2 Martial Arts Tournament (1)

"What do you think of the people down there?"

A girl with glittering phoenix eyes and an enchanting smile leaned towards Jiang Shiqin. Mirth flashed through her eyes as she beheld his refined countenance, the elegance of which was further highlighted as he sunk into contemplation.

"From my perspective, the one in red has a higher chance of winning."

The gorgeous girl, Su Dai, raised her eyebrows. Even such a tiny movement, performed by a beauty, gave off a mesmerizing feeling. The people surrounding her could not help but be dazed a little.

"Brother Qin, perhaps you haven't been here for long so there are a few things you might not know about. That guy's opponent," she gestured to one of the cultivators fighting, "is Yuan Jia of Harmony Sect. He was rumoured to have reached Xiantian at ten and should be late Xiantian, perhaps even half-step to the next stage by now. He's a genius for sure."

With an unfaltering polite smile on his face, Jiang Shiqin refocused on the one called Yuan Jia. Certainly, he was powerful enough; the notable rippling of energy and the graceful way which he handled his sword were praiseworthy. His moves spoke of Harmony Sect's distinctive style - polished and aesthetically pleasing to the extreme.

At present, the fight appeared to be balanced, neither of the cultivators gaining an advantage over the other. However, Yuan Jia's illustrous reputation as a heaven-born genius inadvertantly made some people more biased towards him.

"What about the one in red?" Jiang Shiqin calmly asked.

It took Su Dai another moment to finish appreciating the man's jade-like bearing, which was even finer and more attractive than any of the renowned disciples of Harmony Sect with their cultured upbringing.

"This person is rather low-profile, as a matter of fact. He's in Blazing Hawthorn Sect, but this person so rarely went out that people were usually mistaken that there are only four inner disciples of the sect rather than five. He has never fought in an official tournament before, so I don't know about his strength."

Su Dai gazed down at the unfamiliar person with a hawthorn tattoo on his bare arm, her brows slightly furrowed.

"From the look of it, he should be in late Xiantian as well."

Jiang Shiqin took a sip of the fragrant lotus tea, his eyes following the movements of both cultivators. One as aggressive fire, and one with elegant movements akin to flowing water. Invisible sparks of tension seemed to lit up the arena, and every clanging sound of swords colliding drew in the audience's breath.

The intensity of the fight also made Su Dai refocus on the agile figures below. Sharp glints of evaluation were present in her unique purple eyes, which went unnoticed except for a selective few.

After a few minutes, Yuan Jia abruptly switched his sword-holding hand, and his style became even more tranquil and precise. A cheer broke out among the viewers.

"Yuan Jia has finally finished apraising his opponent," said Su Dai with a hint of excitement. "He's probably going all out now."

True to her words, the emerald-veined sword appeared to have multiplied in power, forcing the Blazing Hawthorn Sect disciple to retreat a few steps. As he tried to adjust to the change in tempo, Yuan Jia applied more pressure on his opponent, his sword flashing under the sunlight. Drops of sweat rolled down the face of the man in crimson, and his grip on the sword appeared slippery.

All the while, Yuan Jia had had an unchanging graceful smile on his face, but those blessed with keeness of sight might discover his eyes belied his drunkenness in what he perceived to be a sure victory.

Eventually, a crack appeared in that disciple's guard and Yuan Jia easily took advantage of it. As the arena exploded in applause, the judge declared him to be the winner and one of the two who would fight in the final round of the tournament. The result was similar to what Su Dai, and many others, had predicted. As the audience started leaving, an extensive progression of green-clad disciples approached the young victor and heralded Yuan Jia like a hero who had won an outstanding battle.

Apart from the eye-catching sword moves, however, it was rather ordinary for a fight. There was no reverse in power, no suicidal movements, not even a desperate counterattack deserving of attention. It was simply a crossing of swords between a stronger cultivator and a weaker one, and the moment Yuan Jin used his full power, the outcome had already been decided.

In any case, should people be disappointed at the lack of spilled blood?

Or the lack of realistic elements that would be involved had it been a death match?

Jiang Shiqin laughed softly. "It seems that I am still not knowledgeable enough. Sister Dai is insightful."

Su Dai hurriedly refuted as they stood up from their seats. "It must be because you have only come to this region for a short while. If Brother Qin is interested, I can ask my father to let me bring you around and familiarize yourself with the local scene. That way, you will understand more about the major powers here."

Upon seeing her hopeful expression with a flicker of shyness mixed within, Jiang Shiqin's smile brightened, causing the girl to redden a little.

"In that case, I will have to trouble Sister Dai."

Su Dai seemed to glow with joy. "After the tournament has ended, I will pay a visit to the Autumn Pavillion then."

"I look forward to your visit," replied the man, his amusement completely undetected.

The fight had already faded into the distance, and so did his seemingly careless prediction.