The male disciple stared wide-eyed at the tiny gadget in Xie Zhengxing’s hand, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
Meanwhile, the interstellar viewers in the livestream burst into laughter.
Watching someone pretend to be weak before turning the tables was a timeless source of satisfaction.
Especially when that “weakling” had been equipped by the viewers themselves.
The sense of accomplishment doubled.
【Eaves: Hey, big muscle guy. Maybe don’t be quite so confident next time!】
【Xiaoxiao: Oh my god, his scream was so delicate. So girly!】
【Who Do You Think You Are: Kekeke! Experience the wonders of our interstellar technology! This stun baton may not count as a lethal weapon, but dealing with a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a low-level fantasy world is child’s play!】
【I’m a Sucker for Tragic Romance: I’m totally into the burly-guy size difference too.】
【Riding Grandma Across the Galaxy: Umm… shipping everything is going to ruin you, you absolute pervert.】
Smiling faintly, Xie Zhengxing twirled the Quantum Pulse Stun Baton in her hand before crouching down beside him.
“Senior Brother, I wasn’t trying to flirt with you.”
“I just wanted to help you save a little face instead of collapsing so quickly.”
Outside the arena, the surrounding disciples had originally expected the male disciple to knock Xie Zhengxing off the platform.
Instead…
The outcome had completely reversed.
The early Foundation Establishment disciple had collapsed to the ground, while the young woman who was supposed to lose was now crouching beside him with an interested expression.
Although they couldn’t hear what she was saying…
It definitely wasn’t anything nice.
Their senior brother’s face had already turned green.
“Senior Brother! Get up and beat her!”
“She only won because she ambushed you with a weapon!”
“Senior Brother, use your spirit artifact too! Show her the true strength of an inner sect disciple!”
“Fine!!”
The male disciple roared as he pushed himself up from the ground.
He raised both arms high.
“Hammers—come!”
Two small black hammers instantly shot out from his waist.
The moment they landed in his hands, they expanded into a pair of enormous war hammers.
“I admit your weapon is impressive!”
“But with that pathetic amount of spiritual energy in your dantian, you can only use it once!”
“I hereby declare…”
“Your entrance examination this year…”
“Has failed!”
After bellowing those words, he leaped into the air.
His body traced a beautiful yet powerful arc as he swung both giant hammers toward Xie Zhengxing.
Xie Zhengxing calmly took one step forward.
She reached up…
And pressed the stun baton directly against his waist.
“BZZZT!”
“AAAAAHHHHH—!”
“Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!!”
History repeated itself.
The strength immediately drained from his body, and he crashed heavily onto the arena floor.
The livestream exploded.
【HAHAHAHAHAHA!!】
【Oh my god, this guy is hilarious!】
【Sorry, but our little gadget doesn’t actually require spiritual energy.】
Xie Zhengxing continued shocking him with the baton while apologizing sincerely.
“Sorry, Senior Brother.”
“Please bear with it.”
“It’ll all be over after one incense stick.”
This inner sect body cultivator truly deserved his reputation.
His physical constitution was excellent.
Even after being shocked so many times, he still hadn’t lost consciousness.
He was leagues stronger than that useless Zhao Donglei.
The male disciple convulsed all over, his eyes rolling back from the pain.
When he heard Xie Zhengxing say he had to endure for an entire incense stick…
His entire world collapsed.
Damn it!
A whole incense stick?
This thing is going to kill me!
If this keeps going, I’ll actually die!
He wanted to shout that he surrendered.
Unfortunately, the electric shocks left him completely unable to speak.
Finally, he somehow produced a tiny white flag from who knew where…
And trembling all over…
Raised it into the air.
After a long silence…
The cheering disciples beneath the arena began whispering among themselves with expressions of disdain.
“This fake match is way too obvious.”
“Sigh… he still fell for her charms.”
“She’s only kind of pretty.”
“She’s not even worthy of carrying one strand of Senior Sister Luo’s hair.”
“What a waste of all that special training.”
“…”
The male disciple looked around desperately.
“No! That’s not what happened!”
“I didn’t throw the match!”
“She’s really strong!”
“She’s amazing!”
“It feels like her dantian contains endless spiritual energy!”
“She can use that artifact forever!”
Not a single person believed him.
Xie Zhengxing put away the Quantum Pulse Stun Baton and cheerfully hummed a tune as she walked off the arena.
There were two stages in the tournament.
As long as participants defeated even one of the four challengers in the first stage, they qualified for the second trial—Questioning the Dao Heart.
Continuing to challenge the remaining three inner sect disciples merely served to evaluate each outer sect disciple’s aptitude and cultivation level.
The rankings determined after the tournament would influence their status after entering the inner sect.
The stronger they were…
The higher their position.
They would even receive priority when choosing their residence.
Her second opponent was a senior sister at the middle Foundation Establishment stage.
She wore a flowing goose-yellow robe that made her appear ethereal.
At her waist hung an unsheathed longsword.
The disciples who had watched Xie Zhengxing’s first match immediately rushed over again.
“She only got lucky and passed the first senior brother using feminine tricks!”
“And now she’s actually overestimating herself enough to challenge the second round!”
“Doesn’t this little servant know when to quit while she’s ahead?”
“This time the gatekeeper is a senior sister!”
“Her little beauty tricks won’t work anymore!”
Ignoring all the comments, Xie Zhengxing stepped onto the arena carrying her Quantum Pulse Stun Baton.
She intended to speedrun this match.
The senior sister glanced at her once before immediately retreating ten meters.
Calmly, she said,
“I’ve already watched the projection stone recording of your first match.”
“Your artifact only works at close range.”
“I won’t give you that opportunity.”
Xie Zhengxing fell silent.
“…”
Fair enough.
Slowly, she hooked the Quantum Pulse Stun Baton back onto her waist before looking up.
“If I can’t attack you…”
“And you can’t attack me…”
“If we both just stand here until one incense stick burns out…”
“Does that count as my victory?”
“Who said I can’t attack you?”
“Take this!”
The senior sister raised two fingers before her lips and began chanting an incantation.
Within only a few breaths…
A small, gloomy thundercloud floated directly above Xie Zhengxing’s head.
Crackling sparks danced within it as thin strands of lightning flickered back and forth.
The spectators below erupted with excitement.
“Senior Sister! Strike her!”
“Hit her!”
“She got through the first round by luck!”
“Teach her a lesson this time!”
Xie Zhengxing nearly jumped in fright.
She immediately opened her system inventory, preparing to equip the Personal Protective Force Field Bracelet (Children’s Edition).
Then her eyes caught the item’s description.
She froze.
【Personal Protective Force Field Bracelet (Children’s Edition): A household safety product designed to protect children from accidental falls. It can block flying dirt, dust, small insects, or impacts from falls under ten meters. It has absolutely no effect against deliberate attacks.】
Xie Zhengxing’s expression changed.
Her gaze immediately landed on another item.
Energy Shield.
A single-use consumable?
Forget it.
This is the one!
The instant Xie Zhengxing activated the Energy Shield…
The lightning overhead struck at exactly the same moment.
A perfectly spherical barrier instantly appeared around her.
The bolt was unable to reach her body.
Instead, it flowed harmlessly around the surface of the sphere before dispersing into the ground and disappearing.
Xie Zhengxing remained standing safely in the center of the arena.
Not a single hair on her head had been harmed.
【Three Seconds for You: Hahahahaha!】
【Xiaoxiao: Bet you didn’t see that coming! Your attack still couldn’t touch our streamer!】
【Awake at 3 A.M.: That’s the one I donated! Xingxing used my gift! I’m so happy! Xingxing, keep it up! Go, Xingxing!】
The disciples below the arena exploded into an uproar.
“She’s only at the Qi Refinement Realm!”
“I can see through her cultivation myself!”
“How could a barrier cast by someone like her possibly withstand a lightning strike from a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator?”
“The senior sister must’ve held back!”
“She deliberately bent the lightning away!”
“She’s got connections!”
“Some sect elder must’ve spoken on her behalf to guarantee she passes!”
Every kind of accusation filled the air.
None of it mattered.
Xie Zhengxing successfully passed the second match.
However…
As she stepped down from the arena, her heart ached terribly.
Her precious…
Her only…
Energy Shield…
Was gone.
The very next second…
A crimson donation notification floated through the air.
【*** donated: 100 × “Personal Energy Shields.”】**