Chapter 29: The Apprentice Ceremony (2) Part 2

Over the recent period, many matters big and small had occurred, and with the Apprentice Ceremony approaching, Yun Jinxue hadn’t had a proper rest for several days. At this moment, she was inevitably somewhat drowsy.

For the other disciples’ matches, she truly didn’t have the energy to watch. So she leaned back against her chair, closed her eyes slightly to rest, and prepared to watch only when the little female lead began her match.

Sometimes people are strange—one might lose sleep and suffer insomnia in a quiet atmosphere, but often, amidst noise and clamor, sleepiness arrives very quickly.

Yun Jinxue, already languid from the direct sunlight, had the moment the thought of resting surfaced, actually fallen asleep.

In a hazy blur, she heard boos and cheers, and what seemed to be the muffled grunts of fists and feet colliding.

Her face, warmed by the sun, felt drowsy and heavy. She thought she had returned to her high school days, secretly sleeping in the back of the spectator stands during a sports meet.

A sheet of shadow fell over her, as if someone had approached.

Yun Jinxue waved a hand in annoyance, wanting whoever had come over to hurry off and watch the matches and stop bothering her.

But the shadow remained. She could only crack open an eye, her vision glued shut by drowsiness, only a thin slit—yet she still made out clearly who it was.

A young girl dressed in gray robes stood above her, holding a bottle of water and slightly bending over. In a warm voice, she said: “Senior Sister, I’m about to go on stage. Would you like to watch my match?”

Yun Jinxue’s thoughts were still turbid. Instinctively, she asked: “What match.”

The young girl said: “The boxing match.”

Yun Jinxue was startled awake.

She had fallen asleep sitting up, so waking was only a full-body jolt. The muffled cheers around her, originally hazy, suddenly magnified several times in clarity, so loud it left her slightly dazed.

What the hell? She’d dreamed the little female lead had come to her high school to take part in a sports meet—and it was a boxing match, no less?

That was far too absurd.

What kind of high school’s sports meet organized boxing matches for high school girls?

Yun Jinxue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and rubbed her eyes.

She was somewhat disoriented from sleep, but when she instinctively glanced toward the Martial Arts Stage, all drowsiness vanished in an instant.

How had time passed so quickly? How long had it been, and it was already at the final round—the match between Cuicuo and the little female lead!

Yun Jinxue immediately sat up straight, her heart pounding so hard her chest ached faintly from the vibrations.

From the side, Nan Yuan asked with a light laugh: “Senior Sister woke up?”

To have been caught slacking off by someone else—Yun Jinxue was thoroughly embarrassed. She simply said: “Yes.”

Nan Yuan said considerately: “There have been many pressing affairs lately. Eldest Senior Sister has worked hard.”

If there was busyness, everyone was busy together. Yet no one else who was younger had fallen asleep.

Though Nan Yuan had offered her a way out, Yun Jinxue still felt so mortified she couldn’t speak.

Seeing this, Nan Yuan directed the topic to the center of the grounds: “In this match, who does Eldest Senior Sister think will win?”

Distracted by this change of subject, Yun Jinxue felt a little better. She looked over.

Cuicuo was very thin, on the dark side, and because of childhood malnutrition, he wasn’t considered tall either.

But having done manual labor since childhood, he had a body of solid, sturdy muscle. He knew how to use force and was also remarkably durable.

And compared to him, Yan Guixing appeared far too slight.

Though she excelled in lightness and agility, in this kind of situation without weapons and with spiritual power more or less equal, the gap in physical strength was likely the key to victory.

Not to mention, this girl had barely experienced actual combat a few times.

By this point in the battle, it was already quite obvious who the victor would be.

Moreover, Yun Jinxue knew very clearly that soon, the little female lead would discover that every one of Cuicuo’s moves was a lethal strike, many of them rushing straight for her Golden Core again and again.

To preserve herself, she would choose to surrender.

It was a matter of personality. She had always been calm and indifferent, of a gentle and mild disposition, neither competitive nor aggressive, only doing her best.

If she found that continuing the struggle was meaningless, she would concede, making the decision that involved the least sacrifice.

And the little villain, naturally, had also noticed that this person was excessively fierce. But she cared too much about Eldest Senior Sister’s gaze, which was why she would push herself to continue and, in the end, because she was no match, shatter her Golden Core and leave the field in regret.

Yun Jinxue calculated the time—the little female lead should be about to surrender soon.

The two in the arena had reached a fever pitch, but Yan Guixing was clearly already physically spent, her movements having slowed considerably.

In the instant they separated after yet another exchange, Cuicuo did not retreat to rest, but followed up relentlessly, reaching straight for her lower abdomen.

Yan Guixing startled, twisted and flipped, narrowly evading.

But the force of the fist still brushed past her body, forcing her back several steps until she slammed into the railing with a muffled grunt.

“Mn…”

Yun Jinxue’s brow furrowed. She resisted the urge to give that brat a beating and thought: About right. She should be discovering he strikes too heavy a hand right about now and planning to surrender.

Yan Guixing leaned back against the railing, her hand hovering weakly and protectively over her lower abdomen, panting heavily.

She watched Cuicuo, as if mulling something over.

Qiao Yushan’s fingertip tapped the table: “This child’s moves are rather too venomous.”

Qiu Yuanxing said: “Has strength, but doesn’t know restraint, ah.”

Not long after, the young girl on the stage stood steady on her feet.

Just as Yun Jinxue thought she was about to surrender, the two clashed together once more.

Eh?

Yun Jinxue froze.

Yan Guixing had already been fighting at her limit in the last exchange. At this moment, how could she possibly match Cuicuo, whose every move and style had grown increasingly vicious?

The longer it went on, the more her strength failed her, her body struck in multiple places. Likely, beneath her clothes, quite a few injuries had been added.

Watching this, Yun Jinxue felt her heart twist into knots.

What are you doing, little female lead? Forfeit!

Yet Yan Guixing clenched her teeth and stared fiercely at Cuicuo. Even knowing full well she was no match, she still mustered every ounce of strength, wanting to try again.

Her physical strength had nearly drained away entirely. The pain all over her body also made it hard to concentrate and her movements gradually slowed.

Cuicuo found an opening. Spiritual power gathered in his palm as he charged straight for her Golden Core.

Watching the little female lead’s Golden Core about to shatter, Yun Jinxue’s heart nearly stopped. Her body moved before her consciousness—she teleported onto the field, sweeping the young girl into her arms before Cuicuo’s palm force arrived, then flew out of the arena.

“Alright, this match ends here.”

Yun Jinxue looked up toward the stage, her voice colder and sharper than it had ever been: “Did Teacher Xiao not say when he read the rules just now? Stop at the point of contact. What do you mean by aiming for someone’s Golden Core with every move?”

Yan Guixing was held in her arms, her forehead leaning against her chest. Amid the light ringing in her ears from exhaustion, she heard the woman’s voice, as if she could also feel the vibration of her chest as she spoke.

She felt she should pull away from Senior Sister, but her body ached and was so very tired. Yet the woman’s embrace was warm and strong, making her not want to move at all.

Cuicuo stood motionless. From the fighting just now, he was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through, his chest slightly heaving.

Upon hearing this, he said: “Outside, victory is usually just like this.”

Street alley brawls had no concept of stopping at the point of contact. He didn’t understand either; he only knew that when two people fought, you had to cripple the opponent and make it impossible for him to get back up—that was winning.

Yun Jinxue knew this was how his character was written and that his experiences had been rather tragic. But she was still indignant and resentful, terrified in hindsight that if she had been a single step later, the little female lead’s Golden Core would have shattered.

Yan Guixing sensed that the woman was angry. When had the most honorable and illustrious Dao Rhythm Immortal Lord of the cultivation world ever spoken in such a cold, stern tone? There were too many people here; she didn’t want Senior Sister’s image in others’ eyes to be damaged. So she said quietly: “Senior Sister, I’m fine.”

Yun Jinxue lowered her eyes. The young girl in her arms had a forehead full of fine sweat, her face deathly pale. A few strands of black hair clung to her neck, and she looked quite weak.

Her heart was clogged with frustration and anger, but there was nothing she could really say to Cuicuo, and it was true that there was no need to be angry at a character. She ignored him and turned away with the person in her arms.

Passing by the Elder seats, Yun Jinxue said: “I’ll take her down to rest first.”

Her actions were, in truth, very much against the rules.

But she was the Sect Leader’s daughter, and everyone knew this girl was someone she had kept by her side. Now that she was injured, it was only normal to be anxious and impulsive for a moment. No one said anything.

As she carried the person away, over in the new disciples’ seats on the other side, Jiang Yanyu’s eyes widened slightly. She stared blankly for a long time.

A disciple beside her said: “Is that the rumored Eldest Senior Sister? She’s too gentle and domineering, ahhh!”

Once people got excited, they stopped distinguishing between “you” and “me.” That disciple shook Jiang Yanyu and frantically gushed: “To step in personally to keep a disciple from getting hurt! Too beautiful, ahhh! Who could have guessed, who could have guessed this, ah! Don’t you think so?”

Jiang Yanyu was pushed by her. She had always loathed strangers touching her, but now, at this moment, she wasn’t even angry.

She looked in the direction the woman had left. It was a long while before she murmured: “Yeah, I’ve only just learned it too—so she could step in and stop it, after all.”

So she could make it so that this sort of thing didn’t have to happen.

Then why…

Her eyes reddened for an instant.

Then why did I have to suffer this?

That disciple said again with yearning: “If I could become an Elder’s Disciple, I’d probably get to see Eldest Senior Sister often, right? She’s so beautiful, sob sob sob, I want to talk to her so badly. Her voice is so nice too!”

“I kind of understand now why some people who have met Dao Rhythm Immortal Lord call her ‘the moon.’ She really is like a celestial maiden descended from the moon. Who could endure this? I want to be illuminated by her radiance too, ahhh!”

Gazing at that spot for a long time, Jiang Yanyu slowly withdrew her gaze.

She looked at the ground, organizing her state of mind, adjusting her trembling breaths.