Chapter 414 - 216: Affectation and Solitude (2)

Chapter 414: Chapter 216: Affectation and Solitude (2)

A few of the elders seemed to want to step forward and intervene, but Ge Yunhai stopped them.

Lin Xiyun stumbled forward, nearly falling to his knees. He didn’t look back, because he knew Shi Zheng’s next strike was already on its way.

He gritted his teeth and summoned a final Thick Earth Shield. The blade struck it, and the shield’s surface cracked on impact.

Then came the second strike, the third...

Each strike tore through his crumbling defenses. Each strike closed in on his body. He no longer had the strength to conjure his Golden Stream, Fiery Rain. He didn’t even have the strength to think. He just blocked, one strike after another.

Then, the seventh strike shattered the last wisp of his barrier. The blade stopped three inches from the space between his eyebrows. On the edge of the wide-bladed short sword were a few drops of blood that had spattered from Lin Xiyun’s side, now trickling down its spine.

Lin Xiyun stared at the blade hovering before his brow, at the few drops of his own blood on its edge. He lowered the Myriad Phenomena Celestial Disc in his hands. The five-colored Crystal Stone at the center of the Compass had gone dim.

"...I’ve lost."

His voice was quiet. He still hadn’t used his killing move.

Shi Zheng sheathed his sword and walked back to the Beixuan Sect’s seating area. The Five-Colored Sparrow flew from the back of a chair and landed on his shoulder, gently pecking at his ear.

Wu Qing opened her eyes and looked at him. Shi Zheng said nothing. He took a cloth from his waist and began to wipe the blood from his blade.

Qin Huaiming stepped onto the tournament stage and announced, "Match Six, Shi Zheng of the Beixuan Sect is the victor."

Lin Xiyun walked back to the Yunji seating area. The wound on his side was still seeping blood, staining half his lapel a dark red. He didn’t tend to it immediately, instead placing the Myriad Phenomena Celestial Disc flat on his lap. He lowered his head, silently staring at a scratch on the Compass’s edge that he had made that morning.

Leng Zhi glanced at him, then took a Cyan Wood Talisman from her sleeve and placed it by his hand.

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

He slapped the rune paper onto his wound. A flash of emerald light flared and then died out.

At that moment, the elders of the Three Sects walked onto the stage together.

Lei Yue walked in the lead, with Ge Yunhai and Qin Huaiming flanking him. The three of them stopped at the center of the stage. Lei Yue, being the most senior, spoke: "That concludes today’s matches. The remaining bouts will begin tomorrow at nine o’clock."

After speaking, he turned and left the stage.

Gu You stretched lazily and stood up. "Let’s go, let’s go." He casually slapped the back of Sun Chen’s chair. "What are you spacing out for? Go back and meditate to recover."

Sun Chen stood up without a word.

Yang Wenqing followed, holding Lan Ying. The little one was resting in the crook of his arm, her sapphire-blue eyes half-closed. She occasionally nuzzled his sleeve. ’The day-long tournament must have forced her to concentrate too hard,’ he thought.

After the group had put some distance between themselves and the other two sects, Qin Huaiming suddenly spoke. "Wenqing."

"Yes, Master."

Qin Huaiming didn’t turn around. He said, "Tomorrow’s first match. You will fight Shi Zheng."

Yang Wenqing answered without breaking his stride, "Yes."

Qin Huaiming said no more. He didn’t give any tactical advice, didn’t analyze the opponent, and didn’t offer any words of caution.

For once, Gu You didn’t crack a joke. He just shot his martial nephew a sidelong glance, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

Yang Wenqing lowered his gaze. ’I understand Master’s meaning,’ he thought. ’For tomorrow’s match, he won’t be making the decision for me.’

By the time the group returned to the empty pavilion that served as the Xuanyue Sect’s residence, night had completely fallen over the sea.

Li Ping stood just inside the main gate, hands by his sides. Seeing the group enter, he immediately came forward to greet them. His posture was deferential, his gaze fixed on the ground three paces ahead—neither overly fawning nor the least bit impolite.

"Director Qin, Elder Gu." He greeted the two seniors first. His "Captain Sun," when he turned to Sun Chen, sounded perfectly natural. He then faced Yang Wenqing. "Director Yang."

He didn’t ask about the tournament results. Instead, after Qin Huaiming was seated, he silently took the teacup offered by an attendant, tested its temperature, and then presented it with both hands onto the low table. His movements were fluid and practiced, as if he had been born to do this one thing.

Yang Wenqing watched Li Ping, thinking, ’So this is the kind of shrewd professional honed by the General Bureau’s Archives Department.’

Qin Huaiming took a sip of tea and said to Sun Chen and Yang Wenqing, "Go and regulate your energies. You still have matches tomorrow."

The two of them replied in unison, "Yes."

Then Yang Wenqing picked up Lan Ying and walked toward the stairs side-by-side with Sun Chen. The little fox hopped along behind them, and Li Ping followed behind them all.

The spirit lamps in the second-floor hallway were already lit. Yang Wenqing walked to the door of his room and was about to push it open when—

"Junior Brother Yang."

Sun Chen’s voice came from behind him.

Yang Wenqing turned his head. Sun Chen was standing in front of the adjacent room’s door, one hand resting on it but not pushing it open. His eyes were downcast, as if he were carefully considering something.

Yang Wenqing didn’t rush him.

After a few breaths, Sun Chen looked up and asked, "Would you like to have a cup of tea together?"

Yang Wenqing was taken aback.

Li Ping was also stunned. He had followed Sun Chen for seven years, and in all that time, he had never seen Captain Sun take the initiative to invite anyone for tea. He looked at the hand hanging at Sun Chen’s side. It was unconsciously clutching his sleeve, twisting the fabric into fine creases.

He was suddenly in a daze.

For the first time in seven years, he saw Captain Sun look nervous.

Yang Wenqing looked at Sun Chen, then nodded and replied, "Alright."

Sun Chen released his sleeve and instructed Li Ping, who was behind him, "Go prepare some tea and snacks."

"Yes."

Li Ping acknowledged the order and turned to make the preparations.

Sun Chen then led Yang Wenqing into the room. Lan Ying poked her little head out from the crook of Yang Wenqing’s arm, her sapphire-blue eyes blinking a few times. As Yang Wenqing sat down, he placed Lan Ying on his lap.

Sun Chen had already taken a seat in his usual posture, hands placed primly on his knees. Just then, Li Ping came in and set up a tea table, cups, a teapot, a stove, and other items in the middle of the cloud bed.