Cultivation Is Money-Grabbing C31

Chapter 31: Cheering On “If I say I’ll slap you, of course I’ll use my hand to do it…”

The entrance examination’s second round officially began.

The competition was held in the largest arena on the peak, surrounded by disciples who had come to watch. Most were Sword Cultivators, with some from neighboring Suiqiu Peak. The Alchemy Cultivators from Yinxing Peak weren’t interested in such events, and the Artifact Refiners from Qianling Peak didn’t even bother showing up.

On the cloud platform, ten elders sat high above—five to oversee the competition and maintain order, while the other five were there to recruit the top ten disciples.

The new Sword Cultivator disciples lined up neatly in the arena. At a senior disciple’s command, they split into two groups—one group stepped forward to draw lots.

The spectators craned their necks, eager to see if this batch of new disciples had any particularly strong ones.

Due to earlier events, many eyes landed on Lian Mu.

Luo Qianxue was among the audience, arms crossed, staring at Lian Mu as she drew her lot.

Lian Mu turned her head and found a crowd watching her. “…”

Luo Qianxue met her gaze, raised her sword slightly, and wordlessly conveyed: I’ll be waiting for you.

Lian Mu turned back with a complicated feeling and glanced at her lot—”Shi Qingxiong.”

“You’re Lian Mu?” A burly man stomped toward her, towering over her by two heads. His face was fierce and intimidating.

Lian Mu nodded. “That’s me.”

Shi Qingxiong sneered down at her. “With that scrawny body, you should go home now! Getting you as an opponent is a disgrace—what bad luck!”

Lian Mu: “?”

He dropped those words and walked away.

Guan shiZe had also drawn his lot and came over to talk—only to catch the tail end of Shi Qingxiong’s rant.

Guan shiZe watched the man leave, his expression complicated. “…”

If nothing unexpected happens, then something unexpected is definitely going to happen to this person.

The first round of the competition began, and this time, Lian Mu got lucky—she was drawn to go first.

The previously quiet spectators instantly erupted in excitement.

It turned out that this Shi Qingxiong wasn’t weak either. He was one of the outstanding few in the front ranks, and rumor had it that he had quite the background. Before joining Gui Xian Sect, he had once fought a demonic beast and emerged victorious from a desperate battle.

Originally, he had aimed to slay a Flame Beast in this first entry trial to secure the sole apprenticeship opportunity. Unfortunately, he was intercepted halfway by Bai Li Que. Bai Li Que was a talisman cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root and came from an aristocratic family, completely overpowering Shi Qingxiong in every aspect.

Shi Qingxiong had quite a few followers who hadn’t been called to compete yet, so they were all shouting from the sidelines:

“Brother Shi will definitely win!”

“Knock her down with one punch!”

“With that frail look, she wants to compete with Brother Shi? She’s overestimating herself!”

Guan Shize was also outside the arena, fuming as he listened. But since the senior members remained silent, tacitly allowing such provocations, he had no choice but to endure.

After all, this was Hanlai Peak, where strength spoke louder than anything else. Only those whose swords were sharp enough had the right to shut others up.

The shouting from Shi Qingxiong’s followers grew louder, and soon, everyone heard their taunts directed at Lian Mu.

Inside the arena, before the gong had even been struck, the two competitors stood facing each other.

Even the senior members on the judging platform couldn’t help but take a closer look. One elder who didn’t know Lian Mu commented, “Judging by appearances, that disciple surnamed Shi seems more outstanding. He has quite the support.”

Murong Yi, sitting nearby, said nothing and lightly shook his silver fan.

Guan Shize couldn’t hold back anymore and was about to bribe a few disciples with spirit stones to cheer for Lian Mu. However, just as he turned around to look for people, a sudden shout came from the other side:

“Lian Mu! Crush them!”

The voice was all too familiar. The elders collectively turned their heads to see a silver kite hovering outside the arena.

Two people leapt down from it—it was Xu Xianxing and Bai Li Que.

Xu Xianxing charged straight into the crowd, while Bai Li Que followed beside him, his usually expressionless face carrying a hint of restrained embarrassment.

“Lian Mu, break his legs!” Xu Xianxing shouted and then smacked Bai Li Que beside him.

Bai Li Que hesitated for a moment before muttering, “Slap… slap him hard.”

This was probably the most humiliating moment in his seventeen years of life.

Cheering was one thing, but why did he have to say something so crude?

Xu Xianxing didn’t stop, even pulling out a few Echo Talismans to repeatedly amplify his words. Bai Li Que, who had initially been reluctant, now had three talismans in his hands as well.

Just the two of them alone managed to create a momentum that felt like an entire cheering squad, even overwhelming Shi Qingxiong’s followers.

On the other side, Shi Qingxiong’s group suddenly fell silent.

No matter how bold they were, they didn’t dare to engage in a shouting match with two Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators. One was an Artifact Refiner—treasured among all Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators—and the other was not only a talisman cultivator but also came from a prestigious immortal clan. They were simply untouchable.

Even the senior members on the judging platform were silent. None of them had expected that Lian Mu, of all people, could rally the support of two usually aloof Heavenly Spiritual Root disciples. Logically, she wasn’t even in their league.

Murong Yi chuckled. “This little troublemaker has quite the connections. No wonder she’s always running around.”

First, she got acquainted with Xu Xianxing, the Heavenly Spiritual Root Artifact Refiner. Then, she befriended Ji Mingyue, a Heavenly Spiritual Root Alchemy Cultivator. And now, even the Bai Li family’s heir had come to support her.

Shi Qingxiong had also noticed them. When he caught sight of Bai Li Que, he clenched his teeth.

—The talisman cultivator who had stolen his spot as an apprentice.

And now, he had come to cheer for the weak-looking opponent standing across from him.

Shi Qingxiong’s gaze darkened as he looked at Lian Mu with growing anger. He said, “So what if you know two Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators? You’re in the last-ranked formation. How could you possibly beat me?”

Lian Mu wasn’t even listening. She was busy signaling to Xu Xianxing and Bai Li Que. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely slap him twice as hard.”

Shi Qingxiong was utterly enraged: “!”

The others: “……”

The opponent was right there, and she was saying this so bluntly?

Even Lian Luo Qianxue couldn’t help but sigh. These new disciples had absolutely no restraint.

One of the elders turned to Murong Yi and remarked, “Is this one of yours? She’s got quite the presence.”

Murong Yi merely smiled without replying. He wasn’t about to endorse Lian Mu’s attitude—after all, she had given him more than a few headaches with this exact behavior before.

But seeing her now, making someone else this furious, Murong Yi suddenly felt she wasn’t so annoying anymore. In fact, he found a strange sense of satisfaction in it.

“The first match—Lian Mu versus Shi Qingxiong—begins!”

The battle finally started.

Shi Qingxiong’s toes barely tapped the ground before he dashed forward like an arrow, sword drawn.

Lian Mu watched him lazily, her own sword still sheathed.

Shi Qingxiong hesitated for a split second but continued his attack.

As his first strike fell, Lian Mu dodged slightly and kicked him in the leg.

Shi Qingxiong instinctively raised his sword to block, but just as he looked up, a fist smashed straight into his face.

The audience was stunned. “Why isn’t she drawing her sword?”

In sword duels, the moment the gong sounded was usually when both competitors unsheathed their weapons. Rarely did someone wait while their opponent attacked.

Shi Qingxiong took the punch squarely and was momentarily dazed. He quickly retreated.

“What’s your deal?” He held his sword in a defensive stance.

Lian Mu moved closer and whispered, “I said I’d slap you, so of course, I have to use my hand.”

The moment her words fell, she flashed forward and drove her sheathed sword straight into his abdomen. It didn’t pierce him, but the impact was significant.

The disciples watching: “?!”

She was too fast!

“She’s under Elder Murong? Her reflexes are leagues beyond other new disciples.”

“Of course. Anyone being chased and beaten by an elder every day would naturally be fast.”

Shi Qingxiong had taken two hits but hadn’t managed to touch her once. Frustrated, he increased his attack speed.

Finally, the fight reached a relative balance—Shi Qingxiong fought desperately while Lian Mu casually countered.

And she still refused to draw her sword.

Spectators grew anxious. “Is she messing with him?”

“Maybe she doesn’t think he’s worth using her sword.”

Half an hour passed with no clear victor.

Shi Qingxiong grew desperate. He didn’t want to lose in the first round—he had the strength to earn an apprenticeship!

“They’re both quite good,” an elder noted. “Too bad they had to face each other now.”

“Unlucky,” Murong Yi said indifferently.

He could tell this troublemaker was copying his own tactics—playing with her opponent’s mind.

She could have ended this already, so what was she waiting for?

Inside the arena, Shi Qingxiong, now frustrated, used his trump card—channeling spiritual energy into his sword to resonate with it.

Lian Mu finally drew her sword. When Fortune was unsheathed, it gleamed with a ghostly green light, its blade still stained with the blood of the beast she had slain last night.

Shi Qingxiong swung his sword, aiming straight for her heart.

Lian Mu ducked, stomped on his foot, and stabbed his other foot.

Shi Qingxiong screamed in pain. “I’ll kill you!”

Lian Mu didn’t give him a chance. She struck his knees with her sword hilt, forcing him to kneel.

Then, she slapped him twice—loud and clear. “Didn’t your father ever teach you not to pick fights before knowing who you’re up against?”

Everyone: “!”

“This… I thought she was just saying it, but she really slapped him? Isn’t that too much?”

“You’re new here, aren’t you? That’s normal for sword cultivators. He was the one who provoked her first, running his mouth without thinking. If he can’t win, he should learn his lesson.”

“That’s why, if you don’t have the strength, don’t act tough. Once you’re on the sparring field, neither swords nor fists show mercy.”

Shi Qingxiong’s sword slipped from his grasp, and Lian Mu kicked it away from beneath her foot. The supervising senior brother quickly announced her victory.

Xu Xianxing shouted, “Lian Mu! That’s the Lian Mu I know!”

Bai Li Que, feeling too embarrassed to shout, pretended to be a lifeless statue and stood still.

Up on the cloud platform, a senior elder overseeing the match fixed his gaze on Lian Mu’s sword. He narrowed his eyes and observed for a moment. “That sword of hers isn’t bad.”

This elder was an Artifact Refiner and had originally come to the trials just to make an appearance. But now, he was intrigued by Lian Mu’s sword.

He sent someone to summon Xu Xianxing.

Xu Xianxing was in the middle of cheering for Lian Mu when he was suddenly dragged away by his master’s subordinates. He was startled and looked up at the cloud platform, only to see his master beckoning him.

Xu Xianxing: “……”

No one had told him that the Artifact Refiner presiding over Hanlai Peak today was his master.

His diligent, hardworking, and steady image was completely ruined.

Xu Xianxing closed his eyes briefly and could only accept his fate as he climbed up to meet his master.

“Master, did you need me for something?”

The Artifact Refiner Elder nodded and pointed toward Lian Mu in the sparring field. “You seem to be on good terms with that sword cultivator. Did you forge the sword she’s using?”