CHAPTER 30

— Into the Top Eight —

"The next match: Tong Tong of Qiuye Peak versus Liu Ji of Tielin Peak, starting in one hour." The presiding elder took the list and announced it, then swept his sleeves and left to rest.

The circle of junior disciples in white who had gathered to watch the spectacle also dispersed, but a few could be heard whispering among themselves: "Ah, I really misjudged that one. If only I had bet on Senior Sister Tong to win!"

"Hah, who would have thought she'd be such a dark horse? Senior Sister Rong was at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment! And she lost to Senior Sister Tong, who's only at the early stage. Tell me, who could have predicted that? It's not like we're grandmasters who can divine the heavens and earth with a flick of their fingers!" one person grumbled irritably.

"Speaking of which, should we switch our bets to Senior Sister Tong for the next match?" another asked.

"Are you stupid? Her next opponent is Liu Ji! That madman from Tielin Peak! Even if she got lucky this round, she won't have that kind of fortune next time! After all, Liu Ji's reputation as the 'Duel King' isn't for nothing!" the first person replied.

"You're right... haha, I was being foolish! Thank you for the advice, Senior Brother!"

"Not at all."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked away.

Tong Tong, who had been eavesdropping intently, now nonchalantly took the waterskin Ding Ding handed her and took a sip. She looked around and asked curiously, "Where's First Senior Brother?"

Strange, he was just here a moment ago. How did he disappear so quickly?

"Don't know. Probably had something to attend to and left," Ding Ding shrugged, unconcerned, then grinned mischievously and patted Tong Tong's shoulder. "You did great just now, Little Tong! Just take down the next one and you'll make it to the top eight! Maybe you'll even run into this young master!"

'He didn't even say goodbye...' Tong Tong took another big gulp of water to suppress the dull feeling in her chest. Remembering the resentful, almost accusing look Rong Miaoyin had given her when she left, Tong Tong shuddered, rubbed her nose, and changed the subject. "Oh, right, Young Master Ding, is your match already over? From what you're saying, you made it to the top eight?"

—'I never would have guessed Young Master Ding was this capable!' Tong Tong thought silently to herself.

Ding Ding laughed heartily, puffed out his chest, struck a bodybuilder's pose, and boasted proudly, "Of course! Who do you think I am? As the favorite disciple of our beautiful master, how could I possibly disappoint her expectations? Ohahaha..."

—'First Senior Brother is clearly Master's favorite disciple!' Tong Tong turned her face away, unable to resist the internal complaining.

"So, you defeated your opponent easily?" Tong Tong's somewhat skeptical look made Ding Ding avert his eyes guiltily.

"Absolutely! With Longquan sword unleashed, who dares to contend? This young master cut through all obstacles, defeating every opponent with my dazzling sword skills!" Ding Ding clenched his fist, his expression exaggerated, but he kept his voice low, as if afraid others might hear. He occasionally glanced at He Gu, who stood silently behind them, and whenever he met the other's amused, knowing gaze, he immediately turned his head, pretending not to see.

Recalling his own embarrassing performance earlier, Ding Ding couldn't help but shed a tear of bitterness for himself—he was too embarrassed to tell Tong Tong that the only reason he had fought his way to the top eight was by relying on... elixirs!

—That's right, those were the elixirs he had swiped from Xiangzhu Peak last time. Because of his merit in stealing the elixirs, Ye Zhiqiu generously rewarded him with half of them, enough to make him look down on all the Foundation Establishment disciples!

Before the fight, he would take a Peiyuan Pill to nourish his qi and strengthen his foundation. After a few moves, he'd swallow a few Longhu Pills to boost his true essence explosively, followed by two mint candies to refresh his mind and clear his thoughts—faced with such a reckless, life-ignoring consumption of pills, his were instantly dumbfounded.

—Encountered someone with stronger internal energy?

Three Xuyuan Pills down, let's see who can outlast whom!

—Accidentally got injured?

A Huanzhu Pill to the rescue! Swallow one, and he'd instantly become as fierce as Popeye after eating spinach, swiftly defeating his opponent.

And so, with a rich inventory of elixirs and what could only be called "cheat-level" logistical support, Ding Ding carved out a path to advancement.

—However, this method, which somewhat tarnished his masculine pride, was better not mentioned to Tong Tong. It wouldn't do to corrupt the child and dampen her fighting spirit, right?

Listening to Ding Ding ramble on with a bunch of nonsense without seeing Su Yan's figure anywhere, Tong Tong's heart sank bit by bit: Could it be that the big iceberg really wasn't planning to come watch her match? Was he too confident in her? Or did he think she would lose and see no point in watching?

Thinking this, Tong Tong gritted her teeth, igniting a fierce fighting spirit instead: 'Hmph! I'll make you see! When I get serious, I'm a force to be reckoned with!'

This heroic resolve diminished by more than half the moment she saw the man walking up to the opposite side of the arena. It was like a blazing fire doused with a bucket of cold water—though a few sparks still sizzled, they could no longer amount to much.

—Bald, one-eyed, a long scar running from the corner of his left eye to the corner of his mouth, muscles bulging, veins popping, an overwhelming aura of murderous intent that practically suffocated anyone nearby... This guy was a mutated version of Tien Shinhan, right? Or maybe an enhanced version? He didn't seem ordinary at all... This was bad!

T/N: [Tien Shinhan (Tenshinhan) is a major, highly disciplined, and bald-headed martial artist in the Dragon Ball series, recognized by his prominent third eye and superior strength among Earthlings.]

Before the fight even began, the young girl Tong Tong already felt her legs go weak, trembling uncontrollably...

"Dang—" A bell rang, and the arbiter, unusually, said nothing more. Stroking his beard, he simply stepped off the stage, leaving a dumbfounded Tong Tong staring at his retreating back with tears streaming down her face: Love me, don't go...

'Uncle Referee, what's wrong with you! What about the promised match rules? I swear I'll never complain about your long-winded, sleep-inducing ramblings again! Come back! Buy me some time, even just a little! Don't leave me alone to face this fierce, creepy uncle ahhh—!'

While she was still staring longingly at the arbiter elder's back, she heard Liu Ji clasp his fists and speak up. His unexpectedly gentle and polite voice carried a hint of softness: "Junior Sister Tong, I am Liu Ji from Tielin Peak. I look forward to learning from you."

"Oh." Tong Tong responded blankly. Seeing his strange expression, she belatedly added, "You too, learn from each other, learn from each other, haha!"

Liu Ji smiled, and the ferocious scar on his face didn't seem as terrifying anymore. However, Tong Tong felt somewhat uneasy—this guy looked tough, so why did his smile seem a bit effeminate?

"My sword is named—Linghao [Soaring Brilliance]. I apologize in advance!" With that, Liu Ji thrust his sword straight toward Tong Tong's chest.

"Hey, hey? Why attack so suddenly!" Tong Tong reacted swiftly, raising her sword to block. Using a "sticking" technique, she circled in a half-arc, her sword tip instead returning toward Liu Ji.

While parrying the moves, she managed to stay composed, and her initial fear gradually faded. Yet she couldn't help but grumble inwardly: Linghao? Why not just call it "Number Zero"? Everyone's in such a hurry—can't they wait for someone to finish announcing their sword's name? My little Biling is not happy! Would it k!ll them to let someone else shine a little? Would it?

T/N: [Linghao 凌皓 sounds exactly like Línghào 零号 (Number Zero). Tong Tong is making fun of his sword's "majestic" name by calling it something mundane and robotic or scientific term.]

As if responding to her thoughts, the Biling Sword in her hand grew brighter with each strike, as if echoing its master's discontent in its own way.

After exchanging over a dozen moves with Liu Ji, not only did the onlookers begin to jeer, but even Tong Tong herself found it unbelievable—Wasn't he called the "Duel King"? Why doesn't it feel that way at all?

Could it be: 'Is he too weak? Or am I actually too strong?'

—Alright, clearly she was overthinking it... She knew her own level well enough, but surely Liu Ji wasn't this bad?

Why was he so clumsy? His swordplay felt so unsteady, giving her the illusion that with just a bit more effort, she could defeat him.

Here it was again!

Tong Tong frowned as she watched Liu Ji awkwardly shift his sword stance: just moments ago, she had clearly made a mistake and left an opening. If he had simply thrust forward, he could have easily pierced her—yet at the last moment, he abruptly changed his move, nearly injuring himself instead. Why on earth?

Unbeknownst to her, while she was puzzling over this, the crowd below was buzzing with speculation.

"Heavens! This new senior sister from Qiuye Peak truly lives up to her reputation! She's actually holding her own against Duel King Liu Ji!"

"Are you blind or just stupid? Send my regards to your doctor! Can't you see Liu Ji is going easy on her?"

"Impossible! Why would he do that? Is someone threatening him?"

"Who knows? Even though they're both direct disciples, her master holds a high position—better not dig too deep into this..."

"I don't think so. Maybe it's love at first sight, and he can't bear to hurt her? Ah! What a deeply moving romance..."

"I don't buy that nonsense! My ten mid-grade spirit stones better not go down the drain!"

No matter what others thought, Liu Ji was suffering in silence—Do you think throwing a match is easy?!

His thoughts drifted back to half an hour earlier.

He had been washing his face by the lake when he suddenly sensed a chilling aura behind him. Turning around, he saw Su Yan, the senior brother from Qiuye Peak—handsome, elegant, and imposing, making his heart race so wildly he nearly tore the towel in his hand.

Yes, the renowned Duel King of Tielin Peak, Liu Ji, had a shameful secret—he was attracted to men.

If Ding Ding found out, he'd probably jump three feet back and shout: D@mn! This guy's actually gay! What a waste of such a manly face!

Moreover, Liu Ji wasn't just attracted to men—he had a particular fondness for graceful, handsome young men!

Though Su Yan was somewhat cold, his beauty was flawless, and his cultivation was high, making him the object of Liu Ji's admiration.

Burdened by the barriers of status and gender—or so he believed—he could only admire from afar in secret.

Now, to have the chance to face the object of his daydreams up close—how could he not be overjoyed?

—Even if this dream lover's attitude was far from friendly, he was already too excited to contain himself, wishing he could pour out his heart and soul!

Su Yan cast a cold glance at the man whose face was unnaturally flushed and frowned slightly.

Irritated by his fervent gaze, she immediately abandoned her original plan of gradual persuasion and veiled threats. Drawing her Changhong Sword, she placed it against his neck without another word. "Do you know who you're fighting next?"

"Y-yes, Junior Sister Tong from Qiuye Peak," Liu Ji replied cautiously, shrinking his neck, though his heart raced uncontrollably—up close, Senior Brother Su Yan was truly exquisite...

As he began to indulge in his fantasies, Su Yan continued with a cold, threatening tone, "If she gets hurt, you die. If she loses, you die." With a reverse swing of her sword—a flash of red light—a massive boulder by the lake was sliced in half as if it were tofu. "Understood?"

"Understood, understood, understood..." He nodded hurriedly, his heart beating even faster—Senior Brother Su Yan was so domineering! So handsome, so cool...

Lost in his youthful infatuation, Liu Ji once again became intoxicated by his own emotions, unable to extricate himself... Unconsciously, he began daydreaming right where he stood.

Tong Tong watched in confusion as her opponent, who had been exchanging moves with her, suddenly stopped and stared blankly. Curious, she waved her hand in front of his face—no response.

Her eyes darted, and she steeled herself to make a decision: If you show no mercy, I'll show none either. Even if you do show mercy, I still can't afford to be merciful! Otherwise, Senior Brother will show no mercy to me!

Sorry, brother!

Taking a deep breath, Tong Tong mustered all her strength and delivered a powerful kick—right into Liu Ji's abdomen, folding him in half and sending him flying backward. He rolled over a dozen times before finally coming to a stop, right at the feet of Su Yan, who had already arrived at the edge of the arena, standing with his arms crossed and watching coldly.

"S-Senior Brother Su..." Liu Ji looked up just in time to meet Su Yan's deep, night-sky-like eyes. He immediately broke into a blissful smile, closed his eyes without regret, and fainted.

"I-I announce, Tong Tong of Qiuye Peak—wins!" the arbiter stammered.

After a long moment of silence, the crowd erupted like a boiling pot.

Not only were they shocked, but even Ding Ding was left speechless—wow! Since when did Little Tong become so strong? That "Wind God Kick" just now—impressive!

Only Su Yan, who knew the truth, curled her lips into a cold smirk. Casually brushing off the spot on her shoe where Liu Ji had touched, she gave a slight nod to Tong Tong and took two steps forward to meet her as she happily ran over.

—And so, a spot in the top eight was secured.

'If this silly girl knew what the reward was, she would surely be overjoyed, wouldn't she? It makes all the trouble I went through well worth it!'

'How could a disciple of Qiuye Peak ever be allowed to be bull!ed by those from other peaks?'

'Hmph.'

—These last two lines, however, were just excuses Su Yan made for her own uncharacteristic meddling... though she wondered if she could even convince herself.

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