Chapter 23: The Grand Sect Tournament (VI)

Su Yunmo entered this competition with only one purpose: to confront Lu Tanshen. In her previous life, not only did Lu Tanshen secure the top spot in the Foundation Establishment stage of the outer sect tournament, she also unexpectedly ranked among the top three in the Grand Championship. It was because of this achievement that Master Yuheng noticed her and took her into his tutelage.

This time, thanks to Su Yunmo’s interference, although Lu Tanshen triumphed in the outer sect contest, her victory was hard-won. She had already expended the methods she had prepared for the Grand Championship in advance. Unless something unforeseen happened, it would be difficult for her to shine in the upcoming tournament. Su Yunmo therefore allowed herself to relax a little, focusing her attention solely on studying the techniques of the inner sect seniors.

Even though she had worked countless times harder in this life than before, and her cultivation had advanced swiftly, she still wished to defeat Lu Tanshen in the Grand Championship. Perhaps it was for the sake of pride, or perhaps it was the unease of living anew, with the belief that vanquishing Lu Tanshen would prevent the suffering of her past life from ever recurring. This struggle meant everything to her—her obsession—and to achieve it, she was determined to secure a place among the top three in the inner sect.

With her cultivation at the twelfth stage of Qi Refinement, she already ranked among the best of the competitors. What’s more, she possessed a single spiritual root, came from a wealthy and influential family, had countless high-grade magical artifacts, and her father was a renowned dueling fanatic. With such a lineage, her combat strategies were equally varied and formidable. Thus, her chances of victory in this tournament were exceedingly high.

As Su Yunmo stepped onto the arena, she immediately spotted Lu Tanshen at the edge of the martial platform. Perhaps because Su Yunmo had exposed many of Lu Tanshen’s secret techniques during the previous contests, some of her supporters, disillusioned by her lack of transparency or her perceived ruthlessness, had drifted away. Now, far fewer people surrounded her than before, but those who remained looked at Su Yunmo with indignation, fiercely defending Lu Tanshen. It was unclear where they found the courage to risk offending the young mistress of Lingyin Peak for the sake of an outer sect disciple.

Su Yunmo felt a pang of anxiety as she prepared to act. Though she had enjoyed watching Lu Tanshen stumble and nearly cough blood in frustration these past days, the shadow of her previous life still lingered, and she worried that Lu Tanshen might play dirty. Yet, to her surprise, though Lu Tanshen watched every match from the sidelines, she never spoke, nor did she seem to interfere. Thus, Su Yunmo advanced smoothly into the top three.

Once the inner sect tournament concluded, the elders assigned the sequence for those competing in the Grand Championship, granting three days for rest and preparation.

Hansu even made a special trip to check the match schedule. By coincidence, Su Yunmo’s first bout was against Lu Tanshen.

On the day of their duel, the martial platform was packed with spectators. News had spread throughout the inner sect that Su Yunmo had a knack for undermining Lu Tanshen.

Su Yunmo strode proudly onto the stage, while Lu Tanshen arrived with fluttering robes. She still wore a perfectly measured smile, her back straight and eyes resolute, sending a chill through Su Yunmo’s heart.

“Is she merely feigning calm, or does she have some hidden advantage...?”

Su Yunmo recalled her five years of arduous cultivation and all she knew of Lu Tanshen’s tactics from her past life. Her wavering resolve once again became firm.

The two saluted each other. Su Yunmo did not give Lu Tanshen a chance to strike first; she knew better than anyone that someone like Lu Tanshen would seize any opportunity to turn the tables. So she launched her attack without hesitation.

Su Yunmo possessed a single water spiritual root, not typically suited to offensive tactics. But since her rebirth, she had reflected on the many hardships of her previous life—half due to her reckless and arrogant nature, and half from her lack of effort in cultivation. With this realization, she devoted herself relentlessly to training and even sought her father, Daoist Lord Zhuozhan, to devise a specialized combat strategy tailored to her spiritual attributes. She also sparred with her senior brothers to gain practical experience. As a result, she was full of confidence; as soon as she entered the arena, she revealed the high-grade magical artifact her mother had crafted for her: the Heaven-Destroying Ribbon.

This Heaven-Destroying Ribbon was also a water-attribute artifact. Once infused with spiritual power, it transformed into black water—sometimes as slender as a finger's stream, sometimes as vast as a torrential river—ever-changing and flexible. The black water it produced was the frigid essence of a cold abyss, its chill biting to the bone. If it touched the flesh of a cultivator, it became a sinister Yin spike, excruciatingly difficult to withstand.

Seeing the Heaven-Destroying Ribbon surge forth like a river toward Lu Tanshen, Lu Tanshen hurriedly summoned a newly acquired magical artifact: a square seal. As soon as she invoked it, the seal expanded and emitted a protective barrier, encasing her within. Still, the black water pressed in, enveloping her like a curtain. In a moment, it transformed into twelve water arrows, aiming for the twelve acupoints around her body.

Lu Tanshen rushed to activate the seal, but it was clear she would not be able to repel the invasive water. Suddenly, a fierce beast flew out from her body. Its maw opened wide, and the black water was continuously swallowed into its belly. Once the beast had drunk its fill of the abyssal water, its scales grew even darker and shinier. A knowledgeable elder in the crowd quietly uttered its name: "The Nether Sea Serpent."