97 Chapter 96: The Round of Sixteen (1/2)

”Goodness,” Teacher Yi Liao growled as she poured her qi into me to heal my wounds. ”Were you guys trying to kill each other or something?”

”It was a tournament match,” I replied dryly as I lay on the bed, helpless and unmoving. ”We got a little…heated.”

”I can certainly see that,” Teacher Yi Liao remarked with a disapproving shake of her head. ”Try not to kill each other, all right? The academy has invested a lot in you students. To lose even one would be a huge loss.”

”I'll try.”

Even as I said that, I was aware that my promise was hollow at best. It wasn't that I really wanted to kill my opponents, but death was inevitable. Throughout the past month, there had been a few deaths when the combatants got a little too over-zealous and inadvertently killed their opponents. Of course, we all signed the indemnity form, so no one would be held responsible in the event of death, but the academy rules had stipulated that such incidents were best avoided at all costs. There were a few grievances and grudges, particularly from the friends, families and loved ones of the dead, but in general everyone in the martial world knew the risks and understood that death was always a hair's breadth away. No one truly blamed the combatants.

They knew that in another instance, it would have been the other way around. Kill or be killed. The moment you step into the ring, you had to be prepared for death.

However, that didn't stop Teacher Yi from being in a bad mood. She had been busy treating the injuries from morning till night, working nonstop during this month because of the tournament. This wasn't the first time I had been to her office, but it was certainly the first time I had suffered such serious injuries during the tournament.

Fortunately, she had help from healing experts and doctors from the Green Dragon Sect and various other sects and groups that focused on healing and medicine, otherwise she would be overworked, swamped by almost four hundred students everyday. Already the infirmary had been expanded into a hospital to accommodate the wounded.

”Geez, you really ought to be careful,” Teacher Yi repeated again with a scowl. ”Don't go too crazy out there. I know it's a tournament, but your lives are more important than winning. It's meaningless to win if you end up dead.”

”Well, I don't think either of us would have died, to be honest. We're too tough for that.”

Additionally, Wu Xing was wise enough to concede defeat at the end of the match instead of fighting to the death. Needless to say, I probably would have surrendered before it had gotten to that point. While I'd like to win, I wasn't insane enough to achieve victory at the expense of my life. I had far more important things to throw away my life in a stupid tournament.

Not that the tournament was stupid. I needed a high enough ranking to convince the higher-ups at the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect that I was fit for their elite combat division, the Blood Blades. Plus having a lot more resources would benefit me more.

I hope I didn't give myself away, though.

The whole reason why I stayed at level 6 without taking the other level tests, and kept a low profile despite finishing my assimilation of qi after two years of apparent inactivity, was so that I wouldn't draw the attention from other students. They would underestimate me because they had no clue what my combat skills or techniques were like.

That tactic worked surprisingly well against Wu Hei Gui and Wu Xing, and even Tu Zi Yi, because they didn't know my true strength. So I managed to take them by surprise while their guard was down. Otherwise I would have a much more difficult time handling someone of Wu Xing's caliber. Even so, he finally understood that I wasn't someone to underestimate by the end of the battle, which was how we both ended u wounding each other so severely.

Unfortunately, this strategy won't work again. All the other participants in the tournament will know my true strength now, or at least have a grasp of my current level of power.

On the other hand, the same worked in reverse as well. I had access to all of their replays and matches, so it would be easy for me to analyze their fighting style and exploit certain weaknesses that I could derive from their fighting patterns and techniques.

Speaking of opponents…

”How is Wu Xing doing?”

”He's doing slightly better than you. Hui Fu is tending to him right now. His injuries will heal in no time at all.” Teacher Yi made a face. ”Good thing his armor protected him, or he would have suffered worse damage.”

”That's a relief.”

”Yeah.” Teacher Yi stared at me, an expression of amazement flickering across her face. ”What the heck did you use? Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship, was it? That was one hell of a sword technique.”

I was shocked that Teacher Yi actually btohered to take note of what techniques I used, but then again, she was one of the teachers who were familiar with me. Particularly because I used to spend a lot of time in the infirmary after getting injured from fights or missions.

Actually, that wasn't the reason. I later found out that she knew about my techniques mostly because of her intimate relationship with Teacher Jiao, who had an invested interest in my development, and heard about me learning Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship from him. Not that I cared. Who the teachers wanted to fraternize with was none of my business. Rather, I would be the first to congratulate Teacher Jiao and Teacher Yi if they eventually get married.

”Yeah. It's one of those level five techniques that I had to spend gold to purchase from the academy.”

The damned scroll cost me a hundred gold. It had better be worth it. That said, I was pretty sure Wu Xing's Esoteric Five Elements Principle was worth a lot more. Maybe? I wasn't the one in charge of valuing the different martial arts techniques, after all.

”Well, make sure you rest for today and take it easy.” Teacher Yi finished up the healing process before slapping my shoulder and causing me to wince. Damn, but I was still sore from the punches I took from Wu Xing. ”And congratulations for making it to the round of sixteen.”

”Thanks.”

That reminded me. It felt so surreal, but I had actually made it to the round of sixteen. I never expected to get this far, to be honest. But now that I had made it this far, I couldn't help but be giddy with delight.

”Let me know if you still have any problems.” Teacher Yi stared at me and forced out a statement. I realized she was waiting for me to leave. Mumbling an apology and thanking her again, I quickly hurried out of the infirmary.

Before I got through the door, I suddenly remembered something and immediately turned back to Teacher Yi, who looked a little annoyed.

”Sorry! I forgot! Where's my training equipment?”

”Oh, over there.” Teacher Yi frowned as she tilted her head. ”Why were you wearing your training equipment during a match anyway? Granted, it did protect you from some of the blows, but wouldn't it impede your movements?”

”That's the idea,” I joked while I proceeded to grab my training equipment and strapped them around my body. I shuddered when I remembered Wu Xing's brutal punch. If I hadn't been wearing my super-heavy training equipment, I would have sustained a much worse injury from that and perhaps even lost consciousness.

The match would have ended there and then.

”Thank you.”

Bowing, I finally left the infirmary for good this time, not wanting to get in the way of Teacher Yi and her doctor duties, as well as her management of the other doctors and medical orderlies in her department. As I passed through the infirmary, I could see

”Well, I guess I might as well go back to the dormitory…”

As I did so, I was suddenly swamped in the corridor.

”Fei Wu!”

”Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

I threw out a hand to plant my palm on Tong Xue's forehead just before he tackled into me, holding him away at arm's length. Frowning, I glared at him.

”What's the idea?”

”You…you were hiding your true strength all along!”

Busted. This was what I meant when I was worried about the strategy no longer working. Most of my opponents – and they had to be competent and skillful if they were able to get into the round of sixteen – would no longer lower their guard around me and underestimate me. I wouldn't be able to catch them by surprise…

At least not unless I use my other trump card…

”You're in the last 16! You've actually made it into the round of sixteen!”

Tong Xue was babbling now. I nodded impatiently as I tried to keep him at arm's bay.

”Uh, yeah. I was lucky. That last match against Wu Xing of Kun Lun Sect was pretty close. Just one different move and I would be the one who had lost.”

I shuddered at that memory. Wu Xing had been among the strongest opponents I had faced. Stronger than even Ba Yun…then again, Wu Xing had the benefit of having about two and a half sexagenaries of qi, which surpassed the amount that Ba Yun had by a mile.

The rest of the opponents could only get tougher, or be at least on par with Wu Xing. I was so not looking forward to that.

But having gotten this far, I wasn't going to give up. Hell, no. I was going to do my best and win with everything I had!

”How about you?” I asked Tong Xue. He made a face.

”I already lost to Shi Bai and Feng Tian Yong, remember? I won't be able to get into the last 16. I'm about third place in my group.”

”Oh, right.” I almost forgot, but now that Tong Xue mentioned it, I remembered him telling me that before. ”What about the rest?”

”I finished middle of my group.” Lian Rou seemed to show up from nowhere, though in actuality she had been following Tong Xue all this while. ”Not ideal, but better than nothing.”

”Nice!” I congratulated her. Lian Rou wasn't interested in combat, despite being a martial artist, so that was still quite an accomplishment for her.

”I finished fourth,” Ban Zhang told us the moment he caught up. He had heard our conversation from a mile away, and was just joining in. He sighed. ”I lost too many matches. If I had won against Ying Jia, I might be third.”

”Fourth is still a respectable finish,” I assured him. He raised an eyebrow at me. Right. I was in no position to comfort him when I made it to the last 16. I bowed my head apologetically and then tried to change the subject. ”That leaves…Qi Hong and Zhu Jiao.”

”I won my match!”

Someone jumped on my back and wrapped her hands around my eyes, causing me to stumble. Giggling, Tang Qi Hong pressed her well-endowed chest against my back and leaned to whisper directly into my ear.

”Guess who?”

”Qi Hong! Congratulations!”

Tang Qi Hong let go of my eyes and slid down. She seemed to be literally dancing in joy as she pranced around the corridor.

”I won! I won! I'm at the top of my group! I'm in the round of 16! Ha ha ha ha!”

”Congratulations!”

”Great job, Qi Hong!”

”Nice work!”

Ban Zhang, Lian Rou and Tong Xue all added their praises. Tang Qi Hong seemed to preen as she basked in the glow of our congratulations.

”So Fei Wu and Tang Qi Hong,” Tong Xue was nodding as he took note of our progress in his tablet. ”We've at least two people who made it to the last 16.”

”That leaves Zhu Jiao. Anyone knows what happened to him?” I glanced at the others. Zhu Jiao's match should have finished long ago, given how it was already night and relatively late. I could easily check his progress online on my tablet but in the end, nothing beat having the person himself tell us directly.

”You guys talking about me?”

”Zhu Jiao!”

We all turned, only to see Zhu Jiao striding toward us. He grinned and waved at us. Other than looking a little battered, he seemed perfectly fine. I wondered if he had refrained from seeking treatment in the infirmary, probably because it was so crowded.

I didn't have a choice because I had passed out. When I woke up, I was already in the infirmary. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered Teacher Yi unless absolutely necessary.

”I won my last match too! Now I'm top of my group! I'm also in the last 16!” he rubbed his hands in glee. ”Now I've to make sure I win the next few matches so that I can keep my promise and meet Ning Xue in the finals.”

”Speaking of which, do you know who your opponents will be?” I asked Tang Qi Hong and Zhu Jiao. They both shook their heads.

”The information will only be up tomorrow,” Tong Xue informed me. As always, he was always the most up-to-date on current intelligence.

”We should return early and rest then. We'll have to check our matchups tomorrow.” I noticed that Zhu Jiao wasn't exactly in his peak condition. He smiled gratefully.

”I'll see you guys tomorrow then.” He began limping away.

”You guys too,” I told the rest. ”You're probably all tired from your last match…and we still have the ranking matches over the next month.”

Even though the group stages were over, the other twenty-four members of the group had to face off against another fifteen opponents to decide their academy ranking. The second-placed people would face against other second-placed people, the third-ranked contestants against other third-ranked contestants, and so on and so forth.

”Yeah. Ugh.” Tong Xue shuddered at the prospect. ”Don't remind me.”

”Well, this is a martial arts academy. I guess it only makes sense that they emphasize on martial arts and rankings.” I stretched and stifled a yawn. Looked like my time was up. I needed to rest, as per Teacher Yi's recommendation.

”Yeah, let's go back.” Tang Qi Hong had grabbed Lian Rou and the two girls headed in the direction of the girls' dormitory. ”Wu is right. We'll need to prepare for the next phase of the tournament tomorrow.”

The guys decided to walk the girls back to their dorm before returning to their rooms. While normally Tang Qi Hong and Lian Rou would return to Tushan City, the current couple of months were special. With the tournament going on, the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect allowed us to stay in campus so that we would have more time to recuperate and rest, and to focus on the combat. I suspected that Lian Rou still used the bureau of spirit armament's workshop to continue crafting and forging spirit equipment and other artifacts, though.

Tang Qi Hong was also a skilled combatant, so she was more invested in winning the tournament and getting as far as possible than Lian Rou was. That didn't stop her from occasionally accompanying Lian Rou in her frequent forays to the workshop. I guess Tang Qi Hong was still a blacksmith and Spirit Engraver at heart.

”What will happen if you end up facing Tang Qi Hong in the next round?” Tong Xue asked suddenly.