Tournament (4)

The fierce battle on the arena stage continued.

Tan Yin's offensive was razor-sharp. Wang Rong failed to evade in time, and the edge of the sword grazed his neck, slicing off a lock of hair along with half of a faded hair ribbon.

The stone bead at the end of the ribbon struck the blade, smearing it with blood before bouncing and rolling to the ground. Tan Yin's sword momentum abruptly stalled—the bead, ground from a scrap of bluestone, was one he had personally strung onto the ribbon as a child.

Long ago, it had also been a token he had given to a lost boy.

Memories surged in like a tidal wave. The image of a child clutching a shattered jade pendant, crying until he hiccupped, his eyes full of helplessness and terror, gradually overlapped with the grotesquely twisted face before him, distorted by rage and madness.

Yet the man before him was clearly the enemy who had repeatedly ruined his marriage prospects and made him the laughingstock of others.

"You... could it be..." Tan Yin's lips trembled faintly. The words reached his mouth, only to seem caught by some invisible force.

At this moment, Tan Yin recognized the hair ribbon, and for a time, countless emotions churned within him.

He was shocked by the change in the person before him, and still retained a trace of attachment to their past bond. Yet reason told him that the person before him was no longer that child from back then. He had to give it his all.

The emotions vanished in an instant. The hand that had loosened slightly around his sword from shock hesitated for only a moment before tightening around the hilt once more.

Wang Rong did not miss the shift in his emotions. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, the madness in his eyes remained undiminished, but gained several shades of stubborn obsession. "Ha. I was worrying over nothing."

A bitter, self-mocking smile surfaced on his lips. Over the years, he had secretly hoped countless times that the other man would remember him. Yet whenever the night grew still, unease would fill his heart. If Tan Yin truly remembered, what kind of gaze would he turn upon the person Wang Rong had become?

Only now did he suddenly realize that it had all been his own wishful thinking, his own self-indulgence.

Yes, Tan Yin had remembered. But to Tan Yin, it had merely been a child he had helped out of a momentary kindness in his youth. How much affection could that possibly have left behind in his heart?

What was more, that innocent and adorable child from back then had now become an arrogant, rude person who targeted him at every turn.

In truth, Wang Rong understood that this was not Tan Yin's fault.

It was simply that whenever he thought of the past and looked at the current situation, he found the former self who had clutched that brief chance encounter to his chest like a priceless treasure, unwilling to let go, utterly laughable.

Now that things had come to this, he no longer wished to think about any other tangled thoughts. He hardened his heart and made up his mind that, no matter what, he would force Tan Yin out of this match.

"Keep going." Wang Rong shook seven or eight talisman stones from his sleeve, where they hovered around him, each radiating a dangerous gleam. "Is this all the chief disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect can do?"

On the arena stage, thick with the smell of gunpowder, the battle between the two grew increasingly intense. Everyone below was infected by the tense atmosphere, scarcely daring to breathe as they stared fixedly at the pair onstage, as though afraid of missing even a single thrilling moment.

Shen Yuxi had originally watched the match on the arena stage with an indifferent expression, his features cold as frost, as though nothing in the world could enter his eyes. Even as the fierce battle raged, the corner of his eye had not shifted in the slightest.

However, Wang Rong's increasingly strange state on the stage was like a key that suddenly pried open the gates of his memory. "Wang Rong, Wang Rong... Wang Rong and Tan Yin? Fuck! It's actually them!"

The members of the Profound Heaven Sect stared at the two people locked in an inseparable fight on the stage, while secretly glancing at Shen Yuxi from the corners of their eyes. They all thought the same thing: You know again?

"Fuck, this pairing was so popular during serialization that they once surpassed several pairings involving the senior brothers and charged straight into the top three of the rankings! They were minor side characters from an early arc, so they did not get much screen time. I nearly forgot they even had this whole thing going on!"

Shen Yuxi clicked his tongue inwardly. His thoughts were completely occupied by the memories that had abruptly surfaced, and he struggled to piece together everything he knew about the two while regretting it at the same time.

"Oh, my memory is terrible. I nearly forgot such an amazing CP completely. If the fans found out, they'd beat me to death."

Everyone was thoroughly bewildered. A lot of those words made no sense, but in short, they were impressive?

"Speaking of their love-hate saga, it really had more twists and turns than nine bends and eighteen curves.

When they were children, they had met once. Back then, Wang Rong had still been a little dumpling of a child. He got lost in the mountains, out in the wilds, and when night fell, it started raining heavily. He was so frightened that he bawled his eyes out.

Fortunately, by some twist of fate, he met Tan Yin. Seeing the little fellow looking so pitiful, Tan Yin felt a flicker of sympathy. He led him to the main road, then stayed with Wang Rong and waited quietly there. Only after a long while did Wang Rong's family arrive to rescue him.

Little Wang Rong fell in love at first sight with that dependable older brother. His heart and eyes were filled entirely with Tan Yin's kindness."

As Shen Yuxi recounted the story in his mind, he could not help sighing. "Tsk, tsk. As the saying goes, you can't just pick up men off the roadside. Who could have imagined that a single meeting in childhood would lead to so many things later on?"

"When they met again, several years had already passed.

Only then did Wang Rong learn that Tan Yin had become a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect. But the Azure Rock Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect had been hereditary rivals, their relationship as irreconcilable as fire and water.

And Tan Yin looked as though he did not remember him at all, which infuriated Wang Rong. Feeling that his self-respect had been deeply wounded, he flew into a rage from shame. From then on, he embarked upon the road of causing trouble for Tan Yin, a road of no return."

Shen Yuxi could not help mocking him. "Sigh, what a perfect elementary-school-boy method of pursuing someone by making trouble for him. It was childish enough. Wang Rong was stubborn as a mule too, like a rebellious child who thought he could draw Tan Yin's attention this way.

Wang Rong's cultivation was inferior to Tan Yin's, so he relied on having many magical artifacts and always came up with all kinds of roundabout methods to humiliate Tan Yin.

Later, Tan Yin became engaged to the eldest daughter of another sect. That really provoked Wang Rong. He went even further, trying every possible way to obstruct them, and in the end, he truly destroyed that marriage.

From then on, Tan Yin could be said to have come to hate Wang Rong. Whenever he struck, he showed not the slightest mercy.

Later, the Azure Rock Sect acted too arrogantly, making enemies everywhere and offending people in every direction. As a result, it was targeted from all sides, and its influence gradually declined.

Faced with the difficult situation of being targeted on every front, Wang Rong was completely isolated and helpless. Although Tan Yin stepped in and saved him, he still bore a grudge over everything Wang Rong had done before and had no desire to get close to him at all.

Until the two were swept into the chaos of the Heart-Questioning Realm by a twist of fate.

With his profound cultivation and steadfast state of mind, Tan Yin broke free of the illusion early on. When he discovered that Wang Rong was still trapped within it, he ultimately could not set his mind at ease and entered the illusion again.

Only after going in did he understand that all those years of apparent tit-for-tat hostility between them had merely been one person's clumsy and stubborn way of begging for attention."

"After that, it got far too explicit—completely a straight man training a puppy. Amitabha. Healthy love is certainly wonderful, but twisted feelings are truly spectacular." Shen Yuxi wore an icy expression, but in his heart, he was already pressing his palms together like a monk or nun and bowing his head to chant sutras.

After hearing his account, some people suddenly understood, while others remained half-comprehending. Yet all their gazes unconsciously turned toward the two fiercely fighting figures on the arena stage.

Having sorted through the story between the two, Shen Yuxi did not forget to offer a summary. "This story teaches us that having a mouth and opening it is more important than anything."

After lamenting that, he began pondering again. The doubts in his heart bubbled up like a spring, gurgling endlessly to the surface. "Say, Wang Rong was hitting so hard... could it be because he was jealous?

After all, this match was basically a husband-selection event. What sect with any real foundation would be willing to let a disciple they had painstakingly raised, one worthy of being presented to the world, marry into Medicine King Valley?

But the Heavenly Sword Sect was different. Its own circumstances were what they were, while Medicine King Valley happened to have abundant family wealth and considerable financial resources. Compared together, they could be considered well matched in social standing...

—If Wang Rong thought the same way, then Tan Yin had really suffered this undeserved calamity for no reason at all."

Lin Huaixu silently continued his thought, staring at Wang Rong on the stage. Oh, so it seemed sword cultivators really had provoked you. But matters between little lovers should be handled slowly behind closed doors, with the lights out. The other sword cultivators did not want to carry this blame.

"Well, there's still plenty to work through." Shen Yuxi concluded with a single sentence, yet the storm in his mind did not stop. It was simply too chaotic to form coherent sentences, so no one could tell what exactly he was thinking.

At times like this, Shen Yuxi was even grateful for this face that had acquired facial paralysis later in life. No one could tell even if his thoughts were speeding down the highway.

No matter how many entanglements existed between the two men on the stage, this match still had to produce a victor in the end.

The two exchanged blows on the arena stage, pouring their full strength into every move and stance. The surrounding air hummed as spiritual power churned through it. The spectators below held their breath, their eyes locked tightly on the pair, scarcely daring to breathe.

In the end, Tan Yin narrowly won by the slimmest margin. However, what should have been a friendly exchange of techniques had exacted no small price from both sides. They were both covered in wounds and seriously injured.

At this moment, Tan Yin's steps were weak and unsteady, as though a light breeze could blow him over.

As for Wang Rong, his face was even paler than paper. He looked like a withered leaf drifting in a violent wind, trembling on the verge of collapse.

His eyes held exhaustion and unwillingness, yet when he looked at Tan Yin, they also carried a trace of self-mocking derision.

He stood where he was and recovered for a long while. Finally, he glanced at the stone bead that had fallen to the ground, then quickly turned his head away. With great difficulty, he moved his feet and descended from the stage step by step, slow and heavy.

Tan Yin turned to look at him. The gasps from below and the referee's announcement all became blurred background noise in that instant. He suddenly felt—

This person seemed to be crying.

Tan Yin shook his head, casting aside the unrealistic thought. Only by leaning on the heavy sword in his hand to support his body could he walk off the arena stage without falling to the ground. The blade sank deeply into the earth with a dull sound, as though it too were sighing over the fierce match.

Below the stage, Lin Huaixu narrowed his eyes as he finished the last bite of a spiritual fruit and smiled. "Well then, the pressure is on the healers now."

The instant Tan Yin stepped down, the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples surged around him like a tide, crowding close with desperate speed and shielding him tightly in their midst. One took his sword, another immediately supported him, and every pair of eyes was full of worry for their senior brother's injuries.

"Senior Brother, how are you?"

"Quick, check whether any vital areas were injured!"

Anxious questions rose and fell like raindrops, each one thick with alarm and tension.

Tan Yin was covered in blood. His formerly neat clothes had been torn in many places, leaving him in a truly miserable state.

Even in such weakness, he still endured the pain and forced out a faint smile, wanting to reassure the fellow disciples concerned for him. "I'm fine. Don't worry, everyone."

However, his bloodless pale face and body, which could not gather even a trace of strength, ruthlessly exposed his words and made that reassurance seem so powerless.

On Wang Rong's side, the Azure Rock Sect disciples had witnessed their senior brother's nearly crazed state on the stage. Every one of them had been thoroughly frightened, and several shades more timid.

Now that their senior brother seemed to have returned to his usual self, they exchanged looks. After hesitating for a long time, one disciple who was normally rather close to Wang Rong took a deep breath and gathered the courage to step forward.

He approached Wang Rong in tiny steps, his eyes tangled with reverence and worry. He feared disturbing Wang Rong, yet could not stop himself from asking after him.

Then he spoke softly, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremor. "Senior Brother, are you all right?"

Wang Rong gave a slight wave of his hand. His voice was hoarse as sandpaper scraping together, filled with deep exhaustion. "It's nothing, just a minor injury." Yet the blood at the corner of his mouth had not even dried, and the trembling of his body was even harder to still.

The second match was equally spectacular. Both contestants possessed exceptional strength, and the moment they took the stage, they launched into an intense confrontation.

The clash of sword and fist lacked the dazzling splendor of flashy spells, but possessed several more shades of solid, tangible force. The audience watched with rapt attention, letting out bursts of amazement from time to time.

However, after witnessing the first match between Tan Yin and Wang Rong, with its real blades and true weapons, its desperate life-or-death ferocity, this match somehow felt less heart-clenching. Compared to the previous one, it inevitably seemed slightly inferior.

In the end, the younger disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect came out slightly ahead.

In the earlier matches, because his opponents' strengths had varied greatly, some of his qualities had not been fully displayed. But with both sides evenly matched in this fight, his combat instincts and skill were revealed to the fullest.

So long as he caught even the slightest opening, his opponent would easily fall into a passive position. Once drawn into the rhythm he created, it became extremely difficult to organize an effective counterattack, and they could only retreat step by step beneath his tide-like assault.

According to the schedule, the original final should have been a match between Tan Yin and this younger disciple. However, Tan Yin had been injured too severely in his battle with Wang Rong. He was now so weak that even standing was difficult, and in such condition, he simply could not participate in the final.

Besides, Tan Yin's purpose in entering this competition had been to settle the grudge with the Azure Rock Sect. Now that his purpose had been achieved, there was no reason for him to force himself to continue.

Thus, after discussion, everyone unanimously decided to let the younger disciple win the final directly.

With that, the entire tournament came to an end.

As the host, Medicine King Valley displayed its generosity and thoughtfulness. For the guests injured during the tournament, Medicine King Valley swiftly arranged for careful treatment.

Tan Yin and Wang Rong, who had suffered the most serious injuries in particular, were personally treated by Gu Yinchen, the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley.

As the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, Gu Yinchen possessed superb medical skills and hands capable of bringing the dead back to life. His name had long resounded throughout the cultivation world.

At this moment, he wore a focused expression as he continuously poured his spiritual power into Tan Yin and Wang Rong. Like a pair of invisible hands, the spiritual power carefully sorted through their chaotic meridians, while their damaged internal organs slowly began healing under its guidance.

The two men who had just fought each other to the death were forced to sit extremely close together. Both felt deeply awkward and turned their heads away rather than look at one another. Instead, the disciples who had followed after them out of concern for their senior brothers glared at each other, brows raised and eyes wide.

Gu Yueyao was responsible for treating the other two semifinalists. The younger disciple and the body cultivator had only superficial injuries. They looked serious, but were far easier to treat than the two who had fought each other with their lives on the line.

Besides, both of them were somewhat thick-skinned and tough-bodied. After a round of treatment and some medicine, they would likely be lively and vigorous again tomorrow.

Under the concerted care of everyone from Medicine King Valley, the injured contestants gradually stabilized. This splendid tournament also slowly drew to a close amid an atmosphere that was busy yet harmonious.

A little side scene:

Some people watching the tournament: That was an amazing fight. Sure enough, fights between people with real grudges are the most exciting.

Some people watching the tournament: It was just a little couple pulling each other's hair. Their relationship simply had not reached that point yet. If I were one of their brothers, I'd immediately activate a Recording Stone and capture it. Put one in the hall and one in the courtyard during their wedding, then play them on repeat.