Chapter 163 — The Draw of Sixteen

CHAPTER 163

The Draw of Sixteen

“Trial rank seventeen, Cen Ruchen,” Lu Yong announced. “Step forward.”

A young swordsman in dark blue robes walked through the waiting candidates. His late Foundation Establishment aura was carefully restrained, but he couldn't hide his excitement.

The previous evening, seventeenth place meant going home. This morning, Ling Qingzhu's withdrawal left a place in the main bracket.

Cen Ruchen didn't need anyone to explain how valuable that was.

Lu Yong checked the swordsman's plate against the trial list. Then he turned toward the stands.

“The replacement rule was announced before the trials,” Lu Yong said. “Cen Ruchen takes the withdrawn place. He enters under the same rules as everyone else.”

A few spectators looked toward the empty section beneath Great Liang's banner. Rumours about Hundred Flower Valley's early offer were already spreading through Qingyun City.

Shi Feng stood beside the passage and watched the official hand over the new token. He didn't look for a white veil among the candidates.

She'd left.

Knowing that didn't stop him noticing the space where she usually stood.

He thought, Look at the board. The carriage isn't coming back because I stare at an empty seat.

Duan Yichen approached with his heavy sabre resting against his shoulder. His expression was unusually cheerful for someone who spent the morning waiting to learn his next opponent.

“Sixteen people left,” Duan Yichen said. “Now nobody can complain about fighting a nobody.”

“They'll find another complaint,” Shi Feng replied.

“True,” Duan Yichen said. “I heard one man blame his boots for the Pressure Stair.”

“Did they climb without him?” Shi Feng asked.

Duan Yichen laughed. He stopped beside Shi Feng without asking whether a kingdom's third qualifier deserved the company. After the trials, such questions sounded especially foolish.

Sima Lan waited a short distance away. She wore Moon Lake Sect robes, and her late Foundation Establishment qi remained steady beneath them. The princess's trial token carried the sixteenth position.

She qualified before Ling Qingzhu withdrew. Nobody had given her the new place.

She noticed several people examining her token and raised it slightly.

“Read carefully,” Sima Lan said. “Sixteen isn't seventeen.”

A nearby candidate looked embarrassed and turned toward the board.

Shi Feng almost smiled. The princess knew exactly which insult she wanted to stop before it became gossip.

The first draw slips reached the board beneath the three sect banners. An attendant called each pair while Lu Yong checked the order.

Shi Feng's name appeared beside Lu Ting of Great Wu.

The late Foundation Establishment cultivator looked across the waiting area at once. Lu Ting's face tightened, but he didn't protest. At this point, complaining about a difficult draw would only make him look afraid.

Duan Yichen leaned toward the board.

“That's yours,” Duan Yichen said.

“I can read,” Shi Feng replied.

“I'm offering encouragement,” Duan Yichen said.

“You should offer it to him,” Shi Feng replied.

The sabre user laughed again. Lu Ting heard it and looked away sharply.

The next pair placed Xiahou Lie against Han Zhuo, a prince of Great Han. The body cultivator rolled his shoulders and grinned. His opponent immediately asked an attendant whether defensive armor counted as a refined artifact.

“It does,” Zhou Ke answered. “Use whatever the rules permit. Don't ask me to wear it for you.”

Han Zhuo stopped asking.

Gongsun Ce faced Cen Ruchen, the newly admitted royal swordsman of Great Wei. The prince's gaze moved briefly over his opponent's sword before returning to the puppet case beside his feet.

Cao Zhenyu, another prince of Great Wei, drew Chu Ning of Great Chu. Both men looked pleased, which meant one would soon be disappointed.

Bai Chenxi's name appeared beside Sima Lan.

The princess's fingers paused on her token. Bai Chenxi stood beneath the far awning, calm and pale, with frost gathering briefly around her sword guard.

That wouldn't be an easy match.

Sima Lan put the token away without changing her expression.

The sixth pair placed Tan He of Qingya Sword Sect against Qi Yuan of Great Qi. Yuan Kuang of Great Qin faced Zhou Yan of Great Zhou in the seventh.

Then the final slip appeared.

Gu Zhan against Duan Yichen.

Duan Yichen stared at the board. His cheerful expression changed into a long silence.

Shi Feng looked at him.

“Encouragement?” Shi Feng asked.

Duan Yichen lowered the sabre from his shoulder.

“Give me a moment,” Duan Yichen replied.

Across the waiting area, Gu Zhan lifted his spear and waved enthusiastically. The single clear eye on his scarred face was bright with interest.

“A sabre!” Gu Zhan called. “Good! Don't spend the whole match running!”

Duan Yichen looked at Shi Feng again.

“I hadn't planned to,” Duan Yichen said.

“Now?” Shi Feng asked.

“Still no,” Duan Yichen replied, straightening. “But I might regret it.”

Lu Yong waited until the crowd finished reacting before raising his hand.

“One more rule needs repeating,” Lu Yong said. “The eight defeated candidates will enter the placement bracket. Every one of them.”

Sima Lan looked up immediately.

“Eight become four,” Lu Yong continued. “Four become two. Those two earn the remaining recruitment places. They will then fight for ninth and tenth.”

Duan Yichen's grip loosened slightly around his sabre.

Losing the main match wouldn't end every chance. It also wouldn't excuse a careless fight. The placement opponents would be the same people who survived both opening rounds and the sect trials.

“You don't receive tenth because you qualified sixteenth,” Lu Yong said. “You don't receive it because your family sent a letter either. Earn it.”

Sima Lan's expression didn't change. Several spectators who were looking at her abruptly found the main bracket more interesting.

Cen Ruchen listened with open relief. Even the replacement candidate would have the same second route as everyone else.

The rules weren't comfortable. They were clear.

Shi Feng preferred that.

The candidates separated to prepare. Duan Yichen checked the edge of his sabre, then looked toward Gu Zhan again.

The spear user was practising a short thrust beside a pillar. An attendant moved the flowerpot from its path before a second thrust could break it.

“He really only thinks about fighting,” Duan Yichen said.

“You're giving him what he wants,” Shi Feng replied.

“Then he'd better remember it,” Duan Yichen said. “I'll make him use that spear properly.”

Shi Feng nodded. He didn't offer a secret technique or promise to avenge a sporting defeat. Duan Yichen wanted to test himself, and there was nothing foolish about that.

“Come find me afterward,” Shi Feng said. “Unless you're too busy blaming your boots.”

Duan Yichen grinned.

“I'll blame the draw first,” Duan Yichen replied.

Lu Ting came toward the entrance while they were speaking. His hand rested on his sword, but he didn't draw it in the passage.

“I watched your second round,” Lu Ting said to Shi Feng.

“Then you know where the platform is,” Shi Feng replied.

“I know the Crown Prince used a forbidden pill,” Lu Ting said. “I don't carry one.”

“Good,” Shi Feng answered.

Lu Ting looked toward the protective pillars around the arena. The officials hadn't removed them after Sima Yu's violation. Nobody could pretend the rules would become weaker for a less important family.

“I'll fight properly,” Lu Ting said. “Don't expect me to surrender before drawing.”

Shi Feng nodded. That was a much better opening than another speech about kingdom rank.

“Then draw when the bell rings,” Shi Feng said.

Lu Ting moved into the passage. Duan Yichen watched him go and shrugged.

“At least he won't blame the boots,” Duan Yichen said.

The bell rang above the platforms. Zhou Ke lifted the first match token.

“Shi Feng. Lu Ting. Enter,” Zhou Ke called.

Shi Feng checked his plain sword once and stepped toward the passage. Behind him, the newly finished bracket board caught the morning light.

Sixteen names remained. He intended to leave one at the top.