Treasure Blue Beaver Blessed Land, Competition grounds
Hao Meng and Qinyang sat in rapt attention, their eyes fixed upon the unfolding spectacle. As the gu masters took their positions on either side of the stage, a palpable sense of anticipation filled the air. Hao Meng, his knowledge of the proceedings imparting a sense of authority, explained the order of combat, how the weaker fighters would yield their place to the more seasoned warriors as the battles progressed.
"The rank one gu masters will begin the clash, followed by the rank two gu masters as the fights progress. Eventually rank five experts will take the stage in the finale." - Hao Meng said briefly.
Qinyang's gaze shifted upward, her curiosity piqued by the ethereal lights that floated above the combatants' heads.
"What are those floating lights above their heads?"
Before Hao Meng could offer an answer, a figure materialized in a flash of white, descending upon them with an air of icy elegance. It was Hao Meng's mother, Wen Hao Jiong, her presence commanding respect and trepidation.
In a voice devoid of warmth, she spoke, addressing Qinyang in lieu of her son.
"Those are the life marking flares." - She said as she took the other seat next to Hao Meng.
The words hung in the air, their icy sting contrasting with Hao Jiong's stunning appearance—the delicate bun adorning her white hair, the flowing robes adorned with patterns of frost-kissed blossoms.
"Mother? How did you...?" - Hao Meng asked with both suppressed fear and anger.
"What? You think I don't know about her? My ignorant child..."
Qinyang shrank back slightly in her seat uncomfortably.
Tensions mounted as the atmosphere grew strained, the weight of unspoken truths hanging heavily in the air. Qinyang dared not utter a word, her voice silenced by the imposing presence before her. The three of them turned their attention back to the stage, their focus drawn to the unfolding clash of gu masters.
In the midst of the chaos, Qinyang's keen observation did not falter. She watched intently as the combatants unleashed their techniques, their movements intertwining in a dance of skill and survival.
Some fought in synchronized groups, while others stood alone, their individuality a testament to their resolve. The battle raged on, an intricate scene of fierce determination and the pursuit of victory.
And amidst this swirling tempest of conflict, Qinyang's gaze returned to the life marking flares. Like fleeting flames dancing above the fighters' heads, the lights flickered and shifted, transforming with each passing blow. Her sharp perception discerned a pattern—whenever a strike found its mark, the light above the struck warrior would dim by half, while the assailant's flare gained a measure of that lost radiance.
"Almost like a health bar." - She thought.
Her focus settled upon a figure in a green robe, his light a mere quarter of its original brilliance. Despite being struck twice, he clung to his resolve with unwavering determination.
But then, in a heartbeat, a sweeping attack cleaved through the air, catching not only him but several others in its path. Superficial wounds were sustained by them, yet the green-robed warrior's light did not dim further—it vanished entirely, a whisper extinguished. The green robed gu master grabbed his chest in pain as his body turned into blood soaked water.
"Once you get hit three times in a row you die instantly?"
A chill wind blew through Qinyang's soul. The revelation pierced her with a newfound understanding—the light was not a mere indication of health, but a direct reflection of life itself.
The significance of the life marking flares weighed upon her like an unseen burden, their glow now a stark reminder of the precarious nature of existence.
Her gaze remained fixed at the spot of the fallen gu master, his light extinguished in an instant, his story abruptly cut short.
The chaos on the stage continued unabated, the clash of bodies and the eruption of techniques echoing through the air with great intensity. The combatants, fueled by their determination and the desire to prove their worth, pressed on with unyielding resolve. But for Qinyang, the battle took on a new dimension, a haunting awareness of the fragility that lay beneath the surface.
"This is all just a game in the immortal's eyes. A life is as cheap as grass..."
As she surveyed the scene, her eyes were drawn to other warriors, each adorned with their own flickering life marking flare. Some burned bright, their vitality undimmed by the trials they faced, while others wavered, their lights flickering with each successive strike. It was a silent dance of life and death, played out before her eyes, as each blow held the potential to extinguish a flame forever.
Qinyang's heart ached with a newfound empathy for these warriors, their struggle now illuminated by the ethereal lights above their heads. The grandeur of the event, the clash of clans and the pursuit of glory, seemed smaller in comparison to the fragility of the individual lives at stake.
As she continued to observe, Qinyang's attention was drawn to a figure in the midst of the battle. Clad in shimmering armor, their movements were fluid and precise, their light burning fiercely amidst the chaos. They became the focal point of her gaze, an embodiment of resilience and unwavering spirit in the face of adversity.
His bright light garnered the attention of the onlookers as well, he became a prime target in his opponents eyes as they lunged at him to recover their lost life marking flares desperately.
Even the most formidable gu masters were not impervious to the ebb and flow of unpredictability. Their essence was limited, their prowess only a fading bloom soon withering.
As another opponent closed in, their strikes honed with deadly intent, the flickering light above the armored warrior's head faltered. Blow after blow, the warrior's resilience was tested, their light dimming with each strike, like a candle nearing its end.
Qinyang held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest, as the warrior's light teetered on the edge of oblivion. But then, in a stunning display of willpower, the warrior rallied. With a single strike, he took down three of his attackers.
But he quickly turned tail as he raced towards the edge of the stage. Puzzled, she watched as he reached the boundary and vanished in a radiant burst of light, just like the one that gathered the competitors. But the life marking flare remained floating in the air even with the absence of its former owner.
"Wen clan just scored! That's at least a three-flare." - Someone exclaimed, their voice carrying a mix of excitement and admiration.
The crowd on Wen clan's side erupted in applause, the collective admiration for this display of unwavering spirit palpable in the air.
Of course, the immortals watched on with a steady and solemn expression.
The fight has gradually taken a turn as well, the gu masters on both sides of the stage scrambled to enlarge their life marking flares and secure their survival. The urgency in their movements was palpable, their strides quickening as their primeval essence dwindled.
With each gu master's departure from the stage, their life marking flare remained, merging into another, a testament to their score and contribution.
The cheers and murmurs of the crowd filled the space, as the keen-eyed spectators assessed the significance of each departure.
The two clan's collective lights were growing bigger and bigger, one overtaking the other, once and again. Neither was leading, they were neck and neck.
"Things are getting interesting, soon the rank two gu masters will join."
"Yes, but only when the threshold is reached. Those who are low on essence need to act fast if they want to get out. Hehehe."
"Look at those fools, they don't even have their beginning flares, yet try to leave." - Someone shook his head and laughed.
"Without essence what can they do? It is still better for them to retreat back even if they have to stay on the stage, giving their flares to the enemy is worse. If they hold out until the next wave of gu masters can join, they might survive."
"Having these cowards is just a burden to those arriving later. Dead weight, I tell you!"
"But still, the situation is like this."
"I disagree, they should just let the opponent capture their flares and then take down the opponent. This way you are rid of the burden and still have the score."
The spectating gu masters argued back and forth of what the best strategies would be. Naturally, it was from their outside perspective. Them being on the stage themselves and just looking at the event were two entirely different matters.
Ding!
A resounding chime echoed through the venue, its clear tone piercing the excited buzz of the crowd, as the accumulated life marking flares on each side reached a significant threshold. The air crackled with anticipation—the arrival of the rank two gu masters was imminent. The next level of the battle was about to unfold, and the spectators could barely contain their excitement.
As if drawn forth by the gathering energy, the rank two gu masters arrived at the edges of the stage. Their presence drew attention, their life marking flares shining with a brilliance that surpassed those of their rank one counterparts.
Qinyang, her focus sharp as ever, instinctively honed in on the new arrivals. But as her gaze fell upon a familiar figure among them, her composure faltered.
There, among the rank two participants, stood Wen Tu—her own brother. The realization hit Qinyang like a wave crashing against the shore. A mix of emotions surged within her—confusion, worry, and a tinge of fear.
How could he be there? Why had he chosen to enter this perilous contest?
In that moment of unease, Qinyang caught a glimpse of a faint smile gracing the lips of Hao Jiong. The subtle curl of her expression, barely perceptible, held a knowing quality.
"What's wrong, Qinyang?" - Hao Meng broke the silence as he noticed her distress.
"Do you wish to save him?" - Hao Jiong posed the question to Qinyang without a flicker of emotion on her face, her gaze fixed forward without acknowledging her presence.
The weight of those words settled upon Qinyang's heart, tightening its hold as thoughts raced through her mind like a rapid river. Worry for Wen Tu intertwined with a sense of distrust for this enigmatic immortal, their intentions veiled in shadows.
Hao Meng, attuned to Qinyang's concerns, recognized the focus of her worries. However, he found himself caught in the web of immortals, powerless and unable to intervene in this game.
His elder status was meaningless when immortals dictated the terms. But even their hands were tied by the immortal oath to a large extent.
Qinyang, her face a reflection of the turmoil within, grappled with her conflicting emotions. The knowledge that Wen Tu was not her true brother offered a sliver of detachment, but it was overshadowed by her indebtedness to him. She owed him her life, and the desire to repay that debt was firm within her.
Amidst the flurry of thoughts, Qinyang attempted to unravel the motives behind Hao Jiong's presence. Was there a hidden purpose to her involvement, or did she simply seek to aid her future daughter-in-law? The answers eluded her.
As the battle of the rank two gu masters erupted in a symphony of clashing forces, Qinyang's gaze remained glued to where Wen Tu stood, his formidable frame moving amidst the fighters, unleashing icy projectiles with precision. She observed his strategic approach, staying at a distance from the front-line, favoring the safety of ranged attacks.
"Good, just stay at range." - Qinyang whispered to herself, a glimmer of relief seeping into her thoughts. In that choice, she saw a flicker of potential for his survival.
As Qinyang continued to watch Wen Tu maneuver with skill and determination on the stage, her heart filled with a mix of pride and worry.
Suddenly, roots burst forth from the ground in the midst of the Wen clan gu masters, breaking their formation completely. The clash of the rank two gu masters intensified, their attacks colliding in a crescendo of chaos.
* * * * *