By the time the afternoon hour of Shen (3–5 PM) arrived, the third round of matches had concluded. The remaining rounds would resume the following day.
The further the competition progressed, the more intense and time-consuming each match would become.
Still, a full day was enough to determine the top hundred disciples.
This time, Chen Jinshu was rather fortunate. She drew the fifth platform of the Earth Ring, and her opponent was a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator—someone even slightly weaker than Xie Xingyu.
Clearly, this opponent had made it to the third round merely because they hadn't yet encountered a formidable foe like Chen Jinshu.
She didn't hold back this time. As soon as the match began, she struck with precision—starting with the Three Forms of Falling Plum Blossoms, catching her opponent off guard, and immediately following with the Autumn Dance of Frosted Leaves.
A brisk autumn wind swept across the platform, and leaves began to fall from the air. The ground was soon carpeted in hues of orange and yellow. Just as her opponent attempted to make a move, a sudden Frost Leaf Whirlwind immobilized them in place, rendering them unable to resist.
Chen Jinshu wasted no time. She raised her Azure Frost Sword, its blade poised at the opponent's neck.
An hour prior, she had reviewed the information collected about her by the Foundation Establishment disciples—and her expression turned grim. Every sword technique and musical piece she had performed had been carefully recorded, along with her identity as a disciple of a Golden Core Elder.
She now realized she had revealed too much in the previous two matches—an obvious disadvantage.
Fortunately, she hadn't displayed too many zither techniques, and only a single sword style so far. Thus, in this third match, she aimed to reveal as little as possible and finish the battle swiftly. Of course, she had also learned some intelligence from her senior brothers and sisters regarding the methods and strengths of the top Qi Refining Level Eight and above competitors.
Among them, the one she feared most was Feng Lingchuan, the chief outer disciple of Longxiang Peak. He possessed a wind attribute single spiritual root.
Five years ago, he had been accepted as a disciple directly from the mortal realm by the Peak Lord of Longxiang Peak. In just five years, he had advanced from a mere mortal to the peak of Qi Refining Level Nine—only a Foundation Establishment Pill away from breaking through.
Though single spiritual root cultivators could break through without pills, using one helped protect their dantian and meridians, making the process much safer. If she were to encounter him in the coming matches, it would indeed be troublesome.
She had barely endured the peak-level Qi Refining illusion array her master had set up—and even then, she had exhausted most of her spiritual energy and techniques. She wouldn't be able to withstand much more.
Luckily, she was unlikely to face such a strong opponent until the later stages—specifically, not until the final match determining entry into the top twenty.
Shortly afterward, she used the Autumn Dance of Frosted Leaves to blow her opponent off the platform, securing victory.
Two hours later, the third round finally concluded. Only about ninety disciples remained. Chen Jinshu had officially made it into the top one hundred. Among the ninety-something disciples, she was not the only sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator—four others shared similar strength.
By the You hour (5–7 PM), Chen Jinshu chatted briefly with her senior brothers and sisters before returning to her quarters to rest.
Tomorrow would be packed with matches: to enter the top fifty, the top thirty, the top fifteen, the top ten, and then the ranking matches among the top five. To qualify for the spiritual treasure selection, she needed to reach the top ten—that meant passing through four rounds.
The Next Morning at Chen hour (7–9 AM), Chen Jinshu rose and quickly adjusted her mental state.
Today's matches would determine the top ten.
She'd had trouble sleeping due to nerves and ended up playing the piece Hymn of the Earth Vein's Rebirth until nearly dawn, falling asleep only briefly after that. She also took time to analyze the shortcomings of her previous matches and identify potential threats among the remaining ninety-plus contestants.
Soon, she regrouped with her fellow disciples.
"Don't worry, Junior Sister," said Huai Jingyi, noticing her subdued expression. "I've already done a divination. You'll face two powerful opponents in this competition. The first was Xie Xingyu. The next will come during the second-to-last match."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Chen Jinshu's heart eased slightly upon hearing this.
According to Huai Jingyi, she'd sail through the next three rounds. It wouldn't be until the fourth round—where the top ten were decided—that she'd face a formidable enemy.
So long as she unleashed her full strength in that round, she could secure a spot in the top ten. Just as expected, her first match was against another sixth-level Qi Refining disciple. She won easily.
In the second and third rounds, she faced seventh-level Qi Refinement seniors, but using clever techniques, she made it through smoothly. In the third match, she played Hymn of the Earth Vein's Rebirth again to slightly restore her spiritual energy.
Her third opponent was a body cultivator, possessing astonishing defense. The match dragged on, and her spiritual energy was heavily drained. Fortunately, the opponent wasn't very powerful, and she ultimately won.
"Congratulations on entering the top thirty, Junior Sister!" her seniors said, congratulating her.
"Let her rest up. The fourth round is the real challenge!" said Senior Brother Zheng Shaosi.
"Right, right!" added Pang Zhuoqun, smiling sheepishly.
It was truly rare for someone at Qi Refining Level Six to make it into the top thirty.
In previous years' Outer Sect Competitions, such a feat was nearly unheard of. The surrounding disciples began to look at Chen Jinshu differently—with awe and admiration.
"Junior Sister, take this. I refined a Spirit Recovery Pill—it quickly restores spiritual energy. You can use it before your next match," Pang Zhuoqun offered, handing her a wooden box.
"You're really generous!" teased Wen Yushu. "Even mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely use such pills."
"She's aiming for the top ten. What's one pill compared to her future?"
Chen Jinshu accepted the pill without hesitation and took it immediately. She hadn't secured a spot in the Moon Cleansing Pool from Medicine King Peak, nor had she yet earned the spiritual treasure selection spot. She couldn't afford to lose now.
Just as expected, Ke Jing'an, a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator, also made it into the top thirty. The other two Medicine King Peak disciples also advanced smoothly.
If those three also made it into the top ten, Chen Jinshu would have to fight for a top five position to claim one of the Moon Cleansing Pool slots—something that would influence her future cultivation path.
An hour later, she returned to the central area for the lottery draw.
This time, she drew Fire Platform No. 3.
As Huai Jingyi had predicted, her opponent was a powerful one: Xue Zeyang, the chief outer disciple of Yanlie Peak, at the peak of Qi Refining.
He was likely here to win a Foundation Establishment Pill—just like the genius from Longxiang Peak. Facing such an opponent, few believed Chen Jinshu had a chance—aside from her master and a few close senior brothers and sisters.
"Stay calm, Junior Sister. My divination never fails. You will win this match," Huai Jingyi reassured her quietly.
Chen Jinshu nodded firmly.
She wasn't without options.
She still had several trump cards yet to be revealed.
Not far off, the elders observing the matches had already formed their conclusions.
"It's already impressive that she made it this far. I doubt she can win this one," said Elder Yi Shuzi, finally speaking after a long silence.
"Let's not jump to conclusions, Elder Yi," chuckled Shui Huanmeng. "Otherwise, you may end up eating your words again."
"Well, I'm curious to see what she has that could possibly defeat my disciple," said Xue Zeyang's master with a carefree laugh.