After the final match of the first round concluded, only 13 disciples remained out of the original 26.
Disciple Lu stepped forward, his voice ringing out clearly.
"The first round of the tournament is now complete! From the remaining 13 participants, one will be selected to move forward via lucky draw — because, as we all know, luck is an important factor in cultivation!"
Some elders in the audience nodded solemnly, while others rolled their eyes.
With a flourish, Lu pulled out another board from his space ring.
Unlike the others, this one was colorful, sparkled with animated effects, and suspiciously resembled a gambling display.
One elder whispered, "...That’s definitely a gambling wheel."
Lu cleared his throat and continued enthusiastically.
"Now, let’s see which lucky disciple will advance without a match!"
The board shimmered as names flickered across its surface, disappearing and reappearing in rapid succession. Some onlookers leaned forward like gamblers at casino — a few even began to salivate.
Apparently, this board was the same model used in certain gambling games, where players would bet spiritual stones on what symbol would appear.
A dramatic effect played across the screen.
And then — one name pulsed in glowing golden letters:
At the same moment, the formations above locked onto her face.
But, as expected, she remained composed and expressionless — like a celestial maiden entirely unaffected by worldly affairs.
The crowd, however, was not so quiet.
"Damn, she’s not just beautiful — she’s lucky too!"
"Luck favors beauty! Meanwhile, you can’t even win at rock-paper-scissors!"
"No wonder you’ve never rolled anything!"
"So envious..." a girl sighed from the side.
A male disciple beside her chimed in, "But senior sister, you’re beautiful too—"
He went flying backwards from a single palm strike.
Because truly, few things are more terrifying than a woman annoyed in public.
Back on the platform, Lu looked mildly disappointed.
He had been hoping for at least a raised eyebrow from Tianmei.
Alas, the audience reaction would have to do.
"Well then," Lu continued. "Now that the lucky participant has been selected, we’ll proceed with the remaining matches for this round."
With a flick of his fingers, the name board shimmered to life again — and the next two names appeared:
Both were entry disciples of Core Elders. Out of all such disciples, only these two had survived the first round.
Their duel was heated.
Blades clashed. Dust swirled. A few dramatic grunts were exchanged.
But in the end, Yu Hao’s larger frame and stronger physique helped him overpower Yu Bo.
He bowed after the match, breathing hard but victorious.
Next up was Lin Fan, facing an Inner Disciple.
This battle lasted longer.
Lin Fan fought with his usual clean, disciplined style. His moves weren’t flashy — but they were effective.
Step. Strike. Counter.
Eventually, after a grueling exchange, he landed a decisive blow and won.
Then came Yu Xueqing.
She once again wielded her twin blades with elegance and silence, defeating her opponent — though this time, it wasn’t as smooth as her first match.
Her opponent forced her to reveal more of her technique, and a few strands of her hair were cut.
Still, she won with grace.
More matches followed.
Finally, the last match of the second round appeared, it was the match of Yu Xuan.
"...Why am I always last?"
He stood and walked toward the platform, already guessing he wouldn’t be sweating much.
Across from him, his opponent also stepped up.
An Outer Disciple — older, taller, and pale-faced.
Though he wore a mask and acted oddly, Yu Xuan squinted at him.
’Why does he look like he’s planning to escape a robbery?’
Disciple Lu then announced, "Let the match begin!"
Yu Xuan raised his sword calmly.
His opponent, however, immediately shouted:
He ran off with such speed it looked like he’d activated a forbidden art.
The crowd was baffled.
Yu Xuan just stood there.
"...Was it something I did?"
’Oh. Right. The Swordsmanship of Avalon Family.’
He had activated it so casually last time, he forgot how intimidating it must’ve appeared — especially to someone still cultivating mortal-level techniques.
The chat group, of course, exploded.
[MoonPeach]: HAHAHA he ran like the wind!!
[FurnaceBoy444]: Sword Intent PTSD is real.
[LittleBigFish]: I bet he’s already left the clan.
And so, Yu Xuan won again — without lifting a finger.
Literally, he did not even move.