The first team to arrive on the platform was not them.

Xaio Shui and his four followers each stepped off the platform and walked down, though it was perhaps disingenuous to say they “walked.” What did they was walk on air. Golden platforms like small halos appeared underneath their feet as they slowly walked down as though they were descending a flight of stairs. They moved in perfect sync, making it clear they had rehearsed this.

Their act also had an effect on the crowd. Everyone in the stands had grown completely silent. Wu Jian could understand why. There was something majestic and imposing about the way they walked, and the aura they exuded was powerful and overbearing. It was the kind of aura that forced others to stop what they were doing and pay attention.

The group soon landed on the platform, then turned to look at him and Mei Xilan in the competitors booth. Xaio Shui was smirking.

“I feel like he’s challenging us,” Wu Jian muttered.

“We have no need to play his game,” Mei Xilan said in a cold voice, though her shaking hands betrayed her nerves.

“Then let’s go,” said Wu Jian.

Mei Xilan and Wu Jian leapt out of the competitor’s booth at the same time. Because he was not in the headspace to put on a show, Wu Jian simply landed on the ground without any fanfair. On the other hand, Mei Xilan froze the air before her and walked on ice crystals. She looked impressive. The air around her had frozen over and tiny ice crystals gathered around her, shimmering in the light. A larger crystal appeared beneath her feet with each tiny step she took. She soon set down on the platform beside him and turned to face Team Sui.

Team Sui was made up of all men. Not a single woman stood among them. Except for Xaio Shui, they all looked like monks. They were completely bald, heads shining like a glass marble. The robes they wore were bright gold like the sun. Of course, these men were not monks. The Sui Kingdom was a ruled by a religious order, and the people here were a part of that order.

“Wu Jian…” Mei Xilan said after a moment.

“Hmm?” He turned to her.

Mei Xilan’s face was set in a hard glare. “I would like to fight Xaio Shui on my own.”

Pausing to really consider the woman beside him, Wu Jian realized that her feelings were not one of nervousness--or at least, not fully. He still didn’t know what was going on between her and the Sui Kingdom, but he understood her feelings somehow. She wanted to fight this man to overcome whatever was causing her stress. Perhaps this was her way of moving on.

“All right,” he said. “Leave the other four to me.”

“You have my thanks.”

“Are both teams ready?” asked Huǒ Yan.

“I am ready,” Xaio Shui said with a grin.

“So are we,” Wu Jian said.

“Very good. Now bow to me, bow to your ancestors, bow to each other. Very good. Then let the match between Team Sui and Team Shang… begin!”

Huǒ Yan raised his hand and chopped it down to signal the start of the match. Wu Jian didn’t hesitate. He blasted off the moment the match began, summoning Pale Moon from his storage ring as he closed in on his first target. The man in question was a bit chubbier than the others. He believed this man’s name was Cai Lou. Wu Jian had studied the people in this group because of Mei Xilan, so he was certain he was right.

Cai Lou raised his hand to try and block Wu Jian, who had raised his sword as though to bring it down. Wu Jian grinned behind his mask as the man left his flank wide open.

[Spatial Lock]

He let go of Pale Moon, which continued hovering in the air, and dropped into a stance with a lower center of gravity. The man was still looking at Pale Moon as though expecting it to follow. He didn’t even notice what had happened yet. Time seemed to slow down for Wu Jian as he tucked his elbows into his torso and took a deep breath.

“Look out, Xai Lou!!”

So his name is Xai Lou and not Cai Lou? I got it wrong…

Well, whatever.

Xai Lou had only just realized what was happening because of his comrade’s warning. He was unable to do anything as Wu Jian struck him with a double palm. A loud clapping sound that echoed from where he struck. Wu Jian could see the way Xai Lou’s sides distorted as he hit them. Then a snapping sound echoed around them as the man’s ribcage fractured. Time had seemed to slow down for Wu Jian, but it quickly sped back up, and the man he struck was blasted off his feet. He had made sure to aim so his opponent would strike one of his comrades, but the man he aimed at dodged the human projectile and Xai Lou was sent clear out of the arena.

Tch. Oh, well.

[Spatial Severing]

Since his attempt at turning a man into a projectile had failed, Wu Jian grabbed Pale Moon and swung it. He was nowhere near his opponents, but several pitch black blades of torn space erupted from his sword and flew toward the remaining three, forcing them to split up.

[Space Lock]

Before the men had time to retaliate, Wu Jian reached out with a hand and closed it into a fist as though to grab them. Time distorted around the trio and they quickly found themselves locked in place. One of those unfortunate souls had frozen midleap, so he just hung in the air with a confused look on his face.

That was who Wu Jian went for next.

He appeared before the man in a burst of speed, already swinging Pale Moon. He deactivated the spatial lock a second before he smacked the mat with the flat side of his sword. A loud bang like an explosion was followed by a scream as the man was ejected from the arena. Wu Jian forgot to control his strength this time, so the man slammed headfirst into the arena wall, where it became embedded.

Shit. I hope he’s not dead. I don’t wanna be disqualified.

There were two more left. Wu Jian turned around to look at both men, who froze the moment he locked eyes with them. Impaling Pale Moon into the ground, he cracked his knuckles and grinned. This ass whooping was just what he needed to take his mind off last night’s heavy conversation.

“Are you two gonna attack, or do you want me to come to you?” he asked.

The pair looked at each other, then activated their glowing fists. They charged at him. Wu Jian took a deep breath, then grabbed Pale Moon just as the pair reached him, and swung his sword with all his mind. Wind tore at the duo, shredding their clothes and launching them out of the arena. They struck the ground hard and skidded across the dirt surrounding the platform. The pair didn’t even seem to notice they were butt naked until after they stood up and sensed the breeze. Wu Jian chuckled as the pair tried to cover their dangly bits. The audience also laughed, which made him feel a little better to.

Now to see how Mei Xilan is fairing.

With his own opponents beaten, Wu Jian turned to the fight between Mei Xilan and Xaio Shui.

***

[Ice Phoenix Lotus]

Mei Xilan held out her hands as though to push something away. A beautiful lotus nearly as tall as her and twice as wide sprang into existence before her, tilting like a shield to fend of Xaio Shui, who came at her with a straightfoward assault. His glowing golden fist slammed into the lotus. Loud hissing erupted as steam filled the air. Mei Xilan narrowed her eyes. She didn’t have enough chi to keep up this defense against someone like him.

The Undying Sun Sect’s cultivation method was called Heavenly Rotating Sun Cultivation Method. It was a pretentious name, derived from their usage of sunlight to gather and channel chi. What made this cultivation method so formidable was how its users could use chi that was not their own to launch techniques. They could rely on chi gathered from the sun to create an attack, which granted them an almost inexhaustible supply of power. The golden glow emitting from their hands was a combination of their own chi mixed with what was typically referred to as Sun Chi.

Mei Xilan leapt backward and ceased using her technique to avoid wasting more chi. Xaio Shui stumbled forward as the weight he was pressing against vanished. She raised her hand, fingers splayed, and wove more chi into her next attack.

[Ice Briar]

Numerous vines made of ice burst from the ground and surrounded Xaio Shui. This was one of her teacher’s attacks. They latched onto their opponents, wrapping around them, binding them, and then, finally, freezing them solid. She did not have enough chi to freeze someone and it was possible to escape by overwhelming her technique with more chi, but it was a powerful technique that could freeze even the strongest opponents.

“Do you really think a pitiful technique like this can beat me?” roared Xaio Shui. He threw out his fists so fast they became literal blurs of motion. Mei Xilan couldn’t even see them anymore. However, everytime he lashed out, one of her briars was destroyed. He was demolishing them faster than she could create them.

But that was okay.

This wasn’t her real attack.

Mei Xilan had been gathering chi for her real attack, and after Xaio Shui finished destroying her technique, she was ready to launch it. Her chi swelled up within her. Xaio Shui turned just as she expelled the chi through the proper meridians.

[Greater Ice Phoenix]

Ice Phoenix techniques were her signature techniques that she learned after inheriting her cultivation method. She was the only person who could use them, far as she knew, and they were very powerful.

A song bird’s cry echoed around the platform as ice gathered rapidly above her, taking the shape of a powerful ice blue bird with glorious plumage and beautiful tail feathers. The ice phoenix had white eyes that glared balefully at Xaio Shui. It released another loud caw before charging toward him.

“You’re stupid ice bird won’t save you from me!!!”

[Undying Sun]

Xaio Shui gathered chi into his hand, releasing it in a way she had never seen before. Mei Xilan had a great sense for chi. It looked like the flow and circulation was being channeled through his body to create the image of a sun inside of him. She was wary, but still thought she was prepared.

She wasn’t.

A single punch was all it took. Xaio Shui launched a massive beam of golden energy from his fist, which struck her ice phoenix and melted clean through. Mei Xilan was forced to scramble out of the way when the attack continued on. That attack would have surely killed her if she hadn’t moved.

Xaio Shui rushed forward instead of attacking from a distance. He must not have been able to use that attack too many times. Mei Xilan raised her hand as she raced backward.

[Ice Pillars]

Seven ice pillars rose from the ground and surrounded Xaio Shui. She thought that would give her enough time to move, but golden flames burst from Xaio Shui and her ice pillars melted away in seconds. Was this the difference between someone at the Human Limit Realm and someone at the Deva Realm? Just how much more chi did he have than her?!

[Ice Lotus]

Mei Xilan created several lotus and fired them at Xaio Shui, but he took them all head on without flinching. The flames from his golden hands caused all of her attacks to burst into a hiss of steam.

This is not good. Should I use my domain? No, he’s at the Deva Realm. He has a domain of his own that he can counter with and it’s bound to be more powerful than mine. The only reason he’s not using it now is because he doesn’t think he needs it.

Xaio Shui was as arrogant as his master. She could see it in his actions, in the way he carried himself, in how he leisurely strolled toward her as she threw everything at him. He thought she wasn’t worth his time. She was like a bug that he could step on whenever he wanted, but he resisted so he could enjoy toying with her for a little longer.

She hated him.

I’ll only get one shot at this and it won’t be for very long. I need to make this moment count.

And so she fought Xaio Shui without using her domain, throwing ice lotuses and phoenixes at him. Erecting shields, creating fog, and scating around the arena to avoid being cornered. Xaio Shui’s expression was starting to stiffen as he fended off her attacks. Mei Xilan kept her focus on him, watching, waiting. She had to also make sure she had enough chi leftover for her final attack. That would decide the victory.

Her moment came eventually after Xaio Shui attacked her with an energy wave. He swept out his arm, flames spewing from it in a sweeping motion that she couldn’t dodge. Just before it touched her, however, the flames froze.

The ground became covered in ice.

Frost filled the air.

A bird song echoed around them.

Even Xaio Shui’s golden flames turned into solid blocks of ice.

In the center of it all stood Mei Xilan, her pure white hair swaying in the breeze, frost expelling from her mouth with every breath. It felt like she had become the center of a frozen world.

[Ice Phoenix Domain]