JSCMU-Chapter 190: Cat and Mouse

“Senior Brother Zhou, thank you for letting me win,” Si Wanning said gently.

Zhou Li accepted the loss with grace, “Junior Sister Si is incredible. The seventh level of the Lotus Sword Technique, you’re the first to reach it in all these years.”

Of course, Si Wanning wouldn’t mention that this was actually Yun Jin’s doing. She just smiled faintly and said, “Senior Brother has made great progress too.”

Zhou Li gave a bitter smile and shook his head, stepping down from the arena.

Below the platform.

Zhou Dai looked at him with deep worry.

The two brothers exchanged a glance, both knew their future was probably about to get even worse.

On the stage, Zhao Wuji’s expression was indeed quite grim.

He let out a cold snort. Among his disciples, Zhou Li and Zhou Dai were now the most useless. Keeping them any longer would just be a waste of resources!

“Useless trash,” Ruan Jun coldly snorted, and raised a hand toward Zhou Li.

Smack!

He actually slapped Zhou Li across the face.

Zhou Li looked at him in disbelief. “Senior Brother, you—”

Zhou Dai immediately stepped in front of Zhou Li, a flash of cold light in his eyes, “Eldest Senior Brother, Junior Sister Si has cultivated her sword technique to the seventh layer. Even others going up against her would struggle to win!”

“Excuses!” Ruan Jun sneered. “You weren’t strong enough, simple as that! Have you even been training properly all these years? Why is your cultivation stagnating?! If you two keep this up, you’re nothing but a disgrace to the sect! Zhou Dai, if you don’t make it past the third round, then neither you nor your brother need to call me eldest senior brother ever again!”

Ruan Jun’s tone was harsh and unrelenting.

Standing beside Yun Jin, Gu Jinghong frowned as he watched from afar.

Yun Jin glanced at him and calmly said, “What, feeling bad for them?”

Gu Jinghong lowered his head, “They really have had it rough.”

Yun Jin nodded, saying nothing more.

She looked at the pair of twins and began to form some ideas.

Ye Cheng had been cast out by Zhao Wuji too, and he had given her a massive surprise.

In the future, if these twins had nowhere to go, she wouldn’t mind taking them in.

Gu Jinghong saw Yun Jin’s expression and suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.

Wait a minute!

He had just casually expressed a bit of sympathy, was his master really about to go out and bring back another dog?

Had he known this would happen, he’d have kept his mouth shut.

Gu Jinghong looked at Zhou Li and Zhou Dai, and his gaze suddenly turned dangerous.

Zhou Dai was currently helping Zhou Li off the platform. The two wore expressions full of gloom.

Then, they noticed Gu Jinghong’s look and stared back in confusion.

They’re already so miserable!

Why did Second Senior Brother look like he’s jealous and resentful of them?

The first-round battles continued until sunset, wrapping up all matches right on time.

“Second random draw, begin,” Zhao Wuji directly announced.

The first round had decided 26 advancing contestants, plus Yun Jin, who had a bye, making 27 in total.

This round’s draw would again result in one person getting a bye, specifically whoever drew number 14.

All eyes turned to Yun Jin.

Yun Jin blinked, “You want me to draw first?”

Everyone nodded.

Yun Jin didn’t mind. She stepped forward and drew a slip at random.

She glanced at it once, then immediately looked apologetic.

“Sorry, sorry. Really, I’m sorry.”

She held up the red slip.

Coincidentally.

It was number 14!

With two consecutive byes, everyone’s expressions shifted slightly.

Even Zhao Wuji’s face changed.

At his cultivation level, he naturally understood that luck was a real thing in this world.

Two byes in a row…

This could only mean Yun Jin’s luck vastly surpassed everyone else’s.

Otherwise, such a crushing outcome wouldn’t occur.

This Yun Jin absolutely cannot be allowed to develop any further. She must die in the arena this time!

If his prediction was correct, Yun Jin might continue getting byes…

But eventually, there would come a time when she couldn’t.

And when that time came, no matter how great her luck was, against absolute power, everything would be meaningless!

Day one.

All members of Heavenly Sword Peak advanced.

That night, Qing Yun and the others didn’t show up. They didn’t want to disturb Yun Jin before her first battle.

Soon, Day Two arrived.

This time, there were 13 matches, plus Yun Jin’s bye, making a final 14 qualifiers.

Heavenly Sword Peak’s members all advanced again, and Zhou Dai also made it to the third round. Only then did Ruan Jun’s face toward the twins slightly improve.

In the third round, there were no byes with 14 contestants, making up 7 matches.

Only 7 winners would move forward.

This round was truly difficult.

It was during this round.

Ruan Jun was matched against Yu Songnian.

Yue Zhao would face off against Zhou Dai.

Si Wanning’s opponent was another powerful disciple from a different peak.

And Yun Jin would finally have her first battle, against a late Golden Core Stage senior brother.

Only seven matches, but every single one would be tough.

Heavenly Sword Peak making it into the top 13 was already an incredible feat. But if they wanted first place, it still wasn’t enough.

Especially Yu Songnian, his opponent was Ruan Jun, making it an almost guaranteed loss.

But knowing Yu Songnian’s personality, he would likely fight to the bitter end!

Yun Jin couldn’t help but feel worried.

If it weren’t for her situation, Yu Songnian might not be foolish enough to fight to the death.

But…

She would eventually face Ruan Jun herself.

Her third senior brother was a cold-faced softie. For her sake, he would likely try to wear down Ruan Jun as much as possible and fight him to the end.

But.

What Yun Jin feared most was Yu Songnian getting hurt.

So she found him and gravely said, “Third Senior Brother, I’m absolutely confident I can defeat Ruan Jun. Please believe in me.”

Her battle should be fought by her alone!

She didn’t want her Third Senior Brother to pay an irreversible price for her.

Yu Songnian listened seriously. Then he smiled gently and ruffled Yun Jin’s hair.

And then.

He walked onto the arena without saying another word!

Even Yun Jin couldn’t tell what he was really thinking.

She could only hope that her Third Senior Brother wouldn’t be too stubborn!

In this round, Yue Zhao also stepped up to face Zhou Dai.

Si Wanning and Yun Jin’s matches were both scheduled next. The two stood together under the arena, watching nervously.

Ruan Jun already wore a smile.

He said coldly, “Yu Songnian, you’re no match for me.”

Yu Songnian said nothing, quietly standing still.

Ruan Jun already knew Yu Songnian’s temperament. He couldn’t be bothered to talk more and immediately attacked.

Yu Songnian’s form shifted like a drifting leaf, riding the waves of Ruan Jun’s swordsmanship.

He never even drew his sword.

Hidden Sword Technique, its essence lay in not drawing the sword.

Unless the right moment came, he would never draw.

But once the sword came out, it would shake the heavens!

Ruan Jun had never fought Yu Songnian before.

Though his strength far surpassed him and he could’ve easily won.

Why end it so quickly?

The arena prohibited killing, yes.

But against Heavenly Sword Peak? It’s much more fun to torment them slowly.

Ruan Jun’s lips curled into a smile. His curved blade struck Yu Songnian again and again, leaving wounds across his body.

Yu Songnian kept dodging, but his body was already covered in blood.

Third Senior Brother!

Yun Jin’s expression changed drastically.

She wanted to urge Yu Songnian to surrender, but she knew how proud he was!

Everyone could see that Ruan Jun was toying with him. Yu Songnian surely understood the vast difference in their strength.

But since Ruan Jun wasn’t delivering a finishing blow, Yu Songnian would keep waiting.

Waiting for a chance to turn the tables!

The wounds increased. But Yu Songnian’s gaze only grew colder.

“Third Junior Brother…” Si Wanning couldn’t bear to watch.

Yue Zhao had already defeated Zhou Dai and went off the platform. His face was expressionless as he watched.

They wouldn’t say a word if Ruan Jun simply won.

But this? This was cat playing around with a mouse.

Yun Jin slowly stood up. The Tai’a Sword at her waist trembled.

In her eyes, a fire blazed.

Very good.

This time, she’s truly and utterly enraged.

For every wound her Third Senior Brother received, she would make Ruan Jun suffer the same in return!