Soon, the day of the Mu Rong family tournament arrived. Obviously I wasn't going to do something as stupid as arrive late in the tournament so that I could show off like some stupid, arrogant cultivation story protagonist. Not only was it a dumb cliché, it just wasn't nice to keep people waiting. I know the authors think of their self-insert cultivation protagonists as big shots who had the right to keep people waiting because they were strong, but in real life it was just plain rude.
Not only were you wasting everybody's time, I bet these hypocritical arrogant pricks would complain if they had to wait for others. Dramatic last-minute appearances were cool and all, but they were frankly very obnoxious in real life.
"Do you have any confidence?" My wife asked me. I shook my head.
"I think I can beat a few of your cousins, but not all of them."
"Well, just do your best."
"What about you? How do you think you will fare?"
Just like tournaments in real life, the matches today were divided into male and female. Needless to say, I would be participating in a different category from Mu Rong Shu, so I wouldn't be meeting her in a match. Yay, I guess?
Mu Rong Shu paused thoughtfully, her finger on her chin. She then sighed and shook her head bitterly. "Same as you. I can beat some people, but I probably can't defeat others."
"Yeah, that's life. You win some, you lose some. You can't win all the time, as much as some people want to." I could already hear the groans and whining when certain people beyond the fourth dimension would make when I lose a match. Because they couldn't self-insert themselves into some overpowered God mode Mary Sue protagonist and fantasize about invincible.
If you want that sort of power fantasy, you were better off daydreaming, not reading a story online.
Mu Rong Lao was the last to appear. He wasn't late, but since he was the VIP and the person in charge, not to mention the oldest, he was allowed some leeway. After all, he had led the Mu Rong family to prosperity over the last few decades, unlike some cultivation protagonists who had barely started out in their journey but behaved so arrogantly and thought they were entitled respect and being late.
"Good, good." Mu Rong Lao nodded, watching over the gathered young generation of the Mu Rong family, pleased and proud. There were a few dozen of us seated in the spectator seats around the enclosed ring. Apparently the Mu Rong family was rich enough to own their own amphitheater or coliseum, which resembled an indoor stadium. "I'm very glad to see all of you here today. As you all know, this is the annual Mu Rong family tournament that is held once every year."
…duh. It was an annual tournament. Of course that meant it was held once every year. Talk about redundant. Then again, I supposed Mu Rong Lao was just trying to sound grand and impressive.
"I am aware that many of you have worked hard in your cultivation and are eager to prove your strength, to secure certain positions in the family. To demonstrate your worthiness of specific roles and rewards. To earn more resources for your cultivation."
There was a buzz among the young generation of the Mu Rong family, the cultivators murmuring among each other. Mu Rong Lao's words had struck home with a lot of us. I personally didn't care, but as long as I could put on a good showing and gained a good rank so that Mu Rong Shu's cousins wouldn't look down on her and make fun of her for marrying a trash husband, that was more than enough.
"However, I want to see good sportsmanship and mutual respect." Mu Rong's voice was stern. "Do not insult and degrade your opponent. Do not gloat just because you win. Do not be a sore loser who can't accept defeat. Inculcating an upright character is much more important than victory and defeat."
I wasn't sure if he realized the irony in his words, given that the Mu Rong family was a clan of assassins. What sort of upright character could a bunch of trained killers possibly have? Well, I guess honor among thieves, killing only those who deserved it? But that was bullshit. As far as I knew, the Mu Rong family was rarely selective about the assassination missions they accepted, so long as they were paid very well.
"All right, I believe I have rambled on for long enough. Now you guys may begin! Make whatever challenges you want!"
"I challenge the trash!" Mu Rong Qiu shouted instantly, raising his hand. His grandfather glared at him with such rage that the poor guy froze and broke out in cold sweat, shivering uncontrollably. He fell to his knees, looking as if he was on the verge of pissing himself.
"What did I just say? Have you already forgotten?"
"N…no. I'm sorry." Mu Rong Qiu swallowed and looked away. He closed his eyes and willed himself to endure. The moment the pressure eased, he slowly rose to his feet. Raising a trembling finger, he pointed at me. "I challenge Zhao Huan Shi!"
"Do you accept?" Mu Rong Lao asked, turning to me. I didn't realize I had the option to refuse, but of course I had no intention of declining Mu Rong Qiu's challenge.
"Yeah."
"Then let the first match begin!"
The audience watched curiously while Mu Rong Qiu and I climbed atop the stage. I could feel the jeering glares and sneers from Mu Rong Shu's cousins, most of them dismissively calling me trash and insulting me under their breaths.
"I can't believe the trash has the face to show up in this tournament. Does he really think he stands a chance?"
"I know, right? If I was him, I would have run far away and hide somewhere."
"Why did granddad even allow him to participate in the family tournament? This will just be a complete waste of time."
"I predict that Mu Rong Qiu will in in one move. The battle won't even last three seconds."
"Yeah, that trash son-in-law is really overestimating his strength. He won't even last a single blow. We might need an ambulance on standby."
"No, I hope he dies during the match. Then we don't have to be related to such trash again. We don't have to suffer the sight of him being married into our family."
I rolled my eyes. The usual, cliché peanut gallery. Of fucking course. Everyone would insult me and underestimate me, just so I could slap their faces later when I proved them wrong. Just like in every cultivation story ever.
Of course, I had to actually prove them wrong first. I wasn't stupid enough to count my chickens before they hatched.
"If you kowtow to me ten times, hitting your head against the ground until your forehead bleeds, I can consider sparing your life," Mu Rong Qiu said arrogantly, pointing at the ground. I couldn't help but bury my face in my palm.
Was I seriously living inside some trashy, badly written cultivation story with awful, one-dimensional antagonists?
"Will you stop that nonsense!?" Mu Rong Lao roared. Mu Rong Qiu shuddered and bowed his head apologetically.
"Sorry, granddad. I was just stating the truth." He then turned to me and jabbed his finger at the ground incessantly. "Now kowtow!"
"No."
"Then die!"
Mu Rong Qiu dashed toward me, his fists exploding with black flames. Shadowy qi swirled around him, bestowing upon him incredible strength. He threw a punch at me with such force that I almost felt as if a hurricane was buffeting me.
"I didn't even give you permission to start yet!" Mu Rong Lao bellowed. "You idiot! You're disqualified!"
"Too late!" Mu Rong Qiu sneered. "I will kill this trash before anyone stops me!"
His attack never reached me.
My war spirit materialized in front of me and beside Mu Rong Qiu, swinging his spear and loping off the stunned assassin's arm at just below the shoulder. Mu Rong Qiu howled in agony as he crashed into the side, blood spurting from the stump. He hit the ground and rolled, spluttering and clutching his grievous injury.
Without hesitation, my war spirit twirled his spear around and slammed the blunt end of the shaft into his chest, hurling him out of the ring and into the space between the stage and the spectators' seats. The poor guy landed with such force that he ended up leaving a crater in the ground.
"Who's next?" I asked, pushing up my glasses while my war spirit returned to hovering at my side.
"HOW DARE YOU?!"
A middle-aged man lunged at me. I recognized him as Mu Rong Chun, the father of Mu Rong Qiu. He was obviously seeking vengeance for his son.
"You cruel bastard! Already so ruthless at such a young age! If I don't teach you a lesson now…!"
My war spirit swung his spear and almost cleaved the fucker in half. Fortunately, Mu Rong Chun was a veteran and instinctively recognized the danger. He pulled back just in time, but was unable to avoid a massive injury, the blade slicing his skin apart from shoulder to hip and sending a spray of blood high into the air.
"Ugh! How dare you fight back?!"
"ENOUGH!" Mu Rong Lao finally intervened, grabbing Mu Rong Chun by the back of his head and smashing it into the ground, almost knocking him out. His son grunted, but didn't struggle, suddenly realizing that he was screwed. "You father and son are both a bloody disgrace to the Mu Rong family!"
"Disgrace?! Us!?" Despite eating dirt, Mu Rong Chun managed to yell indignantly. "That trash cut off my son's arm! He went too far! If I don't seek justice for my son, then I will never be able to be at peace!"
"Are you serious!?" Mu Rong Lao growled. "That idiot Qiu launched a sneak attack first! And he was clearly trying to kill Huan Shi! Are you seriously suggesting that Huan Shi just stand there and let Qiu kill him!?"
"YES!" Mu Rong Chun roared insistently. "Trash must die! Trash has no right to fight back and defend themselves! They must accept their place in the hierarchy and let us trample over them when we feel like it!"
"No wonder your son is so messed up. So you're the one who taught him all that nonsense." Mu Rong Lao shook his head bitterly. With a single strike, he crippled Mu Rong Chun by destroying his dantian. The uncle-in-law screamed in agony, but his father showed no mercy. "And you are utterly deluded too. If Huan Shi is trash, then what makes your son and you, both of whom lost to him? You're clearly weaker than him. Even though both of you launched sneak attacks, you were still overpowered and convincingly crushed. So if he's trash, what does that make both of you? Shit?"
"HE CHEATED!" Mu Rong Chun whined. "That's the only explanation!"
Mu Rong Lao couldn't endure the idiot's shamelessness any longer and buried his head in the concrete. Rising to his feet, he gestured his servants over to yank Mu Rong Chu out of the crater and carry him away.
"The winner of the first match…Zhao Huan Shi," he declared, a proud smile creeping over his face. "Are there any other challenges?"