189: Core Ranking Tournament

To be able to stay with Senior Brother for a while longer... even if it were just being in the same courtyard... it seemed... not bad?

"Then... then I will trouble you, Senior Brother."

Her voice was like the buzzing of a mosquito. Lowering her head, her slender neck was stained with a layer of pink, and she nodded obediently.

Yao Delong led her to a clean and elegant side room, gave a few instructions, and then turned back to his own main room.

Luo Miaomiao closed the door and leaned against the door panel, feeling her heart still pounding wildly.

She looked around this simple yet elegantly scented guest room; the air seemed to still retain a trace of Senior Brother's clear and masculine scent.

She walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked at the hazy lamplight emanating from the main room. The moonlight spilled onto her slightly flushed, pretty face, outlining her soft and beautiful contours.

A young maiden's romantic thoughts grew quietly, like vines under the moonlight.

She thought of Yao Delong's imposing figure, his steady and powerful voice, his focused gaze when he was guiding her, and that moment of gentleness when he ruffled her hair...

A feeling she had never experienced before, sweet yet tinged with a hint of bitterness, rippled across the lake of her heart.

She cupped her burning cheeks and smiled silently at the bright moon outside the window.

This night was destined to be sleepless.

The next morning, in the courtyard of Luoxia Peak.

Yao Delong pushed open the door of the main room. In the faint morning light, he saw Luo Miaomiao standing prettily in the courtyard, but beneath her originally lively large eyes hung two faint dark circles, looking exactly like some kind of rare Spirit Beast.

"Miaomiao?"

Yao Delong's sword-like brows furrowed slightly. He stepped forward, his gaze landing on her slightly haggard little face, "Did you not sleep well last night? Was the bed uncomfortable? Or does the Spiritual Qi here conflict with your Cultivation Technique?"

His tone carried concern, and also a trace of imperceptible scrutiny.

Luo Miaomiao panicked under his gaze, her cheeks instantly flushing red. Her eyes darted away, her small hands unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice like the buzzing of a mosquito:

"N-no! The bed is very comfortable, and the Spiritual Qi is very good! It... it's just that I was too excited. Thinking about today's ranking tournament, I... I just couldn't sleep..."

How could she dare say it was because her mind was full of the Senior Brother next door, causing her to toss and turn, her heart unsettled, until she finally dozed off just as the sky was beginning to brighten.

Yao Delong watched her shy, embarrassed, and flustered appearance. The hidden guilt and affection in her clear eyes, and the young girl's romantic thoughts, he had already caught a glimpse of last night under the moonlight.

He just nodded gently, "It's fine. A little fatigue is nothing; you can just regulate your breathing on the road later. Let's go, we shouldn't miss the time."

He reached out and, with extreme naturalness and a soothing intent, gently ruffled the top of Luo Miaomiao's hair.

This sudden intimate action made Luo Miaomiao stiffen all over. Immediately, a huge wave of warmth and sweetness instantly washed away all her fatigue and shyness. She felt her heart beating so fast it was about to jump out of her throat. She gave a dazed "Mm" and followed obediently behind Yao Delong, feeling as if her feet were light and airy, as if she were walking on clouds.

Senior Brother... does he... also have a little...

The Sect's main peak was bustling with noise and excitement.

Today was the critical battle for the top ten in the Inner Sect Disciple ranking tournament, and the atmosphere was even more intense than yesterday.

Luo Miaomiao took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent emotions in her heart, and poured all her focus into the battle.

After Yao Delong's pointers last night, her control over water Spiritual Qi had undergone a qualitative leap.

Although limited by her cultivation level, she ultimately stopped at twenty-eighth place and failed to break into the top ten, her performance was already stunning enough!

Facing several opponents at the Early Golden Core Stage, she no longer pursued flashy and grandiose techniques, but instead pushed condensation, penetration, and variation to the extreme.

That silent, tricky, and ruthless method of condensing water into needles repeatedly achieved miraculous results, several times forcing opponents into a chaotic scramble. Even one Senior Brother at the Early Golden Core Stage, due to carelessness, had his protective Spiritual light instantly pierced through; although he was not injured, he was startled into a cold sweat.

"This girl's understanding of water techniques has already far exceeded her cultivation Realm!"

"That technique of condensing water into needles has quite a bit of the charm of 'the Great Dao is simple'; it is not simple!"

"When did Spirit Water Peak produce such a sapling with excellent Comprehension Ability?"

On the viewing platform, many Inner Sect Elders cast approving glances.

In the end, an Early Stage Spirit Transformation Elder from Spirit Water Peak, known for exquisite water techniques—Immortal Master Bibo—personally spoke up and took Luo Miaomiao as a Personal Disciple.

This result pleasantly surprised Luo Miaomiao, her little face flushed with excitement. Subconsciously, she looked toward that tall, upright figure under the stage.

Yao Delong nodded slightly at her, his eyes filled with an encouraging smile.

Luo Miaomiao felt even sweeter in her heart, feeling that all her efforts had received the best reward.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

When the day of the Inner Sect Core Disciple ranking tournament arrived, the atmosphere of the entire Yin Yang Sect was pushed to its peak!

In the center of the plaza, several giant white jade arenas, reinforced by special Restrictions and capable of withstanding the full-force bombardment of a Nascent Soul Cultivator, shone brilliantly in the morning light.

The viewing stands surrounding the arenas were now packed with no empty seats; there was a sea of people!

Not only did all the Inner Sect Disciples come out in full force, but many Outer Sect Disciples who had been in secluded cultivation also rushed over, just to witness this top-tier competition among the young generation of the Sect!

On the high platform, the scene was even more astonishing!

Of the eleven Peak Leaders of the Yin Yang Sect, except for the Luoxia Peak Leader Leng Yuekui who was still in closed-door cultivation to break through to a higher Realm, the other ten Peak Leaders were all present!

Some had auras as deep as the sea, some were as sharp as swords, and some were as vibrant with life as a forest. Merely sitting there, their invisible pressure enveloped the entire venue, making all the Disciples feel awe.

Especially eye-catching was that Peak Leader who had been hidden deep in the Spirit Plant Peak for years and rarely appeared—Luo Baiya!

He had a scholarly and elegant face, with eyes as warm and moist as jade, as if containing infinite vitality. He wore a simple linen robe, and a few strands of silver hair fell casually across his forehead. Not only did this not make him look old, but it added a sense of wisdom and composure accumulated over the years.

His aura was peaceful, like a spring breeze turning into rain, yet unfathomable, as if he could perceive the ultimate truth of all things' growth and decay, causing all the Peak Leaders present to look at him sideways.

On one side of the high platform, the seats for the fifteen True Disciples, who represented the future of the Sect and held a transcendent status, were actually filled by ten of them today!

Each one of them had a powerful aura and an outstanding demeanor; they were stars looked up to by countless Disciples.

Yao Delong's gaze swept over, and he immediately recognized a few of them:

The Spirit Water Peak True Disciple Cang Yunyao, whom he had met once in the Scripture Pavilion, was wearing a water-blue dress today, her temperament ethereal;

The Spirit Forging Peak True Disciple Long Xu, with a burly figure and knotted muscles, was like a human-shaped Magic Treasure;

The Heavenly Sword Peak True Disciple Zhuge Chuixue, holding a primitive long sword, was resting with his eyes closed; the Sword Qi around his body was hidden and not released, yet the sharpness shot straight into the clouds.

When Yao Delong's figure appeared at the entrance of the passage leading to the arena, several gazes instantly focused on him.

In the front row of the audience, Liu Rumei's beautiful eyes held worry, carrying deep concern;

Beside her, Luo Miaomiao had an undisguised look of admiration and nervousness, her small hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes.

On the other side in the preparation area, Meng Bi's eyes were like ice picks dipped in poison, nailed firmly onto Yao Delong, full of resentment and jealousy;

Beside him, the Third Prince Xiao Chen was leaning lazily on a soft chair, toying with a jade talisman in his hand. His gaze swept over Yao Delong seemingly casually, but the greed and calculation that flashed deep in his eyes were as cold and venomous as a snake.

Just then, on the high platform, a crisp, melodious, and somewhat lazy and charming voice, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly broke the solemn atmosphere of the scene:

"Junior Brother Yao—! Good luck! Your sister specially ran over to watch you! You must win some honor for your sister and achieve a good ranking!"

It was the Spirit Water Peak True Disciple, Cang Yunyao!

She not only called out but also generously winked at Yao Delong in a charming and seductive manner!

This move, like dropping cold water into boiling oil, instantly ignited the entire venue!