Mu Tianyi, unfortunately, still wasn’t finished. He flicked his fan in a flourish, his dark cloak snapping behind him. Linyue swore he was doing it on purpose. The man even spared a glance in her direction, his sharp eyes catching hers for just a second.
She narrowed her gaze. This wasn’t just a fight anymore. This was a stage performance. Mu Tianyi was pulling out all the stops: petals, wind, glowing leaves, and that stupidly dramatic cloak. Honestly, if soone started tossing flower confetti from the sidelines, she wouldn’t even be surprised.
anwhile, poor Shen Zhenyu didn’t get a chance to counter. He was still rooted in place, both hands raised, holding the fiery do together as the wind howled louder and louder. Dirt and debris pelted against his shield. Sparks flew where flas clashed with blades of wind.
Mu Tianyi just kept going. He twirled the fan once in his fingers and gave it another elegant sweep. This ti, a full tornado ford. Glowing petals and leaves spun in tight circles, the wind screaming as it gained speed. The cyclone tore across the field, ripping chunks of earth into its vortex. The petals weren’t harmless anymore. They spun like thousands of tiny blades, each one sharp enough to slice through stone. The tornado hit Shen Zhenyu head-on. Flas erupted as his shield struggled to hold. For one breathless mont, all Linyue could see was fire and flying petals. Then the entire do was swallowed by the roaring vortex.
Song iyu gasped. “He’s gone! I can’t even see him anymore! Is that… safe?”
He Yuying squinted at the chaos. “If I were him, I would not be having fun.”
Linyue didn’t answer. Her eyes stayed locked on the raging storm. Her fingers flexed slightly at her side, spiritual energy humming faintly around her.
Then it happened. A sharp crack split the air. The fire do shattered. Red flas burst apart like broken glass and vanished into the whirlwind. For a single, heavy second, there was nothing. No sign of Shen Zhenyu inside the cyclone. Only petals and leaves spinning wildly, glowing faintly as the storm raged louder.
“Brother Zhenyu!” Song iyu scread.
Linyue leapt forward, spiritual energy surging through her veins. Mid-air, her hand flared with light. A sharp ring of blue fla erupted from her palm, spiraling outward like a wheel. It hit the swirling petals and leaves with a hiss. The flas didn’t just burn—they consud. The entire storm vanished in an instant, swallowed by a burst of blue fla. Smoke curled into the sky where the cyclone had been. The air went still.
Linyue landed beside Shen Zhenyu. Her boots hit the ground hard, sending up a small cloud of dust. Her expression was sharp, her shoulders tense. She didn’t ask if he was alright. He wasn’t.
His robes hung in tatters, ripped clean in dozens of places. Thin, angry cuts lined his arms and chest. Blood oozed sluggishly from several wounds, staining the shredded fabric. Even his face wasn’t spared. Red streaks traced across his cheek, and one deeper cut ran dangerously close to his eye.
Linyue’s chest tightened.
Shen Zhenyu was still standing, of course. Like a stubborn pine tree in the middle of a storm. But she saw it. The slight tremor in his legs, his clenched fists, the tight line of his jaw. He was holding on by sheer force of will.
Song iyu dashed to his side, hands flailing. “Oh no! Brother Zhenyu! You’re bleeding everywhere! And your robes! They’re ruined beyond saving!”
He Yuying also strolled closer. He gave Shen Zhenyu a calm once-over. “His face too. That guy even cut his face. That’s just rude.”
Across the battlefield, Mu Tianyi stood relaxed, his fan open as he idly waved it. His black robes still looked perfect. Not a speck of dirt. Not a hair out of place. He caught Linyue’s gaze and smiled.
Linyue didn’t smile back. Blue fla flared at her fingertips. It pulsed, alive and eager. She was dangerously close to throwing him into a volcano. She glanced at Shen Zhenyu. He was still bleeding from what looked like forty-seven small but nasty cuts. His robes were shredded, and yet he stood upright like a proud, stubborn tree. Silly tree.
“Brother Zhenyu,” she said, her tone calm but final. “I’ll take it from here.”
Shen Zhenyu’s eyes t hers. He hesitated, then gave a small nod and stepped back.
Mu Tianyi’s fan stilled. He tilted his head at the sight of her blue flas, eyes narrowing in amusent. “Ah,” he said lightly. “Isn’t this… cheating?”
Linyue tilted her head. “How is it cheating?”
“You interfered in a duel,” he said, still fanning himself lazily.
“We never agreed on who was allowed to fight,” she replied without the slightest hint of sha.
Mu Tianyi’s grin widened, bright enough to annoy her further. “Ah. That’s true.” Then he flicked his fingers.
From the edges of the field, six masked figures erged. They moved out from behind rocks and trees with perfect silence, their black uniforms blending with the shadows. Silver half-masks covered their faces from the nose up, and their footsteps barely disturbed the ground.
Linyue’s eyes narrowed.
rcenaries. Skilled ones. Their stances were solid, and their movents were sharp. She noticed one carried twin blades, another had a long spear. The rest held jagged curved daggers. Well-trained. Well-equipped. And their fashion sense was acceptable.
Mu Tianyi, looking far too pleased with himself, spread his arms as if presenting a prize. “I also never said how many I’d bring.”
From the sidelines, Song iyu squinted at the newcors. “Wait, did he just bring backup? In case he lost?”
He Yuying folded his arms and let out a bored sigh. “That’s suspiciously smart for soone who was once drenched in soup.”
Mu Tianyi gave her a smug little smile. “Now you’re outnumbered. Do you still want to fight?”
Linyue didn’t answer. She took a slow breath as lightning spiritual energy gathered under her skin. The ground at her feet sizzled faintly. The air shifted, crackling with static. Sparks danced along her sleeves.
Song iyu’s eyes went wide. She muttered. “Oh no. She’s doing the lightning thing.”
He Yuying imdiately took one step back. “Yep. Ti to walk away.”
“Let’s go,” Song iyu said quickly. Together, they very helpfully dragged a limping Shen Zhenyu away from what was clearly becoming an electrified disaster zone.
Linyue didn’t notice them leave. Her eyes stayed fixed on “Soup Man”. Right. Soup Man was a better na for this annoying person. She nodded approvingly to herself.
“You’re right, Soup Man,” she said, her voice steady. “This is cheating.” Her tone sharpened just enough to make the air vibrate. “But now that we’ve agreed on cheating…” She let her fingers curl slightly as the crackling energy intensified. “I won’t hold back.”
Mu Tianyi raised his fan, clearly preparing another smug line.
He didn’t get the chance. Before his fan could so much as flutter, Linyue raised her hand. A surge of blue light exploded outward. Dozens of lightning arrows materialized in the air, sharp and glowing with blinding heat. They zipped through the air at the speed of lightning, because it was indeed lightning.
The six masked n didn’t waste a second. They jumped in front of their boss. In perfect coordination, spiritual energy flared around them. Shields burst into existence—fire, water, wind, and earth. The earth shield went extra dramatic. It puffed up into thick vine-like roots that twisted together, forming a massive brown do around all six of them.
Linyue could no longer see them. Just a big, ugly ball of plants and dirt. Her first wave of lightning arrows slamd into the water shield.
Splash.
The shield didn’t hold. It exploded, spraying steam into the air.
The second wave flew in, straight for the fire shield. When lightning hit fire, the result was loud. Sparks shot in every direction, lighting up the field. A sharp bang followed as the fire shield shattered into burning fragnts.
Linyue watched the scene unfold with no expression. “…Boring,” she said quietly.
Her hand rose again. Spiritual energy flared. This ti, her spiritual weapon appeared in her palm. A sleek silver and blue sword crackling with electricity.
From far behind, Song iyu gasped and clutched He Yuying’s sleeve. “Sister Linyue is so cool!” she whispered loudly.
He Yuying nodded slowly, his mouth slightly open. “Yeah,” he said flatly. “Cool. Also terrifying.”
Shen Zhenyu, still bleeding but now comfortable enough to enjoy the show, chuckled softly.
Linyue raised her sword slowly. Lightning crackled down the blade, wrapping it in sharp blue light. The air vibrated faintly around her as she took one asured step forward. Then, in one smooth motion, she spun her body in a full circle and slashed the sword through the air.
The ground reacted instantly. A wave of lightning shot out from the blade. It tore across the field at blinding speed. Sparks hissed violently as the ground cracked open behind its path, small rocks flying up from the force.
The wind shield ca first. It tried its best to resist. It lasted exactly one second before it burst apart in a shower of glowing debris. The lightning wave didn’t pause. It slamd straight into the vine do. The thick roots and leaves groaned under the force. Then with a deafening crack, they shattered into pieces. Bits of vines and dirt flew everywhere.
The six masked n didn’t fare much better. One of them was launched into the air with a startled yelp. Another stumbled back several steps before collapsing onto his knees. Two others hit the ground imdiately, letting out synchronized groans that sounded way too rehearsed to be natural.
Song iyu clapped her hands together in awe. “Oh no. They’re dying with style.”
He Yuying snorted. “That’s not style. That’s called gravity doing its job.”
The last two masked n tried to stand but wobbled. One wisely stayed down. The Soup Man, to his credit, was still standing. A thin twister of petals and leaves circled lazily around him like a fading shield. He wasn’t smiling this ti. His posture was still elegant, but there was a noticeable pause in his movent.
He stared at Linyue. His sharp eyes flicked to the lightning-wrapped sword in her hand, then back to her calm face.
Another wave of lightning arrows had already ford around her, floating in a tight formation. The soft blue glow lit up her features. Sparks snapped in the air, and her hair shifted slightly with the energy pulsing around her.
The Soup Man raised his hand quickly, his fan snapping shut with a sharp sound. “I lost.”
The swirling wind petals and leaves froze mid-air, then scattered harmlessly to the ground.
Linyue didn’t say anything. Her expression stayed calm, and she lowered her hand. The lightning around her faded, leaving only faint sparks dancing in the air.
From the back, Song iyu jumped up and down. “Did you see that?! Did you see that?! That’s why Sister Linyue never trained with us!”
He Yuying stood with his arms crossed. “We would turn into charcoal. Instantly.”
Shen Zhenyu let out a weak sigh, his sleeve still pressed against a cut on his arm. “Remind again why I went first?”
“Because you’re brave,” Song iyu said brightly.
“…And disposable,” He Yuying added without missing a beat.
Song iyu’s eyes widened in horror. “No, no. Just brave!” She gave Shen Zhenyu a reassuring smile. Then she leaned closer and whispered behind her hand, “But maybe a little bit disposable.”
Shen Zhenyu groaned. “Why do I even associate with any of you?”
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