Chapter 96: Chapter 94: Sect Grand Competition
Liu Linlin turned her head.
She saw Su Qing holding out a sword imbued with Demonic Qi, offering it with both hands.
The blade looked even better than the Magical Artifact she had used before.
Su Qing smiled brightly. "Senior Sister, don’t worry. The Demonic Qi on this sword won’t harm the user."
"I have an extra one, and it’s no use to me. You might as well take it."
Liu Linlin was touched. He was only the second person to treat her so well since she had arrived at the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect.
The first had been Su Qing’s master.
"Junior Brother Su, thank you so much."
"This Demon Sword must have cost a lot of Spirit Stones. I’ll pay you back once I’ve earned enough."
Su Qing shook his head and smiled. "There’s no need. It’s so desolate here on Cold Extremity Peak. I wouldn’t want the relationship between us, fellow disciples on the same peak, to be just as cold."
"Just take it. I’m an Alchemy Master, so I’m not short a few Spirit Stones."
"Senior Sister, here. Have some Blood Replenishing Pills too." Su Qing handed Liu Linlin a bottle of them.
An Alchemy Master!
Liu Linlin was even more surprised. ’How is this junior brother so incredible?’
She took a careful look at Su Qing’s face—it was exquisitely flawless, with sharp, well-defined features...
Suddenly, Liu Linlin put away the Demon Sword and lowered her head, not daring to look at Su Qing’s face any longer. "Thank you, Junior Brother," she said.
"You’re welcome. Senior Sister, feel free to come by and visit whenever you have time."
"Okay. I’ll be going then, Junior Brother."
"Alright. See you, Senior Sister." Su Qing waved.
Su Qing didn’t notice at all that as Liu Linlin walked away, her face was as red as the sunset clouds.
He was unaware that the young woman seemed to have a powerful attraction to his looks.
And Su Qing didn’t get it, either. He was just a guy who frequented brothels; that didn’t mean he knew how to flirt with women.
...
「Three months passed by in a flash.」
Su Qing did nothing but cultivate, spending three months in bitter training.
He was now at the Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation and the Fourth Level of Candle Flame.
——
——
Host: Su Qing
Realm: Body Tempering Limit
Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation [Five Elements Qi Cultivation Technique +3: Perfection]
Fourth Level of Candle Flame [Candle Dragon Visualization Map]
Physique: 2.3
Magical Power: 123.8
Magic: [Great Sun Sacrificial Treasure Technique: Minor Achievement (228.3/2000)]
[Nine Swords Demon Shadow +1: Mastery (758/1000)]
[Fireball Technique +2: Mastery: (239/1000)]
[Spirit Eye Technique +2: Mastery (259/1000)]
[Earth Vein Resonance Technique: Minor Achievement (1489/2000)]
...
——
——
For the past three months, no one had disturbed Su Qing’s Cultivation.
So, his training had been very pleasant.
He had hit a bottleneck with his Visualization Technique, which was why it took him a long time to break through from the Third-Layer Candle Flame to the Fourth Level of Candle Flame.
Of course, ever since making a friendly gesture toward Liu Linlin, who also resided on Cold Extremity Peak, Su Qing didn’t feel so lonely when he practiced his Techniques.
This was because she was also practicing her Swordsmanship.
They would chat with each other or share a meal.
At least they weren’t such strangers anymore.
"Junior Brother! Junior Brother!"
Liu Linlin still had a somewhat dazed expression, but she broke into a wide, happy smile upon seeing Su Qing.
"What is it, Senior Sister?" Su Qing replied with a smile.
Judging by Liu Linlin’s smile, something good must have happened.
"Starting tomorrow, the sect’s grand competition will begin."
"Martial Uncle has already registered me. We’ll go compete tomorrow."
After hearing this, Su Qing couldn’t help but shake his head. "And here I thought it was some kind of good news."
"Of course it’s good news! As long as you defeat one opponent, you get a reward of a hundred Spirit Stones."
"And if you compete for a spot on the Celestial Pride List and make it on, the minimum reward is a Spirit Fruit that can improve one’s aptitude."
"Really?"
Su Qing asked doubtfully. A Spirit Fruit that could improve aptitude? ’There’s such a great opportunity?’
He wondered if it could help him, since he didn’t have a Spirit Root.
"It’s true! Spirit Fruits are very rare," Liu Linlin said excitedly.
While talking with Su Qing, she would glance at his eyes from time to time.
’Junior Brother... he seems to have a nice personality, too.’
"What’s the strength of the top ten on the Celestial Pride List?" Su Qing asked.
"The top ten? Those are all True Disciples. They’ve already reached Foundation Establishment."
Foundation Establishment already!!!
Su Qing was still thinking about the person he’d met last time at the Marketplace, who was supposedly ranked 89th on the Celestial Pride List.
He was confident he could beat number 89.
But he never expected the top ten would already be at Foundation Establishment.
’Then what’s the point of even trying?’
"Junior Brother, we’re True Disciples too. As long as we cultivate diligently, we can definitely make it into the top thirty in the future."
"Why the top thirty?"
"Because the top thirty are all True Disciples."
"..."
Su Qing was speechless for a moment.
’This senior sister has a point.’
—
「The next day, early in the morning.」
Su Qing was woken up.
"Disciple, hurry and come with me!"
"It’s time for the competition!"
Su Qing’s blanket was yanked away.
Then it was quickly thrown back on. Ouyang Mingming didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed.
’I just saw something I shouldn’t have,’ she thought. ’This little disciple of mine is quite impressive.’
"Master!!!"
The sudden chill had startled Su Qing awake.
He was instantly wide awake. Seeing Su Qing’s startled expression, Ouyang Mingming now felt awkward. "Disciple, hurry up and get ready! I’m taking you to draw lots for the competition."
Feeling the lingering awkwardness, Ouyang Mingming scurried outside.
Su Qing got up with a sigh and quickly washed his face.
When he went out, he saw his master and Liu Linlin.
"Hurry up, we were just waiting for you."
Ouyang Mingming grabbed Su Qing by his clothes, lifted him up, and flew off with both him and Liu Linlin.
They didn’t stop until they reached a massive plaza, in the center of which stood a huge stone arena.
Arrays and runes shimmered faintly around it.
It looked magnificent.
But it was packed with people.
And Su Qing was carried down just like that, dangling.
He was utterly mortified...
However, there was no chatter from the crowd below, though most of them were holding back laughter.
"Hahaha, Junior Sister, is this how you bring your disciple over?"
"Are you trying to give us all a laugh?"
A male Golden Core Elder spoke. This Elder was incredibly handsome, with sword-like brows, star-like eyes, and jet-black hair. In modern times, he would have been the dream of nine hundred million girls.
"Senior Brother Fa, I’ve made a fool of myself. It’s all this rebellious disciple’s fault! He actually forgot about the grand competition today, so I had to drag him out of bed and bring him here."
"Linlin is still the well-behaved one." Ouyang Mingming gave a polite smile.
"Hasn’t Junior Sister You arrived?"
"Her? She’s a Sword Fool. She’s either out earning Spirit Stones or stuck on the mountain practicing her swordsmanship."
"It’s not the first time. You ask every time, Senior Brother Fa," Ouyang Mingming said with a sigh, her tone implying, ’How are you still so silly?’
Su Qing and Liu Linlin watched silently from the side.
Fa Wuling chuckled lightly. "Come, Duan Tianchou, meet your new junior brother."
A man with unremarkable looks stepped forward from beside Fa Wuling and gave Su Qing a nod.
Su Qing also clasped his hands and returned the gesture.
They had now been introduced.
As for Liu Linlin, he had already met her the previous year.
Although Liu Linlin was beautiful, she wasn’t from his peak, and besides, Duan Tianchou had no interest in finding a Dao Companion.
They didn’t interact much, so Duan Tianchou’s attitude was simply that of one sect member to another.
"Everyone, I’ve arrived late." Jin Zhentu appeared before Su Qing.
Upon seeing him, Su Qing clasped his hands in greeting.
Jin Zhentu nodded back.
"Golden Core Master, you’re not late at all," Ouyang Mingming said.
Su Qing saw a familiar face.
