The girl, Jing'er. looked attentively at Zhi Rui. the night before, she received a message in her token by the sect leader. There was all the information regarding Zhi Rui's fighting style. Without question, she studied everything and developed the ideal counter. Zhi Rui relies on her agility to dance around the opponent while showering them with weak curses. And the level one beast is used as a distraction.
Jing launched a blue shield around her. She reinforced the spell with her crystalized water, it can withstand a lot of damage from a level two, judging as Zhi Rui is a level one. this much is already overwhelming.
Jing smiled. After she was done with the shield, she condensed three lemon sized balls of water. it spun around her upper body.
Zhi Rui waited for her to get ready. If she defeated the girl on a surprise attack, the people would think she got lucky again.
Seeing the girl smile at her from behind the shield Zhi Ruil tiled her hand confused. "You're just gonna stand there?" She asked.
The girl smiled with triumph."You want me to attack so that I'd be lost behind your agility? too bad, you'll be doing the attacking."
Zhi Rui laughed at the girl."Good thinking. But not enough." She bolted straight in the girl's direction.
Jing laughed in glee. "Right. That's your only option!" she willed and two of the condensed ball of water shot off to Zhi Rui.
A shadow jumped in front of Zhi Rui and took both beams of water. blackie flew two meters and stood on her feet, her thick hide endured the attacks.
Zhi Rui kept running holding her mace behind as she built momentum.
Jing, snorted at her miss and condensed the last beam of water until grape size. She narrowed her eyes, waiting for Zhi Rui to attack. She is confident on the shield. When Zhi Rui attack, she would deal a winning blow.
Zhi Rui condensed her inner energy into her muscles, at level one she reached the maximum physical strength for her level, then she did the ritual to reform her talent. While her core had reset back to zero, her physical strength had a qualitative change, she can safely say her strength can reach up to the second level.
She contracted all her muscles, She stopped right in front of the shield. She stomped her feet ahead moving the momentum to her upper body.
Jing felt the ground around her tremble and felt a bad premonition.
Zhi Rui swung her mace.
CRACK
Spider web like crack spread through the shield. The water reinforcement was already gone.
'One more' Zhi Rui cackled.
Jing stared wide-eyed, She clenched her teeth and launched the now grape sized beam of water. Zhi Rui saw it coming, and it was going to pierce through her chest. She smiled savagely a swung her mace using the weigh to slightly shift her body.
CRACK
The shield crumbled to pieces, Zhi Rui ignored the bleeding hole that crossed all the way to her back and raised her mace again.
The girl panicked and jumped back. She barely caught her breath when something encroached around her neck, she looked in horror as Zhi Rui approached pointing her mace at herself.
jing's eyes were red she tried to hold whatever it was suffocating her. But she could not grab it, her vision started to blacken.
She suddenly got on all fours and hit her forehead twice on kowtow.
Zhi Rui raised her eyebrows waved her hand. Relieving the girl.
"Haa" the girl breathed deeply, the panic left her, she calmed down and looked at the ground, tears started pouring out of her as she bawled loudly still trembling from fear.
Silence again. Elder Aurelio looked beside him "D-Did, s-she just smashed a shield able to content with level two strength?" the other elder nodded absent-mindedly.
The disciples around ignored the girl's wailings and cheered loudly.
The sect leader narrowed his eyes and clapped slowly. The girl showed that she was not only smart but strong too. if the first fight was due to her wits then the second was pure violent talent.
He was bothered. In the beginning, it was merely an annoyance. But this girl somehow always affected him in some way. His frustration built up and he turned to look at the clapping tower maiden. 'I can't touch her. then I have to vent with you.' he mused to himself. Suddenly the disciples went silent and he turned his gaze back to the arena.
A green-robed disciple landed right beside the crying girl. He examined the purple marks on her neck and turned to Zhi Rui. his eyes in quiet rage.
"You overdid it." He stated.
Zhi Rui examined. the green robe is the uniform of the inner disciples. She humbly bowed, "I'm sorry senior it wasn't my intention."
The disciple stifled his other words. She so readily and honestly apologized, that if he demanded or did anything more in front of everyone, it would be seen as bullying.
He barely contained himself. "I'm Guan Jing an inner disciple. I'll forget this as it's only an accident. But please be more careful." while he spoke sternly. a few people with good eyes could see his naked rage.
Zhi Rui bowed again, "I'm deeply sorry for angering senior."
His lips twitched, with nothing more to do, he took the girl and went away.
As soon as he was gone the disicples starting murmuring.
Zhun Xuying observed everything and smiled wryly, they angered an inner disciple already, but Thanks to Zhi Rui's humble apologies, and showing of talent, She will remain in the people's memories for a good while.
Smiling brightly, Zhi Rui bowed in the direction of the tower maiden and gave Blackie a healing pill for the soreness. She slowly went out of the arena.
She could feel the people's eyes at her back.
The sect leader felt his stomach contort. He needed to vent now!
He looked around when his eyes found the inner disciple.
"HAHa! What a good seedling indeed! Zhi Rui, wait. I got some incentive for you!" the sect leader's loud voice resounded.
Zhi Rui stopped, she slowly turned around. She smiled brightly. and bowed. "Please tell me sect leader!"
The disciple was looking curiously. Zhun Xuying face filled with worry.
"Guan jing, you're lacking only one person for your expedition right?" The sect leader spoke.
"Yes, sect leader." The green-robed disciple answered.
"Good! take Zhi Rui. She can help with transportation and it'll be a good experience for her."
"But sect leader, The teams have to be one of the third level and four at the second level, for this type of mission. Zhi Rui is merely level one. she may have shown great talent. But she does not have experience outside.
The sect leader narrowed his eyes at him."The mission is the examination of some ruins, slightly deep into the forest, it won't be too dangerous."
The sect leader sighed "If you're too insecure then do it like this: take one more level two and bring Zhi Rui as an extra for support."
Guan Jing wanted to argue. 'The teams are thought out this way to guarantee efficiency and security if there are additions it'll do more harm than good.' but it remained on his head, he did not have the balls to openly question the sect leader.
"What to do you think?" The sect leader beamed a smile at Zhi Rui.
Zhi Rui bowed one more time with a great smile, "I always wanted to have such adventures as a cultivator before. It's a dream turning into reality."
Zhi Rui turned to Guan Jing "Senior when do we go?" she did not want to show a glimmer of fear, as to not give the sect leader any satisfaction.
"We'll wait until the tournament is over." Guan Jing sternly answered.
"No! no!" the sect leader waved his hand. "The tournament is to be halted until you two come back. Guan Jing prepares everything today, to depart tomorrow. Start soon, to finish it soon!" the sect leader spoke in high spirits.
Guan Jing bowed in agreement, his eyebrows twitching.
the sect leader smiled with mirth, the girl will go on an expedition with a leader who has grudges with her, and with veterans outer disciples who feel threatened by her talents. He smiled a the chance of she not coming back at all.
seeing the sect leader's mirth Zhi Rui though about her overall plan to get rid of him, Bianca, and the emperor. breathing deeply. She decided to use this chance to start the plan.