Chapter 196: Schemes Amid Endless Struggles
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The other disciples of the Green Wood Sect failed to notice Ye Cong Xin’s presence. Hearing You Fei’s declaration, they were taken aback.
“Forget it. You focus on blocking Fang Cheng Lang and his group. I’ll deal with her,” You Fei instructed, maintaining his vigilance.
The psychological shadow Yu Zhao had left on him was immense. When he arrived at the Aspiration Pavilion and learned that Yu Zhao wouldn’t participate in the sect competition, he nearly wept with joy. He would rather remain in the Green Wood Sect, running errands for the Pill Hall disciples, than face Yu Zhao again in combat. It was too humiliating.
Upon You Fei’s command, the other disciples responded immediately. Fang Cheng Lang and his companions suddenly felt the pressure intensify.
Seizing the opportunity, You Fei flung a short sword, no longer than an inch, concealed within his sleeve. The blade shot forth with a fierce whistle, aimed directly at Ye Cong Xin, who was standing behind Quan Ye.
“Fifth Senior Brother!” Ye Cong Xin called out in alarm as she spotted the flying sword.
However, Quan Ye, immersed in the heat of battle, didn’t hear her cry for help. On the other side, Lan Zi Yu and Su Ming heard her, but they were too far to intervene. Turning around to block the sword for Ye Cong Xin was impossible in time.
With tightly pressed lips, Ye Cong Xin’s gaze hardened. Truthfully, she had already earned a spot on the Floating Island and didn’t need to risk everything like this.
But she was unwilling to accept it.
Why could Yu Zhao shine brilliantly on the competition stage while she had to skulk in the shadows like a rat? Her starting point had been much higher than Yu Zhao’s. Yu Zhao was an orphan, while she was the daughter of a Five Elements Dao Sect elder. She lacked neither ability nor determination and should have been the brightest star in this cultivation competition.
Yet, fate was cruel. She was burdened with a frail, defective body.
If a life of endless scheming was her destined fate, she would defy the heavens and rewrite her destiny, reducing all the favored ones into her mere resources!
“Barrier!”
Ye Cong Xin swiftly formed a hand seal, summoning a Colorful Exquisite Tower no bigger than her palm. The tower shone with dazzling, multicolored light, enveloping her within its glow.
Clang!
The flying sword collided with the multicolored light, emitting a harsh screech. Ye Cong Xin turned pale and staggered back several steps, nearly falling off the stage.
You Fei’s expression turned serious. Despite not using his full strength, the flying sword carried enough power to overwhelm a late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple. Yet, Ye Cong Xin had managed to block it.
Could it be that all disciples of the Five Elements Dao Sect were as extraordinary as Yu Zhao?
“Little Junior Sister!”
Finally noticing Ye Cong Xin’s predicament, Quan Ye became furious. His blood surged with boiling intensity, red veins spreading from his eyes to his cheeks, and his dark pupils glimmered with golden light.
“Watch out!”
Sensing Quan Ye’s violent aura, You Fei knew things were going south. Just as he moved to block with his sword, Quan Ye unleashed a punch.
The strike carried an overwhelming force, creating a deafening sonic boom. The Green Wood Sect disciple facing Quan Ye instinctively raised his artifact to block.
Bang!
A gut-wrenching creak was drowned out by the explosive impact. The tremendous force, though weakened by the artifact, surged into the disciple’s body. A sharp pain tore through his chest as he was flung into the air.
Scarlet blood scattered in the air like petals before he crashed to the ground below the stage, unconscious.
“Brother Wang!” You Fei’s voice was a mixture of fury and shock. His gaze at Quan Ye grew icy.
“Daring to harm my junior brother? You seek death!”
You Fei and the other three disciples charged forward together, completely disregarding Ye Cong Xin and Fang Cheng Lang’s group. Naturally, Fang Cheng Lang and his companions wouldn’t just stand by and watch Quan Ye be surrounded and beaten—they stepped in to help. However, You Fei and his group were so infuriated by Quan Ye’s heavy-handedness that they didn’t care about losing the competition; they just wanted to vent their anger on him.
One incense stick later, You Fei and his group strode off the stage with their heads held high. Lan Zi Yu and Su Ming supported the bruised and swollen Quan Ye, whose original appearance was now unrecognizable. They watched as You Fei’s group basked in the cheers and applause of the Green Wood Sect disciples, feeling both angry and helpless.
Though they technically won, it felt no different from losing—it was stifling. Unlike individual matches, sect tournaments emphasized restraint. Quan Ye’s punch had clearly crossed the line, so the outrage from the Green Wood Sect wasn’t unwarranted.
Lacking the mood to celebrate, they hurriedly took Quan Ye and Ye Cong Xin back to rest. Another, more critical match awaited them the next day.
The following day brought another round of matches to a close. Yu Zhao, Si Tu Xuan, Yao Ji, and a body cultivator made it to the top four in the individual competition. In the sect tournament, the Five Elements Dao Sect claimed two spots in the semifinals, while the remaining two went to the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Hundred Flowers Valley.
On the third day, Yu Zhao faced off against the body cultivator and emerged victorious. Yao Ji defeated Si Tu Xuan in their match. For the sect tournament, Zhou Jin Yue’s Five Elements Dao Sect team triumphed over the Hundred Flowers Valley team, while Fang Cheng Lang’s team lost to the Heavenly Sword Sect.
At this point, both the individual and sect tournaments were nearing their climaxes. All eyes were on the final day’s ultimate showdown.
Si Tu Xuan had hoped to meet Yu Zhao in the finals for a pinnacle clash, but his wish was dashed, leaving him deeply frustrated. Seeking solitude, he found a quiet spot to brood.
“Daoist Si Tu,” a voice called.
Si Tu Xuan glanced at the newcomer before lowering his head again. This irrelevant person wasn’t worth his time.
Ye Cong Xin, unfazed by his rudeness, sat down beside him with a cheerful smile. Si Tu Xuan, born into an aristocratic family and proud by nature, wasn’t easy to approach, but Ye Cong Xin had anticipated this and prepared topics to pique his interest. Yet before she could speak, Si Tu Xuan frowned and leapt to his feet.
“Who said you could sit next to me? Don’t you have any sense? Can’t you see I’m in a bad mood?”
Ye Cong Xin bit her lip in frustration. “I…I just saw you were upset and wanted to comfort you.”
“Do we know each other? Who gave you the right to comfort me? What a thick face!” Si Tu Xuan sneered, his gaze contemptuous. “People like you who cling to the powerful disgust me. You just want to latch onto the Si Tu family, don’t you? Keep dreaming!”
“No, that’s not what I meant…” Ye Cong Xin stammered, waving her hands.
“You know your intentions better than anyone else. Spare me your excuses. Stay far away from me in the future! Don’t let me see you again!” Si Tu Xuan snapped before storming off, grumbling.
Behind him, Ye Cong Xin clenched her teeth so hard she nearly broke them. What an arrogant so-called young master of the Si Tu family. Does he really think he’s something special? What’s so great about the Si Tu family anyway? My master is none other than Master Qing Yan!
If not for Si Tu Xuan’s abundant fortune, she wouldn’t have bothered with him in the first place.
Trembling with anger, Ye Cong Xin was overwhelmed by a strange sense of loss and frustration. Things shouldn’t have turned out like this. While the cultivation tournament was full of individuals brimming with fortune, approaching them was proving incredibly difficult. For some reason, many people avoided her altogether—like Silence and now Si Tu Xuan.
If only she had a partner, plundering fortune might be much easier.
Her thoughts wandered to the severely injured man she had encountered in Dragon Roar Valley. She had expected to see him in the tournament and had even worn accessories matching the Moonlight Stone Hairpin she had deliberately left behind for him. But nothing came of it.
If she had known he was so useless, she wouldn’t have wasted her pills to save him.
Now, with just one day left in the tournament, what else could she do?
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