The bright moon hung high, the night breeze gently blowing.
After much deliberation, Chen Pingping made a significant decision and approached Guang Xiaoyu's door. "Are you asleep?"
"Not yet!"
"Come out for a moment!"
They had third-tier weapons at Qingfeng, and not just a few.
But he couldn't let Guang Xiaoyu use one, regardless of whether she had the ability to win over a third-tier weapon. Most importantly, he couldn't reveal much about her cultivation.
Even if it meant losing this match.
Guang Xiaoyu opened her door and stepped out, her eyes bleary with sleep and her clothes quite thin. As the wind blew, her garments fluttered, and her pale skin was undeniably exposed.
Chen Pingping was dumbfounded.
"Senior Brother?" she called out a few times.
Regaining his senses, he chuckled awkwardly. "Tomorrow you will enter the battlefield, and as your Senior Brother, I've decided to entrust you with my most precious possession."
Guang Xiaoyu immediately perked up, her face filled with shock.
...
CLANG!
The deep tolling of the bell swept across the early morning, cutting through the sky, long and profound.
Early on, numerous figures gathered in the square.
Today was the grand day of the freshmen competition, with disciples from all four peaks converging to watch the battles unfold.
Elders, who usually lived in seclusion, had come early on hearing that the Three Peaks had recruited several geniuses.
「Jiuli Peak!」
The Peak Master looked at Zhuge Wushuang with a smile. "You are a Different Body, cultivating advanced movement arts, and your realm has already stepped into the lofty heights of the Eighth Heaven, far ahead of your peers. You're sure to be among the top ten without a problem, but..."
His tone shifted as his smile faded, and he spoke seriously, "This year's freshmen competition is different from the past. You are not only to secure a place within the top ten; you must also defeat all your opponents and claim first place."
This was crucial, as it would determine which peak could merge with Qingfeng. It was a matter of utmost importance.
It was also why he had spared no resource to cultivate Zhuge Wushuang, even shamelessly proposing rule changes to extend the area to five hundred meters.
Of course, the Jiuli Peak Lord had every reason to believe that Wanjian Peak and Snow Storm Peak were also well-prepared, or they wouldn't have agreed so easily.
Zhuge Wushuang took a deep breath and said, "I will certainly not disappoint the Peak Lord's nurturing."
「Elsewhere.」
The master of Snow Storm Peak was also instructing Nangong Jue with a grave tone. "Zhuge Wushuang is a Different Body and has received significant cultivation from our senior brother. Over these few months, he must have unlocked extraordinary phenomena. You are different; you are an Attribute Body. You lack powerful phenomena and don't have Mo Wuwei's sharp Sword Dao, but... an Attribute Body has its own advantages as well. The proposal to extend the range to five hundred meters is actually an opportunity for you, which you must seize."
Nangong Jue nodded. "Yes."
「Wanjian Peak.」
The current Peak Master patted Mo Wuwei on the shoulder, saying nothing.
All that needed to be said had been said the night before.
Mo Wuwei nodded silently, his eyes resolute.
Soon, more people entered the arena. From a bird's-eye view, the dense crowd looked like a swarm of ants.
The various discussions that filled the air mostly revolved around the three geniuses, while Guang Xiaoyu from Qingfeng seemed to be absent from their conversations.
「Before long...」
Zhuge Wushuang made his entrance, his white clothes unsullied and his appearance handsome. With his spirited eyes, at first glance, he seemed to be a prodigy not of this world.
The Jiuli Peak disciples erupted into a frenzy.
Following closely behind was Mo Wuwei. Although he had an ordinary appearance, the Sword Intent within him was particularly potent. Especially the sword on his back, it faintly radiated a formidable aura, oppressive to those around.
Then came Nangong Jue. Unlike the previous two, he was not only ordinary in appearance, but the fluctuations of his aura were also very average, not at all resembling an Attribute Body, but more like an ordinary cultivator.
The murmurs grew louder.
However, after all the genius contenders had entered, Qingfeng's disciple Guang Xiaoyu was still nowhere to be seen.
The Jiuli Peak Lord couldn't help but ask, "Where is she?"
The Wanjian Peak Master frowned. "Hasn't she woken up yet?"
"Could it be stage fright?" the master of Snow Storm Peak looked up.
They each had a genius under their wing, attracting much attention. Even before the start of the competition, their names had spread throughout the Sect amid endless praise.
As the Peak Masters, they naturally basked in the glory as well.
But compared to Guang Xiaoyu, a disciple of Qingfeng with inferior talent, lacking guidance, and without support, her participation in the freshmen competition seemed like nothing more than a joke.
She could win?
With what could she win?
The merger with Qingfeng was already a done deal.
The only thing the Three Peaks had to contend for was first place in the freshmen competition, to earn the right to merge with Qingfeng.
"Here they come!" someone shouted, but no one knew who.
On the small path, three figures emerged.
Guang Xiaoyu, with her frail frame, was in the lead, pulling the old yellow ox, Lao Huang, with all her might. Her delicate face was covered in sweat as she complained nonstop, "Can't you walk any faster?"
Bringing an ox into battle was the limit of her tolerance.
Having to lead the old yellow ox, Lao Huang, over early in the morning was bad enough, but the key point was... it walked too slowly.
It was unbearable.
Chen Pingping sat comfortably atop Lao Huang, the ox, with the small black dog, Hei, nestled in his arms. The dog was well-behaved, not making a sound, its dark eyes curiously scanning the square.
Seeing this scene, everyone's mouths twitched. They really brought an ox...
The three Peak Masters exchanged smiles and wanted to say just one thing: "It's secured!"
When Chen Pingping first suggested bringing a pet, they were astonished. Could it be that Qingfeng had raised a powerful Different Beast?
But on second thought, it seemed unlikely.
If Qingfeng had really raised a Different Beast over these years, they would have known about it by now.
It must be that ox, or the little black dog.
Now it seemed, indeed it was so.
The last bit of worry in their hearts instantly shattered, leaving the three Peak Masters in high spirits.
But next to them, Baili Jiansan had an expression as if life had lost all meaning, silently chanting in his mind, Little Junior Sister, your Senior Brother has tried his best.
He was helpless.
As they drew nearer, everyone noticed Guang Xiaoyu's attire: a white long dress. However, this dress was too big, looking comical on her, and many parts of it appeared rather awkward.
The left and right sleeves were different sizes, and the front panel was uneven. Overall, it looked like a failed product.
The first time Guang Xiaoyu saw this dress, she almost got into a fight with her Senior Brother.
This was his most precious possession?
A dress so shabby?
And I was expected to wear it tomorrow in the freshmen competition.
Impossible!
Guang Xiaoyu would rather die than submit.
Entering the competition with Lao Huang, the old yellow ox, was already her bottom line, and now they actually expected her to wear such a trashy dress.
My heavens!
The Demon Emperor was on the verge of a breakdown.
Chen Pingping spoke earnestly, "Junior Sister, now is not the time for you to be willful. Tomorrow in the freshmen competition, you must secure one of the top ten spots or else... our Qingfeng will be forced to merge. Without our Master here, I... can only do this."
Guang Xiaoyu's eyes widened. "What does this dress have to do with me competing tomorrow?"
"Of course," Chen Pingping said gravely. "On the surface, it's an ordinary dress, but in reality, it is a powerful armor."
Guang Xiaoyu was baffled.
Armor?
What kind of Great Emperor joke is this?
In this world, is there such armor?
Guang Xiaoyu expressed her skepticism. "Senior Brother, you're not telling me you sewed this armor stitch by stitch, are you?"
Utterly shoddy—the worst kind of trash.
Aside from those boorish oafs, who else could make something like this?
Oh! No!
Even those boorish oafs would have more self-awareness; they wouldn't try to sew a dress.
Chen Pingping smiled. "Don't mind these details."