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Lu Yaoyao and Yu Zining bowed to each other. Yu Zining then straightened her face and solemnly said, “You may start.”
Lu Yaoyao immediately brandished her sword and flew forward. The two figures, one large and one small, quickly became blurs. Most disciples couldn’t see their movements clearly, some even finding it hard to track their figures. Only those with relatively high cultivation could see everything clearly.
Lu Yaoyao’s sword was extremely fast and agile. She followed her instincts without hesitation, fully devoting herself to the fight, thrilled to have met her match. Still, both her cultivation and combat experience couldn’t compare to Senior Sister Yu, and she was quickly suppressed from the start.
Yu Zining did not see her as a child but regarded her as a true opponent. Lu Yaoyao’s eyes were bright with burning enthusiasm, growing more excited as she visibly improved with each exchange.
The entire arena was filled with sword intent, and Lu Yaoyao, immersed in it, radiated fighting spirit. This was the toughest and most serious battle Lu Yaoyao had ever fought. Several times, she nearly fell off the stage, which was both shocking and exciting.
Having been personally taught by the two Venerables for over ten years, Lu Yaoyao, even with her late Foundation Establishment cultivation, did not easily fall behind Yu Zining, who was at the mid-Golden Core stage and had already materialized a sword intent. Especially since Lu Yaoyao’s real power was also at the Golden Core stage.
The spectating crowd watched the battle intently, holding their breath, their blood boiling with excitement. Yu Zining was Guiyuan’s most powerful disciple right after Lu Junyang. Despite being less than two hundred years old, she had already made a name for herself in the Cultivation Realm. It was truly impressive that Lu Yaoyao could hold her own against Yu Zining for so long.
Two hours passed quickly, but the disciples present, thoroughly immersed in the battle, remained motionless, their eyes glued to the stage, unaware of the passage of time. Amidst the excitement, no one noticed the figure standing on the high roof of the square, his red robe fluttering in the wind, his black hair gently swaying.
His slightly upturned peach blossom eyes gazed lazily ahead, a faint smile playing at his lips. The Taixu Mirror used by the elders to watch the tournament swept past the eaves but did not detect the eye-catching figure standing there. Within the vast expanse of Guiyuan Sect, only Yao Jiuxiao alone noticed the arrival of the Devil Venerable Lu Qingyu.
Lu Qingyu seemed to sense the omnipresent spiritual sense of his rival. He raised an eyebrow casually, returning a nonchalant glance.
Sitting atop the peak of the perpetually snowing mountain, there was no expression on Yao Jiuxiao’s handsome face. His spiritual sense extended far and wide, covering the entire south square where Yaoyao was currently competing.
Although he usually didn’t involve himself in sect affairs, today was different. His daughter was participating in the sect’s inner tournament for the first time, so Yao Jiuxiao naturally paid close attention, watching from afar with his spiritual sense.
In Yao Jiuxiao’s eyes, the child’s progress was far from enough. She had focused on alchemy for the past two or three years and hadn’t been as diligent when practicing her sword, showing little improvement compared to three years ago. The outcome of this match was clear to the highly skilled cultivators: Yaoyao would lose. Even with the same cultivation level, the gap between a sword cultivator who had comprehended sword intent and one who hadn’t was like a chasm—Yaoyao had no chance to win.
Sure enough, Lu Yaoyao lost in the end. Another characteristic of sword cultivators was that the longer the battle, the more potential they could unleash. But Lu Yaoyao started showing fatigue towards the end and made one wrong move, causing her to lose.
After the match concluded, the spectating crowds remained silent for a long time, still immersed in the thrill.
Lu Yaoyao sat on the ground, feeling somewhat dejected and disappointed. She… had lost.
Yu Zining walked over and extended her hand to Lu Yaoyao. Lu Yaoyao looked up. Having just gone through a battle, Yu Zining’s cold demeanor had softened slightly, her eyes still smoldering with the remnants of fighting spirit.
Lu Yaoyao lifted her hand and placed it in Yu Zining’s. With a slight pull, Yu Zining helped Lu Yaoyao to her feet, her voice carrying a hint of fervor, “I look forward to our next match.” Yu Zining acknowledged Lu Yaoyao as an opponent, believing that one day, Lu Yaoyao would surpass her, and that day was not far off.
Lu Yaoyao’s initial disappointment instantly vanished. Being acknowledged by her opponent meant she was a worthy adversary. She firmly declared, “Senior Sister Yu, I will challenge you again at the next competition in three years.”
Yu Zining replied, “I look forward to it.” She took Lu Yaoyao’s hand and led her off the stage.
A crisp applause broke out, and as more and more spectators came back to their senses, they quickly joined in the clapping with great enthusiasm, their hands turning red from clapping too hard.
The applause lasted for a long time. Lu Yaoyao glanced at the audience and blushed slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed. She felt she had made a fool of herself by ambitiously challenging the second rank without sufficient strength. She thought other disciples would surely mock her, but to her surprise, this was not the case. Although Lu Yaoyao lost the challenge, she lost with honor, earning their utmost respect.
Wen Zixing and the others rushed to her side the moment she stepped off the stage, exclaiming excitedly, “Yaoyao, you were amazing!”
“Yeah, we didn’t expect you to be so incredible,” Du Qianshan added, his face flushed with excitement. No one understood the terrifying strength of Senior Sister Yu Zining better than he did; she was a sword fanatic who was meticulous in her cultivation path.
As an inner disciple of the North Twelfth Peak, Du Qianshan knew that Yu Zining was not as aloof as she seemed. As the chief disciple of the North Twelfth Peak, she was responsible for disciplining the junior disciples. Du Qianshan had often been defeated by her, never lasting more than twenty moves. That Lu Yaoyao could spar with her for two hours without losing was truly remarkable!
Lu Yaoyao’s four senior brothers and Lu Junyang also praised her highly.
Originally feeling a bit down, Lu Yaoyao’s spirits were lifted by their generous compliments, and she felt much happier. “I still have a long way to go.” She said modestly.
Lu Yaoyao had long grown accustomed to receiving praise. After knowing she had extremely high talent in cultivation, she developed a bit of pride and became complacent, even feeling a sense of invincibility. This defeat was a good wake-up call to her, allowing her to see herself more clearly.
The Cultivation Realm—or rather, the three realms—was full of formidable individuals. She might be talented, but she was just one among many. If she became too arrogant, reality would soon teach her a lesson: no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone better out there. To become stronger, she had to put aside her arrogance and pursue her cultivation path with a more grounded mindset.
Lu Yaoyao’s match against Yu Zining started in the afternoon, and by the time it ended, the sun was already setting; painting the sky with the colors of twilight. As the disciples gradually left the South Square, the once lively scene became quiet. Lu Yaoyao returned to the South Fifth Peak with her senior brothers. They were worried she might be upset by her first defeat and tried their best to console her. Seeing through their intentions, Lu Yaoyao smiled and said, “Don’t worry, senior brothers, I’m fine.”
“Failure is the mother of success. Once I improve my skills, I will challenge not only Eldest Senior Brother but also Brother Junyang, and become the chief disciple of Guiyuan Sect!”
Mo Ziwen couldn’t help but smile at her ambitious words, agreeing wholeheartedly, “Yaoyao can definitely achieve that.”
Soon, the senior brothers left to give Lu Yaoyao time to rest. She returned to her room, took a pill to replenish herself, and then sat cross-legged. As she regulated her breathing, she entered a state of meditation. The match had drained her, and she needed to recover her energy to be in top form for the next day’s tournament.
Suddenly, she sensed something. Hurriedly opening her eyes, she saw a man in red sitting leisurely inside her room.
Lu Yaoyao blinked and flew towards him, “Daddy!”
Lu Qingyu lifted her with one hand and weighed her in his palm.
Lu Yaoyao didn’t mind at all. She grabbed onto Lu Qingyu’s clothes and tugged several times, full of excitement: “Daddy, Daddy, you finally came! When did you arrive? Did you see my match?” The little girl chattered on and on, but Lu Qingyu showed no impatience. Though they had been communicating through letters, they hadn’t seen each other for over two years, and his fatherly love was overwhelming at this moment.
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