My Master Knows It All-Chapter 517 - 814: The Grand Preceptor Goes to the Sea_2

"These appear to be the civil and military officials from the imperial court."

"Watch us duel, but can they understand it?"

"What does this mean? Are we performing for them? What do they take us for?"

The crowd around buzzed with dissatisfaction, venting their unhappiness.

Yet, despite their displeasure, not a single one approached the Grand Preceptor to protest the commoners’ presence at the duel, content to merely vent among themselves.

Soon, the referee’s voice rang out.

"Platform A, number one hundred and six from the Celestial Plum Sect, Qiao Jingyao, versus, from the Hundred Peaks Sect, number twenty-six from Four Treasures Peak, Cao Zhen. Both contestants, please take the stage."

As the referee’s call echoed, Cao Zhen landed on the platform.

A step behind him, from afar, another figure flew down to the stage.

"A female cultivator?"

Cao Zhen looked at the woman before him, who was quite beautiful. She wasn’t as tall as Yi Sheng, but she was tall among women, and the most noticeable feature was a plum blossom tattooed near the corner of her eye on her fair skin.

In the Guardian Immortal Dynasty, he had seen people tattoo special patterns and lines on their bodies, some because of their beliefs and others due to their cultivation techniques.

However, it was rare for him to see anyone with tattoos on their face.

After all, in the rules of the Guardian Immortal Imperial Dynasty, facial tattoos were stigmas, marked by officials on those who broke the law. The characters were cut into their skin and filled with ink so that the marks would last longer. These were called "ink punishments," and were a form of humiliation.

Therefore, it was unusual for anyone to choose to have such tattoos on their faces.

The plum blossom mark on this woman’s face must be related to her cultivation technique or some Divine Skill.

As for the Celestial Plum Sect’s name, he had never heard of it; it must be a relatively minor sect.

At a spot on the mountain, an elder with a face showing signs of age stared helplessly towards Platform A.

His disciple had drawn Cao Zhen, Peak Master Cao, as her opponent.

That was a reincarnated Great Ability. Against such a contender, his disciple had no chance of winning.

He had allowed his disciple to participate in the Immortals’ Combat Assembly with the goal of having her spar with as many geniuses as possible.

Sects like the Ten Great Immortal Sects, or other well-known ones, allowed their disciples to spar with each other and even engaged with disciples from other sects.

But it was different for their Celestial Plum Sect.

With only four Golden Core cultivators in the Celestial Plum Sect, they were not even on par with many of the peaks within the Hundred Peaks Sect.

This number even included him.

As Qiao Jingyao’s master and a mere Golden Core cultivator himself.

Even if the four of them sparred, they’d just be circulating amongst themselves.

As for seeking other sects for sparring matches, perhaps those of similar size to their Celestial Plum Sect might agree to fight.

But near their Celestial Plum Sect, besides them, there was only one other minor sect. Always the same people sparring with each other; their experience was too limited.

And as for the other sects, those from the major orthodox sects could agree to sparing once or twice, but how could they spar regularly with them?

This was why if given a choice, everyone preferred the larger Immortal Sects or even the Ten Great Immortal Sects.

In a great Immortal Sect, they wouldn’t face this issue.

Moreover, in those larger sects, one could have access to more resources and superior guidance. Perhaps you’re only at the Immortal Bridge Period, but if your talent is high enough, you could be receiving Earth Immortal Realm guidance.

Whereas in their Celestial Plum Sect, Qiao Jingyao only had alternating instruction from him and the sect leader, both of whom were merely at the Golden Core Stage.

Even now, he was no match for Qiao Jingyao anymore.

He was at the seventh level of Golden Core, but his Golden Core contained no Phenomenon Pills, only ordinary ones.

It was only through many years of cultivation, having lived over two thousand years, that he had slowly accumulated enough to break through to the seventh level of Golden Core.

His disciple, on the other hand, had Phenomenon Pills in all her Golden Cores.

Originally, he hoped that this Golden Core Assembly would provide his disciple with more experience and opportunities to spar with others. Yet unexpectedly, she encountered a reincarnated Great Ability quite early.

On Platform A, Qiao Jingyao looked warily at Cao Zhen across from her, as rows of Golden Cores appeared behind her.

Though victory was unattainable, even though she faced a reincarnated Great Ability and was bound to be defeated, she resolved to fight with all her might and let the world know of the Celestial Plum Sect’s existence.

Her aura of combativeness surged as one by one, her Golden Cores rose into the air.

Five Golden Cores, each containing a phenomenon, whether it was a towering and majestic tree like a mountain, or blossoming flowers, or tenacious wild grass...

"Phenomena!"

"All five Golden Cores are Phenomenon Cores?"

"They’re all phenomena of wood."

"I’ve never heard of this Celestial Plum Sect before, but this disciple’s talent is astonishing."

"Too bad she’s up against Peak Master Cao."

"Such a pity. It’s truly a pity."

Having five Golden Cores was considered on the lower end by the standards of the Immortals’ Combat Assembly, especially as the tournament progressed to its current stage, with most participants having more Golden Cores.

What set her apart were her five Phenomenon Golden Cores.