Shocking! The female protagonist unlocked her powers by killing people!

Ling Yi raised an eyebrow: "Let the top ten in the Imperial Competition enter the mirror to cultivate?"

Ye Qingshuang nodded: "That's right."

"The Dongyang Empire lost too many high-level cultivators at that time. If it did not agree to the demands of the three great empires, the mirror would not be able to be kept," Ye Qingshuang said. "However, in order to prove their sincerity, the three great empires also made a concession."

"They said that the mirror was obtained by the Dongyang Empire, and that the Dongyang Empire had lost many high-level cultivators for that mirror. Before the agreement was made, they allowed the Dongyang Empire to send thirty people into the mirror to cultivate for three months."

"The thirty people allowed are the same number of the reconnaissance team sent by the Dongyang Empire," Ye Qingshuang said. "With the three great empires backing down, the Dongyang Empire naturally has to show its sincerity. After all, they have only agreed on the use of the mirror, and they haven't decided where to put it yet. No matter which empire puts it in, no one feels at ease."

"If the Dongyang Empire wants to keep the items in its own country, it has to compromise and allow each empire to send two experts to the Imperial Academy to guard the Dongyang Mirror together with the people of the Dongyang Empire. In this way, each empire can know the situation of the Dongyang Mirror and will not be afraid of the people of the Dongyang Empire secretly entering the Dongyang Mirror to cultivate."

"The Dongyang Empire voluntarily withdrew, and the three empires ceased their entanglement. The placement and use of the Dongyang Mirror were thus decided." At this point, Ye Qingshuang sighed, "Ling Yi, although I want you to win the competition, I know in my heart that it will be too difficult."

"In the twenty years since the Dongyang Mirror was created, people from various empires have made it into the top ten every year. Although ten days of cultivation inside is equivalent to one day outside, being able to cultivate inside for ten days is comparable to cultivating outside for more than three months."

"If one's own cultivation level is close to that of a level ten Spirit General, it would be impossible to reach the level ten Spirit General in just three months. As long as the cultivation level of those who enter is not limited to the Dongyang Mirror realm, the majority of those from the academy in the Imperial Grand Competition next year will be the same as those from the previous year."

"Their cultivation level hasn't reached the limit, but since they've been there before, their cultivation level is higher than that of people of the same age. As long as they haven't reached the age limit for the competition, they can continue to participate, so the number of spots has been basically fixed in recent years."

Ling Yi smiled after hearing this: "There will be changes this year."

Since she came for the mirror, she will definitely go inside.

"So confident?" Ye Qingshuang said, "Then I'll wait and see."

Ling Yi didn't say anything. After finishing talking about the Dongyang Mirror, Ye Qingshuang started clamoring to go out.

Ling Yi received the news but didn't plan to go out. However, Ye Qingshuang said that going to the gambling den would yield a lot of information. The reason was that the gambling addicts there would try to find out about the top contenders from the major empires in order to win, and then place bets on their favorites.

Ye Qingshuang participated last year and knew the situation of most of the Empire's contestants, but a year has passed, and everyone has changed, so she can no longer keep up with the news.

During the Imperial Grand Competition, the major empires would protect the contestants' information meticulously, so she couldn't find out anything. But it was a different story for those gambling addicts.

Before participating in the Imperial Grand Competition, contestants must also participate in the quota competition in their own empire. They basically go all out to obtain a quota. The academy quota competition is watched by so many people that it cannot be kept secret.

Those gamblers, in order to make money, will inquire from all sides, entangle themselves in various ways, and always manage to find out a little bit, and sometimes that little bit is crucial.

To prevent others from worrying when they returned and found them missing, the two left a note on the table.

...

The largest gambling den in the capital, Sihaifang.

After Ye Qingshuang paid the entrance fee for the two of them, she pulled Ling Yi inside.

After crossing the door and walking less than ten meters into the lobby, I saw a huge crowd of people, all talking and discussing in a noisy cacophony.

Ling Yi turned to leave, but Ye Qingshuang pulled her back: "Sister, I've already paid, we can't waste it."

Ling Yi: "I'll compensate you."

Ye Qingshuang looked at her and sneered, "Do you have money?"

Ling Yi wanted to say yes, but she closed her mouth as soon as she opened it.

Seeing Ling Yi's discomfiture, Ye Qingshuang laughed heartily: "Don't I know you?"

"When dealing with the Lin family, you didn't even think about making money. After returning to the academy, you were either in class or in the dormitory. You didn't think about money at all. Your pockets are empty. You're a pauper now."

Ling Yi: "..." Unable to refute.

"Alright, come inside with me." Ye Qingshuang teased, then said softly, "Look at all these people here, a real mixed bag. Can you bear to leave me here alone?"

Ling Yi said, "Let me go, and you'll know whether I can bear it or not."

She couldn't be any more ruthless.

"I won't let go." Ye Qingshuang wasn't fooled and pulled Ling Yi inside.

The moment the two entered, they attracted the attention of many people.

Fortunately, they had changed into their school uniforms before they arrived, so these people wouldn't have guessed that they were also students participating in the competition and were there to gather information.

Ye Qingshuang pulled Ling Yi to the betting area for the Imperial Grand Competition. There, they saw the names of the eight contestants from the Dongyang Empire displayed in the gambling den, along with some other words.

The other three empires have not yet submitted their lists, and most players have not yet received their cards. If you wish to place a bet, please come two days before the official start of the tournament.

Ye Qingshuang and Ling Yi exchanged a glance, then retreated to a corner.

Although I didn't see the names of the contestants from the other three great empires, I did see those from the Dongyang Empire. And they weren't there to place bets, but to gather information.

"Sigh." Ye Qingshuang sighed and joked, "Ling Yi, I want to spend money on you, but the gambling den won't allow it."

Ling didn't even look at her: "Didn't you know before that the gambling den only displays the nameplates of Imperial players?"

Ye Qingshuang said, "I know."

Ling Yi: "Then what are you talking about?"

Ye Qingshuang smiled and said, "I'm not lying to you. I really want to bet on you, but there's nothing I can do since the gambling den isn't open. Otherwise, I would have made money just betting that you could make it into the top twenty."

Ling Yi didn't want to talk.

"By the way," Ye Qingshuang said, "I can still spend money on you. After I'm eliminated, I'll come to the gambling house and wait for you. As long as you face off against an Imperial Academy player, the gambling house will open the betting. They don't know you, so they'll definitely bet on the Imperial players. But I'm different. I'll bet my entire fortune on you."

Ling Yi looked over: "Aren't you afraid of losing everything?"

Ye Qingshuang: "I'm not afraid to spend money on you."

Ling Yi's lips twitched, but she didn't say anything more.

The two stayed at the gambling den for about half an hour before Ling Yi decided to leave. The reason was simple: the noise from the people in the gambling den was even more annoying than the howling of zombies and mutated animals.

When the two returned from the gambling den, they found that Lin Chengtian and the others, as well as Teacher Mu, had not yet returned.

Ye Qingshuang picked up the note on the table and tore it up.

About fifteen minutes later, Lin Chengtian and the others returned.

"Where's Ling Yi?" Lin Chengtian asked as soon as he returned and saw Ye Qingshuang but not Ling Yi.