It's All Part of the Plan!

Yang Wei stood on the hard platform, planted his broadsword against it, and stared hard at the young man opposite him.

"Ye Han, stop hiding what you've got. Bring it on."

As his words fell, his qi and blood surged around him, and he immediately activated his [Poison Gas] trait.

Ye Han stood opposite him, a broadsword in his hand. Hearing that, he laughed.

"What's the rush?"

"How could I not be in a rush?" Yang Wei held his blade across his body. "I still remember that dirty trick you pulled on me last time. We're settling the score today."

"All right, then I won't hold back."

Ye Han crooked his finger.

[Single-Person Blind Spot], activate.

Before Yang Wei could even blink, the living, breathing person standing across from him vanished.

"Damn it! That damn thing again!"

Yang Wei cursed, tightened his grip on his broadsword, and darted his eyes around.

To the left.

His instincts told him someone was on his left.

He slashed over.

He hit nothing.

Behind him.

He spun around.

Another slash.

Still nothing.

Some people in the stands were baffled.

"What's that chubby kid from the Chu Martial Arts School doing, hacking at thin air?"

"Can he not see his opponent?"

When someone asked, someone else filled them in.

Once word spread that Ye Han had [Single-Person Blind Spot], sharp intakes of breath sounded all across the stands.

"What? There's a cheating trait like that?"

"That's way too much of a bug." Someone imagined himself in Yang Wei's position and grew more desperate the more he thought about it. "If I went up there, I wouldn't even be able to find the guy. Wouldn't I just get kicked right off?"

"Easy. Splash some paint on the platform, and he'll show himself."

"Why don't you splash shit instead?! Where are you going to find paint in the arena? By the time you find some, he'll have been kicked off eight times over."

In the Ye Martial Arts School's seating area.

Lin Luyin's brows were knotted together.

She was working out how she would counter [Single-Person Blind Spot] if she faced Ye Han herself.

There were two ways.

First, use a wide-area martial technique to cover the entire arena indiscriminately. He could hide while she blasted away, no matter where he was.

Second, have someone outside the arena call out his position.

The first was no use to her. She couldn't learn martial techniques yet, much less wide-area ones.

The second was even less viable. Having a friend call out positions in a singles match would be far too dishonorable, even if the referee allowed it.

So it was essentially a dead end.

If she really did face Ye Han, she could only hope her [Evasion] trait kept triggering, then rely on luck to find him and knock him off.

"Yezi." Lin Luyin leaned closer.

"What is it, Little Deer?"

"Has your cousin ever practiced using that trait on you?"

"No." Ye Weiyu shook her head. "Cousin said it was rude to use it on family."

"Then which do you think is stronger, his trait or my [Evasion]?"

"I don't know." Ye Weiyu thought for a moment, then added, "But Cousin and Little Deer are both really strong."

"What kind of answer is that..."

"Are you angry, Little Deer?"

"Of course not." Lin Luyin rubbed the girl's head. "How could I ever be angry with Yezi?"

"Mm-hmm! Little Deer is the best!" Ye Weiyu's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

On the other side, Xiao Lan watched with her heart in her throat.

She was from the Chu Martial Arts School, and Yang Wei usually looked after her there. Whether for the school or for personal reasons, she hoped he would win.

Beside her, Xiao Yan had propped up her tablet and was absorbed in drawing her book, oblivious to everyone around her.

A focus gu.

It wasn't Chu Ge's match, so she had little interest in watching.

In the arena.

Yang Wei had missed several slashes in a row, and he was nearly numb.

His instincts told him someone was on his left.

He slashed over.

Wrong.

A kick landed squarely on his backside.

Bang.

He flew several meters and crashed down, thoroughly dazed.

Yang Wei used his sword to push himself up and shouted at the spot where he had been standing:

"Ye Han! We're classmates and desk mates, at least. Can't you leave me a little dignity?"

No one answered.

After all, under the effects of [Single-Person Blind Spot], he wouldn't have been able to hear Ye Han even if he had answered.

"Either punch me off the platform or show yourself and fight me head-on. What's with kicking me in the ass all the time?"

Still no sound.

"What, do you have a secret crush on me?"

"Got your eye on my big ass?"

"Forget it. Even if you beg, I'm not giving it to you!"

Hidden from sight, Ye Han shook his head.

His desk mate was a real pain.

He was already holding back a lot. If he had kicked Yang Wei in the head, Yang Wei would have been lying flat long ago.

But it was about time. If he dragged this out any longer, his own condition would be affected too.

Bang.

Yang Wei was still shouting when another heavy kick landed on his backside, harder than the last.

He flew straight out of the arena, hit the ground, and rolled several times before stopping.

Applause rang out.

The referee stepped forward and declared Ye Han the winner.

Xiao Lan's shoulders slumped.

"Brother Yang Wei lost..."

"He lost, that's all. As long as he's okay." Xiao Yan closed her tablet. "Come on, let's get some grilled sausages. My treat."

"Huh?"

"Your young master just won a match. Shouldn't we celebrate?"

She was having good luck today. She had found another hundred yuan on her way out that morning and treated Chu Ge to breakfast.

Now she still had several dozen yuan left.

Enough to spend.

The two walked toward the snack stalls outside the venue, Xiao Lan still dejected.

"Sister Xiao Yan, do you think Brother Yang Wei will feel bad?"

"Him? He'll feel bad for half an hour at most, then forget all about it as soon as he sees food." Xiao Yan waved a hand. "Don't worry. His heart's even bigger than his belly."

At the grilled sausage stall, Xiao Yan waved her hand grandly.

"Boss, four grilled sausages, extra spicy."

After paying, she took the sausages and handed two to Xiao Lan.

"Take them and eat. Don't stand on ceremony with me."

Xiao Lan took the sausages and bit into one. The savory, spicy flavor spread through her mouth, and she finally felt a little better.

"By the way, Sister Xiao Yan, do you think the young master has really awakened a trait?"

"Who knows?" Xiao Yan took a bite of her sausage. She had no intention of revealing that Chu Ge had [Blue Silver Grass], so she said vaguely, "Anyway, he's hiding plenty. Just keep watching and you'll see."

In the arena.

Ye Han deactivated [Single-Person Blind Spot], turned, and walked into the contestants' passage.

No one saw that his face had already gone pale.

Back in the waiting room, he gave a self-mocking smile.

"I still messed around too much."

He unzipped his backpack and pulled out a vial of green medicine.

A universal antidote, capable of neutralizing the vast majority of toxins on the market. One vial cost a hundred thousand yuan.

It was painfully expensive. Even coming from a major family, he only had a few vials in stock.

He drank the medicine and took a sip of water. Only then did some color return to his face.

As a student in the second-year elite class, he had long been qualified to break through to the Black Iron Realm, but for this tournament, he had forcibly held back his cultivation for half a year without breaking through.

Once he finished competing today, he could advance without worrying.

His gaze swept across the waiting room and settled on the thin young man not far away.

Chu Ge.

This man was most likely his greatest opponent in the tournament.

As if sensing something, Chu Ge opened his eyes.

"Need something?"

"No."

Though he said no, Ye Han's legs were more honest. He walked straight over and sat down beside Chu Ge.

He got straight to the point:

"Chu Ge, do you think you can win this tournament?"

"I don't think there'll be a problem."

"But you haven't even awakened a trait." Ye Han looked at him. "Who gave you the courage to compete against a bunch of people who have traits?"

"Liang Jingru."

The corner of Ye Han's mouth twitched.

"I knew you'd say that."

"That joke's too old. Come up with another one."

"Then I can't think of anything else." Chu Ge smiled. "You have to try things to find out, don't you?"

"That's true." Ye Han nodded. "Then I'll wait for you to make it to the end and fight me in the finals."

With that, he went back to the other side, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Chu Ge watched his retreating figure, his brow furrowing slightly.

Something wasn't quite right with him.

That look, that tone, that manner of speaking... Judging from his experience living two lives, what was this called again?

A love rival.

Yes, that was more or less it.

But the problem was, he had been single since birth. Where had a love rival come from?

Was it because of the childhood betrothal? His engagement to Lin Luyin had fallen through ages ago. There was no need for this.

Was it because of Xiao Yan? The two of them were cousins. It was completely impossible.

Then what on earth was Ye Han getting jealous over?

Chu Ge racked his brains but couldn't figure it out.

Time ticked by, and the hundred contestants fought until fifty remained. Then the announcement sounded again.

"The second elimination round is beginning. The first match will now commence."

"Contestants number one and number forty-three, please come to the platform."

As the announcement ended, Chu Ge and Ye Han looked up at the same time in the waiting room.

Their eyes met.

Chu Ge hadn't expected his turn to come around again so soon, or for him to be facing Ye Han right away.

Interesting.

He rose, rolled his neck, picked up his spear, and headed for the contestants' passage.

Someone was squatting at the entrance.

Yang Wei.

He sighed when he saw Chu Ge.

"Old Chu, I did my best."

"I know."

Chu Ge patted him on the shoulder, sounding much like someone who had been through it all showing consideration for a junior.

"It was just a little wind and frost. Don't take it to heart. Just win it back next time."

"Really?"

"Nope."

Yang Wei: "..."

"Our friendship is over!"

Chu Ge said, "I thought you said your friendship was 'foot,' not over. You scared me there."

Yang Wei: "..."

"That bastard fought so dirty. He kept kicking my ass, and it still hurts." He rubbed his backside, looking thoroughly aggrieved. "Next time, I'll corner him in the toilet and let him have a taste of how powerful my poison gas is."

Chu Ge held back a laugh.

"Sure. I'll keep watch for you when the time comes."

"That's what brothers are for." Yang Wei patted his arm. "Give it your all, take that kid Ye Han down, and avenge me."

"I'll try."

"What do you mean, try? You have to win!" Yang Wei glared at him. "If you win, I'll buy you duck-leg rice for two weeks."

"You said it." Chu Ge teased him. "I'm holding you to that, so don't go back on your word."

"Am I that kind of person?"

"You are."

"..."

Seeing Yang Wei's energy return, Chu Ge gave him a kindly smile.

"I'm going up to the arena for a fight. You wait here and don't wander off."

With that, he strode toward the arena entrance.

Yang Wei's indignant shout came from behind him.

"Chu Ge, you're taking advantage of me! Just you wait!"

Chu Ge waved without looking back.

"It's all part of the plan."