The little monk who saw through him

Most tournaments had seeded contestants everyone looked forward to seeing.

Ning Ke knew who they were after a quick look around.

The Music Sect's most anticipated contestant was Zhuang Yusheng, the Sword Sect's was Lou Yunxiao, the Pill Sect's was a female cultivator named Zeng Xi, and the Buddhist Order's was a little monk named Wugou.

The four of them were the undisputed stars of the tournament.

Naturally, Lou Yunxiao was the one everyone talked about most.

Some quietly lamented the Flowing Cloud Sect's destruction, while plenty of others simply enjoyed watching the drama unfold.

That was human nature, after all.

Such a powerful clan had been wiped out overnight.

A favored son of heaven had lost his sight, his strength had plummeted, and his path to ascension had been severed.

It was a pity, but it also made him an easy target for ridicule.

Many disciples from other sects looked at Lou Yunxiao with barely concealed eagerness.

They all had the same idea: defeat Lou Yunxiao while he was blind.

This was a perfect opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Ning Ke shook his head.

I've been that kid's sparring partner for two whole years.

Lou Yunxiao hasn't just been improving. He's been soaring!

These people don't stand a chance against the male lead.

Everyone stepped forward to draw lots. The little monk named Wugou stood ahead of Ning Ke.

After drawing his lot, the little monk walked back, brushing past Ning Ke.

A voice reached Ning Ke's ears. "Benefactor, you are not of this world. Why, then, do you seek to remain within it?"

Ning Ke's pupils widened. He whipped his head around to look at the little monk, but all he saw was his retreating back.

He asked Xiao Yuan, Has this little monk figured out who I am?

[...No, he hasn't.] Xiao Yuan also frowned and studied the little monk carefully before saying, [But he has extraordinary insight and a seven-orifice exquisite heart. He will be far from ordinary in the future.]

Worried that Ning Ke might still be confused, Xiao Yuan explained, [Host, although this world originated from a novel, it gained its own consciousness the moment the author put pen to paper.]

[Everything that happened in this world afterward arose as circumstances demanded. The reason you've received so many missions is to help the entire world form a stable, complete whole around Lou Yunxiao, its chosen one, so that everyone within it can survive.]

Her explanation suddenly made Ning Ke feel the burden on his shoulders grow heavier.

It seemed that completing all this was not just about going home. It was also about bringing this world to a fulfilling conclusion.

Once the drawing of lots ended, the first day of the tournament officially began.

Ning Xiaoxiao's turn came before either of theirs.

Ning Ke cheered the young girl on from below.

He had spent plenty of time lately teaching Ning Xiaoxiao the contents of the wooden token.

He had gone over almost every talisman and formation with her.

Only when Ning Xiaoxiao fully comprehended them all would he truly complete that side mission.

There was no rush.

Cultivation, after all, could not be accomplished overnight.

Understanding what she read was one thing. Fully grasping it all would be difficult without a decade or two of study.

Ning Xiaoxiao stepped onto the platform with her sword. In an instant, the innocence vanished from her eyes, replaced by calm composure.

As a Sword Sect disciple, she could not disgrace her sect.

Much less disgrace her brother.

Her opponent was a male cultivator from a small sect, around twenty-five or twenty-six. Tall and muscular, he looked like a body cultivator.

At nearly two meters tall, he was practically a giant next to Ning Xiaoxiao's one hundred and sixty centimeters.

"Little girl, can that scrawny body of yours even take one blow from me?" The body cultivator laughed. "Why not surrender now? You'll save yourself a few injuries."

"Enough nonsense." Ning Xiaoxiao pointed her longsword at him. "Make your move."

Listening from below, Ning Ke raised an eyebrow.

Why does my little sister's whole way of talking change the moment she gets into a fight?

Then he watched Ning Xiaoxiao spring into action, quick as a startled hare. She brought Gao Ze's sword techniques to their fullest potential, then flung out several talismans. Explosions boomed one after another, and before long, the body cultivator lay covered in wounds beneath her foot.

The young girl's sword was planted beside his face, barely half an inch from his neck.

"Now it's my turn to ask. Are you going to surrender or not?"

"...?"

Ning Ke stared, dumbfounded.

Is this still my sweet, innocent little sister?

Why does something seem off?

"I-I surrender!"

The body cultivator slunk off the platform.

Ning Xiaoxiao put away her sword, then flashed that harmless, adorable smile again. "Big brother, wasn't I amazing?"

Her eyes shone with an unmistakable plea of Praise me, praise me, hurry up and praise me! Ning Ke could not help laughing.

He quickly patted the young girl's head and said gently, "Yes, Xiaoxiao is the best."

Listening beside them, Lou Yunxiao silently curled his fingers tighter.

When his turn came, he too won with incredible speed. After leaving the platform, however, he did not return to his seat.

Instead, he walked over to Ning Ke and crouched down.

His head ended up right in front of Ning Ke.

"I won," he said quietly.

"?" Ning Ke blinked. "Congratulations, senior brother?"

"..." Lou Yunxiao did not move.

Ning Ke scratched his head and asked Xiao Yuan, What's gotten into him?

Xiao Yuan ventured, [Host, why don't you pat his head? And praise him a little?]

Ning Ke did as suggested, praising Lou Yunxiao as he patted his head. "You're amazing, eldest senior brother!"

Then he watched Lou Yunxiao's tightly pressed lips curve upward.

That smile was like ice thawing and snow melting.

He was breathtakingly handsome.

"Thank you." With that, Lou Yunxiao returned to his seat. After his next few matches, he repeated the same routine.

Whenever Ning Xiaoxiao came over, he came over too.

He was just like a child competing for attention.

Ning Ke felt embarrassed on his behalf.

How did someone who looks so aloof end up like this?

Once all three of them had finished their matches, Ning Ke also paid attention to the little monk Wugou's bouts.

He discovered that the little monk wielded formations with consummate skill. Combined with his exquisite movement techniques, his opponents could barely touch the hem of his robes before being trapped in a formation, unable to move.

He was clearly an exceptionally formidable opponent.

This preliminary selection took half a month.

The final fifty contestants would be allowed to enter the Qianyuan Secret Realm.

The top ten would also earn the chance to select a magical treasure from the Nine-Layer Heavenly Profound Pavilion in Zhongdu City.

Naturally, Ning Ke, Ning Xiaoxiao, Lou Yunxiao, Zhuang Yusheng, and the others all made the top ten.

Next came the ranking matches for those ten contestants.

Since their rankings did not affect the order in which they would choose treasures, these matches were purely for entertainment, allowing the cultivators of the Human Realm to see the strength of the younger generation.

Holding the lot he had drawn, Ning Ke raised an eyebrow and looked toward the little monk Wugou.

The little monk looked back at him, pressed his palms together, and gave him a slight nod before leaping onto the platform.

Ning Ke followed him up but did not draw his sword.

"Young master," he said, "I noticed that you never used your staff in your matches, only formations. As it happens, I know a little about formations myself. How about we see whose formations are stronger?"