Chapter Forty-Four: Foes Meet on a Narrow Path

Lu Jiu, I’m really sorry—I didn’t mean it!” Gu Weiyu stood before Lu Jiu, whose body was battered and torn by the three fire dragons she had inadvertently unleashed. Embarrassment colored her face; how could she have known the talismans Grandfather had given her were so powerful? The fire dragons had manifested from her talismans, but she was utterly unable to control them. Thankfully, Elder San intervened and dispersed the dragons; otherwise...

“Hmph—ah—” Lu Jiu snorted coldly, tugging at his wounds, pain twisting his features.

The protective shield on the stage had long since vanished. Two youths from the Lu clan hurried over, glared fiercely at Gu Weiyu, and carefully helped Lu Jiu away.

Gu Weiyu shrugged, then looked back toward the stage. “Next!”

This time, everyone below felt a sudden chill on their scalp. The miserable state of Lu Jiu was still fresh in their minds; Gu Shiyi’s talismans were simply too, too ferocious!

The crowd that had gathered under the stage quickly scattered, leaving only a handful of stray cats and dogs.

Gu Weiyu’s mouth twitched. If only she’d used just one talisman! She regretted it inwardly; Grandfather had handed her a thick stack of talismans, saying they were mere practice pieces. How could she have forgotten that Grandfather’s words were always full of holes!

Gu Weiyu sighed softly, propping her chin in her hand, troubled. At this rate, would she even manage to gather ten challengers?

“Eleventh Sister, I want to challenge you!” Gu Qingyun had somehow leapt onto the stage.

Gu Weiyu looked up, puzzled, only to see him wink at her in secret. “Eleventh Sister, you can’t use talismans against me!”

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration struck Gu Weiyu. “Rest assured, I won’t use talismans against any challengers from now on.”

“Eleventh Sister, let’s begin then!” Gu Qingyun cupped his hands with deliberate formality.

Gu Weiyu nodded. She and Gu Qingyun often sparred, and were thoroughly familiar with each other’s abilities.

She knew his strength well, and intentionally went easy on him. Even so, Gu Qingyun still lost.

“I admit defeat!” Gu Qingyun conceded without hesitation.

Gu Weiyu winked at him and whispered, “Thank you, Twelfth Brother!”

Gu Qingyun grinned and, seeing the shield dissipate, hopped off the stage nimbly.

Soon after, Gu Weihuan, Gu Qinghao, and several others who knew they had no hope of reaching the finals came to join the fun, raising her challenge count to seven!

Three more to go, and she would qualify for the finals!

“You… you really won’t use talismans?” a timid voice sounded below the stage.

Gu Weiyu turned and saw a young girl in pink, her cheeks still plump with baby fat, looking at her nervously.

“Yes, I promise!” Gu Weiyu replied.

“All right, then let’s spar?” The pink-clad girl hopped onto the stage. “I’m Lian Jiu.”

Gu Weiyu readily agreed; she was worried no one would challenge her.

With the earlier lesson in mind, Gu Weiyu tested Lian Jiu’s abilities. Though the girl was skilled, she was no match for Gu Weiyu, who patiently sparred with her.

“I lost!” After more than half an hour of back-and-forth, Lian Jiu admitted defeat. She could feel the gulf between herself and Gu Shiyi.

Watching Lian Jiu jump off the stage with such decisiveness, Gu Weiyu smiled faintly. The girls of the Lian clan were quite interesting!

“I’ll go next!” Seeing Gu Weiyu truly abstain from using talismans, others soon followed.

Half an hour later, she had successfully defended the stage ten times, qualifying for the finals.

As for Lu Qingfeng and Gu Weilan, they had already completed their ten matches and returned to their seats.

The morning slipped quickly by, and the list of eight finalists emerged:

Gu Si, Lu Wu, Gu Shiyi, Lian San, Lu Jiu, Gu San, Yun Wu, and Lian Qi.

“As noon approaches, let us rest for a while. We’ll resume at the appointed hour,” Elder Lian San announced.

Those in the Duel Pavilion heard and began to disperse and return home.

“Brother Gu, your clan is truly blessed with talent!” The Lian clan leader greeted him with a beaming smile.

“Just luck! Brother Lian, your juniors are quite impressive as well!” Gu Jun stroked his beard, the two exchanging compliments.

“Hmph!” The Lu clan leader felt decidedly left out. He snorted, stood up, and, were it not for the impending marriage alliance, would have stormed off. “You two enjoy your chat. I’ll take my leave.”

Watching the Lu clan leader depart, the Lian clan leader shook his head. “Brother Gu, I hear the Gu and Lu clans are about to cement their alliance?”

“To be honest, Brother Lian, daughters are hard to keep at home these days. My tenth child, alas, she won’t listen to a word I say…” Gu Jun replied with a helpless look.

He had originally opposed Gu Qing marrying Lu Xingyun; that young man always seemed inscrutable, leaving him uneasy. But Gu Qing had thrown herself in wholeheartedly, swearing she would marry no one else!

The Lian clan leader recalled the look of that Lu clan youth, a flash of understanding in his eyes. “Haha, what a pity! I had hoped to shamelessly ask for your tenth daughter’s hand for my seventh child, but…”

Gu Jun looked regretful. He had met Lian Qi; indeed, a fine young man. What a shame!

He cupped his hands. “My tenth and your seventh simply lack the right fate!”

Nearby, the Yun clan leader had been listening cheerfully. Hearing this, he interjected, “Oh, my sixth is about the same age as your seventh. I wonder if Brother Lian would consider?”

The three continued discussing their children’s marriages as they flew away on their swords.

When the appointed hour arrived, everyone returned to the Duel Pavilion.

“The eight who qualified this morning, come forward to draw lots!”

Gu Weiyu and the others stepped up to Elder Lian San and drew from the bamboo tube.

There were only eight sticks inside. Gu Weiyu randomly picked one and glanced at it: Number Six.

She recalled Gu Qingyun had once drawn Number Six as well, and couldn’t help but smile.

“One versus eight, and so on. Number One, Gu Weilan, against Number Eight, Lian Jianjia… Number Three, Lu Qingfeng versus Number Six, Gu Weiyu…” Elder Lian San rattled off the names.

Hearing her name, Gu Weiyu got up and stood on the stage.

Across from her was a familiar face—Lu Wu. She instinctively tensed, remembering the hostility he had shown toward her twelfth brother.

Another Lu clan member? Was she destined to clash with them?

“Please!” Lu Wu cupped his hands, his tone icy.

Gu Weiyu returned the gesture. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Take this!” With that, Lu Wu charged at her, sword in hand.

Gu Weiyu quickly raised her wooden sword to block. Lu Wu’s blade struck hers with such force that she nearly lost her grip.

Lu Wu was even tougher than Lu Jiu!

Seeing his initial strike fail, Lu Wu withdrew his sword and unleashed a flurry of blows—slashing, hacking, thrusting… His swordplay was unpredictable. Gu Weiyu hastily used Gale Steps to widen the distance, then seized a chance to counter—Fire Dragon Dance!

A crimson dragon formed and instantly encircled Lu Wu.

But Gu Weiyu did not relax; she knew the fire dragon could not hold Lu Wu for long.

What to do? She gripped her wooden sword tightly, torn over whether to use a talisman. Why did Grandfather forbid her from revealing her thunder affinity?

Sweat broke out on her palm as she watched Lu Wu slash away at the fire dragon. In mere moments, her conjured dragon began to disperse. In a flash, an idea struck her.