Shameless. That is the first word that pops into Qiu’s mind when she sees her opponent rise from their seat. Unhinged and vicious follow soon after as words that she feels would describe the woman well. With confident steps that make her hips sway side to side and her head bop just the slightest bit the challenger makes her way toward the stage.
Her dress hangs loosely down her arms. The fabric barely obscures her chest, seeming as if it were held up solely by her nipples. Deep cleavage bulges out above it put plainly on display for all to see. Two cuts on the side of her skimpy robe put her thighs on display with every step she takes, the slight jiggle both above and below drawing many eyes. The part Qiu focuses on most however is her face. Glaring straight at the redhead with a manic gleam in her eyes, the woman has a wicked grin on her face that makes Ling’s look positively friendly. Voluminous curly black hair spills over her shoulders and hangs all the way down her back, long bangs obscuring parts of her face and giving the impression she is peering at her prey through cracks in the wall. Before she even gets halfway to the stage she calls out in a mocking tone.
“Tai Hen, twenty eight years old. Seventh Stage Foundation Establishment. Please advise.”
Qiu raises an eyebrow at the disrespect. Even she has learned during her lessons with Ling you shouldn’t lay claim to an opponent before setting foot on the stage. While common courtesy dictates none are to interfere and steal a march when one begins their move towards the field of battle exceptions are rife and to stake your claim so strongly steps on the toes of each and every cultivator present here.
“Weren’t the Tai dying out?” Bao asks in surprise while looking towards Ling with wide eyes. Were the ice princess not suppressing her every expression she’d look like she was sucking a lemon. When she finally replies it seems almost reluctantly. As if she doesn’t want to put it to words lest it become true.
“Indeed. Due to their instability and horrible decision making. Not, however, due to lack of strength.”
Continuing her slow swagger Tai Hen steps onto the stage as if she were taking a leisurely walk even as Ling glares daggers at her back. The ice princess curses their luck. What could they have promised one of the Tai to go along with doing their dirty work and more importantly, who would be foolish enough to trust a Tai to do their bidding without somehow screwing them over halfway through? After all, their constitution is nearly as troublesome as their arts.
No cultivator that cares for their reputation would challenge another that is both a stage below them and more than half a decade their junior. To do so is to lose all face and forever be seen as a bully who dares not challenge those on their level. Yet the Tai cares not, what’s one more transgression added on to their long list of disgraces.
The moment she steps on to the arena she reaches between her breasts and pulls out a long stiletto, its blade spiraling in a way that leaves wounds nearly impossible to close through mortal means. The moment the metal gleam becomes visible in between the Tai’s sizeable bossom Shen Qiu manifests a full set of craggy armor covering herself from head to toe. Naught but two thin holes to see through and a narrow slanted slit to allow her to breath are open. Everything else is obscured entirely. The weaknesses of traditional armor are easy to make up for when one holds the ability to control their entire set at will after all.
Facing a veritable rock golem with but a thin knife should leave Hen dismayed yet that is not how she reacts in the slightest. Tilting her weapon sideways in front of her face she sticks out her long tongue and sensually moves it across the entire length. Her saliva sizzles as it comes into contact with the metal. It visibly loses its sheen when the liquid corrodes it and settles in its depth, the only gleam remaining on the blade being that of the fluids themselves.
Just as it seems Qiu is about to charge in Hen pricks her own finger with the dagger until a bead of blood shows on the tip. With a condescending laugh she flicks the droplet at Qiu. Although she stops it with ease Qiu gulps when she sees her armor begin to disintegrate where it made contact. Quickly carving the affected area out with her qi she shunts it off and lets it drop before regenerating the armor anew. When she goes at Hen again it is with far more caution.
Ling clicks her tongue at the sight. It is clear she should have spent more time briefing her. While it’s easy to say in hindsight that she’d never expected a Tai to put effort into participating in these games, the assumption might just prove fatal. Certainly the woman would have done what was needed to qualify for entry to the hidden realm but it isn’t like her to put in the effort of challenging someone near her own level of strength. She wonders if it’s the Song that’s responsible for putting her on a warpath. Too little information. In the end that is once more what it comes down to. They know far too little.
Ling doesn’t know which Tai it was that Lai Xueya encountered leaving her unable to tell whether it is this one that is in league with a Song or another entirely. Qiu, well, Qiu doesn’t know her opponent’s abilities and for that Ling can only blame herself. Certainly against corrosion of an unknown potency the redhead’s caution is the correct strategy yet in this case it is the worst choice she could have made. The Tai, after all, specialize in scent arts. Every moment Qiu delays is one more moment she is breathing in the woman’s insidious qi. Not to mention…
Ling clenches her fist below the table. It’s become abjectly clear to her that Shen Qiu has little to no resistance against manipulations. Whether that be normal manipulation, manipulation of the senses or manipulation of her qi. Of all the foes here that she could face the Tai is undoubtedly the worst for her.
While it isn’t visible to those observing the duel Tai Hen and Shen Qiu are most definitely engaged in battle at this very moment. While their physical forms seem to merely be inspecting each other and trying to find a weakness their spiritual senses clash and Qiu finds herself having to fight for every inch as she’s pushed back more and more. Before long she can’t detect anything beyond the outside of her armor and is forced to rely purely on her eyes. With her hearing muffled by the layer of rock and her sense of touch only able to detect blows that inflict blunt trauma so long as she’s covered by her armor Shen Qiu is deeply reliant on her spiritual sense and without it she feels almost claustrophobic.
Tai Hen’s smile widens even further as she goes on the offense. Slow, swaying steps take her within arms reach of Qiu. Just as the redhead lashes out in retaliation Hen seems to disappear from view as she dashes to the redhead's side with incredible speed. Whirling around to face her Qiu is met by pursed lips as the woman spits acidic saliva towards her left eye. Without hesitation Qiu protects it by manifesting a rocky covering on top and promptly shunting it off once more. During the brief instant she’s unable to perceive her opponent Tai gets behind her and stabs at her spine, the sizzling point of the dagger sinking into the stone as she places a hand on the pommel to put her full weight behind the blow.
Taking a hint from her friend’s earlier duel Qiu violently launches the rock covering her entire back in a wave of shrapnel to force her opponent away. Turning to both face her foe and protect her now unarmored back she gasps in surprise when she sees her opponent. Despite getting hit at point blank but a single wound marrs her body. A scratch on her cheek from which scarlet blood flows down in a thin line. Tai Hen licks it off with a moan leaving little doubt as to whether she let herself be injured on purpose.
Qiu’s head spins at the sight. No, she realizes soon after, not at the sight. The entire room spins. Taking a step back and raising her guard she feels herself sway and her qi grow sluggish. It is only then that she notices that the armor on her back has yet to be repaired. She quickly channels more qi towards it. A mistake. Her flow feels thick like mud and her eyes lose focus as it becomes unbalanced. Bit by bit her armor flakes off even as she desperately tries to remain upright. Tai Hen is content to watch from a distance while the redhead self-destructs. The last thing Qiu sees through her blurry vision as she topples is the woman’s crescent grin. Like a bloodstained sickle the woman’s red lips resemble a cut throat. A thought that races through Qiu’s mind as she hears the woman’s steps reverberate through the floor. The grin is a promise.
Tai Hen raises her dagger high whilst she approaches her motionless opponent. A metallic clang rings out when she goes for the finishing blow. Face down on the ground as she is all Qiu can see is the rim of a white robe yet that is enough for her. She breathes out a relaxed breath knowing she’s safe.
“This duel is already over.” Ling speaks up while holding Hen’s dagger at bay with contemptuous ease. Her voice is cold enough to send shivers through the crowd. A manic giggle gushes forth from the Tai’s throat as she pushes harder and leans in until she’s face to face with Ling.
“Taking her place, Li?”
“Watch your tongue, Tai.” Li commands without a shred of emotion. “Dai Shun. Take the previous combatant off the stage. It appears someone is in need of a lesson.”
With a malevolent laugh Tai Hen steps back to her side of the stage. Ling flicks her blade to rid it of the acid and points it at her opponent. Her hair billows behind her as the temperature drops.
“Li Ling, twenty one years old,” She announces in a frigid tone. The entire hall falls silent and listens with bated breath. “Sixth Stage Foundation Establishment. Please advise.”
