"A-Min." Ning Yu could no longer sit still. He sprang to his feet and strode toward the person he had been thinking about constantly, but as he drew close, his steps gradually slowed until he stopped.
Qian Min, who had been resting with her eyes closed, sensed something unusual and opened them. She met Ning Yu's shining gaze, frowned at first, then turned her head to look elsewhere, no longer looking at him.
Ning Yu lowered his eyes, and a trace of disappointment flashed through the depths hidden beneath his slightly curled, seaweed-like hair.
He tugged at his lips in a forced smile and slowly approached on heavy yet hopeful steps. Without blinking, he watched her and, under her calm, indifferent gaze, sat in the chair beside her—the one farther away.
Qian Min's brows relaxed. She glanced at him. "Ning Yu, what is it?"
"Nothing. I... I'm sorry." Seeing her like this, pain and self-reproach flashed through Ning Yu's eyes.
"Ning Yu, you haven't done anything to wrong me. Why are you apologizing to me?" Qian Min tilted her head at him, her eyes full of confusion. She genuinely thought so.
Although Ning Yu had defeated her, as a cultivator, where there was victory, there would naturally be defeat.
She had merely realized through that battle that if she was not strong enough, she would only be pinned beneath others and humiliated.
Ning Yu was not wrong, and neither was she.
She was now quite satisfied with her current situation. As for Ning Yu, she had not taken her anger out on him. She had simply returned him to the proper relationship between clan cousins.
Ning Yu was left speechless.
Qian Min left. Her match was the first one.
To become one of the only five Planetary Level Fighters qualified to compete, her strength was naturally not to be underestimated.
Her opponent was Yi Jian, a Cixing Alien who was also at the Planetary Level.
Her goal was to defeat the other four Planetary Level opponents, claim first place in the Planetary Level division, and obtain the most generous reward.
With a domain, she could be said to be invincible among those at the Planetary Level. Not to mention that her blade technique was superb and worked flawlessly with the Fire Domain. In just three moves, she sent Ji An flying off the arena with a single slash.
With the tip of her blade planted against the ground, she stood atop the arena, listening to the excited cheers of her clansmen below. Her eyes were filled with light, and Ning Yu could not look away.
She was becoming more and more dazzling!
He turned his head and swept his gaze over the others at his level. Their eyes on the stage held both admiration and determination to win.
Si Yao, seated among the contestants, looked at Qian Min, who seemed to be glowing on the stage. Her eyes sparkled as well as she exclaimed,
"Her domain is incredible!"
She had never seen anyone at the Planetary Level possess a domain and still use it so well.
As expected of one of the top three among the sixteen great families. The excellence of their descendants was simply beyond comparison with ordinary factions.
Li Yilin, who had watched the entire process from the other side, could not help nodding as well.
Her use of the Fire Domain had reached perfection. She had clearly comprehended it thoroughly and was probably not far from breaking through to the second level of the domain.
The violent flames became utterly obedient under her blade. The universe-origin energy spread throughout the domain dissolved her enemy's attacks invisibly while also granting her slashes savage destructive power.
They complemented each other perfectly.
"Qian Min is the Yunhai Family's most outstanding younger generation in recent years. I heard that when she was in her teens, she volunteered to train in the family's forbidden grounds. She only came out five years ago, and the moment she appeared, she already possessed the Fire Domain," Ba Ku said.
A forbidden ground—just hearing the name made it clear that it was a place where one would endure no small amount of suffering.
"She has perseverance," Li Yilin said with a light laugh. Cultivation was inherently a path that defied the heavens. Even if most people worked hard in their youth, it was understandable for them to occasionally grow lazy.
Being able to persist in cultivation day after day already put one beyond ordinary people. Volunteering to enter a forbidden ground was enough to show how clearly she had planned her path ahead.
As long as someone like that did not perish and had a little luck, she would sooner or later soar into the skies.
There were only five Planetary Level opponents, so each of them would duel the other four once. Whoever had the most victories would take first place and become the champion of the Planetary Level competition.
After Qian Min's match against Ji An, it was Si Yao's turn to take the stage.
Her opponent was a member of the Red Feather Race, who had wings like hers, except they were red. She was said to come from some small faction within the Silver Blue Empire and had followed her elders to Cloud Sea Planet by chance to attend this grand event.
"Miao Ling, ninth-stage Planetary Level Spirit Reader." Rather than using her wings, Miao Ling unfolded her movement technique. With several flashes, she appeared on the arena and gave Si Yao a shy smile.
Her crimson wings unfurled behind her, with clusters of lively flames adorning them. They looked magnificent and beautiful, and Si Yao's eyes drifted toward them unconsciously.
Every race placed great importance on the beauty of certain parts of their bodies. For example, humans from Earth prized smooth, thick hair; the Dragon-Man Race prized strong tails; the Ox-Horn Star Race prized the horns on their heads;—
The Star Feather Race prized their wings.
In the eyes of the Star Feather Race, if someone possessed beautiful wings, then their heart must be beautiful as well.
Beautiful wings easily drew their attention. For instance, Si Yao had developed a favorable impression of Miao Ling because of her fiery red wings.
"My name is Si Yao, a ninth-stage Planetary Level Fighter with a first-level Wind Domain," Si Yao said solemnly.
This was her first time fighting someone in reality, and in an occasion like this, with her teacher watching from above. Naturally, she took it very seriously.
Miao Ling covered her mouth and smiled softly. At the host's command, she immediately used her movement technique. With several flashes, she retreated dozens of meters, nearly reaching the edge of the arena. At the same time, twelve deep streaks of light flew out from different parts of her body, forming a flying-fish formation in the air as they shot toward Si Yao.
"She understands both the restrictions Si Yao's domain places on her and the advantages of being a Spirit Reader. A very intelligent approach." Ba Ku, who was watching the match intently, was the first to praise Miao Ling's response.
"Si Yao excels at speed. If she cannot make an effective response, the outcome still will not change." Knowing his student's strength well, Li Yilin smiled lightly.
Spirit Readers excelled at long-range combat, and Fighters often suffered when facing them. But that was only when there was little difference between their cultivation levels or their comprehension of laws.
Possessing a domain at the Planetary Level was equivalent to being invincible among those of the same rank. Even Spirit Readers could not escape that rule.
Sure enough, after only three breaths, Si Yao's silver sword was pressed against Miao Ling's slender neck, securing her first victory.
"The gap is too great." Watching Si Yao confirm her victory and skip happily off the arena, Ba Ku shook his head with a sigh on his face.
He was also a Fighter, yet when facing Spirit Readers, even if their cultivation level was lower than his, as long as they were within the same major realm, it was very difficult for him to win.
This was the predicament of the vast majority of Fighters.
Not everyone was a genius. There were still more ordinary people in the world.
After Si Yao, Quan Lin, the final Planetary Level contestant, drew lots to determine his opponent. He drew Ji An, and the two fought a match. Ji An won.
Apart from Ji An, the other four drew lots again to determine their opponents and fought in sequence.
Si Yao did not draw Qian Min, whom she most wanted to face. Instead, she drew Quan Lin, while Qian Min drew Miao Ling.
Qian Min and Si Yao both possessed domains and were the strongest among the five. Barring any surprises, the Planetary Level champion would emerge from between them.
Neither of them drew the other, and their opponents naturally could not match their strength. They easily secured their second victories.
At this point, the results of the first round of Planetary Level matches were out.
Si Yao: 2 wins;
Qian Min: 2 wins;
Ji An: 1 win, 1 loss; Miao Ling: 2 losses;
Quan Lin: 2 losses;
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