Chapter 77 | The Semifinal Trap

The silver chime cut into Xu Tianlong’s sleep.

His eyes opened to darkness.

Lin Yueyao lay on her left side in front of him, buried beneath the blanket with only the loose collar of her white inner robe and a spill of black hair showing. Her breathing was slow. A pale lock near her temple lay against the pillow.

Xu stayed still.

An ice-blue panel opened across his sight.

[Ding!]

[Daily Output Received]

[Lin Yueyao — Frost Essence +3]

[Xu Qing’er — Life Sap +2]

[Feng Lianzhu — Shadow Venom +2]

[Xiao Ruoxue — Lunar Veil +2]

The panel faded.

A clean chill settled into the Frost reserve. Warmth followed from Qing’er, then the quieter traces he associated with Feng and Ruoxue. None of it replaced the ordinary qi in his Qi Sea. That was still thinner than he wanted.

Beside him, Lin’s breath caught.

Xu looked down.

Her brows had drawn together. She shifted under the blanket, then stopped with a small frown. This wasn’t the sore stiffness from the night before. Her breathing tightened, and a faint coldness gathered around her instead of fading.

Lin opened her eyes.

For a moment she stared at the dark room without moving.

Then she whispered, "Tianlong."

"Mm."

"My qi..."

She sat up too quickly, winced, and ignored it. Her hand went to her lower abdomen.

Xu watched her breathing. Before sleep, every push at the boundary had broken the rhythm in the same place. This time the tension gathered, held, and moved on instead of scattering.

Lin looked at him.

"Sit on the floor," Xu said.

Lin nodded and moved before he had to repeat himself. She slipped from the bed, drew her robe closed, and lowered herself onto the bare floor beside it, the low table at her right. The folded semifinal diagram remained untouched there.

She closed her eyes.

Her first breath came uneven.

The next was steadier.

Cold qi moved through her meridians. Her shoulders tightened. A thin mist left her lips, and the qi around her body gathered instead of scattering each time it reached the same invisible wall.

Lin’s fingers curled against her knees.

Xu didn’t speak.

The pressure climbed, struck the boundary, fell back, then gathered again.

Her breath stopped.

Then something gave.

The cold around Lin sharpened for a heartbeat. Not larger. Cleaner.

Her shoulders dropped.

[Ding!]

[Genesis Harem 1 Advancement Detected]

[Lin Yueyao — Qi Condensation Layer 3 Achieved]

Lin’s eyes stayed closed.

Xu let the notification vanish and watched her finish.

The new circulation moved wider than before. It still wasn’t effortless. She had to pull her breath back under control when the current pressed too hard, then guide it around again. By the time she finally opened her eyes, the strain had left her face.

She looked at her own hands first.

Then at Xu.

"Layer 3," she said softly.

"I noticed."

Lin’s lips pressed together.

"You could sound a little more impressed."

Xu reached down and offered his hand. "Stand."

She took it.

The moment she rose, her knees softened.

Xu caught her around the waist before she could pretend otherwise.

Lin went still against him. "I’m fine."

Xu’s hand stayed braced at her side. "You’re tired."

"I’m still fine."

"Good. Then you’re resting."

Her eyes narrowed. "The semifinal is this afternoon."

"I know."

"I’m watching."

Xu looked at her.

Lin didn’t look away. After breaths, she sighed through her nose.

"After I eat and sleep."

"Better."

"Bossy."

Xu loosened his hold but kept her hand in his.

"Go back to bed, my wife."

That took the last edge out of her expression.

"Mm."

She obeyed.

Xu waited until her breathing slowed again before sitting where she had been.

His own problem was less dramatic. His ordinary qi was still low.

Xu set his breathing into the familiar rhythm of the Basic Breathing Method.

Ambient qi entered with each measured breath, threaded through his meridians, and refined toward his Qi Sea. The flow was faint but steady.

[Ding!]

[Qi Absorption Detected]

[Amplification x2 Applied]

[Cultivation Progress Accelerated]

Xu kept going.

The current thickened. It still had to pass through his meridians and settle in his Qi Sea.

When the reserve felt ready for a serious fight, he stopped.

’Enough.’

He went back to sleep.

By morning, Qing’er had already heard.

"Layer 3?" Her eyes widened over her cup. "Sister Yueyao, really?"

Lin sat beside Xu at the low breakfast table, looking far too composed for someone who had nearly folded at the knees earlier that morning.

"Really."

Qing’er’s smile came quickly. "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Qing’er lowered her cup, but her fingers paused against the rim when Xu put another piece of steamed bread into Lin’s bowl. Then she looked down and took a sip.

Xu saw it.

So did Lin.

Lin lowered her eyes to her bowl, hiding a small smile too late.

Feng, across the table, noticed that and immediately became very interested in her porridge.

Faint amusement showed in Ruoxue’s eyes.

Qing’er looked up. "Why is everyone quiet?"

"Eat," Xu said.

She blinked at him. "Young Master, I’m eating."

"Then keep doing it."

Her dimples appeared despite herself.

"Mm... yes."

Lin nudged the extra bread with her chopsticks. "And I’m not made of glass."

"I know. Eat anyway."

Feng coughed into her fist.

Lin turned her head slowly toward Xu.

He kept eating.

A beat later, she did too.

Before they left, Xu unfolded the semifinal diagram again.

The paired grooves were exactly where he remembered them. The order looked clean. Predictable.

’Too useful.’

He folded the paper again and left it on the low table.

His sword came off the north wall and settled at his left hip.

The west platform baked under the afternoon sun.

Crowd noise rolled between the stone stages, mixed with food smoke, shouted wagers, and the occasional complaint from someone who had lost both money and dignity before midday.

Xu entered from the west and stopped on his mark.

Lin sat behind the north-west rail with the others. She looked rested enough to fool anyone who hadn’t watched her cultivate.

Across from Xu stood Duan Chengyi.

The judge had announced the name before either man stepped onto the stone. Duan carried a short saber in his right hand. A black-iron plate hugged his left forearm, secured by leather straps. 6 copper studs sat along its face.

The judge glanced at the plate. "Declared at inspection. No change."

Duan rolled his saber through his fingers.

"You studied the diagram?"

"Enough."

Duan smiled. "Good. I’d hate for the paper to go to waste."

Xu’s eyes moved to the stone between them.

"You worried about paper?"

"I’m worried you’ll disappoint me."

Xu drew his sword and let the blade settle low in his right hand.

The judge raised his hand.

Duan’s smile thinned.

The judge chopped his hand down.

GONG!

Duan fed qi into the wrist plate.

A copper stud sank with a soft click.

A groove near the northern edge of the entry lane flashed dull copper and went dark immediately.

Xu moved.

His first step was shorter than his old habit wanted. His rear foot stayed loaded.

The stone tugged sideways beneath him.

Because he hadn’t thrown his whole weight forward, the pull changed his line instead of owning it.

Duan came in behind the shift.

clang!

Sword met saber.

The impact ran through Xu’s wrist and shoulder.

Duan’s qi was dense.

Xu broke contact, cut south, and reset.

Another stud clicked.

Another groove loaded.

Exactly where the diagram had said it would.

Duan followed with a low cut. Xu caught it, turned the saber aside, and gave ground only far enough to keep his rear foot free.

clang!

The next clash carried more qi.

Xu felt the difference clearly this time.

Not enough to make the match unwinnable. More than enough to punish a bad step.

Duan caught Xu’s glance and gave a short laugh. "Still like the diagram?"

Xu reset his grip. "Still talking?"

"Hah."

The 3rd groove loaded.

Then the 4th.

They matched.

The 4th groove died. Xu’s eyes stayed on the stone.

’He wants me to trust it.’

Xu pressed in anyway.

Steel crashed near the center line.

clang!

Duan’s saber carried heavier qi, but Xu’s breathing stayed level. His thighs should have been burning by then. They weren’t. Tireless Genesis Engine kept the ordinary fatigue down.

His Qi Sea wasn’t so generous.

Every reinforcement still cost him.

So he stopped wasting it.

The next exchange was shorter. A touch of steel. A short step. A retreat before the floor could decide the angle for him.

Duan’s eyes narrowed.

"Careful now."

Xu said nothing.

The final 2 grooves waited ahead.

According to the diagram, the northern groove should load first.

Duan shifted his saber high.

Click.

Xu felt the vibration through the stone. It came from the south, not the north.

’Wrong side.’

He cut the step before his center tipped past his rear leg.

The southern groove bit.

Traction snapped sideways.

Xu cut back. Duan’s saber was already crossing into the opening.

rip!

Pain burned along Xu’s left upper arm.

His sleeve opened.

A narrow line of blood followed.

"Tianlong!"

Lin’s voice cut through the crowd.

Xu was already moving.

Warmth gathered beneath the cut as Regeneration answered. The sting remained, but the bleeding slowed while he reset his sword.

Duan’s grin was gone.

"Almost."

Xu looked at the southern groove.

Then at the plate.

Then back at Duan.

"Yeah."

The last northern groove loaded a heartbeat later.

The grooves matched the paper. The order didn’t.

Duan attacked again.

Xu didn’t chase the light this time.

He felt the pulse through his feet. The vibration reached him before the traction shifted.

On the next exchange, he moved on that pulse instead of the glow.

His correction landed cleaner.

The private silver chime rang.

[Ding!]

[Combat Amplification Detected]

[Amplification x2 Applied]

[Cultivation Progress Accelerated]

On the next pulse, the correction came without the brief mental check that had slowed him before.

Duan’s stance tightened. "...Damn."

He triggered another node and came in hard.

Xu let the pulse finish beneath his lead foot.

The sideways grip released.

He entered with it.

Duan’s saber cut from Xu’s right.

Xu caught the blade close to the guard.

clang!

Steel locked.

Duan tried to muscle through with the advantage.

Xu didn’t contest the strongest line.

He turned his sword, stepped inside the saber’s arc, and smashed the pommel into Duan’s right wrist.

Duan’s fingers opened.

The saber hit stone.

clang!

Duan swore. "Shit!"

His left forearm came across immediately, formation plate aimed like a metal bar.

Xu was already too close.

His free hand caught Duan above the left elbow and turned the plate arm across Duan’s own chest. His sword slid down and controlled the right forearm before the numb hand could reach for the fallen saber.

Duan strained against the hold.

Nothing useful moved.

For a breath, they stood chest to shoulder in the middle of the dead grooves.

Then Duan barked a disbelieving laugh.

"Hah... all right. Damn it. I yield."

"Stop!" the judge called.

Xu released him immediately.

Duan rolled his right wrist and stared at the saber on the stone.

"You felt the switch."

"Late."

"Still felt it."

Xu slid the sword into the sheath at his left side. "Enough."

Duan looked at him, then laughed again, quieter this time.

"Go win the final. I want to feel less stupid."

Xu stepped off the platform.

Lin was already waiting below the rail.

Her gaze went straight to the blood on his torn sleeve.

"It’s closing," Xu said.

"I can see that."

Qing’er had come down behind her. Her eyes hovered on the cut for a moment, then on Xu’s face. "Young Master..."

"Minor."

She stopped herself from reaching for him. "Mm."

Lin touched 2 fingers to the torn cloth, not the wound.

"You got cut."

"Barely."

"Barely still bleeds."

Xu caught her hand before she could withdraw it.

"I won."

Lin’s mouth tightened, but the worry in her eyes eased.

"Yes. You did."

The judge’s voice rose behind them, confirming the semifinal result for the crowd.

Xu released Lin and looked across the tournament grounds.

Han Zhihao stood beside the next platform.

A second formation plate was strapped to his forearm.

He was already looking at Xu.