84: As the winds of change gather, the competition is about to begin.

Half of the fifty-thousand-mile long march is done!

Li Qing calculated in his heart.

Just as Li Qing was lost in thought.

Outside the dilapidated gates of the Iron Bone Martial Arts School, two beggars on the street moved.

The younger one had been on guard here for an entire month; a sour stench emanated from his body, and his face was full of anxiety and impatience.

Using a voice only the two of them could hear, he lowered his throat and complained.

"Boss, it's been a month!"

"That kid named Li Qing hasn't come out once since he went in that day!"

"Could he have died inside?"

"Even rats don't want to stay in this ghost of a place, yet he managed to stay for a month?"

The other figure was much more composed.

Leaning against the corner of the wall with his eyes half-closed as if asleep, he only replied faintly upon hearing this.

"Shut up."

"The City Lord's command was to observe, not for you to question."

The young Secret Agent curled his lips, not daring to say more.

They were the Hidden Guards of the City Lord's Manor, specifically responsible for executing certain missions.

A month ago, they received a strange order.

Monitor Li Qing of the Iron Bone Martial Arts School twenty-four hours a day and record everything about him, but never disturb him.

Initially, they thought it was some incredible major mission.

But what was the result?

They were like two fools, feeding mosquitoes here for a month!

The target person rarely left the rented courtyard.

For this month, his life was just between two points.

The courtyard and the Iron Bone Martial Arts School!

He hadn't even visited a brothel once!

Is this a man?

What kind of peerless Genius is this?

This is clearly just a socially withdrawn weirdo!

"Boss, do you think the City Lord got it wrong?"

"There are so many geniuses in Jinling City, like Duan Lang of the Baizhang Martial Arts School."

"And Qin Shuang of Lingxiu Hall—which one of them isn't more famous than this kid? Why specifically..."

"I said, shut up."

The steady Hidden Guard's voice grew cold.

"The City Lord's vision won't be wrong."

"The quieter he is, the more it proves he isn't simple."

"A true tiger always lurks patiently before hunting."

"We'll just wait and see."

Right then.

*Creak—*

A soft sound broke the silence of the small courtyard.

That tightly shut door was slowly pushed open from the inside.

The two Hidden Guards disguised as beggars stiffened simultaneously.

They instantly suppressed all their aura and buried their heads even lower, staring dead at that direction only with the corners of their eyes.

A figure stepped out from the dark room and into the afternoon sunlight.

"The Jinling City quota competition should be reaching the end soon."

Li Qing pushed open the door of the meditation room; the sunlight outside was just right.

The real show has only just begun.

A month's time is enough to change many things.

For the martial arts world of Jinling City, this month was spent in an atmosphere of anxiety, suppression, and madness.

The "Li Qing" designated by the City Lord's Manor was like a great mountain pressing down on the hearts of all contestants.

With three quotas becoming two, the intensity of the competition increased geometrically.

The geniuses of the major martial arts schools had almost all undergone hellish bitter cultivation during this month.

They ate Medicinal Pills like meals and treated secluded cultivation like drinking water; everyone was holding their breath, wanting to prove themselves in the selection tournament.

They wanted to show the City Lord's Manor that they, the geniuses who fought their way up step by step, were much stronger than that "connected person" who used the back door!

Lingxiu Hall.

As the top women's martial arts school in Jinling City, the atmosphere here was equally solemn.

On the martial arts field, dozens of female Disciples were sweating profusely, with Sword Qi and blade light crisscrossing.

Chen Meng was among them.

After more than a month of adaptation and bitter cultivation, she had completely integrated into Lingxiu Hall.

Under the personal guidance of Hall Master Miss Liu and the piling up of massive resources, her cultivation had also successfully broken through to the first level of the Condensing Essence Realm.

This was an extremely fast speed even in Lingxiu Hall.

Such a speed was something she wouldn't have dared to imagine before.

But she didn't feel the slightest joy.

Because she knew that her bit of strength was simply not enough to look at in front of true prodigies.

All of Lingxiu Hall's hopes were pinned on one person—the Eldest Senior Sister, Qin Shuang.

At the other end of the martial arts field, under a willow tree, a woman in a snow-white practice uniform was quietly wiping the three-foot green blade in her hand.

She was Qin Shuang.

Just by sitting there, she seemed to form a world of her own, isolating all the surrounding clamor.

Her movements were very slow and focused, as if she were not wiping a sword, but a rare treasure, a part of her life.

The surrounding Junior Sisters looked at her with eyes full of worship and awe.

Peak of Condensing Essence Realm!

A peerless Genius who was only a step away from the Meridian Opening Realm!

Among the entire younger generation of Jinling City, Qin Shuang was also a rarity like a phoenix feather or a unicorn horn.

"Eldest Senior Sister will definitely be able to get a quota!"

"Of course, in this Jinling City, who is a match for Eldest Senior Sister?"

"Speaking of that Li Qing, he's really detestable!"

"On what basis does he get to advance directly?"

"I heard that Duan Lang of the Baizhang Martial Arts School and Zhao Cheng of the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall have both sent word out."

"They intend to challenge that Li Qing after the competition to let him know that the geniuses of Jinling City don't have undeserved reputations!"

Several Junior Sisters resting were discussing in low voices, their tones full of resentment toward that mysterious "Li Qing."

Chen Meng listened silently, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Over the past month, she had heard her fellow Disciples mention the name Li Qing countless times.

Each time, it made her feel strange.

A sense of curiosity gradually grew in her heart.

She cast her gaze toward Eldest Senior Sister Qin Shuang, and her heart was filled with stability.

With Eldest Senior Sister around, Lingxiu Hall would surely take one of the two quotas this time.

At that moment, the figure of Hall Master Miss Liu appeared at the entrance of the martial arts field.

"All Disciples participating in the final round, come to me."

Miss Liu's voice was cold and clear.

The various martial arts schools in Jinling City hadn't been idle this month either.

After screening, the top ten had appeared.

Qin Shuang sheathed her sword and stood up.

Chen Meng also walked over quickly along with several other Senior Sisters who had passed the preliminary rounds.

"Tomorrow will be the final ten-person battle."

Miss Liu's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Qin Shuang with a satisfied smile.

"The rules this time are simple: a ten-person draw for duels, elimination in pairs, until the final two winners are decided."

"They will join the City Lord's Manor's internal choice, Li Qing, to represent our Jinling City in the Great Xia Martial Selection."

"Remember, what you represent is the glory of Lingxiu Hall."

"Yes, Hall Master!" everyone responded in unison.

Miss Liu nodded and added.

"Furthermore, news has come from the City Lord's Manor that for tomorrow's final battle, City Lord City Lord will personally come to watch."

"For you, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase yourselves; all of you, give me your absolute best spirit."

The City Lord is coming personally!

This news caused the spirits of all the Disciples to shudder.

That was the true power holder of Jinling City, a powerhouse of the Spirit Transformation Realm!

If one could be favored by him, their future would be limitless!

Only Qin Shuang's expression remained as calm as water, as if all of this had nothing to do with her.

What she cared about was only the sword in her hand and the upcoming battle.