Yet mere moments later, the turmoil in the three of their hearts swiftly subsided, and they turned in unspoken accord toward the Great Qin Dynasty's spectator seats nearby.
Seated there was a mysterious, tall man whose face was concealed behind a mask. He was covered from head to toe, as though unwilling to let anyone glimpse his true appearance.
At the same time, Xuan Qiwu turned her head from atop the Martial Platform. A faint hint of mockery shone in her beautiful, captivating phoenix eyes, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly into a barely discernible smile.
That smile seemed harmless, yet it carried an indescribable air of provocation.
At the sight, the masked man's hand, which had been holding his wine cup steadily, suddenly stiffened.
The odd reaction did not last long, however. He soon took a casual sip of wine, as though he had noticed nothing at all.
What no one noticed, however, was that several veins had bulged on the back of his hand, its skin as flawless and white as mutton-fat jade. Clearly, his heart was not as still as water beneath that calm exterior.
At that moment, the powerful figures from the Great Qin Dynasty around him all sat rigidly upright, their gazes unwavering. Every one of them stared straight at the ground beneath their feet, as though afraid of missing something important.
For a time, an eerie silence settled over the scene, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze.
"Fairy Xuan... why don't we stop short of hurting each other in this match, so we don't spoil our friendly relations? Would that be all right with you?!"
Seeing that Xuan Qiwu had not answered him for some time, Song Bojian lowered his voice and made his suggestion again.