What Grudge, What Grievance

At the center of the Martial Arts Stage, the atmosphere was somewhat hushed. Below, the Outer Sect Disciples who had the strength to contend for the top ten but considered themselves unlucky were sizing up the top ten contestants on the arena.

To be precise, they were looking at the three Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivators, as well as Lu Yi.

The three Qi Refining Ninth Layer Outer Sect Disciples standing on the arena wore cold expressions. Their gazes swept over their restless fellow disciples below as they released their auras, intending to make those people carefully weigh the consequences of choosing them.

Lu Yi, on the other hand, did not release any aura at all. He looked like a harmless little white rabbit.

Just then, Mo Lingxi was the first to step forward. "Yu Ming, I challenge you!"

Yu Ming was a Qi Refining Ninth Layer disciple with thick brows and an ordinary face. He frowned at Mo Lingxi. "Mo Lingxi, are you sure you want to challenge me?! Do you think I'm the weakest one?!"

Mo Lingxi grinned. "Can't be helped. I know I'm still a bit lacking compared to Tian Lu and Lin Yu. As for Junior Brother Lu... heh, I already lost to him just now. I think Junior Brother Lu is even stronger than Tian Lu and Lin Yu... You're the only one I think I have a chance against."

Upon hearing this, quite a few faces changed slightly as they looked toward Lu Yi.

"What?! Mo Lingxi lost to Junior Brother Lu just now?!"

"Really? Junior Brother Lu is actually that strong?"

"You didn't know? The battle for a top-ten spot on Arena No. 9 was between Junior Brother Lu and Senior Brother Mo Lingxi. Junior Brother Lu was insanely strong. That White Cloud Swordplay truly opened my eyes."

"We didn't know. We were at Arena No. 4, with the Central Arena right between us and Arena No. 9, so we didn't pay attention."

"Then you missed quite a show. I think Junior Brother Lu is even stronger than Senior Sister Tian Lu and Senior Brother Lin Yu."

"Hiss..."

Everyone sucked in a breath. The disciples who had originally been eager to challenge someone now looked at Lu Yi with deep wariness and quickly shifted their gazes away.

In that case, it seemed they could only challenge someone else.

Lu Yi felt everyone's eyes on him, and he went numb.

He looked at Mo Lingxi and the disciples below who were talking, feeling utterly despairing. What grudge, what grievance did they have against him?!

He had thought he might be able to earn some Perfect Qi Condensation Pills this round, but what was this?!

Why were they making him sound so powerful???

He was obviously very weak!

When Lu Yi saw the Qi Refining Ninth Layer disciples look away, his heart went cold.

Hearing Mo Lingxi and the disciples below, Yu Ming's expression changed as well. He glanced at Lu Yi, gritted his teeth, and snorted at Mo Lingxi. "Then let's try it! I, Yu Ming, am not someone to be trifled with!"

Seeing this, Dugu Fang smiled. "In that case, begin the challenge."

The top-ten challenge matches were held on the Central Arena. Lu Yi and the others stepped down from the arena while Dugu Fang floated in the air, personally serving as referee. Mo Lingxi and Yu Ming stepped onto the arena.

Below the arena, Lu Yi wore a numb expression, utterly devoid of hope. He was practically becoming the biggest sucker around.

If he had known, he would have hit Mo Lingxi harder earlier. That bastard had actually praised him so extravagantly. If no one challenged him, it would all be Mo Lingxi's fault!

Then Lu Yi reconsidered. If he really had hit Mo Lingxi harder, the others would probably have been even less likely to challenge him.

At that thought, Lu Yi withdrew even further into himself.

Lin Wan'er looked at Lu Yi with a cheerful smile. "Junior Brother Lu Yi, I didn't expect you to be so impressive?"

Lu Yi came back to his senses and saw that the Qi Refining Tenth Layer disciples beside him were all examining him. He gave a shy smile. "Senior Brother Mo Lingxi exaggerated. I'm only average."

Jiang Fan chuckled. "Why be modest, Junior Brother Lu? I saw your strength for myself. Your White Cloud Swordplay has probably already reached close to its limit, hasn't it?"

The others' expressions changed when they heard this, and they looked at Lu Yi with greater surprise.

"You trained a Basic Technique to its limit?" The cold, stern youth carrying twin sabers looked at Lu Yi, battle intent flickering in his eyes. "Interesting. In tomorrow's top-ten ranking battle, I look forward to fighting you."

The other Qi Refining Tenth Layer disciples also regarded Lu Yi with a few more degrees of seriousness.

Seeing the expressions of the Qi Refining Tenth Layer disciples, Lu Yi relaxed somewhat. Although he had lost the chance to spar with a few Qi Refining Ninth Layer senior brothers, they would definitely fight in tomorrow's top-ten ranking battle. There had to be some rewards then, right?

Thinking of this, Lu Yi's mood improved again.

He said with a smile, "Senior Brother Jiang Fan flatters me. During tomorrow's ranking battle, I hope all you senior brothers and sisters will go easy on me."

While they spoke, the battle on the arena had already begun.

Lu Yi knew Mo Lingxi's strength. He was among the best at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, but Yu Ming was equally formidable.

Watching the battle, Lu Yi discovered that Yu Ming had likewise cultivated his techniques to the Transformation Realm. More importantly, the longsaber in Yu Ming's hand was a Low-Grade Magic Item—something Mo Lingxi lacked.

The battle between the two was fierce and blazing. In the end, Yu Ming relied on the advantage of his magic item to win the match.

Mo Lingxi was somewhat unwilling to accept it, but there was nothing he could do.

After Yu Ming and Mo Lingxi's battle ended, someone else issued a challenge. Because of Mo Lingxi's earlier words, all these challengers avoided Lu Yi.

Perhaps Yu Ming was the weakest among the three Qi Refining Ninth Layer disciples, as he received the most challenges. In the end, an Outer Sect Disciple wielding twin swords defeated Yu Ming and became one of the new top ten.

Lu Yi knew this twin-sword disciple's name as well. He was called Wan Hua, and his strength was remarkable. He had originally been a genius among the leading ranks of the Outer Sect.

Yu Ming was slightly inferior by comparison. His entry into the top ten had depended on both strength and luck.

Unfortunately, he still lost to Wan Hua in the end and merely made a wedding dress for someone else.

After Wan Hua, no one continued to challenge anyone, and the top ten were finalized.

By then, evening had arrived. The day's matches were over. Tomorrow would be the final day of the grand competition, and also its most crucial day.

The top-ten rankings would be decided.

Although the final challenge matches had brought a minor surprise, Lu Yi still obtained five Perfect Qi Condensation Pills. It counted as a modest gain, and he was quite pleased.

As usual, Dugu Fang announced the end of the day's grand competition. Everyone departed one after another. Lu Yi likewise did not return with Lu Gaoyang and Wang Siqi, instead going home alone.

Early the next morning.

Nearly all the Outer Sect disciples, stewards, and elders rose early and came to the Martial Arts Stage.

Lu Yi was no exception. After arriving at the Martial Arts Stage, he found that there were even more people floating in the sky than before.

Lu Yi understood that some of them were Inner Sect elders who had come to observe the situation.

After all, the top ten disciples could enter the Inner Sect without examination. They could already be considered Inner Sect Disciples. Some Inner Sect elders would come to inspect their strength, and if they were satisfied, they might even approach these disciples and take them as apprentices.

Of course, the elders who came to observe the Outer Sect assessments were merely ordinary elders within the Inner Sect. Powerful elders and peak masters would not come here just because they had nothing better to do.

No matter how talented an Outer Sect Disciple was, few could truly rise to prominence after entering the Inner Sect. After all, Inner Sect Disciples had basically all risen from the Outer Sect. Which one of them had not been a genius in the Outer Sect?

Some had even been brought back from outside and raised by great figures since childhood. Those people possessed even more extraordinary talent.

To them, the Outer Sect top-ten grand competition was merely so-so. Only those who continued to display exceptional talent after entering the Inner Sect would draw the attention of those powerful figures.