On the day of the Sect Grand Tournament, the Yunxiao Sect was bustling with rare liveliness.
Disciples had gathered outside the martial arena early in the morning.
Beams of light streaked between the mountain peaks, descending around the martial arena as young disciples gathered in twos and threes, discussing the day’s matches.
Some talked about the opponents they had drawn, while others crowded around the tournament rings, speculating on who would take the top spots this time.
Gu Yanqing stood among the crowd, his gaze slowly sweeping over his surroundings.
It was somewhat unexpected.
Since joining the Yunxiao Sect, aside from occasionally visiting the Hall of Deacons and the training grounds, he had spent the vast majority of his time cultivating inside his courtyard.
Thus, in his memory, the Yunxiao Sect had always seemed quiet.
Now that he was actually here, he realized there were far more disciples in the sect than he had imagined.
“Junior Brother Gu?”
A familiar voice called from behind.
Gu Yanqing looked back.
Xu Muhe was walking through the crowd toward him.
Today she wore a plain white disciple robe, a longsword belted at her waist, a faint smile gracing her eyes and brows.
“Senior Sister Xu.”
“It really is you.”
Xu Muhe stepped closer, her eyes landing on him.
In the next moment, she visibly froze.
“You’re... Golden Core?”
“Mm.”
Gu Yanqing nodded.
Xu Muhe studied him for a good while before smiling. “Congratulations, Junior Brother Gu.”
“I didn’t expect you to break through so quickly.”
“Just good luck,” Gu Yanqing replied casually.
This wasn’t merely false modesty.
He truly had obtained an opportunity in the secret realm.
Without that spirit vein node, breaking through to Golden Core this fast would have required quite a bit more cultivation.
Xu Muhe chuckled.
“Your luck is almost too good.”
“By the way, it must have been a while since you broke through, right?”
“Mm.”
Gu Yanqing nodded.
“I broke through last week.”
Recalling that breakthrough, his mind naturally wandered back to the situation at the time.
He had prepared many things in advance that day.
After all, from sect records, he had long known that advancing from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core required enduring a lightning tribulation.
Even though it was only an ordinary Golden Core lightning tribulation, truly facing it still left one feeling uneasy.
To guard against mishaps, he had prepared several defensive artifacts beforehand, along with plenty of pills for replenishing spiritual energy and healing injuries.
When the thunderclouds truly gathered, he had even seriously pondered a question:
Would he accidentally get struck dead?
As it turned out, the three bolts of lightning that struck down were far less terrifying than he had imagined.
When the first bolt struck, aside from full-body numbness, he sustained no serious injuries.
The second was slightly stronger.
Though the third caused him considerable injury, he still held out.
Perhaps it was because he had been practicing body cultivation lately.
His physical body was already considerably stronger than ordinary cultivators of the same realm, so the lightning tempering his flesh actually advanced his cultivation of the 《Black Iron Body》 by another step.
By the time the thunderclouds dispersed, the Golden Core within his dantian had fully coalesced.
Gu Yanqing pulled his thoughts back.
“It really was a coincidence of good fortune.”
“Going into the secret realm earlier was thanks to Senior Sister Xu sharing that news with me.”
Xu Muhe waved her hand. “It was nothing.”
After chatting a bit more, Xu Muhe suddenly remembered something.
“By the way, what about Junior Sister Lin?”
“She should be coming back for the tournament, right?”
Gu Yanqing fell silent for a moment.
He recalled contacting Lin Zhixue a few days ago using a transmission jade slip.
At the time, he had merely passed along the news that the Sect Grand Tournament was about to begin.
Just as he expected, Lin Zhixue had no intention of returning; her cultivation in Cold Water Valley seemed not yet finished.
“She’s still in Cold Water Valley.”
“She has no plans to return for now.”
Xu Muhe was somewhat surprised.
“Still hasn’t come back?”
“Mm.”
“Well, she can’t stay there forever, can she?”
Gu Yanqing shook his head.
“I don’t know either.”
In their transmission a few days ago, Lin Zhixue hadn’t mentioned when she would return.
Nor did he press the matter.
After all, that was her own experiential training.
Gu Yanqing remembered that Xiaoyu had even chimed in at the time:
“Zhixue is super amazing now!”
“She’s already at late Foundation Establishment!”
At the memory, his expression grew a bit subtle.
That girl...
She really was progressing a bit too quickly... Should he expect anything less from the female lead?
“Late Foundation Establishment?”
Upon hearing this, surprise showed on Xu Muhe’s face as well. “So fast?”
“Mm.”
Xu Muhe sighed softly in admiration.
“Looks like both of you have improved remarkably fast lately.”
“I really need to work harder.”
She looked down at the drawing token in her hand.
The smile on her face instantly collapsed.
“Though my luck isn’t nearly as good.”
Gu Yanqing looked at her.
“What is it?”
“For my first match, I drew a late Foundation Establishment senior brother.”
She sighed helplessly.
“And it’s almost my turn.”
As she spoke, she glanced toward the Foundation Establishment arena in the distance.
“Junior Brother Gu, you should get ready soon too.”
“I’m heading over first.”
“Alright.”
Gu Yanqing nodded slightly. “Senior Sister Xu, good luck.”
“Just do your best.”
Xu Muhe smiled.
“From your mouth to the heavens’ ears.”
With that, she turned and walked toward her tournament ring.
Gu Yanqing watched her leave, then looked down at his own drawing token.
First round, opponent: Han Ling, early Golden Core.
He raised an eyebrow; his luck was indeed quite good.
He had drawn a senior sister in the same realm as himself.
For him, having just broken through to Golden Core, testing his skills against an early Golden Core opponent was just right.
He put away the jade plaque, casually picked a spot to stand, and waited for his match.
...
Meanwhile.
Chixiao Sect.
Qixia Peak.
Shen Wanwan finally returned.
As soon as she touched down from her flying sword, several disciples hurried up to greet her.
“Third Miss!”
“You’re finally back!”
“Was the journey smooth?”
“If the Sect Master knew you—”
“Where’s my father?” Shen Wanwan interrupted them directly.
The disciples looked at each other.
One of them quickly answered, “The Sect Master hasn’t exited seclusion yet.”
“Still hasn’t exited seclusion?”
Shen Wanwan frowned.
She had originally intended to tell her father directly about encountering demonic cultivators.
Now it seemed she could only seek out others first.
Beside her, Fang Shouyi cupped his fists. “Miss, why don’t we consult with the elders first?”
Shen Wanwan glanced at him.
“Do you really need to state the obvious?”
“Then should we right now...”
“Go report it yourself.”
Shen Wanwan yawned.
“Tell the elders everything, start to finish.”
“I’m tired.”
“I’m going back to rest first.”
With that, she turned straight around.
Fang Shouyi froze for a moment before responding.
“Miss, then I...”
Shen Wanwan had already walked off.
Only a single sentence floated back:
“Don’t follow me.”
Fang Shouyi had no choice but to stop in his tracks.
“Oh.”
He stood there for a moment, then turned silently and headed in the direction of the elders.
Meanwhile, Shen Wanwan pushed open the door to her boudoir.
She plunged face-first into her soft bed.
“Nothing beats my own bed~”
She rolled over.
Before long, she closed her eyes.
As for the matter with the demonic cultivators...
Let Fang Shouyi headache over it first.
Rate on N.U.
