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Qing Huomei didn't seem very convinced by Qing Meipon's words. She snorted and snapped her fingers. Water droplets began gathering in the air, forming a large sphere of water.
She narrowed her eyes as she concentrated her Qi at the tip of her finger and touched the water sphere. The water's color changed as if by magic upon contact with Qing Huomei's finger, turning into emerald green.
Qing Huomei waved her hand, moving the water sphere toward Qing Xuanling and submerging her within it.
Qing Xuanling's eyes widened as she flailed her hands inside the water sphere, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape.
"Relax, it's just a healing spell." Qing Huomei pinched the bridge of herself nose. "In case you forgot, you're covered in wounds and have lost too much blood. Even as a body cultivator, it's impossible for your body to endure so much."
Qing Xuanling nodded slightly as she floated inside the sphere, slightly surprised that she wasn't drowning.
She closed her eyes comfortably. The daggers embedded in her back were being drawn out by the green water. All her other injuries from the previous matches were also being healed.
Her wounds were completely healed by the time she descended from the quadrilateral and rejoined her clanmates. Qing Xuanling's face reflected her surprise as the water sphere around her dissipated into the air, returning to its original place.
"I'm still a Foundation Establishment cultivator," Qing Huomei smiled. "It would be quite pitiful if I couldn't even heal someone from the Qi Refinement realm."
Qing Xuanling nodded absently as she stretched her body, amazed by the capabilities of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Just a snap of fingers had healed all her wounds.
The Young Master smiled as he approached, though his eyes held a hint of reproach. "I know I told you to win the league on your own, but this... Next time, try not to hurt yourself so much. Do you know how worried I was?"
"Haha, sorry, the opponents were just too strong," Qing Xuanling stuck out her tongue. "But I did well, right?"
An ironic smile appeared on the Young Master's face. "I don't think anyone could surpass your performance."
"That's true! Do you even realize how much pressure you put on your elder brothers' shoulders?!" Qing Muyu suddenly appeared, his face full of pain. "I don't think we can do anything that won't be overshadowed by your performance! And I'm not crazy enough to try winning a league solo!"
Qing Tanwei also approached. "Fufu, Little Ninth's performance really put us in a tough spot. I'd love to shine as brightly as you, but I suppose this is your moment."
She smiled as she pointed toward the clan members standing a few meters away, looking at Qing Xuanling with reverence and admiration. Although Qing Xuanling was quite young compared to them—they appeared youthful but were actually between forty and fifty—that didn't stop them from respecting her.
Strength didn't come from age.
But more importantly, what Qing Xuanling had shown went beyond mere strength.
She hadn't won the final match through overwhelming power. What granted her victory in the end was her ability to endure countless blows to lower her opponent's guard and kill him with one final strike!
The willpower to withstand pain and mockery, combined with the intelligence to devise such a plan, weren't things that came solely from talent. Rather, they were the fruits of relentless effort and constant thinking in dire situations!
Most importantly, these were things they themselves could achieve—unlike innate talent.
Their admiration only grew when they discovered that Qing Xuanling possessed complete spiritual roots, each with less than ten percent purity.
Qing Xuanling instantly became an idol!
Even the rogue cultivators who had been watching the spectacle and those from the five Qi Refinement forces looked at Qing Xuanling with a hint of fanaticism. What untalented people longed for most was someone who stood out, proving that even the chains of talent could be broken!
Qing Xuanling received their fanatical gazes with an uncomfortable smile. She really didn't like being stared at by so many people. And if she did something strange in front of such a crowd...?
That would be quite embarrassing for her.
The Young Master smiled faintly. "Go change. I'll take you to meet the leaders of the five Qi Refinement forces. Many of them want to see you in person."
Qing Xuanling's smile froze. She hadn't expected them to be interested in her. She sighed lightly and boarded the flying boat, which had several cabins.
She quickly changed out of her current robes. They were full of holes, especially on her back.
"What a pity they got damaged so soon. This really prevented the daggers from piercing deeper into my flesh," Qing Xuanling sighed as she removed her inner armor, which also ended up with several holes.
Although it had done its job perfectly, it was now too worn out to be used again.
She quickly changed into new robes from her spatial ring. These were white and blue. She didn't particularly like the colors, but she didn't want to wear Madam Yechan's robes. She wasn't sure if she'd have to fight again.
She carefully inspected her appearance as she combed her hair and nodded in satisfaction. She disembarked from the boat as soon as she was done.
"Ready?" The Young Master smiled when he saw her dressed. "Those colors suit you well. I don't understand why you always wear dark colors."
He wasn't lying. Although Qing Xuanling wasn't a city-toppling beauty, her sharp features and cold demeanor added enough charm that any clothing suited her well.
But she simply shook her head. "I just prefer them. Besides, what we wear isn't that important."
The Young Master shrugged and led her toward where large groups of people had gathered. Most were sitting on chairs that seemed to emerge from the ground itself.
Well, literally so. The quadrilateral had no seating, as it wasn't designed to accommodate so many spectators. No one had anticipated such a turnout.
But that wasn't a big issue. Creating things like chairs was very simple for a cultivator. Even someone at the initial stage could manage it.
The Young Master and Qing Xuanling approached a table surrounded by several seats, where high-quality food and snacks were served. She could sense the spiritual energy contained in the meat on the table even from a distance.
Seated at the table were the leaders of the five Qi Refinement forces and some youths around twenty years old.
"Greetings, fellow Daoists. You mentioned wanting to meet the young one who showed such an outstanding performance earlier, so here she is," the Young Master's smile widened. "Treat her well; besides being a great cultivator, she's one of my most trusted confidants."
Qing Xuanling's eyebrows rose slightly, but she quickly controlled her expression and smiled. "It's an honor to meet such distinguished elders. This junior has heard much of your great exploits."
The force leaders looked at Qing Xuanling with appreciation, while the youths gazed at her with admiration. One of the boys even watched her with deeper emotion, which she ignored with slight disgust.
Li Fenyun, the head of the Li family—a middle-aged man—smiled warmly. "Fellow Yenglan and young Xuanling are very courteous to us old folks. Though I must say, young Xuanling surprises me. Your energy isn't as intense as I imagined!"
"Haha, Friend Li is right, but that makes it even more impressive!" The director of the Centennial Tree School, an old man who looked scholarly, praised with a broad smile. "Bold in battle, yet serene in life! Those are qualities that will take you far!"
The senior instructor of the West Sun Hall, a two-meter-tall tanned man, laughed. "Undoubtedly impressive! Your physique isn't bad either—I can sense a profound strength that goes beyond your level! Definitely a first-tier seedling!"
Qing Xuanling smiled as she was continuously praised. Although it was exhausting to be scrutinized so intensely by these elders, she was also observing them intently.
Each of the leaders before her was at the peak of the Qi Refinement stage—a cultivation level far below the Young Master, who was already in the Foundation Establishment realm.
Yet these elders could speak calmly with the Young Master. While this might be considered impudence in many cases, Qing Xuanling sensed it wasn't mere overconfidence.
It was something far more real—not illusory confidence.
She sighed, not wanting to dwell on it further. The depths of elders who had guided their families through the turbulent waters of the world weren't something a young person like her could comprehend at this moment.
Li Fenyun, perhaps noticing Qing Xuanling's boredom, introduced the young woman beside him. "You must be tired of chatting with us old folks. This is my daughter, Li Bing. She might be a bit capricious, but she's a good person."
Qing Xuanling's gaze turned toward Li Bing for the first time—and she was instantly stunned. She... recognized her.
Li Bing, unaware of Qing Xuanling's strange look, examined her from head to toe with slight disdain. "Hello, Sister Xuanling. You were certainly impressive—you defeated those ugly old men... But haven't you considered taking better care of your appearance while fighting? Though you were impressive, I think you neglected your looks too much. You have great potential, but you're wasting it!"
Qing Xuanling's eyelid twitched. Although Li Bing was supposedly giving compliments, what came out of her mouth couldn't really be considered praise... Though strangely, her tone wasn't exactly malicious.
But that didn't make what she said any less rude.
"Li Bing, you foolish brat!" Li Fenyun glared at his daughter furiously. "I told you to behave! How dare you speak to young Xuanling like that?! And especially, why mock members of the Ink Sword Sect and Mo Clan?! Do you want me to lock you up at home forever?!"
Li Fenyun didn't know what to do with his daughter. His chest heaved with anger, but he managed to calm down. His eyes flickered toward the faint soundproof barrier surrounding the table. It had been a precaution to avoid trouble, and it seemed his decision an hour ago had been correct.
Still, his fury intensified as he looked at Li Bing. Her face was full of indignation as she stared at her father, not understanding why she'd been scolded so suddenly—and in front of so many people, no less.
Though she had indeed been somewhat dismissive of Qing Xuanling, she didn't see what was wrong with it. She'd always been taught that a woman's most important qualities were elegance and beauty—something Qing Xuanling clearly hadn't displayed in her fights.
So she thought she could correct this flawed mindset as someone a few years older! But now she was being scolded for trying to help a misguided junior!
Li Bing's eyes welled up with tears.
Qing Xuanling watched Li Bing and smiled to herself. 'She hasn't changed at all...'
She felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. She had met Li Bing before and remembered her well. After all, it was hard to forget when a shop attendant suddenly tried to slap you.
What surprised her was that Li Bing hadn't changed since then. She didn't understand why Li Fenyun hadn't corrected her behavior.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. She observed the tense atmosphere at the table after Li Bing's words and smiled.
"Haha, Sister Bing certainly gives unusual compliments, but I appreciate them. Though I really don't take care of my appearance regularly. It's quite complicated since I usually train or fight most days, so makeup or anything I apply tends to get ruined," Qing Xuanling calmly accepted Li Bing's words.
She genuinely didn't feel offended by them. Though they were quite insulting, she noticed Li Bing sincerely thought she was pretty. That was rather flattering in a way.
Though Li Bing clearly hadn't recognized her.
Li Fenyun sighed in relief that Qing Xuanling hadn't complained, secretly admiring her composure and magnanimity. Compared to his daughter...
He looked at Li Bing, who was now glaring at Qing Xuanling with resentment—clearly blaming her for the scolding she'd just received.
He sighed again. Though she was his daughter, he knew people like her were the ones who eventually destroyed a family. Throughout Ziyu City's history, many Qi Refinement forces had existed, but only five had survived—precisely because they pruned the weeds before they ruined the entire field.
Li Fenyun's eyes changed as he looked at his daughter. He could no longer tolerate this latent danger in the family—even if it was his own child. He hardened his fatherly heart and took a deep breath.
No one noticed Li Fenyun's change—he had already decided to imprison his daughter for life.
Qing Xuanling met the other youths from the Qi Refinement forces. They were more aware than Li Bing, and without exception, they looked at her with excitement, deeply admiring her strength.
Paradoxically, this made her pay them little attention. She didn't even clearly remember their faces or names—and it wasn't really necessary. They weren't heirs of their respective forces, just the most exceptional youths of similar age to Qing Xuanling currently present.
The next hour passed slowly for Qing Xuanling, who constantly received all kinds of questions. At first, she answered in detail, but eventually, she couldn't take it anymore and started giving one-word replies.
In her opinion, she'd already done enough. She didn't like talking to strangers to begin with.
Luckily, this break lasted the same as the previous one—an hour—so Qing Xuanling's suffering didn't drag on too long.
The Young Master returned with her to where the Qing clan was watching the matches.
"Was it pleasant talking to the youths from other forces?" he asked with a smile.
Qing Xuanling rolled her eyes. "If receiving constant questions about cultivation and not having a single normal conversation can be considered pleasant, well... Yes, it was pleasant."
The Young Master laughed. "It's normal. They no longer see you as an equal, but as someone to admire and aspire to reach."
They rejoined the Qing clan members who would participate in the advanced league and dropped the topic. Both focused their attention on who would go first.
"Remember not like the fool who came before you," the Young Master smiled tenderly at Qing Tanwei. "As I always say, your safety is more important—especially since you're such a treasured genius of the clan."
Qing Tanwei, with her short hair and light smile, gave off a strong sense of maturity. "Don't worry, I'm not the type to be carried away by hot blood. I know my limits."
The Young Master nodded in satisfaction. "Good, I can truly trust you with these things."
Qing Muyu, standing to the side, smiled bitterly. "Does that mean I'm untrustworthy? I mean, I'm the third brother, not her!"
His words seemed to fall on deaf ears, as everyone tactically ignored him. This made him even more furious, but Qing Tanwei quickly ascended to the quadrilateral, giving him no chance to say more.
Her opponents were already on the platform.
The fight began quickly when the elders announced the start of the match.
Qing Meipon, in the air, smiled at Bei Shifeng, who had been silent and grim-faced ever since Luo Zhi's death. She had expected him to fly into a rage and attack Qing Xuanling, but to her surprise, he managed to contain his anger and simply glared at the girl.
'It seems he's finally matured!'
She felt a kind of satisfaction in her heart. "Bei Shifeng, why don't you just withdraw from the tournament? Who knows, another one of your men might die again! Your streak of bad luck is quite intense!"
Bei Shifeng gritted his teeth as his aura fluctuated violently. His eyes turned murderous as he stared fixedly at Qing Meipon.
Qing Meipon burst into laughter at the sight.
"Good, good, that dark look on your face matches your ugly face perfectly!" Her face was full of smiles. "I wish I had a recording crystal to preserve that expression for eternity—"
Qing Meipon's face suddenly froze. Her eyes, usually narrowed from wrinkles, widened in disbelief.
Crack!
The sky distorted with a shrill sound like thunder—but somehow more terrifying. The clouds dispersed, and the few birds flying overhead dropped dead to the ground.
Qing Meipon narrowed her eyes in confusion as she noticed a single drop of blood—so small she wouldn't have seen it if not for the intense malevolent aura around it—slowly rising toward the sky.
A sharp gleam flashed in her eyes as alarms rang loudly in her head. Her instincts screamed that this blood drop was extremely dangerous!
She waved her hand, instantly creating a spiraling cone of fire. The heat around the cone was so intense it evaporated even the moisture in the surrounding air.
Qing Meipon was ready to attack the blood drop—but at that exact moment, a sharp pain erupted from her side.
"Y-you—"
Qing Meipon's eyes filled with disbelief and hatred.
"Bei Shifeng, what the hell are you doing?!"