After Transmigrating into a Book, I Was Entangled by a Crazy and Beautiful Villain - Chapter 40.1

The other person hadn’t actually praised her, but Song Linlin took it as a sign of satisfaction. As long as Chi Qianning didn’t say it looked bad, then she naturally loved it.

Song Linlin was in good spirits. She patted Chi Qianning’s shoulder, “Let’s go. The competition should be starting soon.”

“Mhm.”

Chi Qianning nodded, stood up, and left the room with Song Linlin. They walked straight toward the martial arts arena designated for the inner disciples’ competitions. Apart from being reserved for major competitions, the arena usually had a fair number of people. Capable disciples could earn sect contributions by participating in open challenges there.

The arena was typically lively, but today, with the first competition for the new disciples about to commence, a large crowd had naturally gathered. In addition to those who had to compete, there were many senior brothers and sisters who came to watch the excitement.

After all, sect activities weren’t frequent. With a rare large-scale competition, many disciples who saw no immediate hope for a breakthrough in their cultivation and had nothing else to do would come to join the fun.

Song Linlin was considered late. The venue was already packed. She held Chi Qianning’s wrist and led her through the back of the crowd, pushing their way to the front. Most of the people around were just spectators. The people Song Linlin knew were all waiting near the main stage.

The disciples of the same generation had arrived early and were doing warm-ups. Only Song Linlin was so careless as to show up this late.

On the high platform not far from the stage, three seats were placed at the very top. The center seat was the highest, and the chair looked extraordinary. These three positions were naturally reserved for the three most esteemed individuals. The two rows below were for the various elders and officers of the sect.

Song Linlin pulled Chi Qianning to stand in the crowd. They didn’t squeeze into the spots closest to the stage; instead, they stayed behind the other disciples of their generation. There were quite a lot of people here, making it easy to hide amongst them.

Standing on her tiptoes and peering forward, Song Linlin saw that her close acquaintances, Ye Tingran and Zhiyu, had indeed arrived early and were standing in the front, and even Shen Wanyi was standing near the front.

Soon, the time for the competition arrived. A man who looked to be in his middle age walked at the very front. He looked unfamiliar; it was Song Linlin’s first time seeing him. However, he exuded the natural aura of a powerful cultivator. He didn’t have a stern face; instead, he gave off an air of scholarly gentleness and amiability.

Following closely behind the man were two hall masters of the sect, and behind them was a group of elders and officers. They all walked respectfully behind the middle-aged man. One could guess that the man was certainly a person of high status and power.

The Inner Sect of Xuan Yun Sect was divided into four areas. The Sect Master was not in Song Linlin’s area. It was said that the Sect Master resided on an immortal mountain located between the four areas of the sect, and only the Sect Master’s direct disciples and a few high-ranking elders could enter that mountain. Of course, Song Linlin didn’t know if this was true, as she wasn’t a direct disciple of the Sect Master.

The middle-aged man in front of them was likely the person in charge of this region, one of the four most highly placed and powerful elders in the Xuan Yun Sect.

Such a figure was naturally hard to see normally. Song Linlin wanted to turn around and gossip with Chi Qianning, but now, with the appearance of the elders, the originally noisy crowd instantly fell silent, and even the whispers disappeared. Song Linlin had to hold back and dared not speak rashly.

The elders took their seats. The leading man surveyed the vast crowd below. He first introduced himself, then gave a brief opening speech. Song Linlin naturally wasn’t paying much attention to what he was saying. Fortunately, he wasn’t a talkative person. Soon, as the referee struck the gong beside the stage, the competition officially began.

An officer was responsible for drawing lots on the spot. The two people drawn were grouped together to go on stage for a duel. This format was quite exciting; before the draw results came out, no one knew who their opponent would be.

The first pair to go on stage were two men Song Linlin was not very familiar with. As the match began, the crowd below finally became vocal and started discussing.

Song Linlin had been holding it in for so long, so she immediately leaned toward Chi Qianning, asking curiously, “Chi Qianning, do you know that Qi Zhenghao?”

Qi Zhenghao was the middle-aged man sitting in the principal seat; he had just introduced his name. Song Linlin was very interested in gossiping about such a major figure in the sect, especially the highest authority in their region.

Chi Qianning, of course, knew such a famous figure. However, she didn’t want to say much, only nodding lightly without any further indication. She knew him, but the process of getting to know him was probably not friendly, and Chi Qianning decided it was better not to mention it.

Seeing that the other party had nothing to share, Song Linlin had to change the subject. That Qi Zhenghao had just announced that, besides the top twenty, any disciple who made it into the top forty would receive very good rewards, with better rewards the higher the ranking.

Song Linlin, who had originally planned for a one-round trip, preparing to be eliminated in the first round, suddenly changed her mind. The rewards were too enticing; it was hard not to be tempted. Especially since the top forty all received a share, wouldn’t she get a large reward and avoid the dangerous Mirror Moon Secret Realm, as long as her ranking was between forty and twenty-one?!

This was definitely a win-win!

The only thing that made Song Linlin unsure was that she had spent almost twenty days on sect tasks, making cultivation impossible. Everyone else was diligently cultivating day and night, while she had been busy with other things. Could she win?

Song Linlin was unsure. She nudged Chi Qianning with her elbow and leaned in, asking somewhat guiltily, “Do you think I can make it to the top forty?”

Chi Qianning rolled her eyes at the other party. She knew without asking that Song Linlin was after the competition rewards. Previously, this person was dead set against cultivating, and now she was getting nervous. Chi Qianning said exasperatedly, “If you knew this day would come, you should have cultivated properly back then. Maybe you could have made it into the top ten.”

“The top ten… let’s forget about that…”

Song Linlin didn’t want to go to the Mirror Moon Secret Realm. She only hoped to get around the fortieth place to receive the basic reward. “I just need to be in the top forty.”

“The top forty is doable.”

Chi Qianning sensed the nearby people and said calmly, “Only ten people have broken through to the Golden Core stage during this time. The others are still at the late Foundation Establishment stage. You’re a Golden Core stage cultivator; what are you afraid of from those at the Foundation Establishment stage?”

“That’s good.”

Song Linlin felt a little more confident, but the fact that ten people had broken through to the Golden Core stage still gave her a small shock. She remembered that Shen Wanyi was still at the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage, even though she came from a renowned cultivation family. However, Song Linlin strongly suspected that this was partly due to Shen Wanyi being too playful, cultivating mostly on a whim, and soon running off to do other things.

This competition was not just for Song Linlin’s generation; disciples under twenty years old and below the Golden Core stage in the sect would also participate. After all, the temptation of the secret realm was too great. They had entered the sect earlier than Song Linlin’s group, with at least a year more time for cultivation. Among them, there were quite a few in the late Golden Core stage, making the competition for the top twenty spots fierce.

Song Linlin only hoped not to encounter a powerful person right at the start, or else she would just be fodder, and getting a one-round exit would be terrible. The competition didn’t have a revival round. No matter one’s strength, once defeated, one was eliminated, and their ranking was fixed.

Several rounds had already taken place. As the last match ended, the officer in charge of the draw pulled out a long bamboo slip from the lot container. Chi Qianning watched the slip from afar, then turned her head and said, “It’s your turn.”

“Huh?”

Song Linlin was suddenly a bit nervous. The draw officer hadn’t announced the information yet. They would only read out the names after drawing two opponents. Could Chi Qianning see from such a distance?

Her confusion was instantly resolved. The officer had drawn another bamboo slip, glanced at the name on it, and announced loudly, “Song Linlin, Du Can.”

Hearing her name called, Song Linlin had to pick up her sword and walk onto the stage. Her opponent was someone she wasn’t very familiar with, and he hadn’t broken through the Golden Core stage, which reassured Song Linlin somewhat.

It was naturally allowed to forfeit the match without fighting. Du Can had been nervous backstage for a long time, hoping not to meet any powerful figures. Now that he was on stage and the opponent looked rather ordinary, he was full of confidence. He immediately drew his sword and bowed to Song Linlin.

“I am Du Can. Please grant me your guidance.”

The competition rule was that one could not launch a sneak attack at the start. Only after the opponent confirmed they would not forfeit and both exchanged names could the engagement begin. This was considered a special rule to accommodate new disciples, as newcomers naturally lacked the combat experience of those who had been around for a few years.

Song Linlin also drew her long sword and bowed, “Song Linlin. Please grant me your guidance.”

Aside from a few times she had fought in Qingcheng—and in those instances, she was not the main force but just tagging along—no one could help her now. She had to defeat her opponent by herself. She tightened her grip on the sword hilt. To say she wasn’t nervous would be a lie. Although this person’s cultivation level was lower than hers, Song Linlin felt like a half-baked cultivator herself.

Song Linlin didn’t know many sword techniques. The one Chi Qianning taught her had been long forgotten due to a lack of diligent practice afterward. She only vividly remembered the sword forms taught by the sect, but she hadn’t mastered them deeply enough.

Let the opponent attack first, Song Linlin thought, lacking confidence.

Du Can saw that the opponent was only maintaining a defensive posture, thinking that Song Linlin didn’t dare to attack. This boosted his confidence even more. He had diligently practiced his sword forms during this time, having fully mastered the first two forms of the Lingyun Sword Technique and learned half of the third form.

Du Can immediately raised his sword, spiritual energy gathering in his legs, and quickly rushed towards Song Linlin, shouting as he struck. In Du Can’s eyes, this series of actions was brave and unmatched, and his strike was fierce and unstoppable.

Song Linlin, who was originally defending with her sword, felt a small panic, thinking he had some skill given his imposing momentum. However, when she truly saw his attack, Song Linlin’s expression became strange.

The opponent’s movements slowed down frame by frame, like a movie in slow motion. The striking action was completely visible.

Song Linlin was embarrassed. I thought he was powerful, but he was just shouting louder…

This Du Can was even less formidable than Xing Jiu from the Fallen Maple Monastery. That Xing Jiu was large, but his attack speed was not slow at all.

She no longer maintained a defensive stance and switched to an offensive one. Song Linlin hadn’t practiced the Lingyun Sword Technique in a long time, and her movements were still a bit rusty. Even so, her first move managed to block the aggressive Du Can.

“What?!”

Du Can was stunned and panicking. He then watched as the opponent, who was clearly unfamiliar with the Lingyun Sword Technique, defeated him in just a few moves.

Song Linlin’s sword stopped at Du Can’s neck. This was a righteous sect, and as fellow disciples, the competition forbade killing opponents. Moreover, Song Linlin didn’t have the guts to kill anyone.

Looking at the cold, gleaming long sword by his neck, Du Can’s lips trembled, and his face turned pale. He never expected this unassuming-looking person to be so powerful.

“I… I surrender!” At this point, he had no choice but to surrender. Du Can chose the pragmatic approach: conceding defeat resolutely.

Song Linlin retracted the long sword from his neck. The sword flicked elegantly in the air, then was sheathed. She had won the first battle easily, which inevitably made Song Linlin a little smug.

The meticulous referee at the edge of the stage loudly announced the result, “Song Linlin wins!”

Since Du Can had lost, he naturally didn’t want to stay on the stage and quickly ran off dejectedly. Song Linlin leisurely walked off the stage. The winner naturally enjoys the gaze of the audience, especially having won so easily. Many people had originally thought Song Linlin was just going through the motions, but unexpectedly, she seemed to have some skill.

Being scrutinized by all sorts of eyes, Song Linlin walked off the stage. Once she was down, she noticed Shen Wanyi standing nearby. Shen Wanyi now looked Song Linlin up and down again, exclaiming in surprise:

“Song Linlin, I didn’t expect you to have those tricks! I thought you had given up on cultivation, seeing you mess around all day.”

Song Linlin looked at her. She had indeed given up on cultivation, but she certainly couldn’t say that so directly. She cleared her throat and told a blatant lie without batting an eyelid, “Who says I gave up on cultivation? I’ve just been secretly working hard where you couldn’t see me!”

Having said that, Song Linlin didn’t wait for Shen Wanyi’s reply and immediately left, pushing through the crowd to return to Chi Qianning. Chi Qianning had naturally heard the conversation between Song Linlin and Shen Wanyi. She turned to look at Song Linlin and whispered, “How come I didn’t know you would secretly cultivate behind my back?”

“Ahem…”

That kind of excuse might fool Shen Wanyi, but Chi Qianning knew everything. These past few days, Song Linlin did sect tasks during the day, and as soon as she got home and showered in the evening, she climbed into bed and slept soundly. Chi Qianning knew all of this, so she certainly couldn’t be fooled.

Song Linlin could only look up at a forty-five-degree angle and say nonchalantly, “Ah, the weather is so nice today, sunny and bright…”

Seeing her attempt to evade the topic, Chi Qianning shook her head and said, “Song Linlin, you currently look like a small person having their day.”

Song Linlin: …

Alright, Song Linlin reflected. She was indeed a little full of herself. She should be honest.

Since Song Linlin had finished her match, the subsequent matches for the day no longer concerned her. The two watched for a while longer. By noon, Song Linlin lost interest and went home to lie down after lunch.

The competitions continued over the following days, with half the participants eliminated daily. However, as the less skilled participants were constantly eliminated, the remaining opponents became increasingly formidable.

Song Linlin’s subsequent opponents continuously improved in strength, and she didn’t win as easily as in the first match. Fortunately, her luck was quite good; she didn’t encounter any Golden Core stage opponents. Otherwise, with her mediocre skills, she definitely wouldn’t have lasted long.

Today, Song Linlin woke up early as usual. Yesterday, she had been matched against a late Foundation Establishment stage opponent and only managed to achieve victory after a difficult fight for a long time.

The good news was that Song Linlin successfully entered the top forty. The opponents she would face today would definitely be harder to deal with, but Song Linlin didn’t care. Since she made it into the top forty, if she found she couldn’t win, she would simply surrender, saving her energy.

After washing up, Song Linlin yawned and walked out of the house with Chi Qianning. She felt completely relaxed; going to the competition today was merely going through the motions.

Only forty people participated in today’s competition. Besides Song Linlin, Ye Tingran and Zhiyu had naturally been selected, and Shen Wanyi also successfully entered the top forty.

Song Linlin stood below the stage, waiting for her name to be drawn. She glanced up at the elders’ seats. The principal seat at the top was not empty today. Qi Zhenghao had only come on the first day, said a few simple words, and left after viewing the first half of the competition. This was understandable. After all, what difference was it for such a powerful being to watch a competition of cultivators below the Golden Core stage than watching children play house?