Chapter 18: The Grand Sect Tournament
In the blink of an eye, half a year had slipped by, and the long-awaited Sect Tournament was finally upon them. During these past months, Aunt Chrysanthemum had woken once and demanded that she interfere with Su Yunmo’s training. At that time, Hansu was already beset by countless trivial matters, so she simply ignored the request. She had worried a little at first, but after seeing Aunt Chrysanthemum raise the issue only a few more times—uttering a couple of threats but taking no further action before falling back into silence—she could not help but secretly imagine that she might be able to disregard this troublemaker altogether in the future.
The Yaohua Sect’s Tournament was divided into three stages: the Outer Sect Tournament, the Inner Sect Tournament, and the Championship Tournament, each with its own arena. The Outer Sect Tournament came first, with disciples of the outer sect competing according to their cultivation level. Those who emerged as champions or performed exceptionally well would be admitted into the inner sect. After a three-day respite, the Inner Sect Tournament would commence, with corresponding rewards granted to the victors. Finally, the Championship Tournament would bring together the top five disciples from the inner and outer sects, all of equal cultivation, to vie for supremacy. The champion or any outstanding contestant would be accepted as a disciple by a Nascent Soul elder.
After a period of devoted cultivation, Lu Tanxian had not yet broken through to the twelfth level of Qi Refining, but her foundation at the eleventh level was solid as iron. Considering her age—eighteen—her dual spiritual roots, and her status as an outer sect disciple, reaching this stage was truly remarkable. Even after years of humility and restraint, she could not help but feel a measure of pride. Though she had not yet entered the inner sect, she was already surrounded by many outstanding young men, each one the object of admiration for most. Still, she was in no hurry to settle her future. Years spent as a beggar had taught her well not to put all her eggs in one basket.
Lu Tanxian shook her head, dispelling the sudden, untimely thoughts that had surfaced. She offered an apologetic smile to the senior brother at the drawing lots table and received her number plate—number eight, quite an early spot, with five arenas running simultaneously. This meant she would face contestant number three in Arena Three, with their match set as the very first round. She made her way to Arena Three, where the competition grounds had already been divided into separate camps around the five stages. The sect leader and the various peak masters would not be attending the outer sect matches; instead, two Golden Core elders from each peak sat in the guest seats. The arena was fan-shaped, with the guest area along the shortest, highest edge, allowing the elders a commanding view of the proceedings. The sect’s disciples had long since set up the sect’s treasured Mirror of Radiant Creation, which magnified and displayed the matches beside the elders’ seats. The five arenas were arrayed in an arc at the center of the grounds, with ample space around them for disciples to observe.
As Lu Tanxian glided to the edge of Arena Three, the Mirror of Radiant Creation already displayed the names of the competitors for the first round. Her opponent was also a female cultivator at the eleventh level of Qi Refining.
After Shouyi, the respected elder of Lingyun Peak, explained the rules and gave the customary address, the tournament officially began.