Jian Meng'er stepped forward, looking like an untouchable goddess, meant to be worshipped by the masses with her beautiful and aloof appearance. Her every move attracted the attention of those around her.
"Jian Meng'er, 16, Profound Spiritual Sea Realm. She had already mastered the Eighteen First-class Sword Arts of the Sword Pavilion. Based on her current speed, she'll likely reach the Gold Core realm before she turns 20!
"A 20-year-old, Gold Core Realm expert? My God!"
Many disciples of Sword Marquis Mansion near the Drill Ground couldn't help sighing with emotion when they saw this extraordinary beauty.
The realms were ranked as such, the Seven Steps of the Spirit Path, Transforming Sea from Spiritual Power, and finally, Primordial Gold Core. The Primordial Gold Core realm was the strongest, and there was only one Gold Core Realm expert in Sword Marquis Mansion. He was the Mansion Master, Jian Xinhong.
And what did a person who became an expert of the Golden Core Realm before the age of 20 represent?
"Blinding strength! She's such an exceptional genius that we can't even muster the slightest motivation to compete with her."
"She's a peerless genius that can only be seen once in a lifetime in Sword Marquis Mansion. No wonder she has hopes of becoming the new Sword Pavilion Master at such a young age. No one can hold a candle to such an exceptional genius in the entire Bashui Commandery, never mind the Sword Marquis Mansion!"
Even those famous experts on the grandstand were staring at Jian Meng'er with gleaming eyes. Nearly all were here for her, except for Bai Chong and a few others.
The eye-catching and aloof girl made a beeline for Jian Wushuang, who stood amid the crowd. She spoke without emotion, "Jian Wushuang, I heard you've finally condensed your Spiritual Power and became a Warrior. Congratulations."
Turning his head, Jian Wushuang gave her a cold glance and said nothing.
She wasn't angry. "You've become a Warrior and even achieve a breakthrough into the Sixth Step of the Spirit Path in such a short time. That's admittedly terrific. But you can't hope to close the gap in our strength in just two months. I advise you not to challenge me today."
"Don't challenge you?" He sneered. "This battle is unavoidable ever since you and your father started coveting the position of Sword Pavilion Master two months ago."
"Stubborn. But you've always been this way." She was still indifferent. "I know you bear resentment in your heart, but there's an unbridgeable gap between us. Why must you come and seek humiliation?"
"Seek humiliation? You really do think very highly of yourself."
"Have it your way. You can't blame me later when you're the one not accepting my advice. I'll show you the full extent of my strength and snip that impossibly stupid idea you have in the bud," she said coolly.
"I'll be looking forward to it."
Jian Meng'er ended the conversation and stood casually in the center of the Drill Ground. Though she was surrounded by many young geniuses of the Sword Marquis Mansion, they might as well be invisible compared to her. She was like a crane standing among chickens, attracting attention with every move she made.
For example, everyone had noticed the brief conversation between her and Jian Wushuang.
"Jian Meng'er is talking to Jian Wushuang. What is she saying?"
Earlier, they spoke in very quiet voices. Coupled with the noise in the Drill Ground, no one except the talented disciples close to them heard their conversation. They became very curious about it.
"I heard that Jian Wushuang made a blood oath two months ago to battle it out with Jian Meng'er today."
"I heard that too. This guy is really overreaching himself. How dare he challenge Jian Meng'er? Who among us young disciples of Sword Marquis Mansion has the right to challenge this God's chosen Daughter? Jian Wushuang is just trash who condensed his Spiritual Power two months ago. How dare he?"
"That's not exactly true. He may have condensed his Spiritual Power very late, but he spent only a month to break through the Sixth Step of the Spirit Path. His cultivating speed is unbelievable."
"So what? He's merely at the Sixth Step of the Spirit Path. A month has passed since then. Are you suggesting he has broken through the Seventh Step of the Spirit Path or the Spiritual Sea realm and is on par with Jian Meng'er? What a joke!"
"That's true."
All of them began looking down on him.
On the Drill Ground, there was another person who was paying special attention to Jian Wushuang. It was Jian Lin.
One month ago, Jian Wushuang defeated him, and badly at that. He had been harboring deep resentment since then and today was his chance to avenge himself.
He held his hands firmly together, repeating Jian Wushuang's name in his mind.
The young disciples who had passed the fifth story of the Trial Tower gathered in the middle of the Drill Ground. Just as Jian Lan was getting ready to announce the start of the battle, two people showed up nearby.
"What?"
The famous experts on the grandstand noticed the newcomers immediately and instantly looked at them with sharp eyes. Even the languid Bai Chong couldn't help glancing at them.
"Primordial Gold Core! Not only that, the Peak of the Gold Core Realm!"
The famous experts were all awed.
Those with Primordial Gold Cores were definitely top-notch experts in the Bashui Commandery. Everyone with the right to sit in the grandstand had all achieved that level, but most had only reached the Initial Gold Core Realm, with Jian Xinhong being stronger than most. But, although he had reached the Profound Gold Core Realm, he still had a long way to go before he would achieve the peak of the Gold Core realm.
Among those present, there was only one who had the possibility of reaching the peak of the Gold Core realm. That was Bai Chong, and that was merely a possibility, not a certainty. He hardly ever fought with others, so no one knew about his true condition. Now, the leader of the two newcomers was evidently a Peak Gold Core realm expert.
"It's her?" Bai Chong was stunned, recognizing the newcomer.
"Sir Bai Chong, you know her?" Jian Xinhong promptly asked.
"Yes." Bai Chong nodded. "It's Shui Hanxin, the Ninth Elder of the Tianyuan Sword Sect. She reached the peak of the Gold Core realm 10 years ago."
"Tianyuan Sword Sect?"
"And an Elder at that!"
Everyone on the grandstand was shocked. They were all famous experts in the Bashui Commandery, with vast knowledge. They naturally knew about the Tianyuan Sword Sect.
The Tianyuan Sword Sect was one of the five Sects in the Tianyan Province. It was said that there were quite a few experts in that sect who had reached the Yin-Yang Void Realm, and there were even more experts in the Gold Core realm. In the entire Tianyan Province, the sect was doubtlessly a strong influence and a true top Sect.
These experts in the Bashui Commandery, even the most powerful, Sword Marquis Mansion, were nothing compared to the Tianyuan Sword Sect. After all, their commandery was only one out of the 108 commanderies in the Tianyan Province.
An Elder of the Sect, no matter their identity or strength, was enough to incite awe in these famous experts. They began wondering why an Elder of the Tianyuan Sword Sect would come to Sword Marquis Mansion.
Just then, Jian Lan who was also on the grandstand said proudly, "Don't worry, everyone. Elder Shui is here especially for my daughter."
The famous experts looked stunned.
In the middle of the Drill Ground, Jian Meng'er, who had been drawing attention all along, was already walking toward the newcomers.