Such a Coincidence?

"It's her!"

She was a tall young woman dressed in a black robe with wide sleeves, a longsword held in her arms and her hair tied high behind her head. Bright eyes, pearly teeth, skin like congealed cream—fresh and lovely.

Yet that was not the most important thing. What mattered was that Lu Ming actually recognized her face.

She was the young woman outside Shuofeng City, beside the official road, who had instructed someone in the carriage to give him a bundle.

Though he had only caught a fleeting glimpse of her, that face remained etched deeply in his memory.

"You know her?"

Seeing Lu Ming's expression, Cui Bai asked in confusion.

"I do." After confirming it again, Lu Ming nodded.

"Then do you want to go say hello?" Though Cui Bai was somewhat surprised, he did not think much of it.

Lu Ming turned to look and saw that the line was nearly at him. "Let's wait until after I register."

In truth, he was still hesitating over whether he should greet her.

After all, she might have long since forgotten him.

Before he could think further, it was already his turn.

"Identity token," said the elder recording the registrations.

Lu Ming hurriedly handed it over.

The elder took it, merely registered it, then gave him a competition certificate with a number plate on it: Team Ten, Number Sixty-Nine.

With that, his registration was complete.

Next came Cui Bai.

Lu Ming stepped aside but did not leave. He had still decided to greet her and offer the thanks he had not had the chance to express last time.

After all, that bundle had been of immense help to him.

Otherwise, merely surviving would have cost him a great deal of time.

After Cui Bai finished registering, he saw Lu Ming waiting for someone and understood why. He did not disturb him and left on his own.

Registration proceeded quickly, and soon it was her turn.

After receiving her identity token, the elder frowned. "Zhu Ningyun, why are you at the very end of the line?"

"Reporting to Elder, the Sect Master and Elder Gongsun spoke with me, so I arrived late."

"I see. Then you can only take Team Ten, Number Ninety-Two."

"Yes."

"So she's Zhu Ningyun. No wonder. I was wondering how someone who had only recently joined the Inner Sect could cultivate so quickly."

Not far away, Lu Ming suddenly heard their conversation. He was startled, yet also came to a realization.

Seeing that she had finished registering, he hurried over.

"Is something the matter?"

Blocked by someone so suddenly, Zhu Ningyun frowned.

Lu Ming spoke directly. "Over a year ago, outside Shuofeng City, there was a beggar by the roadside. You instructed someone to give him a bundle. Do you remember?"

"A beggar?"

Hearing this, Zhu Ningyun began recalling it in confusion. Before long, the figure who had immediately lowered his head upon seeing her surfaced in her mind.

"I remember."

After recalling it, the confusion in her eyes deepened. Looking at Lu Ming, she asked, "You... are one of his relatives or friends?"

Lu Ming coughed lightly and explained, "That was me. I practice martial arts now."

"Oh."

Zhu Ningyun nodded while holding her sword. Just as Lu Ming wondered why her reaction was not what it should have been, she suddenly cried out:

"It was you?"

"It was me."

"Impossible... back then, you were still... but now..."

She kept scrutinizing Lu Ming. Seeing that he had actually reached the Mid True Qi Realm, and that his physique and bearing could not be connected at all to the image in her memories.

Her expression shifted from doubt, to shock, to utter disbelief.

It was quite a spectacle.

"To be honest, before I met you, I had just encountered a fortuitous opportunity. Then the ten taels of silver you gave me became my starting capital."

Lu Ming added.

"Then your talent..."

After carefully examining him, Zhu Ningyun confirmed that although Lu Ming's physique and bearing had changed completely, his appearance had not changed all that much.

Thus, she believed him seven or eight parts out of ten.

But she soon realized another problem.

At the time, he had clearly possessed no cultivation at all. Counting it out, he had not cultivated for very long.

Yet his realm was actually equal to hers.

That was somewhat unbelievable.

Could Lu Ming say that he had advanced faster than her? He merely said, "In any case, I waited here because I wanted to thank you."

"There's no need. Back then, a sudden kindness came over me. It was merely something I did in passing."

Zhu Ningyun still found it difficult to believe. Her casual act seemed to have shaped a person.

The feeling was quite strange.

Lu Ming smiled. "During this time, while carrying out missions, I've saved many people as well. When they thanked me, I often said the same thing."

"Only now that it's my turn do I understand their at-a-loss feeling. After all, the favor was too great."

"What did you do back then?"

Zhu Ningyun was rather surprised—surprised that he would suddenly say this, and also surprised that he was already taking on missions.

"Simple. Brush off my sleeves once the deed was done, hiding both achievement and fame deep away."

"What a fine line. It carries the carefree air of a wandering hero. It's a good idea too. Farewell."

Zhu Ningyun praised him, then suddenly leaped away.

Naturally, her so-called departure had been a joke. The two could be considered old acquaintances, and they both felt a certain closeness, so they began chatting instead.

Along the way, Lu Ming invited her to Cuiyun Tower for a meal, as a token of his gratitude.

Only at dusk did the two part ways.

Inside the Sect Master's hall, Wuji Sect Master Li Ansheng was discussing matters with Gongsun He.

"Have all preparations for the Inner Sect Grand Competition been completed?" Li Ansheng asked.

"Rest assured. Everything is ready."

Li Ansheng nodded. Just as he was about to say something more, a disciple reported that Zhu Ningyun requested an audience.

"It's that girl. Let her in quickly."

Li Ansheng immediately stopped the discussion.

Before long, Zhu Ningyun entered. After offering her salute, she said nothing.

This left Li Ansheng and Gongsun He, seated above, rather puzzled.

Gongsun He gave a light cough to break the silence and asked, "Ningyun, weren't you going to register for the Grand Competition preliminaries? What, did you fail to make it in time?"

"Reporting to Elder, I made it."

"Then what is this about?" Gongsun He asked, baffled.

Zhu Ningyun said directly, "Elder, Sect Master, is there someone in the sect whose cultivation talent is even greater than mine?"

The two were immediately startled. "Why would you ask that?"

Zhu Ningyun then recounted what had happened between herself and Lu Ming.

Only after listening did the two relax. So Lu Ming had not been exposed. Yet in the next instant, they were filled with immense astonishment.

When Lu Ming had joined the sect, he had told them everything except about the Jade Pendant. Naturally, they knew that he had received help from a kindhearted person outside the city.

But they had never imagined that person would be the gifted young woman standing before them.

This fate truly defied description.

"Such a coincidence could actually happen?" Li Ansheng turned his head.

"The facts are right before us." Gongsun He spread his hands.

"Good, good!"

Li Ansheng suddenly laughed heartily. "Such a coincidental matter is actually connected to my Wuji Sect. This means that the rise of our sect seems to have Heaven's blessing!"

"Chu Yunxiao deserves no small share of the credit. Otherwise, Lu Ming would have gone to Nine Heavens Sect."

Gongsun He added.

"Reward Chu Yunxiao heavily!"

"Ah?"

Gongsun He had merely mentioned it in passing. How could he have expected this? He hurriedly said, "He has already been rewarded twice."

"Reward him again!"

Gongsun He helplessly rubbed his forehead.

And just like that, Chu Yunxiao inexplicably received another reward.

"Sect Master, there's me too."

Zhu Ningyun suddenly spoke.

Only then did the two realize there was a third person present. Gongsun He smiled and said, "Ningyun, what reward do you want?"

Zhu Ningyun said, "I want to participate in the secret realm trial after the Grand Competition."

"No." Li Ansheng immediately refused, rising to his feet. "It is fraught with danger inside. You absolutely cannot go."

"I'm not afraid of death. Besides, Lu Ming has even greater talent than I do, yet he has already left the sect to complete quite a few missions."

Zhu Ningyun immediately retorted.

"Ningyun, your circumstances are different. Not fearing death is a fine quality in Martial Artists, but there is a difference between not fearing death and actively seeking it."

"But you can't protect me for my whole life, can you? How am I supposed to grow like this?"

Zhu Ningyun's voice carried a sob.

Silence fell over the hall. Gongsun He opened his mouth, not knowing what else to say, but Li Ansheng suddenly said:

"Fine. As long as you place within the top thirty in this Inner Sect Grand Competition—no, the top twenty—no, the top ten. As long as you enter the top ten and reach the Peak True Qi Realm by the time the secret realm opens, I'll agree to let you go."

"Fine, I agree. Just watch me."

Zhu Ningyun turned her tears into a smile and immediately left, afraid that they would regret it.

"Hiss, Sect Master, why do I feel like you've fallen for a trap?"

"Have I?"

Li Ansheng stroked his chin. He did feel that way somewhat, but he would not admit it. "Rest assured. Those little ones in the top ten each have their own exceptional skills. None of them are easy opponents."

"Although Ningyun's talent is decent, she has cultivated for too short a time and lacks foundation. She definitely cannot enter the top ten."

"Even the top thirty would be difficult. I only said that to be safe."

He was brimming with confidence.

"Just now, that girl Ningyun said Lu Ming has also reached the Mid True Qi Realm. What ranking do you think he can achieve?"