"You didn't actually hold back, did you?" I couldn't help asking Xie Lun when I joined him and his fellow juniors for lunch. The tie still felt too unreal.
Xie Lun gave me an amused look. "You overestimate my abilities if you think that wasn't my best. Besides, why would I do such a thing if you already told me that it'll hurt your pride?"
His openness made me feel a little ashamed of my question. "Sorry, I didn't mean to doubt you." I smiled embarrassedly. "It was just … too unexpected."
Qi Lian winked at me. "Remember the first time you came to our hall, Yun Qing-er? I'm not trying to make fun of you, but … I had to slow down my moves when we sparred that day. And then, barely a week later, you came back and we tied! With that speed of improvement, I certainly can't say anything is unexpected of you."
I laughed at the memory. Qi Lian was right. A month ago, I would've never imagined even participating in the tournament, let alone challenging the top disciple of Mount Hua. To think that I could have the chance of not only doing it now but also ending up not losing … was simply impossible.
"Thanks to all your help," I said wholeheartedly. "I've learned a lot from practicing with all of you, and I'd love to keep doing so."
Xie Lun offered a mysterious smile. "If you keep up with such a show in the tournament though … your practice time might be cut short for quite a while."
I blinked, not grasping what he meant. It was Qi Lian who exclaimed next, "I heard rumors that the winners this year will be invited to the Jade Temple. Is it real then?"
Xie Lun nodded. "Master just told me after my not-so-impressive first match. He said I better make sure that I don't slip off the list … Probably because it would embarrass him more than it does me."
The rest of the group laughed. Being the person who brought the blame onto him, I smiled a little awkwardly. "Where is the Jade Temple?" I asked, unfamiliar with the name.
"Further south," Xie Lun explained. "It's another cultivation sect similar to Mount Hua. Every few years, all the major sects like to get together and 'exchange new techniques' with each other, as they call it, though we all know that the real purpose is for everyone to show off their latest batches of promising disciples. Jade Temple hosts the event this year, and our masters are using the tournament as a convenient way to select our attendants."
So that was what Bai Ye meant by "more tournaments ahead" the other day, I realized. I hadn't expected it to be such a large-scale tournament when he mentioned it. "How many people will be there?" I asked.
"Usually twenty to thirty disciples from each sect," Xie Lun said, "along with their masters. Depending on which sects are invited, there could easily be hundreds of participants, and they are all top of their peers."
"I wish I could get a chance to go," Qi Lian mumbled. "With so many different schools and styles gathering in one place, it must be an eye-opening experience."
Xie Lun chuckled. "Then work hard on your rounds. Master will appreciate it if you manage to make up for the embarrassment I bring him."
Everyone laughed again, and the topic soon moved on to the matches coming up ahead. But I kept in mind what Xie Lun had said, excited to have a new goal to strive for.
~ ~
Sunset came before I knew it. When I made my way to the south field, Wen Shiyin was already there, and she gave me an approving nod as we walked onto the sparring ground.
"I watched your match with Xie Lun," she said. "Your skills are impressive, but don't lower your guard against me. You only have one talisman left, and I'm not weaker than him."
I could tell from her words that she was treating me as a serious opponent. I smiled. "I will give it my best, Senior Wen. As I'm sure you'll do the same."
She smiled as well, and we bowed together to the grandstand. I glanced over the seats absentmindedly, knowing that Bai Ye wouldn't be here to witness my second match. The thought was slightly discouraging, but I knew I wasn't only doing this for him, and—
My blood suddenly chilled at the sight of the Gatekeeper sitting at the center of the stand.
Bai Ye had reassured me that, with his interference, the Gatekeeper wouldn't make another move against me any time soon. With the extra help that Teng Yuan promised, and in front of the huge crowd of almost half of the disciples at Mount Hua, I knew I didn't have to worry about the Gatekeeper taking out personal grudges on me. But still …
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down the irrational fear inside me and focus on the tournament. As long as I didn't do something wrong and give the Gatekeeper an excuse to punish me again, I should be safe.
The judge announced the start of the match. I concentrated, wasting no more time on idle thoughts and advanced at top speed. The rules were the same as my first match, but with only one talisman left, every move counted even more than before. I trained my attention on Wen Shiyin, watching her movements closely and carefully assessing her timing based on what Bai Ye showed me before. Our exchanges went fast, accompanied by busy flashes of spiritual power. On the tenth move, she summoned her first advanced technique.
I didn't recognize whatever it was that she used, though I tried to meet it with my starlight all the same. I pushed my spiritual power towards the blades, ready for the moment when it built up to unleash its forces. But somehow, something felt different this time. Instead of building up, I felt the energy slowly seeping from the edge of my blades, as if a different energy was calling to it, drawing it away.
It was Wen Shiyin's technique, I realized only when it was too late. It was restricting my power, channeling it in a different direction than I intended to. I silently cursed myself for not considering this before choosing my method of defense. The force from her attack was advancing at me fast, and I had missed the chance to summon the defensive talisman in time.
I clenched my swords stubbornly and kept trying to will my power into its proper form. It had only been ten moves, and I didn't want to lose so easily. I struggled against the pressure of Wen Shiyin's technique, feeling the flow of my power pushing hard into hers, and suddenly I caught a tiny pulse that broke free from her barrier.
Ecstatic, I held onto that feeling and pushed harder. A warm stream of energy throbbed inside me, coursing through my body towards the swords, and then—
The sky darkened, but instead of starlight, it was a crimson light flickering along the edge of the blades, just like the one I saw that day in the cave chamber. With a low, resonating growl, the light flared all around us, dancing like hissing flames. The power from Wen Shiyin's attack dissipated fast, and the crimson light faded only when there was no more trace of her spiritual power left.
Both of us stood still. Wen Shiyin stared at me, clearly seeing that this was not a standard technique. I looked down at Twin Stars, not fully understanding what had just happened either. Then I heard the Gatekeeper's voice roaring over us, echoing through the field:
"The demonic sword!"
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