As a fifth-tier Dou Disciple, Yu Tianming was already at the ceiling among his peers. Moreover, with his body strengthened through systematic enhancement, he could rival the physical strength of a sixth-tier Dou Disciples, effortlessly standing out among the outer disciples.
"D Group, Yu Tianming wins!"
"If you win one more match, you can become an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect!"
The referee, with his usual expression, finally showed a hint of a smile.
"Well done! It seems this kid is diligent in cultivation while managing the medicinal fields daily."
In the audience, Ge Ye gave an affirmative evaluation. Among the group of outer disciples he supervised, Yu Tianming was undoubtedly the most outstanding.
"Little brother, well done~"
Ya Fei cast an admiring glance. Being of average talent in cultivation since childhood, she was only a fourth-tier Dou Disciple now, so she particularly admired and envied geniuses.
"Humph! This kid is just lucky."
Mu Zhan felt extremely depressed seeing Ya Fei paying attention to other men.
"Don't underestimate him, Zhan."
"This person is young, and his Dou Disciple body training is quite solid. Even you, without using the Black Rank Dou Technique, might find it difficult to defeat him."
Mu Lie pointed out Yun Tianming's sturdy constitution accurately.
Mu Zhan opened his mouth, recalling his brief exchange with Yun Tianming not long ago. He couldn't deal with the other party, and he was even forced to use the Black Rank Dou Technique.
"This Yun Tianming is quite capable, eligible to be a guard for this princess."
Yao Yu said with interest.
"Just an outer disciple with such talent. No, according to the current trend, he has a high probability of becoming an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect. It's a pity that such talent cannot belong to our royal family."
Yao Ye said somewhat regretfully. After becoming an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Tianming's future prospects are definitely higher than those of the royal guards.
"Hehe~ The quality of this generation's young disciples is quite impressive."
"Look at that kid from the D Group, his basic skills are very solid."
Yun Tianming's performance has slightly caught the attention of the elders of the Misty Cloud Sect, but only slightly.
Yun Yun's indifferent gaze swept over the disciples below the stage. The preliminary matches of the competition were not enough to pique her interest yet. The only thing that made her slightly interested was a girl from the Nalan family whom she encountered occasionally over the past month.
"Group A, Nalan Yanran wins!"
"Congratulations on becoming an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect!"
Elder Yun Du uttered sincere admiration.
On one hand, it was admiration for Nalan Yanran's outstanding talent, and on the other hand, it was because of her movement. She was the young lady of the Nalan family, one of the three major families in the Imperial Capital. By recruiting her into the Misty Cloud Sect, they could win over the Nalan family, a significant force in the imperial military. This could be considered a win-win situation.
"Thank you for your praise, Elder Yun Du."
Nalan Yanran politely bowed and then turned her admiring gaze towards Yun Yun seated at the head.
"This child really did it."
Yun Yun's eyes lit up, revealing a contented smile.
She had promised Nalan Yanran that if she could pass the trial of the sect's assembly, she would consider accepting her as her personal disciple.
At that moment, Yun Leng, standing beside her, interrupted Yun Yun's thoughts.
"My Lord, have you noticed the young man in Group B?"
"Group B? Who is that?"
Yun Yun scanned her gaze; she hadn't noticed.
She saw a well-dressed and seemingly cultured young man.
Yun Leng promptly explained, "This young man is named Mo Li, from the Mo Family in the northeastern province of the Jia Ma Empire."
"Mo Family?"
Yun Yun raised an eyebrow. The Mo Family was an external force actively trying to align itself with the Misty Cloud Sect, offering substantial money and resources to the sect every year. However, from the information she had gathered, the Mo Family was a local powerhouse in the northeastern province known for its domineering and ruthless behavior. The Mo Family's patriarch, Mo Cheng, had once slaughtered two families overnight, earning him the fearful moniker "Guizi Mo" among the locals. There were even rumors that the Mo Family was conducting shocking experiments on human subjects. Therefore, Yun Yun had always held a negative impression of the Mo Family.
"Yes, the Mo Family has always been extremely submissive to our Misty Cloud Sect. This time, they have sent the most lavish gifts to attend the sect's assembly. Considering the Mo Family's many years of contributions, they hope that you, My Lord, will take good care of their disciples."
Yun Leng had secretly accepted quite a bit of money from the Mo Family, so he naturally spoke favorably of them.
Yun Yun's eyes flickered; she understood Yun Leng's implication. He simply wanted her to accept Mo Li as a disciple.
"Let the sect take care of each other; it's only natural."
"But to become my disciple, he is not qualified enough!"
Yun Yun's response was firm and decisive.
Yun Leng looked momentarily stunned, apparently not expecting Yun Yun to be so resolute. He then tentatively asked, "Does My Lord already have a candidate in mind for a disciple?"
Yun Yun did not respond. Instead, her gaze firmly fixed on Nalan Yanran, indicating her attitude.
"Well..."
Yun Leng furrowed his brows, despite having received money from the Mo Family, he persisted.
"If he wins one more match, Mo Li will be eligible to become an official disciple of our Misty Cloud Sect."
"If he manages to clinch the top spot, I hope My Lord can give an explanation."
--- Divider ---
"The next match, Mo Li from Group B against Yun Tianming from Group D."
Yun Du, the referee for the final, glanced at Mo Li, then at Yun Tianming. He had already made up his mind.
Yun Tianming calmly stepped onto the arena.
"Huh? It's him?"
Nalan Yanran, who had already become an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect, stood nearby, observing the match closely.
She looked at Yun Tianming with surprise, the outer disciple she had just met. Addressing him as "Senior Brother" was merely a formality; in reality, Nalan Yanran didn't pay much attention to him. She was surprised to see him progress all the way to this point, just one step away from becoming an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect.
"Nalan Junior Sister, do you remember me? We met briefly on the way up here."
Mo Li ignored his opponent, Yun Tianming, and struck up a conversation with Nalan Yanran in the audience.
"Sorry, I don't remember."
Nalan Yanran replied truthfully, thinking to herself, "Who's this guy? Calling me Junior Sister already, and you're not even an official disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect yet!"
"Cough, cough!"
Mo Li's expression stiffened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, maintaining his elegant smile. "It's okay, we'll get to know each other soon. After this match, we'll be fellow disciples."
"Let's talk after you win."
Nalan Yanran rolled her eyes. She disliked these frivolous young gentlemen the most. Although she didn't have a strong impression of Yun Tianming, if she had to choose between the two, she found the latter more pleasing. With her hands clasped in front of her mouth, she shouted loudly, "Brother Tianming, go for it!"
****
Support me on Patreon and get advanced chapters up to 50 so far patreon.com/Sakurai45