Shi Zanxue rested her face in her hands.
"He first learns and gains insight through exchanging blows. Once he has a rough impression of you, he unleashes that sword strike to win," Qun Fei said. "As for whether he has the upper or lower hand during those exchanges, that hardly matters. Lu Wei seemed to hold all the initiative, but Yong Ji didn't care much. Once he felt it was time to strike, everything was over."
She sighed softly. "That's how I lost. How dull. How strong."
Ji Jiuying was silent for a while. "If Yong Ji takes the championship, will things change?"
Shi Zanxue said nothing, winding a strand of black hair around her slender finger.
"I'm asking you," Ji Jiuying said.
"Could you stop bothering me?" she murmured, pursing her lips. "Watch until the end."
...I really have never seen you this nervous. Ji Jiuying raised her eyebrows at the thought, but did not say it aloud. She turned back.
Pei Ye watched the Sword Platform quietly, neither speaking nor moving.
"Have you decided?" Li Xizhou asked beside him.
"Master, just where did that sword strike come from? The sword gazette reckons it's a sword of the Wilderness People..."
"How would I know?"
"Aren't you supposed to have seen the world? Aren't I the one with no Jianghu experience?"
Slightly startled, Pei Ye turned his head. He truly had not expected to encounter the southwestern Zhihumen from the first day of the Feather-Scale Trial here again. Zhao Jianfei was chattering nonstop at Zhao Zhixiong's side. Both saw the young man's face turn toward them at the same time and stopped in surprise.
"Young Master Pei Ye!" Zhao Zhixiong hurriedly cupped his hands and smiled. "What a coincidence, what a coincidence-my disciple was fortunate enough to receive your