“-and Shi (stone/rock) Xin (heart).”

The boy strode confidently into the ring amidst the indifferent gaze of my fellow juniors and seniors. 

To these talent-maniacs who cling desperately to their delicate pride, I am but a cultivator in the second level of Qi forming stage despite my age. 

These eyes of mockery were a common sign to him. However, today, there was less disdain to be felt. Whirling within those eyes were half-assed expectation and contemplation. The reason for this change was right in front of him.

“Start!”

The first time she entered this ring, no shortage of whispering insults was thrown at her. Fast forward to the present, the only assholes that were still opened were trash-talkers. To have tossed their words over their head, she was an outliner.

Shi Xin channeled the qi within his abdomen. With the floodgate opened, the invisible qi coursed into his qi vessels. Strengthened by the power of qi, his qi skin and flesh shone the colour of the earth, his primary element.

Shi Xin recalled the sorry state of Yun An's previous opponent.

Yin Lin was an idiot. He should have played safe and fortified his qi skin. Just look at her stance. They were wide open like a trap. Couldn’t he realise such an obvious thing? No, he couldn’t. He was just an average cultivator with an average cultivation. He didn’t have to spend sunny days as well as rainy days meticulously refining his techniques or martial arts to keep up with his peers. How can he understand the finer points of the sword or fists like someone as talentless as me? He didn’t have the experience nor the diligence to do so.

Dong Yun An. I respect you. I know why you had won. For someone without talent, you won not by qi but by skills. You understand martial arts and techniques, and you used it to your advantage. Yin Lin’s only thought was his Lightning slash would flash over you like lightning. He couldn’t have fathomed you could time it perfectly to throw him over the shoulder.

I would have done the same if I was you. We are so much alike, which is why you won’t defeat me. I have more experience than you, and I have more time to practice techniques than you. Your trick won’t work against me.

One motion of the legs brought him directly in front of her. 

As if knowing his next move, her slower left hand reached out to his protruding fist.

Very good, but I knew that.

He retracted the right hand to deliver a gut punch with the left fist.

Her sword hand, in response, switched from forward to reverse grip while kept moving to intercept his attack. 

The motion told him her intention of pushing his fist away with the sword hilt.

Shi Xin was unsure if this was clever or stupid. 

She got her sword ready. She could just strike at me. My qi skin would render the sharp edge useless, but an upward diagonal strike could mess up my trajectory. Why didn’t she do that? Why a reverse grip and why an attack with the sword hilt? She couldn’t possibly believe that would harm me, couldn’t she?

That thought made him a bit pissed, and his attack went forth with full strength.

A dull thump confirmed Shi Xin had landed a hit. Regretfully, by the feeling of it, he could guarantee she was barely hurt from that attack. 

While the sword hilt didn’t shift my fist out of the way entirely, she had rotated her torso to the left and let my fist slip through. It was neither a  clean hit nor a true miss, hence, the sound. Anyway, my qi should have done more than the sound implied.

With the sword in reserve grip, she brought the edge down onto his shoulder.

Maybe this was why she chose to use the hilt to intercept. She must had wanted to slash me when my hands were out of position to parry. If so, good move. Unfortunately, it won’t work.

Gathering qi to the left shoulder, the qi skin shone even brighter. Facing such force of qi, the blade produced a sound like a stick beating a bundle of cloth. 

The result of that sword strike managed a raised eyebrow from Yun An. 

I guess she didn’t think of this outcome.

Immediately followed up with a punch from the dominant hand, Shi Xin got a good hit on her. 

Yun An was blown back one tile, and would have been further if it wasn’t for her gripping onto his striking hand.

Her right hand abandoned the sword to grab his elbow.

I know what she is planning to do next. She wants to throw me over head. Good plan, but that won’t work. Someone who hasn’t used qi before wouldn’t understand. Cultivators can use qi to stick to any surface. We can climb cliff, land on slippery branches, or run up walls. I still haven’t been able to do any of those since controlling qi in somewhere as far as the feet was difficult. However, I can glue my feet so tightly on the ground as if I weighed a hundred kilos. You w-

Why did my world turn upside down?

“That’s enough.” It was Fang Yun’s voice he was hearing.

Shi Xin felt there were hands touching him. 

Ah. The senior master was holding me at my hip and shoulder.

Dong Yun An then gently assisted her senior in putting the boy down.

“Eh? Senior master. Why did you interfere?”

“Are you telling me you want to continue?” Fang Yun threw him a doubtful look.

“I mean my qi skin can protect me just fine. The wound couldn’t be serious enough for you to stop the fight.” Shi Xin explained.

That was the truth. While I didn’t go out of my way to protect my head, I always maintain a minimum layer of qi skin to protect me.

“That’s not what I am concerning.”

Then why?

As if knowing the unspoken question, Fang Yun pointed at Shi Xin. “Will you continue with that?” 

He pointed at… Eh? Why does my arm look like this? Hurt. It hurts.

“Ah!!”

Shi Xin grabbed his limp arm, squeezing the biceps. 

My bone! My arm bone!

Fang Yun put a hand on his shoulder. In a moment, the pain was gone.

“Go get it treated.” Then he followed with. “Dong Yun An, win.”

Shi Xin walked away like a scurrying beaten dog.

No. I am a beaten dog. So much for experience, diligence, and seniority. I shouldn’t have talked shit before the deed is done.

Look at these high-and-mighty bastards snickering at me. Yeah, right. I deserve it. I thought I would be better than them. I am just as bad for looking down on her. Fuck me!

“Shi Xin.” 

Who was calling me from behind? I didn’t recognise this voice.

Dong Yun An?

“I am sorry.”

Now that you have beaten me, you showed sympathy? Yeah, I was really pitiful, wasn’t I? Plus, it would make you look good. The opportunity of the victor.

“I hurt you because I didn’t pay attention to details. I had intended to end our fight like that with Yin Lin, but I ended up causing more damage than necessary." 

Yeah, you would if I was more on guard and focused more on my feet. Your strength would have ripped more than one bone.

 "I could have crippled you. Whether what I did was intentional or unintentional, it was a bad thing. For that, I am sorry.”

Still, it’s really annoying.

“Why are you saying this to me?” 

She didn’t reply nor did she get up from her bowing posture. 

“It’s just an injury. Any fight can result in injury. Why do you find the need to apologise? I don’t need your “sorry”. You’ve beaten me. I don’t want to see you. Just leave me alone!”

“Then can I be honest?”

“What? Sure. Whatever.” Let me see what you want to say.

“Regardless how pretentious it seems, I will apologise for it. Even if it isn’t making you feel better, it is necessary as an admonition to myself. Forgetting to say “thank you” or “sorry” once or twice can turn into a habit, and I don’t want to.”

So it’s not only for me but also for you huh? Fuck you, Yun An!

“Just leave me alone!!”

She did it for herself… but at least she felt far less pretentious than all the pity I have received in my life.