C3 The Spirit Manor Competition!

Every day, Su Qianxun takes two herbal pills to aid her training. The teachings of her practice are vast and profound, and she's reached a point where she struggles to understand them fully. To continue her progress, she needs to consult relevant texts and seek guidance from experienced mentors.

She must leave the isolated farm as soon as possible and return to the heart of her family in Fallen Mountain City. Whether or not she can rejoin her family doesn't matter to her; being near the city is what's important.

In two months, the Spirit Farm Competition, held every five years, will begin at Black Tiger Cliff. This event is a special opportunity for those unable to return to the family center. The top three performers from each farm can gain entry to the family academy.

This opportunity is only available to those under twenty. After that age, individuals must rely on their skills to secure a position at their farm. If one's abilities are strong enough, they can even become a manager.

There are nearly thirty spirit farms under the family's name, with a large number of people involved. No one wants to spend their life in a desolate place. Entering Fallen Mountain City means opportunities, while staying here means a life of mediocrity.

The competition isn't significant to the family, so they only send junior members from the inner circle. No elders are present.

The attendees gathered together, creating a lively buzz. On the stage stood a young man and woman, both strikingly youthful. The man was handsome and refined, while the woman was gentle and beautiful.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Su Changyi, an inner disciple of the Su family, and this is my junior, Su Rou. We will be overseeing the Spirit Manor competition, held every five years. Are you all ready?” Su Changyi smiled warmly, instantly charming many of the young women in the crowd. The noise rose and fell, with everyone praising his good looks.

“Alright, let me explain the rules. Although it's a competition, it's more of a friendly sparring match, so keep it light. As always, if you can endure ten rounds, you'll be considered a winner and can join me on a trip to Fallen Mountain City. Now, I declare the Spirit Manor competition officially open.” With that, Su Changyi and Su Rou stepped back.

At that moment, a man flipped onto the stage. “I am Su Tai. Who will challenge me?” he asked, clasping his hands in greeting.

“I will.” A clear voice rang out from the crowd, immediately silencing everyone.

“Qianxun, that's Su Qingxue from Spirit Fruit Manor. She's quite aloof, and almost no one there likes her,” Qing'er whispered to Qianxun.

Su Qingxue, dressed in a spotless white outfit with a simple hairstyle, maintained a cold, expressionless face as she walked steadily onto the stage.

A gentle breeze lifted a strand of her hair, making her appear serene and ethereal.

"Su Qingxue is here to challenge," she announced, her voice cold and clear, like the sound of pearls dropping onto a plate.

This declaration snapped Su Tai back to his senses. The two exchanged respectful nods before launching into their duel.

Su Qingxue remained calm and composed, while Su Tai unleashed a powerful punch. At the last moment, Su Qingxue sidestepped, pivoting on her left foot, and struck his back. Su Tai fell to the ground, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Round one goes to Su Qingxue!" Su Rou declared, rising to announce the result.

"My goodness, Su Qingxue is incredible! Just one move, it's unbelievable..." Qing'er exclaimed, astonished.

Su Qianxun found a spot to rest. "Qing'er, let me know when Su Qingxue has won ten matches," he said, closing his eyes to sleep.

Qing'er wanted to say more but seeing Qianxun with his eyes closed, she held her tongue.

In the following rounds, Su Qingxue continued to defeat her opponents with a single move. A couple of them required a few more moves, but the outcome was never in doubt.

"I declare Su Qingxue as one of the top three. Now, let's see who will take the stage next," Su Changyi announced.

"I'll go," Su Qianxun said, standing up and walking to the platform, nodding respectfully. "Su Qianxun is here to take the stage."

"Go, Qianxun, go!" Qing'er kept cheering, while others looked at her and Su Qianxun with disdain.

"Do you even know what you're doing? You think this is some kind of pep rally?" someone sneered sarcastically.

A chorus of agreement followed, each comment more unpleasant than the last. "What's it to you if I cheer? It's not like you're getting any support, and you clearly don't have the skills, so stop barking here..." Qing'er retorted, hands on her hips, looking every bit like she was ready for a street fight.

Su Qianxun was speechless for a moment. "You, come out," Qianxun pointed at the flashy woman who had been speaking.

"You think I'll just come out because you said so?" the woman scoffed, but before she could finish, Qing'er cut her off.

"You're just saving face because you're scared to compete," Qing'er taunted, making a disgusted face that thoroughly provoked the woman.

The woman stepped up. "Fine, let's compete. Who's afraid of who?" she said, crossing her arms defiantly.

The flashy woman hesitated to make a move, so Qianxun took the initiative. She quickly closed the distance, aiming to grab her opponent's throat. The woman sidestepped, kicking out, but Qianxun's move was a feint. Seeing the dodge, she swiftly pulled back and adjusted her stance.

Qianxun swiftly blocked the flamboyant woman's kick, using her momentum to leap into the air. The woman crumpled to her knees, and with a decisive kick, Qianxun sent her sprawling to the ground, landing gracefully herself.

The woman groaned in pain, and it took a while before her companions helped her off the stage. Qianxun's kicks had been powerful, causing internal injuries.

"Way to go, Qianxun!" Qing'er shouted, feeling as if she had won herself. She then turned to those who had insulted Qianxun earlier, saying, "See that? That's real skill." She strutted away, leaving them speechless and sullen.

The next few challengers were easily dealt with by Qianxun; they were no match for her. In her previous life, she had trained in martial arts. As a leading figure in the archaeology field, she needed to know self-defense, so she had mastered various martial arts and fighting techniques.

Even without using any special abilities, she could handle these opponents effortlessly. Whether it was because the competitors were exceptionally strong this time or for some other reason, what usually took three days to complete was finished in just one day.

Besides Su Qianxun and Su Qingxue, the only other person left was an eighteen-year-old young man named Su Cheng.

Brother Su Changyi gave us some time to return to the estate and gather our things. Before leaving, Su Qianxun visited Manager Liu, who gifted her a longsword named the Phoenix Song Sword. It was a first-level, lower-grade magical weapon, a reward from her family back in the day. Su Qianxun accepted the gift, understanding that it was meant for her to carry on her journey, as if Manager Liu was passing on a piece of herself.

The three of them, along with Brother Su Changyi and Sister Su Rou, boarded the kite and flew towards Fallen Mountain City.