Chapter 169 — The Crown Prince of Great Qin Falls

CHAPTER 169

The Crown Prince of Great Qin Falls

“Yuan Kuang,” Gu Zhan said. “I've been waiting.”

The crown prince of Great Qin looked at the spear across his opponent's shoulder. His peak Foundation Establishment aura pressed forward, heavy enough to make the loose dust drift across the centre mark.

Gu Zhan didn't seem to notice.

“Then don't waste the match talking,” Yuan Kuang replied.

Gu Zhan grinned. That was a good answer.

From the waiting passage, Shi Feng watched the two men take their positions. Gongsun Ce already defeated Cao Zhenyu in the previous quarter-final. The prince's sword couldn't reach the controller through the shifting line of puppets.

Bai Chenxi followed with a controlled victory against Tan He. Frost slowed the small-sect swordsman's steps until she forced his blade down and stopped her point against his shoulder.

The other semi-finalists were settled.

Now Yuan Kuang and Gu Zhan would choose the fourth.

Duan Yichen stood beside Shi Feng with his heavy sabre resting on the floor.

“Yuan Kuang was the favourite before the first round,” Duan Yichen said.

“Before people watched Gu Zhan,” Shi Feng replied.

“He'll hate hearing that,” Duan Yichen said.

“He doesn't need to hear it,” Shi Feng replied. “He's about to find out.”

Lu Yong announced the start.

Yuan Kuang drew a broad-bladed sword and attacked with a strong descending cut. His qi spread behind the edge, covering the space on either side so an ordinary retreat wouldn't clear it.

Gu Zhan stepped forward.

The spearhead struck the flat of the blade near its base. A short turn pushed the attack past his shoulder.

Yuan Kuang's expression changed. His first strike wasn't supposed to lose its direction so easily.

He recovered quickly and thrust at the chest.

Gu Zhan moved his left foot half a step. The blade passed beside his robe, and the spear's shaft struck Yuan Kuang's wrist.

The prince's fingers nearly opened.

“Hold it properly!” Gu Zhan shouted.

The shout wasn't an insult. He genuinely didn't want the weapon falling before the match became interesting.

That made it worse.

Yuan Kuang's face reddened. He pulled his sword back and released the full force of his peak Foundation Establishment cultivation.

A bright arc rose above the platform.

People in the front rows leaned away despite the protective boundary. The sword technique carried enough force to break an ordinary cultivator's guard in a single blow.

Gu Zhan watched it and looked pleased.

“That's more like it,” Gu Zhan said.

He lowered the spear from his shoulder, set both hands properly, and thrust.

There was no great circle of light. The spear travelled straight through the point where Yuan Kuang's technique gathered.

The bright arc broke apart.

Yuan Kuang staggered as the force scattered back through his weapon. Before he could plant his rear foot, the spear shaft struck his chest.

He flew across the boundary and landed hard outside the platform.

Gu Zhan remained at the centre.

He looked toward Lu Yong with visible disappointment.

“Already?” Gu Zhan asked.

“Out of bounds,” Lu Yong replied. “Gu Zhan wins.”

The stands erupted.

“Three exchanges!”

“Yuan Kuang couldn't make him retreat!”

“Martial Palace already praised that sword technique!”

“Look at the betting board!”

The betting board was being changed by a man who didn't look happy about it.

Yuan Kuang stood after a physician checked his chest. The blow hurt, but Gu Zhan hadn't tried to kill him.

That left him no excuse worth shouting.

Gu Zhan approached the edge and offered the fallen sword hilt first. Yuan Kuang accepted it with a stiff expression.

“You could've followed the first cut faster,” Gu Zhan said.

“I know how to use my own sword,” Yuan Kuang replied.

“Then why didn't you?” Gu Zhan asked honestly.

The prince stared at him.

From the passage, Duan Yichen covered a laugh with a cough. Shi Feng didn't bother hiding his small smile.

Gu Zhan wasn't good at comforting defeated opponents. He wasn't even aware that comfort might be expected.

Yuan Kuang took the sword and walked away before the spear user offered another lesson.

Under the sect awning, Wei Chengyuan's expression had become unpleasant. His promised disciple lost without showing the strength he'd praised so loudly.

Mu Shuyun looked at the spear still held in Gu Zhan's hand.

“Lone Spear Peak keeps its name honestly,” Mu Shuyun said.

He Zhen nodded. Then he looked toward Nie Wufeng in the upper stands.

The old master was peeling a piece of fruit with a short knife. He barely raised his head when the crowd shouted the result.

He didn't seem surprised at all.

Gu Zhan found Shi Feng outside the waiting area.

“Did you watch?” Gu Zhan asked.

“Yes,” Shi Feng replied.

“The third cut was worth taking seriously,” Gu Zhan said.

“So you ended it,” Shi Feng replied.

“It didn't get better afterward,” Gu Zhan said, sounding disappointed again.

Duan Yichen folded his arms.

“You ended it before finding out,” Duan Yichen said.

Gu Zhan considered that, then nodded.

“Next time I'll ask first,” Gu Zhan said.

“Please don't,” Duan Yichen replied. “Some of us would like to lose without answering questions.”

Shi Feng laughed softly. The sound surprised him. For a few moments, the afternoon didn't feel entirely occupied by what he'd left behind.

The hurt hadn't vanished. There was simply something else happening around it.

Zhou Ke approached with the next set of match tokens. He handed one to Shi Feng and another to Gu Zhan.

“Semi-finals after the rest period,” Zhou Ke said. “Shi Feng against Gongsun Ce. Gu Zhan against Bai Chenxi.”

Gu Zhan looked toward the swordswoman's waiting place and grinned.

“Good,” Gu Zhan said. “She doesn't fall over when the wind changes.”

Shi Feng checked his own token. Gongsun Ce's puppets required attention, but not fear. He'd already watched enough exposed qi lines to know where he should begin looking.

Gongsun Ce stood beyond the passage checking a puppet's shoulder. The prince didn't look disappointed that his next opponent noticed the work. He simply tightened the joint, tested its movement, and closed the case. Shi Feng liked that calm. It promised a cleaner match than another grand speech about birth.

He put the token away and rested his hand on the plain sword's hilt.