"Senior Brother Zhou, thank you for letting me win," Si Wanning said gently.
Zhou Li accepted the loss without complaint. "Junior Sister Si, you're incredible. The seventh layer of the Lotus Bloom Sword Art—you're the first to reach it in all these years."
Si Wanning, of course, didn't mention that this breakthrough was thanks to Yun Jin. She simply smiled and replied, "Senior Brother, you've made great progress as well."
Zhou Li gave a bitter smile and stepped down from the platform.
Below the stage, Zhou Dai watched his brother with a worried expression. The two exchanged a glance, both knowing that things would only get worse for them from now on.
As expected, Zhao Wuji's face was dark.
He snorted coldly. Among his disciples, Zhou Li and Zhou Dai were now the most useless. Keeping them around was just a waste of resources.
"Useless trash," Ruan Jun sneered, then raised his hand and slapped Zhou Li hard across the face.
Zhou Li stared at him in disbelief. "Senior Brother..."
Zhou Dai immediately stepped in front of his brother, his eyes flashing with anger. "Senior Brother Ruan, Si Wanning's sword art has reached the seventh layer. Even if it were someone else up there, they wouldn't stand a chance!"
"Excuses," Ruan Jun scoffed. "You're just not strong enough. Did you train seriously these past years? Your cultivation hasn't improved at all. The two of you are a disgrace to our lineage. Zhou Dai, if you can't make it to the third round, then neither of you need to call me Senior Brother again."
His tone was sharp and merciless.
Standing next to Yun Jin, Gu Jinghong frowned as he watched the exchange from a distance.
Yun Jin gave him a glance. "Feeling bad for them?"
Gu Jinghong lowered his gaze. "They've had it rough."
Yun Jin nodded slightly but didn't say more. Still, a thoughtful look appeared in her eyes.
Ye Cheng had been cast out by Zhao Wuji too—and ended up giving her quite the surprise. If these twin brothers were eventually pushed out as well, she wouldn't mind taking them in.
Gu Jinghong saw the glint in Yun Jin's eyes and immediately felt a chill.
Wait.
He had only shown a little sympathy, and now his master was already thinking of bringing in more strays?
If he had known, he wouldn't have said anything at all.
Gu Jinghong's eyes turned sharp as he looked at Zhou Li and Zhou Dai. His gaze made the brothers uneasy. They were already miserable. Why was Second Senior Brother staring at them like they had stolen something?
By sunset, the first round of battles had come to an end.
"The second round of drawing lots begins now," Zhao Wuji announced.
Twenty-six had advanced from the first round, with Yun Jin having progressed by default. That made twenty-seven in total.
This round would again have one person with a bye. That lucky person would be whoever drew number fourteen.
Everyone immediately turned to look at Yun Jin.
She blinked. "Am I drawing first?"
Everyone nodded.
Unbothered, Yun Jin stepped forward and casually pulled a lot.
She glanced at it, then looked up, embarrassed. "Ah, sorry. Really, I didn't mean to..."
She held up a red lot.
Number 14.
Once again, she had drawn the bye.
Twice in a row—everyone's expressions began to shift.
Even Zhao Wuji's face changed slightly.
At his level of cultivation, he fully understood that something like luck or fate truly existed. Drawing the bye twice in a row could only mean one thing—Yun Jin's fortune far surpassed everyone else's.
She was practically drowning in good luck.
They couldn't let her continue rising unchecked. She had to fall in this competition, and fall hard. She might keep drawing byes for now, but that wouldn't last forever. Eventually, she would have to fight.
And when that time came, not even the best luck would save her from absolute strength.
On the first day, all disciples from Tianjian Peak advanced.
That night, Qing Yun and the others didn't approach Yun Jin. They didn't want to disturb her mental state before her first real fight.
The second day arrived quickly.
This time, there were thirteen matches, plus Yun Jin's automatic advancement. Fourteen would move on.
Again, everyone from Tianjian Peak made it through. Zhou Dai also advanced to the third round. Only then did Ruan Jun look slightly less annoyed with the two brothers.
In the third round, there were no more byes. Fourteen disciples would draw lots and form seven pairs.
Only seven would advance.
This round, Ruan Jun ended up facing Yu Songnian.
Yue Zhao drew Zhou Dai.
Si Wanning was matched against a strong contender from another peak.
And Yun Jin would finally enter the battlefield—her opponent was a senior brother at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
Seven fights, each one brutal.
Tianjian Peak had already placed four disciples in the top thirteen, an incredible feat, but it wasn't enough if they wanted to take first place.
Especially Yu Songnian. Facing Ruan Jun meant almost certain defeat.
But knowing Yu Songnian's personality, he would likely fight with everything he had.
Yun Jin frowned with concern.
If it weren't for her, Yu Songnian wouldn't be pushed into such a reckless battle.
But sooner or later, she would have to face Ruan Jun herself.
Third Senior Brother had a cold face but a warm heart. For her sake, he would likely try to weaken Ruan Jun as much as possible, fighting to the bitter end.
Yet Yun Jin didn't want Yu Songnian to suffer any injury for her.
She found him and said seriously, "Third Senior Brother, I am certain I can defeat Ruan Jun. Please trust me."
This was her battle.
She would not allow anyone to pay a price on her behalf.
Yu Songnian listened quietly, then smiled and gently patted Yun Jin's head.
Without another word, he stepped onto the platform.
Even Yun Jin wasn't sure what he was thinking.
She could only hope—
That he wouldn't be too stubborn.
At the same time, Yue Zhao began his fight against Zhou Dai.
Si Wanning and Yun Jin watched together from the side, both tense.
Ruan Jun smiled faintly.
"You're not my match, Yu Songnian," he said calmly.
Yu Songnian didn't reply. He simply stood there, still and quiet.
Ruan Jun, knowing his opponent's personality, didn't bother talking more. He launched his attack.
Yu Songnian's figure shifted like a drifting leaf, carried by Ruan Jun's sword strikes without directly resisting them.
He didn't draw his sword.
In the Hidden Sword Path, one never drew unless a chance for victory appeared.
If the sword must come out, it had to shake the heavens.
This was Ruan Jun's first time fighting Yu Songnian. His cultivation far surpassed Yu Songnian's—he could have ended it in moments.
But why rush?
The rules forbade killing in the arena.
But against Tianjian Peak disciples? A slow and painful defeat was far more satisfying.
Ruan Jun wore a pleasant smile as he moved. His curved blade struck again and again, cutting into Yu Songnian and drawing blood with each pass.
Yu Songnian continued to evade, but his body was already soaked in blood.
"Third Senior Brother..."
Yun Jin's face paled.
She wanted him to concede, but she also knew how proud Yu Songnian was.
Ruan Jun was toying with him. Everyone could see it. And Yu Songnian surely realized the massive difference in strength.
But since Ruan Jun refused to end it quickly, he would wait.
Wait for the one moment when he could turn the tide.
With every wound, Yu Songnian grew calmer.
"Third Junior Brother..." Si Wanning couldn't bear to watch.
Yue Zhao had already defeated Zhou Dai and returned to the viewing area. He stood silently, eyes fixed on the arena.
They had expected Ruan Jun to win.
But to do it like this—like a cat toying with a mouse—was a disgrace.
Yun Jin stood slowly.
The Tai'a Sword at her waist trembled faintly.
A quiet fire burned in her eyes.
Very well.
This time—
She was truly, completely furious.
Everything Ruan Jun had done to her Third Senior Brother—
She would return it, blow for blow.