed at Lin Yuqian. The hand on her waist seemed considerate to outsiders, but in reality, the violent lightning energy resonated with the part of the spear tip that was spreading out, causing intense pain from the inside out.
A wave of tingling and numbness washed over her, forcing Lin Yuxian to reach out her intact right hand and clutch her clothes tightly. She swallowed a mouthful of blood that threatened to spill, and coldly cursed:
"madman."
Chu Mingxin slowly helped her up, then grasped the tip of the gun, gently stirred it, and only after hearing her let out an unbearable sob did he nod in satisfaction and laugh, "Qianqian's cursing is so elegant, truly just like your name, everything you say sounds good."
With a whoosh, she drew her spear without hesitation, listening to the gushing blood. A strong, sweet, metallic scent filled the air, and Chu Mingxin seemed to quite like the smell, her eyes narrowing involuntarily, even her eyebrows trembling slightly.
Having enjoyed herself as a hunter, she now felt more at ease and readily offered her explanation.
"When I lived on the island, I didn't just have to fish for a living. In the barren land and water, it was inevitable that some people would fight over things. Especially after entering the Kuanglan Sect... Qianqian seemed quite curious about me just now, so I'll tell you about it, shall I?"
She continued speaking, oblivious to all the sounds around her. Time seemed to stand still at that moment, flowing only between the two of them.
“I not only have to fight the sea, but also be wary of my own kind and the monsters on the island. So I learned things they never knew—like this, throwing a spear and hiding in the shadows is much faster than a head-on confrontation; similarly, killing someone is much faster than building a good relationship with her.”
The sharp spiritual energy eroded her body inch by inch, constantly clashing with her. Lin Yuqian's hand, which was gripping Chu Mingxin's clothes, was unconsciously numb and loosened, and she could only grit her teeth and lean against Chu Mingxin's arm.
"And you, you seem to be nothing more than a pitiful little lamb, full of ambition but never sharpening your harmless teeth..."
Her voice was soft, slightly husky when she lowered it, and undeniably alluring. Although the audience couldn't hear what they were saying, some began to whisper.
"That must be Chu Mingxin, right? I've heard that the Kuanglan Sect's trials are brutal. Every time you break through a realm, you have to fight with other mortals for a chance to survive... starting from a mortal with no cultivation and working your way up to the Nascent Soul realm."
"The fact that she lived to the Golden Core stage means—"
Blood trickled from the corner of Lin Yuxian's mouth, her gaze seemed to gradually become unfocused, and she stared intently into Chu Mingxin's cold eyes.
Everyone was teaching her to fight for what she wanted.
Her lips parted slightly, and Chu Mingxin blinked, then leaned down with great interest. Instead of pressing her lips to hers, she rested against the boy's chest, as if listening to the heartbeat of a dying prey, or like lovers in a tender and affectionate embrace, extremely ambiguous.
She knew that opponents who lost their ability to fight would be teleported away, so Lin Yuqian was not actually at her limit at this moment.
Lin Yuqian was saying—
"Notice......"
Notice?
Her pupils contracted slightly as she instantly noticed something amiss at her feet and looked down.
Unbeknownst to her, the intense, vibrant blood had spontaneously transformed into intricate array patterns. As Lin Yuqian's face grew paler, the array became increasingly complete. She had never heard of an array formed with blood before, but she knew that it would undoubtedly have severe backlash, potentially causing irreparable damage.
Seeing the surprise in her eyes, Lin Yuxian smiled and said softly, "Didn't you say you were going to fight for it? This just reminded me."
Chi Yueying, standing on the high platform, frowned slightly when she saw the crimson array below shimmering with light.
This child...
He appears mild-mannered and reserved on the surface, but he is not truly weak. On the contrary, he is prone to extremes and can unleash the ferocity of a dying animal.
As the last drop of blood fell, the array was complete. Chu Mingxin immediately felt her spiritual energy depleted, and her body was suddenly attacked by sword energy, leaving fine cuts that could not be healed. She lost her grip and released Lin Yuxian. The boy stumbled and fell heavily to the ground, barely managing to prop himself up with one arm.
Through her blurry vision, she saw Chu Mingxin also stagger down to her knees, her movements bound by the sword energy emanating from the blood array, unable to move.
"I've learned a lot, Senior Sister Chu."
—A narrow victory.
-
When the sword was sheathed, there was no blood, only the youth's gentle smile and the hand he reached out to his exhausted spiritual energy.
The student facing Luo You smiled helplessly, took her hand, and was steadily pulled up. This pale-skinned youth possessed a gentle demeanor, and his swordplay, though unpredictable, was elegant, devoid of any deadly intent; each strike was deliberate and precise...
It's absolutely impeccable; there's not a single aspect about it that makes it impossible to feel any dislike. People with such a refined air are rare indeed.
Qiao Yanshen, who was staring intently at Luo You because of a strange feeling in his heart, felt increasingly familiar with her.
Upon closer inspection, her swordplay was unremarkable; it was perhaps derived from an excellent sword manual. Her demeanor was gentle, her movements graceful, and even the way she said "thank you for the courtesy" conveyed a sense of warmth and approachability.
Like a piece of warm, beautiful jade, perfectly intact and crystal clear.
Without needing to endure any suffering or hardship, it remains in its original, most peaceful, and most ideal state.
But why did she feel from the beginning...?
It's very incongruous.
At this moment, Luo You lowered her head, as if to greet the cheering cultivators below the stage. Her gaze quickly met Qiao Yanshen's, and for that brief moment, she smiled and nodded at him.
The young woman parted her lips gently, as if uttering two words, her gaze passing over Qiao Yanshen, then drifting elsewhere. Qiao Yanshen understood the shape of her lips.
She is calling out...
teacher?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Sigh, I think I've laid enough groundwork. This part is all about the ensemble cast, and I'll try to wrap up the character development arcs from earlier.
I think Xiaolin's growth process can be summarized as follows: initially, she was numb and even complicit in evil → gradually she was led to break free → she decided to break free of the constraints herself → not only did she want to break free of the constraints, but she also wanted to shatter the entire object that bound her.
While this confrontation is also part of the growth arc, there's also an element of me wanting to see the older sister teasing the younger, innocent girl. Sorry, haha.
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