A few days later, when Xiao Mo's stipend came in, Jiang Qingyi clung to it for dear life and refused to give it back to her master.
Although she was happy that her master supported her,
winning the championship was just too difficult.
She couldn't let her master waste any more money.
As for the money her master had wagered, Jiang Qingyi had already made up her mind.
In this New Blood Martial Arts Competition, as long as she still had a breath in her, she would give it her all and do everything she could to win back the money her master had wagered!
Soon,
the day of the New Blood Martial Arts Competition arrived.
Early that morning, Xiao Mo took Jiang Qingyi down the mountain to the competition venue.
The New Blood Martial Arts Competition was held on a small plain.
Formations divided the plain into one area after another.
Each formation was a fighting ring.
Jiang Qingyi drew her lot and was assigned to Group A.
Her first opponent was an inner sect disciple from Nine Swords Peak, at Qi Cultivation Level 6.
At Qi Cultivation Level 7, Jiang Qingyi had little trouble dealing with him.
And that was exactly how it went.
Jiang Qingyi won her first-round match with ease.
Xiao Mo wasn't surprised that Jiang Qingyi had passed the first round.
Although all newly initiated disciples were allowed to enter the New Blood Martial Arts Competition,
most of them were really only there to "participate."
The first round was meant to weed out cultivators below Qi Cultivation Level 5.
So the first round was mostly a matter of higher-level cultivators fighting lower-level ones, and most people won easily.
The second round was where the real competition began.
There were three hundred disciples in the second round of this year's New Blood Martial Arts Competition.
Jiang Qingyi's second-round opponent was an inner sect disciple from Sword Formation Hall. His cultivation was the same as hers: Qi Cultivation Level 7.
As the name suggested, disciples of Sword Formation Hall excelled at using sword formations.
One sword alone couldn't form a sword formation, so they usually carried large sword cases on their backs, each holding several swords.
This match was no easy one for Jiang Qingyi.
In the end, Jiang Qingyi narrowly defeated her opponent, but she was injured as well.
Cultivators from Medical Hall stood by, tending to Jiang Qingyi's injuries right away.
The New Blood Martial Arts Competition lasted four days in all.
On the second day, the competition was held in groups of three.
All three were opponents; two would be eliminated, and one would advance.
When the second day's matches ended, Jiang Qingyi had made it into the top one hundred.
But watching Qingyi struggle through today's matches, Xiao Mo thought she could probably win only one more round at most.
Tomorrow would bring one-on-one matches decided by lots, arena battles, three-person battles, and more.
The schedule was extremely packed, and they had to select the Top 16.
The disciples who had made it to the third day were no pushovers.
Xiao Mo was already thinking about how to comfort Qingyi.
"Don't worry, Qingyi. You've done wonderfully. Making the top one hundred in the New Blood Martial Arts Competition is already quite an achievement."
At dinner, Xiao Mo tried to reassure Jiang Qingyi.
"No, Master!" Jiang Qingyi held her hands together in front of her. "You wagered so many spirit stones. I have to keep doing my best, or all those spirit stones you bet will go down the drain."
"..."
Xiao Mo wanted to say something more.
But when he saw the determination in his disciple's eyes, he only smiled faintly and ruffled Jiang Qingyi's hair. "They haven't gone down the drain. This is me supporting you, isn't it?"
"Master... honestly." Jiang Qingyi sighed.
On the surface, the girl lamented how wasteful her master was, but deep down, she felt warm inside.
In her first match on the third day, Jiang Qingyi faced an inner sect disciple at Qi Cultivation Level 8.
Everyone thought Jiang Qingyi was certain to lose.
At first, she really was driven back by the disciple's attacks, with scarcely a glimmer of hope for victory.
Xiao Mo, standing outside the ring, was about to wave the white flag and surrender on Jiang Qingyi's behalf.
But unexpectedly, at the last moment, Jiang Qingyi broke through to Qi Cultivation Level 8 in the middle of the battle.
As her opponent faltered for an instant,
Jiang Qingyi seized her chance and unleashed Burning Grass Style from the Grass Character Sword Art!
Her sword swept through a wave of fire, turning defeat into victory.
But Jiang Qingyi had no time to celebrate.
She had to enter the next match right away.
To Xiao Mo's surprise, all of the third day's matches came to an end, and Jiang Qingyi had made it into the Top 16!
"Master, I made it into the Top 16!" Jiang Qingyi ran over to her master, beaming.
She bounced on her toes, lifting her fair chin as she waited eagerly for her master's praise.
"Very impressive. Just what I'd expect from my disciple." Xiao Mo reached out and gently wiped the blood from the corner of the girl's mouth. "But Qingyi, let's withdraw."
"Huh?" Jiang Qingyi stared blankly at her master.
"You only barely won your matches today, and your injuries are too severe." Xiao Mo patted the girl's head. "You've already proven yourself. I'm more than satisfied."
In Xiao Mo's eyes, Qingyi had nearly reached her limit.
The other members of the Top 16 were injured too,
but their injuries weren't as bad as Qingyi's.
And tomorrow, the intensity would rise another level.
It would be terrible if anything happened to Qingyi.
Jiang Qingyi lowered her head, her little hands gripping her skirt tightly as she wrestled with the decision.
But at last, the girl raised her head and looked at Xiao Mo with resolute eyes. "Master! I'm not afraid! I want to keep competing!"
Myriad Laws Under Heaven, Myriad Sword Sect.
The maid Qiu Ye arrived at the sect master's residence. "Sect Master, here is the list for the second round of the New Blood Martial Arts Competition. Please have a look."
The sect master glanced at Qiu Ye. "No need. I trust you to handle things."
"Yes, Sect Master." Qiu Ye put the list away. "Sect Master, a disciple from Heaven's Secrets City just delivered a letter. He asked me to tell you, 'The city lord has done all she can. This is as far as she can see.'"
As soon as Qiu Ye finished speaking, the sect master abruptly turned her head and fixed her gaze on Qiu Ye.
Under the sect master's stare, Qiu Ye swallowed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. It felt as though a mountain were pressing down on her.
"The letter." The sect master uttered two words.
"It's—it's here." Qiu Ye hurriedly took a letter from her robes.
Qiu Ye had never seen the sect master like this before.
The sect master crooked a finger, and the letter flew into her hand.
"Zhou Kingdom, Imperial Capital."
Half an incense stick later, the sect master's eyes flickered, and she let out a deep breath. She gently tossed the letter upward, and in an instant, the sheet of paper became countless fragments that scattered on the wind.
"Finally, I'm going to find you."
The sect master gazed at the stars filling the sky, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. For the first time in three thousand years, the woman smiled.
"I told you, you couldn't escape."
"Master."
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