Chapter 28: The Sect Grand Tournament-Depois de ouvir pensamentos, a protagonista usada como ferramenta enlouqueceu(Quarenta e sete noites ao crepúsculo)

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Yuling Peak spectator stand.
Just as they were each trying to find a way to smooth things over, a voice from below interrupted their train of thought, drawing everyone’s attention.
Freed from her constraints, Jiang Zao watched as the others stealthily stood up to find a corner from which to look down.
Who knew if they might pin her back to her chair once they realized what she was up to? To be safe, she decided to find a spot far away from them.
"I am Qi Shuqian, and I am the host of this grand competition. Unlike in previous years..." He didn't finish his sentence, but his words immediately piqued the curiosity of most.
"This sect competition will adopt both individual matches and team matches."
His voice reached every corner, and as expected, most disciples reacted with confusion and doubt.
In previous years, it had always been a process of elimination until a winner was crowned. Why introduce team matches this time? Was it perhaps to rank the various peaks?
Hearing this change, Jiang Zao felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She stood frozen in place, her mind gone blank.
[The rules of the sect competition... just changed so easily?]
Standing on the competition platform, Qi Shuqian sighed softly as he heard the confusion and questioning from the crowd. He had known this would be the result, but these were the decisions made by the Sect Master and the elders. As just the messenger, what could he do?
Naturally, he had to follow their instructions.
"Quiet!"
The single word forced the crowd to fall silent, pinning all their attention upon him.
"This matter was decided by the Sect Master and the elders." And it has nothing to do with me.
The implication was clear: if you have a problem with it, go talk to them, and stop gossiping and making noise here.
"The first round of competition is individual matches. Every person will receive a numbered plaque. The rule is that the holder of plaque number one will face the holder of plaque number five hundred, number two will face number four hundred and ninety-nine, and so on."
After saying this, Qi Shuqian waved his hand, and hundreds of wooden plaques descended steadily into the hands of every participating disciple.
"I have explained the rules... Now, would the disciple with the zero plaque please raise their hand? You will receive a bye for this round."
Qi Shuqian scanned the crowd, looking for that lucky person. Out of five hundred and one people, only one could bypass the first round.
"Who has the zero plaque? Is it you?"
"It isn't me."
The disciples in the spectator stands began whispering to one another, checking the plaques in their neighbors' hands.
Jiang Zao held the plaque engraved with a "zero," not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
If she laughed—well, the rules had changed, and her plan to forfeit and surrender was completely ruined.
If she cried—well, she had received the bye and was automatically promoted.
"A-Zao, you have the zero plaque, why aren't you raising your hand?" Lou Si, curious about her number, leaned over and caught sight of the zero in her hand.
At the sound, Jiang Zhuoran and Yan Wuqiu also leaned in.

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[I don't want a bye! I want the original competition system!!!]
Under the gaze of the three, Jiang Zao shrunk her neck and gave an awkward smile: "I, I haven't processed it yet."
Jiang Zao walked to the edge to ensure that Qi Shuqian could see her. Before she decided to call out, she subconsciously looked back, then turned toward the platform and raised the hand holding the plaque, shouting loudly: "Senior Brother, the zero plaque is here!"
Qi Shuqian turned his head, saw the young girl waving in the sunlight, and gave a gentle smile.
"Congratulations to this junior sister for successfully advancing."
"I'm so envious. Why don't I have such good luck?" A disciple looked at his own plaque with a bitter face, deeply envious of Jiang Zao, who had secured the bye.
"Just forget about it. That's not the kind of luck everyone has." The person next to him said, seemingly trying to comfort him, though it provided no comfort at all.
"I thank you so much."
"You're quite welcome."
Qi Shuqian turned his attention back to hosting, his expression serious: "Now, the competition begins. Will the disciples with plaque number one and plaque number five hundred please take the stage."
With that, his figure flickered, and he moved from the competition platform to the viewing stand beside the arena; he would host the subsequent matches from there.
After Qi Shuqian left the platform, the two disciples with the corresponding plaques stepped up and bowed to each other.
"Artifact Peak, Zhao Yu."
"Sword Peak, Zhang Cheng."
Most disciples were watching the match below, hoping to learn something, but only Jiang Zao squatted gloomily in a corner, using a small twig she had picked up from somewhere to draw circles on the ground.
As she drew, she muttered: "Why change the competition rules for no reason? Have the Sect Master and elders of the Asking Immortal Sect gone mad? Why pursue 'innovative development'?"
Zhang Cheng: "I accept the challenge."
Zhao Yu stood up, bowed, and walked off the platform trembling; he hadn't expected to be eliminated in the first round.
"First group, Sword Peak Zhang Cheng, wins."
"Will the disciples with number two and number four hundred and ninety-nine please take the stage."
Qi Shuqian stood on the podium doing his job. One group after another followed, and soon the first round was over.
After the first round of screening, half the disciples were ruthlessly weeded out, while those who successfully advanced were all smiles.
This competition was not only a test of the disciples' cultivation but also an exam for outer sect disciples to enter the inner sect. Even though it was only a one-character difference, the treatment was worlds apart.
No one would stand in the way of their own future.
The only difference between the second round and the first was that there were no bye plaques; all disciples had to compete to determine who advanced and who was eliminated.
"Will the disciples with number one and number two hundred and fifty please take the stage."
Jiang Zao looked at the number two hundred and fifty plaque in her hand and fell into silence. The glaring "two hundred and fifty" felt like an undisguised mockery of her.

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[Heh, just destroy everything...]
"Will the disciple with plaque number two hundred and fifty please take the stage."
Seeing that the other plaque holder was slow to come forward, Qi Shuqian could not help but speak again.
Jiang Zao clutched her plaque and walked out from the spectator stand, arriving at the platform to bow to the disciple standing there, who was a head taller than her: "Yuling Peak, Jiang Zao."
"Sword Peak, Wang Chen."
At the highest spectator stand, Jiang Daochuan saw Jiang Zao and then looked at He Mobai, who was leisurely drinking tea behind him, and said with a chuckle: "So this is the little sister your disciple brought back?"
He Mobai lightly blew on the tea in his cup and said calmly: "Indeed."
Jiang Daochuan: "Is a disciple with four spiritual roots worth you changing the competition rules for?"
He Mobai nodded in silent agreement: "It is worth it."
What he wanted was not for Jiang Zao to achieve results, but for her to die in the arena!
Jiang Daochuan choked on his words. He returned to his seat and wondered aloud: "Are you sure... it was she who took that sword?"
She didn't look like someone capable of taking that demonic sword. Although that sword was a peerless divine weapon, it was also notoriously temperamental. For ten thousand years, no one had caught its eye, yet now it had taken a fancy to a little girl with four spiritual roots?
Could it be that its temper had improved?
He Mobai set down his teacup and said: "I only know she took the sword; I know nothing else."
Jiang Daochuan realized he wouldn't get any useful information from him, so he stopped asking, deciding instead to observe what was so special about the Jiang Zao who had caught the sword's attention.
Down in the arena.
After the two finished their salutations, Wang Chen gripped his sword with both hands into an attack stance, his eyes filled with a fierce fighting spirit.
"Junior sister, be careful!"
"No, no, no, Senior Brother... I didn't come here to fight." Seeing Wang Chen about to attack, Jiang Zao hurriedly waved her hands to state her position.
Wang Chen was stunned at first, then his expression turned displeased as he saw her timid appearance: "How can a cultivator of our generation flee without a fight!"
To flee without a fight was a dereliction of duty to oneself and an insult to him!
[Does this guy have a problem? He won't even take a free promotion opportunity.]
Jiang Zao felt sullen. Seeing his attitude, it was clear he wouldn't let her simply concede.
Her eyes swept around the area and finally landed on Qi Shuqian. She seemed to see hope and her eyes brightened, but the latter seemed to have anticipated her thoughts; he shook his head with a smile, instantly extinguishing her hope.
"Are you going to fight or not!"