Once outside, Li Meirong didn't delay a moment longer.

She passed through the array and stepped into the arena, leaving Snowball in Xiao An Fei's capable hands just outside the stage. Along the way, she noticed some peculiar gazes shooting her way from the spectators.

The reactions she received from everyone around her left her completely and utterly baffled. They weren't the kinds of stares she was used to receiving, especially now that she had left her scars visible. She had honestly expected at least a few scathing remarks regarding her 'unseemly' appearance.

Yet, instead of scorn, she received… admiration. In complete contradiction to her expectations, she was met with applause instead of insults.

The crowd behind her cheered as she hesitantly stepped onto the stage,

'What the hell is going on…? it almost looks like they're cheering for me.' Li Meirong's eyes widened as she glanced back at the applauding crowd. Her cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment.

Since Li Meirong had joined the sect, she had never been well-liked by her peers, especially after the poor reputation she gained solely for being a furnace Therefore, the crowd's cheers and applause were even more shocking, to say the least.

Sadly, she had little time to speculate on the reasons behind this oddity, as her opponent was already waiting for her at the stage.

The opponent for this battle happened to be a senior disciple from her division, and Li Meirong knew him as Senior Brother Wei. He was a lanky youth, dressed in an orderly fashion. His long chin and deadpan stare made him a tad intimidating, but the part of him that stood out the most was his eyes. A pair of deep, dark pools gave away the impression of high intelligence.

Li Meirong remembered Senior Wei, if only because she had taken a few classes together with him, and he had always known the answers to every question the teacher asked.

As soon as her eyes locked with his, she knew that this battle wouldn't be an easy one, despite her recent progress in cultivation.

"Junior Sister," Senior Wei greeted, tilting his head. "I have heard many rumors about you, but one, in particular, piqued my curiosity. There are those who have said you have somehow managed to conceal your spiritual growth. Sure enough, the rumors were true; I am unable to detect your aura at all."

Li Meirong bobbed her head in greeting, her lips curving into a polite but uneasy smile. "I have no reason to lie. It's not a false rumor, Senior Brother Wei."

Senior Wei chuckled lightly. "I appreciate a direct answer," he replied with a tight-lipped smile. "I value honesty above all else."

As soon as his words registered in her mind, Li Meirong relaxed. She stopped faking her formalities and offered him a genuine smile – her eyelashes cast crescent shadows beneath her eyes, and her small lips parted ever so slightly, reminding all who viewed her of an enchanting flower in bloom, albeit an added blemish here and there.

"In that case," Li Meirong said, cupping her hands together, "I am glad to have the opportunity to battle you, the genius disciple of my division, as we share similar sentiments."

Unaware of the effects of her own charm, Li Meirong's current expression was capable of causing the most composed and emotional of men to lose their common sense.

Despite Senior Wei's level-headed nature and sensibility, he unconsciously became enraptured by her smile as much as any other.

Senior Wei's dark eyes widened slightly, as though surprised by his own unconscious reaction. He took a step back to regain himself and bowed back at her.

"L-likewise," he replied, a little flustered. "Though there is no need to invent a grand title for me. We are all disciples within the same sect and we follow the same path, hoping to be enlightened by the Dao." Senior Wei pointedly averted his eyes from Li Meirong's enchanting expression as he spoke.

Li Meirong's polite demeanor and gentle smile were entirely beyond his expectations.

He had expected to face an arrogant woman who would not hesitate to show her superiority as a direct disciple to the Grandmaster, especially after her staggering victory in the preliminaries. Even if she did not display her arrogance outright, he had expected to be met with a snake: charming on the outside, cunning on the inside.

Yet he was met with a gentle lady of refined temperament. He hated coquettish ladies who flirted with men and used their beauty to get their way, as he valued wit and intellect. But despite his better judgment, when Li Meirong smiled at him, his heart began to beat erratically.

Senior Wei cleared his throat and loosened the collar of his robe.

"Regardless of the outcome of this battle, should you permit me to become an acquaintance of yours, I would be most honored."

To say Li Meirong was shocked would be nothing short of an understatement. Who was Senior Wei? He was the genius of the Bestiary Division! There was no problem he could not solve, no verse of mantra he was unable to recite. He was the type of youth who could learn a fighting technique to the point of mastery in record time – that was the level of his talent. To be acknowledged by a distinguished peer such as him overjoyed her.

Moreover, he seemed to be a sincere and honest man, without an ounce of haughtiness despite his illustrious reputation. He was the sort of person she would have liked to make friends with.

When Senior Wei had greeted her, she had expected to receive a barrage of accusations from him, perhaps even a demand to drop the shield which veiled her aura – yet once again today she had been surprised by the response she received from those around her.

Li Meirong had learned long ago to keep her guard up in Forgotten Waters. More often than not, she found herself in a situation akin to diving into a pit of snakes, simply by engaging in conversation with the wrong person at the wrong time.

Thus, she had learned to bow her head, fake a smile, and keep a low profile. She didn't want any more trouble than she already had. She knew that even if she could defend herself, there was no guarantee she would not end up ostracized again.

Li Meirong nodded and was glad to accept Senior Wei's offer of friendship. The joy she felt at being acknowledged by a fellow apprentice was evident in her eyes. Yet, before she could so much as utter a single word, a furious fox roared its displeasure from outside the stage.

"She most certainly will not!"