After returning to the Flowing Cloud Sect from the mortal realm, Hua Ying dutifully followed Yan Zhao’s cultivation guidance for half a month.
The elders and disciples of the Green Mountain Sword Sect had already returned to their own sect, but Hua Ying had not moved out of Yan Zhao’s courtyard. No one mentioned the matter, as if everyone had tacitly chosen to forget it.
Soon, the Sect Grand Competition arrived.
Hua Ying’s little scheme of intentionally suppressing her cultivation to avoid breaking through into the next realm during those days was naturally noticed by Yan Zhao. With just a bit of thought, she guessed exactly what kind of mischievous plan the girl was hatching.
However, Yan Zhao didn’t say much, only telling her: “Do what you want to do; just don’t let things get too out of hand.”
Yan Zhao could have easily dealt with those who had bullied Hua Ying, but she hoped Hua Ying would rely on her own abilities to silence those who considered her a useless waste.
Hua Ying replied, “Don’t worry, Senior Sister.” She patted her chest and gave a sweet smile. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Senior Sister, you must come to watch my match when the time comes,” Hua Ying said, rubbing her palms together, her eyes full of eagerness to try. “I will definitely beat them into a sorry state!”
Yan Zhao was currently brewing tea with spiritual spring water. Her slender, long fingers held a white jade porcelain cup, and the ethereal mist partially obscured her features. Hua Ying couldn’t see her expression clearly, but she heard her voice, clear and soft: “Alright.”
The Sect Grand Competition lasted for three days.
The first day was the confrontation between outer sect disciples, and Hua Ying woke up early to prepare. The rules were simple: a free-for-all on the same stage, where the last ten people standing would be the victors.
Because it was only a competition for the lowest-status outer sect members, aside from the elders responsible for recording and judging, not many people came to watch. Only a dozen or so disciples sat scattered in the spectator stands, chatting in groups of twos and threes.
“This competition isn’t worth watching at all. Anyone capable of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage has already moved to the inner sect. If my cousin weren’t in there, I wouldn’t have come!”
As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately gained a lot of agreement. Most of those who came to watch today did so because they had relatives or friends among the outer disciples; otherwise, they’d rather spend the time practicing their sword techniques a few more times.
A sharp-eyed disciple glanced at the people on the stage and suddenly said, “Eh? Look, isn’t that the half-demon waste? How does she dare to show up?”
Several people looked over. “It really is her! Her cultivation was already mediocre; isn’t she afraid of being seriously injured today?”
The spectating disciples sneered and snickered, but someone said hesitantly, “You can’t really say that. Last time Hua Ying faced the Green Mountain Sword Sect disciple, she didn’t lose.”
The disciples who were the first to mock fell silent for a moment, then stubbornly stiffened their necks and said, “That was just that half-demon’s good luck! Didn’t you see her back then? She only knew how to hide and dodge; she didn’t even dare to face the other’s sword!”
“Exactly! Such behavior is simply shameful, losing all the face of our Flowing Cloud Sect’s sword cultivators!”
They were used to suppressing Hua Ying. How could they tolerate a former “waste” suddenly stealing the spotlight in front of the whole sect?
Since the other side had the numbers, the questioning disciple bit their lip and didn’t say anything more.
At that moment, a splash of vibrant red suddenly appeared from the side. A clear, cold voice drifted into everyone’s ears: “Is that so?”
The newcomer sat down in a random spot, her red skirt spreading out like a half-bloomed flower. She rested her chin on her hand, her dark eyes deep with shadow as she scanned everyone present.
“But I feel,” she spoke slowly, “that Hua Ying will definitely win.”
“Eldest Senior Sister?!”
To the disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect, Yan Zhao always brought a strangely intense sense of pressure. These disciples instantly became as quiet as little quails, not daring to utter another word.
They had stopped talking, but Yan Zhao didn’t intend to let them off so easily. She cast a cold side-glance at the disciples who had shown the most malice toward Hua Ying.
“As sword cultivators, instead of studying sword arts and Taoist methods, you criticize your fellow disciple and hurl verbal insults.”
“Is this the ‘Dao’ you cultivate?”
Yan Zhao had an extremely pleasant voice crisp and cold, with the ends of her words naturally drawn out, carrying a hint of nonchalance. But at this moment, it felt like poison-tipped blades stabbing into the chests of the disciples who had just been gossiping, making them flush with shame and fear, unable to argue back.
Seeing this, Yan Zhao let out a scoff. They were nothing but wastes who bullied the weak and feared the strong.
On the stage, Hua Ying saw that iconic red dress from afar and waved happily in that direction. It was as if the clouds had parted and the rain had cleared, revealing a ray of warm light; the freezing atmosphere dissipated instantly.
The dejected disciples who had just been lectured saw their Eldest Senior Sister who had been looking so grim just moments ago suddenly reveal a smile toward the competition stage. The curve of her lips wasn’t deep, just a slight upward tilt, but it was still an undeniably pleasant smile.
Everyone was momentarily dazed. In all their years at the Flowing Cloud Sect, they had never seen the Eldest Senior Sister smile at anyone. They instinctively followed Yan Zhao’s gaze toward the stage.
On the competition platform stood a sea of outer sect disciples. And in the most conspicuous spot stood the half-demon they looked down upon.
When the elder announced the start of the match, Hua Ying couldn’t wait to rush toward the targets she had picked out long ago. Since it was a free-for-all, she wasn’t going to be polite!
Hua Ying silently activated the Nine Heavens Dust Revolutions. Her spiritual power surged, and combined with her agile movements, she sent people flying with a single kick each. In the blink of an eye, she had dealt with five or six people.
“That’s for pouring water on my quilt! That’s for dirtying my clothes!”
As she kicked, she muttered under her breath, listing their offenses with a fierce expression. “And you… uh, I forgot, but you can get down there too!”
Because her movements were so incredibly fast, the people on stage hadn’t even reacted before the area around Hua Ying was cleared out.
“Since when did this waste become so powerful?” Those who had bullied her in the past because their cultivation was higher were now starting to feel uncertain.
The fact that Hua Ying beat Mo Lulu last time was, in their eyes, just a victory gained by picking up scraps. But in this Sect Grand Competition, Hua Ying had just defeated several people with sheer strength.
“It’s the Eldest Senior Sister! It must be the Eldest Senior Sister helping her!” someone gritted their teeth and said resentfully.
They didn’t believe Hua Ying could have any talent or make such rapid progress in a short time. However, everyone had seen with their own eyes that Hua Ying had been living with Yan Zhao lately. It must be that this half-demon used some method to seduce the Senior Sister, begging for her help so she could suddenly become this strong.
Hua Ying didn’t care what these bitter losers were thinking. With a tap of her toes, she shifted to another side, delivering several crisp, decisive kicks like autumn leaves being swept away.
No technique, just pure emotion.
Her figure was as fast as lightning, far exceeding the cultivation level of those present. Combined with the unique, agile footwork of a cat demon, her chosen targets couldn’t even see her movements before they were screaming and falling off the stage.
Thanks to Hua Ying, in less than half an hour, the victors were decided, leaving only ten people on the stage.
“This isn’t fair!” A disciple who had been mercilessly swept off the stage by Hua Ying suddenly clutched his chest and looked angrily at the elder in charge. “Elder, I want to report Hua Ying for cheating!”
With the first person starting it, others around quickly followed suit, their voices rising in a noisy clamor.
Hua Ying, suddenly being called out: Huh?
The elder was a kind-looking old man. Hearing the commotion, he stroked his long beard and called for everyone to stop. Then, he walked over slowly and asked, “What is the reason for this noise?”
The disciple who first accused Hua Ying of cheating stood up and poured out everyone’s suspicions regarding Hua Ying and Yan Zhao like beans from a jar.
The elder listened without a change in expression, then asked, “Is there any evidence?”
The disciple hesitated for a long while before hardening his resolve and saying, “There… is none. But everyone knows that Hua Ying used to be a waste. Perhaps the Eldest Senior Sister taught her a forbidden technique or directly infused her with spiritual power; otherwise, how could she have this kind of strength!”
Hua Ying resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Do you even hear the nonsense you’re spewing?”
It was fine to question her, but to try and drag her Senior Sister into the mud was absolutely intolerable!
She bowed to the elder and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, “May I speak, Elder. Every bit of spiritual power in Hua Ying’s body was earned through my own hard cultivation from morning till night.”
“Senior Sister did indeed guide me in sword arts and cultivation methods, but there was absolutely no violation of the rules. I, Hua Ying, have a clear conscience and am willing to undergo any sect inspection. I hope the Elder will see the truth.”
“You! Stop making excuses!” the disciple shouted, unwilling to give up. “Then how do you explain how you could make such huge progress in such a short time?”
Hua Ying made an “um” sound and blinked innocently. “It’s very simple. Because on an ordinary night, I suddenly had an epiphany.”
She shook her head, pretending to be helpless. “There’s nothing I can do. Once this epiphany started, it was like a continuous flood that I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.”
The disciple: “…” Everyone else: “…”
“Just like right now,” Hua Ying suddenly tilted her head and smiled.
She stretched out her hand and skillfully cast the most basic Fire Induction Technique. The flames rose, and if one looked closely into the fireball, a ring of silver-white could be seen the symbol of having stepped into the Foundation Establishment stage.
“Look,” Hua Ying said word for word to the disciples who questioned her, “I can’t stop the surging spiritual power in my body. So, I have reached Foundation Establishment.”
System: Killing the heart after the deed! Nice!
Hua Ying: “Basic operations, just basic operations.”
The elder stroked his beard and looked at Hua Ying with considerable surprise. He had heard of this little half-demon’s reputation before how her demon blood was too weak and she likely wouldn’t be able to reach Foundation Establishment in her lifetime. He hadn’t expected that during this Sect Grand Competition, she would break through right before everyone’s eyes.
He understood immediately; this little half-demon had been intentionally suppressing her cultivation, wanting to come up here and vent her frustrations.
The elder carefully examined Hua Ying’s spiritual power and found no trace of any forbidden arts. He smiled warmly and said, “Not bad, not bad.”
He then glanced at the disciples who were still dazed from the shock of Hua Ying’s breakthrough and announced loudly: “Hua Ying has not cheated! On the contrary, I hope all disciples can take her as an example and strive to break through soon.”
Having received the elder’s clarification, Hua Ying lifted her chin triumphantly and made a face at the disciples who had suspected her and her Senior Sister of cheating.
But when she turned around, she saw a beautiful woman in striking red clothing standing not far away, looking at her with a smile.
Hua Ying’s eyes overflowed with surprise. “Senior Sister!”
By the time she ran over to Yan Zhao’s side, her face had already transformed into a pitiful and aggrieved expression. She grabbed Yan Zhao’s sleeve and looked up slightly, her eyes reddening. “Wuwuwu, Senior Sister, they all bullied me.”
The disciples who had mostly been beaten up by Hua Ying: ?
The elder who had just witnessed her flashy breakthrough: ??