Wu Jian kept his breathing even and his eyes on Mei Xilan. He firmly gripped Pale Moon in his right hand, though it was only held in a loose grip at his side.

Their battle had come to a standstill ever since Mei Xilan stopped using her mist technique. Now should have been the perfect time to attack. However, something about the woman before him made his hair stand on end. He’d only ever felt this way when confronted with an overwhelming foe and it made him wary.

“Out of all the people I have fought in this tournament, you are definitely the strongest,” Mei Xilan said.

“What a coincidence. I was about to say the same thing,” Wu Jian admitted.

Mei Xilan was not as strong as the Hell Ape or the Giant Stinger, but what she lacked in strength, she made up for in technique. She had a counter for all of his moves and fought with the strategic genius a normal magical beast lacked. That was what made her such a difficult to confront foe.

“That’s why I can’t afford to hold back anymore,” Mei Xilan confessed as she raised her right hand and pulled back the sleeve of her dress, revealing what looked like a tattoo. It appeared to be writing. The archaic symbols were from the ancient language.

“Is that… a seal array?” asked Wu Jian.

“Astute observation. Yes, it is. This is called Nine Formations Supression Array. It’s a seal array that suppresses my cultivation.”

“Wait. Does that mean…”

“Right. I’ve been fighting while suppressed by this array for the entire tournament,” Mei Xilan nodded.

Wu Jian felt sweat trickled down his scalp. You’ve gotta be kidding me! She hasn’t been fighting at her full strength this entire time?! Her cultivation has been suppressed?!

The idea that the woman he’d been fighting had been hiding her true strength this whole time was somewhat galling, but it was also exciting. How much stronger would she be once that seal released? How much harder would he have to fight? Wu Jian was not a battle junkie like a certain dragon princess and her crazy older brother, but he did like challenges. Every overwhelming obstacle he overcame brought him one step closer to his goal.

“Are you not going to try and stop me?” asked Mei Xilan.

“Why would I? I want to defeat you at your strongest. Beating you when you’re suppressed defeats the point,” said Wu Jian.

“I see. Then allow me to show you what you’re about to be up against.”

Mei Xilan created a small knife out of ice, sliced open her thumb, and smeared the blood from her cut onto the seal array. Then she performed a series of hand seals, ending on the monkey.

“Release.”

A chilling cold encompassed the battlefield mere moments after the word left Mei Xilan’s lips. Her silvery hair began floating as ice particles gathered in the air. The chi emanating from her body expanded. There was no outward sign that her cultivation had increased outside of the ice particles, which soon shifted into chrysanthemums, but he could tell her cultivation had just skyrocketed. The air around them felt like it was frozen solid. Just breathing was a struggle.

“What subrealm are you at?” asked Wu Jian.

“The fourth,” said Mei Xilan.

“That’s… pretty damn strong.”

“This is my trump card. I am technically only supposed to use this when my life is in danger, but I have judged you to be worthy of my full strength.”

“I’m honored.”

“Now…”

Mei Xilan clapped her hands together, and the noise echoed across the battlefield far more clearly than normal. The chrysanthemums all vibrated from the sound.

[Ice Phoenix Domain]

A dome that was much bigger and less translucent materialized over their heads. Wu Jian looked up. Even the pillars had been encompassed, meaning there was no way to escape. The air had also become much colder.

The chill is entering my bones. This is like the mist she was using, but it’s a hundred times more powerful.

The power of her domain had increased in proportion to the power she had now that she was no longer holding back. He looked at his hand. Frost was forming on it. His eyes felt dry. The cold was freezing even the water on his eyes.

I see. She doesn’t even need to do anything to win. My body temperature is rapidly dropping. I’ll lose if I simply stand here.

Wu Jian quickly circulated chi through his body, though his chi was nowhere near as good at combating the cold as fire chi. He raised Pale Moon and pointed it at Mei Xilan.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Whenever you are.”

“Then here I come.”

Wu Jian released all of his chi as he burst forward. The ice that had spread across the ground exploded, fragments soaring through the air as he dashed forward. He swung Pale Moon with all his strength, but his downward slash hit nothing but air as Mei Xilan skated backward.

His opponent raised her hand and pointed at him. Several chrysanthemums shifted into beautiful daggers that shot forward. He shattered them with deft swings of his blade, but he was soon pelted with ice shards. Wu Jian raised Pale Moon to block the attacks. He was only partially successful. Several shards slipped past Pale Moon and cut into his skin. Blood welled up on his arms and shoulders, then froze solid seconds later.

Geeze! I’m freezing! Should I use it now? No, I won’t have much time and I’ve only got one shot at this! I need to make it count!

Wu Jian had a plan to deal with this woman, but before he could begin, he needed to get in close.

He dashed to the side as several daggers sliced through the air. Knowing what he did now, Wu Jian avoided the daggers instead of shattering them. Several still cut into his flesh. He couldn’t use Nihility either. That attack burned through too much chi, and he would need all of the chi he had if he wanted his plan to succeed.

***

“It looks like this is it. There’s no way Jian Wu can win now. Younger Sister Xilan has this in the bag,” said Xian Fei.

“Yeah, he’s definitely going to lose now that Xilan has brought out her trump card,” agreed Xun Xi.

Hua Xue listened to the girls as they discussed Jian Wu’s imminent loss, but most of her attention was on the fight. It was very true that the young man was at a clear disadvantage. His strength was being sapped every second he remained inside of Mei Xilan’s domain. While she had only managed to bring about its initial stage, the Ice Phoenix Domain was one of the best domains available because it constantly placed stress on the enemy. Merely staying inside of it weakens you.

I’m surprised he can still put up a fight. His vitality must be far above normal cultivators at the Asura Realm.

Hua Xue narrowed her eyes. Unlike her two disciples, she did not know if Jian Wu would lose now that Mei Xilan had brought out her trump card. Something told her this young man still had an ace up his sleeve.

***

This woman is talented at keeping me from getting close…

Wu Jian was quickly losing his strength. Every time he tried to close the distance between himself and Mei Xilan, she would create walls of ice and send daggers at him from several directions. It took everything he had to evade, and he always came away with new cuts that further sapped his strength.

The ice has gotten inside of my veins…

With each new cut that opened on his flesh, the ice from this domain would seep inside of him and spread. He was beginning to lose feeling in his arms and legs now. If he didn’t do something soon, then he would lose.

I guess there’s no choice. I’ll have to use it now and hope extending the time from one second to two doesn’t change anything.

Wu Jian leapt back to avoid several more daggers, rolled to the left as another pair came in and struck the ground, and skipped back to his feet before bolting toward Mei Xilan. In response, the woman raised her hand and created several thick ice pillars that blocked his path. He cut through them with Pale Moon. These pillars were sturdy and strong, but there was nothing he couldn’t cut through with his spatial severing.

Despite the cold air, Wu Jian sucked in a deep breath. He sent his chi through his meridians and into his dantian, where his chi sea was located. The glowing drops of Byakko’s blood hovered within his chi sea. Another deep breath. Wu Jian pushed his chi into the blood, causing it to glow brightly as flames engulfed it.

The cold seeping into his body was burned away as his blood began boiling. He no longer felt cold. His muscles didn’t swell or grow, but veins sprouted along the surface of his skin as though his blood was begging to break free. He felt far stronger now then he ever had before.

I only have one chance!

Wu Jian was much faster now. He appeared next to Mei Xilan before the girl even had time to attack. Her eyes widened in shock, but she was quick enough to summon several ice spikes that shot from the ground. Two shattered against his skin. One impaled him through the left shoulder. The pain was acute, but he ignored the sensation as he snapped the spike in two, drew his sword back, and swung it forward.

He expected his attack to hit Mei Xilan, but a massive wing suddenly appeared before her. It looked like the wing of a great bird. It was only one, but it was more than strong enough to halt Wu Jian in his tracks for a second.

“Not yet… I’M NOT DONE YET!”

Wu Jian roared as he drew upon even more power. Chi exploded from his body as he sucked every last drop of strength he had and put it into his sword. Pale Moon began glowing bright white as cracks appeared along the wing. Gritting his teeth, he forced his muscles to produce even more strength, causing blood to explode from his pores. The blood froze instantly and shattered, but so too did the wing. 

Ice and mist billowed everywhere. Wu Jian thought he felt his sword connect with something solid, but it was at this moment that all of his strength left him, and he fell forward as darkness claimed his mind.

***

Hou Jingshu had stood up and leaned over the railing moments after Wu Jian unleashed his final attack. Her heart was thumping in her chest.

She had been paying close attention to this match, watching every action of the pair as they fought and comparing it to how she had fought. This battle had made her realize how… lacking she was. Her physical strength may have been incredible, but her sense of tactics was practically zero. She had not fought using intelligence but had instead tried to brute force her way to victory.

But that wouldn’t work against someone stronger than her.

Wu Jian was strong, but he fought using tactics and intelligence. He didn’t just try to overpower Mei Xilan. Instead, he figured out how her powers worked and found a way around it. 

Hou Jingshu had been shocked and concerned for Wu Jian when Mei Xilan undid the seal suppressing her true strength, but she also felt inadequate. Was she really as strong as she thought she was? She was forced to suppress those emotions as she watched the battle. It looked like Wu Jian was at a disadvantage. He was constantly on the backfoot, forced to defend because he couldn’t get close--at least, until he unleashed his latest attack.

He looks so different now.

Wu Jian’s appearance had changed. His hair had grown longer and was now white and black stripes. They reminded her of a tiger. She couldn’t see many other changes because he wore a mask and his body was clad in a martial arts gi, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if other changes had occurred.

His last attack was easily the most powerful one she had ever seen him unleash. There was no technique in this particular attack. He wasn’t manipulating space. It was like he had gathered every ounce of strength he possessed in order to exceed his limits for this one attack. Blood burst from his arms, his flesh was torn, and his shirt was stained red. This attack pushed him far past what he should have been capable of.

His last attack had been met with a giant wing that appeared out of nowhere, but even that had been destroyed. Now she and the others were quietly waiting in the stands to see what had happened. The entire field was covered in mist. None of them could see a thing. However, the domain that had been activated was gone.

The mist soon cleared, revealing Wu Jian and Mei Xilan lying on the ground. Wu Jian was on his stomach while Mei Xilan lay on her back. She could not see Wu Jian’s face, but Mei Xilan’s eyes were closed.

“It looks like they are both unconscious.” The Elder raised his hand. “I declare this match a dr--”

“Wait…”

A soft voice muttered. The elder and everyone else looked back at Wu Jian, and Hou Jingshu’s heart began thumping even more wildly as she saw the young man place his hands underneath himself. His arms and legs shook as he slowly climbed to his feet, swaying unsteadily. His back was hunched over, but then he slowly straightened. A crack ran through his mask. Fortunately, it didn’t look broken.

“I’m… still here. C-call the… match…” Wu Jian said in a woozy voice.

The elder was pale-faced, but he nodded and raised his hand. “Th-the winner of this match is Jian Wu!”

A moment of silence passed, but then the crowd broke out into raucous cheers. Some people whistled, some just clapped, and a few stomped their feet. Several people even began chanting “Jian Wu!” and the chant spread like wildfire until every person was cheering his name.

Hou Jingshu sat back down with a smile as she placed a hand on her chest. He had won. She was sad that she hadn’t been able to measure up, but she was also very proud. The person who had won was her man. Still, a small hint of unease had wormed its way into her heart. Wu Jian was only going to keep getting stronger from here. Would she be able to keep up with him?

At that moment, a startled cry echoed around the stadium, and when Hou Jingshu looked back at the arena floor, it was to see Wu Jian fall unconscious on his back.

---