Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!

Chapter 268 Semi-Final

The referee raised his hand, his voice booming through the arena. ”The first semifinal match-Bai Xueqing of the Bai Clan vs. Shui Lianʼer of the Celestial Jade Hall!”

The crowd erupted like thunder, the arena trembling under the clash of two roars: one side chanting, ”Bai Xueqing! Bai Xueqing!” while the other rose with equal fervor, ”Shui Lianʼer! Shui Lianʼer!”

On one hand, Bai Xueqing-the prodigy who had defeated her opponent with precise and powerful technique.

On the other hand, Shui Lianʼer-the mysterious genius whose calm and elegance veiled the sharpness of her hidden blade.

She had defeated every challenger without lifting a finger, never revealing a speck of her strength.

To her supporters, she was the one destined to break Bai Xueqingʼs streak and claim herself as the strongest.

As the two young women walked onto the stage, the noise reached its peak.

Bai Xueqing stepped forward with a composed look, staring straight into Shui Lianʼerʼs eyes.

Opposite her, Shui Lianʼer appeared like a serene lotus blooming in mist. The referee wasted no time. ”Begin!”

The refereeʼs shout had barely faded when silence washed over the arena. Neither Bai Xueqing nor Shui Lianʼer moved.

The crowd leaned forward, breathless, expecting Bai Xueqing to be knocked out. And indeed, she simply stood there, her pale-blue eyes locked onto Shui Lianʼer.

Many thought that Bai Xueqing was also caught in Shui Lianʼerʼs mysterious technique, just like her other opponents.

On Shui Lianʼerʼs side, however, the picture was not as serene as it appeared. Her expression remained calm, eyes as tranquil as still water, but a faint bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face-quickly vanishing in the glow of her jade-like aura.

No one noticed. Or rather, they were so busy watching Bai Xueqing that none paid attention to her.

Shu Lianʼer aura surged wildly beneath her calm exterior.

The delicate ripples of her Qi were like an ocean tide threatening to overflow its bounds. She wasnʼt merely restraining Bai Xueqing with casual effort.

She was consuming vast amounts of Qi.

Earlier, her Fragrant Mirage Physiqueʼs natural ability wasnʼt enough to entrap Bai Xueqing whose body is all protected by Qi.

So she had no choice but to enhance her ability with her Qi. (Let your biggest fear come true!) ***

Bai Xueqingʼs eyes flickered for just a moment-then her surroundings dissolved.

The cold stone arena vanished. The thunderous chants of the crowd fell silent.

All she could feel was pain coursing through her body. And she knew what it was. ”I-Is my Ice Qi imploding again?”

The pain she didnʼt want to remember, something she never wanted to endure again.

She had to face it again.

Her Qi was going out of control-ice forming in her lungs, her nerves, everywhere. The only thing she felt in the end was pain.

But then suddenly, it disappeared. ”Did it end?”

She had never known her Ice Qi to lose control for such a short time, though she couldnʼt be more thankful.

Still, she didnʼt know where she was-or even remember what she had been doing before.

She found herself standing in a boundless plain of white frost, her breath forming clouds in the frigid air.

She knew this must be due to her Qi going out of control. ”Where is this?”

But then-she saw something.

Frozen statues.

Dozens... no, hundreds of them.

The faces of her clanmates, elders, and even her father, Bai Tianheng, all encased in flawless crystal ice.

Their eyes were wide with terror, mouths forever open in silent screams.

Her chest tightened. ”No... I... I didnʼt...”

She staggered forward, reaching for her fatherʼs frozen form.

The cold bit into her skin, piercing deeper than any blade. His familiar stern gaze stared at her, unblinking, forever trapped in that instant of betrayal.

The nightmare whispered to her, cruel and relentless:

This is your fate. To freeze everything you love. To destroy everyone who stands too close!

Her knees buckled, strength draining. ”Stop... please... I never wanted this...”

The voice pressed deeper, venomous:

You think your family protects you because they love you? No! Itʼs Fear!

The Bai Clan shields you because they cannot control you-only contain you.

The frost spread faster, swallowing the horizon.

Her every breath crystallized the air, her very heartbeat resonating with ice that shattered all warmth.

The statues cracked, splintering under her overwhelming cold, and then- collapsed into glittering shards.

She was left alone.

Alone in a frozen, dead world.

Bai Xueqing fell to her knees, clutching her head as a scream tore from her throat, raw and soundless, lost in the blizzard of her nightmare.

For a moment, she nearly gave in-until she saw a figure.

Bai Zihan!

Her father and the others risked their lives to protect her, yes-she could believe they might end up frozen.

But Bai Zihan?

No way!

If anything, he would have killed her first-or walked away without hesitation if the situation called for it.

And with her current strength, she doubted she could freeze him like this at all. (Argh!)

A massive headache struck as she tried to remember where she had been before this.

It was like trying to realize you are in a dream, while the dream itself insists it is real.

Not very practical-especially when your own mind is working against you.

But with a bit of proper thinking, she realized: (This must be Shui Lianʼerʼs ability!)

She remembered-she was about to fight, and this illusion was far too convenient.

So, she raised her Qi violently, shattering all the statues of her loved ones, including Bai Zihan. ”Hah... hah...”

Bai Xueqing breathed heavily as she slowly opened her eyes-Shui Lianʼer stood before her. ”WOW! Bai Xueqing opened her eyes!” ”Does that mean she broke through Shui Lianʼerʼs mysterious ability?” ”Finally! We can see Shui Lianʼer fight!”

The crowd erupted in cheers and excitement. This was the first time anyone had resisted Shui Lianʼerʼs ability.

Bai Xueqing, however, wasnʼt in the best of moods.

What she had just been shown had filled her with more anger than she had ever felt.

Her eyes glinted with frost as she glared at her opponent. ”Youʼll pay for that!”