Up to now, Wu Jian had only ever fought people by giving it everything he had. Either he fought someone weaker than himself and roflstomped them, or he fought someone stronger and beat them when they made a mistake or alongside others. He wasn’t a grandstander. It just wasn’t in his nature to show off.
But that was exactly what he intended to do here.
The big question wasn’t how he would win, but how much of his abilities he should reveal.
Wu Jian didn’t want the Crimson Swords to know too much about his powers… or did he? There might be merit in revealing all of his abilities here and now, then trying to find a way to overcome whatever tricks the Crimson Swords tried to pull. In that case, the question would change to how many of his abilities would he reveal before his opponent lost?
“Would you look at that. It seems even the Lady Oracle herself has come to watch you lose,” Zhang Fengtian said with a sickening grin. “Humiliating you in front of her is going to be a lot of fun. I’ll take great pleasure in showing her just how weak you really are. She’ll never look your way again for as long as you live.”
Wu Jian sighed. “Idiot.”
“What did you say?!”
“Oh, sorry. Did I say that out loud?”
“You dare mock me?! A brat who courts death has no right to live!”
The elder looked back and forth between them, his mild mannerisms denoting how calm and collected he was. It looked like this wasn’t the first, second, or even third duel he had overseen. He looked almost bored.
“Since you both seem to be ready, let’s get started. Bow to me, now to your ancestors, and now to each other.”
Wu Jian and Zhang Fengtian did exactly as instructed. Wu Jian was actually surprised the man was willing to listen to the elder, given how arrogant he acted, but perhaps that was to be expected. This elder was stronger and of a higher status. Even an arrogant twat like Zhang Fengtian would have no choice but to bow his head.
“Now… fight!”
The elder quickly initiated the fight, and Zhang Fengtian summoned his sword and grabbed the hilt, though he did not remove it from its scabbard. His style of combat relied on the quick-draw technique, which meant his blade remained sheathed until he attacked. He stood there and glared at Wu Jian.
“What is it? You look like you have something to say,” Wu Jian said.
“Bring out your weapon. You use a greatsword, right? Hurry up and bring it out.”
“Nawww.” Wu Jian wished he wasn’t wearing his mask so Zhang Fengtian could see the mocking grin on his face. “I don’t need a weapon to defeat someone like you.”
Wu Jian had spoken to Húndàn Wang at length, and he had learned a few things about the Heavenly Sword Sect. First and foremost was what to do and not to do. You generally were not supposed to insult your opponents. Respect was supposed to always be given. Refusing to draw your sword during a competition was the biggest insult you could give to a fellow disciple because it meant you didn’t even see them as an opponent. They were so far beneath you that they may as well be a bug.
Oh. Looks like that worked.
Zhang Fengtian’s face had turned bright crimson like the name of his faction. A vein throbbed and twitched on his forehead, looking ready to explode. He was even grinding his teeth.
I kinda get why all those arrogant young masters mock people now. Seeing someone give such an exaggerated reaction is fun.
“You… you damn… little shit!!! I’LL KILL YOU!!!”
Zhang Fengtian rushed forward. He was fast. Well, he was decently fast. Wu Jian thought he was kinda slow, but it was all relative. He recognized that Zhang Fengtian was actually faster than the average cultivator at the same level, but he still moved slowly to Wu Jian’s eyes.
It didn’t take too long before Zhang Fengtian was right before him, crimson lightning dancing across his scabbard and hilt. This must have been where his faction’s name came from. Wu Jian initially thought they all used a fire element, but they actually had a secret technique that made the lightning they harnessed red. It was not something that could ever be found in nature.
[Crimson Draw]
The blade was unsheathed from its scabbard and traveled in a straight line for Wu Jian’s throat. He was sure an attack like this would have decapitated a normal person. Wu Jian lifted his hand and, as the sword came close, he closed his thumb and index finger on the blade, catching the sword before it could cleave through his neck.
“W-what…?!”
Zhang Fengtian’s face morphed, growing ugly as his eyes bulged from their sockets and his mouth hung open. The quick-draw style of swordsmanship was meant to be used as a one-hit kill method of attack. Once the blade was removed from its scabbard, it became harder to use the Crimson Sword Techniques since they relied on the sword being sheathed to increase the speed of their swings.
“Is that… all you’ve got?” asked Wu Jian seriously. He was confused, baffled. Of course, he didn’t expect this man to be very good, but he had expected him to be better than this.
Zhang Fengtian snarled as he yanked on his sword. “Let… go! Let… goo--aaaah!”
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Wu Jian let go after letting the man struggle for a while. Zhang Fengtian stumbled backward. Wu Jian could have gone after him, but he didn’t. Letting him regain his footing was, in fact, a bigger insult than attacking while he was offbalance. It was the same as saying that it didn’t matter whether Zhang Fengtian was ready or not; he still would not be able to beat Wu Jian.
“I heard you were the lowest on the totem pole in terms of status within the Crimson Swords, but I didn’t think you’d be so weak. Are the Crimson Swords maybe just a really weak faction?” Wu Jian wondered out loud, speaking in a voice that clearly reached the entire arena.
Zhang Fengtian snarled as he stood up, face red with embarrassment and shame. He sheathed his sword again.
“I’m going to make you regret ever talking down to me!!”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll try.”
“Bastard!! Take this!!!”
[Crimson Draw]
Zhang Fengtian used the same technique as last time, drawing his blade in an arch of crimson lightning.
[Nihility]
Since he blocked last time, Wu Jian decided to avoid the attack this time, though he did so by using his skill. His body phased out of this world’s boundary, entering a space nobody else could touch. He was still visible. However, only someone who used more chi than he did would be able to break this technique and attack him, as evidenced by the sword phasing through his body like he was a ghost.
“What the--?! What is going on?!”
Zhang Fengtian looked shocked.
***
Wu Meiying almost giggled when she saw how everyone reacted to Wu Jian’s technique. Shock was the predominant emotion on people’s faces right now. Their eyes were wide, their mouths agape, and their faces pale. Only a few of the stronger disciples were reacting with something other than surprise. Their eyes were narrowed as they tried to analyze the skill Wu Jian was using.
I doubt any of them will figure it out.
Space manipulation was rare enough that most people had never heard of it. Only those at a much higher cultivation or who had been introduced to the concept already would recognize Wu Jian’s technique for what it was.
“He’s mocking Zhang Fengtian,” Zhe Fēnglì said with a grimace.
Wu Meiying glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “You don’t approve?”
“I can’t say that I do. It’s disrespectful.”
Shrugging, Wu Meiying continued to pet Youmei’s head. “Zhang Fengtian is an arrogant fool who picked a fight with someone way stronger than him. Jian Wu has better things to do with his time than waste it on someone who’s strength barely reaches into the upper echelons of power among the inner court disciples. That man needs to be humbled.”
“… You can be quite harsh, can’t you?” Zhe Fēnglì eyed her. “It’s my first time seeing you talk like this.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Youmei. “Big Sister is--mph?!”
“I can be harsh when I believe it is warranted,” Wu Meiying said with a smile, her hand covering Youmei’s mouth. This child had no filter. Honestly, Wu Meiying felt like she should have seen this coming. When she saw the look on Zhe Fēnglì’s face, she smiled. “Are you disappointed to find out that I’m not as honorable as you think?”
“…No. Of course not.”
Liar. Do you think you can hide your thoughts from me?
Zhe Fēnglì was an honorable man through and through. He would never mock an opponent during a duel for any reason. That and his good looks were what made him so popular among the women in this sect, but Wu Meiying preferred someone who was more grounded in reality. Wu Jian was one such person. Every iteration of him had the same grounded principals. He was kind and had his pride, and he knew how to treat people with honor and respect, but he was flexible as well. Honor didn’t mean as much to him as people. He would forsake it if that was what it took to protect the people he cherished.
She looked back at Wu Jian. His battle had already been decided. At this point, he was merely prolonging it to bring greater shame to Zhang Fengtian and, more importantly, to the Crimson Swords.
I wonder how they’ll react after this battle is over…
***
Wu Jian was bored. He didn’t think he would ever feel this way during a competition, but that was exactly how he felt, standing there as he let this man attack him over and over again. Thee sword past through his body like he was a ghost, a mirage. Meanwhile, the look of mounting frustration continued to grow on Zhang Fengtian’s face.
“Why! Can’t! I! Hit! You!”
“Because you suck?”
“SHUT UP!”
Despite how much he mocked this man, Wu Jian took no real pleasure in it. Sure, it was amusing to watch the man get angry, but mocking others wasn’t something he actively enjoyed. This was merely necessary for him to rile up the Crimson Swords.
I think I’ve done enough damage here. If the Crimson Swords aren’t going to come for my head after this, nothing I do will work.
Wu Jian waited until Zhang Fengtian swung his sword one more time. When it phased through his body, he slid his dominant foot back, bent his knees, and drew a fist into his chest. He twisted his entire torso as he launched a punch with enough strength to shatter boulders. His attack slammed into Zhang Fengtian’s side, the loud sonic boom drowning out the sounds of his opponent’s screams. Zhang Fengtian was launched off the stage and into the arena wall. Wu Jian was impressed when the wall withstood the attack without so much as a scratch. It must have been made of a special material.
When Zhang Fengtian slid to the ground, Wu Jian turned to the elder overseeing the duel. It was the first time he had seen this man look so shocked. The elder was staring at Wu Jian like he had grown an extra head
“Are you going to call the match?”
The elder blinked several times, then shook his head and raised a hand.
“The winner of this match is… Jian Wu!”
Nobody in the audience clapped for him. None of them looked like they knew what to think. Wu Jian understood how they felt. An arrogant young man had challenged a member of the Crimson Swords and humiliated him. The amount of disrespect Wu Jian had shown to his opponent was anathema to most of the people here. Of course, Zhang Fengtian was not much better. Wu Jian had heard plenty of rumors about how this man operated. However, he had the backing of a powerful faction, which allowed him to get away with more than a newcomer like Wu Jian.
Well… it’s not like it matters. I accomplished my goal.
Wu Jian watched as the elder ordered a pair of medics to carry Zhang Fengtian on a stretcher, then glanced at the crowd in the stands. He spotted several people wearing robes with crimson lining the hem. Each one held a sword similar to Zhang Fengtian’s. They were members of the Crimson Swords. Wu Jian was sure they would report what happened today to their leader, and then their leader would send someone powerful to pick a fight with Wu Jian. Maybe the leader himself would even challenge Wu Jian, though that seemed unlikely. Leaders only ever fought after everyone else had been defeated.
Well, I’m sure they’ll come after me now, so that’s mission accomplished.
Wu Jian called for Youmei, who detached herself from Wu Meiying and quickly leapt onto the arena floor, then left for his place. Tomorrow was a new day, and he would need to be ready for it.