Inside the palace, on the plaza.
The seven set for the next round, all but Lin Yun, the other six had already arrived at the centre of the plaza under everyone’s gaze.
“The time’s up, where’s Lin Yun?” the imperial guard commander overseeing the event frowned.
“Maybe he knows he can’t beat me, doesn’t want to embarrass himself in public, too scared to show up,” Li Shi said casually.
“Commander, time’s passed, he’s not here, what now?” the deputy commander asked.
“We can’t delay the schedule, start the first match, as long as he makes it by his turn, that’ll do,” the commander replied.
“Got it!” the deputy answered.
Then, the finals of the Ten Thousand Flowers Tournament officially kicked off.
Today, they’d crown the champion!
The crowd was buzzing with excitement for the day’s matches, especially Wang Luo versus Jiang Fengyu, and Li Shi versus Lin Yun, the most anticipated.
First match, Jiang Fengyu versus Wang Luo, both stepped onto the arena.
As they took the stage, the guests erupted into heated chatter, some backing Jiang Fengyu, the leaderboard’s top dog, others rooting for dark horse Wang Luo.
To spice up the Ten Thousand Flowers Banquet, each final match today came with a betting round, letting people wager on their picks.
Loads of guests joined in, a bit of fun on the side.
Up at the front hall.
Immortal Li Ba said, “Jiang Fengyu hitting first on the leaderboard, his strength’s no joke, he’s got the edge, I’m betting on him, a thousand Tribulation Pills on Jiang Fengyu.”
As he spoke, Li Ba waved a hand, pulling out a thousand Tribulation Pills.
The guests below, mostly betting spirit crystals, but for immortals, Tribulation Pills made it interesting.
A scruffy immortal on the right laughed, “Haha, Li Ba, not so fast, that dark horse Wang Luo started low-key, but he beat third-ranked Lu Yuan, and it wasn’t even that close, I reckon… Wang Luo might have the upper hand.”
“I’m betting on Wang Luo, a thousand Tribulation Pills too!”
Emperor Xingwu didn’t join the betting, he was the house after all.
“Huo Chen, got faith in your star pupil Jiang Fengyu?”
Emperor Xingwu turned to a red-haired man in the second row below left, Huo Chen, the old ghost, mentor to leaderboard-topper Jiang Fengyu.
Huo Chen sat just behind the immortals, same row as the Wanderer, but closer to the front.
“Reporting to the Emperor, I’ve got confidence in my genius lad, I’ve poured my heart into him for this banquet to make him a legend, started prepping a century ago,” Huo Chen’s voice rasped.
Emperor Xingwu nodded, eyes shifting to the arena, “This match has some real suspense, depends on who’s hiding more trump cards, looking forward to who’ll surprise us more.”
Then, Emperor Xingwu raised his cup, “Come, a toast, everyone.”
…
Under all eyes, the match soon kicked off.
On the arena.
“Jiang Fengyu, your run as leaderboard topper ends here,” Wang Luo said with a confident smirk.
Jiang Fengyu sneered, “Hah, you’re getting too full of yourself, I didn’t hit first for nothing, your dark horse streak ends with me, Jiang Fengyu!”
“Let’s finish this.”
With that, Jiang Fengyu drew a Saint Spirit-grade weapon, unleashing fierce power at Wang Luo.
Yesterday’s rewards, each now had a Saint Spirit-grade weapon.
Wang Luo didn’t back down, striking back instantly.
The arena fight, ignited in a flash.
Right off the bat, Jiang Fengyu unleashed brutal strength, taking the lead, living up to his top rank, undeniably strong.
But Wang Luo, after falling behind, soon erupted, flipped the tables, seized the upper hand.
Jiang Fengyu wasn’t having it, played his aces, the fight’s intensity soared, the crowd gasping and cheering, hooked.
After a fierce battle, Wang Luo edged out, clinching a narrow win despite his own wounds.
This outcome, caught most by surprise, before the match, more pegged Jiang Fengyu to win, obvious why—he was top dog!
“Didn’t see that coming, Wang Luo, this dark horse, shining this bright, he’s knocked off the leaderboard’s number one, looks like he’s bagging the champion spot today!”
…
The crowd sighed and marvelled.
Even Emperor Xingwu and the immortals up front, caught off guard.
“This Ten Thousand Flowers Tournament, bloody interesting, a guy who only hit the seventies in the first round, just took down the top ranker,” a suave immortal on the left mused.
“I’ve got my eye on this Wang Luo, don’t you lot fight me for him!” the scruffy old immortal slapped the table lightly.
As for the defeated Jiang Fengyu, he felt like he’d fallen from heaven to hell, out of the top three entirely!
Before the banquet, he’d been dead certain he’d snag the championship, even boasted to his master.
He was Huo Chen’s prized last disciple, after all!
Huo Chen, a big name in the Xingwu Empire.
Jiang Fengyu left the arena, went straight to his master.
“Master, I… I’ve let you down,” Jiang Fengyu hung his head.
“No matter, this tournament’s a breeding ground for prodigies, a dark horse like this popping up, can’t be helped,” Huo Chen, though disappointed, consoled his star pupil.
After a buzz of chatter, the crowd’s talk simmered down, the result was in.
Plenty started eyeing the next match.
Next up, Li Shi versus Lin Yun!
Another showdown everyone was glued to!
A dark horse clash too.
By now, Li Shi was on the arena.
But Lin Yun, still nowhere in sight.
“Where’s Lin Yun?”
“Is he really forfeiting? Sure, beating Li Shi’s a long shot, but quitting without a fight, he’ll just end up a coward in the martial world.”
…
Lin Yun’s absence, sparked waves of chatter across the crowd.
“Why’s Lin Yun not here yet? Hope nothing’s wrong,” Mo Qing frowned with worry.
“No reason it should be, the city’s safe, especially during the banquet,” Elder Mei said.
“Knowing Lin Yun, he’d never bail out of fear, that’s not him,” the sect leader said gravely.
