As the Nine Dragon Tournament was about to begin, Pang Ahxi was in a bind.
It was good that she had managed to subdue Pang Wujin with the help of Elder Li, but upon waking up, Pang Wujin declared that he would not return to the way things were.
Pang Wujin, with his cheeks puffed up like a bun, got up and for a moment had a dazed look on his face.
"This is unexpected," he said with a disheartened smile.
However, Pang Wujin said that the agreement was not wrong, so he would accept it.
He just felt wronged for coming this far and not seeing anything, and refused to return without watching the Nine Dragon Tournament.
Pang Wujin is the legitimate heir.
Apart from the head of the Pang family and the elders, he holds the highest position and is expected to inherit the head's position in the future.
Not only Pang Ahxi, but even the search teams of the Pang family could not treat him casually.
"I will go, but I'll just watch this."
"What do you want to see so much?"
"I feel wronged... I came this far and can't see anything."
"What do you mean by feeling wronged! You're just going to draw a sword, and it's something you do all the time in the Pang family. Just go back to the mansion quickly..."
"If you keep this up, I'll go to Master Yan Aquan and argue with him. I'll argue that this is unreasonable."
Pang Ahxi shut her mouth at Pang Wujin's tantrum. She knew that this crazy guy would really do it.
Pang Wujin had sworn that he would return after the Nine Dragon Tournament, so she gritted her teeth and agreed.
"...Yeah, just one day. One day should be fine."
With that, she calmed down and took Pang Wujin to the sparring ground where the Nine Dragon Tournament was taking place. The Tianyishang side offered to seat them in a good spot upon seeing the Pang family's martial uniform, but Pang Wujin refused.
He said that as an unexpected visitor, he could not receive special treatment.
In the end, they sat in the general seats. She could feel the gazes of people who glanced at them upon seeing the Pang family's martial uniform.
Some looked at them with disbelief, while others, being martial artists, did not dare to speak to them.
This uncomfortable attention made Pang Ahxi feel uneasy, but Pang Wujin did not care at all.
He even had a steamed bun in his hand, which he must have bought at some point.
"Brother... When did you buy that?"
"Huh? I bought it just now."
"Just now? When exactly?"
But he had been right next to her the whole time. When did he buy it?
Pang Wujin was a person whose actions were impossible to predict. Although the elders said he had the greatest talent in the history of the Pang family, he was definitely a strange person.
'How else would he run away, saying he was going to play?'
Thinking about that, a wrinkle appeared on Pang Ahxi's forehead.
"It's starting, Ahxi!"
Whether he knew it or not, Pang Wujin cheered with a steamed bun in his hand.
The Nine Dragon Tournament was not a particularly amazing sight for Pang Ahxi.
As a member of the Four Great Families, she grew up among the best martial artists in the family. A competition among small sects or branch families in the mountains would not be particularly interesting.
Of course, there were a few who stood out among the dozens of sparring matches, but none were particularly eye-catching.
Pang Ahxi watched Pang Wujin in the midst of it all.
He seemed to be watching with interest, but his eyes looked hollow.
Pang Wujin had been like that since he was young.
What he was thinking, why he pursued only fun with such talent, and how he could accept the position of heir without complaint, even though he looked like he could leave at any moment.
Pang Ahxi found it very unsettling.
When the head of the family asked her to go with the search team, she agreed without hesitation.
It was not just because of the guilt she felt that day.
It was already night, and all the matches of the Nine Dragon Tournament had ended.
"Now we should go, Brother."
Despite Pang Ahxi's words, Pang Wujin remained unmoving.
"Brother?"
Curious, she followed his gaze and saw someone standing in the empty central sparring ground.
"That person is... "
She was tall for a woman, with her hair tied up, and wearing a red martial uniform that symbolized the Gu family.
'Wasn't her name Gu Yanxu?'
A girl she had met a few times at the orthodox sect's social gatherings. Her sister, Jianfeng, was an undisputed genius, and Gu Yanxu was said to have similar talent.
Soon, Ouyang Qian also stepped onto the sparring ground.
Even from a distance, his uncomfortable expression, as if he had bitten a bug, was visible. His face clearly said, "I don't want to do this."
"Why is he up there?"
"They are doing a direct lineage match."
Confused, she saw that Pang Wujin had a strange piece of paper in his hand.
[After the Nine Dragon Tournament, a sparring ceremony of the Gu family's shining stars will take place.]
[Your support is greatly appreciated.]
"...When did you get that?"
"They were handing it out when we came in?"
When exactly?
Pang Ahxi shifted her gaze back to the sparring ground.
Ouyang Qian and Gu Yanxu seemed to be talking, but it was too far to hear.
Even enhancing her hearing with inner energy did not help.
Pang Wujin said,
"You won't hear anything; there's a barrier around the sparring ground."
"A barrier?"
"Someone who can cover this range at once... It must be the work of Master Yan Aquan."
Pang Ahxi understood Ouyang Qian's expression. It was a fight with no chance of winning.
She knew Ouyang Qian's martial skills better than anyone.
Compared to the bloodline of the young man, his skills were insignificant. If he faced Gu Yanxu, he would be brutally defeated.
If he had to go through such a humiliation in front of so many people, Pang Ahxi would hang herself.
She had never thought Ouyang Qian was pitiful, but now he looked a bit pitiful.
While the two were still talking, Elder Li, who was observing, shouted with inner energy.
Then, without hesitation, Gu Yanxu lunged at Ouyang Qian.
Pang Ahxi's eyes widened at Gu Yanxu's speed.
'Fast...!'
There was no unnecessary movement in the wooden sword as it swung in sync with her leap. It showed her excellent ability to maintain her center.
Step by step.
The continuous techniques without hesitation spoke of her relentless training.
'...Can he win if he faces her?'
Honestly, she was not confident.
Pang Ahxi did not think she could smoothly parry Gu Yanxu's continuous sword strikes from that position.
As a member of the Pang family, she felt her pride slipping away.
"Is she Jianfeng's sister?"
Pang Ahxi suddenly noticed that Pang Wujin's eyes, which had been hollow all day, were now sparkling.
She suppressed the unpleasant feeling rising inside her.
"Yes, she is a member of the Gu family, so she must be Jianfeng's sister."
Still, she could not hide her curt tone.
To her, Gu Yanxu was impressive. Jealously so.
"Such smooth sword strikes are amazing, right?"
"It's hard to do at her age."
"You're right. Her control of inner energy at critical moments is also impressive."
"That's what I mean, he's dodging all of it."
"Huh?"
Pang Ahxi sensed something odd in Pang Wujin's response. What had Gu Yanxu dodged?
Ouyang Qian had not even managed to counterattack and was just groaning.
Pang Ahxi followed Pang Wujin's gaze again.
To her surprise, he was looking at Ouyang Qian, not Gu Yanxu.
'He wasn't watching Gu Yanxu?'
What was he seeing that made him feel this way? Pang Ahxi could not understand.
"Half a beat faster."
"Huh?"
"Watch closely. The sword moves half a beat before it reaches its target. He already knows where to aim and how to swing."
Hearing Pang Wujin's words, she carefully observed Ouyang Qian.
Indeed, it was peculiar. Ouyang Qian's movements were much slower than Gu Yanxu's.
If she faced Gu Yanxu, she would not have the confidence to win.
But if she faced Ouyang Qian, she could strike him down immediately.
'So? But how...'
Ouyang Qian was slower than her, and Gu Yanxu was faster than her.
The match should have been over long ago, but they had gone for more than ten rounds.
"What is this?"
Pang Ahxi could not figure it out.
As time passed without a clear winner, Gu Yanxu seemed to be preparing to make a decisive move.
A faint inner energy could be seen on Gu Yanxu's wooden sword.
It was different from the sword qi used by first-class swordsmen or the sword gang used by those at the peak.
Even to Pang Ahxi, it seemed like a deep inner energy was condensing.
Seeing this, Pang Wujin said firmly,
"He can't do it."
"Why? It looks impressive."
"It is impressive, but it's so compressed that I wouldn't be able to handle it even if I faced it directly."
Even if he faced it directly? Pang Ahxi was taken aback by this statement.
"But it won't matter if he doesn't hit it. Trying to use something he's not familiar with, his posture is off and his breathing is twisted. The movements he makes out of impatience are worse than trash."
It was a cold, harsh critique that made even Pang Ahxi, who was not the one being criticized, feel a chill. But generally, Pang Wujin's comments on martial arts were never wrong.
At that moment, Ouyang Qian's expression changed. Gu Yanxu, who had finished preparing, leaped aggressively.
Ouyang Qian did not make any special movements.
He just took a step back and slightly moved his head.
That was it. But with that small movement, he defused Gu Yanxu's sword strike.
And then,
-Snap!
'What?'
Pang Ahxi had not taken her eyes off the match, but she heard something break and saw Gu Yanxu collapse.
"What... What happened?"
"Amazing...!"
Excited, Pang Ahxi turned her gaze. Pang Wujin had a look on his face that she hadn't seen in years.
"There's more to the Gu family than just Jianfeng."
It was a joyful, childlike expression, as if he had discovered something truly interesting.
******************
-She should have been born a boy.
This was a thought that Gu Yanxu had when she was over ten years old.
Her sister was not only talented in martial arts but also possessed the dignity of a noble family.
At just fifteen, her sister had earned the nickname Jianfeng, which was once considered the exclusive domain of the Four Great Families and the Nine Sects.
It was so cool and proud.
When her sister graduated top of her class from the Divine Dragon Hall, she was appointed as one of the Five Sword Masters of the Gu family at a young age.
It was not an easy feat, but everyone acknowledged it.
She had the ability to deserve it.
She was an amazing person. She would become even more outstanding over time.
But she could not become the head of the Gu family.
At that moment, Gu Yanxu thought of her younger brother.
She and her sister were the children of the main wife, while Ouyang Qian was the child of a concubine. But Gu Yanxu liked Ouyang Qian's mother.
She was a kind person.
So, she liked Ouyang Qian too. It was a time when she did not care about the difference between a concubine and a half-sibling.
But one day, she disappeared. It was in an instant. No matter where she looked, her father ordered her not to search.
No one in the family looked for her.
From then on,
Ouyang Qian began to fall apart.
He only showed a violent side to the family members and did not care about his targets.
He became lazy and idle. There were even rumors that he was touching the pretty family members.
He distanced himself from effort, and his inferiority complex grew day by day.
The head of the family was always passed down to a male.
After that, her father did not take any more concubines, and Ouyang Qian was the only son. If things continued this way, Ouyang Qian would become the head of the family.
Despite having such an outstanding sister.
Despite her working so hard.
Her sister should have been born a boy.
Or she herself should have been.
She hated Ouyang Qian, who was content with what he had and was falling apart.
She found him repulsive.
'What?'
Her hazy mind slowly cleared.
She had been losing her memory since she poured the Nine Flame Wheel Technique into her sword.
Ouyang Qian stood in front of her, looking much taller than she remembered.
'Is this a dream?'
Drip.
Something dripped, and when she wiped her nose with the back of her hand, it was covered in blood. Why was she bleeding? Was this a dream?
If not, why did Ouyang Qian look so big?
As her vision and mind became clearer, Gu Yanxu realized the contradiction.
Ouyang Qian was not bigger.
Her field of vision was lower.
Gu Yanxu was sitting on the ground in the sparring ground.
"Exactly... How...?"
"I understand you, sister."
Hearing the voice, Gu Yanxu looked up.
"You probably don't like it, but I understand. It doesn't matter if you hate me; it won't change anything."
The bright lantern cast shadows on Ouyang Qian's face, making it hard to see his expression.
But Gu Yanxu could clearly see his eyes.
There was nothing. Ouyang Qian's eyes were numb. There was no clear emotion like joy or anger.
He just looked down at her.
The chilling sensation made Gu Yanxu want to run, but her trembling body would not move.
"I understand what you said, even though it was very hurtful. I understand."
What had she said? Gu Yanxu recalled her words.
'You should have disappeared like your mother.'
Her heart turned cold.
Even if she was not in her right mind, that was definitely something she should not have said.
What should she do? Should she apologize now? The thought of apologizing to Ouyang Qian made her want to vomit.
Whether she knew or not, Ouyang Qian continued.
"I understand, so you should understand me too."
She could not ask what he meant.
The last thing Gu Yanxu remembered was Ouyang Qian's palm.