"Oh?" Elder Qin raised an eyebrow. "Eager for combat?"
"I am eager," Wangchen replied, the ice around him cracking violently, "to finish the tournament quickly. So I can go pick up my luggage."
He was going to win this tournament in record time.
And then, he was going to take Lin Ji'an away, where no princesses, no white lotuses, and absolutely no water fights could ever reach him again.
***
The changing of the guard at the Luminous Jade River was a masterclass in awkward, hyper-vigilant choreography.
Princess Zhao Ling'er, Su Wan, and Liu Liu emerged from the glowing aquamarine water looking entirely revitalized.
The spiritual Qi of the river had washed away not only the physical grime of the Lower Realm but also the heavy, oppressive exhaustion of their near-death experiences.
Ling'er's ankle, while still tender, was no longer throbbing with agonizing pain.
