111. Sect Ranking Decisive Match

“So, the affairs of the martial world are filled with so many grudges and entanglements,” Bai Liuli remarked with a sigh.

Xie Wuji smiled and replied, “Sister, what you’ve seen is just the tip of the iceberg. Wherever there are people, there is the martial world. It’s not just about grudges and vendettas; it’s also about love and passion…”

“Haha, it seems my silly little brother has quite the experience… By the way, is there a girl you like? You’re not getting any younger; it’s about time you consider your lifelong matters,” Bai Liuli teased playfully.

Xie Wuji sighed deeply. “I wish I had someone, but with all the troubles I’m tangled in, it’s not convenient to deal with matters of the heart right now… Sister, I’ll escort you back. We’ll meet again during the tournament. Now that we know the Grand Elder Ding Desheng is connected with the Four Great Ministers, we must be careful not to give them any leverage.”

“Hmm, once we return to the capital, I’ll want to go out and have some fun. You must accompany me then,” Bai Liuli said.

Xie Wuji chuckled wryly. “I’m not your personal bodyguard!”

“But you’re my brother. Since you’re my brother, isn’t it your duty to protect me? Besides, I haven’t even settled the score with you for peeking at me while I was bathing last time!” Bai Liuli teased.

“Well…” Xie Wuji was momentarily speechless, admitting to himself that he did indeed see her then.

Bai Liuli laughed at his reaction. “It’s fine. Since we’re siblings, we don’t need to fuss over such formalities. Alright, I have to go in now. Grandpa must be worried sick.”

With that, Bai Liuli headed into the annex. Xie Wuji stopped at the entrance, watching her go.

Just then, not far from the gate, Shi Zhentian was lurking. Squinting his eyes and resting his chin on his hand, he muttered, “Look what I’ve found. I must report this to Master immediately—he’ll praise me for sure. Who would’ve thought Xie Wuji actually has a thing with the Empress? Hahaha, this is huge news!”

With that, Shi Zhentian slipped away unnoticed by Xie Wuji, who remained unaware of his presence. Shi Zhentian hurried to the inn, panting as he found Ding Desheng.

Ding Desheng was practicing with narrowed eyes. “Who’s at the door?”

“Master, it’s me!” Shi Zhentian grinned as he entered. “Oh, Brother Baili Qingyan is here as well.”

Baili Qingyan stood to Ding Desheng’s left, hands behind his back, nodding slightly at Shi Zhentian.

Ding Desheng squinted one eye. “Speak then. You’ve come so excited—what’s happened?”

“Master, I was out gambling a bit, and on my way back, I passed by the Yunshang Kingdom’s embassy. Guess what I saw? Now I finally understand why Xie Wuji acts so arrogantly in Danxia Sect, and why Old Man Dongmen Yong dotes on him so much!” Shi Zhentian said eagerly.

“Oh?”

“I saw Xie Wuji with Empress Bai Liuli!” Shi Zhentian leaned in conspiratorially.

Upon hearing this, Ding Desheng’s body trembled like a tiger’s, eyes wide. “This concerns Her Majesty’s reputation; you must be cautious with your words.”

“I stake my life on it! Xie Wuji definitely has a thing with the Empress—they were cozy, chatting and laughing. Xie Wuji even escorted her into the courtyard through the back gate! Anyone entering through the back gate must have something to hide!” Shi Zhentian said with a sly look.

Ding Desheng laughed heartily. “Excellent, well done, Zhentian! This is a great start. Now, go monitor the Empress closely—gather evidence of Xie Wuji’s dealings with her. If we can expose this, not only will Xie Wuji’s reputation be ruined, but Dongmen Yong will also fall from grace for failing to discipline his disciple. This will aid the Four Great Ministers, and with their support, I can ascend to Sect Leader. Dongmen Yong will be nothing! Hahaha!”

Ding Desheng’s laughter was matched by Shi Zhentian’s, but Baili Qingyan beside them looked uneasy.

“Could it be that Xie Wuji and the Empress have that kind of relationship…? If so, then…” Baili Qingyan bit his lip, deeply concerned but unwilling to speak further with the Master present.

…

The tournament began as scheduled. Held once every ten years, it was an immensely grand event. At the largest square in the land, Dawn Square, ten massive spectator stands had been erected.

Each of the ten stands represented a sect, with a huge arena at the center.

Of course, the actual matches wouldn’t start immediately; first came the preliminaries—a deadly and grueling stage.

The stands were divided into three tiers. The innermost was the VIP section, occupied by representatives from the top ten sects and members of the seven great royal families.

The middle tier was for outer disciples of the sects and some government officials who came merely for the spectacle.

The outermost tier was open to the public; anyone who paid five thousand taels of silver could purchase a seat—a mark of status.

Since the matches had yet to start, the audience was sparse. At that moment, a eunuch appeared, and Xie Wuji noticed that the dignitaries from various nations sat atop the high platform, their faces obscured from the view of sect members.

Behind Xie Wuji were the people from Yunshang Kingdom. Bai Liuli had just greeted him but was promptly pulled away by the eunuch.

The eunuch from the Li Kingdom exuded a steady aura. Xie Wuji remarked, “That eunuch seems quite skilled.”

“Indeed. The royal family of Li Kingdom places great emphasis on personal martial cultivation. Whether inner palace experts or surrounding guards, each is exceptional. They’re personally protected by the Extreme Immortal Sect, so their strength is formidable,” Ji Liancheng explained.

“No wonder the Extreme Immortal Sect’s reputation is so radiant. With such power, it’ll be hard for anyone to challenge them for first place this year,” Xie Wuji mused.

“Just focus on yourself,” Dongmen Yong glanced at him and said.

At that moment, the eunuch spoke: “Friends from all corners of the realm, esteemed guests from the ten great sects, welcome to Dragon City of the Li Kingdom…”

After delivering a formal, official-sounding speech, he officially opened the preliminaries.

“First up is the ranking match among the ten great sects. Each sect will send twenty participants. Our competition venue is the Dragon Cave Forest outside Dragon City!” the eunuch announced.

This immediately stirred excitement among the crowd.

“Wow, so thrilling! Starting right away with ranking matches? Didn’t they always begin with individual contests?”

“Yeah, seems the rules have changed this year.”

“Starting with the ranking of the ten sects—this will be intense! The battles will surely be fiercer!”

Everyone buzzed with chatter. The ranking match was complex—it wasn’t just a game; it determined the status of each sect.

Currently, Dongmen Yong’s greatest concern was this ranking match. He hoped to elevate Danxia Sect’s standing, which is why he had been lenient with the Grand Elder. If the sect improved in this ranking, his efforts would be justified.

The eunuch raised his hand to quiet the crowd. “Please be silent. When each sect calls forward its twenty participants, prepare yourselves. The ranking match will begin shortly. You will start at the southern end of the Dragon Cave Forest, and your goal is to reach the Celestial Tower at the northern end within three days. Your results will be based on how many reach the tower.”

He paused, then scanned the crowd. “Of course, sect rankings are not decided solely by this test. But this ranking match is a crucial bonus factor. Additionally, rankings will consider overall sect strength, the number of Golden Core disciples, and the abilities of elders and sect leaders. So please take it seriously!”

An elder stood up and asked, “What proportion of the ranking does this match determine?”

“One-third,” the eunuch answered. “Two-thirds depend on overall sect strength, but one-third is based on the ranking match results.”

The crowd fell silent, then grew eager, faces lighting up with competitive fire. Xie Wuji also felt the pressure and noticed the unfriendly gazes around him.