The night had passed in a blur of whispers and gentle touches between Xu Qi and Ling Lian.
Somehow, they didn't have the energy to return to their quarters and just fell asleep in the training hall after producing another sheet they could lie down on. It was also safe to say that they didn't want to separate at all after that.
As dawn broke, they parted from their intimate embrace as the candles had burnt out hours ago. They shared a knowing smile, the kind that only those who'd seen the depths of passion and the warmth of mutual affection could understand.
After dressing up for the day, the chill of the morning air washed over them as they stepped out of the training hall. The warmth of their bodies became a stark contrast against the cool mountain breeze.
Looking at the horizon, the sun had just peeked over, casting a soft, golden light across the entire Wandering Palace.
The scent of dew-kissed flowers wafted through the air, mingling with the faint smell of incense from the distant temples.
The silence was broken only by the distant cries of early-rising birds and the soft murmur of the waking sect.
Today is the day of the Test of Competence. A test that will decide the fates of many disciples including Xu Qi.
The Test of Competence is the second grandest spectacle in the Outer Court of the Wandering Palace – with the Inner Court Exam being the first.
True to its name, it's a mere competence test to check the progress of every outer court disciple of the sect. No matter how open they are to talent, they cannot just let slacking or talentless disciples siphon off of their limited resources. Those could be better given to someone else.
They were already generous in giving the disciples three years to improve. Other sects would kick a disciple out after a year of no progress.
That's why other than showing off the potential of the top disciples, it also became a spectacle of weeding out useless disciples who failed the test in three consecutive years.
On this day, some Inner Court Disciples and Elders will be coming down to the Outer Court to watch the seedlings that may become rivals or personal disciples.
The top outer core disciples are all hoping to catch the eye of an Inner Court Elder during the test to make their advancement to the Inner Court smoother.
Furthermore, because it's a yearly event, the sect gates of the Wandering Palace will be opened to the public, allowing mortals and non-sect personnel to watch and merchants to sell their goods.
As the sun completed its rise, Xu Qi, Ling Lian, and the rest of the outer court disciples started making their way to the venue of the test.
Even from afar, they could already see the crowd of spectators lining up to enter the stands and merchants shouting like hungry hawks, showcasing their wares.
As they entered the arena, the spectators' discussion also fell on their ears.
"Did you hear? The battles are to the death!" exclaimed a wide-eyed young girl clutching a handful of sweets. Her eyes were still filled with innocence and it was clever she was just repeating what she heard from other people.
"No, no, not to death," corrected her mother with a patient smile as she brought the girl to her lap as they settled on their seats. "But if you lose too many times, you're out. It's the Wandering Palace's way of ensuring that only the strong survive."
And that's just the start. The discussions grew to a cacophony of voices as the outer court disciples filed into the arena.
"Did you hear about Zhang Han? He's been training with the ancient scrolls from the forbidden library," said one, his voice hushed with awe. "They say he's going to ascend to the Elemental Synthesis Realm during the Test!"
Another spectator, an elderly man with a pipe clenched between his teeth, chimed in, "Fool! What Elemental Synthesis? Outer Court Disciples are only Elemental Awakeners and the strongest among them is only at the fifth stage at most. Don't you know the format of this Test of Competence? It's all just for show, a way for the Elders to play their political games!"
A nearby vendor overheard their conversation, his eyes lighting up as he interjected, "Ah, I heard from my nephew. A disciple has recently broken through to the sixth stage. I think her name is Ling Lian... Yes! That young woman over there."
The crowd's gaze swiveled to where Ling Lian emerged from the training hall, looking radiant despite the early hour. The rumor spread like wildfire, whispers of her supposed breakthrough growing more exaggerated with each telling.
Xu Qi picked up those words as he passed by them. He glanced at the young woman next to him who could only shake her head Ling Lian from those exaggerations.
There was one iteration where they said she ate the egg of a phoenix and had experienced nirvana and rebirth.
Her cheeks flushed with pink before squeezing Xu Qi's hand as though warning him not to tease her with it.
But Xu Qi was a cheeky bastard. He found an opening, he'd take it.
"Looks like my Sister Ling Lian is a phoenix." He whispered with his Celestial Eloquence, stimulating the primal elements of wind, tickling her along with it.
"Shut up, Xu Qi or I'll crush your hand." Ling Lian snapped but Xu Qi could tell that she was not annoyed, there was even a touch of a smile on her lips.
His whispers of encouragement from the previous night still resonated in her core. And that's making her more responsive to him than the exaggerations made by the onlookers.
After a while, they got separated. Ling Lian was pulled by other female disciples who'd heard of her advancement. They were her friends and competitors, all eager to learn the secrets of her success.
What could she say though? That Xu Qi stimulated her qi during their copulation? As if she could tell them that.
Xu Qi didn't hold her back and although many raised their brows at their closeness, whispers about their intimacy had long spread throughout the outer court. It was even solidified when Zhang Han was made into a laughingstock with the way she protected Xu Qi.
In any case, they'd be in the same arena, anyway. They could still catch up to each other once the Test of Competence commenced. And Xu Qi knew she'd do well. She had the wind in her sails now. It'll be a miracle if someone defeats her when she's already the strongest among the outer court disciples.