The First Volume: Intrigue in the Imperial Capital - Haoyue's Special Ability

The stadium was packed with people today, with tens of thousands of seats filled. Every spectator was vying to get a glimpse of the veteran beauty, Haoyue Tartaglia.

I was naturally one of them. As a member of the Si Nan Family, I was seated in the VIP section, with an unparalleled view.

"I didn't expect you to come and watch someone else's match. Are you interested in Miss Haoyue?" Rui Xin asked.

"Well... I'm likely to run into her in future competitions, so it's always good to know her better."

Actually, that's only one of the reasons. There's another reason—for some reason, I always have this feeling that I have to watch her fight, like some kind of intuition or sense of mission.

"What do you mean by 'knowing'? Anyway, Xiao Ye, you definitely have ulterior motives."

"Xiao, Little Ying!? When did you show up?"

"I've been here for a while," Si Nan Ying, puffing out her cheeks and fiddling with her hair. "You didn't even notice that I've been sitting right next to you for so long? Has your soul been bewitched by that Moon Goddess?"

"... Just in case, let me confirm, are you being difficult?"

"No, you're overthinking it!" Si Nan Ying snorted and turned her face away. Hey, you look so cute when you're being difficult, you know?

"Could it be... jealousy?"

"I told you no, you big idiot Xiao Ye!"

"The fifteenth match is about to begin. Contestants, please enter the arena!"

The announcement sounded, and soon two contestants walked through the passage and onto the ring.

Haoyue's appearance was met with deafening cheers. Today, she was still wearing a white cheongsam, but the patterns on it were no longer the bamboo and cloud patterns of before, but rather the more intense thunder patterns, to match the atmosphere of the arena. A sword hung at her waist, pure white without a single blemish, in the style of a Chinese sword, beautiful and noble. Even standing on the arena under the spotlight, her demeanor remained elegant and composed, showing no sign of nervousness.

"Wow, judging from Miss Haoyue's expression, she seems quite confident about the competition! Right, Liu Ye... Liu Ye?"

"Uh? Ah... yes, very confident..." I snapped out of my reverie and quickly replied with a few words.

Are you very confident about the competition?

Indeed, in everyone's eyes, Haoyue now seems to have victory firmly in her grasp.

But... my feelings were different.

That's not confidence.

Rather, they simply don't care.

It's not simply that they don't care about the competition.

She didn't care about her opponents, the referees, or even the spectators.

Because I'm not interested, I don't care.

Because they don't take it seriously, they don't care.

Because it doesn't matter, I don't care.

If I had to use an analogy, it's like someone who's asleep, knowing they're dreaming but unable to wake up, so they participate in everything within the dream with a playful attitude.

I don't know why I think or feel this way, but I know—or rather, I believe—that my feelings are her true thoughts. For some reason, I always feel that I can understand Haoyue to some extent, understand this enigmatic girl.

"Ah, An Ang of the Qihe Sect has arrived!"

An Ang was a bald boy dressed like a martial monk, with a large arrow tattooed on his head. Was this really not Avatar?

"Miss Haoyue, I've heard so much about you. Please give me your guidance~" An Ang chuckled. This cheerful innocence was exactly the type of character I disliked.

"I have long admired the reputation of the young Sect Master of the Qihe Sect. It is my honor to spar with you." In response, Haoyue also bowed, but there was no expectation for the so-called "sparring" in his eyes, only a faint, mocking smile, as if he were looking at a monkey.

"Both sides, take your positions! 3-2-1-Go!"

"Miss Haoyue, my apologies!"

A sudden gust of wind arose around An Ang, and he clapped his hands together, compressing the violent wind into a sphere!

"Magic Wind Bullet!"

The compressed, storm-like projectile shot towards Haoyue at an astonishing speed, but Haoyue made no attempt to dodge, simply watching the projectile hurtle towards her, and then—colliding head-on!

Upon impact, the wind bomb exploded, the sharp, blade-like wind tearing the ground to shreds and whipping up a cloud of dust, its power astonishing.

"Why didn't you dodge? I won?" An Ang was also quite surprised. Although this Wind Shot was his signature move, he never expected to win with just this one attack. How could Miss Haoyue be so weak?

"Don't worry, I'm definitely not that weak."

A pleasant voice suddenly came from behind him, An Ang was immediately terrified. The air around him instantly twisted into a huge wind blade that slashed backward!

"I heard that Qihe Sect's greatest pride is his speed, and I was actually quite looking forward to it."

The wind blade missed its target, and this time the sound came from in front of him. The bright moon had somehow moved right in front of him!

"You are... how..." An Ang stared at Haoyue in disbelief, or rather, at Haoyue's feet.

Centered on the bright moon, a slowly rotating orange halo appeared on the ground, with two layers, inner and outer. Within each layer of the halo were three orange runes that rotated with the halo. These runes were all different in shape, but each one was extremely complex and obscure (ps: those who have seen Kara no Kyoukai can think of Araya Sōren).

"Alright, An Ang- kun, now we're officially starting."

"Playing tricks!" An Ang was greatly displeased, and a sharp wind blade flew towards Haoyue.

"Orange Moon - Moonwalk".

Just before the impact, a rune from the first layer of the orange aura affixed to her foot, and her figure vanished instantly, leaving only an orange afterimage on the ground.

High-speed movement!

"Simply moving at high speed, yet you dare to flaunt your speed in front of my Qihe Sect? Thousand Mile Wind Travel!"

An Ang immediately gathered the scattered storm winds at his feet, propelling him at high speed and leaving afterimages as he chased after the bright moon.

"No one dares to the Qihe Sect in speed, let's see where you can run!"

An Ang's speed was indeed astonishing. In the blink of an eye, he had closed the distance with Haoyue. A powerful storm gathered in his hand, and he intended to use this move to decide the outcome!

"The profound meaning of the Qihe Sect —Wind erodes the earth!"

The entire arena was shrouded in a storm, and dozens or even hundreds of wind blades converged into a violent whirlwind that rushed towards Haoyue. Rocks flew everywhere on the arena, carving a deep ravine!

"Did you win?" An Ang didn't even glance at the ravaged arena; all he wanted was the result.

"Unfortunately, no."

Above!?

An Ang hurriedly looked up, and what came into view was --

"Bridge!?"

"Orange Moon Bridge." Orange-yellow moonlight gathered in the air, forming a bridge suspended in the air. The bright moon stood alone on it with a playful smile, looking down at him from above.

"I'm a little disappointed. I thought you could force me to use the 'Silver Moon' series, but now it seems I won't even be able to use the third ring of 'Orange Moon'."

The moonlight forms a bridge, and a beautiful woman walks upon it—it's a rather picturesque scene, but An Ang has no mood to appreciate it at all.

"... Are you underestimating me?"

"Underestimate them? Who knows?" Haoyue's smile remained unchanged. "But as far as I know, some creatures, like ants and earthworms, can only be seen from above."

"You're asking for death! Eat my Qihe Sect's Great Secret Technique--!"

An Ang was completely enraged; he hated being looked down upon! This was his strongest attack, and he was determined to beat this infuriating woman to a pulp!

"Ah, well done!"

A hint of anticipation finally appeared on Haoyue's face. For the first time, she raised the pure white sword, and a rune from the second layer of the halo beneath her feet gently adhered to the sword.

"--Wind Blade - Formless Sky Severing!"

The air in the entire area began to stir violently, and the fiercest wind blades to date burst forth, as powerful as thunder, carving a terrifying vacuum band as they flew toward the bright moon!

"Orange Moon - Moon Ripple!"

Haoyue finally made her move. Pale orange-yellow light blades rippled through the storm-raging air like waves. The seemingly weak light blades overlapped layer by layer, spreading gently and rapidly, eventually forming a small wave of light that collided with the huge wind blade in mid-air.

The old saying, "The hardest things break, and the softest things overcome the hardest," was perfectly exemplified at this moment. The domineering wind blade collided with the wave of light, like a cleaver cutting through cotton. Not only was the fierce cutting force gently neutralized, but the wave also completely engulfed the wind blade, pouring down towards An Ang!

The result was predictable.

At the last moment, An Ang decisively raised his hands in surrender. The quick-witted referee immediately called a stop, and Haoyue then withdrew her move, allowing An Ang to escape unscathed.

This is Haoyue's special ability... more like Daoist arts or magic than a special ability.

Just as I was thinking this, Haoyue, who was still on the field, suddenly looked up at me. She smiled sweetly at me, parted her red lips slightly, and her beautiful lips moved, but she didn't make a sound.

I immediately understood what she meant and read her lips.

"This is just the beginning; there's much more to come."

That's what she said.

Is she... trying to raise my expectations? Tell me that what she's shown now is just the tip of the iceberg.

This sounds like lines from a BDSM-themed anime...