“Sect Grand Tournament…”
Ye Luqing began searching her mind for information about this plotline.
In the original timeline, after Ye Luqing died, Xiao Qingxuan had no mood to participate in the Sect Grand Tournament, instead dedicating her time to finding a method to resurrect Ye Luqing.
Therefore, the original story had no plotline for the Sect Grand Tournament; it was only briefly mentioned in the novel’s background setting.
The Sect Grand Tournament was divided into Singles Matches and Duo Matches. In the years after Xiao Qingxuan broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage, she had directly swept the championship of the Sect Grand Tournament, becoming the Head Disciple of the Profound Firmament Upper Sect.
As for the Duo Tournament, Xiao Qingxuan and Ye Luqing, a genius of sword and formation, had also taken first place for three consecutive years.
Watching Ye Luqing’s thoughtful expression, Ying Qianqian beside her hurriedly said:
“Sorry, Senior Sister Ye, I forgot to introduce it.”
After she left Ye Luqing’s courtyard that afternoon, she happened to meet her Shizun, Bai Yuhan, who was returning to Azure Sky Peak, and learned that Ye Luqing had lost her memory.
“The sect holds the Grand Tournament once a year. Disciples from all peaks participate. The tournament is mainly divided into Singles Matches and Duo Matches, separated into different groups based on the type of disciple.”
“Disciples who achieve good results receive rewards. For instance, top-performing Outer Sect disciples can enter the Inner Sect, and some Inner Sect disciples who make outstanding showings might even be chosen as Direct Disciples.”
“The cultivation limit for disciples is the Nascent Soul Stage. However, Outer Sect disciples are usually at the Foundation Establishment Stage, while Inner Sect disciples are at the Golden Core Stage.”
Ye Luqing nodded slightly. What Ying Qianqian said was more detailed than what she knew.
“A cultivation limit of Nascent Soul Stage… that means Senior Sister Xiao can’t participate, right?”
Before, she had always participated in the Duo Tournament of the Sect Grand Tournament with Xiao Qingxuan. Now that Xiao Qingxuan’s cultivation had reached the Half-Step Spirit Transformation Stage, she couldn’t compete according to the rules.
Ying Qianqian nodded, then said somewhat embarrassedly:
“Not just Chief Xiao… Senior Sister Bai can’t participate either.”
“Ah, right.”
Ye Luqing nodded. Senior Sister Bai He had broken through to the Spirit Transformation Stage last year, so the only Direct Disciples on Azure Sky Peak who could compete were the two of them.
The two continued walking down the mountain, casually eating a bit at Azure Sky Peak’s dining hall.
The Golden Core Stage already allowed for a complete internal cycle, basically eliminating the need to eat; refining true qi was enough.
But as someone accustomed to three meals a day, even if Ye Luqing didn’t need it physiologically, she couldn’t change the psychological habit just yet.
Just as the two were about to reach the foot of the mountain, they suddenly heard a commotion up ahead.
Bang!
Clang!
First came a sharp, cold sword cry, followed by the heavy sound of someone landing.
“Ugh…”
“Such heavy hits!”
“You Heavenly Sword Peak people are going too far!”
The smell of blood gradually spread. Even without seeing it personally, it wasn’t hard to tell that the person knocked off the platform was severely injured.
Many Azure Sky Peak disciples voiced their discontent one after another. However, what answered them was a tyrannical sword qi.
Swoosh—
The aura of the Nascent Soul Stage silenced everyone present. Only after the whole area quieted down did a cold female voice ring out.
“Since Azure Sky Peak has set up an arena, it means it is open to challenges.”
“If you don’t want to be this pathetic, you can hang up a surrender sign.”
After she spoke, sounds of indignation rose again from the crowd.
The arenas on each peak were meant to select disciples from the peak to participate in the Grand Tournament. In essence, they were matches between their own people.
Although disciples from other peaks weren’t forbidden from coming to exchange pointers, even if they did, the sparring was supposed to be just friendly jabs.
Being so aggressive and aiming lethal moves like Heavenly Sword Peak was acting was truly going too far.
These three disciples from Heavenly Sword Peak, two were at Peak Golden Core Stage, one at Early Nascent Soul Stage.
Although they were furious, the Azure Sky Peak disciples were indeed no match for these three.
“We from Heavenly Sword Peak are all Inner Sect disciples, and you Azure Sky Peak are fielding Inner Sect disciples too.” The leading male sword cultivator raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, yeah, clearly you just lack skill.” The female sword cultivator beside him added with a giggling stab.
The Azure Sky Peak disciples instantly fumed with anger, stepping forward to retort:
“You’re sword cultivators, bullying us array cultivators—what kind of skill is that?”
“Yeah, if you’ve got the guts, go fight the spell cultivators at Myriad Arts Peak.”
“Damn sword cultivators! Next time your Heavenly Sword Peak’s formations break down, don’t come begging us!”
Their array cultivator combat strength was notoriously low. At the same cultivation level, against sword cultivators, spell cultivators, body cultivators, and the like, they basically only got beaten.
Especially in an arena match where they couldn’t set up formations in advance, it was simply too disadvantageous for them array cultivators.
Just as they finished setting up a defensive formation, the opponent’s killing move was already in their face. There was never enough time to set up an offensive formation.
Their only chance of winning was to hide behind their defensive formation and wear down the opponent’s true qi and stamina.
But against sword cultivators, those slayers who were fast, fierce, and ruthless, the probability of winning at the same cultivation level was minuscule.
Clang! Clang!
Two more waves of surging sword qi, the sharp sword edge carrying the aura of the Nascent Soul Stage, once again silenced all the Azure Sky Peak disciples.
The two Golden Core Stage sword cultivators stepped aside, allowing the Nascent Soul Stage female sword cultivator to walk before the crowd.
“The spell cultivators of Myriad Arts Peak, I’ve already finished with them.”
“After finishing with all the junior brothers and sisters of Azure Sky Peak, we’ll also go challenge the arenas of Distant Cloud Peak and Falling Rain Peak.”
True qi vibrated around the female sword cultivator, her blood and qi surging through her body. Residual traces of spell aura still lingered around her, clearly showing she had just fought with spell cultivators.
Myriad Arts Peak was where the sect’s Grand Elder resided. Together with Heavenly Sword Peak and Azure Sky Peak, they were known as the “Three Peaks of Profound Firmament.”
Since the Peak Lords of these three peaks were all Dao Venerables of the Dao Integration Stage, the disciples of the Three Peaks were publicly acknowledged as the strongest within the Profound Firmament Upper Sect.
But unlike their array cultivators of Azure Sky Peak, spell cultivators were also experts in combat, armed with numerous spells, excelling in both offense and defense.
In terms of combat, spell cultivators were not inferior to sword cultivators.
Hearing her words, the Azure Sky Peak disciples fell silent again.
If that was truly the case, then what these three from Heavenly Sword Peak were doing wasn’t overly excessive.
After all, these sword cultivators weren’t just beating up their Azure Sky Peak; they were going to fight their way through all the disciples of the Profound Firmament Upper Sect.
It wasn’t “I’m targeting you, Azure Sky Peak,” but rather “All eighteen peaks are trash.”
“The Direct Disciple of Myriad Arts Peak, Senior Brother Chu He, fought me to a draw.”
“Although I am merely an Inner Sect disciple, I also accept challenges from the Direct Disciples of any peak.”
“If Azure Sky Peak doesn’t wish to end up disgraced, then let your Direct Disciples come out and accept the challenge.”
The Nascent Soul female sword cultivator took a step forward, bringing with her a torrential wave of sword intent.
Even after a fierce battle with a spell cultivator Direct Disciple of the same cultivation level, her fighting spirit remained undiminished, instead becoming even sharper, like a sword constantly being tempered.
“Senior Brother Du, wh-what do we do?”
The Azure Sky Peak disciples all looked toward the red-robed youth leading them. He was the strongest among the Inner Sect disciples of Azure Sky Peak. With the Direct Disciples absent, he was the spokesman for the Azure Sky Peak disciples.
The red-robed youth addressed as Senior Brother Du gave a bitter smile. What could he do? Given the current situation on Azure Sky Peak, even if the Direct Disciples showed up, they wouldn’t be a match for Pei Ruyi from Heavenly Sword Peak.
By the standards of other peaks, Pei Ruyi, who had cultivated to the Nascent Soul Stage in six years since entering the sect, had top-tier talent. Even if she wasn’t the Peak Lord’s Direct Disciple, she would certainly be an Elder’s Direct Disciple.
But Heavenly Sword Peak was just too competitive. And with Xiao Qingxuan, a sword genius unseen in ten thousand years, suppressing everyone, there still wasn’t a second Peak Lord’s Direct Disciple.
“We can only give up…” Du Ze thought to himself.
However, the very next moment, a lazy-sounding voice suddenly came from outside the crowd.
“This challenge, the Direct Disciples of Azure Sky Peak accept.”
