Volume 4 Chapter 40

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Volume 4 Chapter 40: Leaving All Behind

In the bright sunlight, Ting’er’s serene and beautiful face appeared even more radiant than the glaring sun. From afar, she seemed like a fairy, and up close, she left people breathless.

After the elder acting as the referee announced the start of Ting’er’s match, she made her way to the stage surrounded by the support of Jiuhua’s female disciples. Amidst the cheers of a group of "sparrows," Ting’er silently ascended the stone platform, where her opponent had been waiting for quite some time.

This disciple of Tian Qinglin showed decent composure. Despite being momentarily dazed when Ting’er approached, at least he wasn’t like some disciples below the stage who could only foolishly stare at Ting’er. He managed to greet her in a somewhat normal tone; although he stumbled over his words, it remained within normal bounds.

Over the years, guided by Xu Qingfan, Ting’er’s temper and character, though still strange and aloof, had at least become very polite like Xu Qingfan. Upon stepping onto the stage, she slightly bowed to the Jiuhua elder acting as the referee and to Tian Qinglin, her competitor. Only then did the seemingly composed Tian Qinglin realize that the old man standing beside him was a Jiuhua elder and quickly followed Ting’er’s gesture, bowing in respect, leading others to shake their heads in disbelief.

The Jiuhua elders, all familiar with Ting’er’s background, focused their attention on stone platform ten as soon as she stepped on stage. Coupled with the sensation her beauty caused, the area below the stone platform became densely packed with onlookers, as if all of Jiuhua’s attention was centered on that spot.

Yet, the even greater stir was yet to come.

When the elder announced the start of the match, the Tian Qinglin disciple intended to make some pleasantries, thinking it always nice to get acquainted with a beauty like Ting’er. Unfortunately, Ting’er, who was clueless about social niceties, had already made her move.

However, Ting’er remembered Xu Qingfan’s instructions well and didn’t use her full strength. She extended a pale finger towards Tian Qinglin, who was still chattering in front of her, and a thin strand of black flame suddenly emerged from her fingertip, darting towards Tian Qinglin.

Tian Qinglin’s reflexes were quite sharp. He immediately closed his mouth and rapidly retreated once he saw Ting’er make a move. A shimmering gold shield appeared around him. Though not an advanced spell, Tian Qinglin thought the strange little black flame seemed almost harmless and believed the small shield should suffice.

Tian Qinglin retreated quickly, but Ting’er’s black flame was even faster, reaching him in an instant. As Tian Qinglin had anticipated, the flame was so small that it didn’t pose much of a threat and was stopped by his shield a few feet from his body.

Observing this scene, Tian Qinglin was about to give a charming smile and say something witty to demonstrate his elegance and strength, proving he was the most suitable partner for dual cultivation among the nearly two thousand cultivators on Jiuhua Mountain. Unfortunately, his smile immediately vanished.

He suddenly realized that the Spirit Qi needed to maintain the shield was rapidly increasing. Ting’er’s unassuming black flame didn’t disappear as he expected; instead, it continued to burn outside his shield, growing stronger. What was initially just a small wisp had now become a black fireball the size of a bowl, burning intensely and expanding around him.

"This black flame is actually burning my shield."

Seeing these changes, Tian Qinglin thought, shocked.

At that moment, Tian Qinglin felt his Spirit Qi was like dry grass on an autumn prairie, while Ting’er’s black flame was a tiny spark. Despite its size, it could ignite a wildfire, leaving the grass completely burnt.

Discovering that the black flame could consume Spirit Qi to grow, Tian Qinglin found himself in a dilemma. Continuing to maintain his shield would only fuel the flame, leading to his own demise. However, if he removed the shield, the black flame could attack him directly without obstruction.

As Tian Qinglin hesitated, the black flame around him grew larger and larger, eventually becoming a magnificent blaze that completely enveloped him, burning fiercely.

Meanwhile, Ting’er did not take advantage but stood quietly on the other side of the stone platform, silently watching Tian Qinglin’s situation.

After a long time, Ting’er suddenly waved her hands, and the fierce flame surrounding Tian Qinglin turned back into a tiny black flame and returned to Ting’er. Upon closer inspection, this black flame was darker than when Ting’er had first summoned it.

On the other side, Tian Qinglin had collapsed, unable to get up again. Ting’er’s unassuming black flame had, in such a short time, drained all the Spirit Qi from him!

"The third match, Xu Yuting wins."

The elder acting as a referee looked at Ting’er in amazement before announcing loudly.

After hearing the elder’s announcement, Ting’er once again bowed slightly to the two on the stage and then quietly left as she had come. But the Jiuhua disciples now looked at Ting’er with completely different eyes.

It wasn’t until Ting’er returned to the group of Jiuhua female disciples that they snapped out of their shock, and murmurs of astonishment echoed through Jiuhua’s front mountain.

If earlier the Jiuhua disciples looked at Ting’er with admiration and amazement, they now gazed at her with shock and disbelief.

What are the limits of a woman’s beauty? Whether they exist or not, Ting’er has not yet reached that ultimate beauty. However, after being transformed by the magic pearl, Ting’er possesses an extraordinarily captivating and stunning charm. Anyone whose mind hasn’t reached the Condensed Core Stage will be mesmerized by her allure, even though Ting’er does not do this on purpose.

But now, as Ting’er showcases her strength, even the Jiuhua disciples who are infatuated with her start to clear their minds, shifting their thoughts from "How beautiful is she?" to "How powerful is she?"

The momentary black flame just now makes it obvious, even to a fool, that Ting’er wasn’t using her full strength. If she did, how powerful would it be? Would there be a way to counter such a black flame attack?

This is what all the disciples are considering at the moment.

Naturally, with her unmatched beauty, flawless demeanor, and outstanding strength, Ting’er seems like the embodiment of perfection to everyone. After revealing her power, while some are awakened and deterred, others become enchanted or even more infatuated. But no one dares to approach her as casually as when she first appeared.

At this moment, the elders on the main platform also show expressions of surprise. Lv Qingshang suddenly turns to Xu Qingfan and says, "Junior Brother Xu, your niece is truly remarkable; she may even surpass Feng Qingtian in the future."

Xu Qingfan nods with a smile.

Suddenly, Jin Qinghan says, "Ting’er is very strong, and she’s progressing too quickly." As he speaks, a wary look appears in his eyes.

Xu Qingfan knows that ever since Jin Qinghan learned about the feud between them, he’s been worried Ting’er might become a threat to him. Now, seeing her strength, his wariness deepens.

He sighed quietly, feeling helpless about the situation. Xu Qingfan couldn’t quite understand Ting’er’s mixed feelings towards him—partly warm and affectionate, yet also confused and resentful.

"At least it’s better than when you first came to Jiuhua Mountain, wanting to seek revenge. Let time slowly change things; it can heal all wounds."

Watching Ting’er surrounded by female disciples, Xu Qingfan thought to himself silently.

…

When the competitions ended on the first day, Xu Qingfan took Ting’er and flew towards the back mountain, leaving behind the bewildered Jiuhua disciples.

"How do you feel?" Xu Qingfan asked with a smile.

Unlike before, Ting’er was not flying on her own "Nimbus Cloud," but standing beside Xu Qingfan on the cloud he had conjured.

"It was alright, but the opponents were too weak."

Ting’er replied softly.

Xu Qingfan nodded gently. In truth, Ting’er’s opponent today was not weak at all, having reached the initial Lingji Stage. Yet, in front of Ting’er, they had no chance to fight back.

As he looked at Ting’er’s serene face, Xu Qingfan suddenly felt that Ting’er had grown up.

"Ting’er," Xu Qingfan suddenly said.

Ting’er turned towards Xu Qingfan, puzzled.

Xu Qingfan smiled and said, "If you don’t meet any challengers in the upcoming tournament within our sect, then after the competition, I’ll spar with you."

A complex emotion flashed quickly in Ting’er’s eyes, and then she gently nodded.

Their conversation was calm, yet filled with authenticity. The setting sun bathed the silhouettes of Xu Qingfan and Ting’er until both shadows disappeared into the canopy of Jiuhua’s hillside.

…

In the next three days of group matches, just as Xu Qingfan had imagined, Ting’er encountered no opposition at all. Each time she competed, she would merely point a finger and quietly wait for her opponent’s Spirit Qi to deplete, and then the match would end.

In a series of four matches, Ting’er won effortlessly each time. Her breathtaking beauty and grace made her extremely popular, even surpassing Feng Qingtian from sixty years ago. Nearly half of the male disciples on Jiuhua Mountain became her admirers, gathering in crowds beneath the stone platform where she competed, while the other fifteen platforms attracted sparse attention.

When the people of Jiuhua discussed who would win the grand competition this time, Ting’er’s name was the one everyone talked about the most.

Like this, Ting’er easily advanced to the semi-finals from the tenth stone platform and won again to enter the quarter-finals. It was then that she encountered some challenges.

Ting’er’s opponent, Xu Qingfan, had noted before. He was the hot-headed Deng Yuquan, who once fought Li Qinglan in a private duel on the back mountain. Deng Yuquan had now reached the Lingji Stage, and with sheer determination, he defeated many opponents stronger than himself.

When Ting’er faced him, she used the same move as before, pointing a finger to unleash a strand of dark flame. It was her undefeated technique.

Despite Deng Yuquan’s attempts to dodge, Ting’er’s mastery of the art was exceptional. Eventually, the dark flame ignited his defenses. Even with the flame burning his protective shield, Deng Yuquan launched a direct attack at Ting’er, hoping to defeat her before the flame consumed all his Spirit Qi. In the end, he used the technique of detonating his Spirit Qi to disperse the flames, ignoring the risk of injury, which left Xu Qingfan shaking his head, realizing Deng Yuquan hadn’t heeded a word of his past teachings.

Ultimately, Deng Yuquan lost, but he was the only disciple from Jiuhua so far who forced Ting’er to use other techniques besides her dark flame. This earned him notable fame.

Notably, in the tri-academy under Xu Qingfan’s jurisdiction, Xu Qingfan passed the assessment safely. Although only one disciple from the tri-academy reached the top four, four of the quarter-finalists belonged to the Tianyuan Academy. This result left Gongsun Huasa and others with somewhat disheartened expressions.

Xu Qingfan paid little attention to the matches leading up to the final. The top four contenders were already well-known among the lesser disciples of Jiuhua, and Xu Qingfan knew them well. Having overcome his initial worries, Xu Qingfan felt calm and more confident in Ting’er’s abilities, believing the other three might create a little trouble but were no real threat to Ting’er.

During this time, Xu Qingfan had already decided that after the sect’s big competition, he would use the excuse of seclusion to leave the mountain. It’s been almost thirty years since Liu Huaxiang left him a letter, and the matter of the secret technique being lost greatly distressed Xu Qingfan, prompting him to complete Liu Huaxiang’s other two wishes earlier to avoid unforeseen changes later.

Although the issue of the lost secret technique remains unresolved, since it involves Sect Master Zhang Hualing, Xu Qingfan dared not act recklessly. He only observed quietly, waiting for the right moment. After all, Xu Qingfan’s suspicion that Zhang Hualing was secretly practicing Liu Huaxiang’s secret technique was just a guess and not confirmed. Furthermore, whether Zhang Hualing used these techniques for malicious deeds was still uncertain, so Xu Qingfan could not act rashly.

…

"The first place in this sect’s big competition is Ting Xu, a disciple under Deacon Xu."

Ten days later, as the competition concluded, Zhang Hualing, who seemed much younger, stood on the main stage and announced loudly.

As Liu Huaxiang spoke, his right hand waved, and a bead emitting a colorful light suddenly appeared in front of Ting’er below the stage, quietly floating. It was the prize for first place in this competition—the "Soothing Spirit Pearl."

As Ting’er reached out to take the "Soothing Spirit Pearl," cheers erupted from some Jiuhua disciples, though they were from the less composed ones. As Zhang Hualing’s announcement ended, the female disciples gathered around Ting’er, chattering excitedly. During the competition, Ting’er seemed to have become familiar with them, and though she still looked cool and wasn’t talkative, the loneliness in her demeanor faded considerably.

"Unknowingly, Ting’er has grown so strong. And it seems she made quite a few friends during this competition. This way, I won’t have to worry too much about Ting’er once I leave the mountain."

Watching Ting’er surrounded by the other girls, Xu Qingfan thought to himself.

And so, the competition within Jiuhua Gate ended with Ting’er leaving everyone far behind. From that moment on, both the elders and the disciples remembered that Jiuhua Mountain had a talented individual named Ting’er.

With the competition over, Xu Qingfan had no other matters to attend to, and he was about to leave Jiuhua Mountain for a while. Little did he know, after descending the mountain, what events he would encounter, who he would meet, and what changes would occur.