Two days later, the second round of the Kendo Tournament will begin today!
At the summit of Cangren Mountain, the massive platform was no longer as crowded and noisy as it had been in the first round; only one or two thousand cultivators remained, scattered about at will.
After all, only a handful of five hundred people actually advanced to the second round; the rest were just there to accompany or watch the spectacle.
Above the sky, dozens of powerful auras hovered in the clouds; these were the high-ranking members of various sects who had come to witness the ceremony.
Those who are able to show up at this moment are all senior disciples who have successfully advanced in their sects. As for those who have not advanced, they naturally wouldn't come here to embarrass themselves.
On the high platform at the edge of the cliff stood a middle-aged scholar dressed in a moon-white Confucian robe, gentle and refined. He was also the Star Evolution Sword Saint, ranked fifth among the seven great sword saints of the Azure Sky Sword Pavilion, who had appeared at the beginning of the first phase.
In one corner of the platform, the Guanghan Palace team, composed entirely of female disciples, stands out.
Yao Xiangxue, standing at the front of the line, was quietly resting with her eyes closed. Guan Yingying stood beside her, yawning softly. Ning Yuyao stood in the middle of the line, her cool gaze occasionally sweeping across the crowd, as if she was paying attention to something.
Besides these three, there were more than ten graceful figures in the group, all of whom were outstanding young talents from the Guanghan Palace.
After all, besides the Azure Sky Sword Pavilion, the Moon Palace can also be considered the second largest sect of swordsmanship in the world!
Wu Yun'er, who was usually unconventional, was now standing on the outer edge of the line, her eyes darting around in the crowd, muttering to herself, "That bastard, could he have deserted at the last minute? What a clown..."
However, just as this thought crossed her mind, a familiar yet irritating voice suddenly came from behind her.
"Oh! Isn't this Fairy Wu? Judging from your longing look, you wouldn't still be thinking about this immoral rogue cultivator, would you?"
Wu Yun'er turned her head sharply and saw that Shen Yunhao, disguised as "Superman Qiang," had squeezed out of the crowd at some point and was grinning at her with a mischievous look.
Wu Yun'er was inexplicably delighted, but then she was so angry at his expression that she raised her eyebrows and sneered, "Tch? Who do we have here? What? Even at a time like this, are your elders still cowering like turtles, too afraid to come out and support you?"
This statement was quite convincing at first, but as it's been repeated, it's starting to sound like an excuse.
Shen Yunhao was too lazy to argue with her. He chuckled, glanced quickly at Ning Yuyao in the group, and then immediately looked away.
His gaze was calm and serene, yet it carried a tacit understanding and reassurance that needed no words.
Ning Yuyao's heart stirred slightly, and she was about to try to decipher the meaning in his eyes when she suddenly froze.
On the other side, Wu Yun'er wanted to say something sarcastic, but she saw that Shen Yunhao had already turned around and squeezed into the surging crowd again.
"Hey! You..."
She bit her lip, and as if possessed, she broke away from the Guanghan Palace's group and chased after the direction where Shen Yunhao had disappeared.
Ning Yuyao: "(￣︿￣)"
"Hmm? What's wrong, Junior Sister Ning? Are you unhappy?"
Attracted by the noise, Yao Xiangxue turned her head and noticed that Ning Yuyao's small mouth was pouting high, and there was a hint of sullenness on her cold face. She couldn't help but ask curiously.
Guan Yingying: "..."
This kid is truly a scoundrel...
Meanwhile, high in the sky, deep within the clouds.
Three elegant and beautiful women in palace attire, each with a distinct temperament, stood suspended in mid-air.
The woman standing on the far left wore an ice-blue palace dress, exuding a cold and aloof temperament. Her face was stunningly beautiful yet radiated a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay. She was none other than Nie Qingshuang, the mistress of Qingyou Palace.
The woman on the right was dressed in an elegant green dress, with a quiet and gentle temperament, like a secluded orchid in a valley. She was Wen Ruochen, the Cold and Elegant Palace Master whom Shen Yunhao had met once in the Guanghan Palace.
As for the one in the middle... she wore a bright red dress, had a big smile, and bright, lively eyes. She seemed warm and cheerful. This person was Murong Xi, the master of Tongyou Palace.
Apart from the mysterious Lord of Quyou Palace, three of the four Lords of Guanghan Palace were present!
"Tsk tsk, Qing Shuang, your Yu Yao really shone this time. Those 25,000 points are something my good-for-nothings can only dream of..."
Murong Xi broke the silence with a smile.
Nie Qingshuang's expression didn't change much; she simply hummed softly through her nose in response.
Murong Xi didn't mind being rebuffed and turned to Wen Ruochen: "Ruochen, your Yun'er is not bad either, five thousand points, steady and solid."
"..."
Seriously, if you can't speak, just shut your mouth...
But Wen Ruochen smiled gently, "Palace Master Murong is joking. Compared to Xiang Xue, our palace's little maids pale in comparison."
At that moment, Nie Qingshuang's lips curled into an undisguised mocking smile.
"Tsk tsk... Lord Wen, who was it that swore before that the disciples of your Cold Nether Palace were pure and detached from worldly desires, unlike our Yao'er who is easily bewitched by sweet words? What? It's only been a few days since you came out, and your 'outstanding' Yun'er has already run off with some unknown, vulgar rogue cultivator?"
Nie Qingshuang slightly raised her chin, gesturing to Wu Yun'er below who was breaking away from the group to chase after Shen Yunhao, "Judging from her appearance, she's not exactly some innocent white lotus who doesn't get close to men!"
"you!"
Wen Ruochen's gentle smile froze instantly.
Following Nie Qingshuang's gaze, she saw Wu Yun'er chasing after the muscular man. She was so angry that her chest heaved and her face turned pale and then red. However, she couldn't refute him, and she certainly couldn't rush down and drag Wu Yun'er back to scold her, as that would only make her more embarrassed.
Seeing Wen Ruochen's discomfiture, Nie Qingshuang's mood improved.
"I think Palace Master Wen should keep a close eye on his disciples, lest they repeat the mistakes of our Yao'er..."
Her targeting stemmed not only from the previous "Catching Adultery in Tianshan" incident, but also from subsequent rumors. This Palace Master Wen had reservations about Ning Yuyao and Zhu Li's rivalry for a husband, saying things like it affected the reputation of Guanghan Palace.
The two also started to get along somewhat from that point on...
Murong Xi watched with great interest, covering her mouth and chuckling, clearly enjoying the show: "Oh dear, young people, who hasn't been curious and excited at times? Senior sisters and junior sisters, calm down, let's watch the game, watching the game is the important thing!"
At that moment, a deep voice came from the high platform at the edge of the cliff.
"quiet……"
The Starry Sword Saint's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a strange aura that instantly silenced everyone.
His gaze swept calmly over the thousands of cultivators below, his folding fan gently swaying as he slowly spoke:
"The second stage of the Sword Dao Tournament begins: the Azure Profound Realm!"
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