47: Yun Qingyao, it's finally your turn

After announcing the prizes, Sect Leader Qiong Yu pressed her palm down. Once the chatter below subsided, she continued to explain the rules.

"The Grand Competition will proceed with a two-by-two draw for duels. Winners will advance to the next round until the top three are determined.

To ensure fairness, Disciples who have already reached the Qi Refining Realm will advance directly to await the finals.

Disciples in the Qi Refining Realm, please exit the arena!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the fifty people in the training ground.

They found that only a twelve-year-old girl and a sixteen-year-old boy stepped out of the ranks.

"I remember her! She's the Young Sect Master, Sect Leader Qiong Yu's Personal Disciple, Yun Qingyao, who reached the Qi Refining Realm at twelve!"

"I heard about it yesterday too; her legend is all over the Sect!"

"You're ignorant, aren't you?" an old Disciple chuckled. "The Qi Refining Realm is no challenge for the Young Sect Master. Her delay in Breakthrough until now was to accumulate strength for a big eruption.

She accumulated blood Qi and vitality to achieve Body Tempering Perfection.

With Body Tempering Perfection, I think the Young Sect Master should be an outstanding Cultivator even in the Early Stage of Qi Refining."

Yun Qingyao, who had stepped out of the ranks, basked in everyone's admiration and envy.

Xing Lie, beside her, looked at this 'Junior Sister,' four years his junior, with admiration.

In her presence, he always felt inferior.

Amidst the discussions, Sect Leader Qiong Yu announced the start of the Grand Competition.

Deacon Song of the Affairs Hall, stepping on his Spiritual Artifact, pulled out jade slips from his Storage Pouch and waved his wide sleeve.

The Disciples below each received a slip.

Deacon Song said, "Drip your blood onto the jade slip. A number will appear on it. Those with the same number will compete.

The jade slip is bound to your blood, so do not even think about swapping slips. Violators will be immediately expelled from the Sect!

Now, I give you ten breaths to look at the number on your jade slip."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jinhuan dripped her blood onto it.

Two characters appeared: 'Twenty-One.'

She looked around; everyone was carefully covering their jade slips.

As soon as ten breaths passed, Deacon Song announced, "Disciple number one, please come to the stage for the competition! Other Disciples, please retreat outside the training ground!"

The opening match featured two Disciples at Body Tempering Perfection. They each displayed their techniques, and by the time a victor was decided, both were severely injured.

The second match was between a Disciple in the Middle Stage of Body Tempering and one in the Late Stage of Body Tempering. Undoubtedly, the Disciple in the Late Stage of Body Tempering won the match.

Matches passed one after another.

A new Disciple complained, "This isn't fair at all. If two randomly chosen individuals are both very strong, one must lose, which is quite unfair, isn't it?

After all, some matches were won by someone only in the Middle Stage of Body Tempering."

"Say no more."

An old Disciple advised, "Cultivation, besides talent and Heart-Nature, most importantly relies on Luck. In fact, Luck is the most, most, most important factor.

And this random method, how is it not a form of Luck?"

The new Disciple clicked his tongue.

Some accepted this explanation, others did not.

Wanting to argue with the old Disciple, he saw the other person watching the arena, showing no desire to converse, so he shut his mouth.

When 'Twenty-One' was called, Shen Jinhuan took a deep breath.

It was finally her turn to go on stage.

But upon seeing her opponent, she was momentarily stunned.

Her opponent was an Outer Sect Disciple in the Early Stage of Body Tempering. Seeing her Personal Disciple robes, the Outer Sect Disciple shyly cupped his fists.

"I concede!"

This drew a round of laughter from everyone.

Shen Jinhuan was unenthusiastic, but it was also good; she conserved her stamina.

Jiang Ning, on the stage, chuckled.

The little girl has good Luck, running into such an opponent. Isn't that just a free win?

Yun Qingyao and Xing Lie stood behind their respective Revered Masters.

Qiong Yu frowned.

"Shen Jinhuan? I seem to have heard that name somewhere."

Yun Qingyao's back instantly straightened.

The Second Elder snorted.

"She's Sixth Junior Brother's Personal Disciple. She's always causing trouble. My Law Enforcement Hall is almost run by Sixth Junior Brother's Disciples."

Qiong Yu suddenly understood.

No wonder it sounded so familiar.

Seeing this, Yun Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, Revered Master had forgotten about the Body Tempering technique matter, otherwise, she would truly pay attention to Shen Jinhuan!

The Elder on stage, seeing Shen Jinhuan win so easily, did not investigate Shen Jinhuan's strength.

Shen Jinhuan wore a Spiritual Artifact that concealed her strength and aura.

Although a Golden Core Cultivator could forcefully investigate, no one did so.

Firstly, everyone knew what Shen Jinhuan was like.

Secondly, it would be embarrassing to forcefully pry into a junior!

After the first round of competition, only twenty-four Disciples remained on stage.

Deacon Song glanced at Shen Jinhuan, who had 'pulled strings.'

He was very displeased.

If not for Yun Qingyao approaching him to use her connections, he would absolutely not have agreed to this matter!

"Now, the numbers on your jade slips should have changed again. Rest for half an hour. After half an hour, we will fight again!"

Shen Jinhuan looked.

Indeed, it had changed.

From 'Twenty-One' it became 'Ten.'

By the afternoon, after three consecutive matches, Shen Jinhuan had only encountered Disciples in the Early Stage of Body Tempering or Middle Stage of Body Tempering. She hadn't even met anyone in the Late Stage of Body Tempering.

She successfully entered the top five.

Some Disciples below were complaining that Shen Jinhuan and Deacon Song were having an affair.

Otherwise, how could the numbers on the jade slips just happen to assign Shen Jinhuan only weak opponents?!

Next, the numbers were to be changed again.

Aside from Yun Qingyao and Xing Lie, the three 'Body Tempering Stage' Disciples were to fight.

However, since they needed to determine one spot from three people, they adopted a method where one person got a bye, two people competed first, and then the remaining person would face the one who had the bye.

This way, everyone wanted to be the one who got the bye.

Shen Jinhuan knew she would be the one with the bye.

When the results were announced, there were shouts of protest from below.

"What is this? Her strength isn't great; she's just being carried by weak Disciples!"

"Under-the-table manipulation! Absolutely under-the-table manipulation!"

"Unfair! Clearly a rigged game!"

Qiong Yu glanced at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning clicked his tongue, 'Why are you looking at me?'

Even if these two went up together, could they defeat my Disciple?

No!

What? If you can't win, you just accuse others of cheating?

Bah!

The two Disciples at Body Tempering Perfection fought until their heads were bleeding.

By the time it was Shen Jinhuan's turn, the winning Disciple at Body Tempering Perfection was already barely able to stand!

Shen Jinhuan casually struck twice, and that Disciple was carried away.

Deacon Song sighed.

Doing such things really makes one feel guilty and troubled... Next time, even if Yun Qingyao begged him, he wouldn't do it.

He briefly explained the process to Shen Jinhuan.

"Shen Jinhuan, do you need to rest now? If not, the top three ranking battles will begin!"

"No need!"

Shen Jinhuan answered with firm conviction.

She looked towards the Elder seats, at Yun Qingyao beside the Sect Head, her eyes sharp and filled with intense killing intent.

Yun Qingyao, it's finally your turn!