The bead was a treasure that was hard to come by. Zhou jinhai had kept it for close to two decades but he was willing to give it to her in order to establish a connection. He was satisfied so long as she accepted the bead. 

Bai li yue left soon after that. In light of her recent realisation, her satisfaction of holding a three star badge was dulled. The residence was brightly lit when she returned. The whole group was in the garden celebrating over food and wine. 

'Miss Bai!' 

A very drunk Lu dou called her over to his side. His voice was loud in her ears. She drew a withering look from Wen shan shan when she heard how Lu dou referred to her, Bai li yue. 

'Did something happen?' 

Bai li yue asked them and received teasing looks from the seniors in the group. 

'Lu dou has good news to share with you.'

Bai zhang chuckled into his drink.

'Really? What is it?'

'I've been accepted as a disciple of an elder in the-'

'Congratulations Lu dou! I'm really happy for you. This is a good fortune that requires celebration.' 

She wasn't aware that people could be recruited early in the tournament. He must be among the first. 

'There's more.'

Wen shan yi added.

'He- he said i could bring three people with me. I left a spot for you.' 

He smiled drunkenly at her and drank happily from his cup when he was done talking. She smiled, touched by the kind gesture. 

'Why is he acting like he's the only one to get recruited?' 

Wen shan shan grumbled at Lu dou acting like a child waiting to be praised. 

'I can also bring you with me if i want. What's the big deal?' 

Bai li yue didn't know if Wen shan shan was really offering to take her. She smiled nonetheless.

'You also got accepted into a sect?! Congratulations Wen shan shan! You deserve it.'

'Of course I deserve it. I worked hard.' 

She brushed off the compliment with her usual cockiness. 

'Eh Shan shan, don't act like you didn't cry when the elder sent you a message.' 

Her sister teased her high and mighty attitude. Wen shan shan pretended she hadn't heard her sister and turned to Bai li yue.

'You haven't given me a reply yet. Do you think I have nothing better to do?' 

She asked Bai li yue.

'I didn't think you were serious.'

'Of course I'm serious. These past few days have shown me that you'll make a great maid. Aren't you touched by my generosity?'

Bai li yue scolded herself.

Why was i touched? Wen shan shan wouldn't undergo such a huge change in the space of a day. 

She took back the kind things she'd said and  ignored Wen shan shan. The girl was a stubborn prickly tick she couldn't wait to get rid of.

'Where is Huang rong?' 

Bai li yue asked, just then noticing his absence.

'He and Zi yu were accepted by a four star sect. Zi yu has already accepted, but he hasn't answered yet. He is with the elders now. I think they are trying to convince him.' 

'He's annoying. If I was accepted into a four star sect, i would have already packed my bags.' 

Wen shan shan gave them a piece of her mind.

Bai li yue was afraid that she knew the reason why he was hesitating. She'd been wrong to put the idea in his mind. Now that she had seen the error of her ways, it was only right to make amends. 

Lu dou had fallen into a drunken slumber and the others weren't far behind. Zi yu had taken her leave a while ago. She was the only one of them left in the tournament. They could afford to drink all night, but she couldn't. 

Nights in Chenyang were cold for those living close to the river. Bai li yue put Wen shan shan and Wen shan yi to bed and returned to wake the others and with help from Ye zhian, they stumbled back to their quarters. She stayed in the garden waiting for Huang rong. 

'Are they going to keep him all night?'

'Were you waiting for me, Miss Bai?' 

Huang rong landed softly on the ground. He'd been perched on the roof for some time in no mood to lingle with the others.

'Huang rong.'

'Did you wish to speak with me?'

'Yes. I heard about the offer you got. From a four star sect too. If you are hesitating because of what I said, please don't. My advice was selfish and inconsiderate. I put the needs of the sect over yours. It was wrong of me to tie your fate to the sect when you have a bright future ahead of you.'

'I already accepted the offer.' 

'Oh!'

Bai li yue breathed easier. Her worries had proved unfounded.

'Then i'll extend my heartfelt congratulations to you. I look forward to hearing great things about you in the future. I hope that wherever you end up, we'll still remain friends.'

'Likewise, Miss Bai.'

'Please, call me Bai li yue.' She insisted. 'Soon, i'll be a student like you. I plan to join a sect where nobody knows me.'

He was the first person she was telling her plans to.

'Lu dou will be disappointed. He really wants you to join his new sect.'

'Your other friends need the spot more than i do.'

As far as she was concerned, Lu dou would be wasting a valuable spot on her.  

Huang rong was worried about his friend. Lu dou was bound to be disappointed by Bai li yue's refusal.

'Will you return to the sect with us before your departure?'

'No. I'll be leaving after the tournament.'

'I'm sure you'll do well wherever you go.'

'Thank you, Huang rong.' 

At some point during the night, Huang rong started his nightly training routine and she slipped away quietly to her room. 

Over the next few days, Bai li yue toured the city with her two friends and the abrasive Wen shan shan. Ye zhian acted as their tour guide and took to his role like a duck to water, spouting anecdotes that surprised even her. They had a quick lunch and hurried to watch Zi yu's match. 

Surrounded by the infectious excitement, they hollered and cheered for Zi yu. Even the proud Wen shan shan who reluctantly joined them and was soon cheering louder than everyone around her. 

Bai li yue immersed herself in the moment. She was going to miss them when they parted ways- yes, even Wen shan shan had grown on her. She shook the melancholy away and added her voice to the thousands of cheering spectators.

Senior Zi yu unsheathed her thin sword and faced her final opponent. She slit her wrist on the sharp edge of her sword. The audacious move caused more than a few people to gasp. The blood flowed on the sword and dripped on the ground. Each droplet blooming into a blood red lotus. 

'Zi yu is finally using her hidden move. The Five flower guardian: red lotus pool. I was wondering when she was going to use it.' 

Wen shan shan said, staring enviously at the dripping blood. She'd had her eye on the hidden skill but the second elder had stopped her from learning it. He said she was too hot headed to make good use of it. 

Zi yu's opponent unleashed his martial art. A blast of freezing air swept the stage. The barrier around the stage activated in the blink of an eye, protecting the audience from the dangerous cold. The growing blood lotus groaned under heavy frost growing at an alarming rate over their petals. They shattered into a million dust particles.

'Idiot. Any skill that i, Wen shan shan, like is not easily destroyed.'

She commented proudly.

'Ice seal: entomb the horizon.' 

He roared and shot forward. His open palm aimed at her chest.

Zi yu ignored the incoming attack. She whirled around and slashed the air in front of her opponent as he closed in with a wicked grin. 

'Five flower guardian: lotus rebirth' 

she spat out, side stepping the palm at the last minute. 

Puaah!

A fountain of blood spurted out of his body and he fell to his knees. Deep gashes appeared on his body that were instantly covered with lotus dust. The particles wiggled under his skin and took root, using his blood as food. Three blood lotuses developed at a disturbing speed. They shone blood red over his stark white skin until they couldn't grow further. 

Boom. 

Bpboom. 

With three muffled explosions, the lotuses burst. The blood covered young man fell to the ground, unconscious. The winner was decided.

Jubilatory cheers filled the grounds. Her name will be on many peoples' lips for months to come. The sect members left the venue once the excitement of the fight died down.