Three Peaks had another option: send a genius to battle and directly eliminate Guang Xiaoyu. But the problem was, who dared to take the risk? What if the genius lost?
Even without sending a genius, choosing a disciple around the Breaking Sun Fifth Heaven to fight Guang Xiaoyu was an extremely risky move. The number of high-end combatants was crucial for vying for first place in the later stages.
With Guang Xiaoyu throwing a fit at this critical juncture, the three Peak Masters naturally couldn't remain idle. They quickly tried to placate her, saying things like, "The competition has just begun, you can take a rest," and explained the many disadvantages of continuous battles.
Chen Pingping smiled without saying a word.
Guang Xiaoyu secretly rolled her eyes, thinking, "Thank goodness my senior brother was prepared." Given her temperament, she naturally wouldn't have come up with this plan herself. Deep down, the Demon Emperor knew no fear; even if faced with ninety battles, she would only shout, "Come at me! Kill me, or else... I'll crush all of you!"
Seeing the anxious expressions on the three Peak Masters' faces, she remembered her senior brother's instruction: "If the three Peak Masters don't want you to continue battling, then make a request."
Guang Xiaoyu looked up with a smile. "I can stop fighting too."
Upon hearing this, the three Peak Masters stopped talking and looked over in unison.
She added, "Let me go directly into the third Reincarnation battle round."
In the first Reincarnation, one hundred would be eliminated, leaving one hundred. In the second, fifty eliminated, leaving fifty. In the third, twenty-five eliminated, leaving twenty-five...
Chen Pingping analyzed, "If nothing unexpected happens, Three Peaks will agree to your request to conserve their high-end combat strength. By the third Reincarnation battle, almost all remaining contestants will be new disciples in the Breaking Sun Realm. At that time... any disciple from Three Peaks could easily defeat you."
Guang Xiaoyu was indignant. "Am I that bad?"
He laughed. "That's what Three Peaks is thinking. Even if you luckily make it to the fourth round, you'll face even stronger new disciples. Your chances of elimination will be much higher then. For Three Peaks, as long as you don't make the top ten, it's fine. So... they'll choose to compromise. They'll try to defeat and eliminate you in the third round, while their reserved high-end combatants and geniuses start competing for the top ten, or even first place."
Guang Xiaoyu had a sudden realization. The more she thought about it, the more shocked she became, and the more she felt that this dispirited "senior brother" before her wasn't quite right.
Once this plan was implemented, it would directly skip most of her battles. Brilliant!
"Senior brother is truly clever," Guang Xiaoyu said with a smile. "So, can I take off this skirt? It's so ugly!"
Chen Pingping refused. "No. I've already told you, it's a powerful piece of armor. Although it hasn't fully formed yet, it can block most attacks below the Condensed Soul level. So... keep it on!"
A skirt that can block attacks below the Condensed Soul level? Doesn't that mean it's invincible within the Breaking Sun Realm? Guang Xiaoyu scoffed. She constantly felt like her senior brother was insulting her intelligence.
Her request caused an uproar. Many young disciples discussed it, thinking she was dreaming.
However, after a brief consideration, the three Peak Masters surprisingly agreed to her request.
Nearby, Baili Jiansan's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. He keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere, suspecting something was hidden.
Guang Xiaoyu grinned, dragging her long dress as she led Lao Huang the old ox to the side.
「Time passed; it was now noon.」
The first Reincarnation of battles had finally ended, closely followed by the second.
Below, Guang Xiaoyu had been constantly studying the skirt she wore. But no matter how she fiddled with it or tried to sense its properties, her conclusion was always the same: it was ordinary. It was just a normal dress, special only in its materials. She couldn't discern any other remarkable features; everything else seemed perfectly normal.
The second Reincarnation also ended quickly, eliminating many new disciples who had not yet reached the Breaking Sun Realm.
DANG!
The brass bell rang out again, signaling the imminent start of the third Reincarnation of battles.
Guang Xiaoyu chuckled, looking up with an unexpected sense of anticipation. Indeed... Before, she'd been annoyed that she, the dignified Demon Emperor, had to fight a bunch of brats. What a humiliation! But now, she was actually looking forward to it!
"Next up, Qingfeng's Guang Xiaoyu versus Snow Storm Peak's Liu Qi," the middle-aged Steward announced.
MOO!
Once again dragging her long gown and leading Lao Huang the old ox, she returned to the battlefield.
Guang Xiaoyu asked, "What realm are you?"
Liu Qi replied, "Breaking Sun Second Heaven."
"Then you should just concede," Guang Xiaoyu said.
With a difference of three minor realms, was there even a need to fight?
Liu Qi's face stiffened, his eyes resolute. "I earned my strength step by step through cultivation."
"Are you implying my realm was achieved by just eating?" Guang Xiaoyu huffed, then drew her wooden sword and charged.
The disparity in their realms meant a vast difference in strength. Liu Qi had no chance to retaliate and was swiftly defeated.
The middle-aged Steward stepped forward. "Qingfeng's Guang Xiaoyu wins. Next is..."
At that moment, Baili Jiansan couldn't help but speak up, "Chen, who gave her that wooden sword?"
The three Peak Masters at his side all pricked up their ears. They had been suspicious earlier. Qingfeng was a sect, after all. Could they really be so destitute that they couldn't even produce a single first-grade weapon? What was the meaning of her carrying a wooden sword?
Chen Pingping smiled. "I carved it."
Baili Jiansan was speechless.
Oh? The three Peak Masters exchanged a smile, sharing the same thought: It's in the bag.
Soon, it was Guang Xiaoyu's turn again. Her opponent was a cultivator of the Breaking Sun Third Heaven, but... there was still a gap compared to her at the Fifth Heaven.
Guang Xiaoyu raised her wooden sword and struck.
Threads of Sword Intent surprisingly coalesced within the wooden sword.
She was taken aback.
Baili Jiansan also noticed it, his brow furrowed tightly.
The three Peak Masters' eyelids twitched as they turned to Chen Pingping. "Chen, has she cultivated the Sword Dao?"
The wooden sword had unleashed Sword Intent. There was only one explanation: Guang Xiaoyu had also cultivated the Sword Dao. Not only that, but she had reached the Sword Taoist Novice Realm. Otherwise, it would be impossible to manifest Sword Intent with a mere wooden sword. But wasn't she supposed to be a disciple with poor aptitude?
Chen Pingping answered, "No, she has only practiced one cultivation technique."
"I see." The Wanjian Peak Master secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "It must have been an illusion. Hmm... Mo Wuwei's advantage is still intact."
However, in the third match of the third Reincarnation of battles...
When Guang Xiaoyu faced a cultivator of the Breaking Sun Fifth Heaven, she unleashed a continuous stream of Sword Intent. A buzzing sound resonated around the wooden sword as an aura of Dawn suddenly erupted from it.
The cultivator at the Breaking Sun Fifth Heaven was severely injured on the spot.
She was stunned. Having just begun her cultivation after rebirth, and having never touched the Sword Dao, how could she possibly unleash Sword Intent?
Everyone in the square, above and below, was dumbfounded.
The Wanjian Peak Master's eyes widened in shock. "Chen, didn't you say she hadn't cultivated the Sword Dao?"