Chapter 49 – Challenges

  With a wave of his hand, Ren Jinhai directed his Qi with practiced ease. The broad stones at the center of the courtyard rumbled softly, then slowly rose into the air, hovering just high enough to give a clear view to the crowd.

  In moments, a stone duelling platform had been erected. A faint white glow rose around it as a protective formation surrounded it in order to protect the spectators from any errant attacks or the effects of the Qi unleashed inside.

  ‘It’s just like the stories I read, cultivators love to show off.’ Jun De thought.

  There was a moment of calm and quiet before a voice rang out.

  “This Junior, Lou Minghai of the Verdant Willow Sect, requests a friendly exchange of techniques with the Ren Clan!”

  A young man in simple green robes stepped forward and leapt into the air to land lightly on the platform before bowing and cupping his fists toward the Ren Clan’s pavilion. His posture was respectful, but there was confidence in how he acted.

  Lou Minghai didn’t have to wait long as a response came only a moment later.

  “Ren Yefan of the Ren Clan accepts.”

  The response came from a stocky youth in red robes. Ren Yefan looked slightly older than Ren Qiu, and his expression was calm as he leapt onto the platform to stand across from Lou Minghai. He clasped his hands and bowed, as was expected of a duel, before taking a combat stance.

  Jun De leaned forward slightly as he became interested in the duel. He hadn’t seen many fights between cultivators and was curious about how they fought. Both were in the 2nd Level of Qi Condensation, but their Qi was firm and stable.

  Lou Minghai drew a slender sword that shimmered faintly with a green light from the storage bag hanging on his waist, revealing it to be a low-grade spirit weapon. Ren Yefan wielded a heavy, short spear of similar quality, and Jun De was surprised that both possessed such expensive weapons at their level of cultivation.

  Lou Minghai started first, his style agile and graceful. He darted forward like the wind, weaving his way around Yefan in wide arcs before striking quickly with precision, his blade leaving green afterimages in the air.

  Ren Yefan was slower, his techniques more grounded. Rather than using flame elemental attacks that were preferred by the Ren Clan, he struck with intense bursts of strength that split the stones beneath his feet.

  Each time their weapons collided, there was a loud impact, and small waves of Qi were released.

  The fight lasted for less than a minute, which was longer than expected for two cultivators at the 2nd level of Qi Condensation.

  Eventually, Lou Minghai overreached during one of his attacks, and Ren Yefan seized the opening to slam the butt of his spear into the ground that launched a small shockwave of Qi that disrupted Lou Minghai’s balance enough for a follow-up strike to send him skidding from the stage.

  Luo Minghai cupped his fists and bowed to his opponent while breathing hard.

  “I concede, thank you for your guidance.”

  Ren Yefan gave a small bow in return and walked back to take his place with the other members of his clan.

  Applause rippled through the crowd, with many commenting on how the two young men were a credit to their family and Sect.

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  For Jun De, the fight was underwhelming. Even he could see the flaws in both of their techniques, and they moved so slowly that he thought they were only pretending to fight.

  ‘Maybe my time in the Tower was more useful than I thought.’ Jun De remarked as he recalled the combat Floors at the beginning of the Tower. He had been forced to learn and adapt in order to pass them, but he didn’t think it had been that remarkable at the time.

  The matches continued steadily after that, with a parade of eager young cultivators stepping onto the duelling platform one after another. The air practically thrummed with spent Qi, and each clash would send ripples through the formation surrounding the platform.

  The crowd would cheer, gasp, or exclaim, as many of them weren’t cultivators and hadn’t had the opportunity to see how they fought.

  Despite the lively atmosphere, no one challenged Ren Qiu. As the Young Master of the Ren Clan, his status was enough to keep most of the ambitious Disciples at bay. On top of that, his cultivation of the 3rd Level of Qi condensation ensured that only people older than him could match him, making it less suitable for them to challenge him.

  Defeating the Young Master in a duel would bring them attention, but if they were years older than Ren Qiu, it would only highlight his talent. And if they lost the duel, it would be humiliating.

  Jun De, meanwhile, sat quietly at Ren Qiu’s side, content to sip his wine and observe the fighting. He had been worried about being challenged but quickly learned that everyone matched themselves with people of similar cultivation and age.

  As a 5th Level Qi Condensation cultivator, the only people who could match Jun De were far older than him.

  After a half dozen challenges, the first female cultivator took the stage. She was also from the Verdant Willow Sect, although her cultivation was only in the 1st Level of Qi Condensation. Her opponent from the Ren Clan used fire techniques, and the duel lasted only a few moments before she was victorious.

  What caught Jun De’s attention was how the young woman looked at him after she had bowed to her opponent. It was only a glance, but even Ren Qiu noticed it, and his friend began to chuckle under his breath.

  As the duels continued and the sun dipped lower into the horizon, the festive air of the celebration deepened. Laughter rang out between the matches, the wine flowed freely, and the young generation basked in the rare chance to show off before their Elders.

  Ren Qiu had long since stopped pretending to pace himself and had taken to refilling his cup generously. The Young Master leaned back in his cushion while his cheeks were flushed red from the wine.

  Jun De, on the other hand, remained perfectly composed. He was still wary about being challenged and from what he had sensed regarding the Patriarch's cultivation, so he wanted to keep a clear head.

  When the sun descended past the horizon and the moon began its ascent, a lone figure stepped forward to take the stage. There was a murmur of disgruntlement through the assembled members of the Ren Clan, and even Ren Qiu’s father frowned.

  The young man who stood on the floating platform wore the same red robes as the rest of the Clan’s cultivators, and his face bore a clear resemblance to Ren Qiu. His frame was leaner, and his presence was far less commanding or arrogant.

  He had an aura that placed him in the 1st Level of Qi Condensation, and Ren Qiu scoffed when he saw him.

  “Bah! Not him.”

  “Who is it?” Jun De asked as he glanced over at Ren Qiu.

  “My younger brother, Ren Sihan. He’s the son of one of my father’s concubines. He’s been cultivating the same amount of time as I have, but he’s barely touched the 1st Level of Qi Condensation.” Ren Qiu answered, his tone dismissive of his brother.

  It had almost been a year since Ren Qiu had entered the Tranquil Mountain Sect, and he had reached the 3rd Level of Qi condensation, bordering on the 4th. Given another month or two, Ren Qiu would break through.

  For someone not as talented as him, reaching the 2nd Level of Qi Condensation within a year was doable, especially for someone with the resources of the Ren Clan.

  It just demonstrated that Ren Sihan lacked the talent of his older brother that he barely reached the 1st Level of Qi Condensation within that same period of time.

  Ren Qiu’s gaze shifted to where his father sat. Ren Jinhai watched the platform with a slight frown creasing his eyebrows. His eyes didn’t move from his younger son, and Ren Qiu instantly realized that this hadn’t been planned beforehand.

  “I, Ren Sihan, challenge Ren Qiu.”

  Ren Sihan’s voice carried clear and steady across the courtyard, and the crowd went deathly still. They could sense the undercurrents of something deeper than just a challenge between brothers.

  Ren Qiu stood up with exaggerated care, brushing his hand down the front of his robes and tossing his wine cup to a nearby servant. His expression was cold and arrogant, reminding Jun De of when he had first met him.

  “Well, I suppose it would be rude to refuse one’s own blood. I accept.”