Yun Xi watched Dian Dian's pitiful face and almost raised a hand to cover her forehead. Still, if Dian Dian was drooling this much, then Wei Yunqing had likely gotten her hands on something truly good. To be honest, Yun Xi was a bit tempted too.
While absentmindedly squeezing the squirming Dian Dian in her hand, Yun Xi pondered what excuse she could use to visit Dan Peak. Everyone could see she didn't get along with Wei Yunqing. If she acted too eager, it would only raise suspicion. This needed to be handled with care. So she said to Dian Dian,
"Don't be impatient. Whatever Wei Yunqing is growing, it's definitely at Dan Peak. Once the tournament ends, I'll find a reason to bring you there for a look."
"Alright, Master!"
With her promise secured, Dian Dian's mood lifted instantly. The drool stopped, and once Yun Xi let go, it scurried off to chat with Fei Xia.
The next day was the first round of the tournament, so Yun Xi stuck to her routine and focused on cultivation. At dawn, she made her way to Doufa Peak.
She didn't arrive early or late. Dressed in her newly acquired white robe patterned with pale blue lines, along with matching boots, her dark hair was half tied up with a green bamboo hairpin. She had switched her earrings to white jade pendants and wore the storage bangle her master had gifted her. Her identity token hung at her waist. The overall look was crisp and tidy.
However, her youthful face stood out among the crowd of Golden Core cultivators. Once someone realized her bone age was no more than sixteen, even more curious gazes turned her way.
Elder Yu Yang from Law Peak recognized her. He turned to Dan Yang Zhēnrén beside him and asked,
"Dan Yang, isn't that the girl you favored during the entrance exam? Why didn't you take her as a disciple? Someone else got lucky, it seems."
Dan Yang Zhēnrén chuckled.
"Look at that girl's cultivation. What could I possibly teach her now? I've actually taken an interest in her older cousin. Zong Hao shows some talent in alchemy. If he performs well in this tournament, I'm planning to take him in as a personal disciple."
"I remember the Wei Clan had another female disciple with dual spiritual roots. I think she also went to Dan Peak. How is she doing now?"
At the mention of Wei Yunqing, Dan Yang Zhēnrén's gaze dropped ever so slightly.
"She's currently a registered disciple of the Peak Master. She's decent at cultivating high-grade spiritual plants and wants to use this tournament to become a formal disciple. Whether she'll succeed remains to be seen.
That one's talent is solid, but her temperament… forget it. Our cultivation levels are limited anyway. Someone like her wouldn't want to follow us. Leave the difficult disciples to the Nascent Soul cultivators."
Yu Yang wasn't too fixated on accepting disciples.
While the two elders chatted quietly, over on the other side, several Golden Core cultivators had already surrounded Yun Xi. Everyone wanted to meet this well-mannered little junior sister.
Yun Xi wasn't shy at all. She cupped her hands in greeting, her lips curved into a smile, almond-shaped eyes full of warmth.
"I am Wei Yun Xi, disciple of Yu Ling Zhēnjūn of Lingxue Peak. Through a fortunate coincidence, I managed to advance to the Golden Core stage. I'm participating in this tournament mainly to gain experience and learn from my fellow seniors. Please, don't hold back your guidance."
Her polite tone, coupled with her deceptively young appearance, quickly disarmed the other Golden Core cultivators. The atmosphere became friendly as they exchanged communication jades and had a brief chat.
One male cultivator asked curiously,
"Junior Sister Wei, do you know Wei Chenyin Zhēnrén from Law Peak?"
"She's my elder. In the family, I would call her Ancestor."
The male cultivator nodded in understanding.
"That makes sense. I thought you two seemed similar. Both of you are usually low-profile but always make a splash when it matters."
Yun Xi simply smiled and didn't respond. She did feel a certain connection to Ancestor Chenyin. Putting seniority aside, Wei Chenyin was a sincere person, someone who dared to challenge injustice and break free from constraints. Yun Xi genuinely admired her for that.
While Yun Xi was chatting with the Golden Core cultivators, Sheng Yuhong stood at a distance, watching her with a heavy heart. He felt an overwhelming sense of loss, as if that dazzling young woman should have been standing beside him. But now, she was soaring far ahead, leaving him behind.
He was shocked by Yun Xi's fortune. She had merely returned to her clan for a brief visit, and came back as a Golden Core cultivator. Not only that, she had even indirectly foiled the evil cultivators' plot in the mortal realm. Most disciples in the sect had no idea, but as the Sect Master's chief disciple, Sheng Yuhong knew the full story.
Qing Zhu Zhēnjūn from Baihua Tower had personally come to Haoran Sect. Sheng Yuhong had been tasked with receiving him and had learned everything during his visit. Still, Yun Xi had kept a low profile. She accepted only a defensive artifact as thanks, and credited the accomplishment to the Baihua Tower disciples.
Qing Zhu Zhēnjūn had come to Haoran Sect not only to acknowledge Yun Xi's contribution, but also to propose a collaboration between the sect, major cultivation clans, and the loose cultivator alliance. They planned to station cultivators in the mortal realm to monitor the situation and stop evil cultivators from disturbing the peace. The first batch of disciples had already been sent out before the tournament began, while Yun Xi was still away.
Sheng Yuhong had originally intended to visit her once she returned, but Yun Xi came back only half a day before the tournament, and went straight to Lingxue Peak. After that, she met with the Wei Clan disciples, leaving him no chance to speak with her.
When he heard Yun Xi had signed up for the Golden Core competition, he thought she was being reckless. So he waited early at the peak, intending to give her some advice, but never found the right moment to approach her.
Yun Xi had noticed Sheng Yuhong long ago. She just had no desire to speak with him.
When the time came, the Golden Core cultivators began drawing lots for the first round of matches, which would be one-on-one battles. A total of 121 cultivators had entered the competition, meaning one would automatically advance with a bye.
Yun Xi casually lined up behind a Golden Core female cultivator. By pure luck, she drew the bye slip and was instantly promoted to the second round.
Wei Zonghao turned to Zong Yu beside him and said,
"Yun Xi has such great luck, getting the bye."
Zong Yu had a different opinion.
"The first round is just a warm-up for the Golden Core cultivators. Yun Xi won't gain any experience unless she actually competes."
Zong Jin, who was nearby, added,
"No one reveals their trump cards in the first match anyway. It's the second and third rounds that really count."
Yun Ting and Yun Yin agreed with Zong Jin's point. Then Zong Han chimed in,
"By skipping the first round, Yun Xi gets to observe others. Knowing your opponent is a kind of strength too."
Yun Xi's thoughts aligned with Zong Han's. Since she had the chance, she planned to watch the matches and get a read on everyone's strength.
She had returned to the sect too late to gather any information about the participating Golden Core cultivators, so her strategy for now was to improvise. Originally, she had assumed she'd be knocked out in the first round and had come with a "just participate" mindset. Now that she had a free pass to the second round, it was time to prepare seriously.
Just as she was choosing which arena to observe, Sheng Yuhong walked over. He cupped his hands politely.
"Senior Sister Wei, I hope you've been well."
Yun Xi returned the gesture with equal courtesy.
"Junior Brother Sheng, thank you. I see your spiritual aura is quite steady. Looks like you're about to break through soon."
She wasn't just being polite. Sheng Yuhong's current cultivation was already at the peak of late Foundation Establishment. He was only a step away from forming his Golden Core.
But Sheng Yuhong's gaze dimmed slightly.
"Still… I was one step too late."