Chapter Twenty-Three: Why Don’t You Just Admit Defeat?
As the night wore on, the outer sect disciples finally welcomed the second round of their individual contests.
"The second trial, first round, begins now."
Hundreds of match numbers flashed once more across the floating screens. Gu Fatty, who had been sitting upright in the stands with eyes closed, savoring countless scenes of combat, was instantly transported to Arena 43.
"To think I'm in the first round," Gu Fatty mused, gathering his thoughts and turning to face his newly arrived opponent.
"Ah, it's Senior Sister Yao! Your junior pays his respects," he said, and with a flourish, performed a gentlemanly bow toward her.
"Spare me, Gu Fatty," Senior Sister Yao retorted. "I won't underestimate you like the junior sister did in the last round, so don't expect me to go easy on you."
"Senior Sister, you speak too modestly," Gu Fatty replied with a grin. "Your junior is thick-skinned and resilient; please, give it your all. Besides, I anticipated it would be you, so I changed into fresh robes—my bloodstains have been specially washed. No need to worry about dirtying your fair hands in this bout."
...
"Look, Arena 43—shameless Gu Fatty is chatting up the beautiful senior sister again!"
"Unbelievable! All the other matches have begun, and he's up to his old tricks."
"That guy must be up to no good."
"Senior Sister Yao, please, give him a good thrashing!"
...
A cough sounded from the elder overseeing the arena, clearly impatient. The meaning was obvious: "What are you two doing? Don’t you realize this is a competition? Hurry up and start!"
Seeing even the elder grow restless, Gu Fatty finally curtailed his banter and assumed his stance.
"Senior Sister, ladies first, please."
"Take your nonsense elsewhere," Senior Sister Yao snapped, already irritated by Gu Fatty's wordplay. She had no need for his courtesy—she wished nothing more than to send him flying with a single lash.
Without waiting for the words to fall from her lips, she brandished her Moonshadow Whip and leapt into action.
Her mastery of the Moonshadow Whip was famed among the outer disciples, its dance a whirlwind of power, befitting a weapon of wide-reaching devastation.
Prepared for just such an assault, Gu Fatty shifted his body, narrowly evading the whip's strike.
The whip crashed against the stone of the arena with a resounding crack. Gu Fatty thought, if that had landed on him, how agonizing would it have been?
Senior Sister Yao, not waiting to land from her leap, whipped again with a swift turn of her wrist. It was clear she meant to give Gu Fatty no chance to reposition.
Indeed, with the Moonshadow Whip lashing in rapid succession, the space within a yard of Gu Fatty was locked down by layers upon layers of whip shadows.
"Senior Sister Yao is formidable!"
"Yes, Gu Fatty has nowhere left to dodge now."
"I'm certain he only won the last match by sheer luck."
"Just thinking about Gu Fatty getting whipped off the arena excites me!"
...
Many in the audience gleefully anticipated his misfortune.
As the whip shadows closed in, seemingly leaving Gu Fatty no choice but to take a beating, he moved.
First, Gu Fatty kicked off his shoes; they barely traveled a yard before the whip shadows shredded them into countless fragments.
The spectators watched with schadenfreude, waiting for the spectacle.
But what happened next left them utterly dumbfounded.
On the arena, Gu Fatty twisted his waist—yes, just a twist. He then channeled his true energy to the utmost. All could see his ten fingers forming intricate seals, while his ten toes waggled and contorted, as if weaving some bizarre spell.
Next, ten sparks above and ten below, ten above and ten below—a stream of tiny flames burst from around him, aligning into two slender lines of fire, which then intertwined. In the blink of an eye, they braided into a fire chain about as thick as two fingers.
Holding the fire chain, Gu Fatty watched the approaching whip shadows and suddenly lashed out with his new creation.
The fire chain, like a living thing, shot toward the Moonshadow Whip.
Startled by the sudden turn, Senior Sister Yao barely had time to react before the fire chain wound itself around her whip and snaked toward her.
Panicked, she instinctively flung the whip aside.
With its wielder gone, the airtight blockade formed by the whip shadows dissipated in less than a breath.
Seizing the opportunity, Gu Fatty manipulated the fire chain, pulling it away from the Moonshadow Whip and instantly forming a fire shield two people tall, trapping Senior Sister Yao inside.
...
Fire is formless; the shield woven from the fire chain seemed without weakness. No matter how Senior Sister Yao tore at it with gusts of wind, any breach was instantly healed by the surrounding flames.
Having completed his work, Gu Fatty sat down carelessly outside the fire shield, his big eyes rolling as he watched Senior Sister Yao flail within.
...
"How is this possible?!"
"He used his toes to cast fire?!"
"That damned Gu Fatty is shameless!"
"How did he do it?"
"Can someone at the Qi Refining stage control fire like this?"
"Senior Brother, do you think Senior Sister Yao is doomed?"
...
All eyes in the audience were once again fixed on Gu Fatty.
Compared to the other arenas, where combat was fierce and direct—trading blows and kicks—Gu Fatty's battle left everyone at a loss for words.
Against such an intimidating blockade of whip shadows, Gu Fatty simply twisted his waist, waggled twenty digits, summoned fire, and won outright?
Even the inner sect disciples, rarely interested in the outer sect competitions, took notice of Gu Fatty's extraordinary performance.
"This kid is talented."
"If it were me facing Yao's whip blockade, I'd just brute force it with cultivation."
"Qi Refining, eighth level? Why does it feel like Gu Fatty's true energy is almost on par with the early Foundation Establishment stage?"
...
"Old Gu, your boy always puts on such a 'delightful' show, haha."
"Old Mu, I hear he’s your apprentice now?"
"Tsk tsk, dual spiritual roots! Rare indeed."
...
The distinguished elders in the floating stands discussed him, some in awe, some in jest.
Many could outdo Gu Fatty in fire manipulation, but his unorthodox methods and inventive strategies in the arena made him a true prodigy.
The three elders on the platform laughed heartily, their bodies trembling with joy, privately remarking what a promising seedling he was.
Sect Master Nangong Kang remained solemn, suppressing his smile.
Old Gu looked composed, as if this outcome was only natural.
Old Mu grinned so broadly he nearly lost himself in the moment.
...
All other matches had concluded, leaving only Arena 43, where Gu Fatty lounged lazily and Senior Sister Yao fussed like an ant on a hot pan.
"Senior Sister, tired yet? Want a break?"
"All the other matches are finished. Perhaps you'd like to concede?"
"With so many people watching, your junior feels rather embarrassed."
...
His endless banter made Senior Sister Yao glare at him, wishing she could flay him alive with her eyes.