Dragon Boat Secret Realm 17: Duel

Tian Ning’s arrival on Dragon Scale Island brought ice flowers to half the coastline.

Onlookers caught what fell, not snowflakes but tiny, translucent ice crystals.

A black-robed female cultivator strode onto the island under stunned gazes. Frost bloomed where she stepped, as if she emerged from winter itself.

No one noticed her appearance or figure—her overwhelming aura revealed a shocking truth: at the same age, in the same secret realm, she was already at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

What kind of talent was this?

It was Tian Ning, of course. She didn’t intend to draw attention; the thought never crossed her mind.

Her ice-trailing walk, snow-summoning gestures, and frosty breath had a simple, mundane cause: indigestion.

For two years in the secret realm, Tian Ning focused on one goal: find Ice Jade White Fruit, consume it, and grow stronger.

She succeeded. The hardships weren’t worth mentioning. The fruit, a third-tier mid-grade spirit medicine, far exceeded her capacity. Normally, consuming it would overload her spiritual energy, risking explosion and death. But Tian Ning didn’t care for reason—she forced it, excelling at forcing things.

After eating the fruit, she was fine, just slept for a year and a half. Upon waking, her first thought: *Still alive.*

Mission accomplished.

She gained two cultivation layers, reaching Foundation Establishment eighth-layer, officially late-stage—half a step from Golden Core.

“Half-step Golden Core” had nuance. Traditionally, only those at Foundation Establishment’s peak could claim it. But as spiritual energy thinned and advancement grew harder, eighth and ninth-layer cultivators began using the title to boost their status.

So, Tian Ning was a fresh half-step Golden Core.

Everything was perfect, except one flaw: the fruit’s potency was too much. Unable to digest it fully for years, ice energy clung to her, freezing her surroundings. No one dared approach her anyway.

News of a Foundation Establishment cultivator spread like wildfire. Every sect heard, but they had no time to care—Dragon Scale Island was in chaos, embroiled in group fights.

The trigger was the mine sealing. After Chang Zixu’s injury, it was like flipping a switch. More parasitic incidents followed, not just in new mines but old ones too.

Over twenty cultivators were now comatose, their qi weakening. Medicine King Valley’s best efforts failed.

The lesson hit hard. People realized the female cultivator who first raised the alarm saw farther than them. She was right. The situation was dire, and sects began sealing mines.

Yet, some resisted. If you avoided parasites, the spirit liquid was fine for cultivation. Many saw sealing mines as wasteful—only twenty were infected out of two thousand using the liquid. Risks were part of cultivation; bad luck didn’t justify abandoning opportunity.

But on one island, one sect’s gain was another’s loss. With many using the liquid, an active mine could unleash parasites unnoticed, threatening all. Plus, sealed-mine sects envied those still harvesting, feeling they missed out.

The spark was Qianyuan Society catching Red Sun Sect secretly unsealing a shared mine. Qianyuan’s move endangered both, sparking heated arguments that turned physical. Outnumbered, Qianyuan sought Sword Sect’s aid, who first proposed sealing. Red Sun allied with anti-sealing factions, forming a coalition against Sword Sect.
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Medicine King Valley sided with Sword Sect. Hefeng and Yanyi Sects, with key members absent, stayed neutral. Smaller sects either joined a side or watched.

This was just day one. Old grudges fueled resource fights. Even Hefeng stirred over Nine Heavens Spirit Grass.

Su Qing felt the chaos—like tangled yarn. The secret realm’s isolation amplified emotions; small sparks became uncontrollable blazes.

She and her initial mine-sealing group became the first problem-solvers.

Su Qing visited Yanyi Sect; Chen Minjing went to Hefeng. Fortunately, these elite sects, rich in resources, cared less for the trial’s gains. Their stability calmed the storm.

Within Sword Sect, Talisman Sect, alerted early, allied with Body Sect. After Biyun Island, Xie Ying—cautious and organized—rallied Talisman Sect to Body Sect’s side upon arriving with Ling Xiaorui and Tang Yu.

Xie Ying’s coordination drew Artifact and Pill Gates closer. In crises, Beast and Array Gates quickly joined, uniting Sword Sect.

Pei Feijie from Kaishan Helm, a seventh-layer Qi Refiner, persuaded smaller sects. His strength lent credibility, and most, unwilling to oppose Sword Sect, stayed neutral.

The situation escalated fast, but Su Qing acted faster.

Since transmigrating, she’d faced and solved problems repeatedly, learning to think ahead. No longer the naive girl with clear, foolish eyes, she was now clear-eyed and sharp.

But words alone weren’t enough—promises were fragile before profit.

Reasoning done, it was time for “virtue”—martial virtue.

Red Sun Sect delivered themselves perfectly. Su Qing gripped Manqing Sword, ready. Fighting? She was no stranger.

Red Sun Sect was small, with about fifty members in the secret realm. Allied with others, they swelled to over five hundred.

Most were talkers. When it came to fighting, they hesitated, eyeing each other. Big Brother looked to Second, Second to Third. They scraped together barely a hundred for “debate.”

Sword Sect had nearly a thousand on the island. Bullying with numbers wasn’t their style, so participation was voluntary. Truthfully, fighting was familiar and exciting—everyone was eager to try.

“Red Sun Sect dares stir trouble with Sword Sect? This is *our* secret realm. Without us, they’d be farming back home, not sipping spirit liquid!”

Red Sun, known for Red Sun Spirit Rice, lacked resources, driving their risky gambit.

“Never mind the liquid’s safety—they’ve got guts challenging us!”

Sword Sect’s dual curriculum—swordsmanship before pills or talismans—ensured everyone wielded a decent blade, regardless of cultivation.

The curriculum’s foresight shone now. At the prospect of a group fight, collective pride surged. Pill refiners left furnaces, talisman makers dropped brushes, artifact forgers raised hammers, array setters readied disks, and beast tamers fed their pets.

Daily, people asked, “When’s the fight? Morning or afternoon? Before or after meals? Can we loot? Demand land or compensation? Red Sun Spirit Rice, at least? If they resist, can we beat them again?”

Su Qing, initially excited, was speechless as others outdid her enthusiasm. “I don’t know why everyone’s so fired up, but it’s a good thing, right?”

Sword Sect burned with zeal to crush the enemy, while Red Sun’s coalition wilted.

Knowing they’d lose badly, normal people lost fighting spirit. But fleeing would bring centuries of ridicule outside the secret realm. So, they schemed.

“As righteous disciples, fighting and injuring weakens our cause. Why not have each side send a representative to debate?”

Words gained power before martial virtue.

Red Sun’s plan was shameless. Learning the mine-sealing advocate was only fourth-layer Qi Refining, they aimed to exploit her. If Sword Sect didn’t send her, they’d accuse them of bad faith, bullying the weak, claiming moral high ground.

They’d send someone stronger, ensuring victory.

Sword Sect expected hesitation, but Su Qing accepted the challenge.

She *accepted*.

Did she not know her limits? Why so quick to agree?

Reactions varied.

Chen Minjing worried but trusted Su Qing’s reasoning. “If there’s an issue, tell us. We’ll solve it together—don’t push yourself.”

Jiang Xiaocao said, “Su Qing’s strong. No need to worry.”

He planned to sneak grass into the opponent’s shoes, immobilizing or tickling them to ensure Su Qing’s win.

Xie Ying, knowing Su Qing, said, “I’ll bring a cheering squad to outshine them.”

Tang Yu suggested, “Can we ambush the guy, beat him half-dead first? Guarantee Su Qing’s win.”

Ling Xiaorui fanned the flames. “Su Qing, I knew you had guts, but this is next-level!”

Before the duel, cheerleaders, saboteurs, and meddlers were ready, more excited than Su Qing.

She rubbed her temples, feeling drained. “I’m the one fighting, but thanks for the support. Making you happy is something.”

Some were disappointed. Chen Mu frowned, muttering, “Her cultivation’s low—she’s too rash. Winning’s great, but losing? Where’s Sword Sect’s face?”

Someone countered, “Didn’t you know she was bold? She led the mine-sealing. We’re all Sword Sect—her win is ours. Hope for the best.”

Few said it aloud, but her courage in taking responsibility earned respect, even from detractors. Dislike carried a grudging admiration.

Chen Mu grumbled, “I’m just saying for Sword Sect’s sake. Fine, her business. Hope she doesn’t regret losing.”

Su Qing’s reasons were simple.

First, Sword Sect’s momentum was strong; she couldn’t falter with rivals watching. Hesitation or cowardice would shift focus to her, harming unity.

Second, she’d scouted Red Sun’s alliance—highest was sixth-layer Qi Refining. She could handle that. Worst case, she’d teleport them to the seabed ruins with her wooden fish. Less honorable, but Red Sun was shameless first, and the result justified it.

Winning outright was best, though.

Red Sun couldn’t back out now. They had to send a fighter—or “debater.”

Contrary to Su Qing’s guess, they sent not a sixth-layer but a seventh-layer rogue cultivator, likely bribed.

Seventh versus fourth was a three-layer gap. Though the smallest in Qi Refining, it wasn’t easily bridged.

Uncertainty spread, and Red Sun was cursed for treachery.

The opponent, Li Jian, thirty-five, with earth-fire-wood triple roots, earth dominant, was stuck at seventh-layer but masterful in spiritual energy control. As a rogue cultivator, his combat experience was vast.

He was a new type of foe for Su Qing.

The duel was set on open ground. Before it began, crowds ringed the field, three layers deep. With no liquid to cultivate, they came for the show.

Su Qing didn’t know her opponent beforehand, but Li Jian had studied her thoroughly. A seasoned fighter, he never fought unprepared, even against weaker foes, gathering all he could on Su Qing.

She was unremarkable, overshadowed by flashier roommates. He assumed their bond was weak, given their separate paths in the secret realm. His intel was sparse but useful, yielding three points.

First, she was clever, building and running her own ventures.

Second, she dual-cultivated sword and body, wielding a heavy sword with great strength.

Third, her modest background meant no valuable artifacts or robes, limiting her attack options—easier to counter.

Qi Refining body cultivators were in a quantitative phase, not qualitative like Foundation Establishment. With his experience, he wasn’t worried. Plus, he had two trump cards.

First, his weapon: a second-tier high-grade Array-Breaking Sword, forged from Hundred-Forged Spirit Steel, unbreakable and capable of shattering arrays and objects.

Su Qing’s sword was only first-tier high-grade. Li Jian was certain it would break against his, crippling her as a sword cultivator—his advantage.

Second, a thunder-attribute artifact that unleashed devastating lightning. Though qi-intensive, it never failed against those below Foundation Establishment. He saved it for emergencies.

With these and his skill, a fourth-layer Qi Refiner should be easy.

His confidence surged.

He stepped into the clearing first, followed by Su Qing, hefting her massive Manqing Sword. Its sheer size and weight radiated menace, unmatched by lighter blades. Li Jian’s throat tightened, but sensing her mere fourth-layer aura, he calmed.
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No need to fear—she wasn’t formidable.

Li Jian raised his sword, clasped his fist, and said, “Please, go easy.”

His blade gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

Su Qing returned the salute.

The brief courtesy ended. Li Jian struck first, his Array-Breaking Sword slashing at her—

Su Qing raised Manqing Sword, blocking with a *clang*. Sparks flew as steel met steel. The Array-Breaking Sword was relentless, cutting like bamboo.

But Manqing Sword held firm, its fiery aura responding to Su Qing:

It was hungry.

Su Qing, puzzled, parried and met another strike. *Hungry already? I fed it yesterday!*