2nd Round

The next day was an off day for all the contestants to replenish their spiritual power. Shen Tianyu slept in and woke up at noon. Lou Shue has also just finished her first batch of pills and they went out together with Rong Jian again to shop. To be precise, Rong Jian was in charge of carrying things. They went around looking at things and bought some herbs from the Herb Garden. Herb Garden was a shop selling medicinal herbs that spanned all the continents just like Shen Tianyu's Lavender Palace and Lotus Pavilion, they also had a partnership with them so the token was really useful.

...

After a whole day of messing around, the semifinals were here. 70 contestants were already kicked from the competition in the first round, it was a fierce fight but Shen Tianyu and Rong Jian didn't care. There were 30 out of 100 remaining and they would all fight within the upcoming week. The remaining contestants gathered at the plaza like last time, where a eunuch was waiting.

"Though Cultivation is a lone road, one must also know how to make connections with others. In this second round, all of you will find a partner and fight in pairs. If you cannot find and register with a partner by the end of the day, a lottery will be held with others in your situation and you will get a partner that way. Please talk amongst yourselves." The eunuch announced the contents of the second round then walked off the stage.

Everyone looked at each other, a little lost. They didn't know the others so, how would they find partners? Shen Tianyu looked next to her at Rong Jian. Noticing her gaze, he looked back. When swung her head in the direction of the eunuch waiting at the side under an open tent with a table in front of him that held paper, a brush, an ink box and ink stone. She then looked back at him as if silently asking him to be her partner. He nodded at her Andy they both started walking towards the eunuch. Since they already knew each other, why bother talking with the others to find a partner? A few other pairs within the group also walked out of the crowd towards the eunuch, probably friends or acquaintances fortunate enough to pass the first round together.

"Hey, you over there, want to be my partner?" An annoying yet recognizable voice sounded from behind Shen Tianyu and Rong Jian. Without looking at each other, the two tacitly agreed to ignore her and continued walking as if they didn't hear.

"Hey! This princess is talking to you, how dare you ignore me!" As the couple continued walking, they could hear her grind her teeth from behind them but they still didn't bother to turn around. "The one with the gold mask! This princess is talking to you!"

Now mentioning a gold mask, the couple had to stop. The only person on the grounds wearing a gold mask was Rong Jian, if they continued to ignore her, it would definitely be too rude and could even cause a national incident. Shen Tianyu glared hatefully at Rong Jian, or more specifically, his mask. He could only put on a bullied and apologetic expression.

"Humph! How dare you ignore this princess!" The Junzhu Wen Ya sauntered up to them and said in a commanding tone. "You, with the gold mask, I've chosen you as my partner for this round. Be grateful." She said with her nose up in the air.

"I refuse." Rong Jian's sultry voice sounded before the Junzhu could be arrogant for even a second.

She immediately switched to pointing at his masked face. "You! How dare you refuse me! Don't you know who I am?! I am Junzhu Wen Ya, the most talented cultivator in Jing Country and mist favored by his majesty, the emperor! If you become my partner this round and help me later, I'll make sure you live in peace for the rest of your life." She resumed her arrogant position, as if no one could ever refuse her.

Rong Jian sneered at her, visible even behind his mask. "Just a Junzhu, and you have such audacity to boast as such. The most talented cultivator in Jing Country is the Crown Prince, pushing aside the Crown Prince so openly, are you trying to take over the throne? Would you and your family be able to afford the weight of that crime? Besides, you're only a daughter from some side branch of the Imperial family. You honestly think the emperor would choose you over his own blood son? Such an arrogant, senseless, ignorant, selfish, and bass woman. Humph! Why should I listen to you?" Rong Jian ranted. He also wanted to add 'In my country, you would have long been beaten into shape by now.' But didn't, for fear of his identity being found out. Then, that would cause even more trouble.

"How dare you insult a Junzhu, I'll have your head cut off!"

"It's only looking for a partner in a national competition and you go around flaunting your status and threatening people, is this how the royal family acts? But I haven't seen the Crown Princess be like this, maybe it's just you. There must be something wrong with how you were born and raised. You're just like a commoner that got promoted to Beloved Consort or something. Besides, I am here for the Election Tournament, having my head cut off because of some Junzhu during the tournament, would anyone still dare to participate after that? Just a Second-ranked princess and you think you can climb the skies!"

"At least I'm better than that woman beside you! She dared to offend this princess's, she won't have a good life! At the very least, you won't suffer with her if you join hands with me! Also, no matter what I am a Junzhu, I'm better than some lowly commoner woman who has questionable origins!"