Firmament Sword

”Qi Yue... you!” Wu Sisi’s face flushed crimson, so red it looked like it might start bleeding. She was absolutely livid.

”I’ve been wanting to cop a feel for a while now!” Qi Yue said with a roguish grin. ”Next year’s competition, remember to challenge your senior sister again! I promise... I definitely won’t need to use any attack Elixirs!”

With that, she released her grip on Wu Sisi’s throat, took a step back, and watched her opponent with a wide grin.

In truth, Wu Sisi hadn’t conceded, and the Referee hadn’t announced a winner... because the Referee had also been staring, completely mesmerized.

A beautiful woman teasing another—it wasn’t every day you saw such a fiery scene.

That’s why the Referee had momentarily forgotten to make the call.

But Wu Sisi was an incredibly proud woman. How could she possibly make an issue out of the delay? Gritting her teeth, she spat, ”Fine... Qi Yue... *Senior Sister*!”

She deliberately put heavy emphasis on the words ”Senior Sister.” The two had once agreed that in every annual competition, the loser would have to call the winner ”Senior Sister.”

”Next year’s competition... let’s see if you’re still smiling so smugly then!”

As she spoke, Wu Sisi’s figure began to fade. Clearly, she was conceding and withdrawing.

Qi Yue watched Wu Sisi’s fading form with a wide grin and repeated her taunt, ”Your senior sister promises not to use attack Elixirs, you know!”

”Hmph!”

Only Wu Sisi’s cold snort was left echoing in the air as she vanished completely.

’At this point, how could I not understand? Qi Yue’s so-called promise can’t be trusted at all. Our strength was evenly matched before, but now she has attack Elixirs at her disposal. Without a major breakthrough, I’ll never be her opponent!’

’It’s better to leave and find a quiet place to cry than to stay here and watch that smug look on her face.’

Only then did the Referee announce loudly, ”In the match to advance to the top five hundred, Qi Yue of the Medicine Garden versus Wu Sisi—Qi Yue is the winner!”

BOOM!

A wave of earth-shattering cheers erupted from the stands.

Qi Yue’s eyes glistened with tears. She looked up at the figure in the stands who had also risen to his feet to cheer, took a deep breath, and thought, ’Senior Brother, thank you!’

The battle concluded with Qi Yue’s victory, but discussion about the fight immediately began to spread like wildfire among the people of Celestial Brilliance.

The key talking point was that Qi Yue had defeated Wu Sisi so cleanly and decisively without using a single attack Elixir.

Her final, teasing move against Wu Sisi, in particular, had gotten the blood of countless male Heavenly Brilliance Disciples pumping.

They wished they could have been the one being teased—or even the one doing the teasing...

In their post-match analyses, many praised Qi Yue’s brilliance, acknowledging that she had exploited Wu Sisi’s fear of the Medicine Garden’s attack Elixirs to win a masterful psychological battle.

With that battle over, it was time for the next one—a match the Celestial Brilliance People had been anticipating even more eagerly.

This was an internal battle for the Medicine Garden.

Chu Lin... versus Xu Luo. Or, to be more precise, Luo Tian!

The battle had yet to begin, but the stands, which could hold five hundred thousand people, were already nearly full. A glance at the VIP boxes revealed flickering shadows within; clearly, many of Celestial Brilliance’s top brass had personally come to witness this match.

Among the crowd, one could spot many of the most prominent figures of Celestial Brilliance’s younger generation.

”Isn’t that Wu Sisi? Looks like she’s bounced back. I can’t believe she’s here to watch Luo Tian’s match.”

”Heh, now that’s the attitude a Heavenly Brilliance Disciple ought to have. What’s one victory or defeat in the grand scheme of things? The only true path is to learn from others’ strengths, constantly improve, and cultivate with humility!”

”That’s An Yu! I heard a rumor that he’s going to deal with Luo Tian to get justice for his junior brother who was demoted to an Inner Sect Disciple.”

”An Yu must be here to scope out Luo Tian and get a read on him.”

”Isn’t that Miao Jianfei? I didn’t expect him to show up! He looks as obnoxious as ever. Too bad I can’t beat him.”

”Yeah, Miao Jianfei has such a foul mouth. He’ll bad-mouth anyone.”

”Heh heh, I wonder what he’ll have to say about Luo Tian later...”

”Heh, a match in the round to advance to the top five hundred is this hyped. This has never happened before.”

”Lv Di is here too... Look, in that corner. He’s as low-profile as ever. I hear his physical body is the strongest among the younger generation!”

”Is this match going to draw out all of Celestial Brilliance’s young prodigies? This is turning into a real spectacle!”

”I don’t see Senior Brother Jin Ming, though!”

”He probably went straight to one of the VIP boxes!”

With an incense stick’s worth of time still to go before the match, flashes of light appeared one after another as the five-hundred-thousand-seat arena filled to capacity.

Those who had planned to arrive just as the match began were kicking themselves, never having expected the Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden to be this popular.

Tens of thousands of Medicine Garden Disciples occupied the best seats in the stands. This was a special arrangement requested by Yuwen Ji, even though this battle was hardly a point of pride for the Medicine Garden. Still, he had granted the wish of the many Medicine Garden Disciples who wanted to come and watch.

Before the match, Yuwen Ji had already given Xu Luo his orders: he had to win, and it had to be a clean, decisive victory.

He was to avoid killing Chu Lin if possible, so as to display the magnanimity of the Medicine Garden.

On the surface, Yuwen Ji’s order seemed a bit... unsatisfying.

But there was more...

”Chu Lin is an incredibly petty man. The fact that he keeps pulling these stunts proves he has a serious character problem. So, even if you spare him, he will, nine times out of ten, try to strike at you again.”

”And at that point... the outcome will be decided by life and death.”

An unassuming man doesn’t easily bare his fangs, but when he does, it is absolutely terrifying.

Even Chu Lin’s own master, the Medicine Garden’s Elder Qi, Zou Yuan, had given up on him. To say nothing of Grand Elder Yuwen Ji, who had long wanted to dispose of such scum.

His instructions to Xu Luo were simply a way to help him win the admiration of the masses.

In the most prominent VIP box, an unexpected dignitary had arrived: Xiahou Kaiyuan!

This gentleman appeared to be in his fifties, with a refined, scholarly air. His hair was combed back meticulously, as black as ink, without a single strand of white.

He wore a dark red robe engraved with incredibly complex inscriptions. As he moved, these inscriptions would combine to form various Arrays.

This robe... was an extraordinary treasure!

Xiahou Kaiyuan’s eyes were profound, as if they held the sun, moon, and stars. He gazed at the young figure on the stage below and smiled. ”This little fellow... he has certainly validated the wisdom and foresight of the Medicine King Ancestor. In less than a year, a single person has revitalized the entire Medicine Garden. Not bad. Not bad at all.”

The faces of those around the Sect Leader turned solemn. Hearing his evaluation of Luo Tian, they were all inwardly astonished.

The Sect Leader of Celestial Brilliance... just what kind of man was he?

He was the helmsman of the greatest power in all of Xi Hezhou, a true hegemon of the region.

A man of his stature would never casually pass judgment on someone.

Once he did, that person’s prestige would immediately skyrocket.

”What... you don’t agree?” Xiahou Kaiyuan glanced at those around him with a faint smile. ”The Medicine Garden has been weak for years, so it’s understandable that you have your biases. In truth, there are some things you are unaware of. I have very high hopes for this boy.”

He had said it twice. If the first time these high-ranking figures of Celestial Brilliance were somewhat dismissive, the second time Xiahou Kaiyuan said it, a tempest raged in their hearts.

’What is the Sect Leader doing?’

’Is he designating an heir?’

’Even someone as outstanding as Jin Ming... the Sect Leader has never praised him publicly, not even once, has he?’

’This praise... is simply staggering!’

’Is this little fellow Luo Tian... really that incredible?’

In an instant, the minds of those accompanying Xiahou Kaiyuan were racing with hushed speculation.

Xiahou Kaiyuan paid them no mind, simply smiling as he said, ”I predict this battle will be very brief.”

Just then, someone finally spoke up. ”Sect Leader, I’m afraid I have to disagree with your prediction.”

The speaker was one of Celestial Brilliance’s Grand Elders, Jiang Botao. He held a high position in the sect and belonged to the younger, more dynamic faction.

He and Sect Leader Xiahou Kaiyuan had grown up together as fellow disciples.

Their bond was deep, and he was now one of Xiahou Kaiyuan’s right-hand men.

As such, he could speak more freely than most.

”Oh? Botao, then tell me, what’s your take on it?” Xiahou Kaiyuan asked.

”I don’t think this Chu Lin is an idiot. I’ve heard the rumors about him—framing others, using his companions as shields, attacking people from behind... In short, nothing but negative reports. All of this indicates he has a serious character problem.”

”Indeed,” Xiahou Kaiyuan and the other Celestial Brilliance dignitaries around him nodded in agreement.

Being powerful, domineering, or arrogant was one thing, but a person... a person had to have a bottom line. To cross that line was a matter of character.

”Let’s set those reports aside for a moment and focus on one thing,” Jiang Botao said with a smile. ”The fact that he’s capable of such underhanded deeds means he isn’t stupid. At the very least... he’s afraid of dying. So, if that’s the case, what does it mean that he still dares to stand up and publicly challenge Luo Tian?”

Xiahou Kaiyuan frowned slightly. One of his confidants—the very same spokesman who always stood up for the Medicine Garden and Xu Luo—picked up the thread. ”Elder Jiang is right,” he said with a smile. ”It means this Chu Lin fellow must have made preparations. I heard he spent more than half a year training in the Black Wind Cave. If he was truly training in there, the fact that he emerged alive speaks volumes.”

”Oh, is that so?” Xiahou Kaiyuan raised an eyebrow, then looked at Jiang Botao with a grin. ”Since we have nothing better to do, shall we make a wager?”

Jiang Botao also raised an eyebrow. ”Are you after my painting again?” he said, looking at Xiahou Kaiyuan. ”I’m telling you... not a chance! That’s what our master left to me!”

”I’ll wager my warship!”