It was seven in the morning, but the tents were already filled.
Lin Zixin appeared on the rooftop. He looked at the crowd and started, “Ladies and gentlemen, today, we are going to carry out the challenger’s fight. The rules are as follows…”
All participants would submit his or her name along with the name of the opponent that they had selected to the clerk. If the prerequisites were met, the match would be set up. The prerequisites were as follows: firstly, the opponent should have rested more than an hour after his or her previous fight. Secondly, one can’t challenge someone twice. Thirdly, opponents could reject a fight after competing twice in one day.
After reading out the rules, Lin Zixin announced, “If there’s no objection, the competition will begin now.”
One after another, a few disciples went up to submit names.
After a few moments, Lin Zixin announced the first two names; “Miao Yi from the Door of Refinement, challenging He Zhangfeng from the Cranes of Heaven Sect.”
Both parties went up on stage. They started immediately after the opening etiquette.
Lu Mingshu observed in silence.
Looking at their abilities, it was obvious they were B-class. It was indeed just like what she heard from Kou Wei and company; the challenger’s fight always started off with the disciples who knew that they didn’t have a chance to get onto the New Ranking, but they wanted to become famous. To these types, the earlier they fought, the better. As time passed, more participants would come up, and it would be harder and harder to remember everyone’s names.
Both parties fighting had the same motive. They weren’t trying to get a rapid victory, they were focused on displaying their abilities. Since they were evenly matched, the match was way more interesting than the preliminaries.
The spectators were all supportive as well. They cheered and clapped for them.
In the end, the challenger had a close win.
When both of them left the rooftop, warm applause was given to them.
Lu Mingshu suddenly realized that Tan Yubing was preparing paper and pen. “Senior Aunt Tan, are you going up for a match?”
Tan Yubing gave her a smile as she continued searching for a target on the name list. “I’m still looking for someone to try.”
“But you will lose out if you start too early.”
Tan Yubing found a target and wrote the name down on the paper. “Junior Niece Lu, I’m different from you.”
Lu Mingshu stared at her blankly.
“You’re capable enough to stand a chance of getting onto the New Generation Ranking, so of course you’ll wait. The New Generation Ranking might be a little farfetched for me, but I don’t want to give up yet, so I’m going to test the waters first. Two or three matches a day, and if it’s smooth, I’ll continue. If it’s not, then I’ll stop.”
Lu Mingshu never expected Tan Yubing to think that way. However, after much thought, she realized that Tan Yubing was right. In the book that Xie Lianzhen gave Lu Mingshu, Tan Yubing’s name was placed in the second group, almost in the class but not quite. Yes, she could fight, but whether she could get onto the New Ranking was another thing.
It was just that Lu Mingshu had always thought that Tan Yubing and Shao Zhengyang, who were also genuine successor disciples of Nine Jade Palace, would have the same goal as her.
Since this was Tan Yubing’s goal, what about Shao Zhengyang’s?
Feeling her stare, Shao Zhengyang knew what she was thinking and replied, “I’m not as good as Senior Aunt Tan, but I have a big heart. I won’t feel content if I don’t try my best.”
Tan Yubing smiled. “Junior Nephew Shao is too humble. I only entered the Harmonization Realm a few years earlier than you, and my basics are only stronger than yours by a bit. If we were to fight, I might lose.”
Cultivation was a big part of how capable one was, but it wasn’t everything. Two people may be in the same realm, but if there was a difference in their basics, they would have different levels of strength. However, strong basics didn’t necessarily mean that one would be better either. If that was the case, then Lu Mingshu would stand no chance of entering the New Ranking. She only entered her current realm about a year ago. No matter how hard she trained, she was no match for those who have trained for seven or eight or even more years.
In the Seventh Truth Platform book, Shao Zhengyang was also listed in the second group, similar to Tan Yubing.
Tan Yubing sent her challenge up.
After a while, the clerk sent a message back to say that the match was set.
Li Zixin then announced Tan Yubing’s name.
The opponent she chose was a female disciple who had a similar level of ability.
The match was interesting. Not only were they skilled, but they also looked aesthetically pleasing too.
The match ended with warm applause from the spectators.
Tan Yubing came back with a win, and people rushed to congratulate her.
Tan Yubing was feeling happy about her win. “That fight was close! I don’t think I’m fated for the New Ranking.”
Lin Zixin announced the participants for the next match.
“Huo Jiang from the Sapphire Blood Sect, challenging Lu Mingshu from the Nine Jade Palace.”
Hearing the announcement, not only was Lu Mingshu taken aback, Kou Wei and the rest were rooted to the ground.
During the preliminary, Lu Mingshu had already shown off her ability by dominating Xing Kun, who was B-class at the minimum. That should have been enough to put ordinary people off from challenging her.
This Huo Jiang, his match during the preliminary wasn’t anything outstanding, so hardly anyone even remembered him. Is Huo Jiang mad? Can’t he see the difference between their abilities?
Huo Jiang jumped onto the stage and looked over at the Nine Jade Palace’s tent.
Since Lu Mingshu didn’t have any reason to not fight, she got up and went on stage.
The Sapphire Blood Sect was an average sect. It was even weaker than Nine Jade Palace. Huo Jiang was also an average disciple even in his sect. Not only his ability but his looks and manners as well. He was the type that no one would be able to recognize in a crowd.
And yet, such an average person was out here doing something that shocked everyone.
“Miss Lu, please advise me.” Huo Jiang bowed.
Lu Mingshu bowed back. “I do not dare.”
After the starting etiquette, she immediately fished out her sword.
The weapon that Huo Jiang was using was one that not many disciples would use. He was using a sort of giant two-pronged throwing star type weapon, which looked like two machetes joined together on either side of a circle.
Seeing Lu Mingshu’s sword-light, Huo Jiang swung his weapon and went up against her.
Lu Mingshu didn’t start slow. Huo Jiang’s ability was just as she had calculated – average. In no time, the stage was filled with Lu Mingshu’s sword-light, and he had no choice but to dodge.
“What’s this?” Qi Sheng couldn’t figure out what was happening. “Is he here to give away free points?”
Kou Wei tapped his fan as he furrowed his eyebrows, trying to figure out what was going on.
Suddenly, he screamed, “Oh no!”
“What?” Qi Sheng was shocked by Kou Wei’s scream, then he heard the other tents gasping in surprise.
He looked over to the rooftop to see that both parties had stopped, and Lu Mingshu was grabbing her arm.
Her clothes had been cut apart, and blood was dripping from a cut.
Nine Jade Palace’s uniforms were white, so the blood was quite obvious.
“Why is she injured?” Qi Sheng asked.
“So that’s it!” A light bulb popped into Kou Wei’s head.
Qi Sheng had ants in his pants because he was still confused by the situation. “Senior Brother, what is it? Tell me, tell me!”
“Behave yourself!” Kou Wei hit Qi Sheng on the head with his fan. “Huo Jiang’s ability might be average, but his weapon is special. There’s a concealed weapon inside it. He once showed it, but I didn’t realize.”
“Concealed weapon?”
“Yes!” Kou Wei furrowed his eyebrows. “I guess somebody wants to take down Miss Lu so she doesn’t take a spot on the New Ranking.”
Lu Mingshu had only become famous recently, but the invitations for the Qilin Festival had been sent out long ago. It took a lot of effort and resources for an average sect to train a disciple who had potential to get on the New Ranking, so why would they let that all go down the drain just because of Lu Mingshu’s sudden appearance? Of all the potential New Ranking candidates, Lu Mingshu was obviously to easiest to deal with.
It wasn’t important who Huo Jiang was, what was important was that he managed to injure Lu Mingshu when she let her guard down.