37. Worries and Prospects
Although Qiu Shui had imagined this scene countless times in her dreams…
She longed to cast off her burdens and live freely as just Qiu Shui.
But now that it had happened so suddenly, it felt surreal, like a dream.
“Can I… just be your disciple?” Qiu Shui looked up at her earnestly. “Even though I… betrayed you?”
Gong Yiling smiled, gently cupping her face. “Your little tricks are nothing, silly girl. Who do you think your master, your Young Palace Master, is? I’m the dignified Young Palace Master of a demonic sect.”
Qiu Shui shook her head immediately. “But Master has never done anything evil… unlike them.”
“Everything is either necessary or unnecessary.” Gong Yiling shrugged. “Perhaps one day, I’ll also become a demon lord in their eyes, hunted by those righteous old men.”
“If that happens, Qiu Shui, you have to protect me.”
Qiu Shui clutched the warm pancake, a warmth spreading through her heart. She nodded firmly. “Yes!”
This seemed to have resolved one of her worries. Now it depended on the reliability of those former Hehuan Sect members.
That Yin Tianchou never cared about her anyway. Even if she betrayed them, it wouldn’t matter much.
No one would completely trust information from a fifteen-year-old girl, right?
And if they didn’t fully trust her, their surveillance of her mother shouldn’t be too strict. If they couldn’t even handle this small matter, those Hehuan Sect remnants were truly useless.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go check the rankings for you.”
Gong Yiling patted her shoulder. “Next, Qiu Shui, you have to give that Shangguan Qingyun a good beating. I believe in you.”
These words filled Qiu Shui with strength. She clenched her fists, her resolve firming.
Her previous duel with him wasn’t a true defeat. Next time, she would find a way to make him pay.
—
—
The announcement area was crowded with exhausted-looking participants.
Not everyone could finish the competition early and return home for a good night’s sleep like those two.
And the results were as Gong Yiling expected.
They had discovered the hidden high-value number cards, sparking a series of battles.
Everyone looked exhausted—
—Spending the entire night worrying about their cards being stolen would take a toll on anyone.
Many participants had stolen scores from their teammates. The highest individual score was 70, and there were quite a few in the 40-50 range.
Of course, there were also some teams with an average score of 15, occupying the ranks from 30th to 80th, including their team.
Next was the second round.
“Now, I’ll announce the requirements for the second round.”
Shangguan Yaochang opened the scroll containing the rules, and his expression suddenly changed.
“This… this is…?”
“What’s wrong?” Shangguan Lingyue, watching from the side, took the scroll, her face also filled with astonishment.
What kind of competition could elicit such a reaction from them?
The participants murmured amongst themselves.
After a brief discussion, Shangguan Yaochang and Shangguan Lingyue announced the contents of the scroll.
“The remaining participants will form teams of two to four members. The objective is to endure the attacks of two examiners for as long as possible.”
“Huh?”
This was an unprecedented format. But Gong Yiling immediately understood.
This Emperor was truly cunning.
Although the first round eliminated some participants, it was still difficult to identify the demonic cultivators. The second round, however, was much more straightforward.
The examiners were undoubtedly Shangguan Yaochang and Shangguan Lingyue, both powerful cultivators.
The competition was a simple team battle against these two high-ranking officials.
The purpose was even simpler. When facing strong opponents, even experts couldn’t completely hide their true strength, making it easier to identify potential suspects.
It was a bit tough on the examiners, though.
—Shangguan Lingyue had been seeking a sparring opportunity, and it had come sooner than expected. But whether it would be a satisfying fight remained to be seen.
“The examiners will be myself and General Lingyue,” Shangguan Yaochang announced. “Submit your team information and your chosen opponents in writing tomorrow.”
“But remember, the more members in a team, the lower the average score each person receives. Don’t assume larger teams have an advantage.”
“Dismissed!”
The participants stood there, bewildered, before slowly dispersing.
After most had left, Gong Yiling approached Shangguan Lingyue and said, “It seems the fight you wanted will be against my disciples.”
“Qiu Shui and Little Heehee?” Shangguan Lingyue showed a hint of interest. “Fighting against the Immortal Master’s disciples should be interesting. I hope they won’t disappoint.”
“I’m more worried that General Lingyue will go easy on them.”
Gong Yiling smiled, then turned to leave.
But before she could take a few steps, someone called out to her.
“Are you… the cultivator who killed the Flame Python?” Shangguan Yaochang asked curiously.
“Yes.” Gong Yiling didn’t want to interact with him further.
“His Majesty is hosting a banquet tonight. Would you be interested…?”
Gong Yiling replied bluntly, “Not interested. Dinner with an old man is less appealing than dinner with my disciples.”
With that, she ignored whatever else Shangguan Yaochang said and disappeared into the crowd.
Shangguan Yaochang narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
Those eyes… he seemed to have seen them somewhere before.
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