Half a Step Late to Draw

After the consecutive-win challenge ended, Suotuo City grew even livelier.

Word of Myriad Phenomena's three straight victories spread overnight.

The story of Blood Scythe's failed ambush—and the poison on his blade—spread too, with every detail told as fact.

The Spirit Arena wanted to cover it up.

But too many people had seen what happened that night.

There was no hiding it.

Early the next morning, Flender returned from Suotuo City.

He carried a money pouch, but he didn't look pleased.

Yuan Yu sat at the edge of the training ground, wiping down his blade.

"Dean, did they short us?"

Flender tossed him the pouch.

"No."

Yuan Yu caught it and weighed it in his hand.

"Then why aren't you smiling?"

Flender snorted.

"The Spirit Arena thinks it can settle this with money."

Zhao Wuji spoke up from beside him. "We can't just let this go."

Flender nodded.

"Of course not. But we don't have enough evidence yet. For now, they owe us."

Ning Rongrong walked over.

"Do you need the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to step in?"

Flender glanced at her.

"Not yet."

Ning Rongrong didn't press him.

A few days ago, she would probably have invoked the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to scare them.

This time, she held back.

She would see how things developed before deciding whether to involve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Zhao Wuji clapped his hands.

"Everyone, over here."

The others quickly gathered.

Ma Hongjun was still yawning.

"Teacher Zhao, we just fought last night. We're training again today?"

Zhao Wuji grinned.

"Yuan Yu fought yesterday. What's that got to do with you?"

Ma Hongjun had no answer.

Zhao Wuji looked at the group.

"We're continuing team training today."

Xiao Wu immediately looked at Yuan Yu.

"He still has to wait half a step?"

"Yes."

Zhao Wuji said, "This time, he won't just wait half a step. Yuan Yu, you can only draw your blade after I call your name."

Yuan Yu blinked.

"Teacher Zhao, are you tying my hands?"

"Your hands are too fast. I have to."

Zhao Wuji walked to the center of the training ground.

"Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun—you five attack me."

"Ning Rongrong and Oscar, stay in the rear."

"Yuan Yu, you're the fallback."

"And there's one more rule today."

Zhao Wuji looked at Oscar.

"You can't just stand at the back handing out sausages."

Oscar's face fell.

"Teacher Zhao, I'm a Food System type."

"Food System types have to run too."

Zhao Wuji pointed at Ning Rongrong.

"When she falls back, you fall back with her. When she stops, hand her a sausage. If someone targets her, you shout first."

Oscar looked at Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong looked back at him too.

"Don't let me down."

Oscar puffed out his chest.

"Don't worry. Whatever else you say about me, I'm quick with a sausage."

Ma Hongjun muttered, "That still sounds weird."

Oscar glared at him.

Flender watched from a distance.

He said nothing.

Training began.

Dai Mubai charged first, his White Tiger Martial Soul activated.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass spread across the ground.

Xiao Wu used it to spring into the air.

Zhu Zhuqing slipped in from the side.

Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line blocked the other route.

The sequence flowed much better than it had a few days ago.

But Zhao Wuji opened a gap with a single step.

He feinted at Dai Mubai, then swept his hand toward Xiao Wu's landing point.

Xiao Wu's expression changed.

Normally, Yuan Yu would already have been there.

This time, Yuan Yu stayed where he was.

Zhao Wuji hadn't called him.

Tang San raised his hand at once.

Blue Silver Grass tugged at Xiao Wu's waist, pulling her half a foot aside.

Zhu Zhuqing moved in to cover her, clawing at Zhao Wuji's wrist.

Zhao Wuji chuckled.

"Not bad."

Xiao Wu looked a little pale when she landed.

She glanced at Yuan Yu.

Yuan Yu spread his hands.

"Teacher Zhao didn't call me."

Xiao Wu gritted her teeth.

"Again!"

In the second round, Zhao Wuji charged straight at the rear.

Ning Rongrong summoned her pagoda at once.

"Seven Treasure Mantra, Second: Speed!"

The light of her speed boost fell on Zhu Zhuqing.

Without hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing stepped in front of Oscar and Ning Rongrong.

She knew she couldn't hold Zhao Wuji back for long.

But half a heartbeat would be enough.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass followed.

Dai Mubai charged back in from the front.

Ma Hongjun's flames sealed off Zhao Wuji's flank.

Zhao Wuji's steps faltered.

This time, they hadn't needed Yuan Yu.

At the edge of the training ground, Flender nodded.

Yuan Yu smiled too.

"See? That worked."

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhao Wuji turned.

He slipped past the edge of Ma Hongjun's flames and struck at Dai Mubai's ribs.

Dai Mubai reacted half a beat too slowly.

"Yuan Yu!"

Zhao Wuji had called him.

Lightning flashed beneath Yuan Yu's feet.

"Thunder Breathing: First Form."

"Thunderclap and Flash."

The tip of his scabbard struck Zhao Wuji's wrist.

Zhao Wuji's palm veered off and hit empty air.

Dai Mubai stepped back, sweat on his forehead.

He really hadn't been able to stop that blow.

Zhao Wuji lowered his hand.

"See that?"

No one answered.

Zhao Wuji said, "Yuan Yu can save you, but he can't do it for you every time. Hold on yourselves first, then let him draw his blade. That's teamwork."

Tang San nodded.

"Understood."

Zhao Wuji put them through three more rounds.

In the third, Xiao Wu didn't rush in first again.

She waited for Tang San's Blue Silver Grass to spread before using it to launch herself forward.

In the fourth, Ma Hongjun didn't burn through all his flames at once.

He kept a stretch of fire beside the rear, just where Zhao Wuji tried to circle around.

In the fifth round, Oscar handed Ning Rongrong a sausage in advance.

Ning Rongrong took it without looking back and ate it.

It wasn't graceful.

But it was faster than that morning.

Zhao Wuji watched them finish and nodded.

"Now you're starting to look like a team."

Ma Hongjun sat down on the ground.

"Teacher Zhao, could you make a compliment sound a little nicer?"

"No," Zhao Wuji said.

Ma Hongjun sighed.

Ning Rongrong said quietly, "I was slow with the second speed boost."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at her.

"You were faster than last time."

Ning Rongrong paused, then nodded.

"Still not fast enough."

Xiao Wu looked at Yuan Yu.

"Next time, don't wait for Teacher Zhao to call you."

Before Yuan Yu could answer, Tang San said, "No."

Xiao Wu frowned.

Tang San met her eyes.

"We have to cover each other first."

Xiao Wu huffed.

"I know."

Yuan Yu watched them, his fingers lightly brushing the Sun Wheel Blade.

The Rosy Cloud Pattern lit up again.

This time, it was clearer than it had been last night.

A faint Divine Sense entered his mind.

"To judge someone, watch what they do first."

Yuan Yu looked up.

On the training ground, Dai Mubai was talking to Zhu Zhuqing about that last move.

Ning Rongrong had pulled Oscar aside to ask how long his sausage took to restore someone.

Tang San was marking out positions for the Blue Silver Grass on the ground.

Xiao Wu crouched beside him, listening. She still talked back, but her eyes were intent.

Ma Hongjun stood with his arms crossed, unusually quiet for once.

Yuan Yu suddenly smiled.

Flender spotted him from a distance.

"What are you smiling at?"

Yuan Yu said, "Dean, this academy of yours is a bit run-down."

Flender's face darkened.

Yuan Yu went on, "But the people are good."

Flender snorted.

"Glad you know it."

That night, the Rosy Cloud Pattern was still glowing when Yuan Yu returned to his room.

He had just laid the Sun Wheel Blade across his knees when a thin mist rose in the darkness outside his window.

A woman's voice came from the mist.

"The sixth trial is almost here."

Yuan Yu sat up straight.

"Which senior am I speaking to?"

Her voice was soft.

"Once you can see a situation clearly, you can ask my name."

The mist dispersed.

Yuan Yu stared at the Rosy Cloud Pattern on the blade. After a long while, he said, "Do all you gods like keeping people in suspense?"

Outside the window, Ling Yuan said coldly, "Go to sleep."

Yuan Yu lay down at once.

"You got it."