The usually silent Qingfeng taught everyone a lesson.
Guang Xiaoyu had such poor aptitude and talent, yet she managed to come this far. It was clear Qingfeng's resources were indispensable.
The new disciples who had once given up on joining Qingfeng regretted it deeply.
Unfortunately, there was no turning back.
In this competition, no one felt more frustrated than the three Peak Masters.
They had been careless.
If they had taken things seriously from the start and used the rules of the various competitions to exhaust Guang Xiaoyu, perhaps they could have eliminated her.
The plan to merge Qingfeng could still have proceeded.
But now, as the competition went on, something was amiss. The strength Guang Xiaoyu displayed, along with the oddities she possessed, were beyond what their geniuses could contend with.
How to fight in the last two matches?
They had a feeling that even if Zhuge Wushuang and Mo Wuwei teamed up, they might not necessarily be able to defeat Guang Xiaoyu.
Leaving aside the spirit pills and protective dress she wore, the mysterious force that emerged just now was enough to crush the two geniuses.
It wasn't even a match.
The Jiuli Peak Lord secretly seethed in anger.
"What do we do?" Wanjian Peak Master communicated through a secret message, "Nangong Jue didn't even have a chance to make a move; his armor was directly suppressed."
"Eh..." Jiuli Peak Lord mumbled in distress, "How about... we just let it be?"
The master of Snow Storm Peak showed an angry face, "Elder brothers, are you joking?"
His genius had lost.
Yet you're talking about giving up?
Isn't this just sabotage?
What will Snow Storm Peak use to contend for first place in the upcoming battles?
COUGH, COUGH!
The Jiuli Peak Lord smiled sheepishly, sending a message, "Junior brother, don't rush. Given the strength that Guang Xiaoyu has shown, do you think there is anyone among the new generation who can defeat her?"
The Wanjian Peak Master echoed on the side, "Yeah! Exactly!"
"The plan to merge Qingfeng probably can't go on, but..." The Jiuli Peak Lord's tone changed as he squinted, "I wonder if my two junior brothers still remember the agreement between Wuji Sect and Stone Country?"
Hm?
Upon hearing this, the eyes of the two Peak Masters brightened.
It was something from two years ago when Stone Country's Grand State Master came to Wuji Sect with a little girl, stating it was to fulfill a promise between elders.
It was essentially about an old grudge between the Grand State Master of the previous generation and the previous Sect Master of Wuji Sect.
The agreement stated that at some point, they would choose the two most outstanding young individuals to fight each other.
The little girl brought by Stone Country's Grand State Master was still young and had not yet begun her training; hence the appointed time was set for three years later.
Which is next year.
The Jiuli Peak Lord chuckled, "Why not just let Guang Xiaoyu take first place?"
As it's now the beginning of autumn, only a few months remain until next year when... Wuji Sect will have to send its most outstanding young person to Stone Country for the duel.
And according to what they knew, the little girl brought by the Grand State Master two years ago was a genuine Divine Body.
Currently, among the new generation of Wuji Sect, there is no one who can match her.
Mo Wuwei won't do, Nangong Jue won't either, and Zhuge Wushuang is out of the question, but... Guang Xiaoyu can!
She is outstanding.
Wanjian Peak Master laughed, "Elder brother's strategy of using someone else's hand to kill is truly brilliant!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Elder brother is considering the welfare of the Sect," the master of Snow Storm Peak said. "Such an outstanding young person as Guang Xiaoyu will surely be able to defeat Stone Country's Divine Body for our Wuji Sect; there's no doubt about that."
If they couldn't eliminate Guang Xiaoyu and couldn't merge Qingfeng, then... let her die in Stone Country! As long as Guang Xiaoyu died, Qingfeng would have no successors. By then, what could Chen Pingping say? Would the Sect Leader even have a reason to refute them? An empty Qingfeng would only waste Sect resources.
"Then, let's make her even more outstanding!" Wanjian Peak Master said with a smile.
"Before ruining someone, they must first become inflated," the master of Snow Storm Peak said while blinking. "This time, the first place in the newcomer competition is hers."
With a decision made, the three Peak Masters acted decisively.
In each match against Guang Xiaoyu that followed, they secretly gave orders to surrender as soon as they entered the arena, without asking why.
"I surrender!"
...
"I surrender..."
"I can't beat you; I surrender!"
Several matches in a row.
Guang Xiaoyu directly advanced to the top five. She frowned, looked at the guy in front of her, and said, "Do you also want to surrender?"
The young man nodded helplessly, saying, "Yes."
"Can you tell me why?" Guang Xiaoyu asked. "You have reached the seventh level of Breaking Sun, and actually... you have a chance to defeat me. My current state is not good."
Hearing the word "state," the corner of the young man's mouth twitched. "I can't beat you," he said, and then left the arena.
In the end, only three were left: Mo Wuwei, Zhuge Wushuang, and Guang Xiaoyu.
This was the struggle for the top three.
Mo Wuwei and Zhuge Wushuang fought one battle, with Mo Wuwei emerging victorious. However, when facing Guang Xiaoyu, he did not hesitate to forfeit.
On Guang Xiaoyu's delicate face, an expression that read "I knew it" spread. With a pout, she said nothing, dragged her long dress, and led Lao Huang the bull away from the arena.
...
"Something's off with these guys!" Chen Pingping said with a stern face. "Even if you made the top ten, they wouldn't just hand over first place like that."
What's so strange about it? Hmph! I've already fought to this state; isn't it normal for them to surrender? Guang Xiaoyu thought to herself.
However...
She broke into a smile, "Senior Brother, can I keep these spirit pills for myself?"
"No!"
...
「Deep within the Wuji Sect.」
Baili Jiansan summoned the three Peak Masters and looked down upon them from on high for a full ten minutes, puzzled as to why they had given up.
He could not wrap his head around it.
"Speak up!" Baili Jiansan said. "Aren't you disappointed that Qingfeng couldn't be merged?"
"Sect Leader Senior Brother, that's absolutely not the case." The Jiuli Peak Lord lifted his head. "It's... initially, we did want to merge Qingfeng. After all, it only had one disciple yet occupied most of the Sect's resources. But when we saw Guang Xiaoyu, that thought disappeared. She's exceptional."
"Indeed, Guang Xiaoyu is the most outstanding youth of our Wuji Sect; there's no doubt about it," the master of Snow Storm Peak spoke. "So, I think there is no need to merge Qingfeng."
"I agree," the Wanjian Peak Master concurred. "Sect Leader Senior Brother, what we're telling you is the truth!"
"Really?" Baili Jiansan's face held a skeptical expression.
"Really!" the three said in unison.
"If that's the case, since Guang Xiaoyu has already made it into the top ten, and Qingfeng's position is secured, why did you give up in the later matches?" Baili Jiansan furrowed his brows.
Alas!
The master of Snow Storm Peak felt gloomy. "The talents from my peak didn't even get the chance to fight. Does Sect Leader Senior Brother think Mo Wuwei can defeat her? Or that Zhuge Wushuang's body technique is capable?"
It seems to make some sense.
Baili Jiansan thought for a while. "No longer doubting her cultivation?"
"Who would dare to employ Forbidden Skills in front of all the high-level powerhouses of the Wuji Sect?" said the Jiuli Peak Lord solemnly.
"Guang Xiaoyu's excellence is obvious to all; we are convinced by our defeats," said the Wanjian Peak Master.
"Yes, having a young talent like Guang Xiaoyu in the Wuji Sect is a Great Opportunity that comes once in a hundred years for our Sect," the master of Snow Storm Peak added.
Baili Jiansan rolled his eyes. "Go on! Get out of here! Hurry up and go!"
As their eldest senior brother, he knew all too well the nature and character of his three junior brothers; they would never easily admit defeat, even though Guang Xiaoyu had already made it into the top ten.
There was something fishy going on.
After the three Peak Masters left, an Elder by his side finally spoke up, "Could it be due to the agreement with the Grand State Master of Stone Country?"
Baili Jiansan's face stiffened.