This nameless, obscure individual was none other than—Gui Ying.
Although the name was rather peculiar and unsettling, the sect to which this disciple belonged was quite memorable.
It was the Great Evolution Sect, once again!
A dazzling beam of red light shot out from the peak of the Fifth Peak, piercing through the thin mist and soaring straight into the heavens, painting the surrounding clouds with hues of crimson and gold. This was the signal emitted when a disciple successfully reached the summit and touched the sensing stone.
Only one person from the Fifth Peak had managed to climb to the summit and advance successfully. All others were eliminated.
Fifty entered, one secured a spot. Nine remaining slots, first come, first served.
In any competition where victory was at stake, everyone yearned for first place. The glory of "first" was always the most memorable. Thus, in the following days, even as disciples from the other seven peaks began to reach their summits, it didn't stir much of a ripple.
Elder Jiu Li, it must be said, had been rather pleased with himself lately.
Especially during this "Grand Competition," he seemed to be savoring every moment, grinning at everyone he met. His naturally refined countenance was somewhat marred by an excess of vanity.
This was all thanks to the four disciples from his sect. Except for one unfortunate soul who was eliminated, the remaining three had successfully secured spots in the "Rookie Rankings" final.
Compared to other sects which had only one disciple each, their sect's multiple qualifiers were quite eye-catching. Considering that only twelve people in total made it to the "Finals," even if these three couldn't secure the top rankings, the Great Evolution Sect would at least get a top-ten spot.
Thus, the Great Evolution Sect, a minor sect outside the thirteenth tier, had finally welcomed its spring. The Great Evolution Sect was finally rising.
In recent times, visitors had been flocking to them. Elder Jiu Li was busy socializing and entertaining them. It was tiring, but the fulfillment made him feel that his horizons had broadened.
The disciples who won the "Grand Competition" were uniformly accommodated in the guest rooms of the Void Gate's "Immortal Lapis Warming Pool" to rest and recuperate, preparing for the upcoming finals.
Secondly, the "Immortal Lapis Warming Pool" within the Void Gate was a renowned sacred pool for healing, celebrated throughout the twenty-eight days. It could also aid in the rapid recovery of spiritual energy to its peak. Being able to soak in it once was considered a reward from the Void Gate to their twelve winning disciples.
Five days later, the Azure Dragon occupied the auspicious star. The Void Gate erected six arena grounds on the majestic peaks of the Nine Peaks. These mountain bodies, shaped like flattened mountains with pointed peaks, floated in the air. Beneath them, a magic formation was inscribed, drawing spiritual energy from their surroundings for support and stability. No matter how fiercely the people above fought, it would not affect or involve the surrounding areas.
The next day, the twelve disciples who had entered the finals, along with their masters and elders invited by their respective sects to spectate, arrived in full numbers. The Void Gate Sect Master, Tai Xuan, led a host of disciples adorned in celestial robes, ascending to the highest spectator stand with the imposing grandeur of a host.
Below the Void Gate's spectator stand, the seats were arranged in a tiered fashion, descending successively: Immortal Roost Cave, Twin Void Realm, South Sea Lu Mansion, Flowing Light Sect, Seven Luminaries Gate, Mahavira Zen Monastery, Great Evolution Sect...
The twelve disciples, refreshed by their immersion in the "Immortal Lapis Warming Pool," had shed the fatigue and exhaustion from the "Grand Competition." Each of them was now radiant and spirited. They wore the vibrant attire representing their respective sects and hovered in the air before the spectator stands, bowing in respect to their own sects.
On the Great Evolution Sect's spectator stand were Sect Master Wei Li and several grand mountain masters. They stood with Elder Jiu Li on the platform belonging to the Great Evolution Sect. While their position wasn't the absolute center or the best, for their first participation in such a grand and prestigious event, apart from Wei Li's serene expression, the others were all beaming with joy, unable to contain their delighted smiles.
They had their day, too...
This was not meant derisively, but rather as an expression of pride and vindication.
There were six arenas for the final competition, so the condition for victory was simple: two disciples would be paired for each match.
The final competition would forgo any flashy preliminaries and focus solely on strength. Whoever possessed the stronger fist would emerge victorious.
The twelve disciples who remained were all exceptionally chosen. They had been selected from tens of thousands of disciples through successive stages, from the initial sect selections to the "minor" and "grand" competitions of the "Rookie Rankings." Who could say that these individuals had only reached this point through luck or minor tricks?
No one dared to say so.
Therefore, when these twelve stood on the final competition stages, these twelve individuals were already worthy of being firmly remembered.
Tai Xuan, today clad in a high coronet and python robe, with flowing ink-green sleeves billowing in the wind, exuded both the ethereal aura of an immortal and the formidable presence of a sect leader deeply rooted in the mountains. "You will all be the future revered powerhouses of our cultivation world. A match every fifty years, one battle, one victory. Display your full strength, and let us see who ascends to the pinnacle of the Rookie Rankings! We eagerly await your success here and await the birth of this generation's top rookie! We will celebrate and rejoice with them!"
His voice, like a resonant bell, boomed and echoed, deeply imprinted on everyone's ears. A sense of valor surged within their chests.
The competition format had already been explained to these twelve disciples. They would be grouped in pairs, and the victor would proceed to challenge the next, until only one person remained on the stage.
These twelve were allowed to freely choose their opponents this time, unlike the random pairings in the earlier "minor" and "grand" competitions. Once they had chosen their opponents, they could proceed to the "arena."
As for how the selection would be made, twelve tokens, each inscribed with the names of the twelve individuals, would float in mid-air, displaying different colors according to their names. The choice of opponent would depend on one's own assessment, and the speed with which one could act to seize a token.
On the surface, the cultivation levels and combat strengths of these twelve were largely similar. Therefore, a deeper understanding of their opponents' trump cards and the compatibility of their spiritual roots was needed to decide on an opponent.
Ru Lan was the first to act. She flew forward, snatched a yellow token, and then drifted onto an arena.
She chose Lu Ziyin.
Lu Ziyin, with a semblance of helplessness, sighed softly and accompanied her to the same arena. He cast a knowing, half-smile at her, saying, "You certainly know how to choose, don't you?"
Lu Ziyin's words subtly implied that she was "bullying the weak and fearing the strong."
Ru Lan did not deny it.
In fact, she did find a refined scholar like Lu Ziyin easier to deal with. The rest of them were all bursting with combat power.
"Lu Ziyin, I must enter the top ten, so I won't hold back," Ru Lan informed him beforehand. Her gaze towards him was no longer the usual lazy indifference, but sharp and decisive like a drawn sword.
"I'm not necessarily aiming for a high rank, but since I'm participating, it would be a shame not to give it my all, especially considering the injuries and pain I've endured," Lu Ziyin replied, his usual flippancy replaced by a serious demeanor.
It was no joke. His master and fellow disciples were all here. If they saw him being defeated by a ferocious woman, he would lose all face. No matter what, he had to get past this round.
As for what came after, if his strength was insufficient, then so be it.
These individuals, hailed as prodigies, often displayed a relaxed attitude when facing challenges. However, in private, they had endured countless hardships and risked their lives. As the saying goes, a sharp sword is forged through grinding, and plum blossoms bloom from bitter cold. The cultivation world was never short of geniuses, but to truly stand out from one's peers was no easy feat.
Ru Lan had finished her selection, while the situation around Liu Jiang Fusheng became quite lively, as three people intended to choose him as their opponent.
One was Yan Tianjiao, driven by recent grudges and a dispute over a "spirit beast." Another was the old rival Dan Ya, but as he was from the same sect, was his action considered an internal rebellion?
Oh, and there was one more internal rebel... Gui Ying.
All three simultaneously snatched for Liu Jiang Fusheng's token, and the result was that none of them managed to secure it.
Meanwhile, Liu Jiang Fusheng, though he had pursued Yan Tianjiao relentlessly on the Sixth Peak during the "Grand Competition," had chosen to remain hidden after leaving the Illusion Peak. He should have chosen Lang Ci as his opponent, but the moment he saw Cheng Hong, a thought unexpectedly flashed through his mind, recalling what Ru Lan had told him.
"Master Cheng Hong told me that although she will never be able to cultivate spiritually in her life, your wife is very suited for Buddhist cultivation."
Master Cheng Hong... So, this monk was secretly trying to persuade his wife to abandon her husband and family to pursue Buddhism?
Cheng Hong had heard of Liu Jiang Fusheng before, this man entwined in past and present lives with Gu Junshi. But this was his first time seeing him in person.
He hadn't paid much attention to Liu Jiang Fusheng before because he didn't believe Gu Junshi placed much importance on him. But after his last diagnosis of Gu Junshi, he realized his assumption was mistaken.
And upon seeing Liu Jiang Fusheng, his thoughts were quite similar to the other man's when he saw him.
Is this the husband who, in his first life, was "killed by his wife to achieve enlightenment" by Gu Junshi?
In terms of appearance, this young man was indeed flawless.
So, it was through his beauty... that Gu Junshi, a person with a heart of stone, abandoned the idea of "killing her husband to achieve enlightenment," became his true wife, and became pregnant?
Their gazes locked for a long time, each harboring their own thoughts.
Liu Jiang Fusheng abandoned the three who wished to be his opponents, and instead prioritized Cheng Hong, that bald donkey who stirred up trouble in marital relationships.
Unfortunately, Liu Jiang Fusheng did not get to fight Cheng Hong, because another person, using more covert and swift means, snatched the token inscribed with Liu Jiang Fusheng's name.
The three contenders looked sharply at Lang Ci. He offered them a humble smile and proudly waved the token in his hand.
Clearly, from the moment Lang Ci saw Liu Jiang Fusheng, he had decided on him as his opponent.
Since Lang Ci had taken Liu Jiang Fusheng's token, his opponent naturally became Lang Ci.
Lang Ci was a man of very ordinary appearance. His facial features were not particularly distinctive. The only noteworthy aspect was his relatively tall physique.
Seeing that Lang Ci had chosen him as his opponent, Liu Jiang Fusheng finally turned his gaze towards him.
At first glance, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
It was as if this person shouldn't have this face, that this countenance was an eyesore. But then, a smile suddenly bloomed on the other's face, leaving him momentarily stunned.
It felt familiar...
"So you were here all along."
"Who are you?"
Lang Ci narrowed his eyes, an unusual light flashing in his pupils. After a long pause, he said, "Liu Jiang Fusheng, what happened to your memory?"
Liu Jiang Fusheng's breath tightened. "You recognize me?"
"Pity she waited for you for so long. So you lost your memory and married someone else?" He laughed strangely, boisterously.
The voice that had been whispering in his mind had told him that he would regain his memory upon seeing Lang Ci.
But he had always hesitated.
Hesitated about what?
Hesitated about what would happen to him and Gu Yi if he truly regained his memory.
He couldn't even imagine what kind of person he had been before.
"Tell me, who am I?"
Lang Ci shook his head. "Whatever you want to know, figure it out yourself."
He suddenly leaned close to Liu Jiang Fusheng and shot a six-pointed light into his forehead—
From a distance, Gu Junshi's expression was calm, but her eyes watched this scene with profound depth.
Should she intervene?
She asked herself.
Should she let him regain his memory like this?
In fact, during the period she was a treasure-seeking mouse, she had discovered that he had begun to gradually slip out of her control.
It seemed that his regaining of memories was an unstoppable event.
"If you remember everything, what choice will you make?"
A dangerous, faint curve graced Gu Junshi's lips.
Repeating it all would be troublesome, but if he didn't behave, her "sweet pampering" might have to turn into a "bitter romance." So, what would her little darling husband choose?
—
As Liu Jiang Fusheng's sealed memories surged forth, his face turned frighteningly pale.
He didn't immediately sort through the memories flooding his mind. Instead, he smiled, "Lang Ci?"
Lang Ci smiled back at him.
"You remember?"
He remembered, but not entirely.
Perhaps it was because the sealing had been too long, or perhaps his heart had always been struggling with inner conflict. Thus, only the most crucial part of his memory surfaced.
"Yes..." A gust of wind swept through his hand, but it was like sharp airflow that entwined Lang Ci. He lifted him, and with every step he took, the aura around him became eerily cold, only to instantly revert to a clear and bright composure.
"You want to kill me?"
"I actually lost my memory, hahaha..."
A series of skin-crawling laughter escaped his throat.
"Lang Ci, do you know?" Liu Jiang Fusheng pulled him closer. "I've gotten married."
Lang Ci's expression instantly turned gloomy and fierce.
"What did you say?!"
"I actually fell in love with her..." He laughed, hunching over as if something had struck him as hilariously amusing, laughing maniacally.
Love?!
To hear Liu Jiang Fusheng utter the word "like" in his lifetime was almost unbelievable.
He, a person without a heart, would one day love someone?
Lang Ci tore away the restraining gale wind and floated in the air, exclaiming in surprise, "Liu Jiang Fusheng, are you talking in your sleep, or are you joking with me?"
How could he possibly believe such a thing?