Chapter Thirty-Two: Could She Really Have Fallen for Him?

Page (1/3)

“No, Sister. We absolutely cannot let her obtain a place in the Azure Parasol Sect!” At the same time, she was worried that Su Yunqing might actually secure a place. Ever since Summoning Day, she had clearly sensed that something about that woman had changed—and her combat skills had improved as well. Perhaps she really could win a place after all. She certainly did not want to be outdone.

Su Yunqi knew what troubled her, so she comforted her, “Xiaoyue, you are not inferior to anyone either. You must have faith in yourself. As for Yunqing, if she manages to advance, Grandfather will surely be delighted.”

Xiao Jinghuai overheard them. He immediately turned his gaze toward Su Yunqi, his eyes filled with affection. “Yunqi, you are still as kind as ever. But if you see her in the arena, do not go easy on her. Understood? This opportunity is very important to you as well!”

Su Yunqi lowered her head and answered softly, “I will do my best.”

“Enough. There is no point talking to you about this. I am going to warn her myself!” He had already decided that if Su Yunqi failed to win and Su Yunqing emerged victorious, he would take action. In any case, he would never allow her to enter the Azure Parasol Sect. He would even kill her if necessary!

It was not as though he had never tried to deal with her before. Although he had failed the last time, he did not mind trying again.

Su Yunqing watched the two matches taking place in the arena, wondering who her opponent would be, when a figure suddenly blocked her view. She frowned in displeasure, only to see Xiao Jinghuai standing before her.

“Is there something you need?”

Xiao Jinghuai noticed the impatience on her face and felt somewhat uncomfortable. Yet after studying her more closely, he realized that she seemed even more beautiful than before.

Her skin was fair, and her formerly sunken cheeks had filled out. Combined with her delicate features, she could even outshine Su Yunqi if the latter were standing there beside her.

For a moment, he failed to react. So she had always been beautiful? How had he never noticed before?

Perhaps because he had been staring for too long, Su Yunqing said impatiently, “If there is nothing else, please do not disturb me while I watch the match.”

Only then did Xiao Jinghuai remember why he had come. He hurriedly said, “Su Yunqing, do not even think about targeting Yunqi in this competition!”

She stared at him, utterly baffled. But he did not seem to understand her reaction at all and continued to throw out one accusation after another.

“No matter what you are thinking, I only want to tell you this: do not try to use Yunqi. Otherwise, I will make you regret it!”

Su Yunqing thought he was truly out of his mind. “Everyone who enters a competition does so intending to win. Who would go in hoping to lose?”

“I doubt you could even do that yourself, so what right do you have to demand it of others? Sometimes, you really should stop being so selfish!”

Page (1/3)

Page (2/3)

“Of course, I will not make you suffer as I have. So stop making a nuisance of yourself. If you are truly worried, go find Su Yunqi—or one of the other contestants. Eliminating your enemies in advance is the sensible thing to do!”

Her words were openly mocking. Naturally, Xiao Jinghuai’s face darkened until it resembled an iron pot. He had just found her somewhat endearing, but in an instant, she had become utterly detestable to him.

“You are only making me dislike you more. I could give you a chance, of course, but on one condition: you must obey me. If you do, I might even give you the opportunity to draw closer to me!”

He spoke as though he were bestowing charity upon her, making his words especially unpleasant to hear.

In a certain sense, Su Yunqing admired him. He was always finding new ways to shatter her understanding of human behavior.

“You should save that opportunity for someone else.” She thought for a moment, then shifted her gaze toward Su Yunyue, who was glaring at her from not far away. Only after a brief pause did she continue, “Perhaps she would appreciate it.”

Xiao Jinghuai seemed to realize what she meant. Following her line of sight, he immediately changed expression.

“Su Yunqing, are you deliberately humiliating me?”

She spread her hands helplessly. “If that is how you choose to interpret it, there is nothing I can do.”

“You!”

Her words sent his temper flaring, and his tone grew even more hostile.

“Move aside.” One of the matches had just ended, and Su Yunqing was preparing to leave. When she saw him blocking her path again, her irritation immediately boiled over.

Xiao Jinghuai had been about to interrogate her further, but seeing that her match was about to begin, he could only let her go. He had no desire to be resented by the elders again for disrupting the order of the competition.

He stepped aside. As she passed him, he called after her, “I hope you will think carefully about what I said. As long as you do not make things difficult for Yunqi, becoming my secondary consort is not out of the question.”

“Stop disgusting me.”

With that, she walked straight toward the arena without sparing him so much as a glance.

Only after reaching the platform did the chill of disgust finally fade. She had begun to wonder how she had been in her previous life. How could she ever have been infatuated with him?

Now, no matter how she looked at him, he had not the slightest trace of charm. If anything, he turned her stomach.

“Su Yunqing! I never expected you to be my opponent! Hmph! I will not go easy on you!”

Standing opposite her was Zhu Shishi, staring at her with an arrogant, petulant expression.

Page (2/3)

Page (3/3)

Although Su Yunqing had now broken off her engagement with Xiao Jinghuai, Zhu Shishi remained hostile toward her. This time, however, it was no longer because they were rivals in love, but because they intended to compete over their cultivation.

Su Yunqing paid no attention to her attitude and merely replied calmly, “We shall see.”

The moment the match began, Zhu Shishi launched the first attack. She disliked waiting during battle and always preferred to strike first, so she charged forward at once, intending to overwhelm Su Yunqing with sheer strength.

What she had not expected was that Su Yunqing would be so fast. When Zhu Shishi’s attack came, Su Yunqing dodged effortlessly, leaving it to strike empty air. Zhu Shishi could only launch another attack.

This time, she aimed directly at Su Yunqing’s chest. Just as she thought she was about to land the blow, she suddenly realized that the person who had been standing before her had vanished.

A wave of heat came from behind. Zhu Shishi spun around, but Su Yunqing’s attack struck her squarely in the back, sending her crashing to the ground.

Everything had happened too suddenly for Zhu Shishi to prepare herself. She landed heavily, her face striking the floor and throbbing with pain.

She was just about to get up and teach Su Yunqing a proper lesson when Su Yunqing moved with astonishing speed, appearing before her in an instant. With one kick, she sent Zhu Shishi flying off the competition platform.

The match ended when Zhu Shishi fell from the platform. For a moment, the entire arena fell silent. Then someone cried out in astonishment, “What? She won? That fast?”

Everyone knew that Su Yunqing had once been regarded as a complete good-for-nothing. Yet now she had defeated Zhu Shishi with such ease!

At that moment, many people began to believe the earlier rumors that Su Yunqing was a genius. At first, they might have been skeptical, but the facts were now right before their eyes, leaving them no choice but to accept the truth.

Although Zhu Shishi could not compare with Su Yunqi, she was still considered one of the stronger contestants here. No one had expected her to lose so quickly.