Wherever she went to a new place, Chu Lingwei's favorite spot was the spiritual tea house. If you sat here for a day, you could probably find out anything you wanted to know.
"I heard that the elite disciples of the major sects have all arrived."
Chu Lingwei and the other person found a quiet spot to sit. An Tao looked around. Most of the cultivators were wearing their sect's disciple robes, with some rogue cultivators scattered among them.
The Centennial Competition was a grand event for the entire Xuántiān Continent. Even those who didn't qualify would come to watch.
The market of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect was bustling with cultivators, an unprecedented spectacle.
"Everyone is taking this competition so seriously." Chu Lingwei's lips curved into a sarcastic smile. The leaders of the major sects knew the fate of the disciples who placed in the top one hundred, yet they still sent their most outstanding disciples to participate.
Perhaps, in their minds, disciples were not important. Allowing the mighty figures of the Dominator Realm to break through was their top priority.
"Of course. As long as one can enter the Spiritual Realm, one's cultivation can be rapidly improved. After emerging from there, one's cultivation will break through. Who wouldn't want that?" An Tao's eyes were filled with anticipation. She had set a goal for herself not to lose. No matter the method, she had to enter the top one hundred and enter the Spiritual Realm.
This way, after emerging from the Spiritual Realm, her cultivation would be stronger than her senior brother's. Then, he would never dare to say she had poor talent again.
Chu Lingwei smiled without speaking, holding her spiritual tea and sipping it slowly while listening to the casual chat of the cultivators in the tea house, all about their plans for the competition.
"Weiwei, it's really strange." An Tao sat by the window, gazing at the street outside with a puzzled expression. "I haven't seen any demons, monsters, or ghosts. My master said that these foreign races could also participate in the Centennial Competition."
Chu Lingwei, who was drinking tea, paused. Yes, these foreign races could participate. The competition was imminent, yet not a single one of them had appeared.
"Perhaps they will appear when the competition begins," Chu Lingwei offered a reason, not guaranteeing that nothing would happen until the moment of the competition.
An Tao nodded and sighed, "I hope I don't encounter these foreign races. I heard their techniques are very peculiar and impossible to guard against."
Chu Lingwei remained silent. The two of them sat quietly in the spiritual tea house for the entire day. As the sky began to darken, they got up to return to the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect.
"Don't worry, Weiwei. Blood cannot be shed here before the competition. If anyone dares to act here, they will be hunted by all the cultivators of the Xuántiān Continent."
As they left the spiritual tea house, Chu Lingwei wanted to return to the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect immediately. An Tao, thinking Chu Lingwei was worried about their safety, explained.
"Even so, it's best to be cautious. We should hurry back." Chu Lingwei took out her flying artifact, brought An Tao onto it, and they flew towards the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect.
No matter how safe this place was, it was not as safe as the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect.
"Weiwei, you're just too young," An Tao sighed as the scenery quickly passed by.
"Caution ensures a safe journey for ten thousand years." Chu Lingwei found it amusing. An Tao had been too well protected by her master, and sometimes she was careless. "An Tao, when cultivating outside, one can encounter danger at any time. No matter where you are, you must remain vigilant."
"I know. Isn't this the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect? They are all elite disciples of the major sects, and the strong cultivators of the major sects are all here protecting their disciples. Nothing will happen."
An Tao spoke with great confidence, believing that no one would dare to act here.
Seeing that An Tao was not listening to her advice, Chu Lingwei stopped talking. After entering the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect, they returned to their respective sect's lodgings.
"Junior Sister, you're finally back. If you didn't come back soon, Senior Brother would have come to look for you," Nangong Luo stood in Chu Lingwei's courtyard and smiled upon seeing her return.
"Second Senior Brother, is there something you need me for?" Chu Lingwei recalled that her Second Senior Brother had told her to have fun when she left this morning. "Or is it that I've returned too late?"
"Junior Sister, this is not like our Spiritual Cultivation Academy. It's a place with a mix of people, and it's not suitable to be out at night." Nangong Luo lightly tapped the stone table, gesturing for Chu Lingwei to come closer. "Junior Sister, did you discover anything interesting when you went out today?"
Chu Lingwei shook her head, but inwardly she thought about her Second Senior Brother's words, "a mix of people." It seemed this place was indeed not as safe as she had imagined.
"Second Senior Brother, I want to ask you a question." Chu Lingwei looked at Nangong Luo with a serious expression. When her master had mentioned the Centennial Competition before, she had spoken of something. Today, she had sat in the spiritual tea house all day and hadn't heard anyone mention it.
"Junior Sister, it's too late. Get some rest early."
Nangong Luo stood up and, without giving Chu Lingwei a chance to react, disappeared from the courtyard.
"Second Senior Brother."
Chu Lingwei stood up. A barrier had already been set up around her Second Senior Brother's courtyard, clearly indicating that he refused to answer her question.
It seemed that her Second Senior Brother definitely had something to hide from her, or something he didn't want to tell her.
Chu Lingwei returned to her room and closed her eyes to cultivate.
The next morning.
Nangong Luo sent a telepathic message to Chu Lingwei, saying he would take her to the market to buy things.
"Second Senior Brother, what are we buying?" Chu Lingwei stood on the flying artifact, looking at the constant stream of cultivators passing by, and couldn't help but laugh.
She had never seen so many cultivators gathered in one place, with people flying in the sky, walking on the ground, and coming and going on all sorts of spiritual beasts. It was quite novel.
"It seems Junior Sister enjoys lively scenes." Nangong Luo did not answer, but instead spoke with a hint of emotion, a faint sarcasm flickering in his eyes.
"Second Senior Brother, you've been acting very differently since yesterday."
Chu Lingwei always felt that there was more to her Second Senior Brother's words than met the eye.
"How am I different?" Nangong Luo smiled, tilting his head and looking into Chu Lingwei's eyes, as if genuinely waiting for her answer.
"Second Senior Brother, is there something you're not telling me?" Chu Lingwei was certain that her Second Senior Brother had something on his mind.
However, if her Second Senior Brother didn't want to say it, there was nothing she could do.
"You want to know?"
Chu Lingwei nodded repeatedly. She not only wanted to know why her Second Senior Brother's mood was off, but also wanted to know about the Centennial Competition.
"You will know tonight," Nangong Luo added another layer of mystery.
Chu Lingwei was speechless. She felt as if her Second Senior Brother was toying with her.
"Second Senior Brother, is there something important that Master sent you here for?" Chu Lingwei changed the topic.
"Master sent me to protect you well," Nangong Luo smiled.
Chu Lingwei rolled her eyes. Her Second Senior Brother was talking nonsense again.
The two soon arrived at the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect's market, which was as lively as the day before.
"Let's go. Whatever you want, Second Senior Brother will buy it for you." Nangong Luo was generous and led Chu Lingwei into an artifact shop.