“Even after doing all this, I still couldn’t avoid it?”
Beside the Sword Honing Platform, Qian Yu looked at the dense, dark crowd below all staring at her, then up at Bai Liuli on the high platform, who was filled with provocation and coldness.
The speechlessness in her heart was like a surging river.
After Tang Qiurou’s friendly donation, the Year-end Examination, which should have been an insurmountable chasm, had posed no problem.
Not only did she successfully reach Nalan Yunyan’s target, but she also earned the shock and awe of many Elders and disciples.
However, just when she thought her business was done and planned to go home and lie down, the plot inexplicably developed to this point.
Having passed the examination with excellence, she was qualified for the first time to unlock the “secret hoard” left behind by her late Shizun—stack upon stack of IOUs totaling hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones, all borrowed for wine money.
If she were still the trash who couldn’t even pass a single examination, the creditor Elders would have just accepted the loss.
But once Qian Yu showed decent talent and seemed to have the ability to repay, this “deep affection” from her Shizun instantly bore down on her.
Hundreds of thousands of high-grade Spirit Stones… even if Qian Yu sold herself, she couldn’t afford it.
Helpless, she came out intending to sell some Three-Glow Spirit Awakening Pills that she had developed a resistance to in order to make back some money.
She never expected that she wouldn’t sell anything and would instead be targeted for no reason by this pure-blooded Fox Tribe girl, Bai Liuli, who challenged her on the spot.
If this kind of forced conflict plot appeared in a novel, Qian Yu would have dropped the book immediately.
Didn’t they see that the Judgment Elder hesitated for a long time before confirming that the one Bai Liuli wanted to challenge was her?
“Haha, Qian Yu! The one Bai Liuli wants to challenge is actually Qian Yu!”
Beside Nalan Yunyan, Tang Qiurou watched everything below.
Her small face was pale and pitiful, but the twisted joy in her heart was almost impossible to hide.
Ever since being extorted by the other party, she had considered hiring assassins several times, but she didn’t dare act for fear of Nalan Yunyan finding out.
She originally thought she’d have to let it go, but she never expected the other girl would seek her own death by offending Bai Liuli!
That was a direct descendant of a Venerable.
She had crippled so many Inner Disciples and remained unscathed; what would happen if she killed Qian Yu?
Even if Nalan Yunyan wanted to stand up for her, the Nalan Family behind her wouldn’t be willing.
Qian Yu was dead for sure this time!
Thinking of the miserable state of those disciples who had been crippled by Bai Liuli, the cruel smile at the corner of Tang Qiurou’s mouth intensified.
Realizing she was still next to Nalan Yunyan, she quickly pulled it back.
“Qian Yu will be alright, won’t she?”
She clenched her right hand into a fist and placed it over her chest, feigning worry as she asked: “According to the Sect’s rules, these spars are meant for mutual exchange where one stops at the appropriate point. The person being challenged cannot refuse.”
“…”
Nalan Yunyan did not answer.
She looked at Tang Qiurou’s worried, delicate face and felt a sense of estrangement.
After a moment of silence, she replied casually: “She should be fine protecting herself.”
“Really? That’s wonderful!”
Tang Qiurou clapped and smiled, not realizing that her previous series of slip-ups had long been seen by Nalan Yunyan.
She continued to be “sincerely” happy for Qian Yu.
*Protecting herself, huh?*
*Senior Sister Nalan has been fooled into stupidity by Qian Yu.*
The opponent was a descendant of a Venerable who could easily cripple Inner Disciples.
Her true combat power was likely close to the Third Realm.
Even if she couldn’t compare to that Demon Holy Body who defeated her in three moves, her actual strength wouldn’t be much worse.
Even she would have to treat such an opponent with caution.
How could Qian Yu possibly protect herself?
Didn’t she see that a few days ago, she almost reduced her to ashes with a single Mass-Kill Divine Power?
***
While Tang Qiurou was thinking this, so was the Judgment Elder on the Sword Honing Platform.
However, this gentle-looking female Elder named Ling didn’t mock the underpowered Qian Yu like in storybooks.
Instead, after suppressing the clamor of the disciples below, she secretly sent a transmission to Qian Yu:
“Qian Yu, according to Sect rules, a challenge cannot be refused. But this Bai Liuli is very strong. When you go up later, do not try to be a hero; just surrender immediately. I will call a stop in time.”
Perhaps because the Spirit Stones owed by her late Shizun were truly too many, the various creditor Elders within the Sect had formed a small private group.
Elder Ling, who was in charge of judgment, also knew about Qian Yu passing the Year-end Examination with excellent marks.
She was worried this little girl would become arrogant enough to actually dare fight Bai Liuli.
The strength of this foster sister of the Demon Holy Body was far beyond what a so-called excellent examination result could compare to.
Elder Ling didn’t want the Sect’s famous little trash to be easily crippled just after finally showing some improvement. That would be too cruel.
Besides, her Shizun owed her quite a lot of Spirit Stones too…
Elder Ling’s considerations were thorough, but she had overlooked one thing.
The disciples within the Sect, who were filled with righteous indignation and depression due to one defeat after another, needed a reasonable and safe outlet.
Once Qian Yu chose to surrender at the start, these disciples, who couldn’t stand the humiliation, would instantly vent all their previous frustrations onto her.
Things like “To not even have the courage to fight, what a disgrace to the Sect!” and “How shameful, someone like this doesn’t deserve to be a disciple of our Luoxia Immortal Sect!” would be hurled without mercy.
Even if they didn’t dare go up themselves, someone had to take the blame for the Sect losing to the Demon Race.
Qian Yu, who had no background and surrendered without a fight, was the best choice.
Meeting Elder Ling’s worried eyes, Qian Yu slowly ascended the Sword Honing Platform.
After bowing to the already impatient Bai Liuli, she unsheathed the Spirit Sword at her waist.
“Qian Yu of the Luoxia Immortal Sect. Please advise.”
Elder Ling, who had waited forever without hearing Qian Yu surrender, was stunned.
She even began signaling Qian Yu with her eyes.
But it was no use.
After giving her an apologetic look, Qian Yu turned her gaze toward Bai Liuli.
Compared to the malicious Demon Race, the harm from fellow disciples was more terrifying.
Moreover, this was the first time she had seen a pure-blooded fox demon.
She felt… like she wasn’t actually that impressive?
“You didn’t kneel in submission upon seeing me? Do you not know the rules?”
“I am a disciple of the Luoxia Immortal Sect; I don’t know any rules of the Demon Realm. Are you going to fight or not?”
“Ho?”
Staring at the Half-Yao whose fur color was impure and whose aura smelled very mottled, Bai Liuli narrowed her eyes.
In the Demon Realm, all Half-Yao must regard pure-blooded tribes as their superiors, and all pure-blooded tribes must regard those with stronger bloodlines as their superiors.
This was a deep suppression engraved in their bloodlines.
The Water Moon Fox Tribe she belonged to was a superior among superiors.
Bai Liuli’s original plan was to release her bloodline aura as soon as Qian Yu stepped onto the stage, making the ignorant girl kneel on the spot so she could never hold her head up again in the Luoxia Immortal Sect.
Unexpectedly, the other party had no reaction at all.
After a simple bow, she actually drew her sword.
How was this possible?
One must know that during the era when the Ancient Heavenly Fox ruled the Demon Realm, the Water Moon Fox Tribe was the greatest direct lineage under the Demon King.
In today’s world, where the bloodlines of various demon beasts were gradually drying up, they were indisputably noble.
Could it be that this Half-Yao’s bloodline was too thin?
“Since you don’t understand, then this Miss shall teach you the rules for facing a superior!”
Without even considering the possibility that Qian Yu’s bloodline might be more noble than hers, Bai Liuli announced her name and then loosely gripped her fingers.
The air around Qian Yu suddenly rippled.
Countless tiny water droplets condensed from the void, transforming into a massive, tangible hand that pressed down directly toward the insolent Half-Yao with insulting force.
The expression of an Inner Disciple below changed.
She had been pinned to the ground by this very move from Bai Liuli, unable to rise.
This Water Condensation Form looked simple, but in Bai Liuli’s hands, it was as heavy as a thousand pounds.
With her cultivation at the middle stage of the Second Realm, she had been completely unable to resist.
Qian Yu was going to suffer the moment they clashed. It was truly…
Great.
Like Tang Qiurou, this Inner Disciple, after losing, hoped that someone else would lose just as pathetically.
However, what she never expected was—Qian Yu dodged it!
To be more precise, it wasn’t a dodge.
Instead, after she waved the Spirit Sword in her hand a few times at the massive water hand Bai Liuli had condensed, the hand simply collapsed on its own.
Qian Yu took a fearful step back, conveniently avoiding getting drenched.
Everything looked like a complete coincidence.
Why hadn’t she had such good luck before?
“Such precise sword technique.”
Elder Ling, who was in charge of the judgment, raised an eyebrow.
Not long ago, she thought Qian Yu was arrogant for ignoring her advice, but now, a sharp light flashed in her eyes.
As a Semi-Venerable, the things she could see were naturally incomparable to that Inner Disciple.
In her view, Qian Yu’s flurry of slashes just now wasn’t the frantic flailing of someone afraid, but a series of precise strikes at every weak point of that spiritual water hand.
Even that final step back was perfectly timed and positioned.
This level of strength was truly worthy of her excellent marks in the Year-end Examination.
But… it was still not enough.
Looking at the now successfully enraged Bai Liuli on the other side, Elder Ling’s gaze showed hidden concern.
She still hoped that Qian Yu would quickly choose to surrender.