Chapter 197 Patron Preview (Red+)

Even before the sound of the starting thunderclap faded, Xiulan dropped into the fighting stance of her family style and swept her leg out across the damp stone, the hem of her dress flaring up to reveal the knee-high boots she wore beneath. From her lashing limb, a wave of blue-white flames erupted, rushing across the intervening distance toward Wen Ai.

A pair of fans appeared in Wen Ai’s hands and snapped open, exposing the silk webbing on which were painted vistas of floating clouds and clear blue lakes. The cloud-painted fan swept out, and the wind howled, scattering the roaring flames. The shorter girl advanced in their wake, dancing gracefully through the falling sparks as her second fan swept around and her form blurred before Ling Qi’s eyes, splitting into three separate images that quickly made distance from one another.

As  Xiulan rose back into a guarded stance, embers burning in her braided hair and sparks crackling in her eyes, her hand slashed out, two fingers extended. From their tips burst a searing line of near liquid flame no thicker than an inkbrush. The blazing line stabbed into the leftmost image of Wen Ai and passed through, leaving a steaming hole in the construct before it collapsed with a splash.

Xiulan was forced to duck then, the edge of the rightmost image’s fan cutting through the air where her head had been. She was pushed further as the other girl’s rotating motion carried the second fan around, forcing her to raise an arm and block with her new gauntlet, sending up a shower of sparks and clashing qi where silk and metal met. The damp air howled, and Xiulan was flung skyward, carried by a rising funnel of wind generated by the spinning dance of the center image.

Ling Qi saw her friend’s expression twist into a snarl as a cutting wind tore off her veil and scored a bloody line across her cheek, similar wounds beginning to appear across her body. The spider web of scars marring her friend’s face began to smoke then, and Ling Qi felt Xiulan’s aura spike upward in potency with alarming swiftness. The blood flowing from the cuts strewn across her body caught fire, and smoke rose from her bandage-swathed arm as she flung her hands outward and let out a loud battlecry.

Ling Qi winced at the explosion of heat and light that followed, forced to briefly close her eyes to keep from being blinded. When she opened them next, Wen Ai was retreating, her wide sleeves scorched and still smoldering, exposing her forearms. Her duplicate images were nowhere to be found. The stone of the isle was glowing cherry red with heat in a wide circle beneath Xiulan’s position, and near the center, rock bubbled and ran like wax. Xiulan herself had been carried higher into the air by the force of her blast. Her once well kept hair was now flying free in a fan behind her head, the fringes aflame, and above her floated a tiny figure made entirely of dancing flames, casting her features in shadow from the flickering, hungry light.

As Wen Ai retreated from the superheated stone and found her ground, soft, rippling light beginning to radiate from her dancing form, Xiulan spun in midair to face her foe, the gauntlet she wore flaring with blazing characters. A whip of deep crimson flame sparked and burst to life in her grasp, nine grasping lashes snapping out with a thunderous crack.

Wen Ai leapt backward, the very air rippling and blurring around her. The first lash went up in smoke as it tried to carve through the damp aura surrounding the girl, extinguished in an instant, and so was the second. The third and the fourth made it through, kicking up sparks as they slashed across the rocks at Wen Ai’s feet, avoided by graceful yet increasingly desperate movements. The fifth and the sixth were parried by spinning fans, knocked aside to coil uselessly in the air, while the seventh and the eighth incinerated a pair of blossoms decorating Wen Ai’s hair. The ninth, though, coiled around Wen Ai’s wrist, burning through qi to sizzle against exposed flesh.

Ling Qi saw Xiulan grin as her shoulders tensed and she tightened her grip on the fiery whip. The burning fairy above her laughed, a sound like underbrush burning, and threw out her flickering arms at the same time that Xiulan’s whip snapped taut. The faerie released a pulse of burning hot air, and her friend’s weapon shrunk rapidly, pulling her through the air at her foe.

Below, Wen Ai’s eyes were wide with pain, but the older girl grit her teeth, her expression twisted in fury rather than helplessness. Wen Ai raised her free hand, and the air before her began to shimmer with the form of a materializing beast.

It was too late for Xiulan to stop, diving through the air as she was, her injured arm extended, the crackling plasma of an unreleased Radiant Lance burning between her fingers. Xiulan collided with Wen Ai’s spirit beast, sending up a cloud of smoke and dust. 

When it cleared, Ling Qi felt her throat tighten with worry for her friend. Looming between the two girls stood a figure from a fairy tale. A huge blue-skinned hulk of a humanoid clad in only a loincloth of tiger’s skin, its face was hideous and ape-like with protruding tusks and thick brows that cast its eyes in shadow. The thing must have been nearly four meters tall.

Xiulan’s arm was buried up to the elbow in its chest, a burning hole in its lower back marking the exit wound of the Radiant Lance. Ling Qi hoped that the wound would see the creature fall, but the beast merely let out an enraged bellow, the sheer force of the sound blasting away the remaining dust and smoke in the air before it seized Xiulan around the waist with one massive fist and dashed her to the ground with such force that stone shattered and her friend’s body bounced.

Ling Qi clenched her fists as she saw blood escape Xiulan’s lips and Wen Ai’s face light up in a vicious smile. Then a screaming comet of fire slammed into the ogre’s hideous face, the crackling of the flames rising into a human-like shriek. The ogre let out another bellow, swatting at the buzzing fire now assaulting its eyes, nose, and ears, stumbling back from Xiulan’s prone form.

Xiulan took advantage of the ogre’s distraction to recover, rolling to her feet in a quick motion that belied the unhealthy shifting of bones beneath her skin. Yet Xiulan was unbowed, her eyes burning with determination. 

Her enemy had not been idle. The older disciple immediately pressed an attack upon her, twin fans slashing through the air and bringing with them gale-like winds and rippling air that twisted perception.

New wounds appeared on her friend - a slash across her right shoulder, a rising knee slamming into her stomach, and a vicious stomp of a dainty heeled shoe likely breaking at least a few toes - but Xiulan grimaced and bore it. Xiulan reversed her fighting retreat, gauntleted hand reaching out to grasp Wen Ai’s wounded wrist. 

Xiulan inhaled deeply, unmindful of the creaking from strained and broken ribs, three tongues of flame bursting through the sealing bandages on her ruined arm, and then Xiulan exhaled. Flames poured forth from her lips, blue-bell bright and shot through with a core of white, and Wen Ai, trapped in their path, shrieked in pain as the hungry flames washed over her, hungrily devouring the qi that sought to block their touch.

The burning figure that stumbled away and fell to one knee, hacking and coughing in pain, hardly bore a resemblance to the elegant girl who had entered the ring. The flowers in Wen Ai’s hair had been burnt away, ugly burns stretched across the arm that had been raised to defend her face, and the fanciful gown had been reduced to a few tatters clinging to a surprisingly practical bodysuit of cloth armor laced with formations. 

Meanwhile, Xiulan was similarly bent over, hacking and catching her breath from her previous fire breath. Before she could take advantage of Wen Ai’s disorientation, Wen Ai’s spirit beast stomped over to the girls, having just finished catching and dashing Xiulan’s flickering fairy against the ground before stomping hard on the little thing until only dim embers in the vague framework of a humanoid being remained. Ling Qi was glad that the fights took place within Elder Jiao’s formations. She had enough experience to know that the lethality within such arenas was under his control.

Xiulan straightened up, a trickle of sizzling blood leaking from the corner of her mouth as the brute charged her, its swinging fists failing to strike her even in her wounded state. Yet, dangerous as it was, she refused to give the ogre her full attention, having eyes only for her recovering opponent. In the wake of one swing, she slipped under and past the brute and slashed her own limb through the air, the sky screaming as a bolt of brilliant lighting fell from the heavens to strike at the other girl, even as the beast spun and slammed a foot into her back. The force of the ogre’s kick sent Xiulan tumbling across the rocky ground, stopping just shy of falling into the churning waters around the island. 

That did not help his master though. Wen Ai raised her sole remaining fan, and the lighting flared as it met the silken talisman and Wen Ai’s guttering aura. It was the rippling qi that shrouded Wen Ai that failed. With a sound like shattering glass, the lightning punched through her fan and into her hand, and once again, Wen Ai screamed.

Xiulan struggled back to her feet to face the roaring charge of the spirit beast, but the arena was fading, along with her opponents.

“The winner of the seventh match is Gu Xiulan, by right of knockout,” Sect Head Yuan announced through the cheers of the crowd. 

Ling Qi noticed that Xiulan, face triumphant and fist upraised, was fading into the mist of the vanishing formations as well. She supposed that made sense given the extent of Xiulan’s injuries. Ling Qi let out the breath she had been holding. Xiulan had made it through, by the skin of her teeth perhaps, but she couldn’t have been more pleased for her friend.

Ling Qi glanced over, and met Cai Renxiang’s eyes. Her liege was last up. There was hardly any tension in this match though.

Cai Renxiang’s opponent, Shu Hai, had some resemblance to Kang Zihao and Lu Feng. Tall, thin, and handsome, Shu Hai wore polished armor that looked fit for a parade. As they took their places in the arena, Shu Hai bowed low.

“It is an honor, my lady, to face your blade,” he murmured. “To think that I would be able to stand in the same arena as the heir of the one who cast down the accursed Hui.”

Cai Renxiang’s expression remained even as the air began to distort, transforming their surroundings. “The Shu of Xiangmen deserve their honors. Your father has more than earned his position as an officer of the White Plume regiment.”

Shu Hai smiled as a cold and windswept mountain peak formed beneath their feet. “That Your Grace would recall the name of a humble sergeant is all the honor we need. Although… if I might make a request?”

“You may,” Cai Renxiang said. The air around her right hand shimmered, and her sheathed blade appeared.

Shu Hai straightened up, finally meeting her eyes. “This one has no pretensions, so please, allow this soldier to receive the full weight of your highness’ blade.”

Ling Qi noticed the subtle way Cai Renxiang’s lips thinned, the faintest show of frustration. “As you wish.”

The starting signal thundered out.

A saber blazed like a colorless sun.

The roar of crumbling rock drowned out the sound of metal rent asunder as the whole of the cliffside gave way.

The match ended.

***

“I will require you to attend me before sunset,” Cai Renxiang said quietly as they left the tournament grounds, the other winning disciples scattering to take up their own business.

“For the Duchess’ gathering, right?” Ling Qi asked, walking just behind her at a careful pace.

“Yes,” Cai Renxiang agreed. “In addition, consider what resources you would like prepared for your coming match tomorrow.”

Ling Qi raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I thought I would not be receiving such assistance.” 

Her liege glanced back at Ling Qi. “My wise Mother has chosen not to interfere, but I retain the last of the resources I was granted for my time in the Outer Sect.”

“I see,” Ling Qi replied. “May I ask what sort of budget I should consider?”

“Anything you desire that is available within the Sect markets. Mother has forbidden me from making outside orders,” Cai said. “In any case, the rest of your afternoon is yours to do with as you please.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Lady Cai,” Ling Qi was already considering her current stock of medicines and tools as they split up.

Putting such thoughts in the back of her mind for the moment, Ling Qi made her way toward the central entrance plaza. She had not seen Li Suyin since the beginning of the tournament week, and she was curious to see just how the girl was doing.

When she arrived at the main plaza, she found it quite busy, many of the Sect’s visitors drifting toward the main hall at a casual pace, deep in conversation with other visitors. The doors of the hall were thrown open and inside, Ling Qi found the Sect’s attendants and advisors out in full force, providing guidance and service to the visiting parents and relatives. Ling Qi made her way quietly through the crowds, keeping her pace sedate to avoid giving offense to any of the older cultivators present.

A sign laid out on the Sect’s job board pointed her toward the lecture hall in which the judging for the crafting competition would be taking place. Privately, Ling Qi wondered just how so many people were going to fit into one of those rooms and still fit the competitors. She felt a bit foolish for thinking that when she entered and found the room which she had spent so much time in learning the basics from Elder Su utterly transformed.

The lecture hall had been expanded several times over in a way that was impossible given the outer dimensions of the building. The tiered seating where the students had been seated remained, but the plain wooden benches and desks had been replaced with more comfortable seating. The pit where Elder Su had previously lectured from was now partitioned into numerous sections for the competitors participating in the crafting competition. Disciples were busy putting the finishing touches on displays containing various works of talisman-craft or medicine. 

Ling Qi spotted Li Suyin’s light blue hair off toward the right corner, fretting over a table holding a long silver pill case and some kind of odd, flat bone talisman. She met the girl’s eye, and her friend smiled nervously back at her.

Glancing across the rest of the competitors, she spotted Fu Xiang with an array of mirrors in various sizes, Xuan Shi standing in the midst of three lazily circling terra cotta discs, and Yan Renshu with a series of filled vials in front of him. She even spotted Su Ling’s friend and supplier, the pudgy boy whose name escaped her at the moment.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ling Qi glimpsed a fluffy black tail through a gap in the crowd. Su Ling was seated in the furthest right corner of the spectators’ area, glancing at the crowd with both irritation and nervousness. Ling Qi smiled to herself, and she made her way over. 

Su Ling spotted her as she approached, and she spotted a flash of relief in the girl’s eyes.  Su Ling had obviously put a fair amount of effort into cleaning up. Her tangled mop of hair had been combed into wavy ringlets that hung neatly down to her shoulders, and her clothing was free of the scuffs and dirt that usually marked them. Ling Qi could still see the way her pointed ears twitched with ill-concealed nerves though; the furry tips of her ears were constantly in motion as if seeking a threat.

“Good afternoon, Su Ling,” Ling Qi greeted as she approached. “Would you mind if I took this seat?”

Su Ling paused in the process of greeting her, furrowing her brows for a moment before understanding dawned. “... Right. Good afternoon,” she replied gruffly, trying to keep her words polite. “I don’t mind at all. You here to see Li Suyin, I guess?” 

“I am. I’m sure Li Suyin will be among the winners,” Ling Qi announced casually as she sat down beside the fox-girl. “Senior Sister Bao wouldn’t have spent so much time on her if she weren’t talented,” she added smoothly, mostly for the benefit of the people who had glanced her way when she had sat down with Su Ling.

Su Ling pursed her lips, eyeing Ling Qi before giving her a faint nod. “Yeah, Li Suyin is a smart girl,” she agreed.

“How are you?” Ling Qi asked more quietly. “You seem a little out of sorts.”

Su Ling held back a snort of laughter. “I suppose. Crowds just aren’t my thing. There have been a few rude individuals around too,” she said, not looking at anyone in particular.

It was hard to remember sometimes, given the company she usually kept, that people like Su Ling weren’t the most well liked. Ling Qi had never quite understood how the prejudice against spirit-blooded worked since so many old and prestigious families were the same. From what little she had gleaned on the matter from studying law with Cai Renxiang, it had to do with an edict by one of the early Mu emperors. It was something about preserving Imperial character. Whatever that meant.

“That is unfortunate,” Ling Qi acknowledged. “I am sure it was a passing thing.”

“Right,” Su Ling said, a slightly bitter smile exposing a few sharpened teeth. “You were busy yesterday then?”

“I was. I wanted to make sure my opponent Shen Hu did not feel slighted by our match,” she admitted.

“I bet you did.” Su Ling gave her a sly look. “He looked like a pretty fine gentleman.”

Ling Qi changed the subject, controlling her expression. “You were watching the preliminaries then?”

“I was,” Su Ling said, graciously letting the other subject go. “You are pretty scary, you know?”

“I am afraid I don’t know what you are talking about,” Ling Qi said with a glib smile. “What were the crafting preliminaries like?”

Su Ling hummed thoughtfully, drumming her blunt claws on the polished surface of the desk in front of her. “It was kinda interesting. First, there was a timed written exam with a few hundred questions,” Su Ling said, the twitching of her ears finally calming down.

Ling Qi winced. That sounded highly unpleasant. “Short or long form?” she asked morbidly.

“About half and half from what I saw,” her friend answered, shaking her head in amusement. “The ones who finished in time were then given a chest full of reagents to appraise and organise by their uses.” 

“On a time limit as well, of course,” Ling Qi guessed wryly.

“Yeah,” Su Ling confirmed. “Final part was using the provided reagents to create a product, which was more fun to watch. Once everyone was done, the elders totaled up the scores for all three rounds. The twenty highest scorers made it to this round.”

“What was Li Suyin’s rank?” Ling Qi asked, casting a glance across the rest of the room. The seats were filling up, so the competition would probably be starting soon.

“Fifth,” Su Ling replied with a touch of pride before looking Ling Qi’s way. “I almost forgot. Did you win your match today?”

“Flawlessly,” Ling Qi said with a grin. “We should probably quiet down though,” she said, noting the shift in the rooms atmosphere as a familiar figure materialized at the fore of the competitors area. Su Ling followed her gaze and nodded, leaning back against the padded back of her seat.