The First Challenge: Chi Qiu’s Swift Victory

“Challenger: Zhuling of Hongjiang Prefecture.”

A continuous drizzle fell. On the first day of the Heavenly Martial Assembly’s challenging matches, the heavens seemed somewhat displeased.

The stands surrounding the arena teemed with people. At a glance, tens of thousands of cultivators had gathered to observe the spectacle. Their faces alight with anticipation, they engaged in lively discussions, creating a deafening clamor.

Upon the grey-blue arena, a young cultivator, clad in a grey hunting robe and wielding a long ge—a halberd-like weapon—paced back and forth. His eyes gleamed like torches, fixed intently on the opposite side of the stage, a smile barely concealed on his face.

He was Zhuling. He had battled fiercely for an entire year, emerging victorious from the preliminary rounds. During the recent drawing ceremony, he had unluckily drawn Chi Qiu, who had ranked seventh in the previous tournament. Initially, he had resigned himself to certain defeat. However, a message from his sect informed him that Chi Qiu was a rogue cultivator whose cultivation had been crippled during the last tournament.

No matter how prodigious she might be, to what realm could she have possibly cultivated now? he thought. Is this not the heavens assisting me?

Zhuling could barely contain his secret delight. As the sole representative of Hongjiang Prefecture to reach the second stage of the Heavenly Martial Assembly, a successful challenge here would be a great achievement. His status within the sect would undoubtedly soar, and becoming a candidate for the next Prefecture Lord seemed entirely within reach.

“Defender: Chi Qiu.”

A golden light suddenly burst forth on the arena as Chi Qiu, clad in dark scale armor, slowly stepped out. Her figure was graceful, her hands empty, and her long hair was tied high. Her face betrayed little emotion.

“Forbidden arts are not permitted. No lives shall be taken. The match concludes when one party is knocked off the arena or voluntarily concedes. Do you both understand?” A black-robed middle-aged man in the center of the arena looked sternly at Chi Qiu and Zhuling, his voice firm.

Both nodded simultaneously.

“Then, let the contest begin.”

The black-robed man clapped his hands together and leaped off the arena.

“It is not my desire to bully a woman, Miss Chi. You may concede now, saving me the trouble of striking a few blows.” Zhuling advanced slowly, his long ge in hand. Seeing that she hadn’t even drawn a weapon, his confidence swelled even further.

Chi Qiu ignored him. She lightly tapped her foot on the ground, and her true qi instantly erupted. In that instant, she transformed into an arrow loosed from a bowstring, charging straight toward Zhuling.

“Her speed is not slow.”

Seeing that words were useless, Zhuling wasted no more time. He immediately brandished his long ge, unleashing streaks of gang qi to block Chi Qiu’s path.

As the gang qi assailed her, Chi Qiu neither dodged nor retreated. She gently pushed with both palms, the essence of the Grand Dao swirling around them. The moment the gang qi met her palms, it began to disintegrate, dissolving into a mass of spiritual energy that vanished between heaven and earth.

Witnessing his gang qi effortlessly neutralized, Zhuling’s face filled with uncertainty and surprise. He retreated several steps, beginning to circle the edge of the arena.

“Hmm?”

Seeing Zhuling seemingly turn to flee, a chorus of boos erupted from the audience.

“Is he… going to run away already?”

Chi Qiu let out a cold snort. Then, circulating her true qi, her footwork abruptly shifted, becoming incredibly elusive and unpredictable. She had activated the Falling Leaf Steps.

“Cloud Smoke Mist!”

Realizing he was about to be overtaken, Zhuling immediately spread his arms, stirring his true qi. Several wisps of greyish-white vapor emanated from his body, enveloping the entire arena in less than a breath.

“Oh?”

“I can’t see anything.”

“That female cultivator won’t be in danger, will she? If such a beauty gets hurt, my heart will ache.”

“Wake up, she used to be a man.”

“What?”

Unable to see the events on the arena, the audience exploded into a frenzy, wildly speculating about what was happening. However, the spectators did not have to wait long. Soon, the smoky mist began to gradually disperse.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump…

Whoosh!

The rhythmic sound of metal clashing emerged from within the mist, accompanied by a dragging sound. Everyone strained their eyes to see.

Chi Qiu emerged from the mist, carrying the now unconscious Zhuling, slowly approaching the edge of the azure stone arena. The sound of metal clashing was her scaled boots treading on the stone floor, while the dragging sound came from Zhuling’s feet, trailing on the ground like a dead dog as she held him.

A petite young woman, less than seven chi tall, dragging a burly man over eight chi tall—this sight truly astonished the assembled audience.

Chi Qiu exerted a slight force, casually tossing Zhuling off the arena. Then, she turned her head to look at the wide-eyed middle-aged man, her lips parting slightly. “May a judgment be rendered?”

“Oh, oh, oh, it certainly counts. First match, Chi Qiu successfully defended the arena!” The middle-aged man was startled at first, then he hurriedly struck the large bronze bell beside him, declaring her victory.

Chi Qiu nodded in satisfaction. She then took a few steps back and kicked Zhuling’s long ge, which had been left on the arena, off the stage. Witnessing this, the audience finally awoke from their daze, and a wave of cheers immediately erupted throughout the venue.

“How incredibly powerful!”

“It’s just a pity we couldn’t see how Chi Qiu defeated Zhuling.”

“Indeed, it’s a bit disappointing.”

Chi Qiu paid no mind to the cheers. She found the steps and prepared to leave.

“Daoist friend, please wait.” The officiating middle-aged man suddenly called out.

Chi Qiu looked at him in surprise, asking, “What is it?”

“I see that you haven’t consumed much true qi, Daoist friend. Would you like to fight another match?” the middle-aged man asked with a smile.

Chi Qiu paused, a peculiar look in her eyes.

“Naturally, it is permissible. Such situations are rare, hence they were not written on that scroll,” the middle-aged man explained.

“Then I shall fight another match,” Chi Qiu agreed with a nod, then returned to the center of the arena and stood firm.

“Excellent,” the middle-aged man said, nodding with a smile. He then swung his drumstick, striking the large bell beside him, and announced loudly:

“The second match will commence in a quarter of an hour. Challenger: Qiao Shan of the Qiao Family.”

Upon hearing the announcement, the crowd immediately grew noisy again, with cheers rising and falling. In contrast to the audience’s excitement, several cultivators with gloomy expressions rushed onto the field below the arena, carrying out the still-unconscious Zhuling. Their sect’s most talented disciple had suffered a devastating defeat in mere moments after boasting and was even humiliatingly thrown off the arena. This left them utterly disgraced.

Chi Qiu, on the arena, paid no attention to any of this. She casually found a spot, sat cross-legged on the ground, and closed her eyes, entering a state of cultivation.

The surrounding crowd gradually quieted down, perhaps having nothing else to do, or perhaps unwilling to disturb her cultivation. However, the crowd did not remain silent for long. Soon, whispers began to rise again. Hearing them, Chi Qiu opened her eyes. She saw a team of cultivators filing through the arena gate, led by a burly man with an indifferent expression.

He wore a black robe emblazoned with the character “Qiao,” his hair disheveled and beard unkempt, giving him a somewhat slovenly appearance. Yet, his demeanor was extraordinary, his presence awe-inspiring, drawing everyone’s attention.

Is that Qiao Shan…?

Chi Qiu narrowed her eyes. This man was considerably stronger than Zhuling.