Chapter 192

Chapter 192: Advancing Smoothly

Yun Xi got goosebumps from Sheng Yu Hong’s resentful look. [What is this? Why does it feel like I’m some heartless woman? We’re just normal senior sister and junior brother. Please don’t use that look on me.]

She coughed lightly and said, “Junior Brother Sheng, if you can withstand nine more Thunder Tribulation bolts, you can also advance to Golden Core. With your aptitude, you might even reach a half-step Nascent Soul state.”

Sheng Yu Hong froze and didn’t answer for a moment.

Yun Xi immediately clasped her hands in salute and left, going to the platform she had picked to watch matches.

Only after Yun Xi left did Wei Yun Qing move over to Sheng Yu Hong. She spoke softly, “Senior Brother, if Yun Xi said something inappropriate just now, I apologize to you on her behalf.”

Sheng Yu Hong had already snapped back to his senses. When he saw Wei Yun Qing lean in and heard the way she spoke about Yun Xi, he replied flatly, “Senior Sister Wei didn’t say anything. There’s no need for you to apologize. I only asked her for advice about forming a Golden Core.”

Wei Yun Qing felt the way Sheng Yu Hong was protecting Yun Xi. She bit her lip and said, “After forming her Golden Core, Yun Xi’s temper has only grown. When she went back to the clan before, she almost clashed with the Ancestor. Luckily, the Clan Head smoothed things over…”

She didn’t say a single word about why Yun Xi had confronted the Ancestor.

Sheng Yu Hong frowned slightly. He didn’t seem to believe Yun Xi would do that, but he still said, “Since you’ve already joined the sect, you should put the sect’s interests first. The clan should indeed be placed after that. As an outsider, I’m not in a position to comment.”

He then turned and left on the excuse that he had something to do.

Wei Yun Qing watched Sheng Yu Hong’s retreating back. A determined light flashed in her eyes. From the moment she met Sheng Yu Hong, she had decided he was the Dao-companion she needed on her immortal path, and the only person who could stand beside him was her.

After that small episode, Yun Xi focused on watching the matches. Golden Core True Masters were all truly skilled. Not only were their spells dazzling and powerful, but they also understood their opponents well. Almost every attack struck straight at a weakness.

Yun Xi rubbed her chin. [This is one drawback of in-sect matches. As Golden Core True Masters, we’re all too familiar. As long as no one goes for killing blows, no one can really deal with the other, unless there’s an overwhelming gap in cultivation.]

She grumbled to herself, [Sigh. I’m the only newbie. Whoever I run into is like opening a blind box. I just hope my luck stays good. I don’t ask for much – just give me someone with similar strength.]

After that, she switched to another platform to watch. She was probably the busiest person in the whole arena, watching match after match. As long as a fight hadn’t ended, she went to see it.

The first round eliminated sixty people. The second round had sixty-one people drawing lots again, and Yun Xi somehow drew another bye.

Even True Lord Yu Feng, who was hosting the draw, looked surprised. He glanced at Yun Xi twice more. Yun Xi herself was also stunned. When had her luck ever been this good?

After Yun Xi stepped down from the draw platform, the Wei Family disciples surrounded her. Even Zong Hao couldn’t resist. He reached out and grabbed Yun Xi’s hand. “True Master Wei, share some of your good luck with me too!”

Yun Ying was already cracking her knuckles, eager to be second to shake Yun Xi’s hand and steal a bit of her luck.

Yun Ting and Zong Han were both amused, but they still suggested Yun Xi use her free time to watch more fights since she didn’t have to compete. Yun Xi accepted the advice easily. She had planned to do exactly that.

The second round of the Golden Core matches lasted three days. Yun Xi gradually figured out the pattern. The cultivators eliminated in the first round were mostly early Golden Core. In the second round, the remaining True Masters slowly began revealing their true strength.

Yun Xi watched every match carefully. She learned about mutations of the five-element arts and saw the clear advantages of body cultivators, formation cultivators, and sword cultivators. She benefited a lot.

On the fourth day, sixteen people drew lots to decide matchups. This time, all the Golden Core cultivators silently agreed to let Yun Xi draw first.

Yun Xi touched her nose, then clasped her hands in salute and went up first.

Fire-Commanding True Lord was supervising the draw this time. He looked at Yun Xi with a smiling face. Yun Xi saluted, then reached into the lot box and pulled out a jade token.

Fire-Commanding True Lord scanned it with his divine sense. His thick eyebrows lifted slightly. “Number eight.”

Yun Xi held the jade token and stepped down. When another person drew number eight, the two of them became opponents.

After the draw ended, Yun Xi confirmed her opponent. He was a two-meter-tall, lean body cultivator at mid Golden Core. Yun Xi rubbed her hands together, eager to test the results of the Interstellar Body-Refining Art.

Lin Ke Yang felt helpless when he learned his opponent was Yun Xi. When he stepped onto the arena and saw the delicate little girl in front of him – not even reaching his chest – he almost felt too embarrassed to strike. He was afraid one punch would hurt her badly.

But Yun Xi saluted politely. “Soaring Snow Peak Wei Yun Xi. Please guide me, Senior Brother!”

She was sincerely asking for guidance.

Lin Ke Yang scratched his head. “Junior Sister Wei, my fists are a bit hard. Let’s keep it to ‘touch and stop,’ alright?”

Yun Xi smiled and nodded. “Alright. Senior Brother Lin, please make your move.”

Their match drew a lot of attention. Yun Xi’s luck was ridiculous. She had drawn byes all the way into this round, basically half lying down to win. Even if she got eliminated here, it wouldn’t be embarrassing at all. Still, everyone wanted to see what Yun Xi could really do, so more than half the disciples came to watch.

When the protective barrier rose, Yun Xi attacked first. She used Wind-Supporting Steps, flashing in front of Lin Ke Yang in an instant. Her small pink fist shot toward his chest. Because of her height, that was the highest she could reach.

Lin Ke Yang didn’t expect Yun Xi to choose the very thing he was best at and attack him with body technique. He punched back without hesitation. Their fists collided, a wave of force bursting outward from the impact, and both of them jumped back.

Lin Ke Yang immediately put away his earlier contempt. Yun Xi’s body strength was no weaker than his. In that pure strength exchange just now, neither of them had gained any advantage.

Yun Xi retreated five steps, her eyes shining brightly. Lin Ke Yang’s body strength matched hers. They were truly evenly matched.

She shook her right hand, said, “Again,” and flashed forward with her fists once more.

Lin Ke Yang replied, “Good!” He also vanished from where he stood, turning into a blur as he fought Yun Xi in close combat. The disciples below only heard the constant “bang, bang, bang” of collisions and the sharp sound of air tearing. With even the slightest blink, they lost track of both fighters.

Yun Xi poured all her focus into dealing with Lin Ke Yang’s attacks. When pure strength still didn’t decide the winner, both of them infused spiritual power into their fists and began competing with spiritual power as well.

They fought from the ground into midair. Because of the protective barrier, they dropped back onto the arena again. The moment they separated, they stood at opposite ends of the platform.

Lin Ke Yang injected earth spiritual power into his fist and slammed it into the ground, using “Earthshaking Tremor.” Earth spiritual power spread across the arena and quickly reached Yun Xi’s feet.

Yun Xi refused to back down. She slammed her fist into the ground as well and used the ice spell “Frozen for a Thousand Miles.” White frost instantly froze the entire arena.