Some Flowers Die. Others Bloom More Beautifuly in the Face of Adversity.

Inside her cave, Zhi Rui threw roasted beast meat to blackie. And swiftly disrobed herself. She slowly entered the pond, feeling the cold water she groaned in relief.

She closed her eyes. 'I have to cultivate fast, and absorbing the heavenly energy around to my core will be too inefficient. As my energy is almost entirely spirit attributed. If I can gather spirit or any kind of ethereal energy,

I would be twice as fast.' Zhi Rui eyes gleamed viciously. 'And I know exactly how to get it.'

After an hour of lazily eating cheese in the pond Zhi Rui stood up, she used her energy to dry herself, she grabbed her pouch. This time she took the most comfortable furniture that fitted the cave. she put the bed beside the wall and threw herself in it. She suddenly remembered and reached for the pouch again., She took out a red bracelet. Zhi Rui infused her energy into it.

She could feel items inside. A colorless crystal ball. two pink pallets and a book. She read the title. "The laws of lust."

It was the items Zheng Li brought from Bianca.

She examined the crystal ball, as soon as she touched it, it became red. Zhi Rui suddenly could see her past from inside the crystal. Her good and bad times passed through the crystal. Zhi Rui got a hold of herself and threw the thing to the side. She had sweat all over her. 'This is a medium.'

She thought about how, witches, necromancers, mystical and fate type cultivators all had something similar.

'Bianca must've felt the nature of my energy.' Zhi Rui was awed by the senses of Bianca. Even if you're at level six. You cannot easily find out anyone's internal energy.

'She must be near the breakthrough to venerable.' Zhi Rui frowned.

She doesn't know anything about the cult of lust, and she still cannot count on Zheng Li to tell her. She looked at the book.

When she reached to study it, a sudden breeze came over her naked skin. She slowly turned around.

A man crosslegged levitating a half meter from the ground was scrutinizing her. His robes were dirty and ragged. His beard was a mess.

Zhi Rui wearing her birthdate clothes crossed her arms and sassily looked the man up and down. "For the one overseeing the whole sect, I thought you'd be more caring for appearance."

"Girl, you should have some shame and at least pretend to care if a man sees you naked." The man retorted lightly.

Zhi Rui chuckled. "So senior isn't human." She sat down in her bed.

Not bothering to covering herself.

the man raised his eyebrows. "Why do you think that?"

Zhi Rui chuckled "Ego" she answered "No human in the venerable realm would accept a disciples' impetuous remarks so easily. Besides, you also showed no reaction whatsoever when you saw my naked body." Zhi Rui spoke smilingly.

The man pondered"But it also seems like you were expecting me." he asked.

Zhi Rui nodded. "The sect leader looks like a thousand years old mummy and still on level six, it's obvious, himself and the sect gave up on his cultivation. so he was sent here to nurture talents. but it would be stupid to put someone as bitter as him in a position of power. And the light sect isn't stupid. So somebody must be overseeing the sect to keep him in line."

The man sighed "You're too weird." He shook his head a suddenly looked sternly at her eyes. "I came here to talk about your discussion with the other two girls."

Zhi Rui also looked serious.

The men continued "Your decision, will bring you harm. My duty is to protect good seedlings from outside forces. But if it's between peers, I won't interfere, no matter what." He spoke clearly. "You'll attract bad intention from a lot of people. and it doesn't matter how much talent you have, they'll eventually end you."

Zhi Rui raised her eyebrows "But senior is supposed to protect me from that right?"

"Again." he said "I won't put my nose between peers, no matter what, these are the orders branded on me. This warning is all I'll do to help you."

As the man spoke, his image started to fade.

Suddenly Zhi Rui spoke. "Senior, I plan on taking over this sect. When the time comes, and I'm strong enough to do it. Will senior do me a small favor?"

As he grew fainter his eyes widened. Laughing he said, "If you're powerful enough, and have the sect's Ideals in mind, then I won't stand on your way."

Zhi Rui watched the place where the man disappeared. she felt the blood pumping in her body. She could infer, that, this venerable is bounded by orders and he himself doesn't care for the sect.

with this new piece of chess in mind, she started to plot.

She thought of every enemy and tried to formulate a plan to crush them.

as the images kept appearing in her head Zhi Rui smiled.

'A way to take out Bianca, the sect leader, and the emperor's power.' Zhi Rui laughed as the plan formed in her head.

------------

In the morning, The fights began anew. This time only half of the first disciples would fight. the bottom of the ranks would be decided after the first ranks appeared.

Zhi Rui lazily walked with blackie unto the arena. The people were staring at her, excited for a new miracle.

On the arena, a girl manipulating a small amount of water stood still.

Zhi Rui heard yesterday from Zhi Rui that her opponent was a male.

She observed the opponent, she was obviously skilled in her attribute.

Zhi Rui looked at the sect leader's seat. The old dog was grinning down at the arena. She chuckled, 'I guess he can do this much. I'm facing a peer after all.

Wearing a blue robe The girl laughed at Zhi Rui, "I saw your fight yesterday, you're so good, but I won't hold back!" the girl grinned.

"Jing'er go easy on her, she is a good talent!" the sect leader yelled with a smile.

The girl formed a wry smile on her face.

Zhi Rui sighed looking at the girl. She would fight normally if the old dog hadn't put his finger in it.

But since he stated her loss. She must, flawlessly, prove otherwise.

Zhi Rui smiled wryly at the girl too, after all, the girl is only a bystander attracted with some benefit. Zhi Rui sighed, thinking about how she would crush this girl.

But suddenly the tower maiden got up from her seat. Such a simple action attracted a lot of gazes.

She was limping slightly. Xun Lee on the spectator stands clenched her hands.

Zhi Rui narrowed her eyes. Slowly the tower maiden walked to the front, She took a deep breath.

"Zhi Rui, the sect leader believes you're won't win. but I believe you'll prove him wrong. that's why I promise you, should you win this tournament I will bestow you a thousand crystals."

"T-Tower maiden, w-wait-." the leader of the tower maiden's guar interrupted.

Zhi Rui remembered him well. a gleam passed through her eyes as she spoke before he could.

"I accept the tower maiden's word with happiness. And I guarantee. I'll win!"

Zhi Rui assumed her battle stance and glared at the elder managing the fight "Please start!" she barked.

The elder was annoyed and looked at the other girl, with her nod, he announced the start.

the leader of the tower maiden's guar stepped back disgruntled.

He looked at the veiled woman. 'what is she thinking? her punishment will be worse than before, for this. and if that girl wins the tournament. god knows what the sect leader might do.' He shook his head. Suddenly he remembered the one before her that stabbed her own heart.

'That one was resilient. it took her more than forty years before she killed herself.' He thought about her dazedly.