The day of the competition was drawing nearer.
Several masters gathered in the Morning Cloud Hall. Bai Youmu said, "In this competition among our disciples, we not only want to see their true capabilities but also put an end to all the baseless rumors these days."
Xiao Yi snorted, "Isn't it because Rong Hua took in a new disciple? We should have just followed the ranking. Then there wouldn't be all these problems!"
Rong Hua gave him a cold look, and Xiao Yi instantly shut up.
"Who I, Rong Hua, take in or not is not up to you, Xiao Yi. If your disciple refuses to apologize and ends up getting himself killed during the competition, don't come crying to me."
Xiao Yi turned pale with anger, "Who dies is still up in the air!"
Bai Youmu slapped the table, completely out of patience, "Immortal Master Xiao Yi! I respect you as a master, but look at what you've done?!"
Ning Shuihan looked up, "His face is important, but does he even care about the honor of our Kunlun Mountain?"
"What do you mean?!"
"If you don't let your disciple apologize and Rong Hua's reputation is ruined, do you think yours will remain unscathed?" Ning Shuihan's eyes were icy cold, "You fool."
Xiao Yi suddenly became the target of everyone's criticism. He could only mumble something and shut up, not daring to cause more trouble.
After reaching an agreement on everything, Bai Youmu announced the rules of the competition with his disciples.
Ji Yunxi came specifically to check. She saw that the rules stated that the disciples could freely choose their opponents. The competition would last for seven days, during which there was no limit to the number of challenges, but they couldn't choose the same opponent again. Points would be added for a win and deducted for a loss, and the scores of each match would be accumulated. The final ranking would be based on the total points.
"These rules clearly favor the bold and disadvantage the timid."
Ji Yunxi smiled, "I think it's great. If anyone is dissatisfied, they can just fight until they're convinced."
She knew that many people were waiting to challenge her. After all, most people only knew her as the bottom-ranked disciple on the list. Wouldn't it be more logical to deal with the weaker ones first rather than directly challenge the strongest?
Qi Haoyang glanced at Ji Yunxi from afar in the crowd. Someone beside him leaned over and instigated, "Brother Qi, even you failed to become a disciple of Master Rong Hua, but she did. This is clearly unfair. Why don't you go up and teach her a lesson?"
Qi Haoyang turned his head and looked at the person coldly, "Teach her a lesson?"
"Exactly! Make her kneel and roll down the mountain! Hahaha..."
"I can't do it." Qi Haoyang interrupted him, "I can't beat her. She's much stronger than me."
The person was stunned. After a while, he said with a laugh, "Brother Qi, your way of mocking people..."
Qi Haoyang turned his head and looked at him seriously, "I'm telling the truth. I can't beat her. She's not just a bit stronger than me. I also advise you not to try, or you might not be able to bear the consequences. After all, life and death are not guaranteed in this competition."
The person's face changed, "You're serious?!"
"Why would I lie to you? If it weren't for her, I might have been stuck at the twenty-ninth level."
The person looked at Qi Haoyang's face. After a while, he finally believed that he was telling the truth.
However, not many people had such an understanding. Most people were waiting for this opportunity to make Ji Yunxi and Feng Xingzhi look bad.
Ji Yunxi didn't want to lose face either, so she had been practicing hard these days. She increasingly found that the Nine Heavens Round Instrument Technique was extremely ingenious and very compatible with Nian Yun.
Everything was peaceful for a long time until two days before the competition, Li Jiuge suddenly came to her with a pale face.
"Yunxi, Zhao Qingwan suddenly came to me and said that she would challenge me on the first day of the competition."
Ji Yunxi guessed that these people didn't dare to deal with her directly, but they were likely to target her friends. Her face darkened, and she comforted her, "Jiuge, don't worry. Just accept the challenge. I'll find a way to help you."
With Ji Yunxi's assurance, Li Jiuge felt at ease and returned to her own courtyard.
As soon as she left, Ji Yunxi wrote a letter to Lu Shu, asking him to bring the Soul Spirit Pearl.
Early the next morning.
Lu Shu came invisibly. As expected, he had an argument with Qing Xuan and then handed the Soul Spirit Pearl to Ji Yunxi.
"Master, this thing is a precious treasure. It comes from the upper realm."
Ji Yunxi pursed her lips, "I know."
She smiled to herself. She was the one who had placed this in the Dream Flower Pavilion. How could she not know?
She took the Soul Spirit Pearl to Li Jiuge's courtyard and gave it to her.
Li Jiuge looked at the Soul Spirit Pearl curiously. She could tell that it was no ordinary item, but she didn't know what it actually was.
"Yunxi, what is this?"
"This is a treasure from the upper realm called the Soul Spirit Pearl."
Li Jiuge's eyes widened instantly, looking shocked, "This, this is the legendary Soul Spirit Pearl?!"
Ji Yunxi nodded slightly, "Don't be so surprised. The Dream Flower Pavilion has many treasures."
"This is too precious! Yunxi, you're wealthier than I, a member of the royal family. I've never even seen a Soul Spirit Pearl..." Li Jiuge was a bit envious. But she was also curious, "However, Yunxi, is it really worth using such a precious item for this disciple competition?"
"This competition may not be that important, but life and death are not guaranteed. You can't rule out the possibility of someone with malicious intentions." Ji Yunxi's eyes changed, "It's better to have it with you anyway."
Li Jiuge was a bit worried, "Using this to boost spiritual power, won't it be considered cheating?"
"Of course not. This Soul Spirit Pearl can only help you practice, but you still have to rely on yourself."
Ji Yunxi patted her on the shoulder, "Jiuge, you're very powerful. Don't underestimate yourself. Believe in yourself."
Li Jiuge looked up at her. In fact, it was quite stressful to be friends with Ji Yunxi. She was extremely beautiful, and whether it was her spiritual power cultivation or her knowledge, she was the most outstanding noblewoman in the capital.
Apart from being born into a good family, she seemed to have no other advantages.
With a sister like Ji Yunxi, how could Ji Yuchen ever fall for her?
It was all her own fault for being so stupid.
Li Jiuge hugged Ji Yunxi, "Thank you, Yunxi. I'll work hard!"
On the day of the competition, everyone gathered in the martial arts arena early, waiting for the competition to start.
The masters also arrived one after another, and the chattering crowd instantly fell silent.
Rong Hua saw his two disciples from afar and showed a faint smile. Many women in the audience were overjoyed, but when they saw that his eyes were on Ji Yunxi and Feng Xingzhi, they immediately became unhappy. They wished they could also become disciples of Master Rong Hua.
Ji Yunxi was a bit helpless and subconsciously moved closer to Feng Xingzhi.
Hua Siyun arrived late and stood not far from Ji Yunxi and the others.
Li Jiuge had already told Ji Yunxi about Hua Siyun's reminder that day. Ji Yunxi had wanted to thank her in person, but then there were all sorts of things that delayed her.
She looked from afar. There was a man beside Hua Siyun. She had never seen him before.
"Who is that?"
"I don't know. I've never seen him either." Hua Siyun was from the same sect as Li Jiuge and Ji Yunyi, so they were all considered fellow disciples. But none of them recognized this stranger.
Before they could discuss who this person was, Bai Youmu's voice rang out, cutting through the clouds.