~~~

Mere hours remain until the beginning of the Crimson Cloud Tournament. The gambling houses are full of people making last-minute bets, and people pour into the floating Crimson Cloud Arena by the thousands. Their combined voices fill the air with never-ending whispers. Anticipation is heavy in the air.

That is when they enter the arena.

Lord Feng Gui and Lord Feng Shang of the Eternal Flame Clan, accompanied by their wives and children, walk into their box seats with Elder Xue. On the opposite end of the stadium, Lady Shao Zhilan, Lady Meng Yue, and Lady Bai Lianshi walk into the Divine Frozen Palace’s box with their disciples, Bai Wen and Fu Lihua. Over at the box seats of Infinite Mountain Sect, there are only three of their Elders, but that is still more than the two people seated in Endlessly Raging Valley’s box.

However, one of those two is the Wandering Wind.

The people in the audience are the Patriarchs and Elders of powerful Sects, scions of wealthy clans, and more. Yet, they all try to lift their heads as much as possible to catch a glimpse of those seated above them. The seats belonging to the Divine Frozen Palace, in particular, receive much attention. A few have even brought vision-enhancing items for this one occasion.

As Emperor Xiang rises from the Imperial Box, the crowd falls silent.

“My citizens, we have waited a long time,” Emperor Xiang says. “From thousands to one thousand and from a thousand to sixty-four. The road has been long and generated much excitement. However, we are at an end. I present to you the brightest jewels of this generation!”

The crowd’s cheers are deafening as the gates of the arena open, and out walk the sixty-four contestants who will participate in the final stage: ten from the Eternal Flame Clan, ten from the Endlessly Raging Valley, ten from the Divine Frozen Palace, ten from the Infinite Mountain Sect, and twenty-four from various other Sects.

“Look! Look! It’s Chen Guo! Chen Guo!”

“That’s the son of the next Patriarch of the Eternal Flame Clan!”

“Over there! Look! They say those girls are disciples of the Five Fairies!”

“Hey! Those are the children of the Ding clan! And that’s Ruan Leji!”

“I see Emperor Qing Jin of the Storm Dragon Empire!”

“You have fought long and hard to reach this stage,” Emperor Xiang says to them. “However, this is not yet the end of your journey. In a matter of days, only one of you will stand before me. Some of you have already accepted it will not be you who manages that feat.”

The unexpected words cause frowns to appear on the faces of several contestants and audience members.

“It is above your station. It is not your time. It is not within the realm of your possibilities. If you are thinking something like that, you are certainly very prudent children,” Emperor Xiang says, nodding with his hands behind his back. “However, if you do not have it in yourself to be bold, then what are you doing here?”

Emperor Xiang smiles tiredly at them.

“Be audacious, children. If not now, when?”

His speech does not immediately receive applause. Some people do not even realize he is finished until he returns to his seat.

Nevertheless, it gives several contestants something to think about.

~~~

“The first match of the day! Xiao Shuang of the Divine Frozen Palace vs. Ding Wenzhe of the Endlessly Raging Valley!” a tournament official calls out as the two participants meet in the center of the arena. In total, there are four officials standing outside the large white square, ready to spot any possible underhandedness, and thousands of eyes watch from the stands with eager anticipation.

“I have heard many tales of the beauty of the women of the Divine Frozen Palace,” Ding Wenzhe says amidst the crowd’s deafening cheers. He is a handsome youth with green eyes. “Though you hide your face with a veil, I can tell there were no exaggerations.”

Xiao Shuang says nothing. She merely studies her opponent’s stance and does her best to gauge his cultivation level.

“It is such a shame that your husband does not think so.”

Xiao Shuang. Blinks.

“You do not have permission to speak of my husband,” she says, her tone cold. The people closer to the lower seats rub their arms as they feel the temperature drop.

“Oh?” Ding Wenzhe lets out a little laugh. “Everyone in the city is doing so. Why should I need permission?”

“I suppose it is foolish to tell a dog not to bark,” Xiao Shuang says, immediately wiping off the smile from her opponent’s face.

“You dare!” Ding Wenzhe says, angrily raising his Qi.

“You are right. My apologies,” Xiao Shuang says sincerely. “The comparison was unfair to the dog.”

Whatever item Ding Wenzhe is using to hide his cultivation breaks as his Qi rises and makes the winds rage around him.

Earth Realm, Level Three.

Several people in the audience gasp in surprise. Undoubtedly, it is an impressive level for someone so young and a sign of the quality of the representatives of the Endlessly Raging Valley.

“I must admit I felt some sympathy for your plight,” Ding Wenzhe says. “Now, I see your husband was wise to keep you away. Allow me to dispense the guidance he should have given you!”

He strikes.

White blankets all.

Countless eyes blink, still having trouble comprehending the sight before them. The fighting ring has become a frozen wasteland. A mighty glacier rises from the center and rises high into the heavens. Ding Wenzhe is frozen at the center of it. His eyes are wide in unblinking terror. His once mighty Qi is nothing more than a whimper now.

“Well?” Xiao Shuang asks, turning to one of the tournament officials. “Should you not declare a victor?”

“I…Y-Yes! O-Of co-course!” the official says. He stutters, but not because of the cold. “Ding Wenzhe can no longer battle! The winner of the first match is Xiao Shuang of the Divine Frozen Palace.”

The first match ends in less than a minute.

~~~

“That’s my disciple!” Meng Yue shouts from the stands. She jumps in place and waves. “Xiao Shuang! Over here! Look! Hey! Don’t walk away!”

“I am surprised,” Shao Zhilan says, looking at Bai Lianshi. “Usually, you’d be already hissing at Sister Yue to sit down.”

“What do you think he meant by that speech, sister?” Bai Lianshi asks.

“Who? Emperor Xiang?” Shao Zhilan smiles and waves the matter away. “Oh, nothing bad.”

“It sounded like he was encouraging conflict within the Sects,” Bai Lianshi points out.

Until now, the Divine Frozen Palace’s delegation has been able to act as a team. The same can be said for the delegations of the other Three Great Sects. However, as the tournament advances, it will become nearly impossible to avoid direct confrontation between members of the same Sect.

When that happens, it is expected that the member in lower standing will only go through the motions of putting up a fight. An immediate surrender would be preferable. Anything else will just unduly exhaust the superior fighter and hamper the Sect’s overall performance.

“In a way, he was,” Shao Zhilan admits. “However, he genuinely had the contestants’ best interests at heart when he said it. He’ll deny it to the end of his days, but he is a sweet man.”

“Perhaps, but-”

“Oh, enough already,” Meng Yue cuts her off, finally turning back to face them. “You have been so dour ever since we arrived here. The Emperor can say what he wants. Besides, imagine how boring it’d be if Xiao Shuang’s fellow disciples surrendered just because I am her master. She’ll be so disappointed if that happens. Wasn’t it that way for you, Little Wen?”

“Eh?” The disciple of Bai Lianshi becomes nervous as her master and her master’s rival suddenly fix their eyes on her.

“Oh, come on, you two! There’s no need to start arguing,” Shao Zhilan says, bringing a cup of wine under her veil. “We should be enjoying ourselves.”

“My master is right,” Fu Lihua says with only a little forced cheer. Even for someone like her, it is not easy to be in the presence of three Emperors of such power. “This is a happy occasion! Sister Xiao Shuang is so strong. I might not be her match!”

Fu Lihua is exaggerating but not as much as she’d want to. Certainly, she could have easily defeated someone in the Third Level of the Earth Realm, but could she have done it as easily as Xiao Shuang? That she could do it without revealing the extent of her cultivation implies much about her real strength.

“It was an excellent blow,” Meng Yue says proudly. “That she was the first to fight only enhances it. This tournament is off to a great start for us.”

“Yes, it was good that she had the first match of the day,” Bai Lianshi says. She glances at Shao Zhilan. “Was it your doing, sister?”

“Oh, there is always a bit of negotiation here and there when it comes to the bracket. It seemed fitting to arrange this,” Shao Zhilan says.

“Emperor Qing Jin’s match is the last of the day,” notes Bai Lianshi.

Shao Zhilan smiles impishly.

“Wouldn’t it be romantic if they met in the finals?”

~~~

“I’m dead!” Gan Nanfeng shouts.

“It’s not so bad,” Ten Zichun tries to reassure her. They and the other members of the delegation are in a waiting room exclusively for the use of the Eternal Flame Clan.

“Not bad?!” she yells, waving her hand at the viewing crystal that allows them to see the matches. The tournament officials are going through the ordeal of removing the gigantic glacier Xiao Shuang had trapped her opponent in.

It’s the only reason Gan Nanfeng’s match has yet to start.

“How am I supposed to follow that?” Gan Nanfeng shouts. “Even if I do, what’s the point? I can’t beat that.”

“Suddenly, cowardice doesn’t sound so bad, huh?” calls out Pan Qiu from the corner of the room.

“Oh, don’t you start!” Gan Nanfeng says, glaring venomously at him before her eyes turn to Liu Jin. “Senior Brother! No, Your Majesty! She’s your wife, right? Can you tell her to take it easy on me?”

“Eh?” Liu Jin blinks, never having expected to receive such a request.

Luckily, he’s saved from having to answer as the door suddenly bursts open.

“My dearest sister! It has been such a long time!”

Lu Mei neither smiles nor winces as Feng Zhuo runs into the room and lifts her in a hug. She bears it with what can only be called resigned comfort, even reaching to pat her older half-brother on the back.

“Brother, it has not been that long.”

“Not that long?” Feng Zhuo asks, perfectly scandalized. “It has been weeks! Months! Years! I already bore the solitude of being an only child for over two decades. Do not ask me to withstand it anymore.”

“Let her breathe already,” says a perfectly deadpan voice from the side of the room.

“Feng Zhi!” Feng Zhuo smiles brightly. “Cousin! It’s good to see you as well!”

A second later, Feng Zhi is the one trapped in one of Feng Zhuo’s hugs. The Young Master of the Eternal Flame Clan bears it with less grace than his female cousin. In fact, he actively struggles to get out of Feng Zhuo’s grip, much to the amusement of everyone around them.

“Damnation! Let me go already!”

“As good as it is to see you again, we are in the middle of the tournament, brother-in-law,” Liu Jin says. “Perhaps we can do this later?”

Predictably, he’s the next to be caught in Feng Zhuo’s hug.

“Ah, brother-in-law, I have not forgotten about you!” Feng Zhuo says. “I know this is a busy day for all of you, but how can I be expected to wait when my family is right here?”

His casual comment makes several serious faces appear in the room. Lord Feng Shang’s arrival in Imperial Cloud City had been somewhat surprising but not entirely unexpected. However, they had all been caught off guard by Lord Feng Gui arriving mere hours before the beginning of the tournament. It was so sudden that they did not have the time or opportunity to greet him.

“Excuse me, eh… Lord… Feng Zhuo?” Gan Nanfeng says shyly. She even raises her hand. “Should we… Should we do something? I mean, it’s obviously an honor that so many members of the Feng Clan have come to watch the tournament, but it’s still… It’s not the usual.”

The worry in her voice is plain to hear, and it is easy to understand why. The Crimson Cloud Tournament might be a prestigious event, but it is not normal for Lord Feng Gui and Lord Feng Shang to attend at the same time. In fact, it has never happened before, yet this time, nearly all the most important members of the Feng Clan are in the arena.

The people in the city, especially those in the audience, must be delighted at being near such important people, but the members of the Eternal Flame Clan are well aware of how volatile the relationship between the members of the Feng Clan was a mere four years ago, so they cannot help but feel apprehension.

“Oh, there is no need for you to worry about anything,” Feng Zhuo says. Like always, he speaks with far too much cheer. “This is all merely a… public display. Yes, that’s the term. The Eternal Flame Clan is a happy family, and it is time everyone sees that.”

He flashes them his most blinding smile.

Lu Mei sighs and shakes her head. “Somehow, this is still better than my last family.”

“I pity you. Truly,” Feng Zhi replies before turning to Feng Zhuo. “Is Feng Hao not coming here?”

Feng Zhuo raises an eyebrow at him.

“Lady Ling. Right.” Feng Zhi pinches the bridge of his nose. Yi Jiao places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “What was I thinking?”

“Oh, I am sure you’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk. You can tell him all about the relic you encountered. I am sure he and Uncle will love it.”

“Don’t,” Feng Zhi says, glaring at his older cousin. Feng Zhuo’s smile remains undiminished, but he does turn toward Lu Mei.

“By the way, we will have a family dinner after the first day of matches,” he tells her. “My dearest brother-in-law can, of course, go as well.”

“I am sure I’ll have somewhere else to be.”

“Coward,” Lu Mei accuses him.

“Prudent,” Liu Jin counters.

“Wise,” Bei Hong adds, nodding sagely. “In-laws are to be avoided.”

“You’re still on about that!” Lu Mei shouts at him. “You have had those ideas since you were ten! Ten!”

“My mind peaked early. It’s true. My fists have yet to catch up,” Bei Hong says, making Huang Shing laugh.

“He’s not entirely wrong,” Feng Zhuo admits to his half-sister, making her turn her glare to him. “It does me good to see you’re surrounded by such good friends. Life is so much sweeter when in good company. Or the right type of bad company. That works, too.”

“Does it really?” Fan Bingbing asks.

“Absolutely,” Feng Zhuo says with such a shameless smile that there is no doubt in Liu Jin’s mind that he considers himself to be the right type of bad company. “But I have already wasted too much of your time. Go back to preparing yourselves. We are all very much looking forward to your performance.”

~~~

“Really, I don’t see why they are so surprised,” the Wandering Wind says once the tournament officials finally remove the glacier. “It was obvious she was going to win.”

“Not everyone has your keen insight,” Ruan Chenshu comments.

“You knew,” the Wandering Wind points out. “That’s why you negotiated with Shao Zhilan to have the Ding child fight the girl.”

Ruan Chenshu is silent for a moment.

“I did not imagine you’d care.”

“I don’t. That does not mean I am unaware. You Ruans and Dings are always fighting over something.” She yawns. “It’s silly. Still, it is a bit of a pity.”

“The unity of our Sect could certainly use more work, but-”

“Not that,” the Wandering Wind cuts him off. “I am talking about Meng Yue. It’s a pity.”

Ruan Chenshu blinks.

“I am afraid I do not follow.”

“Meng Yue is a brilliant woman,” the Wandering Wind says. “I have always looked forward to the day when she steps into the realm of divinities, but it looks like I’m going to have to wait longer than I expected. That disciple of her has commanded much of her attention. I can see it in the girl’s aura. Of course, that’s only to be expected.”

The Wandering Wind rests her cheek on her fist and eats a strawberry.

“Out of all the participants, the girl called Xiao Shuang might just be the one with the most raw talent. It’s only natural that Meng Yue devoted so much time to her.”

~~~