Time returned to the day of the matches.
The drawing of lots had already begun. There were two containers, one prepared for the Nascent Soul disciples and the other for the Golden Core disciples.
As for sects without Nascent Soul or Golden Core disciples, they simply forfeited.
The major sects, however, sent disciples to draw from both containers.
When all the Azure Tide Sect disciples participating in the matches had finished drawing, Su Jiu noticed that Xia Jue had not taken part.
And it was not just Xia Jue. By the time she turned around, even Ning Fan had disappeared.
"Senior Brother Xia, aren't you and Senior Brother Ning taking part?"
The corners of Xia Jue's lips curved slightly. "I no longer need to earn a reputation this way, while your Senior Brother Ning doesn't need too great a reputation."
Su Jiu understood almost instantly. After all, besides being a member of the Enforcement Hall, Ning Fan was also the Pavilion Master of the Shadow Pavilion.
The former did not matter, but the latter did indeed require him to keep a lower profile.
While Su Jiu was thinking, Xia Jue suddenly took the lot from her hand.
"Number seventy-four?"
Tong Qi came over as well. "That's fairly early among the Nascent Soul participants. Your turn should come around tomorrow."
As he spoke, Tong Qi opened his fan again. "Still, the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Dawn Sect has made an interesting choice this time. There aren't even any rankings. Everyone just has to fight five randomly assigned matches.
"It really does seem to be just as she claimed on the surface-not for anything else, but purely to spar and exchange insights."
But no one present was a fool, and none of them would believe that so naively.
"Su Jiu!" Lie