The Hehuan Sect Was Squeezed Dry for Ten Thousand Years, but It Became a Sacred Ground?-Chapter 42 - The Face of Da Xia—Gone!
Chapter 42: The Face of Da Xia—Gone!
“Wang Miaomiao wins!”
“Lan Yuexin wins!”
“Zhao Zhi wins!”
...
One match after another concluded.
Compared to the girls who joined the sect without prior cultivation, those who entered with existing cultivation had a massive advantage. Six months wasn’t nearly enough to bridge the gap.
But fairness had never been absolute. The Qinglian Sect had already done its best—otherwise, they would have simply merged new and old disciples in a mixed competition. Those who lost had no excuses; if they were weak, they needed to train harder.
Even so, three girls stood out despite the overall disparity in strength:
Duanmu Yao—the only newcomer in the Foundation Establishment Realm, a dominant force in every match.
Yu Hua—a master of combat techniques, minimizing her own energy consumption while ending battles with ruthless efficiency.
Zhou Qin—though still at the Qi Refining stage, her mastery over spiritual fire put her on an entirely different level, overwhelming other rookies who were still relying on basic punches and sword swings.
Their exceptional performances naturally caught Ning Chen’s attention.
Though their faces still carried traces of youthful innocence, their delicate features were already on par with the likes of Liu Ruyan. Unfortunately, the sect’s surveillance system lacked the ability to remotely analyze their identities and cultivation potential.
In truth, Liu Ruyan and Xu Qingyao had long been observing these three.
Over the past six months, they had consistently outperformed their peers, creating a noticeable gap in ability.
Duanmu Yao had the most impressive raw strength.
Yu Hua possessed the sharpest combat instincts and the fastest rate of improvement.
Zhou Qin not only had solid cultivation but was also a gifted alchemist. Despite her young age, she was already a proficient Tier-1 Alchemist—a rare and invaluable talent.
Because of this, the sect had quietly manipulated the matchups, ensuring that the three would only face each other in the later rounds.
***
The Semifinals
Yu Hua, emotionless as ever, effortlessly knocked out her opponent with a single karate chop, advancing to the finals.
No surprises there.
What everyone truly anticipated was the showdown between Duanmu Yao and Zhou Qin—
One was the strongest in raw cultivation.
The other was a prodigy who controlled spiritual flames.
This would be a true battle of titans!
Both girls took their stances, forgoing any unnecessary trash talk.
Even the proud Duanmu Yao acknowledged Zhou Qin’s strength after watching her previous battles.
However...
Duanmu Yao raised her hands, her palms glowing with a faint golden radiance.
She had no intention of losing.
On the other side, Zhou Qin prepared to use a familiar strategy. With a mere thought, a blue flame surged to life in her palm.
This was a flame she had obtained after defeating a fire-attributed spirit beast, guided by her mentor, Aunt Qing. The fire had already fused with her essence, allowing her to control it as naturally as breathing.
But she knew Duanmu Yao wouldn’t be easy to defeat.
The fireball in her palm swelled in size.
One split into two.
Two split into four.
Four split into eight!
In less than a second, eight flames hovered around Zhou Qin.
This was her limit—the maximum number of flames she could control simultaneously.
“Go!”
She launched the fireballs, each streaking through the air like a meteor.
Duanmu Yao remained unfazed. She advanced fearlessly, her footwork fluid and graceful—like a blooming snow lotus.
This was the Qinglian Sect’s Flowing Lotus Step, a movement technique she had mastered after joining the sect.
Ever since Liu Ruyan had ascended in cultivation, she had personally optimized the sect’s low-level techniques, elevating them to a level that rivaled even the mid-tier skills of the Twelve Great Sects.
Effortlessly dodging the incoming flames, Duanmu Yao clenched her golden-glowing fists.
With a single punch, she shattered a fireball.
The blue flames dispersed harmlessly upon contact with her protective spiritual energy.
Zhou Qin’s eyes narrowed.
Unwilling to relent, she clenched her hands.
The remaining five fireballs converged from all directions, closing in on Duanmu Yao like a five-fingered fist.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion shook the stage as flames erupted, swallowing Duanmu Yao entirely.
Did I go too far?!
Zhou Qin’s heart skipped a beat.
Had she burned her opponent?
That would be... bad.
Just as panic set in, a soft voice echoed in her mind—Aunt Qing.
“Relax. That little girl’s energy hasn’t weakened at all—in fact, it’s rising. You’d better focus on how you’re going to take her next move.”
Hearing this, Zhou Qin exhaled in relief.
Good.
Even just hearing Duanmu Yao’s surname, she could tell that this girl came from an extraordinary background. The last thing she wanted was to cause unnecessary trouble.
***
The Flames Die Down
As the raging flames dissipated, Duanmu Yao’s figure was revealed once more.
She stood unharmed, completely enveloped in that faint golden aura from before.
A glint of smug satisfaction flashed across her eyes.
This was the Golden Dragon Spiritual Qi—exclusive to the royal family of Da Xia.
It could block most attacks, and a mere Qi Refining Realm flame could hardly scratch her—let alone burn a single hair on her body!
However...
A gentle breeze swept across the stage, and something felt off.
Why does it feel... a bit chilly?
She looked down.
“AHHHHH!!!”
A piercing shriek shattered the sky.
Duanmu Yao immediately crouched down, arms wrapped around herself in panic.
The spiritual fire had failed to harm her—but it had burned away her upper robes!
Now, she was left wearing nothing but a delicate white-and-gold silk camisole.
For a moment, absolute silence blanketed the arena.
Every disciple—even Zhou Qin, the unwitting culprit—stared in shock, completely dumbfounded.
At least... only one man had witnessed this live.
Watching the battle via remote projection, Ning Chen took a sip of tea.
“Good stuff. More of this, please.”
He sighed, then muttered regretfully, “Shame she’s so flat.”
“...That physique really doesn’t require any censorship.”
Fortunately, Mei Shi, one of the sect’s elder attendants, couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
She swiftly leaped onto the stage, summoning a barrier of spiritual energy to shield Duanmu Yao from the crowd’s eyes.
By the time the barrier disappeared, Duanmu Yao had changed into a fresh set of clothes—this time, a standard moon-white combat uniform like the rest of the disciples.
Her fists clenched.
Her body trembled with fury.
Her gaze locked onto Zhou Qin, who was clearly feeling guilty and nervous on the opposite end of the stage.
She was a princess of Da Xia!
Every action she took represented the dignity of the imperial family.
And now, she had been publicly exposed in front of the entire sect!
If Royal Father found out, he’d probably disown her out of sheer embarrassment!
Golden spiritual energy erupted from her body.
Her long hair billowed, and her expression darkened.
“You... deserve to die.”
Her voice was ice-cold and vengeful.
In her grasp, a dragon-engraved longsword manifested, radiating a terrifying aura of royalty and power.
She vanished.
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Her footwork pushed to the absolute limit, she charged toward Zhou Qin—golden aura surging, blade slashing down!
“Heh, looks like you’re in trouble, little Qin.”
Aunt Qing’s teasing voice echoed in Zhou Qin’s mind.
“The Foundation Establishment Realm princess is about to throw a tantrum~”
Zhou Qin’s eye twitched.
She let out a long breath, spiritual energy surging through her body.
Then—
Boom!
She stomped the stage and launched herself into the air.
With a perfectly executed arc, she landed gracefully outside the ring, just as Duanmu Yao’s sword strike slashed down.
She didn’t hesitate.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she raised both hands in surrender.
“I forfeit!”
