Chapter Eighteen

"No traces left behind anywhere, whoever did it must be an expert at arrays." Lan Biyu didn't know whether to be relieved Da Chuanli found nothing or be warier that an array was set up without their notice. Though she was disdainful of humans, a master of arrays was something to be cautious of no matter the race. At less than half the strength she is originally outside the An Xing realm, Lan Biyu knew she was no match for an expert. Minglan also seemed troubled by this matter and couldn't focus on the matches below anymore even as Rui Shi stepped up onto a platform. But Da Chuanli was different, he unconsciously looks for Lan Biyu's reaction when he caught a glimpse of the familiar girl down below even as he waited for their master to finish pondering. Lan Biyu's face was as calm and unperturbed as usual making Da Chuanli wonder if it was just a facade or if she was truly indifferent towards the little girl who was so fond of herself.

Her apathetic face was a sharp contrast to the sorrowful expression she made the night before so he couldn't help being curious once more. When his gaze lingered a second longer than it should have the silver-eyed girl coldly glances at him to which he gave her a gentle smile before turning back to converse with their master. She felt her brow twitch but decidedly ignoring him again her eyes fall back onto the white-robed girl below. Rui Shi seemed to be having a bit of trouble, not because she was unskilled but because she was inexperienced compared to her competitor. Lan Biyu could see even from a distance that Rui Shi was having trouble closing the gap between herself and her opponent who seemed to specialize in talismans. Right before she could touch even an inch of the robes of the other they would fade away as fast as a shadow and appear behind her with another incantation on their lips.

Rui Shi was already tired and on the verge of tears from blocking or dodging the balls of fire flying at her almost endlessly. Although her opponent was also draining a lot of their energy it was clear they had more endurance than the Rui Shi who was rather skilled in the Lotus Step sword technique but still unable to deal with opponents outside her reach. It was almost like they knew exactly what each of their Azure sect disciples practiced. Even Lan Biyu couldn't stop the discomfort from showing on her face, it seems she somewhat understood how the other disciples faired in their fights just from looking at the unfair match-up. But knowing the possible result of what would happen to the girl if she passed the trials Lan Biyu quickly relaxes again. It was better this way. "Ahh-! He just blew up the stage with a single swing!! Whose disciple is that?! So strong!"

This exclamation came from her right not too far away so almost everyone followed that person's wide-eyed sparkling gaze to the platform just two stages away from Rui Shi's. Almost as quickly as she relaxed Lan Biyu felt somewhat complex internally as she spots Gao Chang standing with a stern face on his intact side of the platform staring at his unconscious opponent who was automatically disqualified for being more than a hundred meters away from his place. His blade was already sheathed before the medical staff ran forwards to carry off the incapacitated disciple to the medical hall. He gave a single bow towards the direction of the disciple being carried away before cooly leaving the arena from the south exit on their side where she could see the small group of white and blue sashes similar to her jumping up and down welcoming him back. At the same time, Lan Biyu spots from the corner of her eye Rui Shi who had also turned to look over. However, due to her moment of distraction, she was quickly eliminated after being hit by a ball of water much to the mercy of her opponent who could have easily hurt her while she was inattentive.

The girl drenched in water and stunned to have been knocked off so easily sat on her butt on the floor for a minute or two before being approached by the medical staff. Lan Biyu couldn't see her face since the water had caused her hair to come undone. When Rui Shi pushed away the person's concern stiffly and ran away in the opposite direction of where their sect lay with her sword tightly grasped in her arms. Lan Biyu almost stood up until she saw a similarly dressed boy jump off the stands much to everyone's shock and chase after her. Under no one's notice, the half-bent legs preparing to rise settled back down and her outer emotions remained unphased by her fellow disciple's loss. She could hear the elders sighing softly beside her and murmuring their sympathies. After all, though Rui Shi wasn't like Da Chuanli, herself, or Fuqing she was still a good seedling and looked favorably upon in the sect. The elders had high hopes for her this year since she was also under Minglan's tutelage.

Da Chuanli seemed to have the same thoughts as herself and a layer of darkness crept into his gaze chilling his once gentle expression. "There's no possible way that Rui Shi would be read so easily by that disciple without help." Minglan gloomily looks on as Gao Chang sprinted after Rui Shi's shadow before sighing helplessly, seeing there was nothing he could do at the moment. "Go watch over them and make sure nothing else happens. I will have a discussion with the elders afterward, it's better to solve this matter privately lest the culprit runs off before we can catch their tail." Da Chuanli was gone the moment he finished lifting his head from his salute leaving Lan Biyu with a bitter taste in her mouth as she once more was unable to sense him using any spiritual energy. Reminded of the fact that his average physical capabilities were much higher than he let on compared to her feeble human form.

Lan Biyu felt the creeping inferiority in the back of her mind reminding her of its ever-existing presence like a large shadow grinning and waiting for the chance to pounce. A small scaled head the color of white paint stuck its head from her robes slipping out from her back and sending a glance towards its master before stealthily slithering across the floor towards the south of the arena. "Biyu soon it will be your turn to compete. And though I doubt the ones who dared to tamper with the drawings would deliberately mess with you directly in front of me." Her master's expression was as stony as her own at this time "-Do not put your guard down." "This disciple understands."

Her answer came quickly and calmly much to his relief. Lan Biyu scrutinized the rest of her fellow disciples as they competed and lost one by one enraging and humiliating the elders who sat beside Minglan whose expression had long cooled into unprecedented apathy. Though they were not pitiful enough to lose in the first rounds, it was an undeniable fact that their Azure Sect would once more be a small group to enter the An Xuing realm just like the previous time. Though even securing a single pass amongst the large gathering was considered a win for most smaller sects. Would anyone feel good when the precious disciples they trained with their own two hands face loss after loss and show such embarrassing countenances in front of hundreds of cultivators? When the last batch of children was called out Lan Biyu stood and gave her master a light bow. "Master can trust this disciple to win back the face of our Azure sect stolen by malicious offenders." Minglan nods in reply "Good."

~

Lan Biyu hands her guqin to a confused arena staff member before wordlessly taking out a silver cold sword as long as her whole arm from her spacial pouch. The staff bit their tongue and stood next to the wall obediently, at first they assumed the girl would use sound arts because she carried around a large instrument. But seeing her take out a sword made them hesitant a bit, after all, though not much was known about the Azure sect the rumors of a beautiful disciple under the Azure sect who specialized in the sound arts were rather popular. And from the cool composure of the beauty, it was clear she was not an easily shaken martial artist. So for her to not use her main weapon but a completely different style than the one she practiced...was she trying to make a statement? The second she stepped into the area, she was already aware that the whole coliseum would change by the time she set foot within.

The many stages had turned into a single large one making the people who stood on top the center of attention. The biased treatment of inner disciple and outer is even more apparent as the moment she took her place opposite of the other disciple across from her the roaring of the sects seemed ten times louder and more enthusiastic. She paid them no mind standing in place with apathy, however, the disciple in front of her seemed to stand straighter with a hint of pride in their bones as his fellow sect members cheered for his victory. Meeting in the center, the two exchanged light bows much to her disdain. However, her master had told her it was tradition and if broken would end up causing her unnecessary troubles should she decline to bow and still arrogantly win against the other. The boy looks her over and seemed to recognize her instantly, his eyes brightening at once staring unabashedly into her cold face. "You must be the Azure sect master's daughter Wang Lan Biyu!"

The title and recognition didn't phase her and finding it beneath her to converse with a stranger she merely eyes him crudely before turning around to take her position. The boy was momentarily confused by her unfriendly appearance and sheepishly scratched his nose under the rising brow of the area staff before also turning around to take his place. Are all Azure disciples stingy with their words? However, on the platforms, the other sects more knowledgeable than him were frowning while sending Minglan sharp looks. "Is your disciple looking down on us?" Minglan leans into his right palm smiling lightly at his daughter before sending the other seniors a sarcastic glance. "Blindly accusing others before knowing the truth to the matter, how could you call my beloved daughter a black-hearted one when she was just born with a cold face?"

Born that way? Though unhappy with his explanation, one of them still accuses them of looking down on her inner disciple accurately pointing out the indifferent and almost lazy stance of Lan Biyu holding the cold sword on stage. "I heard that the Azure sect isn't one to blindly cause trouble, yet your disciple arrogantly tossed her guqin aside for a sword? Are you saying that we are unworthy of showing her true potential?" "Paying so much attention to my beloved daughter's weapon of choice, if I were not her father I would have assumed you were her master and not this king?" The woman was at an awkward loss for words and a bit red in the face looking away angrily after his rebuttal. Minglan laughs arrogantly flicking open his fan with a taunting grin thrown toward the uncomfortable people sitting beside him. "Hold your tongue and watch quietly, you will soon see the difference between a child favored by the heavens and a child who is not." "Wang Minglan!"

He ignores Zhang Wei's warning playing a deaf ear much to the Golden Cloud's ire, however, the man himself raised a hand for them to also be silent while sending his old friend a worried look. Lan Biyu waited patiently for the handkerchief to be thrown high into the sky before, to the shock of the crowd her sword sent a loud ear-piercing screech to the heavens after meeting the blade of the equally stunned disciple. With a fluttering but terrifying speed unmatched by her lazy stance in the beginning, everyone held their breath completely frightened by the girl's movements. Meeting the demoness's gaze up close as he blocked her deadly blow, the disciple felt sweat pour down his back. Wha-What was that?!

Lan Biyu didn't care that he had blocked her first blow and in an uncharacteristic and unsophisticated manner swung her blade wildly like a drunken person. However, each swing was dangerous and calculated despite its first appearance bringing the poor boy who was forced to block all of her blows terrified by her ferocity. Unlike the sophistically of the Jian sword, the cold sword was heavier and less refined making the wielder appear roguish. However, her handling almost resembled a ballad as her blade when attacking extended far below his ankles forcing him to continuously try to keep up with her wild tempo close to touching the ground but the tip never making contact. Thus further showing how comfortable the girl was with the weapon as if it were truly an extension of her own arm. The entire time as the boy was slowly forced into a corner without Lan Biyu having to use any spiritual energy besides powerful slashes of her blade.

The sects who had called Minglan out for being disrespectful were dumbfounded. The woman who stood up for her disciple flushed a darker red seeing as her student obviously stood no chance against the child. To the point that the girl didn't have to do anything more than swing her sword to force him back. In less than five minutes the boy was blown out of the ring by a fierce spiritual burst of her sword. Lan Biyu didn't wait for the staff to announce her victory, not even sparing the injured boy a glance before making her way back to retrieve her guqin. Everyone was stunned by the performance before those with less knowledge roared with approval and praise for the cold beauty. It really was....embarrassing. Minglan smirks with undeterred pride "Well? Is my daughter not a talented child befitting the noblest of titles?"