"Believe it or don’t believe it," Zar said to Xue Qing as he deactivated his Lifespan Barrier. "But I have a Competition to oversee, so why don’t you get back to with your answer after its conclusion?"
Without waiting for her answer, he left the VIP venue and went to announce himself to those gathered at the Arena. After which, he flew up to where the Judges were seated. There, a seat in the middle was left empty, reserved specially for him.
"What... What is that man’s deal...?"
Xue Qing, for the first ti since her reincarnation, was unable to understand sothing.
And with an instantaneous blanking and un-blanking of her consciousness, she reverted back to hiding away. Her second personality took the reins, though appeared very confused over what just happened.
But even with a fuzzy mory, she could clearly hear the cheers of the crowd. It was these cheers that shot her awake, urging her to go back down to the participant area and await the calling of her na.
In the back of her mind, she wondered what she and that drop-dead gorgeous man had talked about, also puzzled as to why she couldn’t rember any of it...
— A few hours later, as the Finals of the Competition neared its end —
"I can’t believe it..."
"That Xue Qing girl actually beat Bo Ping!?"
"Did the Senior Immortal help her out or sothing!? Because how else could that ordinary girl defeat soone 5 minor stages higher than herself!??"
"I’m jealous..."
" too! Why can’t the Senior Immortal favor us instead of that lackluster girl!?"
"Life is so unfair...."
CLANG! CLANG—!
"H-How are you so strong...!?" Bo Ping shouted as he desperately flailed his sword around, yet was parried at every move. "You... You’re only of the 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation, you shouldn’t be this formidable!! Haa!!"
SHA!
With one clean strike, Xue Qing’s eyes flashed coldly as she dashed past the furious Bo Ping. His sword cracked and shattered a second later, leaving him kneeling on the ground, utterly distraught.
Overco with disbelief, he mumbled, "How... How... I don’t understand how... I’m a genius of my village... the hopes of everyone back ho were carried on my shoulders..."
*Thud!*
He collapsed in a state of unconsciousness, with a large gash etched across his chest.
Suddenly, Xue Qing’s eyes returned to their usual soft glow. Confused, she looked around, and then saw Bo Ping laying in a pool of his own blood.
"H-Huh!? Did I do all of this!??"
HOOOORAAAAHH!
Cheers resounded from all over, and as healer specialists extracted Bo Ping, Xue Qing’s mind spiraled. She truly and unequivocally had no idea what the hell was going on.
One second, she was being put on the defensive in a Quarter-Finals battle, and the next, she was crowned the Champion of the Competition!
This was the second ti sothing like this had happened today!
Was she going insane or sothing!?
After receiving her 1st place rewards, Xue Qing was showered with praise from everyone. But at the sa ti, she could sense that they were hiding deeply-rooted envy for her.
For so reason, this made her think of that divinely beautiful man who had called her to the VIP Venue.
Coincidentally, as soon as his image ford within her mind, an exact replica filled her vision. The flowery complints of those buttering up to her seed to pass right by her, for all of her focus was on the man standing on air like so sort of benevolent deity.
Instinctively, Xue Qing ran away from the Trial Elders and crowd. She made her way up a flight of stairs before coming face-to-face with the immortal-like man on an overhanging balcony.
"S-Senior, what’s your na!?" She raised her voice just enough for only the two of them to know what she said.
Zar smirked. ’What an interesting little lass,’ he thought. ’This personality of hers is a great contrast to that fierso ancient monster that lives inside her.’
Said ancient monster was also wanting to know the Sword Dao Expert’s na. She praised her alter-ego for a job done well.
While smiling, Zar replied, "My na is Zar, and you?" He asked to be cordial.
"Xue Qing!" She bead, overjoyed to witness the smile of such a godly man at least once in her lifeti. "My na is Xue Qing!"
Where had all that timidness from earlier gone off to?
Did winning a Competition make her a little bit more confident in herself?
Or was it... sothing else...?
"Say," said Zar, ignoring the presence of the Trial Elders flying up to them on their flying swords. "Would you like to co back with to the Outer Sect?"
"!?!?"
’This sneaky bastard!’ Xue Qing Pri cursed. ’He’s trying to coerce my naive personality! Though I must admit, it’s a good plan...’
"!!!" "!!!" "!!!"
The Trial Elders and various Trial Disciples started whispering among themselves, totally baffled by this developnt.
There was a big difference between ascending from Trial Disciple to Outer Disciple status and being personally brought back to the Outer Sect by a long-ti Outer Disciple. After all, for the forr route, you’d essentially have no one to rely on but yourself and the basic resources allotted by the Outer Sect’s Resource Office every month.
On the other hand, being personally guided by a Senior Outer Disciple like Zar was akin to ascending straight to the upper class from what would’ve originally been the lower class!
Blushing, Xue Qing murmured, "You... You wouldn’t ask to do anything like ’that,’ would you...?"
"That?" Zar tilted his head. "Oh... Haiz... Do I really look like that kind of person? The answer to your question is no; the only thing on my mind is cultivation and the pursuit of greater power."
Xue Qing sighed in relief. But at the sa ti, she appeared oddly... disappointed.
’This alter-ego of mine is really... She hasn’t been exposed to enough of the world!’ Xue Qing Pri lanted. ’To fall for a handso man’s charms so easily...!’
’Well... He is of another level, so I can’t bla her too much. My younger self wouldn’t have lasted very long against soone as attractive and driven as him,’ she thought to herself. ’Furthermore, from what I can sense of his bone age, he’s also less than a thousand years old, so his talent is there...’
Wait a damn minute...!
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