"The biggest highlight of the Ascension Platform is now gone."
...
Ling Ran's lips curled into a sneer. Looking at Wenren Pingxin not far away, he said indifferently, "It's truly a pity we won't have the chance to compete with your sect on the Ascension Platform."
...
Wenren Pingxin ignored Wuhua Palace. The disciples of Sword Sect, however, all clenched their fists tightly, their faces flushed red with anger as they stared at Wuhua Palace.
Xi Qingyi took a step forward and said in a quiet, steady voice, "Indeed. After all, Wuhua Palace is sure to be eliminated before the finals. Sword Sect had also hoped to have a bout with Wuhua Palace."
...
As the atmosphere between the two sides grew increasingly cold, Yang Tianqing raised an eyebrow and announced, "Sword Sect versus Blade Sect!"
A contest between sword and blade?
Interesting!
From afar, the Blade Demon at the Blade Sect Residence nodded towards Sword Sect's position, then said no more.
Upon hearing Yang Tianqing's words, the expressions of the Sword Sect disciples visibly grew grave.
Su Bei looked at Wenren Pingxin with some confusion and asked, "What's wrong, Senior Sister? You don't look too well."
Could it be that Blade Sect is more troublesome than I imagined?
Wenren Pingxin didn't answer Su Bei's question. Instead, she turned to Xi Qingyi beside her and asked with a solemn expression, "Are you confident?"
Xi Qingyi heaved a long sigh, her expression complex as she replied, "Against that Blade Demon, it's about fifty-fifty. But Blade Sect has at least three elders at the Peak Refining Void realm!"
One at Half-Step Dao Integration, three at Peak Refining Void, one at Late Stage Refining Void, and one at Mid Stage Refining Void.
Even if Xi Qingyi managed to defeat the Blade Demon, she would likely have to consecutively battle the Peak Refining Void elders while still recovering.
In Sword Sect, aside from Xi Qingyi herself, who was Half-Step into Dao Integration, there was only Mo Xingjian at Peak Refining Void, and Li Ziyu at Late Stage Refining Void. Su Bei and the other two disciples were all Mid Stage Refining Void...
The disparity in mid-tier combat strength was too stark!
"It's not so bad because you're by my side..." Su Bei coughed lightly. A touch of his former life's mischievousness welled up as he smiled at Dan Wulan.
While the others weren't looking, he gently placed his hand on her waist and pulled her slightly closer.
Dan Wulan's body trembled. Her breathing grew a little heavy, and her cheeks flushed pink. She gripped Su Bei's hand tightly, patting it lightly.
"Everyone's right here," she murmured.
Her expression remained calm, yet it felt as if something within her heart was about to overflow.
Su Bei liked seeing her like this. He paid no mind to her reaction, simply holding her hand. Ripples stirred in both their hearts, feelings that were indistinct and hard to define.
Dan Wulan bit her lip, allowing Su Bei's gentle advances. With so many people around, she dared not make a sound or openly object.
She seemed to feel the warm, gentle touch of his hand stroking her... Though Su Bei couldn't see her expression at that moment, he could vaguely make out a blush on her cheeks and the slightest curve of her lips.
She shouldn't like this... yet, for some reason, if it was him, none of it seemed to matter anymore...
Su Bei's heart skipped a beat. He felt the cool, delicate touch of her fingers intertwined with his and saw the blush on her earlobes deepening, though it wasn't very obvious in the dim light of the night.
"Don't..." Dan Wulan whispered, her teeth still worrying her lower lip.
Suddenly, a voice interjected, "Oh? Little Sister, were you injured just now? Why is your face so red?"
...
The moment the words were spoken, everyone's gaze snapped towards them in unison.
Then, a faint voice drifted from the Ascension Platform, announcing, "Multi-Bao Pavilion versus Tianji Sect!!"
...