Asking Mistress Again

The sun rose, and the City Lord's mansion was once again crowded.

A total of thirty-three cultivators had registered for this Ascension Gathering. Coincidentally, one of them, Wu Cheng, received a bye in the first round.

Today was the second round, and Wu Cheng's match was scheduled for the first bout. Everyone had arrived early, eager to witness firsthand the prowess of the young man who had long been famous in the city.

Wu Cheng's opponent was named Liang Hong, the sole heir of another prominent family in the city, the Liang family. He was also a renowned genius in Chuyun City, though his reputation paled in comparison to Wu Cheng's. Because he intensely disliked You Su, he and Wu Cheng were considered friends.

The two faced each other from a distance in the center of the arena. Liang Hong showed no signs of fear. Although he knew he might not be Wu Cheng's match, he had to consider if this was his only chance in life.

The bronze drum sounded. Sunlight illuminated the empty arena. Wu Cheng drew his sword and ended the match with lightning speed.

The Sky Guard Sect was not a Sword Sect. Swordsmanship was merely a branch within the sect; most disciples primarily cultivated sorcery, and Wu Cheng was no exception. Yet today, he hadn't even used sorcery. He insisted on winning with a single sword strike, as if competing with You Su, who had also swiftly concluded his battle yesterday.

His match made everyone present understand that even among geniuses, there were different levels of skill. It also made it clear to everyone that only You Su and Wu Cheng would ultimately stand on the Ascension Gathering stage.

Qi Daodong's expression was calm as he stroked his white beard, appearing as if he had expected this. He paid no mind to the livid face of the Liang family head. Even City Lord Liu and Gu Yao couldn't help but nod in approval.

While such a match was astonishing, it lacked much in the way of spectacle. Ordinary people preferred the more evenly matched battles that followed. At the same time, they eagerly anticipated You Su's performance in the final match.

In the afternoon, it was You Su's turn.

Before leaving, You Su told his Junior Sister that he was going to fight someone, and whoever won would have a better chance of getting the listening-to-studies qualification. He specifically instructed Ji Lingruo to continue resting and not to sneak out to watch his match.

Ji Lingruo rolled her eyes playfully. "I wasn't planning on going anyway," she said. "You Su will just defeat those people with a wave of his hand, there's nothing interesting to see."

She would never show that "Wow, Senior Brother is so amazing!" disgusted expression just to watch You Su display his might in front of everyone.

Under the enthusiastic gaze of the spectators, You Su walked to the center of the arena. His opponent today was named Gao Li. He was only a year older than You Su but was already the foremost figure under thirty in the Wind Thunder Fist Sect, and the junior disciple Sheng Ziling was desperate to crush.

However, You Su didn't actually know him. They had no past grievances or even any interaction. You Su could sense that his quiet and steady opponent was a true cultivator, which inspired a degree of respect in his heart.

As it turned out, Gao Li was indeed no ordinary talent, far stronger than Sheng Ziling. You Su was not one to deliberately belittle his opponents. It was just that Sheng Ziling had been too annoying yesterday, which was why he had instantly killed him without mercy. Facing Gao Li, You Su deliberately restrained his sword intent and met Gao Li's powerful fists. The two dueled back and forth. It looked like a genuine spar, with neither one solely focused on victory.

Only when Gao Li's punch, imbued with spiritual energy, was deflected by You Su did he decisively cup his fists and concede. The spectacular duel finally concluded.

While the audience enjoyed the match immensely, they couldn't help but compare it to Wu Cheng's match that morning. Both opponents were strong, but the ease with which they won was vastly different. The crowd had already formed their own opinions on who would ultimately secure the listening-to-studies spot.

You Su didn't care about any of this. After inquiring about the time of his match tomorrow, he left the arena.

It wasn't dark yet when he returned home. His Junior Sister was still resting.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, You Su practiced his breathing exercises for a while. As the sun began to set, he walked to the Mistress's door.

He had asked his Junior Sister yesterday if she wanted to go to the Divine Mountain. Today, he had to ask the Mistress.

Counting the days, the Mistress hadn't made a sound in ten days. In fact, this duration wasn't particularly long within the past eight years. The longest period, You Su had calculated, was a full forty-four days.

You Su didn't know why the Mistress, who claimed to have no cultivation, could practice Grain Avoidance for so many years. Perhaps she had consumed some rare heavenly treasures or spirit pills.

But You Su always felt that the Mistress, ethereal and graceful like an immortal, gave off a presence even surpassing that of an immortal. Therefore, You Su had always believed her words implicitly, because people like her wouldn't lie, like a pure white lotus that couldn't harbor any filth.

You Su hesitated for a moment before finally knocking on the door.

"Mistress?"

After a long wait, the Mistress's cool voice drifted out, sounding even more ethereal than before.

"What is it?"

You Su nervously smoothed his clothes, unsure why he was so nervous.

"You Su has a question for Mistress."

As soon as he spoke, You Su regretted it. This opening sounded exactly the same as last time. Would Mistress think he had too many questions?

"Ask away," the Mistress replied crisply.

"Mistress... do you want to go to Mount Henggao?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Uh... recently, a Divine Mountain immortal master came to Chuyun City. He's an outer disciple steward of the Xuanxiao Sect, and he has a spot for listening-to-studies at the Xuanxiao Sect. I want to try and get it."

"You really want to enter the Xuanxiao Sect?" The Mistress's voice had a rare tremor, clearly intrigued by the answer.

"It's not that I want to enter the Xuanxiao Sect. Listening-to-studies doesn't change one's sect affiliation; I'm still a person of the Mandarin Sword Sect. Although You Su is blind, his heart is not. Without Master, I wouldn't be who I am today. How could I join another sect or apprentice myself to someone else while he's traveling?" You Su quickly explained, fearing he hadn't said enough. He continued, "You Su wants to go listen to studies just to learn different knowledge, meet different people, and experience the grandeur of the Divine Mountain, to witness the pinnacle of this world. Master once said that by the time he returns, he will be famous across the Five Continents. You Su naturally must also strive to be worthy of the title of Master's disciple."

The Mistress seemed to be processing his words. After a brief silence, she gave her reply:

"I do."

You Su's face lit up, and he lightly clenched his fist.

His biggest worry was that the Mistress wouldn't want to leave the Mandarin Sword Sect and would just wait here indefinitely for their Master's uncertain return. Fortunately, everything was proceeding according to his plan, as if the day he cured his Junior Sister and the Mistress would arrive tomorrow.

"Thank you, Mistress."

"No need to thank me. If you truly wish to go listen to studies, then strive for it."

"You Su will do his best."

With that, You Su bowed and withdrew. He looked west, his blurred vision meeting the last fading rays of the setting sun. His heart swelled with hope.