“Victory goes to Wu Jian!”

“Wu Jian is the winner!”

“Wu Jian wins!”

The tournament continued apace and Wu Jian wracked up victory after victory. However, most of his battles were against his fellow Wu Clansmen. He didn’t know if this was a coincidence or not. Who fought who in which ring had been determined by random drawing (supposedly), meaning there should have been no way to rig this part of the tournament, but he still couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this was part of Wu Wei and Ming Han’s plot.

I’m almost certain this is all part of Ming Han’s plot. He wants members of the Wu Clan to eliminate each other so his son doesn’t have to deal with the extra competition. But I have no proof. And accusing him of rigging the tournament is the same as accusing the Zhou Clan for being negligent. That won’t go over well unless I can present evidence to support my accusation.

Wu Jian wasn’t going to let this bother him too much since he had already told his father, but he still worried about it. After all, he was eliminating his own clansmen left, right, and center. Meanwhile, Ming Shen had only fought weaklings thus far.

Speaking of, he should be fighting Hou Jingshu this round. She’s gotten much stronger since she started training. I wonder how she fared.

Since he was currently done with his battle and someone else was fighting, Wu Jian went over to watch Wu Meiying’s battle. Hou Jingshu was already there, watching the fight with a dour look.

“I’m guessing you lost?” he asked as he walked up to her.

“That obvious?” Hou Jingshu asked with a bitter glare, then sighed. “I lost to Ming Shen in the fourth round.”

“Ouch.”

“I normally wouldn’t be so bitter about losing, but not only did he beat me, he also…”

“Did he do something to you?” Wu Jian asked.

Hou Jingshu bit her lip, closed her eyes, and gritted her teeth as a shamed blush spread across her cheeks. “He… touched my chest.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“Please don’t. That would get you disqualified.”

While they were joking, Wu Jian really did hate the fact that Ming Shen had touched Hou Jingshu. He might still be getting used to the idea that she was his fiancée, but that didn’t change the fact that she was his fiancée, and he did not want anyone else touching her. Wu Jian wouldn’t kill Ming Shen because it was against the rules. However, nothing in the rules said he couldn’t beat the boy to within an inch of his life.

Hou Jingshu had become someone precious to him. They spent everyday together, training, sharing meals, and discussing everything under the sun. She was a welcome addition to his and Wu Meiying’s group, complimenting them both in a way that surprised him. He was happy that she had entered his life.

That was another reason he couldn’t stand the fact that Ming Shen had touched Hou Jingshu inappropriately.

Dispelling his anger through sheer force of will, Wu Jian focused on the battle between Wu Meiying and Juishi Meirin. The two girls stood in the exact center of the ring, duking it out with reckless abandon. That was what it looked like, at least. It was clear from Juishi Meirin’s red face and Wu Meiying’s calm one that his best friend had the advantage.

“How long has the fight been going on for?” asked Wu Jian.

“It just started a few seconds ago,” Hou Jingshu answered.

As they spoke, Juishi Meirin threw a high kick at Wu Meiying’s face. It was a graceful attack. Her foot traveled in a clear arc that cut through the air. Yet for however graceful her kick was, it was also predictable and easy to outmaneuver.

Wu Meiying lowered her body to the ground, pressed her hands on the ring floor, and swept Juishi Meirin’s feet out from under her. The other girl squawked as she fell to the ground. She tried to scramble to her feet, but Wu Meiying moved into a parallel handstand and kicked the other girl in the face.

Many winced as the loud sound of foot meeting face echoed around the arena.

As her opponent’s head snapped back from the attack, Wu Meiying stood smoothly to her feet, spun around, and launched a reverse heel kick. The back of her heel struck Juishi Meirin on the neck, putting her out of commission. Hou Jingshu winced when the Juishi clan heiress dropped to the arena floor with a hard thud.

“That must have hurt,” she muttered.

“Yup. Mei’s kicks hurt like nothing else,” Wu Jian agreed. “That first kick also hit Juishi Meirin right in the nose. I’m pretty sure her nose is broken, and given how much strength Mei puts into her kicks, it must have rattled her brain.”

“Wu Meiying is the victor!” The elder at her ring stated.

Cheers erupted from the audience. Several people shouted Wu Meiying’s name.

With her victory now announced, Wu Meiying turned to them and hopped off the ring with a grin. Two Zhou Clansmen stepped onto the ring, a stretcher between them, and carried Juishi Meirin out. When last he saw her, the young girl was lying limp on the stretcher, a single hand dangling like a wet noodle.

“Congratulations on your victory,” Wu Jian said.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Hah! That was too easy. Juishi Meirin never stood a chance against me,” Wu Meiying boasted, though she still looked quite pleased at the praise. If she had been a dog, her tail would have been wagging. “The only one I’m concerned about is Zhou Lihua. She’ll be a tough opponent to beat.”

“But you will beat her, right? I’ll tease you mercilessly if you lose,” Wu Jian said, poking her in the cheek.

“Don’t worry. I won’t lose to anyone.” Wu Meiying turned away from Wu Jian to look at Hou Jingshu. “I heard about what happened during your last match. Much as I hate to admit it, Ming Shen is pretty strong. He might not be the strongest, but since you only started training within the last few months, he has a definite edge over you.”

“I know. I still wish I could have won,” Hou Jingshu sighed in lamentation. This girl was always highly competitive, just like him, so Wu Jian understood better than most how she must feel about it.

Wu Jian grabbed her hand and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. “The fact that you feel this way is proof that you have pride in your abilities. Use this loss as determination to get stronger, so the next time you and he fight, you can kick his butt.”

Hou Jingshu giggled, her cheeks a touch pink. “Is that what you did after your loss in the last tournament?”

“You bet it is!”

“Will Wu Jian head to ring four! Your match is about to start!”

“That’s my cue. Will you two watch me?” asked Wu Jian.

“Of course we will,” Wu Meiying said.

Hou Jingshu agreed. “I would love to see you fight seriously.”

“Whether I fight seriously or not depends on my opponent,” Wu Jian grinned.

They moved over to ring four and Wu Jian hopped onto the ring, where his opponent was already waiting. Wu Jian paused to stare at the girl’s lean body. His opponent wore a sleeveless training gi, which laid bare her muscular arms. A single bracelet on her left arm stood out due to its golden color. The pink pigment of several scars stood starkly against her tan skin. Light blond hair tied into a ponytail and green eyes made her appear very different from the traditional Shang Kingdom resident. He wondered which country she hailed from.

Her skin tone is almost the same as Mother’s. I wonder if they are from the same country.

“So, you are Wu Jian. I didn’t think you’d be such a cutie.” She eyed him up and down, then licked her lips. “Don’t take this personally, but I’ve been asked to beat you.”

She said it so softly that no one would hear her, and she was facing away from the VIP seating, so the people who could potentially read her lips could not see them.

He wondered why she was telling him this anyway. Even if no one could figure out what she was saying, there was still a risk in someone discovering her intentions. All he would need to do was tell the referee what she had said.

Ah. But I can’t, can I?

It was not like his words alone were enough evidence to prove she had said something. She could easily deny it. Besides, people goaded each other during tournaments all the time. It didn’t mean much. Still, why bother telling him this? Was she just the kind of woman who enjoyed teasing people, or was there a deeper meaning behind her words?

Wu Jian drew his lips into a thin line. “Is that so? Was it Elder Wei who put you up to this, or did Ming Han hire you to take me out?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” the girl said with a laugh.

“Are both contestants ready?” The elder asked. “Bow to me. Bow to your ancestors. Bow to each other. Now… fight!”

Wu Jian’s initial plan was to fight defensively until he knew what kind of opponent he was dealing with. He preferred building strategies after he understood his enemy’s fighting style. However, the moment this battle started, he understood that simply waiting to learn more about his foe might result in his loss.

The girl was already within fighting range the moment the battle began. Just when she had closed the distance was something he didn’t know. It was almost like she had appeared before him within the blink of an eye. His reflexes saved him from her initial punch. He tilted his head to the side and smacked her hand away to further the distance between them, but a loud explosion of wind erupted from her attack, showing what kind of strength he was dealing with.

How can anyone be this strong?!

Wu Jian stumbled away from the girl, who had no intention of letting up and doggedly clung to him. She launched a swift series of punches. Each one was powerful enough to rent the air. They left aftershocks in their wake. Wu Jian stumbled back as the air pressure hit him, doing everything he physically could to not let himself fall.

Realizing that he was not dealing with an ordinary person, Wu Jian leapt back several chih, then ducked low as the girl rushed him. He raised himself up on his hands and mule kicked at his opponent, but she nimbly swerved around his attack and came at him from the side. Wu Jian was forced to roll across the ground and skip back to his feet before her kick could connect.

“You really are strong,” she said at last. “I never expected someone so much younger than me to be capable of reacting to my attacks. I’m impressed.”

“And I never expected someone from outside the clans to give me this much trouble,” Wu Jian returned. “What’s your name?”

The girl placed a finger against her lips, smiling. “Hmmm. I suppose it wouldn’t be proper for me to know your name when you don’t know mine. Very well. You can call me Yue.”

“Just Yue?”

“Yup. Just Yue.”

Yue meant “moon” in the ancient tongue. It was an oddly contradictory name. This girl with her bright hair, vibrant eyes, and outgoing personality didn’t seem to fit the name. When he thought of the moon, he imagined something enchanting, mysterious, and unobtainable. Wu Meiying resembled the moon far more than this girl.

“I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking my name doesn’t suit me at all, right? You might be right. But you might also be wrong.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Who knows.”

Wu Jian clicked his tongue. He would have said something else, but Yue quickly moved, and he was once more surprised when she appeared within his guard so fast that it was like he had blinked and missed it. He gritted his teeth, eyes widening as he raised his arms to block. A loud crack echoed around them. Pain jolted his limbs. It felt as if his forearms were about to snap like brittle twigs as he was lifted off the ground.

How is she doing that?!

As the battle progressed, Wu Jian found himself giving ground. He gritted his teeth as he tilted his head, just barely avoiding another strike, but he flinched as pain struck his cheek. A warm wetness dripped down his skin. He had been cut. Her punch was so powerful that it had created a fierce wind that cut into his cheek.

There’s no way a normal person at the Body Forging Realm can be this powerful, is there?!

Wu Jian prided himself on his strength, but even he wasn’t powerful enough to create wind blades out of thin air. That was not something a person at the Body Forging Realm could ever accomplish.

With his thoughts distracting him, Wu Jian was unable to react in time as Yue feigned a punch, then hooked her foot behind his leg and yanked. He fell to a knee, then was forced onto his back. Before he knew what was happening, Yue was straddling his torso and had his arms locked above his head.

“You’re… older than eighteen, aren’t you?” Wu Jian asked.

Yue’s eyes flashed with surprise, but then a bright and seductive smile appeared on her face. She leaned in so close that he could feel her chest press against his as she whispered in his ear, “I’d be interested in knowing how you came to that conclusion, but even if I am, so what? You have no proof.”