At that moment, in the dormitory, Bai Qianqian sat on the edge of the bed.
She had wanted to conserve her energy and surprise her master, but unexpectedly, she couldn’t fall asleep after resting until midnight.
Not only was she unable to sleep, but her mind had been racing ever since, filled entirely with thoughts of Lin Xinyi.
Lying in bed, whenever she closed her eyes, Lin Xinyi’s captivating face would appear.
At the same time, some inexplicable sounds would ring in her ears, and fragments of images flashed through her mind like a broken continuous painting, making Bai Qianqian’s heart even more unsettled.
“Disciple, you must remember: in this world of cultivation, you may betray everyone, but never betray yourself~”
“Then, am I something that can be discarded at will to Master?”
“At first, yes. But now… I don’t know~”
Bai Qianqian lay in bed.
Ever since that fragmented image appeared, she couldn’t sleep.
She remembered that Lin Xinyi had never said such things to her; after all, Lin Xinyi had always seemed utterly disgusted with her from beginning to end.
Even the gentle gaze she saw in that vision was something that had never existed.
Bai Qianqian didn’t understand what was wrong with her and only thought she missed her master so much that she was hallucinating.
‘Forget it. After tomorrow, I can be with Master forever. Then we’ll be a legitimate master and disciple pair~’
Bai Qianqian cheerfully tidied her clothes.
She had been in high spirits since the middle of the night, and only when the bell tower at the highest point of the sect rang out did she happily push open the door.
However, as she opened the door, she happened to meet the eyes of a girl across from her.
The other girl had golden hair draped over her shoulders and emerald-green, jewel-like eyes.
She met Bai Qianqian’s gaze.
Every detail of her appearance radiated nobility.
The spiritual light emanating from the jade hairpin pinned in her hair alone indicated that it was a high-grade spiritual tool.
A disciple who hadn’t even officially joined still carrying a spiritual tool was enough to highlight her status.
‘She seems to be going to the final round of the sect selection as well…’
While Bai Qianqian was sizing up the girl in front of her, the girl was also sizing up Bai Qianqian, who lived across from her.
Just as Bai Qianqian was thinking about whether to greet her, the girl merely sneered and turned away.
‘I guess there’s no need to waste words…’
Seeing the girl leave, Bai Qianqian didn’t chase after her.
After all, they were strangers, so that attitude was reasonable.
Moreover, in the final round of the sect selection, everyone present was almost an enemy.
Everyone was competing for the chance to be first.
The strong struggled hard, the weak prayed for luck.
After all, obtaining the position of first allowed one to choose a desired master and even have the opportunity to become the sect leader’s disciple.
Everyone longed for that chance and opportunity; no one wouldn’t fight for it.
However, Bai Qianqian didn’t care.
Her reason for striving for first was simply to choose Lin Xinyi.
Therefore, no matter what, she had to win the top position.
‘But… that girl seems familiar somehow…’
Bai Qianqian watched the receding figure, trying to think back, but she couldn’t remember.
So she simply stopped thinking about it, closed the door behind her, and resolutely headed toward another exit of the dormitory.
As Bai Qianqian’s figure disappeared, the expression in that girl’s eyes shifted.
Rather than wariness toward Bai Qianqian, her eyes were filled with jealousy.
“Why would the sect leader want to take that talentless, average-looking person as a disciple? I’m a genius who climbed to the 70th floor…”
The girl muttered under her breath, but her eyes were full of disdain.
After all, she carried the hope and glory of her family.
As the daughter of the current dynasty’s prime minister, she held the title of the number one talented woman in the capital.
Qu Siyao, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s mansion—a name known to every household in the capital, a name that shone brilliantly wherever she went.
Yet even so, in the eyes of the immortal cultivation sects, she was still a mere speck of dust.
The environment set by the strong could slowly change people who had once made promises.
Qu Siyao had watched her originally gentle and kind father gradually become distant.
“Siyao, you don’t have to take that path. Even if you don’t work so hard, as your father and the current prime minister, I will definitely protect you well!”
“Siyao, the sixth prince of the current dynasty is quite interested in you. Why not wait until tomorrow and come with me to the palace to see?”
“Siyao, marriage is commanded by parents and arranged by matchmakers. It’s not something you or I can decide.”
“You! You unfilial daughter! Won’t you even listen to your father? Get out! The farther, the better! Don’t come back!”
…
Walking out of the dormitory, Qu Siyao could still hear her father’s words echoing in her ears.
She had come to the Hidden Immortal Sect for the position of the sect leader’s personal disciple.
As long as she became the sect leader’s disciple, even the current emperor of the dynasty would not trouble her father.
‘Right. No matter what, I must win first place…’
Qu Siyao thought as she walked toward the Celestial Altar, her gaze growing more determined.
For this goal, she had endured unbearable pressure on the Wenxin Stair, climbing all the way to the 70th step.
When she saw Murong Xue, the sect leader of the Hidden Immortal Sect, who was said to have reached the Nascent Soul stage, Qu Siyao even thought she had come to welcome her.
Everyone else thought so too—after all, she was a genius who had climbed to the 70th floor; the last person to reach the 70th floor had been Murong Xue herself.
But when the sect leader of the Hidden Immortal Sect walked right past her, Qu Siyao even thought she hadn’t recognized her as the number one.
Yet when she saw the sect leader extending an olive branch to a nameless silver-haired girl who had stopped at the 50th floor, she was completely stunned.
“That girl actually rejected the sect leader’s invitation. But that’s fine—I just need to prove my strength in this sect selection.”
Qu Siyao said to herself as she quickened her pace and entered the selection venue at the Celestial Altar.
At that moment, the surrounding viewing stands were already filled with elders from various peaks, and quite a few inner and outer disciples had come to watch the show.
“That’s right. I just need to prove my strength right here.”
As she spoke, Qu Siyao looked around.
When she raised her eyes, she saw Murong Xue seated at the center of the high platform.
Just sitting there, the overwhelming pressure she exuded made it hard to breathe.
That domineering, self-centered aura was exactly what Qu Siyao yearned for.
Qu Siyao turned her head and also saw the white-clad figure standing in the waiting area.
She thought that if she could defeat the girl the sect leader favored in front of everyone, she would be able to recapture the sect leader’s attention.
‘I am the most suitable candidate to be the sect leader’s personal disciple. I need to prove that the sect leader’s choice back then was wrong…’
Qu Siyao swept her gaze across the surroundings.
Some of her competitors didn’t even have cultivation levels.
Seeing their timid demeanor, a sneer tugged at the corner of her mouth.
This only confirmed even more that she was the one who should have been chosen.
Just then, Qu Siyao noticed Bai Qianqian standing not far away, also wearing that same timid look.
This made Qu Siyao feel increasingly irritated; she couldn’t understand why the sect leader would care so much about that girl.
‘So irritating. When she goes up against me, she’ll probably realize the gap in strength…’
Qu Siyao merely glanced at Bai Qianqian and didn’t pay her any more attention.
In her mind, Bai Qianqian had already been lumped together with the miscellaneous soldiers.
But what she didn’t know was that Bai Qianqian’s attention was entirely fixed on the surrounding viewing stands.
‘Master isn’t here… I can’t muster any motivation…’
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