For the first time, they felt that the Qi Condensation Stage tournament could be so eagerly anticipated!
Facing everyone's flattery and praise, Su Xianzhi smiled modestly, but the pride and arrogance in her eyes could not be ignored!
"Long time no see, Jin... Junior Sister!"
That "Junior Sister Jin" seemed to mock Jin Bao'er for giving up the watermelon to pick up a sesame seed—refusing to be a proper disciple of an Immortal Venerable, and instead going to be a disciple of some low-level alchemist. Who in their right mind wouldn't call Su Xianzhi Senior Sister nowadays?
Perhaps because she was still young and lacked the hypocritical mask she would wear in later years, Su Xianzhi's eyes were filled with nothing but jealousy and overwhelming arrogance!
Jin Bao'er looked at that familiar, sickening face, her ten fingers trembling slightly. The faint, lingering pain made it hard for her to breathe, and her complexion turned increasingly ugly...
That exact expression! Su Xianzhi had worn that very expression when she used her natal magic tool to brutally sever all ten of her fingers!
She took a deep breath and blurted out, "Cut the crap, let's fight!"
As soon as her voice fell, she charged forward first. Even though the hand holding the ice sword trembled slightly, she showed no intention of backing down. Su Xianzhi hadn't expected Jin Bao'er to be provoked so easily, and hurriedly took out a magic tool to block, launching a counterattack right after!
Under Jin Bao'er's reckless, death-defying assaults, Su Xianzhi was forced into a panicked scramble to pull out all her defensive magic tools. The attacking techniques she had previously learned were completely forgotten in an instant. She was chased and beaten by Jin Bao'er the entire time, looking so wretched and pathetic that the spectators were deeply disappointed!
"And here I thought the Immortal Venerable's disciple was something special. Turns out she's nothing much—all that cultivation and she has no idea how to use it!"
"What is she running for? Why does Su Xianzhi only know how to run? Fight back! It's so frustrating... watching this makes my blood boil!"
The audience's contempt quickly reached Su Xianzhi's ears, and mortification flushed her entire face red!
"Crack!"
With a direct hit from Jin Bao'er, a fracture split right across Su Xianzhi's magic tool! Then, she was knocked off the combat stage by a single punch from Jin Bao'er! Utterly humiliated!
Su Xianzhi's eyes turned red. Disregarding the pain in her stomach, she gripped her magic tool tightly. This was the only protective magic tool her master had given her! Her delicate, pretty face was full of heartbreak and embarrassment, which quickly drew complaints from some spectators.
"A match is a match, how could you smash someone else's magic tool? Such a ruthless woman wins without any honor!"
"Junior Sister, don't be sad. It's just a magic tool, we all support you!"
Jin Bao'er didn't move at all upon hearing this, looking at the grievance on Su Xianzhi's face without a trace of emotion. Perhaps having vented just now, the fear and hatred she held for Su Xianzhi in her heart were finally suppressed.
Su Xianzhi could not accept this. Just as she was about to raise her head to blame Jin Bao'er, she accidentally caught sight of a figure in the distance behind Jin Bao'er—that presence impossible to ignore!
*Master?!* Her heart tightened, and Su Xianzhi felt her humiliation double. Thinking of her earlier panicked flight filled her with shame...
"It was my fault. I lost my composure during my first tournament! I admit defeat."
Even though she was unwilling, she knew full well that making a scene was useless! Moreover, she could not act so unreasonable in front of her master.
Her attitude immediately drew nods of agreement from the onlookers. After all, she was a new disciple, and such composure was already rare!
Unsurprisingly, Jin Bao'er won first place in the Qi Condensation Stage tournament, becoming famous in a single battle!
Holding her shattered magic tool, Su Xianzhi returned to Immortal Venerable Louyun's side. With a hint of guilt and self-reproach on her dainty face, she whispered, "Master, this disciple is unworthy. Please punish me, Master!"
Yet she waited for a long time without receiving a response from that powerful man. Only then did she raise her head, following Immortal Venerable Louyun's gaze, and happened to lock eyes with the girl on the combat stage who was surrounded by everyone receiving her prize...
*Jin Bao'er?!*
The fingers inside her sleeves clenched tightly. Su Xianzhi's expression gradually grew ugly, and the fire of jealousy raged within her! If her previous feelings were merely resentment and jealousy toward Jin Bao'er's talent, now she wished she could kill her and be done with it!
Master belonged to her alone, and no one else could ever take him away!
Seeming to notice the abnormality in the person beside him, Immortal Venerable Louyun snapped back to his senses, turned, and frowned at Su Xianzhi. "What is it?"
Su Xianzhi stiffened, but still lifted her innocent little face and said firmly, "Master, this disciple failed this time, but next time I will definitely win it back!"
Immortal Venerable Louyun fell silent. Looking at the tough and adorable girl before him, his heart softened slightly, and he finally nodded.
The tournament soon drew to a close. Thanks to the participation of Senior Brother Bai Yileng, Huaming Peak successfully won first place in the Foundation Establishment Stage. Combined with Jin Bao'er's first-place finish in the Qi Condensation Stage, their total score finally rose to second place, completely shaking off the infamous title of coming in last for three consecutive years!
When the old man found out, he was so thrilled he was ready to host a celebration banquet on the spot...
However, by the next morning, a rumor spread rapidly that made the old man so angry he almost passed out.
"They actually said my good disciple's cultivation is fake? Fake their damn grandmother! Why don't they try faking one themselves?"
A roar echoed across the entire Huaming Peak, startling birds and beasts into scattering in all directions! Jin Bao'er, who was regulating her breath in the training room, heard it loud and clear...
"Why does Master need to get angry over a few words from outsiders? Ruining your health over this is not worth it!"
The Seventh Senior Brother spoke up first to comfort him. The other senior brothers also wore furious expressions, even the Second Senior Brother's face had grown a bit cold, and the rest were much the same.
"Senior Brother is right! But Junior Sister walks a straight path with a clear conscience, so why should she suffer such humiliation? Master, rest assured, this disciple will definitely not let the person gossiping behind our backs off the hook!"
Just as Jin Bao'er walked in, those were the exact words she heard from her Sixth Senior Brother, Lan Yingqing. A wave of warmth washed over her heart; she never expected that even her Sixth Senior Brother, who was usually not one for many words, would be so protective of her! The young girl nodded slightly, her tone firm yet calm and composed.
"Since this matter was brought on by me, I shall take responsibility for resolving it!"
As her voice fell, everyone in the room turned to look at her simultaneously, their eyes filled entirely with heartache for her.
"Junior Sister, say no more. You are a part of our Huaming Peak, and bullying you means bullying us. We will definitely not let this matter slide!"
Facing this staunch defense, Jin Bao'er felt a bit helpless, but even more so, deeply moved. In her past life, whenever she was framed, plotted against, hunted, or ambushed, Immortal Venerable Louyun had always worn a cold expression of indifference, and Su Xianzhi would only hypocritically kick her while she was down, with not a single fellow disciple speaking up for her!
Yet now, this master and her seven senior brothers stood unwaveringly on her side. How could she not be moved?!
Soon, the group directly seized a disciple who had been wagging his tongue and headed straight for the Law Enforcement Hall to report an intentional slander. Upon being caught, the disciple was initially terrified and nervous, shouting over and over, "Cultivating to Qi Condensation Level 4 in just half a year—who would believe she didn't take pills?"
Once they arrived at the Law Enforcement Hall, he was so frightened he fell completely silent!
The First Senior Brother stepped to the side, his overwhelming aura pressing down like a physical force.