The Semifinals

At the Cloud Cliff Sect, atop Upside-Down Mountain.

Inside the sect master's hall.

"Sect Master, Li Shouyi has gone too far! He actually encouraged my disciples to leave their master and become his disciples instead!"

"This is simply intolerable!"

Yan Hai entered the hall swearing up a storm, only to freeze when he saw the expressions on Tang Que and the others.

"Sect Master, what's wrong with you all?"

Seeing how terrible their expressions were, Yan Hai felt a little puzzled.

"Old Yan, don't even mention it. It isn't just your disciples. Ours are clamoring to leave their masters too."

"Even your disciples, Sect Master?"

Tang Que looked the worst of them all. At Yan Hai's question, he silently nodded, his face dark.

He simply couldn't understand it. Even his eldest disciple had wanted to become Li Shouyi's disciple after hearing the news.

After all, the sect master could only be chosen from his line of disciples. His eldest disciple was effectively the candidate for the next sect master.

Tang Que wondered just what charm Li Shouyi possessed that could make someone abandon the position of sect master just to become his disciple.

"Sect Master, the semifinals are tomorrow."

"Both of Li Shouyi's disciples made it in. In other words, our original plan has had no effect on him whatsoever," Shi Yaoqian said gravely as he looked at the others.

"I know that without you telling me. Since everyone is here, tell me what ideas you have."

Tang Que's words left them silent for a while. In the end, Zhou Kangyong spoke up.

"Heh, this disciple does have an idea."

"Oh? Please, Fourth Prince, go ahead."

"Sect Master, since covert methods won't work, let's do it openly. Hasn't he failed to complete his contribution assignments for years?"

"We can use that against him and simply vote to expel him from the sect."

Zhou Kangyong's reminder brought realization to the others. Indeed.

Over the past few years, Li Shouyi had wasted a great deal of time and resources trying to improve his strength.

He hadn't done any of the sect's assignments in a long time.

"Haha! My good disciple, that's an excellent idea."

"I also support the Fourth Prince's proposal. We should hold the vote immediately after tomorrow's semifinals, before Li Shouyi causes even greater trouble."

"So do I."

The instruction elder, who spoke last, could be considered the unluckiest of all, thanks to the convenience his position afforded.

He had the most disciples. Today, more than a dozen had come to renounce him as their master, and worse still, many new disciples had been present.

Those people had practically slapped him in the face in public.

He had nearly suffered a stroke from sheer anger right then and there. After all, he was no youngster—he was a full three hundred years old.

And those at the Golden Core stage only had a lifespan of five hundred years.

"Then it's settled. After tomorrow, we'll kick Li Shouyi out of the sect."

Tang Que had hardened his heart as well. Who knew what other chaos that scourge would cause if they kept him in the sect?

Unaware of any of this, Li Shouyi returned to his courtyard looking thoroughly dejected.

He had flown more than a thousand li that day, yet hadn't managed to find a single hopeless loser.

He had completely given up. Now, all he could hope was that when his enemy came knocking, the Cloud Cliff Sect's strength would give them pause.

The next day, the tournament venue was a sea of people, and many disciples began cheering for Lin Shuishui and Su Wan'er.

"Go, Senior Sister! My name is Wu Suowei! I'm your third junior brother!"

"Old Wu, have you no shame? I'm clearly the third junior brother!"

"Both of you, get out of my way! What's all this junior brother nonsense? Senior Sisters, don't listen to them! Your junior brother is right here!"

The spectators infuriated Tang Que and the other elders on the main viewing platform until their faces darkened.

Tang Que was especially furious, because that Wu Suowei was his second disciple.

The referee on the arena was waiting for his command. Seeing Tang Que's face as black as soot on the bottom of a pot, he didn't dare remind him that the appointed time had already passed.

After a while, Tang Que came back to his senses and waved at the referee with a dark expression, signaling that the matches could begin.

All he could think about now was driving Li Shouyi away, then taking a whip to those little bastards and beating them to death.

"I hereby announce that the semifinals of the new disciple tournament begin now!"

"Su Wan'er will face Zhou Kangyong, and Lin Shuishui will face Lu Renjia."

The matches took place in two separate arenas, and Tang Que had deliberately arranged these pairings.

Zhou Kangyong had a way to deal with Su Wan'er's Myriad Laws Cannot Invade, but against Lin Shuishui's inexplicable Dao arts...

He was genuinely afraid His Highness might fall flat on his face.

"Junior Sister Su Wan'er, we finally get to fight. Do you know how long I've waited for this day?"

Zhou Kangyong produced an outrageously flashy sword. Before he even drew it, the gemstones adorning it had already dazzled everyone's eyes.

A full twenty-eight dazzling gemstones were embedded in its scabbard. As Zhou Kangyong covered them with a spell, they flashed incessantly like neon lights.

Below the arena, Li Shouyi couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth at the sight.

Those idiots at Hidden Sword Manor actually still have the hearts of edgy teenagers, he thought.

Making it this flashy—are they trying to join some counterculture fashion craze?

Zhou Kangyong certainly didn't think so. He raised the sword and explained to Su Wan'er, "Junior Sister Su, I still remember every detail of the moment Elder Li accepted you as his disciple."

"In all my life, you are the only person who has ever humiliated me."

"Now I'll use this Seven-Colored Glazed Sword, Hidden Sword Manor's latest creation, to return the humiliation you gave me."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand a single word."

Su Wan'er stood with her hands on her hips, yawning as she listened.

After yawning, she pointed at Zhou Kangyong and continued, "You're a grown man. Why are you such a chatterbox? Are you going to fight or not? If not, hurry up and surrender."

"Senior Sister is mighty!"

"Exactly! Senior Sister, hurry up and give that pretty boy a pair of panda eyes! That'll teach him to play the rich man."

"Senior Sister, could you toss me that sword's scabbard afterward?"

Hearing this, Zhou Kangyong nearly twisted his face out of shape with rage.

"Su Wan'er, get down on the ground!"

With that, Zhou Kangyong charged at Su Wan'er with the Seven-Colored Glazed Sword, without using any magical power at all.

This startled Su Wan'er, and she hurriedly retreated, dodging Zhou Kangyong's sweeping strike.

"Haha! Su Wan'er, your Myriad Laws Cannot Invade can't protect you from physical damage! Let's see how you beat me now!"

Zhou Kangyong pressed forward, continuing with sweeping cuts and straight thrusts that left Su Wan'er in a sorry state.

Riiip...

One careless move, and Su Wan'er's sleeve was sliced open, exposing her fair, delicate arm.

Seeing the sword about to stab toward her chest again, Su Wan'er raised her finely arched brows and flew into the air.

Panting, she looked at Zhou Kangyong and gritted her teeth. "Why are you such a cheat? Use spells if you've got the guts!"

Below the arena, Li Shouyi covered his face, unable to bear watching any longer. He simply couldn't understand how someone with such terrible combat sense had comprehended the great Dao of cause and effect.

Unable to stand it, he shouted at Su Wan'er, "You idiot! Just because he isn't using spells doesn't mean you can't!"

Hovering in the air, Su Wan'er's eyes lit up when she heard him...