A few days later, when Xiao Mo's stipend was issued, Jiang Qingyi clung to it for dear life, refusing to give it back to her master.
'It's wonderful that Master is supporting me, and I'm very happy...'
'But winning the championship is just too hard.'
'I can't let Master waste any more money.'
As for the money her master had bet, Jiang Qingyi had already made up her mind.
In this New Blood Tournament, as long as she had a breath left in her body, she would push forward with all her might and do everything she could to win back her master's money!
「Soon.」
The day of the New Blood Tournament arrived.
That morning, Xiao Mo took Jiang Qingyi down the mountain to the tournament grounds.
The New Blood Tournament was held on a small plain.
The plain was divided into separate areas by a series of Arrays.
Each Array served as a dueling ring.
Jiang Qingyi drew lots and was assigned to Group A.
Jiang Qingyi's first opponent was an Inner Sect Disciple from Nine Swords Peak, at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.
For Jiang Qingyi, who was at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, dealing with him was relatively easy.
And that proved to be the case.
In the first round of matches, Jiang Qingyi won with ease.
Xiao Mo wasn't surprised that Jiang Qingyi passed the first round.
Although any newly initiated disciple could participate in the New Blood Tournament...
...most of them were truly just "participating."
The first round was designed to weed out Cultivators below the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer.
Therefore, the first round mostly consisted of higher-Realm Cultivators fighting lower-Realm ones, so most wins were easy.
The second round was where the real competition began.
This year, a total of three hundred disciples made it to the second round of the New Blood Tournament.
In the second round, Jiang Qingyi faced an Inner Sect Disciple from the Sword Formation Hall. His Realm was the same as hers: Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer.
As their name suggested, disciples from the Sword Formation Hall specialized in using Sword Arrays.
A single longsword cannot form a Sword Array, so they usually carried large Sword Boxes containing several swords.
This match was not an easy one for Jiang Qingyi.
In the end, Jiang Qingyi narrowly defeated her opponent, but she also sustained some injuries.
Some Cultivators from the Medical Hall were standing by and immediately treated Jiang Qingyi's wounds.
The New Blood Tournament lasted for a total of four days.
On the second day, the matches adopted a three-person free-for-all format.
All three were opponents, with two being eliminated and one advancing.
By the end of the second day's matches, Jiang Qingyi had entered the top one hundred of the New Blood Tournament.
But watching Qingyi struggle during her matches today, Xiao Mo felt she could probably only win one more round at most.
Tomorrow's schedule included duels decided by drawing lots, king-of-the-hill battles, three-way fights, and more.
The schedule was packed, all to select the top sixteen.
The disciples who made it to the third day were no pushovers.
Xiao Mo was already thinking about how to console Qingyi.
"Don't worry, Qingyi. You've already done wonderfully. Making it to the top one hundred in the New Blood Tournament is already a great achievement."
Xiao Mo said comfortingly to Jiang Qingyi during dinner.
"That's not good enough, Master!" Jiang Qingyi clasped her small hands in front of her. "You bet so many Spirit Stones on me, Master. I have to do my best, or all those Spirit Stones you wagered will go down the drain."
"..."
Xiao Mo wanted to say something more.
But seeing the determined look in his disciple's eyes, Xiao Mo just smiled faintly and ruffled Jiang Qingyi's hair. "They didn't go down the drain. Wasn't it a way to support you?"
"Master... you're really something else..." Jiang Qingyi sighed.
Although the young woman outwardly lamented her master's spendthrift ways, her heart felt warm.
In the first match of the third day, Jiang Qingyi faced an Inner Sect Disciple at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer.
In everyone's eyes, Jiang Qingyi's defeat was certain.
At the beginning of the match, Jiang Qingyi was indeed being overwhelmed by her opponent, with basically no hope of winning in sight.
Standing on the sidelines, Xiao Mo was about to throw in the white flag and surrender on Jiang Qingyi's behalf.
But unexpectedly, at the last moment, Jiang Qingyi broke through to the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer mid-battle.
In the instant her opponent was stunned...
...Jiang Qingyi seized the opportunity and used the Grass Burning Technique from the Grass Character Sword Intent!
The longsword in the young woman's hand cut through a wave of fire, turning defeat into victory.
But Jiang Qingyi had no time to celebrate.
She had to participate in the next round of matches immediately.
To Xiao Mo's surprise, by the time all the matches on the third day were over, Jiang Qingyi had made it into the top sixteen!
"Master, I made it into the top sixteen!" Jiang Qingyi said happily, running to her master's side.
She bounced on the tips of her toes, lifting her fair chin, expectantly waiting for her master's praise.
"Very impressive. You're my disciple, after all." Xiao Mo reached out and gently wiped the blood from the corner of the young woman's mouth. "But Qingyi, let's forfeit."
"Huh?" Jiang Qingyi stared blankly at her master.
"You barely won your matches today, and your injuries are too severe." Xiao Mo patted the young woman's head. "You've already proven yourself. Master is already very satisfied."
'Qingyi has basically reached her limit,' Xiao Mo thought.
Although the other top sixteen contenders were also injured...
...Qingyi's injuries were much more severe in comparison.
Besides, the intensity of tomorrow's matches would be on another level.
'If anything were to happen to Qingyi, it would be terrible.'
Jiang Qingyi lowered her head, her small hands tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, looking extremely conflicted.
But in the end, the young woman raised her head, her eyes firm as she looked at Xiao Mo. "Master! I'm not afraid! I want to keep competing!"
...
「World of Ten Thousand Laws, Wanjian Sect.」
The maid, Qiu Ye, walked into the courtyard of the Wanjian Sect Leader. "Sect Leader, this is the list for the second round of the New Blood Tournament. Please take a look."
The Wanjian Sect Leader glanced indifferently at Qiu Ye. "No need. This seat trusts your work."
"Yes, Sect Leader." Qiu Ye put the list away. "Sect Leader, a disciple from Tianjin City just delivered a letter. That disciple told me to relay a message to you: 'The City Lord has done his best; this is as far as he could divine.'"
The moment Qiu Ye finished speaking, the Wanjian Sect Leader whipped her head around and stared directly at her.
Under the Sect Leader's gaze, Qiu Ye swallowed hard, sweat beaded on her forehead, and she felt as if a great mountain was pressing down on her.
The Wanjian Sect Leader uttered a single word: "Letter."
"It's... it's right here..." Qiu Ye quickly pulled a letter from her robes.
Qiu Ye had never seen the Sect Leader act like this.
The Wanjian Sect Leader flicked a finger, and the letter flew into her hand.
"The Zhou Kingdom... the Imperial City..."
Half an incense stick's time later, the Wanjian Sect Leader's eyes flickered. She let out a long breath, then gently tossed the letter into the air. The white paper instantly disintegrated into countless specks that scattered in the wind.
"Finally... I'm going to find you."
The Wanjian Sect Leader gazed at the star-filled sky, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. It was the first time the woman had smiled in three thousand years.
"I told you. You can't escape."
"Master."