With only a lingering scent surrounding them, Lu Fanzhi approached and whispered, “Jinxiu, how did you and Senior Uncle Qu become so close?”
Luo Jinxiu snapped back to reality and shook her head, “That is not the case. I just wanted to express my gratitude for her help.”
Luo Jinxiu was no longer as afraid of the woman who was rumored to be a demon. Perhaps it was because the woman never displayed the viciousness for which she was known. Although her temperament was peculiar, she had been helping Luo Jinxiu ever since she entered the Gate of Regrets. Luo Jinxiu began to wonder if the rumors about her were true.
She wondered what the woman had experienced in her past life to become the terrifying madwoman she was rumored to be. Her feelings toward the woman were complex – she felt fear, gratitude, and curiosity.
After a brief moment of reflection, she pushed those thoughts aside. The most important thing now was how to win the competition without revealing her current cultivation level. In her previous life, she didn’t have a satisfactory spirit weapon, and she couldn’t afford to miss such a great opportunity in this life.
Over the next few days, in addition to teaching classes with others, Luo Jinxiu would retreat to remote areas in the deep mountains to practice on his own. Regretless Gate was indeed a place suitable for cultivating immortality, and it was rich in spiritual energy. It was not easy to cultivate the extremely yin spiritual energy channels, but she slowly discovered the secrets and managed to fuse the two types of spiritual energy in her body, making it more flexible and versatile.
In her spare time, she would sneak into the library, just as she had in her previous life, and immerse herself in the vast collection of manuals and documents. She could lose herself in them for hours without being disturbed, enjoying the solace.
The day of the competition came quickly, and Luo Jinxiu deliberately woke up early. The sky was still a deep blue, and the fog hadn’t dissipated yet. The training ground was shrouded in mist, and shadows could barely be seen even a few meters away. When she arrived, bun in hand, the large white jade platform was hidden in the mountain mist, appearing like an ethereal wonderland.
Several students had arrived early and were nervously sparring with each other. Among them, Luo Jinxiu recognized a few faces. Baili Qingzhou was brandishing a sword and chanting some strange incantations.
Luo Jinxiu watched with interest for a while, but couldn’t quite figure out what he was doing. “Why did you come so early, Jinxiu?” Lu Fanzhi appeared behind her, looking excited and not at all nervous.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came early. How do you feel about the competition?” Luo Jinxiu smiled.
Lu Fanzhi shook his head, massaging his shoulders, “I don’t really care about winning a spirit weapon. However, my master seems to be more nervous than me. Since yesterday, he’s been drilling me on sword techniques over and over again, wearing me out.”
Luo Jinxiu lifted her eyes to see a handsome man with a refined and gentle appearance standing not far away, using his spiritual powers to prepare for the upcoming competition platform.
“My master is watching over me today, but several elders and senior brothers and sisters will also come to watch. You must be careful,” Lu Fanzhi said, her eyes filled with concern.
Luo Jinxiu patted her shoulder to reassure her.
People continued to arrive, and as the fog lifted with the sunrise, the cool morning sunlight shone through the clouds, warming their bodies. Gradually, the area around the large white jade platform became more and more crowded.
The annual New Disciple Competition was a source of enjoyment for the senior disciples of years past, and almost the entire Regretless Gate had come to watch the spectacle. Luo Jinxiu saw Luo Ning waving his fist at her from a distance, looking solemn, so she solemnly responded in kind.
The competition was one-on-one, and for the sake of fairness, the participants were not allowed to use spirit beasts or spirit charms, and they were only allowed to carry a single personal weapon. Luo Jinxiu felt reassured as she touched the sword at her side.
“For the first round, Baili Qingzhou versus Situ Xue,” Chang Siyu, who had somehow managed to already stand on the raised platform, announced loudly, his voice echoing over the white jade platform.
Baili Qingzhou approached with trembling legs, while Situ Xue, the same submissive girl Luo Jinxiu had seen before, looked even more nervous. She entered the arena unarmed.
Both participants were at the level of Core Formation, and they were equally matched. At Chang Siyu’s command, they unleashed their spiritual power and engaged in a rather listless battle.
Baili Qingzhou, perhaps feeling that the opponent was too weak to attack, hesitated, while Situ Xue only seemed to be dodging and was on the verge of tears as the battle progressed. The cheers from the audience gradually died down.
Luo Jinxiu found this match to be the longest she had ever seen. The two contestants fought for half an hour before Situ Xue burst into tears and conceded defeat.
Luo Jinxiu grimaced, feeling disheartened by the lackluster performance. Fortunately, the following matches were much more exciting, with both sides making serious efforts, resulting in a frenzied and dazzling display of swords and blades. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
When Chang Siyu called out Luo Jinxiu’s name, she ignored his scornful look and confidently walked out onto the platform, grabbing the hilt of her sword. She fastened the sleeves of her elegant dress with a bracelet, giving her a neat appearance. Her jet black hair was also tied up, giving her an air of elegance and grace.
As she stepped onto the stage, a wave of mockery and ridicule swept through the air, and no one applauded. Even those without malicious intentions were there to see a spectacle.
Her opponent was a tall, sharp-eyed woman whose height dwarfed Luo Jinxiu’s. After taking her seat, she looked down at Luo Jinxiu with a raised eyebrow.
Luo Jinxiu smiled slyly before standing up straight, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly and holding it at her side. As the drums sounded, the woman unleashed a thunderous burst of spiritual power that exploded at Luo Jinxiu’s feet, creating a cloud of dust. Luo Jinxiu quickly retreated, skillfully dodging the attack without using any of her own spiritual energy.
The woman’s attacks were relentless, her pale blue spiritual energy flying chaotically through the air. From a distance, it looked like several intertwined lightning bolts, with Luo Jinxiu pitifully trapped inside.
A few chairs were set up on a raised platform outside of the white jade platform, and several elders were sitting on them, watching intently.
“Elder Liu, this girl is your student. Judging from her current performance, her strength is truly average. I thought you hadn’t taken an apprentice for many years. When you finally do, you choose someone of average talent,” the female elder of that day teased.
“Elder Mei, you are wrong. It’s a blessing for my disciples to have high talents. If they win despite their lack of natural talent, it will reflect positively on us as their teachers,” Elder Liu replied nonchalantly with his eyes closed.
Elder Mei was displeased with his answer and shifted her position to look at Luo Jinxiu who was still trapped in the battle. “But your disciple doesn’t seem to have a chance to win,” she remarked.
“The competition isn’t over yet, don’t make assumptions,” Elder Liu replied, opening his eyes briefly to look at Luo Jinxiu before closing them again.
Before Elder Mei could respond, Qu Chengzhou warned from the side, “Elders, please show some decency.
As he spoke, the crowd fell silent. At the same time, there was a sudden gasp from the platform. Several elders lifted their heads to see that the tall woman who had won the match had been thrown out of the competition area and was lying on the ground, unable to get up.
No one seemed to react immediately. They continued to watch the contest as a few elders stepped forward and used their spiritual powers to carry the woman away for treatment.
The arena fell silent for a moment before erupting into a cacophony of voices questioning and doubting the outcome, as if no one could believe it.
Luo Jinxiu leisurely flexed her wrist. Though the woman had displayed decent strength, her flashy moves lacked precision. Several lightning bolts struck around her, but none of them touched her. Without using any spiritual energy, Luo Jinxiu struck the woman’s chest with a firm and precise palm strike.
“The tenth match, Luo Jinxiu wins,” Chang Siyu reluctantly announced. Elder Liu, who had kept his eyes closed, opened them and looked very pleased. He also gave a friendly nod to Elder Mei, causing her to almost fall off her seat.
“Wei Yin, you’re here,” Elder He said suddenly.
Qu Weiying appeared behind them and nodded to the elders, but did not even glance at Qu Chengzhou. They all knew about the discord between the Qu siblings, so no one dwelled on the matter. The topic was changed to who would lead the new disciples to the Heavenly Realm in a few days.
Qu Weiying didn’t listen to their conversation. Instead, she stood there impassively, then her gaze fell on Luo Jinxiu, who had just won a match.
Her face was radiant in the sunlight, her complexion was pale, and her smile was enchanting. Qu Weiying paused for a moment before looking at the others.
“This year seems to be more dangerous. Why not let Wei Yin lead? If one person isn’t enough, send Bamboo Winery as well. The younger ones are more meticulous in their work and can assist you,” Qu Chengzhou suggested.
Qu Weiying’s words pulled her thoughts back. She frowned, looked at Qu Chengzhou, and quickly looked away. “I refuse.”
“Why refuse?” Qu Chengzhou lowered his voice.
“Busy,” Qu Weiying replied curtly.
Qu Chengzhou’s expression became inscrutable, and he fell silent.
Several elders quickly changed the subject to discuss the increasing dangers on the path to the Heavenly Realm. Elder He stroked his beard and shook his head. “The road to the Heavenly Kingdom is dangerous. Most of the senior cultivators are not present in the sect, but if we go and lead, the Heavenly Gate will also need every available hand. We’re all pretty tied up, so it’s troublesome.”
“If that’s the case, why not let Elder Qu lead them personally, along with the new disciples who didn’t win the competition? Even without spirit weapons, it would be good for them to see the world,” another elder suggested.
Qu Chengzhou was about to reply when Qu Weiying, who had been quietly observing, suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation.
“There’s no need to bother Elder Qu,” she said, raising her eyes, her long lashes obscuring her expression, “I’ll go.”
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