Due to half of the people being eliminated in the second test, only fifteen remained for this final retest. Consequently, today's draw included one blank number.
The person who drew the blank number would automatically advance to the finals without having to participate in today's retest. That's why everyone called it the Ticket of Blessing, meaning you had one more day of rest than others.
When Chu Lei handed down the flat box that had been emptied of numbers, everyone craned their necks in anticipation, eager to see who would draw that lucky blank number.
Valley Master Rong of Dianjing Valley unfolded the paper and announced loudly, "Report your numbers."
The fifteen remaining disciples unfolded their sealed papers one after another. For a moment, some frowned and some sighed, when suddenly someone exclaimed "Ah!" All eyes turned to see Wu Tong holding up his piece of paper, with a grin that was not quite a smile, saying, "I have the blank number."
A clamor arose as Wu Tong, under everyone's gaze, unfolded the blank paper, holding it respectfully in both hands, and presented it to Valley Master Rong, saying with a smile, "Valley Master, please review."
Seeing that it was he who had drawn the blank number stirred envy and admiration. Indeed, this person was the dark horse of the Flower Pinning Conference; before this, no one knew of such a person. He had breezed through the first two preliminary rounds, and now he had drawn the blank number, truly blessed by the heavens to an extreme degree.
Although Valley Master Rong's face remained expressionless, his eyes betrayed an unmistakable joy. He took the paper and said calmly, "You may go now."
Wu Tong chuckled mischievously, clearly pleased with himself, and turned to leave. As before, he seemed uninterested in the others' competition and hopped over the rail, heading straight back to his own courtyard.
Halfway there, he glanced over at Linglong by reflex and, as expected, she was glaring at him with murderous intent. He curled his lips and raised an eyebrow, throwing her a flippant smile, immediately eliciting the reaction he had anticipated. Her face flushed with anger, and she clenched the treasure sword at her waist. It looked as if she would have charged at him had not people beside her held her back.
Interesting, truly interesting.
Unable to contain his laughter, Wu Tong left with a hearty chuckle amidst the stunned stares of the crowd.
"Linglong! Can't you be a bit more composed?" Zhong Minyan struggled with her for a while and only just managed to restrain her, ending up breathless himself.
Linglong gave him a cold look, withdrawing her arm and said indifferently, "What business is it of yours?"
Zhong Minyan was momentarily at a loss for words, his face turning beet red. Yu Sifeng, fearing their squabble might escalate, was about to intervene when he heard Zhong Minyan say, "What a difficult miss you are. I suppose no one else but me could put up with you in this world."
Linglong retorted hastily, "Who asked you to put up with me! I can be the miss I am, and you can continue being Hero Zhong. Who asked you to come and deal with me!"
As she spoke, the rims of her eyes reddened.
Zhong Minyan spoke softly, "But I just love to endure it, even if it's self-inflicted. Isn't that strange?"
Linglong spat, turned her back to him, and after a good while said, "Smooth-talking, I just hate it when you're like this!"
Zhong Minyan smiled, walked over, and embraced her shoulder, patting her on the head, "Are you still angry with me? Will Sixth Brother really hold a grudge against you? Doesn't Sixth Brother's words mean well for you?"
Linglong glanced at him and a smile crept onto her face. She pinched his hand and said coyly, "Nothing's good! You infuriating Sixth! Anyway, I'm not like other girls, so spare me your endurance!"
Zhong Minyan hurriedly said, "You are like them! How are you not like them! That gloomy kind who wouldn't reply even if I spoke ten sentences - that's the dreadful type! Alright, this time it's your brother's fault, and please don't sulk and cry anymore."
"Who's crying!" She said with a smiling face, tears still hanging from her eyelashes, yet her face was already beaming, radiant and dazzling like a flower in the morning sun. She scraped his nose and said, "You're the one who's crying!"
Seeing that he had finally succeeded in making the young miss smile, Zhong Minyan breathed a sigh of relief in his heart and joined her in happiness. They chatted and laughed the most in the entire place, their voices carrying above all others.
Seeing that the pair had finally made peace, Yu Sifeng turned to Xuanji and smiled, "Those two, they're like, two, little children."
But when he finished, Xuanji didn't respond. Her complexion was pale, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she fidgeted with the hem of her garment continuously, clearly unsettled.
Realizing much of what was happening, Yu Sifeng, who was clever, had never thought it would be like this and was at a loss for words, frozen where he stood. His heart experienced a moment of sweetness, followed by a sharp tang of sourness, then bitterness; he didn't know what to make of it.
After a long pause, he finally spoke in a soft voice, "Xuanji, are you unhappy?"
Xuanji blinked and shook her head, "No… It's just, Sixth Brother and Linglong really have a wonderful relationship."
Yu Sifeng curved the corners of his lips, "Minyan… is a good person. I like him very much too."
Xuanji trembled all over and bit her lip without speaking again.
He sighed inwardly and raised his hand to stroke her long hair but hesitated halfway and drew it back.
"There will be other even better people." He whispered, "There are many good people in this world."
Xuanji looked up, her clear, distinct eyes fixed on him as if asking, is there really someone better? Is there really someone better than Sixth Brother?
There is! He nearly blurted out. He really wanted to ask her what she thought of him in her heart. Was he a true friend, or just a silly boy playing with strange snakes behind a mask, or perhaps, did she have a little liking for him?
But in the end, he just smiled and averted his eyes with a wistful expression, lightly saying, "When you grow up a bit, you will understand."
None of the four of them really paid much attention to the day's competition. Zhong Minyan and Linglong were busy chatting and laughing, Yu Sifeng and Xuanji were busy daydreaming, and not until the competition had ended and the crowd dispersed did they realize, and then slowly followed back to their own courtyard.
Halfway there, Xuanji heard someone calling her from behind, "Girl! Why so listless?"
She was startled and turned quickly, only to see Dongfang Qingqi standing there with a smile, waving at her.
All at once, she remembered what she had seen that afternoon and for a moment she was stunned, then softly she said, "Dongfang Island Master…"
"What Island Master! Just call me Uncle!" He walked over and affectionately ruffled her hair, saying with a smile, "Why are you wandering around here alone? Just now, Heroine Chu was asking about you, it seemed like she wanted to see you for something."
Aunt Hong was looking for her? Xuanji spoke up, "I… I finished watching the competition and was about to return."
When Dongfang Qingqi mentioned the competition, his eyes lit up: "How was it, did you see my Pian Pian and Yu Ning? You didn't get stunned watching them, did you? Hahaha!"
She hadn't seen them… yet she didn't dare to say that, and only managed a few meek responses. Suddenly remembering something, she tentatively asked, "Uncle Dongfang, what about your wife?"
Dongfang Qingqi laughed and said, "She took the injured disciple for treatment. Why, little ghost, do you want to meet my wife?"
It seemed that he really didn't know.
Xuanji pursed her lips, hesitated, and then said, "Yes… I heard from Linglong that Uncle Dongfang's wife is the most beautiful woman in the world..."
Though he had heard many such praises, coming from the mouth of a child made him especially pleased and proud, he said softly, "Then come to my place for dinner tonight. My wife just brought some special dishes from Fuyu Island; you should try them. Oh right, bring Linglong, Minyan, and Si Feng with you!"
"Uh… no, no need." She hastily refused, "Father seems to have something to do tonight. Maybe next time Linglong and I will go play on Fuyu Island. I've never been there."
"Alright then, it's a deal." Dongfang Qingqi didn't notice anything odd about her and gave her head another fond ruffle before saying with a smile, "I have some things to take care of, so I'm off. You should head back early and see what Heroine Chu wants."
Xuanji silently watched his departing figure.
This pitiable man, a hero for a lifetime, yet so unlucky in love.
Seeing his stalwart figure now filled her with a sense of melancholy for reasons she could not fathom.