Below, the five peaks laid out before them. With his enhanced third-stage eyes, Hui could make out ribbons and banners strung along the road. Lanterns bobbled around the paths, dancing in the wind. Cultivators in their cleanest, purest-white robes darted to and fro, cleaning, setting up decorations, or otherwise busy.

“The sect is preparing for the Intersect Tournament. Once every hundred years, we hold a tournament, and this is our turn to host. The three sects we have alliances with, Silken Heart Sect, Azure Fang Sect, and Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect, will transport their disciples to our sect for the tournament.”

“A… a tournament?” Hui asked. His heart stuttered. This small disciple isn’t a fighter! I can’t possibly enter the tournament. “Master, I—”

“Unfortunately, I was cultivating during my first iteration of this tournament, and am now too powerful. However, as Peak Lord of Unrivaled Under Heavens Peak, I am entitled to enter my disciples into the tournament. You will enter.”

“This small disciple—”

“If I enter you officially into the tournament before the Sect Master realizes you’re back, he can’t throw you into forced seclusion without Starbound Sect losing face in front of our three allies.”

Hui paused. I don’t want to go back in the cave for the next ninety-seven years. But on the other hand, I might die in the tournament! One duel was already too much for this small disciple, okay? I almost died for real! A whole tournament?

A whole tourna… wait.

“Master, this tournament… is it… to the death?” Hui probed.

Weiheng Wu narrowed his eyes at Hui. Hui caught his breath. Shit. It’s a stupid question, isn’t it? It’s obvious. In a cultivation world, of course a tournament is to the death, it’s—

“Naturally not. Our sects have good relations with each other, and want to remain that way. If we murder each others’ best disciples, how will that help our relations? The tournament is a fight until defeat, not death.”

“Oh,” Hui said, blinking.

“You might get hurt, yes, and occasionally deaths happen, but they are not intentional,” Weiheng Wu continued.

“Enroll me in the tournament, Master,” Hui said boldly. It isn’t to the death, so who cares? I don’t like pain, but I don’t like getting stuck in a dark cave for almost a hundred years even more. I’ll take a bit of momentary pain over forced seclusion! I’m confident enough in my own ability to fake death that I shouldn’t come close to dying in a tournament, not when they aren’t actively trying to kill me.

Actually, come to think of it… isn’t this a good chance to prove my might to my fellows in my generation without having to face death in a real fight? This is ideal! If I impress upon everyone around me how powerful I am, then no one will dare pick a fight with me! Then I don’t have to risk death or play dead at all!

Now the question is, how to best rend everyone’s hearts so no one dares fight me in the future?

Especially since I’m not actually very strong in a direct fight…

Weiheng Wu nodded, pleased with his disciple. “The other sects should be arriving any moment now. We’ll blend with them and get you registered for a fight on the very first day, so it’s too late for the Sect Master to put you into forced seclusion once he realizes.”

“Eh, today?” Hui asked, startled. My plan to rend everyone’s hearts…

“Today, or forced seclusion,” Weiheng Wu reminded him.

It’s fine! I’ll start my heart-rending plan from my second battle. An ordinary victory is good enough for the first one, or even an average defeat. I can rend everyone’s hearts after that. “This disciple obeys, Master.”

“Mmm. Stick near me for now. I can mask your aura from the Sect Master as long as you’re close enough.”

Hui scooted closer to Weiheng Wu, even on the sword.

Suddenly, a streak raced past them. Hui blinked and stared, and barely made out a sword-mounted cultivator in blue. Chasing after the first cultivator, dozens of other blue-robed cultivators swooped down, each one carrying a disciple on their sword, though some rode giant, mystical beasts instead of swords. A pretty young woman about his age with short, wavy hair rode a large navy blue wolf with three silver horns. A man stood atop a huge swan, its white feathers traced with gold. A pair of siblings, the boy older than the girl, rode a flying stallion together, its long tail streaked with feathers.

Azure Fang, Hui guessed. He searched the faces as they passed, seeking out the five cultivators who’d been at the Bai clan’s banquet, but they flashed by too quickly for him to make out.

“It is time,” Weiheng Wu declared, and descended toward Starbound Peak.

As they descended, the two other sects appeared. Dressed in flashy silks, usually with a streak of gold somewhere around the belt of their robes, a gaudy group of cultivators descended toward the peak on an enormous, bejeweled flying ship, its sides gilded, its mast carved of jade. Silk sails billowed atop the ship, doing nothing to propel it onward.

Silk Heart, Hui decided. His brows furrowed. I did kind of assume it from the name, but… is it seriously a full sect of silkpants cultivators? How does it even survive? I guess some people must be both rich and talented, but…

Finally, the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect, in their green robes, made up the rearguard. Hui swiveled on his master’s sword, searching for familiar faces. One of the girls he’d seen in the secret realm, who’d mostly watched and taunted the triplets, caught his eye and waved, and he waved back. They aren’t all bad.

“What? He’s here?”

“Duh. White robes, idiot.”

“White… robes?”

“They were white in the secret realm.”

“Oh hey, it’s that kid. Did you lay Bai Xue yet? Please, tell me you did. I’ll cry otherwise. You can’t snatch our prize and not eat it, that’s not fair.”

The other two triplets rounded on the third.

“Short!”

“Sentences!”

Hui stuck his tongue out at the triplets. “You all survived? I thought I got one of you.”

“No luck for you.”

“We’re too strong.”

The third one sighed. “It was touch and go for a while there, but once they fished out the flint, he healed. He’s got a massive scar, though.”

The first two turned to the third again. He raised his hands in defense. “Short sentences, got it.”

“Is it just me, or are you wordier than before?” Hui asked, squinting.

The third shrugged. “Second, after wound, many change.”

The first two nodded approvingly. The third rolled his eyes at their backs.

“I’ll enjoy taking you three down in the tournament,” Hui smirked.

“Fat chance, second st…” The first’s eyes went wide.

Weiheng Wu descended, preventing Hui from taunting them any further. He grinned at them as he vanished, tossing a jaunty wave behind him.

As soon as they’d descended out of the triplets’ sight, Hui shivered. Fuck. I really don’t have anything to beat the triplets. Wounding one was a stroke of luck, and though I’m now a third-stage cultivator, I’m really not a fighter. Certainly not one who’s confident enough to take on three opponents at the same time. I hope I’m not matched up against them.

The Peak Lord of Jade Garden Peak, Cao Liang, the same man who’d welcomed him to the sect in the first place, flew up from Starbound Peak and greeted them with a shallow bow. “Welcome to Starbound Sect. Please, honored guests, pause here a moment to hear our sect’s rules…”

Weiheng Wu and the Azure Fang cultivators blazed past. Some of the Mysterious Heavenly Forest disciples started to slip by, only to get chastised back into place by their masters. Trapped in their large boat, the Silk Heart cultivators had no option but to pause and listen, but the massive sigh and the dramatic flopping that happened on deck gave Hui a hint as to how much listening would take place.

Ah, the sect rules… I haven’t listened to you yet, and you won’t get this small disciple today! Hui leaned close to his master’s back and turned away, mindful that Cao Liang might recognize his face. Hmm, but wait… maybe there’s rules about ducks? Rules that… could have helpd me?

As long as Cao Liang likes to lecture, it isn’t worth it! But I should probably stop by the sect library and look up the rules at some point. Or would that be the administration building?

Wait, but then I’d have to risk my little life to learn the rules. Hmm… yes, as I thought. Not worth it.

Sis Mei’s congee, on the other hand… Hui licked his lips.

Weiheng Wu drew close to the ground and hopped off his sword. Hui followed his lead, landing in the administrative square with his master. The Azure Fang disciples crowded toward a set of tables set up in the middle of the square, a banner labeled Registration hanging over it. Weiheng Wu, ignoring them, marched directly to the front of the line with an authoritative air. As one of the attendants finished with an Azure Fang disciple, Weiheng Wu stepped up and took their place, casually cutting in line.

“Er, Master,” Hui started.

Weiheng Wu raised his hand. “I would like to register my disciple.”

“Registration for internal disciples ended a wee—Weiheng Wu? You’ve descended? Wait—your disciple is… he should be…” The attendant squinted past Weiheng Wu at Hui, who gave her a small bow.

“Is there a problem?” Weiheng Wu asked.

The attendant glanced at Hui, then over her shoulder, up at the peak’s summit. “The Sect Master hasn’t descended… I suppose it’s fine?”

Weiheng Wu gave a short nod.

He only hasn’t descended because Master is masking my aura… ah, elder sister, please don’t let that small detail bother you, Hui whispered in his heart.

“Then, let me register Weiheng Hui. Please step forward and offer your hand,” the attendant requested.

Hui did as she requested.

She put her finger on the back of his hand and fed a drop of qi inside. It burned for a moment, then turned into a silvery circle. “For the duration of the tournament, this qi marker will spell your opponent’s name, once you are properly matched. As the tournament progresses, the marker will automatically update your opponent’s name. If it vanishes, you have been eliminated.”

“Understood,” Hui replied, nodding.

“Please do not attempt to kill your fellow disciples. Improper behavior in the ring will be interpreted as a forfeit, and elder cultivators will not hesitate to step in. Represent your sect with dignity and uprightness, as a righteous cultivator ought to.” The attendant cupped her hands at them.

Hui cupped his back, while his master swept off, mindless. Hui scurried to catch up with him, afraid of getting too far away. Glancing back at the Azure Fang cultivators, he asked, “Are the barriers down for the tournament?”

“They have been recalibrated. The external barrier allows cultivators from the sects which are participating in the tournament in, but once inside, they are restricted to Starbound Peak, and should not be able to leave this peak,” Weiheng Wu replied.

Hui nodded. Makes sense.

Weiheng Wu glanced at Hui’s hand. “Has your opponent been decided?”

Hui looked at his hand as well. A silvery circle stared back at him, not a name at all. “Not yet.”

“Mmm. You must display your training and skills in the tournament. Remember, your performance reflects upon me.”

Reflects upon you how, Master? What have you taught me? Externally, Hui smiled and cupped his hands. “This disciple understands.”

“Additionally, a good performance may convince the Sect Master to release you from your seclusion.”

Hui nodded. Now that’s worth fighting for.

Weiheng Wu started to walk away. Hui followed at his heels, worried he’d get too far. This is the most critical juncture. I can’t afford to have the Sect Master sense me now.

“What are you doing?” Weiheng Wu asked.

“Sticking close, as Master ordered,” Hui replied.

Weiheng Wu waved his hand dismissively. “Within this plaza is close enough. Go socialize with the Azure Fang disciples. This tournament is as much to strengthen our alliances as to test each others’ strength.”

“And you, Master?” Hui queried.

“I have some errands to attend to. When I finish them, I’ll return to the peak with you.” With that, Weiheng Wu strode away, black hair flying.

Master isn’t socializing? Is he aware of his own weaknesses, or is this simply a symptom of his genius-disease? Hui put a hand on his chin, thoughtful.