“I didn’t realize she could control the leaves,” Rhee said quietly.

  She stood beside Ishin in the recovery bay of the Central Combat Hall. Unlike during the early phases of the tournament, the bay was relatively quiet. Righteous Mantle Sect servants still moved about, performing their duties, but the recovery bay was empty of any wounded—except one.

  After the match had ended, servants immediately retrieved Bo and escorted him here. Ishin had followed, but like before, he was prevented from entering the operation room. Rhee had arrived twenty minutes later, no doubt caught in the tide of the departing crowd.

  “She kept her trump card secret until now,” Ishin replied. “It’s a testament to Bo’s abilities.”

  “That’s one way to look at it.” Her gaze drifted to the closed door of the operating room. “Did they say how long his recovery would take?”

  Ishin shook his head. “They just ran him inside. His back... it was shredded.”

  “The Righteous Mantle Sect has some of the best healers in the city. He’ll recover. The question is, what will you do to avoid ending up like him?”

  The shift in topic caught Ishin off guard. Practical as always. Honestly, he respected her for it.

  “It’ll be hard,” Ishin admitted after thinking about the problem for several seconds. “Her skill with the sword is already equivalent to my own with the spear. I thought that would be the biggest obstacle. Before, the leaves were more of an irritant, but now that I know they can attack me from behind... I don’t know.”

  “Not just behind,” Rhee said bluntly.

  Ishin tilted his head at her remark. Rhee extended her hands and began slowly bringing them together as she explained, “She could have the leaves surround you and then attack from all sides. You’d be trapped—and cut to pieces.”

  Isn’t that a scary thought. Cut to death by dozens of small blades.

  Ishin leaned back against the bay wall. “That’s an unsettling prospect I hadn’t considered.”

  Rhee’s expression softened. “I’m not trying to dishearten you, Ishin. I just want to formulate a plan so that...” Her words trailed off as she glanced at the operating room.

  “I know. I know.” Heavens above, she has a point. But I still don’t know how to fend off those leaves.

  “Could you beat her?” Ishin asked. Maybe she’d have insight that could help him.

  “Perhaps,” Rhee answered. When she saw his eager expression, she quickly added, “My darkness techniques are better suited for defending against attacks from multiple directions. Plus, I can use my techniques to attack her from range, so even if her leaves surround me, I won’t be helpless.”

  From range...

  “Maybe I could do that,” Ishin hedged. He lifted his two forefingers and pressed them together. “I could use my Indigo Sky Bolt. It can hit someone from forty feet away—and it’s fast.”

  “What about your other technique?” Rhee asked.

  “My other technique?”

  “The one you used when we first fought.”

  Ishin didn’t immediately reply. “I could use that. Once.” He was under no illusion about its limitations. “But can I even use that?”

  “Of course,” Rhee responded simply.

  To Ishin’s surprise, she appeared completely serious. “But it could kill someone. Isn’t that why I wasn’t allowed to use it during the selection process to join the team?”

  Rhee pursed her lips before answering. “The school didn’t want you to use that against our own disciples. Here, though? There are no rules against killing your opponent or severely injuring them. Some people actually watch the tournament because they enjoy seeing the carnage.”

  “You’re telling me,” Ishin began slowly, wanting to ensure he understood her correctly, “that the Righteous Mantle Sect, the city, and the Martial Schools won’t do anything to me if I kill Chu Winxi tomorrow?”

  At this, Rhee’s certainty faltered. She glanced around, but there was no one within fifty feet of them. Even then, when she spoke, it was in a whisper. “The Three Blessed Petals School would be furious. As would the Chu Clan. But officially? No—you wouldn’t face repercussions. There’s no rule against it. Sometimes unfortunate things happen in the tournament. The Righteous Mantle Sect has sworn to heal any injuries to encourage competitors to go all out, and some risks are expected—and acceptable—as a result.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Matching her low whisper, Ishin pressed, “Even if it’s to win the match, I don’t know if I’d be willing to outright kill her.” Certainly, I would if it were a true life-or-death fight. But for a tournament... where I might incur the wrath of both Chu Winxi’s school and clan? The risk didn’t seem worth it.

  He knew he couldn’t trust the Eight Oaths Resolve School to protect him. They used him as a tool to increase their prestige, just as he used them to gain cultivation resources. Once the tournament was over, a talented cultivator with no clan of note could easily be discarded.

  “Either way, it’s too risky,” Ishin concluded.

  Rhee’s eyes scanned the room again. A young servant carrying folded sheets walked past them on her way to replace the bedding in the bay.

  She tilted her head toward the door. “Let’s finish this conversation elsewhere. Somewhere more private.”

  “The school?”

  “Yes.”

  An hour later, the two had returned to the Eight Oaths Resolve School. More than that—Rhee had led them to her personal room.

  Ishin stood just inside, examining the compact space. It held a bed, a closet, a small desk and table, a stovetop, and a modest bookshelf lined with neatly arranged scrolls. He shifted his weight, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.

  Rhee, on the other hand, looked completely at ease as she sat cross-legged on her mattress.

  “Tea?” she offered.

  “I’m alright, but thank you.”

  Rhee shrugged and grabbed a waterskin instead. “What were you saying about that technique being too risky?”

  Ishin glanced around for somewhere to sit that wasn’t her bed. He settled on a wooden chair beside the table. “It requires a lot of qi and puts too great a strain on my meridians. I can only use it once a day.”

  “A true last resort,” she said before taking a gulp from the skin. “That day in the Howling Scape Forest, when you used it against the thunder horned wolf... if you’d missed, you would have been helpless, wouldn’t you?”

  Strange that that’s what came to her mind.

  “Yes. But back then, that was the only option I could think of.”

  Rhee was silent for a moment, clearly thinking.

  “I think your best option is to use your Indigo Sky Bolt,” she finally said. “That, or attempt to defeat her quickly at the start before she can use her Gliding Leaf Blade technique.”

  Ishin rested an arm on the table. “I’ll try.”

  If nothing else, maybe distracting her with constant attacks might prevent her from using that technique.

  “What about you?” he asked, shifting the subject.

  Rhee took another pull from the skin. “You mean my fight with Dong Jing tomorrow?”

  “I do.”

  Stoppering the waterskin, Rhee answered, “He has incredible destructive power. I’m certain he could pierce any shadow constructs I forge. My only chance at winning is to avoid being hit.”

  They both fell silent, each consumed by thoughts of the coming battles.

  “At least we’ve made it to the final four,” Ishin said, breaking the quiet.

  Rhee nodded slightly. “There is that.”

  She doesn’t seem satisfied.

  “Do you think the Crimson Abyss Sect will try to recruit you if you don’t make it to the finals?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” Her gaze drifted up to the ceiling. “My honest guess is they’ll only try to recruit the winner. Anything short of that isn’t guaranteed.”

  That soured Ishin’s mood. Even if we both make it to the finals, only one of us will get chosen.

  “But you’ll be able to join one of the other Notable Sects, right? You’ll be able to leave the city like you want.”

  “True,” she muttered.

  Ishin studied her carefully. Her expression was distant, as if she were lost in thought.

  Now that the Crimson Abyss Sect is an option, anything less would feel like failure to her. Escaping isn’t enough anymore.

  “Do you think your family will understand if you left?” he asked. It was the most direct question he’d ever posed about her goal.

  Rhee curled a lock of her raven-black hair around one finger. “They’ll likely think I’m being selfish.” Her shoulders slumped as she admitted, “They’ve spent years and many resources ensuring that I would succeed on their planned path. Their eventual plan was for me to win the tournament, spend a decade at the Righteous Mantle Sect, return as a master once I reached the Adept Realm, and eventually become the school’s Grand Master. If I deviate from that, it’ll be viewed as a slap in the face. A complete insult to all of their effort.”

  Ishin wasn’t sure what to say. “That’s... a lot of pressure.”

  Still twirling her hair, Rhee turned to him. “What about you? Did your family or clan have any expectations when you came to the city?”

  They’d never spoken about his own motivations before.

  “My family...” My mother only wanted me to live. “...wanted me to establish my own Immortal Path too. My options back in the Nine Striped Hills were rather limited. Now that I’m in the empire proper, I’m hoping to take advantage of as many opportunities as I can.”

  Rhee nodded. “You want to be recruited by the Crimson Abyss Sect too.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I do.” He wouldn’t hide that from her.

  Rhee rose from her bed. “I can respect that ambition.” She offered Ishin a smile filled with both excitement and resolve. “I guess that’ll make us true rivals then. If we both make it to the finals, it’ll be as competitors, not teammates.

  Ishin stood as well. “I suppose it does.” His inner soul growled at the declaration. Much to his own surprise, he returned the smile. “But until we meet in the finals, we’re still teammates.”

  “True. One more day, then. As friends.”

  “Friends?” he echoed.

  “Of course, Ishin. Friends.”

  “Then let me say this to my friend.” Rhee lifted a brow at his words. “I hope you win tomorrow,” Ishin said. “Because I am eager for our rematch.”

  Rhee’s grin turned wry. “As am I. You better find a way to win.”

  “I will.”

  And as Ishin spoke the words, he realized they were true.