37: Chapter 37 Five Sects Martial Arts Tournament

"I've brought some things for you." Su Chengyuan handed the Storage Pouch containing forty supreme-grade pills, along with Su Cheng's message, to his daughter.

When Su Yunling saw those supreme-grade pills, overflowing with medicinal fragrance and shimmering with precious light, even she, who was accustomed to the Sect's resources, couldn't help but feel a jolt in her heart.

"These... were they refined by my brother again?"

"Yes." Su Chengyuan nodded and explained the matter of the "rootless fruit" in detail. "Your brother's meaning is that there's no rush; just keep an eye out if the Opportunity arises. If it's too difficult, don't force it. Safety is the priority. He'll find another way."

"Father, I understand. Tell my brother to rest easy." Su Yunling's eyes were exceptionally clear. "Leave the matter of the rootless fruit to me."

After seeing her father off, Su Yunling returned to her Immortal Cave, her emotions unable to settle for a long time.

Looking at those supreme-grade pills, she could almost see the silhouette of her brother refining pills tirelessly under the lamp, and the scenes of her father fighting bloodily in dangerous lands.

"I must not let you down..."

She sat cross-legged, suppressing all her emotions deep in her heart and transforming them into motivation for her Cultivation.

In the following days, while using the Medicinal Pills to frantically increase her cultivation, she also utilized her authority as an Inner Sect Disciple to quietly investigate all information regarding the "rootless fruit" in the Sect's Library Pavilion and Mission Hall.

One day, while she was meditating in her Immortal Cave, her Revered Master's communication talisman suddenly lit up.

Su Yunling dared not delay and immediately rushed to her Revered Master's Immortal Cave.

Her Revered Master was a cold-faced Daoist nun with the Daoist title "Jing Xuan," one of the few prominent Late Foundation Establishment Stage great Cultivators within the Tiangang Sect.

"Disciple pays respects to Revered Master."

"Mhm, sit." Elder Jing Xuan motioned for her to sit and said straightforwardly, "Yun Ling, in three months, it will be the quinquennial 'Five Sect Martial Competition' of our Qinghe Prefecture. Are you interested in participating?"

"Five Sect Martial Competition?" Su Yunling was startled.

"Correct. It is jointly organized by the five major Golden Core Sects—the Qingxuan Sect, Blazing Fire Sect, Hundred Beasts Gate, Wanfa Pavilion, and our Tiangang Sect. It is the top event for the younger generation in our Qinghe Prefecture," Elder Jing Xuan explained. "The competition is divided into two groups: one for Inner Sect Disciples, whose cultivation must be above the Qi Refining Seventh Layer; the other is for Core Disciples, who are all the top Tenth Level of Qi Refining Geniuses from each Sect. The prizes for this competition are extremely generous."

Su Yunling instinctively wanted to refuse.

She kept her brother and father's warnings in mind: the tree that stands out in the forest will be the first to be destroyed by the wind.

Her current reputation within the Sect was already prominent enough; she really didn't want to get involved in such a high-profile event.

Seeming to sense her hesitation, Elder Jing Xuan smiled faintly, her tone carrying a bit of encouragement: "I know you have a steady temperament and dislike showing off. But you don't need to focus solely on the final Five Sect Martial Competition itself.

To motivate the Disciples to compete for these ten spots, the Sect has put up extremely generous prizes this time.

Any Disciple who places in the top ten during the Sect's internal selection will receive a heavy reward.

In addition to a large number of Spirit Stones and Medium Grade Magical Artifacts, the Sect has also put forward a batch of rare spiritual items that are seldom seen.

I heard that among them is a 'rootless fruit'. This item has miraculous effects for Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators in stabilizing their Dao Heart and purifying their spiritual energy; it is a rare treasure."

Elder Jing Xuan only mentioned this as a word of encouragement in passing, not specifically targeting Su Yunling.

But the words "rootless fruit" caused waves to rise in her originally calm heart.

rootless fruit!

It was truly a case of searching far and wide only to find it easily.

She had thought she would have to spend a great deal of time and energy searching for it, but she hadn't expected the Opportunity to be presented directly before her eyes in this manner.

Her original hesitation and desire to withdraw were completely washed away at this moment.

"Revered Master, this Disciple is willing to try!" Su Yunling stood up and bowed, her tone carrying a hint of determination.

Elder Jing Xuan nodded with satisfaction as she saw the Battle Intent igniting in her eyes: "Very good. Although you haven't been in the Sect for long, your cultivation progress is extremely fast, your Foundation is solid, your spiritual energy purity far exceeds those of the same level, and you have the talent of a High-Grade Spiritual Root. You might just have a chance to compete.

For this month, prepare well within the Sect. In one month, there will be the internal selection competition; only by placing in the top ten will you be qualified to represent the Sect."

"Disciple understands."

Coming out of her Revered Master's Immortal Cave, Su Yunling's mood was very calm.

She knew well that with her current cultivation at the Middle Stage of the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, she held no advantage over those Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who had cultivated for decades and were at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer or even the Peak Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

Her only reliance was the supreme-grade pills provided by her brother and the several first-tier Spells she had mastered.

"I must raise my cultivation by another level before the selection competition!"

Returning to her Immortal Cave, Su Yunling did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately activating the protective formation and entering a new round of secluded cultivation.

One by one, top-grade qi gathering pills were swallowed into her stomach, turning into a torrent of the purest spiritual energy that washed through her Meridians and continuously expanded her Dantian and Qi Sea.

At the same time, she categorized and stored the top-grade body tempering pills and qi recovery pills sent by her father.

These were the source of her confidence for participating in the martial competition.

Just as Su Yunling was striving hard for her goal, in a corner of the Sect, a conspiracy against her was quietly brewing.

In the Inner Sect, inside a luxuriously decorated Immortal Cave.

Chen Zifan sat in the main seat with a gloomy face, toying with a jade cup in his hand.

Before him, Lin Feier was gracefully pouring tea for him with a charming smile.

"Senior Brother Chen, why get angry over a woman who doesn't know what's good for her?" Lin Feier's voice carried a hint of flattery. "That Su Yunling is merely relying on a bit of beauty and good luck to have caught Elder Jing Xuan's eye. In terms of family background, she isn't even worthy of carrying Senior Brother Chen's shoes."

"Humph." Chen Zifan snorted coldly and slammed the jade cup onto the table. "There has never been anything I, Chen Zifan, wanted and couldn't get. Since she refuses the easy way, then don't blame me for making her take the hard way!"

His father was an Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, and he himself was a standout at the Late Stage of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer; he had always been the center of attention within the Sect.

His pursuit of Su Yunling was, in his view, already an act of condescension, yet he hadn't expected her to dare refuse him time and again.

This caused his self-esteem to suffer a great insult.

"Senior Brother Chen is right." Lin Feier's eyes darted around as she leaned in and lowered her voice, "Senior Brother, don't you find it strange?

Su Yunling's cultivation speed is unnervingly fast! How many years has it been since she joined the Sect? Now she's already at the Middle Stage of the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, faster than those of us who joined more than a decade earlier!

And last time, I saw with my own eyes Senior Brother Sun Hao following her out, and he never returned.

I suspect she must have a massive secret or has encountered some incredible Opportunity!"

Hearing the words "secret" and "Opportunity," a flash of greed crossed Chen Zifan's eyes.

He had long felt there was something off about Su Yunling, and now that Lin Feier had said this, his suspicion grew even stronger.

"You mean...?"

"Think about it, Senior Brother Chen. How could a female Cultivator from a small place like Qingyang Town, with no roots or backing, have such an Opportunity?" Lin Feier continued to instigate. "If we get our hands on her secret... perhaps it could help you, Senior Brother, easily break through to the Tenth Level of Qi Refining, and even be of great benefit on your future path to Foundation Establishment!"

If he couldn't have her, he would take her treasures and cast her down from the clouds, turning her into a piece of trash that anyone could trample on.

This thought allowed the resentment in Chen Zifan's heart from being rejected to find an outlet.

"Well said." A sinister smile appeared on Chen Zifan's face. "What plan do you have?"