With the help of external forces
Everyone was puzzled, though unwilling to admit they had misjudged the situation. But a deep sense of unease lingered within them; they seemed to have fallen into the illusion created by the formation, just like Ruan Qingyu on the arena.
"So, what we're seeing now, is it that Senior Sister Ruan broke through the illusion of the formation, or is this also fake?" a disciple whispered. Instantly, the people around them became even quieter. They felt their faces burning and didn't know what to do.
Their wariness of Jiang Ziming increased significantly, and they each wondered how they would break the deadlock if they were unlucky enough to encounter such a master of formations.
Jiang Ziming took three steps back, his face pale, and said, "Senior Sister Ruan's skill is remarkable; she even possesses such a powerful strange fire."
Inside the Hall of Enforcement, the elders were not affected by the illusion created by the array plate, but they disagreed with Jiang Ziming's claim about the strange fire.
These are all elders who have lived for hundreds or even thousands of years; what kind of magical resources haven't they seen within the sect? Although Ruan Qingyu's flames are powerful, their aura appears smooth and without any flaws.
It can only be formed by the innate spiritual fire of a fire-attribute cultivator. If it is said to be too powerful, it is probably due to the cultivation technique.
These were the unanimous thoughts of all the elders. As for Chen Tian, who was always in charge of sect affairs and had been quite embarrassed since the mountain was burned down, no one cared what he thought.
Ruan Qingyu's expression was indifferent: "Do you want to continue?"
Jiang Ziming's expression froze, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes. Looking at the shattered array plate on the arena, he coughed violently, and crimson blood immediately spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Suddenly, Jiang Ziming chuckled, a sound that seemed both helpless and slightly sarcastic. He used his spiritual power to raise his voice, drawing the attention of the disciples below the arena and even the elders in the Enforcement Hall.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Ruan, on winning four consecutive games. What a skillful move!" The last word was accompanied by a long sigh, filled with regret.
Jiang Ziming stared intently at Ruan Qingyu across from him, his eyes filled with growing malice: "I've heard that Senior Sister Ruan is a new disciple this year, and she's eager to gain resources and fame, occasionally resorting to some extraordinary means... I can understand that."
As he spoke, Jiang Ziming took another step forward, and stopped when he saw a golden-red fire lotus blooming on Ruan Qingyu's slowly raised right hand.
His face showed helplessness, and he said in a kind voice, "Senior Sister Ruan, although it is said that those who are accomplished first are valued, I entered the Dao a few years earlier than you, so I must give you some advice as your senior brother. The path of cultivation is long and arduous. Relying on external forces may make you powerful for a while, but it is ultimately an illusion. Senior Sister Ruan, please don't go astray and become stubbornly deluded."
After speaking, Jiang Ziming took a step back, bowed slightly to Ruan Qingyu, and then bowed again towards the Hall of Law Enforcement in the distance. His face showed regret, tolerance, and a barely perceptible smile of triumph, as if he were the one who had won the moral high ground and achieved victory.
Below the arena, the disciples looked at each other and began to whisper among themselves.
One disciple exclaimed in realization, "So that's why this closed-door disciple was able to suppress so many senior brothers and sisters! He used external force!"
A disciple standing nearby, indignant, said, "How is such behavior any different from that of a petty person?"
Another disciple looked puzzled and confused: "External force? Just now, Senior Brother Jiang activated the formation, and then Senior Sister Ruan destroyed it all with a fire. How can that be considered external force?"
As soon as the disciple who had genuinely expressed his doubts finished speaking, he was glared at by the disciple who had just been indignant: "How do you think she, a newly recruited disciple, could have learned so many powerful techniques? Where did she get so many contribution points? If the techniques aren't powerful, then the flames she's using are wrong."
"Yes, yes, yes, there's definitely something strange about that flame. Maybe it's some kind of exotic fire they found somewhere, otherwise Senior Brother Jiang wouldn't have lost!"
Inside the Hall of Enforcement, several elders frowned slightly, their expressions inscrutable. Cihang was initially somewhat angry, but then looked at Wenhe Daojun, who sat at the head of the table, and was disappointed to see that the other party remained silent.
With just a few words, Jiang Ziming turned a seemingly clear-cut outcome into one where he had to compromise and suffer a regrettable defeat.
Thinking of this, Ruan Qingyu found it amusing and burst into laughter. The laughter was clean and hearty, carrying undisguised mockery and disdain.
The gaze directed at Jiang Ziming was as if frozen solid for a thousand years. The wrist that had been raised was suddenly lowered, and the slowly burning phoenix divine fire gradually extinguished and dissipated.
"Senior Brother Jiang, your sore loser attitude is a bit ugly." The voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for Jiang Zimo to hear, and the elders who were constantly monitoring the situation on the arena could also hear it.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ziming's face darkened, his eyes blazing with anger, which he suppressed with great effort, while maintaining an expression of attentive listening.
Watching Jiang Ziming continue his pretense, Ruan Qingyu's tone grew increasingly cold: "You say my methods are unclear, relying on external forces? Why don't you ask the elders of the Enforcement Hall to verify it now, or you and I can have another match. This time you won't use formations, and I won't use my natal fire. We'll just compare movement techniques and some simple spells, and see if I can still beat you without 'external forces'?"
Seeing that Jiang Ziming remained silent, Ruan Qingyu continued, "Is your silence because you dare not speak? If you dare not compete again, then shut your mouth and put away your hypocritical and generous face. If I, a cultivator with a single fire spiritual root, cannot use fire, then wouldn't those with water spiritual roots be unable to use water? And those with earth and wood spiritual roots would also better not use it either."
Her words were forceful and insightful, instantly bringing the disciples below the arena, who had initially doubted her, back to their senses. They lowered their heads in shame; if they accused her of using external force simply because she was skilled with fire, wouldn't they be doing the same thing?
Ruan Qingyu stared intently at Jiang Ziming, seemingly waiting for him to speak. Seeing the atmosphere fall silent again, Ruan Qingyu stepped forward, ready to say something more.
Inside the Hall of Enforcement, Daoist Wenhe suddenly spoke: "The outcome is decided, the competition continues."
These words resounded throughout the sect, and everyone could hear them. However, Daoist Wenhe did not offer any explanation for the matter; he simply waved his sleeve, and Jiang Zimo was taken to the waiting area by a white light.
Seeing this, Cihang's eyes flickered: "I have already checked once. The spiritual fire used by the newly promoted disciple Ruan Qingyu is her natal spiritual fire, which is in harmony with the aura of her natal golden core, and there is nothing unusual about it."
As soon as the words were spoken, the other disciples lowered their heads in shame. They were all Golden Core cultivators, and although their own skills were inferior, they had dared to suspect that the other party had used underhanded tactics; their character was truly flawed.
Cihang felt the gazes falling on him, but seemed not to notice anything, and naturally looked at the other arenas where the matches were still going on.
After defeating Jiang Ziming, Ruan Qingyu faced her fifth opponent, who was only at the early stage of the Golden Core realm. Although he greatly admired Ruan Qingyu, he did not admit defeat.
After several attempts, he finally gave up after exhausting his spiritual energy. When he looked at Ruan Qingyu, his expression was serious with a hint of admiration: "Senior Sister Ruan, I knew you weren't a bad person. I'm completely convinced!"
With this, Ruan Qingyu exited the ring with a five-game winning streak. Only Liu Yan remained in her seat in the waiting area, smiling at her.
With a slightly teasing wink, Liu Yan pulled Ruan Qingyu's arm and sat down beside her: "I was on tenterhooks just now. Jiang Ziming has always used these tricks. I hate his hypocritical appearance the most."
When the incident occurred, she was still competing with others and couldn't offer any help. Unexpectedly, Ruan Qingyu handled it all by herself. After hearing the details, she exclaimed that her junior sister Ruan was amazing.
"Senior Sister Liu, are you done competing?" Ruan Qingyu felt close to Liu Yan and felt a warmth in her heart when she saw that Liu Yan was genuinely happy for her.
Knowing that Ruan Qingyu was concerned about her, Liu Yan smiled even more: "Yes, although we didn't have a five-game winning streak, we still won four games. That kid Liu Feng has won three games and lost one. He was just substituted in for the fifth game."
Seeing that Ruan Qingyu was listening attentively, she added, "Jin Chengcheng and Yang Ming are a little later than us, but they have already won three games. Just relax for the next two games."
After thinking for a moment, Ruan Qingyu said, "When it comes to the team competition, shouldn't we go to other sects?"
Liu Yan shook her head: "In order to show the grandeur of the Xuantian Sect this year, the elders have decided to hold an extra round of team competition after the individual competition. At that time, our Xuantian Sect will only be allowed to send ten teams."
Thinking of this, Liu Yan couldn't help but feel a headache. In the past, it didn't matter how many teams there were, as long as it was an individual competition, the sect would not stand in their way.
This year's competition is so rigorous, but fortunately, she is luckier and was able to invite a talented disciple like Ruan Qingyu, which gives her more confidence for the upcoming team competition.
"After this person's competition ends, we'll practice together for a few days, and then we'll definitely be able to win a good ranking." At this moment, Liu Yan didn't care about the ranking; she just wanted to get a ranking with a power token.
Ruan Qingyu nodded, just as she was about to focus on watching the matches on the other arenas, when she saw Liu Yan looking very regretful.
With a question lingering in his mind, he spoke directly: "Senior Sister Liu seems to have some regrets?"
Unexpectedly, Ruan Qingyu saw through her little scheme. Liu Yan sat up straight, coughed, and said, "I was just thinking that you and Lu Siyao are rare geniuses in the sect, and I thought you two could team up to compete. Now it seems we can only wait for the team competition."
Hearing the name Lu Siyao, Ruan Qingyu was not surprised, after all, she had heard it from the disciples at least three times.
Knowing that he had become the last disciple of the sect's Dao Lord, he would sooner or later encounter such 'famous' disciples, or rather, the struggle between outstanding disciples among the complex forces of the sect.
Thinking of his master Li Qingchen and Wenhe Daojun, who is now in charge of the sect, the two are, strictly speaking, opposing sides. So, it is inevitable that there will be a struggle between a closed-door disciple and an outstanding junior.
"When we meet, we'll definitely have a good fight. Senior Sister Liu, you'd better watch closely." As she spoke, Ruan Qingyu's gaze involuntarily fell on the arena where Lu Siyao was.
Just then, Lu Siyao knocked her opponent away with her longsword, turned around and looked towards where Ruan Qingyu was. She was taken aback at first, then revealed a gentle smile.
This surprised Ruan Qingyu, who nodded slightly and a faint smile appeared on her face.
This legendary senior sister was indeed gentle and refined, and acted with propriety. Ruan Qingyu thought to herself, then turned her gaze to Lu Siyao's opponent, who happened to be Liu Feng in the final round.
She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Although it was her own teammate who lost, Ruan Qingyu felt inexplicably happy.
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