(25) Wu LiJing's Name is Called

Wang WeiYue grinned when the name he had been waiting for was finally called.

"Mao Ling, disciple of the Growing Treasure Sect! Peak-stage of Second Tier!"

"Wu LiJing, direct disciple of the Moon Sect! High-stage of Third Tier!"

"Oh my gosh! Half of the day has already passed and this is definitely one of the best fights to look forward to!"

"One of the top sect's direct disciples is finally fighting."

"Wait, did the judge just announce that she's already at the high-stage of the Third Tier?!"

"At her age?! Isn't she still in her early twenties?"

"Another prodigy for sure."

Many were already bewildered and staring at the stage with big eyes, not wanting to miss seeing the Ice Goddess's rare appearance.

"I feel bad for the one going against Wu LiJing."

"You can't help it when the draws are random."

"Most people have been lucky being paired up with others close to their levels. But going against the top of the top will still be different."

Swish!

A female cultivator jumped from one of the higher seats to the stage and her dark violet robes fluttered behind her as she gracefully landed. A few cultivators couldn't help glancing at her face a few times, realizing that she was a cold beauty, worthy of those small rumors that praised her for not only having a gorgeous appearance, but also of having high talent.

"Watch carefully, Rongyi," Sect Master Wang said. "This is your junior sister."

Lai Rongyi glanced at the stage once and then looked away. What was there to watch? It was already obvious who the winner was.

Wu LiJing saluted towards her opponent respectfully and then stood still, her indifferent eyes reflecting her opponent.

Mao Ling, on the other hand, summoned her saber and bit her cheek nervously as she kept her gaze on the violet figure in front of her. The Ice Goddess was almost a whole tier stronger than her! She was nervous but she wasn't going to just give up!

"Ready, fight!" the judge announced.

Almost everyone was looking at the middle stage because this was a chance to see the skills of someone many have heard of but have never seen.

Wu LiJing stood leisurely with her eyes on her opponent.

"Summon your weapon!" Mao Ling said.

Wu LiJing showed a small smile. "There is no need to."

Mao Ling ran towards her quickly and swung the long saber in her hands. If she refused to, then she would make her!

"Look! Look! First Older Brother, it's Sister LiJing!" Bai XiaoMing excitedly tugged on his big brother's sleeve as he pointed to the middle stage. Bai XiaoMing recognized her at one glance.

Bai ChengAn's eyes slightly widened and he smiled. "So she's a direct disciple of the Moon Sect."

Bai ZhiJun had just arrived in the seat next to his brothers and witnessed this scene. He was also slightly interested in seeing how the second disciple of the Moon Sect would fight. Like him, it seems this disciple didn't attend many events so not many know of her appearance. He looked on stage and his eyebrows rose a little.

As the light from the sun beamed down and reflected off the silver crown around her ponytail, her long dark hair flickered behind her as her feet lifted her body from the ground to attack, every move precise and elegant. Her demeanor as well as that indifferent face…

It was her?

Bai ZhiJun stared at the stage with deep eyes.

After a moment of silence, "First Older Brother, are you acquainted with the second disciple of the Moon Sect?"

Bai ChengAn turned to his second brother in surprise. "ZhiJun!" He grinned and walked over to pat his second younger brother, whom he hadn't seen in a while, on the shoulder. He grinned, "I haven't told you yet, have I? We met her once in a village and Ah'Ming even fed her himself due to her injured hands! It was an interesting sight to behold."

"Her hands were injured?"

Bai ChengAn nodded. "Yes. Coincidentally, she was also the lady who saved Ah'Ming once and even bought him his favorite coconut cakes." He looked as Wu LiJing skillfully dodged each attack and his gaze went to her hands that were no longer wrapped.

"I'm glad Sister LiJing's hands are all better!" Bai XiaoMing said with a bright smile. Pointing to the middle stage, "Wow! She is so powerful! Look! Look, First Older Brother! She's just as good as you!"

Bai ZhiJun frowned slightly. So that woman whom his little brother mentioned and met twice by coincidence was her? He looked at the boy with a small smile. "Ah'Ming, you're so excited about someone else that you didn't even care to greet me?"

Bai XiaoMing jumped when he realized whose voice it was and looked at his second older brother. "Second Older Brother! You're finally here!" He hopped down and ran over to hug his favorite brother.

Bai ZhiJun's smile warmed up and he patted Bai XiaoMing's head. But right after, Bai XiaoMing quickly went back to his seat and stared at the stage with bright eyes.

Bai ZhiJun's lips slightly parted and his hand that was petting his little brother was left hanging in the air.

Bai ChengAn sat down and laughed, using his fan to hit his leg. "There comes a day where our third youngest brother is excited about someone more than his favorite brother!"

Bai ZhiJun smiled lightly and looked at his older brother with slight ridicule. He sighed and sat down next to him. His gaze went back to the woman in purple and his gentle eyes became unreadable.

Wu LiJing easily avoided attacks from Mao Ling without breaking a sweat. Mao Ling had hoped that she would have a chance to catch Wu LiJing by surprise using her spear since it was not a common weapon among cultivators, but it didn't seem to phase Wu LiJing at all. She was calmly dodging and defending, steps elegant and light, only attacking at certain times.

"Are you done?" Wu LiJing asked. She stepped forward once, aiming for Mao Ling's shoulder with one hand. A powerful wave of energy was released towards her opponent.

Feeling the sudden surge of power hit her, Mao Ling coughed and there was an abrupt pain in her chest. She quickly took a few steps back. Then she raised two fingers up and whispered a spell. A sudden fog appeared on stage, floating about and spreading quickly.

Wu LiJing glanced around and waved her hands lightly in front of her face as the fog started to surround her. She jumped towards Mao Ling, and one fought with her martial arts while one fought with a spear.

Mao Ling managed to quickly retreat and her body disappeared inside the fog.

Wu LiJing stilled and listened carefully. The stage was now no longer visible to the viewers.

"I can't see!"

"What's going on?!"

"Ah! Why didn't she summon her sword? I wanted to see her sword fighting skills!"

"Her opponent was obviously too weak for her! Why would she waste time summoning her sword?"

"Clear the fog! Are they fighting? Is someone already defeated?"

Wu LiJing could still hear the chatter around her, but she only concentrated on what was happening on stage with her eyes closed. Slightly twitching to the left, she dodged the incoming blade on the spear, and her eyes opened, allowing the weapon's reflection on her dark pupils.

After taking a few graceful steps back and flipping a few times to avoid the blade that was appearing from the fog, her hand gripped the middle part of the long handle of the saber that was still stabbing towards her and pulled it forwards. She felt the weight of a body come towards her. Her right hand moved in motion at the same time as an energy was released from her palm and the impact hit her opponent, making Mao Ling groan loudly and fall to the floor with a loud thump!

With her spear already fallen to the floor, Mao Ling looked up and could not block the incoming blow.

Boom!

What happened?! Everyone's gaze went towards a ball of fog that had just been tossed out of the stage. It was Mao Ling, who was coughing on the ground, outside of the stage, and the fog on stage finally cleared.

A female figure in dark purple robes was standing without a sweat in the middle of the stage as if she had never moved.

"Winner: Wu LiJing from the Moon Sect!"

The crowd was quiet.

What?! So, it's over just like that?! They didn't even get to see anything! Everyone was in awe but also very unsatisfied.

Wu LiJing jumped to her seat and sat next to her master calmly as the claps resounded behind her.

Sect Master Wang chuckled. "Didn't you end the fight a little bit too soon?"

"I don't want to waste time," she replied. Also, she already gave her opponent some time to show off some of her skills.

Lai RongYi just glanced at her and leisurely ate some grapes. The Dark Ruby Sect was so great, preparing different kinds of refreshments, even grapes.

Wang WeiYue discreetly observed the expressions on all of the masters' faces and grinned inside as he fanned himself. Right, this was his disciple!

Once almost half of the day was over, there was a break in between as people ate the luxurious food prepared by their host. Those who constantly enjoyed the snacks provided by the Dark Ruby Sect didn't feel as hungry, however, seeing the food on their tables made their stomachs growl for no reason, thus everyone ate happily.

Wu LiJing had taken a casual walk and was about to return back to where the Moon Sect was seated but saw a man laughing with a woman a small distance away from her. She happened to overhear their conversation and stopped walking as she stared with deep eyes. The older man was slightly chubby but his figure was full and he was tall, wearing dark outer blue robes with a grey inner robe. His face was bright and looked honest as he conversed with another cultivator.

"Sir, your clan has been on the rise lately. I even heard that your clan has mastered the use of lightning chi, which is very rare. It is only soon that the major clans will have to watch out for you! Tell me, how do you do it?" the female cultivator next to the man asked curiously.

The man in blue and grey robes laughed. "You flatter me too much! My Lightning Clan still has a long way to go! I wouldn't dare to put myself out there!"

The woman sighed and said, "You are too humble! I heard that you ordered your clan members to help take care of a flooding disaster in a small village and pay for the damages done by an evil thief, even letting him live and repent within your sect. Is your clan still doing fine? I know you only run a few small jewelry businesses and own some small land so it must have been hard."

The tall man shook his head and smiled. "It is of no trouble. I am just glad we were able to be of help. I just happened to pass by and saw what occurred. If I just let it be knowing I could do something, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Wu LiJing smiled when she heard that and at that moment, her gaze happened to meet with the slightly chubby man. She kept her smile and with a polite nod, she turned around. After only taking a few steps, she heard someone call for her.

"Wait, Miss Wu!"

Wu LiJing stilled and looked back calmly and aloofly.

"Miss Wu! Your fight was amazing!" the man said, catching his breath with a smile.

She expressed a smile with no specific meaning. "Thank you."

He saluted. "I am the clan leader of the Lightning Clan, Xiao Guang! Pleased to make your acquaintance."

She nodded a bit and just stared at him with indifferent eyes, which made him feel a bit unnerved. He cleared his throat. "Miss Wu, I have heard great things about your skills, and it was amazing to see it in person." He didn't know why such a great person like herself from one of the major sects would pay attention to him, but maybe it was because she overheard his conversation and felt touched by his righteous actions. Since it seems like she heard them and paid attention to him, he had to make a connection somehow!

Wu LiJing showed a small smile and nodded. "I still haven't shown everything," she declared in a deep voice. "Please look forward to seeing how much better I am when I fight with my sword, Clan Leader Xiao." Then she turned around to leave.

He wanted to ask her if the Moon Sect was currently recruiting more disciples or not but she was already a few steps away from him so he could only sigh in regret.

"Oh right, I overheard that your businesses may not be doing as well. Are you alright?" she paused in her steps and suddenly asked, head slightly turning over.

"Oh!" he looked up. "Right…" He was caught off guard by a bit. Was that what they were talking about? "Someone has been disrupting our business, but all is well. My clan is competent enough to take care of such problems! " he said proudly, hoping to appear better in her eyes.

The Moon Sect disciple showed a genuine smile and nodded. "If the clan leader needs help with anything, feel free to contact me. I will gladly assist." Then she walked away with graceful strides, attitude aloof.

"Oh wow! Clan Leader Xiao! I can't believe you got the Ice Goddess to smile at you! Your actions might have drawn her attention!" The woman who had been in conversation with him earlier exclaimed in surprise as she walked over curiously.

Xiao Guang grinned. "I hope so, hahahaha!" After a while of talking with others some more, he stepped out further from the people who were trying to make more connections and his face turned grim as his smile disappeared.

"Did you find out?"

The guard in a brown uniform, who quickly walked over, shook his head. "Clan Leader, there were absolutely no clues as to who had been attacking our businesses. The attacker is always a young lady who disguises herself completely and kills all witnesses, leaving only one or two to report. She has to be of one of the bigger clans or sects. Or else it wouldn't make sense as to how she received information about our bases…"

Xiao Guang sighed in frustration. "It can't be," he said as he gripped his fists. "If it is, then why haven't they just confronted us about it? It has to be someone who has ties to one of our victims." He glared at the guard who lowered his head. "Don't come back until you have a clue as to who she is!" He swung his sleeve angrily and small lightning sparks could be seen moving around his hand before they quickly disappeared.

This woman dared to take the life of his dear son, his only son! It took him years before he was able to birth this son, he will turn whoever this lady was into charcoal once he finds her!

Wu LiJing chuckled to herself as her eyes turned cold while she walked back slowly. The Lightning Clan? Don't make her laugh. She would definitely assist - in destroying more of their bases that is. She almost reached her seat and could already see the remaining Moon Sect disciples chatting in their seats while others went elsewhere to make connections or to meet with distant friends from other sects. Either way, she ended up stopping once more when she saw three familiar faces, one in particular she currently wasn't too fond of.