Chapter 497: But I Am Not

For some reason, upon hearing those words, Yuan Yao's heart gave a sudden jolt.

Because she felt that even without her in her previous life, the Ninth Province shouldn't have ranked only tenth, since her own senior brothers and sisters, as well as Xiao Zhufeng and others, had always been the strongest in overall ability across all generations.

Her mood became extremely complicated.

Yuan Yao took a deep breath, forced herself to suppress the surging emotions, struggled to squeeze out a smile, and spoke lightly to Ying Wuji: "Youngest Senior Brother, don't think too much; everything has changed now, hasn't it?"

How could Ying Wuji fail to hear the comforting intent in her words?

He looked at the girl's feigned relaxed face, a hint of warmth flashed in his eyes, he reached out his hand, like an hour

time alike, he gently rubbed the back of her head, the motion natural and intimate.

This scene fell squarely into a pair of deep, icy phoenix eyes in the distance.

Ying Wuji seemed to keenly catch that overly intense gaze; his motion paused slightly, then he lifted his head as if nothing had happened, his eyes precisely aiming toward the team of First Province contestants.

His gaze was deep, his brows slightly furrowed, and he fell into a thoughtful silence.

"Youngest Senior Brother, what are you looking at?" Yuan Yao followed his gaze and saw a white figure facing this way from the side; her heart tightened slightly.

She suddenly recalled that not long ago, the Youngest Senior Brother had solemnly warned her to stay away from Qian Yunzhou and Xie Zixu.

At the time she only felt the Youngest Senior Brother was overly cautious and didn't think much of it.

But now....

This... seems related to her past life?

Yuan Yao was about to ask the Youngest Senior Brother about this when, unexpectedly, the cyan-green jade tablet stored in her spatial storage flickered.

Yuan Yao's attention was diverted.

She extended her divine sense to listen.

"I will be on stage in the next round of the competition; you stay off." A clear, clean voice of a youth came through.

Yuan Yao replied succinctly with one word: "Okay."

At this moment, the white-clad youth had already turned his body, his gaze falling on Yuan Yao, and he asked: "Yuan Yao, if we both manage to stay until the end, there will inevitably be a battle between us. Will you give it your all?"

"Yes." Yuan Yao answered without the slightest hesitation, "I now represent the Ninth Province, while you represent the First Province; we ought to have a match free of any emotion, fair and just."

"Emotion? What feelings do you have for me?" The youth's tone carried a hint of probing.

Yuan Yao's eyelids twitched slightly, and she replied: "Just the feeling of friendship."

Xie Zixu heard that and smiled.

That smile was extremely faint, like the initial melt of ice and snow, instantly brightening his clear yet bewitching brows and eyes, yet also carrying a hint of unfathomable depth.

He responded with an affirmation: "Okay."

Just as Yuan Yao thought this conversation was ending and her heart had slightly settled, his clear voice sounded again through the cyan-green jade tablet, carrying a hint of allure, abruptly echoing in her mind: "But I am not."

"Boom!"

Yuan Yao only felt a blast explode in her mind, her heart as if instantly filled with scorching magma, swelling and heating, beating extremely fast, thumping 'dong dong dong' against her chest, as if trying to drown out all the surrounding noise.

The base of her ears uncontrollably flushed with a fine red hue.

She could clearly feel a scorching, focused gaze locking firmly onto her.

That gaze was too scorching, as if carrying some kind of searing emotion; as soon as she lifted her head, she could without doubt collide with the other's beautiful eyes.

But she avoided meeting his gaze.

Because her heart was somewhat in turmoil.

She still couldn't determine her own feelings.

Fortunately, Xie Zixu did not press her on what she was thinking.

Immediately afterward, Xie Zixu went on stage; his drawn opponent was Nie Bai of the Eighth Province.

When Nie Bai discovered his opponent was actually Xie Zixu, his face darkened.

Without a doubt, Xie Zixu won.

On the Ninth Province side, they sent Xue Jin, and Xue Jin also won.

Thereafter, the opponents they faced grew stronger one after another.

Ling Huya was also eliminated.

Now, among the Ninth Province's participating disciples, only five remain: Song Yan, Xiao Lingwei, Xue Jin, Ying Wuji, and Yuan Yao.

First Province: Xie Zixu, Sikong Banxue, Bian Chen, Feng Xuanji, Ying Wuan, Jiang Shuai, Lu Xiangxiang.

Second Province: Jiang Xiao and four others.

Third Province: four people.

Fourth Province: Dong Jiao and three others.

Fifth Province: three people.

Sixth Province: Yu Jing.

Seventh Province: one person.

Eighth Province: Hua Chengyan.

Feiyun Island: Qian Yunzhou and three others.

Wu Liang Island: one person.

Fusang Island: none.

The people present, as well as the cultivators watching the competition from all over the cultivation world, were utterly shocked.

"The Ninth Province now has only the five disciples of the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord left!"

"No wonder they're taught by the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord! Truly impressive!"

"Aren't they the Six Disciples of the Thousand Mountain? Why are there only five left now?"

"Hmph, where else could they go? Naturally they were eliminated!" A sharp voice immediately interjected, "It's said the eliminated one is named Cang Li, merely an alchemist, and yet he also insists on learning spear techniques. I really don't know what the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord was thinking, taking on such a... well, mediocre disciple."

"Exactly! Look at his cultivation talent; compared with the other five, it's a world apart, a tragic sight! I really can't understand, with the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord's eye, why he would make an exception and accept him as a disciple!"

Questions and mockery surged like a tide, and many people's gazes toward Cang Li carried a hint of contempt and incomprehension.

On the viewing platform, Cang Li, who was eagerly awaiting, listened to every word of the discussion without missing a single one.

He was first stunned, then his face flushed bright red, and with a sudden "Bang—" he seemed to have all his strength drained, collapsing straight onto the seat, both hands tightly covering his chest, his face showing a pain like a thousand arrows pierced his heart, his voice hoarse, with a crying tone: "Woo—woo… Why do you belittle me so? Why is my fate so miserable!"

He hammered his chest and stamped his foot, wailing: "I can't live any longer! I can't endure these days!"

"Cang Li, don't do that, aren't we still by your side!" Seeing this, Yao Linglong hurried forward, extended a hand, and gave his shoulder a heavy "Pat—pat—pat", trying to comfort him, but the force nearly made Cang Li gasp for breath.

He gritted his teeth against the shoulder pain, maintaining his sorrowful expression.

At that moment, Ao Su leisurely drifted to his back, extended two fingers, deftly pinched Cang Li's tear‑streaked face, made a comical grimace, and then, with an unusually fervent tone, declared: "Cheer up! You are no longer just Cang Li; you are the Chosen One—Cangaotian!"

"Cangaotian! Cangaotian! Cangaotian!"

The disciples of the Carefree Sect shouted in unison, but each of them, upon seeing Cang Li's comical grimace, couldn't help stifling laughter; some disciples secretly turned away, laughing so hard they forgot what the world was…

Cang Li: "……Can you have any professional courtesy?!"