25: Chapter 25: A Bye for Advancement, Another Encounter with the Iceberg

The first round of the competition ended quickly, with some rejoicing and others feeling dejected.

The successful Disciples were jubilant, while those who had been eliminated were dejected.

After a short break, the results of the second round of draws were released.

When Tang Xun saw the information on his identity token, even he was stunned for a moment.

"Second round, bye."

A bye?

That means he doesn't have to fight and advances directly to the next round?

"Holy crap, you've got to be kidding me? This luck... even I feel like it's a bit fake." Tang Xun rubbed his nose, feeling that his script was developing in an increasingly absurd direction.

When the deacon in charge announced the list of byes from the high platform and read out the name "Tang Xun," the entire square once again fell into an eerie silence.

Afterward, an even more intense uproar erupted than before.

"A bye? Him again? Why?!"

"His opponent in the first round had a Qi Deviation, and now he gets a bye in the second round. Is he the Heavenly Dao's own son or something?"

"I don't accept this! There must be something shady going on! I demand a thorough investigation!" shouted a Disciple who had just been eliminated, agitated.

"Investigate what? The draws are all randomly determined by the Sect's formation; it's absolutely fair and impartial. You can only say that his luck is good; you have to accept it." Someone nearby said sourly.

"Dog shit luck! Pure dog shit luck! I don't believe he can keep this good luck going forever!"

For a time, Tang Xun became the focus of the entire venue, and countless gazes of envy, jealousy, and hatred pierced him like knives.

He had become the veritable "King of Dog Shit Luck" among the outer Sect members.

Even the several Elders on the viewing platform noticed this Disciple whose luck was outrageously good.

"What is the background of this Disciple named Tang Xun?" asked a white-haired Elder, stroking his beard curiously.

"Reporting to Elder Liu, this child was promoted from the Laborer Courtyard three months ago. He has a Five Elements Spirit Root and his cultivation is at the First Layer of Qi Refining. He has no background, it's just... his luck seems exceptionally good." The deacon beside him replied respectfully, his tone filled with helplessness.

"Oh? Five Elements Spirit Root?" A flash of surprise crossed Elder Liu's eyes. "With such Aptitude, it's already a stroke of luck to be able to guide Qi into the body, yet he has actually managed to pass two rounds in the Grand Competition... Interesting, truly interesting."

He looked at Tang Xun with great interest, seemingly wanting to see just how good this little guy's luck could get.

Tang Xun was completely unaware of all this. He was leisurely finding a patch of shade, leaning against a tree trunk, closing his eyes to rest, and preparing to wait for the second round to finish so he could go directly to participate in the third round of draws.

This feeling of winning while lying down was just too good.

"Hey, are you Tang Xun?"

A cold and clear voice rang out above his head.

Tang Xun opened his eyes and saw a stunningly beautiful face.

Su Qinghan.

She had walked in front of Tang Xun at some point and was looking down at him.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling her, adding a touch of etherealness to her already otherworldly temperament.

The surrounding Disciples were stunned to see this scene.

The Outer Sect's number one goddess, the recognized iceberg Genius Su Qinghan, had actually taken the initiative to go and talk to that "King of Dog Shit Luck"?

What is wrong with this world?

"Does Senior Sister Su have business with me?" Tang Xun asked lazily, looking up. He didn't have any of the restraint or excitement that ordinary Disciples had when meeting a goddess; instead, he spoke as if he were talking to an ordinary passerby.

This attitude of his made Su Qinghan frown again.

She was already accustomed to the fawning, fearful, or admiring gazes people gave her, but Tang Xun, who was so calm and even somewhat casual, was the first.

"Didn't you have no Spiritual Root?" Su Qinghan asked straight to the point, her voice carrying a hint of inquiry.

This question had been hovering in her mind from the moment she first saw Tang Xun.

She remembered very clearly that a few months ago, in the Laborer Courtyard, the boy who was wantonly bullied by Wang Hao was a complete Mortal.

But now, not only had he guided Qi into his body, but he was also standing on the arena of the Outer Sect Grand Competition.

There must be some unknown reason for this.

Tang Xun was amused when he heard this question.

"Yo, you still remember me? It seems my symmetrical pig-head face from back then left a deep impression on you."

He scratched his head, revealed a simple and honest smile, and began his pre-prepared story.

"Senior Sister Su, you must have remembered wrong, right? I've always had a Spiritual Root, it's just that my Aptitude is a bit poor; it's a Five Elements waste Spirit Root. Some time ago, when I was working at the back mountain, I accidentally fell off a cliff. I thought I was a goner, but I didn't die, and I was blessed by misfortune; I ate some fruit whose name I don't know, and then... I just muddled through and guided Qi into my body."

He recounted his experience as a cliché "protagonist falls off a cliff and gains an encounter" template story.

This explanation was reasonable and seamless.

In the world of cultivation, nothing is too strange. Not to mention falling off a cliff to gain an encounter, even examples of picking up an ancient Cultivation Technique while walking were not uncommon.

Su Qinghan listened quietly, her cold, clear eyes scrutinizing Tang Xun, seemingly wanting to see if there were any flaws on his face.

But Tang Xun's expression was too sincere, his eyes too clear, and that simple and honest appearance made it impossible to doubt him.

"I see." Su Qinghan was silent for a moment before saying indifferently.

She believed him, or rather, she couldn't find a reason not to believe him.

After all, for a Disciple with a Five Elements waste Spirit Root, even if they gained an encounter, their future achievements would be limited. She didn't need to waste too much energy on a "lucky one" who was destined not to go far.

"Your luck is very good." She said finally, her tone making it impossible to tell if it was praise or disparagement.

"Hehe, I think so too." Tang Xun grinned.

Su Qinghan didn't speak again and turned to leave, her figure cold and clear, her steps elegant, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

The surrounding Disciples who had craned their necks to watch the excitement all let out a sigh of disappointment.

"That's it? I thought there was some story?"

"Senior Sister Su must have been curious about this kid's luck."

"Hmph, just dog shit luck, what's so great about that. Wait until he encounters a real expert, let's see how his luck holds up then!"

Tang Xun watched Su Qinghan's back, the curve of his mouth widening.

"Little girl, your curiosity is piqued, right? Don't worry, this is just the beginning. When we reach the finals, I'll give you an even bigger 'surprise'."

He leaned back against the tree, closed his eyes, and felt incredibly comfortable.

Teasing an iceberg beauty was much more interesting than fighting and killing.

The second round of the competition ended quickly, and only a little over a hundred Disciples remained to advance.

As a bye participant, Tang Xun entered the third round directly.

When the results of the third round of draws were released, the entire venue once again let out a uniform gasp of astonishment.

Tang Xun's opponent was a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Disciple named Zhao Tiezhu.

Originally, this wouldn't have been a big deal, but the key was that just a moment before the draw results came out, this Senior Brother Zhao Tiezhu, because he was bragging and making a bet with someone off-stage, saying that if he drew Tang Xun in the next round, he would perform a handstand and eat grass on the spot, accidentally laughed and threw his Qi out of alignment, spraining his waist...

Now, he was being supported by two fellow Disciples, grimacing as he hurried to the infirmary.

Thus, Tang Xun, once again, won without a fight.

The entire venue was dead silent.

Everyone was numb.

If the first round was a coincidence and the second round was luck, then this third round... was simply destiny!

"I'm not playing! This competition is impossible to compete in! It's fixed, it's absolutely fixed!"

"The heavens are blind! Why is his luck so good!"

"From today on, no one talk to me about effort; I only believe in luck! I'm going to worship Tang Xun! I beg him to pass on his good luck divine skill to me!"

The crowd completely descended into madness.

Even Elder Liu on the viewing platform couldn't help but tug and break one of his own hairs from his beard, muttering to himself: "This child... is terrifyingly formidable!"

Tang Xun stood in place, spread his hands, and revealed an "innocent" smile that looked worse than crying.

"Everyone, it really has nothing to do with me... I don't know why this happened either..."

Yet in his heart, he was laughing wildly.

"Hahahaha! The script! Even a script wouldn't dare to write it like this! With this luck of mine, even I'm afraid of it!"

He had successfully, in a way that had never been seen before and might never be seen again, killed his way into the top sixty-four without drawing a blade.