A faint heat emanated from the back of Hui’s hand. He glanced down and found the silver mark shifting, reshaping into a name. Shan Xe.

I don’t recognize that name. But then, I don’t know many people from our sect. If they weren’t in the outer sect with me, I probably won’t recognize them, though… haven’t I surpassed most of the people I was in the outer sect with, by now?

Huh. Maybe I am incredible.

Though! Incredible or not, I have no talismans left, and no time to make more—if I make one now, I’m wasting qi I could use in battle, and I’d rather make one in-battle depending on the scenarios I face than make a bunch of fire talismans now only to find myself facing a flame-resistant cultivator.

There’s the talismans in the spatial ring… but no, I don’t want to use them except in an emergency. Not until I take the time to sit down and memorize the formulae, anyways.

That means there’s only one thing to do! Play dead and sneak attack! It might not be honorable, but it’s better than losing! I’m not going to rend any meaningful hearts in the loser’s bracket.

So decided, Hui trekked out of the forest and back toward the plaza.

“Eh? Xiao Hui, is that you?” a familiar voice asked.

Hui froze. A smile spread across his face, and he whipped around and ran toward the kitchen’s rear door. “Sis Mei! You didn’t forget me?”

“How could I? Silly Xiao Hui,” she greeted him with a smile. “Though I’m surprised to see you out so early. Did the Sect Master reconsider?”

“Ah… something like that,” Hui said.

She nodded, knowing him well enough not to ask more. “Are you taking part in the tournament?”

He showed her his hand.

“Shan Xe? I don’t recognize that name,” Sis Mei said, a finger on her cheek.

“So he’s not a part of Starbound Sect?” Hui asked.

“Probably not? Certainly not a member of Starbound Peak that I’ve ever seen,” Sis Mei said.

That’s good news. If he’s not a sword cultivator, that’s a step in the right direction. Hui bowed to Sis Mei. “I should head to the arena. Master said there’d be battles on the first day.”

“Are you sure? Already? You haven’t even had anything to eat yet,” she said, frowning.

He shook his head. “Not before a fight. When I come back, victorious… then I’ll eat.”

Sis Mei smiled at him. “Yes, yes. I’ll be rooting for you!”

Hui had barely entered the plaza before Weiheng Wu appeared before him, already atop his sword. “You left?”

Hui abruptly dropped into a full kowtow. “Master! This poor disciple disobeyed, please punish me as you see fit!”

“You didn’t alert the Sect Master, what is there to punish? Hurry, or you’ll be late.” Weiheng Wu gestured him up impatiently.

“Are the fights really this early?”

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“Mmm. The Sect Master wants to impress upon everyone how martial and punctual Starbound Sect truly is. Since only one peak is devoted purely to battle arts, some of our rivals, particularly Azure Fang, see us as a soft sect. He intends to prove the opposite.”

Eh? And I’ve been thrown into this tournament? Sect Master, small disciple apologizes ahead of time…

Hui stepped onto his Master’s sword, and the two flew toward the arena.

The same arena he had once fought Chang Bolin in had been expanded and renovated, the stands widened and built taller. Instead of one stone square, now four squares stood, separated slightly from one another. Each had the same dimensions of the original square, and the area of the arena had been expanded significantly.

For now, the arena stood empty. Aside from a few other disciples arriving with their masters, and a few early arrivals lazing about the arena, the stands were devoid of life. Hui glanced at the stands, then took a deep breath. Here I go.

Small nameplates directed the first round of battlers to their spaces. Hui caught his name in the furthest square, diagonally across the arena from where his master had entered. “I’m in the very first round?”

Weiheng Wu inclined his head. “Best to show your growth to the Sect Master as soon as possible, so I no longer have to worry about masking your aura.”

How convenient for you, Master, Hui thought, but nodded anyways. It’s not a bad deal. Whether the Sect Master lets it happen or tries to shut it down, best to get it out of the way. But even so… “Does the Sect Master know I’m in the tournament?”

“Of course not. I spoke to the organizers and had you put in at the last minute. The Sect Master is busy greeting the other sects’ representatives, and is unlikely to read the list again before the battle starts. The matches were decided weeks ago, except for my intervention.”

“Weeks ago? They already knew who was going to participate from the other clans that early? I thought the other clans were registering in the plaza,” Hui asked, startled.

Weiheng Wu glanced back at Hui. “Do you think we pay no mind to the other sects’ up and coming disciples? Even your name should have reached the other sects’ ears by now. Especially for friendly sects like these four, where we casually communicate often. Starbound Sect knew well ahead of time who was likely to join the tournament. Naturally, there will be surprises, but those disciples were put in the later battles, so that the opening fights would include the most exciting matchups the seniors could engineer.”

“How calculating,” Hui muttered, putting a hand on his chin. So they picked a few prize fights for the first day… makes sense. It’d be boring to kick off the tournament with a bunch of losers who can barely fight. But wait… Hui paled. “Er, Master, but then… doesn’t that suggest… that the strongest geniuses are being put out for the first matches?”

“Naturally. I would not disgrace myself to see my disciple against anything less,” Weiheng Wu replied.

Hui’s stomach went cold. No talismans, no tricks, no strategy. I don’t even know my opponent’s personality or fighting style. My back is really against a wall this time. “Er, could I… beg Master to reconsider my entry?”

“You defeated the lotus, no?”

With strategy and talismans! “Er, yes.”

“And forced Zhang Zhou, a higher-stage demonic cultivator, to retreat?”

With the help of Bai Xue and Li Xiang! “I… suppose.”

Weiheng Wu nodded. “Then you will win.”

Hui took a deep breath. Okay. Okay. It’s not hopeless. There’s still a chance. As soon as I see my opponent, I have to get into his head! No hesitation. Whatever makes him tick, whatever he’s afraid of—that’s what I have to attack with!

I could always do the tumultuous-qi attack I did with Chang Bolin…

No, no, absolutely not! If Lan Taijian gets proof that I intentionally forced Chang Bolin to have a qi deviation, I’m finished!

Besides, this is a friendly battle between sects! If I go for the kill on the first fight like that, putting everything else aside—and it’s a lot to put aside—won’t I basically be asking the other fighters to try to kill me?

Off the table! I’ll attack dishonorably, I’ll use tricks, but that is the one attack I can never use in front of Lan Taijian, or anyone in the sect who dislikes me!

Besides, I’m trying to rend hearts, not turn myself into the villain of the tournament!

Psychological! This first battle will be psychological! If I can’t draw my opponent into my rhythm, it’s all over. The first strikes will also be the last!

Hui summoned the dark robes from his spatial ring and draped them over his head as they approached the ring. He stepped off the back of Weiheng Wu’s sword, waved a short goodbye, then casually tipped his nameplate over so it couldn’t be read. Circulating his death qi once more, he made sure his qi was suppressed, barely enough to keep him alive.

Preparations complete. The Sect Master shouldn’t notice me until the battle’s already started. Now, who’s my opponent?