"The match has ended!" Elder Shen announced in a loud voice. He swiftly signaled at the healers who were on standby to come and help the two students inside the medical hall to get them checked and fixed. The matches had been going on pretty smoothly all this while until this match.

Zheng Pao and An Chen both were injured and wounded heavily like in the first match. Elder Shen stared at the people carrying the two disciples and shook his head. "The damage done this time is much more."

While there were only physical injuries in the first match and maybe some mental trauma, cough, things were different in this match. Not only were they heavily injured physically, but they had also almost drained their qi store. Qi was like the secondary life force of the cultivator. If it got depleted until nothing would be left then it was like the end of a cultivator.

"I am glad they did not take it too extreme," he sighed as both of them got carried away by the volunteers and helpers. "Even if they had won the match, they would have lost their future, the glorious path to immortality."

'Only regret would be left, nothing more nothing less.'

He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. He still had to announce the winner of the match. It was mandatory. Also, he could not ignore the anticipating face of the audiences who were waiting to hear the result of the match.

Not only them, but the sect leaders and those elders who had gathered today were also waiting for the announcement. He was the one in charge of handling the matches, so the final decision of choosing the winner was also up to him.

What he said was going to be the final decision and no one had the right to veto it.

After considering a few things, he quickly concluded. Although both of them were equally matched, Zheng Pao was lacking in a few things. He had many shortcomings here and there in the match, but so did An Cheng. Many of her attacks were wasted, a lot energy-consuming, and useless. If she had played her cards right from the beginning, the outcome could have been different than now.

Elder Shen sighed. He felt he needed to give Zheng Pao the ticket to the next match, but even An Cheng deserved it. He had seen that girl practice like her life depended on it. Sadly, had to come to a fixed result.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat. It was more than enough to grab the attention of people.

"The winner of this match is.."

**

"What do you mean my father sent you?" Le Fang Ling asked. She let go of his shoulder and stepped a bit aside. Nevertheless, she never let her guard down. Her wind needles were also still pointing at his points in meridians, so if he tried anything funny, he was a goner.

"Wasn't it Le Lao Ling who sent you?"

"No," Fei Yichen struggled to calm down his nerves while maintaining the smile on his face. "He is busy preparing for his match. He would have no time to do anything of that sort." He lied without flinching a bit.

"As soon as I was done with my match, Sect leader Le Zuan called me," Fei Yichen started speaking. "Since it looked like it was going to take a bit longer, he wanted me to fetch you." A smile lit upon his face. It was harmless as it could be. "I think he really missed his younger daughter."

'That should get it,' he thought. After all, girls were emotional beings who valued love above everything..or so he had heard. If she knew her father was missing her, she was bound to cry tears of joy.

And as planned, he saw Le Fang Ling's eyes twinkle. Even a smile spread on her face like blooming morning glory.

"For real?" Le Fang Ling acted a bit surprised.

"Yes, for real, young miss," Fei Yichen nodded in confirmation.

'Bullshit!' Her eyelid twitched at the senseless things he was saying. Missing her? Wanting to see her? Pfft..this could be considered as the lie of the century.

Le Fang Ling wanted to slap that man to the holy god right there and then!historical

However, she showed no sign of agitation. She only smiled and probed him to continue. If he had tried to come up with better reasoning, she could have believed that but now, she would rather believe that earth was flat than believe him.

Also, she confirmed that it was indeed Le Lao Ling who had sent this boy after her. Her father, the great house head, and the sect leader was a too busy and important person to worry about someone like her.

"I see." Le Fang Ling said nothing and simply turned around. "Since you have already done your work, you better go back." She gently patted her dress to shake off the dirt. "I will meet him at the time we promised yesterday."

She stopped walking and turned back to look at him. "He should be not become this impatient to meet his daughter," she chuckled. "It's not like I am going to run away."

Fei Yichen felt a cold shiver run up his spine when he heard her devilish chuckle. It was as if she was mocking him with her words. He wondered if his lies were seen through by her.

"Also, almost forgot one thing," she said as she hurried off towards him. She grabbed his hands and brought them forth. It was holding the paper that was given by Le Lao Ling.

She took out an inked feather from her inventory and signed her name on it. "Next time, you should bring a better photo." She said as she handed him the signed paper.

"And tell to Le Lao Ling to choose carefully when he sends people to tail someone," she winked playfully. "No one is as dumb as him to not notice."

She raised her head to look at the sky. Dusk was approaching.. Soon, the first day of tournament was going to be over.