Chapter 32: Two Principles

Xia Jinxi used one month to consolidate after her breakthrough and familiarize herself with Cold sword intent and Yin Yang sword intent until she got used to it as naturally as possible.

After removing the restrictions on the cave, she came outside, her destination is Linggong Peak to exchange the second section of Tai Chi Swordsmanship, named Two Principles.

The moment she arrived, she was no longer disturbed by divine sense, just uncomfortable for a moment. Then she walked with familiarity towards an ancient building on the peak with a plaque inscribed with the words "technique skill".

The door of the hall was wide open, but there was a layer of prohibition blocking it.

  Xia Jinxi took off the disciple identity card, waved it forward, when it showed 928 contribution points.

After looking around, she found Two Principles Swordsmanship, exchange it with 750 contribution points.

In this way, there are only 178 contribution points left in her wooden sign. It's really little, but she can't afford of time for it.

After she got the practice she want, Xia Jinxi went back to her own cave again, put on restrictions for seclusion and enter the space to practice the new swordsmanship.

Xia Jinxi took the small wooden sword with full motivation and began to perform the second section of Tai Chi sword moves - Two Principles.

  Time passed by minute by minute. At first, she was still stumbling and barely practicing the whole set of swordsmanship.

  With repeated practice, she became more and more proficient.

  Learning new things made her full of passion, and she had endless energy, but she didn't notice that time went by too fast.

Time passed, spring went and autumn came, and more than eight months had passed in the blink of an eye.

  In the No. 18 cave of Yunxian Peak, a girl in a green shirt and with pure and innocent face but an aura of compelling spirit was meditating with her eyes closed on a futon.

  If someone was nearby, they would have noticed that the sword intent full of chill cold and killing aura surrounding the girl.

At the reminder of the Peach Blossom Fairy, Xia Jinxi paused her cultivation for several consecutive months.

  Today was the last day to register for the sect competition. If she missed it, she would not be able to go to Yanlan Cave Heaven.

  Standing up neatly from the futon, Xia Jinxi waved her sleeves to remove the cave restriction.

  As soon as she left the cave, she saw a beautiful figure also come out from Cave No.19, Shen Qingluo.

"Qingluo, are you also just come out of seclusion?You also haven't registered for the sect competition yet, right?" Xia Jinxi greet with smile

"Are you too Jinxi? Today is the last day for register for sect competition, right?" Shen Qingluo was a little surprised.

"Well the same as you, let's go, don't delay, I heard the registration location is set at Qiming Peak"

"Yes"

More than ten months later, Shen Qingluo's cultivation level also broke through to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

  She was not surprised that Shen Qingluo was promoted to the eighth level of Qi Refining. The cultivation level of this good friend has always been promoted very quickly, not slower than that of single spiritual roots and mutant spiritual roots.

  Qiming Peak is one of the outer peaks of Taisheng Sect. The mountain is relatively small and flat. A hall is built on the top of the peak. Next to the hall stands a jade disk with seven very down-to-earth words inscribed on it with a gilded pen: "The registration office for the sect competition", it is the last day, so there are very few disciples here.

  The person in charge of recording the number of people is a serious foundation-building master. When he saw someone coming, he raised his eyelids and said expressionlessly: "Take down the identity wooden card and put it on the table. I will check it and record it myself. In addition, those who have already registered do not need to register again, so that they will not be missed."

  Xia Jinxi and Shen Qingluo did as they were told, and in just a moment, they completed the registration.

  The foundation-building master continued: "Put away the wooden card. The competition will start in three days. The location is Xiwu Peak. The opponent will be decided by drawing lots for each game. If you have nothing to ask, you can leave."

  "Yes."

  The two of them bowed and left the hall.

  They came in a hurry, but they walked slowly all the way when they left.

  "Qingluo, the competition is coming up soon. Do you have anything else to prepare? I'm planning to go to Wanbaofang. I heard that there will be a small auction tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?"

  Wanbaofang was the market that Shen Qingluo had been to before. She did have some elixirs to sell, so she nodded and said, "When exactly are we going?"

  "The auction officially starts at 9:00 pm. If we go there, we have to go a little earlier. How about 3:00 pm?"

  "Okay."

  "Then it's settled. It's been ten months since the last competition. How about we continue later?"

  "Of course!"

  Along the way, Xia Jinxi talked about many things. She was introvert person, but she had changed a little since she got to know Shen Qingluo.

  Half an incense stick later, the sound of blades clashing rang out again in the open space in front of Cave No. 19 on Yunxian Peak.

  As their cultivation improved, the two became more and more proficient in controlling their weapons. When they competed, they were no longer as restrained as they were at the beginning, fearing that they would hurt others.

  In every battle, both sides used the green steel sword issued by the sect. This sword is a low-grade magic weapon, so no one would feel bad even if it was damaged.   

Xia Jinxi use her sword intent to even out with Shen Qingluo's heavenly-grade skill, and becoming more adept as she sparring.

  Shen Qingluo kept changing her moves, and the clanging sounds that reached her ears continued.

  At a certain moment, the two long swords clashed against each other again, and the sword body covered with dense cracks finally couldn't bear the weight and broke into two pieces with a click.

  The Qinggang sword was completely scrapped, Xia Jinxi smiled helplessly, and the two of them each held the broken hilt and didn't continue to fight.

  "Low-grade magic weapons cannot withstand high-intensity battles. They can only be used as self-defense in the early stages of Qi Refining. Speaking of which, there is no stipulation on the grade of weapons used by participating disciples in this sect competition. I guess there will be many spiritual weapons at that time. As for magic weapons, they cannot be activated by the spiritual power of Qi Refining cultivators, so they can be excluded."

  Shen Qingluo agreed with this. "As long as there are enough spiritual stones, any spiritual weapon can be bought. If it is in the sect, it can also be exchanged with contribution points. If it is a disciple from a family of immortal cultivators or has already worshipped a master, then their treasures may be given by their elders."

  Not to mention others, even Shen Qingluo herself, the brocade clothes she was wearing were a top-grade defensive spiritual weapon, and the falling rock array disk was also a second-level treasure.

  However, thinking of the situation when she first sparred with Jinxi, she immediately made up her mind to go to the market tomorrow to buy two more defensive boots and hairpins.

  At noon on the second day, at the entrance of Wanbaofang, two girls with outstanding temperament walked slowly from a distance.

  One of them was wearing a long black dress with beautiful face and flying black hair make her more heroic; the other was wearing a white dress with pure and beautiful face but cold expression.

  Because the auction was about to start, there were many cultivators coming and going in Wanbaofang, and many people noticed the two girls.

  When they noticed that they were both at the eighth level of Qi Refining, their eyes moved away and did not dare to stay for long.

  With a bone age of less than 20 years, it is easy to imagine where they came from.

  These two girls were Shen Qingluo and Xia Jinxi.

  Before leaving the sect, they considered that there were many cultivators in the market and that wearing sect clothes would be very conspicuous, so they changed their clothes on purpose.

  Shen Qingluo controlled the style of Jinxiuyi to change to the most inconspicuous black Luo skirt, while Xie Jinxi returned to the outfit she wore on the day of the sect entrance examination.

  The two did not expect that such a low profile would still attract some attention.

  The auction was located in the center of the market, in a nine-story Huixuan Pavilion.

  To enter this pavilion, you need to take out 10,000 low-grade spirit stones or things of corresponding value to prove that you are qualified to participate in the auction, rather than just being a spectator and taking up a seat for nothing.

  Shen Qingluo took out the corresponding number of spirit stones, while Xia Jinxi took out a set of first-level formation flags.

  The two of them successfully entered the auction and were led to the second floor by the attendants inside.

  As for the first floor, it was an auction display venue and no monks were allowed to stay.

  After about an incense stick of time, the Huixuan Pavilion was full and there were no vacancies. The door of the attic slowly closed. Some monks who were still in line beat their chests and stamped their feet, regretting that they could not come earlier.

  On the second floor of the attic, Shen Qingluo and Xia Jinxi were in the same position. The two were in the first row, leaning against the fence.

  Not long after, a secret door on the east side of the first floor slowly opened, and a female cultivator in a red gauze skirt and with a slender figure came out.

  "Welcome all seniors and fellow Taoists to participate in the annual auction of the Huixuan Pavilion. A total of thirty treasures will be auctioned this time."

  After the words fell, the female cultivator stretched out her hand and patted three times. At the same time, an attendant holding a golden tray walked out of the secret door.

  For a moment, the eyes of all the cultivators in the pavilion fell on the tray.

  There was a mask as thin as a cicada's wing.

  The female cultivator's voice sounded again, "This treasure is called the Thousand Illusion Masks. After wearing it, you can change your appearance as you wish. Seniors and fellow Taoists who are out and about, if you don't want to reveal your identity, you can bid for this item. The starting price of the Thousand Illusion Masks is 50,000 low-grade spirit stones, and each bid must not be less than 1,000 low-grade spirit stones."