When Chen Jinshu heard Elder Lang Yu's voice, she finally let out a breath of relief.
Her fingers once again pressed gently on the strings, and a gentle melody—Hymn of the Earth Vein's Rebirth—floated across the dueling platform.
Those like Xue Zeyang, who had been entranced by the imagery of falling stars into a deep, ghostly pool, were instantly snapped out of the illusion.
At the same time, the chilling illusion of the cold pond and meteor shower surrounding Chen Jinshu also dissipated, replaced by blooming flowers appropriate for the setting. After regaining his clarity, a blush of embarrassment rose on Xue Zeyang's face.
He knew without a doubt—he had lost. He hadn't expected his mind to be so vulnerable, so easily swept away by the music. He had clearly underestimated the illusory power of a Level Six Qi C Refining cultivator specializing in musical arts.
"Senior Brother, thank you for yielding," Chen Jinshu opened her eyes and spoke softly to the recovering Xue Zeyang.
"It's my loss. I didn't expect it to end so quickly," Xue Zeyang sighed.
But he had also gained something from this bout—he realized just how much he lacked in terms of inner focus and mental resilience.
"I'll challenge you again sometime. I hope you won't turn me down," he said with a smile.
"Of course! I just hope this loss won't discourage you too much," Chen Jinshu replied cheerfully.
"I barely won this round. If you had broken free from the illusion even a moment earlier, I would've lost."
She spoke the truth—she only had a few threads of spiritual energy left in her. If she had to face someone like Xue Zeyang again in his current condition, she'd surely lose.
"Junior Sister, your decisiveness is admirable. I'm impressed!"
After exchanging some friendly words, the two stepped down from the platform.
"Congratulations on making the Top Ten!" Dai Yuzhu was the first to rush up and congratulate Chen Jinshu.
"Just a narrow win! If his mind had been more resilient, I might've lost."
"A win is a win—doesn't matter how close it was!" Second Senior Brother Xie Mofeng said excitedly.
"You're really that happy just because she won?"
"Well, I made a pretty good wager on her victory."
"What?! Where were they taking bets? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Small pot. Didn't want to make a big deal out of it. But tonight's meal is on me."
"You little punk, you must've made a fortune," teased First Senior Brother Zheng Shaosi.
Still, he wasn't too concerned about a few spirit stones—he had his eyes on a much higher cultivation realm.
"Junior Sister, will you be joining the Top Five competition as well?" Third Senior Sister Bu Yuanxiang walked over and gently asked.
"Probably not. Winning today drained all my spiritual energy."
Chen Jinshu shook her head slightly, now just hoping that one of the three remaining Medicine Peak disciples would forfeit their spot.
"Don't worry, Junior Sister. The slot for the Moon Cleansing Pool is yours," Huai Jingyi said decisively, noticing her unease.
"Really?" Chen Jinshu's face lit up like she'd just tasted a sweet candy, her smile blooming.
"That Ke Jing'an used alchemist tricks in earlier rounds. Now she's up against Feng Lingchuan from Longxiang Peak—the odds of her winning are slim," Huai Jingyi explained.
"But what if Ke Jing'an, like me, has a hidden trump card?" Though she said that, Chen Jinshu still looked uneasy.
"Even so, one of the other two from Medicine Peak will definitely lose."
Truthfully, Huai Jingyi had already divined the outcome for her—according to the reading, she would indeed get the spot. As for who would ultimately fall short—that would only be revealed in the final moments. He was simply making deductions based on their current strength.
"Still, Junior Sister's performance today deserves a place in the Outer Sect Tournament Records!" Zheng Shaosi said with pride.
"I only played three sword melodies… not enough to go down in history, right?" Chen Jinshu was caught off guard.
The Outer Sect Tournament Records were tomes reserved for momentous events in the sect's history—intended to inspire future disciples.
She had read through them before—only fifty or so entries in the past thousand years, all involving earth-shaking duels. She felt that today's battle had more to do with clever strategy than anything legendary. At the Elders' Pavilion in the center, many elders were still reeling in shock over her victory.
"A musical piece infused with sword technique... is this a first?" the Sect Master said in amazement.
"You overpraise, Sect Master," Shui Huanmeng explained gently. "Music cultivation has been around a long time—sword melodies do exist. But they are usually guarded by the powerful, passed down among great families or elite sects. Our sect doesn't have access to such things."
Even the pipa melodies she herself had mastered couldn't produce sword energy, which showed just how remarkable Chen Jinshu's performance had been. It was clear now—this disciple of hers had encountered some rare and powerful opportunity.
"Winning with just three sword melodies, and defeating a peak Qi Refining... this absolutely belongs in the Records," the Sect Master nodded, visibly pleased. Today, Chen Jinshu was a standout.
"Now then, doesn't Lang Yu Zhēnrén owe us a reward?" He turned toward the grumpy Lang Yu with a smirk.
"I keep my word," Lang Yu said through gritted teeth as he handed over a Golden Lantern Flower, its blossom shaped like a small golden lamp, to Shui Huanmeng.
"Thank you, Lang Yu Zhēnrén!" Shui Huanmeng giggled, completely unfazed. She had expected to win this wager. What she hadn't expected, however, was the level of performance Chen Jinshu delivered.
An hour quickly passed.
The remaining matches to determine the Top Ten from the Top Thirty concluded.
Just as Huai Jingyi predicted—Ke Jing'an lost.
Among the other two disciples from Medicine Peak, only one—a Level Nine Qi Refining—made it to the Top Ten.
When Ke Jing'an later faced Jiang Daoyu, an eighth-level cultivator, to compete for the Moon-Washing Pool spot, she lost again.
In the end, the three who secured the Moon Cleansing Pool quota were: Chen Jinshu; Du Yi, who made it into the Top Ten; Jiang Daoyu, who narrowly lost but still secured the third spot.
When Chen Jinshu heard she had secured her place, a heavy weight lifted off her shoulders.
All her efforts over the past year had finally paid off. And more than that—she had earned the chance to choose a spirit treasure from the first floor of the Treasure Pavilion.
"The Lüqi Zither is finally going to become my life-bound spiritual instrument."
She held her soft green zither close and ran her fingers across its surface. As if responding, it gave off a faint, glowing green light.
Next came the draw for the Top Ten to Top Five round.
With the support of her senior brothers and sisters, Chen Jinshu decided to continue—to challenge herself further. After an hour of rest, most of her spiritual energy had returned. This next match—she would fight with all she had. Then the opponent she drew… was the one she had least wanted to face.
Feng Lingchuan, the outer sect senior disciple from Longxiang Peak. His battle with Ke Jing'an had been fierce. He had expended a fair amount of spiritual energy but won thanks to his rich combat experience.
"Junior Sister's sword melodies are truly formidable. May I have the honor of experiencing them myself?" Feng Lingchuan asked with great curiosity.
He hadn't expected Xue Zeyang to lose to a music cultivator—much less one only at the sixth level of Qi refinement. Now, he feared she might bow out.
"You'd better be ready, Senior Brother!" Chen Jinshu replied with a steady gaze.