Chapter 21
The final two champions stood before each other. All around the crowd hummed with excitement as they prepared to watch the clash between Chi Lanyue and Xun Xuefeng.
Xun Xuefeng looked like she was dressed for a gala rather than a fight. Her face was layered with makeup and she reeked of different perfumes. Chi Lanyue was more modest, her robes were neat and not as revealing as Xun Xuefeng's.
This was one of the most anticipated fights. Xun Xuefeng was a well known disciple in her sect. She usually frequented the brothel and was one of their high in demand clients at one point. She was also a master at deception and assasination, killing rival clans for a living.
Chi Lanyue was her polar opposite. She was the prodigy of the Heaven Tear Sect having been born into the Chi family, a very well respected family in the western continent. In the previous timeline, the Chi clan had been one of the ruling families of the western continent.
Chi Lanyue locked eyes with Xun Xuefeng for a brief moment before shaking her head in disgust. She wondered why a woman would show so much skin in a world of perverted men. If not for the fact that she was a fighter, countless horrors would have befell her.
"Well, well," she purred,"If it isn't Heaven's Princess herself. I half expected you to send a maid in your place."
Chi Lanyue didn't flinch. "I see the brothel let you off early today."
The crowd gasped. Many were in shock, many were hiding their laughter.
Xuefeng arched an eyebrow, amused. "You sound like a girl who's never had fun. Must be exhausting keeping that virtue of yours chained like a dog."
Chi's gaze never left Xun's. "And you sound like a woman whose pride was auctioned off by the hour."
That one hit. Xuefeng's smile twitched. Her fans and handlers in the audience tensed. Even Liang Chen had to whistle at Chi Lanyue's savage words.
But Xun Xuefeng recovered quickly, tilting her head playfully. "Tell me, Lady Chi... When I carve your throat open, do you want me to keep it elegant or messy?"
Chi Lanyue calmly drew her sword. It was a pale, curved jian with a tassel the color of moonlight.
"You can try," she said softly, "but you'll die before you touch the hilt."
The elder overseeing the match raised her hand.
"Combatants, are you ready?"
Xuefeng flourished a black dagger in one hand, then pulled a thin, curved sword from her waist with the other.The elder's voice thundered:
"BEGIN!"
The moment the elder spoke, the two women vanished.
Chi Lanyue struck first. Wind qi surrounded her blade as she brought it down with a diagonal slash. Xun Xuefeng ducked low, the hem of her robe being hit by the wind, but she didn't care.
Xun dodged again, barely. Her eyes glinted with amusement as she threw a handful of shining dust into the air. In a blink, five more versions of her appeared, each one just as real as the last.
Wind surged outward in a blast from her palm, shattering Xun's illusions in an instant. What followed was lightning, a single streak of lightning arcing from the clouds above the arena straight toward Xun's last known position.
Xun barely managed to dodge the bolt of lightning this time, it hit the floor in front of her and it sent her flying back.
Chi didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and spun, a hurricane forming around her feet.
From behind, a black dagger slashed toward Chi's neck.
Chi ducked.
Xun's blade grazed her cheek, the cut stung. She retaliated instantly, driving her elbow into Xun's gut. The assassin staggered but recovered fast, flipping backward and landing gracefully on the tips of her toes.
Chi wiped the blood from her cheek with a single, fluid motion.
The sky above the arena began to darken. The clouds thickened like smoke, the sky grumbled with lightning as if the heavens had deprived it of food.
Chi raised her sword to the sky, storm qi swirling from her feet up into the air. Then she pointed her blade at Xun.
[Hail of the Creator]
The clouds burst open as if they had ingested something foul. Hundreds of projectiles the size of coconuts rained down from the sky. They made impact with the glass dome above and it shattered, raining glass on the arena as well. Each projectile hit the ground with a shriek, puncturing stone, leaving craters, sending smoke billowing into the air.
[Mimicking Steps]
Xun Xuefeng danced flawlessly through the hail. The barrier was doing a good job at protecting the spectators from the hail.
She vanished again.
Then reappeared just behind Chi Lanyue.
[Widows Fang]
Three concealed daggers launched at close range towards Chi Lanyue before she could even turn her head. She managed to turn her head in time to dodge the first, the second went clean through her shoulder, she hadn't even registered the pain when she caught the last dagger with her two fingers.
She looked at Xun dead in the eye.
Then she released her hold of the dagger and backhanded Xun across the face.
PAH!
The slap echoed across the arena.
Xun staggered but didn't fall. She spat blood and smiled, her eyes were wild.
"I'll dance on your grave in red silk."
Chi didn't reply. Instead, she raised her hand and twisted her fingers.
The air howled. Wind wrapped around her like a serpent, and her qi condensed into a vortex above her.
Then, with one slow, deliberate motion, she brought her hand down.
[Maiden's Spiral]
A tornado suddenly formed as she brought her hand down. The tornado began its descent towards her, sucking everything in its path. Xun stabbed her sword into the floor, resisting the pull, but her body began to lift. Her final trick was a series of throwing knives she conjured and threw into the vortex, it bought her a few seconds and she dashed to the left.
But Chi Lanyue had predicted this move from the very start of her attack. She had studied Xun Xuefeng closely and had come to the conclusion that she was going to dodge, where? she didn't know.
And just like that, two bolts of lightning erupted from the sides of the tornado. Each going left and right. The one going right, hit the floor, charring the dirt and causing a crater. The left one hit Xun Xuefeng square in the chest.
Xun Xuefeng let out a primal scream that came from the depths of her soul. Her rank 2 body was pierced with the lightning bolt. Xun crashed to the ground, her limbs twitching. She couldn't move, the lightning had paralysed her.
Xun grinned, blood between her teeth.
"Well… fuck."
Chi looked down at her, eyes cold as the hail melting on the floor. "You're finished."
Then she turned to the Elder.
The referee didn't even hesitate.
"Winner: Chi Lanyue!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Many were shocked at the outcome of the victory, The Wisteria Empress Sect were furious, The Heaven Tear Sect celebrated.
"Silence," the grand elder of the Jade veil sanctum said, his voice amplified by qi. The arena quieted at once
"The final round has concluded," he announced, his eyes sweeping across the arena. "Each of the three participating sects has earned one victory in the direct matches."
"However," the elder continued, "as stated prior, the true measure of excellence is not in victory alone. In the spirit of cultivation, we have also judged each contestant based on a host of other qualities: battle prowess, adaptability, spiritual control, intellectual perception, creative application of techniques, reflexes, and their ability to dominate the battlefield under pressure."
The silence was so loud you could hear breathing..
The elder raised a jade scroll, unrolled it, and continued.
"After thorough discussion and review, the sect with the highest overall performance score... is the Crimson Lotus Sect!"
A thunderous round of applause exploded from one side of the arena.
Yu Miaoran, who had been watching the final match with hands clasped nervously in her lap, let out a delighted laugh. She clapped slowly at first, then joined the others with full enthusiasm, bowing her head toward her elders in respect.
Liang Chen sat beside her, leaning forward with a lazy grin. He tilted his head slightly, catching the reflection of the crowd in his sharp eyes. His arms were folded, and his smile widened just a little more.
"Of course we won," he muttered under his breath. "Like hell I'd let it go any other way."
Several disciples from the Crimson Lotus Sect burst into cheers, some throwing their hands in the air, others leaping to their feet. There were cries of celebration, of pride, and even a few boastful chants.
The Heaven Tear Sect clapped as well, but theirs was a more reserved applause. Even in their loss, they held their heads high. Chi Lanyue stood stoically with her arms crossed, face unreadable. But those closest to her could tell that her pride was not bruised. She had proven herself. That was enough, for now.
The Wisteria Empress Sect, however, was a different story.
Their section of the audience was tense and silent. Some disciples looked away. Others scowled openly, unable to accept the outcome. Xun Xuefeng had already been taken off the field by her sect, a stretcher carrying her unconscious form.
Back on the stage, the Grand Elder rolled the scroll back up and smiled, his eyes landing briefly on Yu Miaoran.
"The Crimson Lotus Sect will be granted the first choice in next season's inter-sect exchange and will receive an audience with the Imperial Family. Let this be a reminder to all that victory is not always in the obvious places."
Cheers erupted once more.
Yu Miaoran stood, and with a gentle nod to her peers, Cui Huang who smiled happily despite having lost and Shao Yanli, who had a fake smile on her face and bowed deeply toward the audience.
The tournament had ended, but this moment? This was just the beginning.