Many people were astonished by this scene. They had thought Xu Chunniang had won the first two matches so easily only because her cultivation was slightly higher, but they had not expected her to defeat a third level Qi Condensation opponent just as effortlessly.
Such a swift victory was rare in the third round of matches.
The inner sect disciples naturally took notice of this battle. "Wu Sheng performed quite well earlier, yet he was actually trapped by nothing more than a Water Bind Technique."
"The main reason is that Xu Chunniang acted quickly. She made her move the instant the match began and seized the initiative. Moreover, her mastery of the Water Bind Technique is extremely high—she cast it almost instantly."
"If the birthmark on Xu Chunniang's face were not so ugly, I really would have chosen her."
"Hahaha, her spiritual plant specialty is rather poisonous too. Although Spiritual Medicine Masters are highly sought after, Spiritual Plant Cultivators and Spiritual Medicine Masters are vastly different."
Xu Chunniang did not know how these inner sect disciples judged her, and even if she had, she would not have cared. They were merely a group of irrelevant people.
Unlike the others, Xu Chunniang did not look upon inner sect disciples with admiration and reverence. In her eyes, there was no fundamental difference between herself and them.
They had merely entered the inner sect before her. Sooner or later, she would enter as well.
"Number ninety-one, Su Chen, talisman specialty. Against number ninety-one, Chu Mengjiao, talisman specialty. Proceed to arena seven."
Xu Chunniang raised her head with interest. Su Chen's opponent this time was actually another talisman specialist.
How would the two fight? Would they pull out talismans and hurl them at each other?
The match began swiftly. Chu Mengjiao struck first, smashing a handful of talismans toward Su Chen. At the same time, a flying sword under her control slashed toward him!
"Chu Mengjiao's move is beautiful! Returning the other's method upon their own body! Hahaha, doesn't Su Chen like smashing people with talismans? Looks like it's his turn to be smashed now."
Xu Chunniang vaguely felt that Su Chen would not lose so easily, but she was also curious how he would break the situation.
Su Chen, however, remained utterly composed. He took a talisman from his Storage Bag and slapped it onto himself. A barrier of light immediately enveloped his entire body.
Numerous talismans exploded around him, yet the barrier did not budge in the slightest. Then the flying sword slammed fiercely into it, only leaving ripples across its surface.
Chu Mengjiao gritted her teeth and desperately poured spiritual energy into her flying sword, sending it hurtling at the barrier once more.
Yet this time, the result was no different from before. The barrier perfectly blocked her attack.
Just as she refused to accept this and wanted to try again, Su Chen had already launched his counterattack. Three talismans flew toward her at astonishing speed, and she did not even have time to raise a shield.
"I concede!"
No matter how unwilling she was, Chu Mengjiao knew that she had lost.
Even her flying sword could not break his defensive talisman. Even if he stood still and let her attack him, she would not be able to hurt him.
Quite a few inner sect disciples were drawn to this battle. "This Su Chen has never truly made a move, but his talismans... are powerful!"
"If he made all these talismans himself, then his value is even greater."
"That Chu Mengjiao was not bad either. If Su Chen had not possessed a defensive talisman, she might have already won."
The third round of matches was nearing its end. As the final battle concluded, the top fifty had been selected.
These people were the strongest among this batch of Outer Sect Disciples. Their becoming retainers was practically a nailed-on certainty.
Steward Mu swept her gaze across the entire area. "The top fifty, step forward. Everyone else, move back."
Xu Chunniang was surprised to discover an old acquaintance among the fifty: Qi Haozhi.
She remembered that he had someone backing him in the inner sect. That person... might have come today as well.
The other Outer Sect Disciples looked at the fifty with envy, jealousy, and resentment mingled in their eyes.
There were only a little over two hundred retainer positions in total, yet these people had claimed a quarter of them at once. Furthermore, as the first group to be selected, they would follow stronger inner sect disciples.
The inner sect disciples stepped forward one after another, choosing the retainers they favored.
The selections from number one through number ten went smoothly, but an accident occurred when number eleven, Song Lan of the Main Peak, made his selection.
"What? You are unwilling to become my retainer?"
Song Lan pointed at Su Chen's nose, his face filled with fury. "Do you know what you are about to lose?"
Su Chen wore a smile, but his voice remained calm. "There is no need for Senior Brother to worry about that for me. In any case, I have no intention of becoming anyone's retainer."
"Good. You dare reject my recruitment? I will remember you!"
Song Lan, having been rejected, gave a cold snort and chose another person he had favored earlier.
The other inner sect disciples were all greatly surprised by this. "No way, someone is actually that foolish? That is Senior Brother Song from the Main Peak. If he follows Senior Brother Song, Foundation Establishment will practically be a nailed-on certainty."
"I truly cannot understand what this Su Chen is thinking. A bright future was delivered right into his hands, yet he refused it. Does he think he is some great figure? He is merely an Outer Sect Disciple. Being able to serve us is his honor."
"This Su Chen does have some backbone. But I would like to know whether, when his lifespan runs dry and his cultivation cannot advance an inch, when he is trapped to death in the outer sect, he will still possess such backbone!"
Su Chen's rejection of the recruitment caused a stir among the inner sect disciples, while among the Outer Sect Disciples, it drew countless mockeries.
"What? He actually rejected the invitation of Senior Brother Number Eleven? This Su Chen really is quite a talent! Does he know what he is doing?"
"Hahaha, isn't it good that he refused? That gives the rest of us a chance. I only wish there were a few more fools like him!"
Xu Chunniang looked at Su Chen, a strange light flickering in her eyes. She had not expected someone else to make the same choice as her.
That was good too. When she rejected recruitment later, she would not appear overly unique.
Although Xu Chunniang's performance had been eye-catching, no one came to choose her for the moment because of her ugly birthmark and her unpopular specialty. Strictly speaking, her features were not bad, but the birthmark on her face was truly rather unpleasant to the eye.
After all, once a retainer followed an inner sect disciple, it would be for decades. One should at least choose someone pleasing to the eye.
"Number thirty-four, Huangfu Yao of Pill Peak."
Xu Chunniang looked up and let out a soft sound of surprise.
The one who came forward this time was none other than the young girl who had humiliated her aboard the Flying Ship. So her name was Huangfu Yao.
Huangfu Yao had clearly seen Xu Chunniang as well. She shot her a vicious glare. Evidently, she had not forgotten this "Ugly Girl" who had made her suffer a setback.
In such a setting, Huangfu Yao did not do anything else. She directly recruited Qi Haozhi and left the stage. But judging from her expression, she still harbored resentment over Xu Chunniang having made her lose face.
"I once heard that someone named Huangfu Tian was taken in as a disciple by an elder of Pill Peak. I wonder what his relationship is with this Huangfu Yao."
Xu Chunniang quietly kept this matter in mind. It was just as well that Qi Haozhi had gone to the inner sect—there was one less person to trouble her.
"Number thirty-seven, Wei Dawu of Artifact Peak."
Hearing a familiar name, Xu Chunniang hurriedly raised her head and looked toward the newcomer.
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