Up to the Challenge?

"You Yue, are you in?" After getting to know Sima You Yue for a day, Fatty Qu had already dropped the honorifics and called her directly by her name.

Sima You Yue opened the door and saw Fatty Qu's hands in mid air as he was about to go for another bout of knocks.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"You're in! Quick, go find your brother now!" Fatty Qu let out a small sigh of relief before he rushed her.

"What happened?" Why did he suddenly ask her to go find her brother?

"I was on the way back from the library when I heard that Meng Ting is looking for you and wants to challenge you!" Fatty Qu quickly said, while still trying to grasp his breath.

"Looking for me?"

"Yeah, she was blabbering on and on about how a waste like you do not deserve to be in our elite class, so she wants to challenge to put you in your place."

"Alright, I've got it, thank you." Sima You Yue replied.

"If she really wants to challenge you, I'm afraid things will go out of hand, so it's best that you quickly go and look for your brother!" Fatty Qu insisted.

"Why do I need to go look for my brother? This is my own problem, so I shall solve it myself." She leaned lazily on the door as she replied nonchalantly, not at all concerned at the seriousness he had perceived it to be.

"You may be the grandson of the Great General but the Meng Family is not to be trifled with! It's the largest family clan in Mirage City! Moreover she is the direct descendant, so she has always held her nose up high in the air, trampling on everyone else beneath her. Since she has already declared that she is looking for you, she will definitely come knocking soon!"

"Is she very powerful?" Sima You Yue asked Fatty Qu who wore a worried expression on his face.

"When she was thirteen, she had already achieved the rank of a fifth grade Spirit Warrior!"

"Is that very strong?" She looked at him and asked again.

"Yes, for this age to achieve that, she is considered very strong. Stop dawdling now, my dear Fifth Young Master! Quickly, go and find your brother so that he can protect you!" Fatty Qu could not take it anymore as he urged her.

"Well, if she's really out to find trouble, even if I avoid it today, she will still come back another day. Hmm? But doesn't the Academy prohibit fighting?" She asked curiously in an unhurried manner.

"There's this rule but a challenge is different. As long as the challenges are officially fought on stage then it's allowed. Many people who have personal grudges use this method to iron things out using this method. What's more, challenges are all life and death matches where each party would sign a death disclaimer before heading onto stage. She is sure to exact her revenge on you for stepping on her leg in class earlier today. Now, the most important is to hide first and we'll think of a plan to avoid the next one, we'll take things step by step!"

"Hide?" Sima You Yue gave him an incredulous look as she put crossed her arms. "There is no such word this dictionary of mine. I, Sima You Yue do not recognize this word!"

"But...She.." Fatty Qu was about to continue persuading Sima You Yue when the door of the next room flung open. Wei Zi Qi stepped out and looked at the two people who were in heated discussion. "What happened?"

Fatty Qu looked helplessly at Wei Zi Qi and explained: "That Meng Ting wants to issue a challenge to You Yue. I'm trying to get him to find his brother but he refused."

"That Meng Ting keeps looking for trouble!" Wei Zi Qi was agitated when he heard this.

"Fatty Qu, thank you for coming to warn me. I am very grateful for that. However, it seems that it's too late now." She raised her chin and looked at the main door as a group of students barged in with Meng Ting.

"Sima You Yue! Not bad courage you have. When I saw Fatty Qu running off to tell you the news, I was sure you've gone into hiding. I'm surprised that you've not run away with your tail tucked behind your legs!" Meng Ting sneered.

"Well, there's no need to for the likes of you." Sima You Yue smiled provocatively as she gave her a contemptuous glance from head to toe.

"You!!!" Meng Ting gnashed her teeth together furiously. Since young, she had always been the object of affection and everyone fawned on her. No one had ever spoken to her in such a manner before! The people living in this courtyard had already made her very mad when no one had put her in their eyes and usually ignored her. She did not expect that a trash like Sima You Yue would dare to be so rude and even dared to give her such a condescending look, as if despising her. She felt the anger in her heart rise as she yelled out: "Since Fatty Qu had already told you my motive, then I won't waste my breath on you. Sima You Yue, I challenge you! If you lose, you are never to ever take a step into Imperial Academy ever again!"

"You, a fifth grade Spirit Warrior wants to challenge me? Haha, alright, let's say I take you up on this challenge, tell me, what do I stand to gain if I win?" Sima You Yue did not even bother looking at Meng Ting as she looked at her nails and fiddled with them.

At this point in time, Ouyang Fei's room door swung open and he stepped out. He had on his usually cold demeanor and cast a glance at the commotion in the courtyard before he left without saying a word.

Next, Bei Gong Tang's room door also swung open and she looked at Meng Ting and frowned. "If you want to create a ruckus, go out! Whoever was disrupting my reading, SCRAM!"

Sima You Yue looked at the departing back of Ouyang Fei and listened to Bei Gong Tang's merciless words, these two people somehow seemed to have a few common traits.

When Meng Ting heard Bei Gong Tang's words, she seemed to have momentarily lost her composure and had on a brief look of fear. She lowered her voice and glared at Sima You Yue menacingly. "You, a trash who can't even sense Spiritual Qi, wants to win me? What a joke!"

She threw her head back in laughter as the others who followed her in all had the same look of disdain as they laughed together mockingly.

"A joke? Well, you may find it funny now but careful you may not be even able to laugh later." Sima You Yue lips curled up, her voice laced with mirth.

"Hah! Just say what you want." Meng Ting scoffed.

"Sima You Yue looked in the direction of Bei Gong Tang and said: "I have no intention of disturbing my dorm mate, since you are here to challenge me, then to make me take up your challenge, you must also give me something to stake. Hmm, let's do it this way, if by a stroke of incredible luck I somehow manage to beat you, all you have to do in future is whenever you see me, you will turn have to turn tail and stay out of my sight! If you're okay with this then I'm up for the challenge."

"Fine! If you win, I will get out of your sight whenever I see you, and no longer stir up any trouble for you. But, if I win, then you'll have to get out of Imperial Academy!" Meng Ting declared.

"Alright, so it's set, why don't you head over to the stage first, I'll come in a while." Saying this, Sima You Yue turned and closed her room door.

"You Yue…" Fatty Qu did not have the opportunity to continue with his words when he was shut outside.

"Let's go! We'll wait for her on the challenge stage!" Meng Ting gave a last glance at Sima You Yue's door as she left happily.

The courtyard finally regained back it's tranquility. Bei Gong Tang gave a final glance at Fatty Qu who was still standing outside of Sima You Yue's door before closing her own door.

Fatty Qu thought back on this morning's meeting with the General Residence's Fourth Young Master Sima You Le who had seeked him out and had especially asked him to look after his brother on his behalf. Never did he expect that half a day later, Sima You Yue had already embroiled himself in such trouble.

"No, I have to quickly inform Fourth Young Master!" Fatty Qu's eyes had a glint of resolve in them as he ran out.