21. The Three Clans Tournament (3)
The grand arena buzzed with energy as the first matches of the tournament began. The crowd filled the stands, a sea of colorful robes and excited faces. Vendors moved through the aisles selling steamed buns, spirit tea, and betting slips. The air was thick with the scent of food, sweat, and the faint metallic tang of Qi being channeled. Banners from the three great sects fluttered high above the fighting platform.
Jiu Yin sat with his family in the section reserved for the Lu Clan’s selected youths and their relatives. His dark cloak was pulled low, shielding him from as much sunlight as possible. Even in the partially covered arena, the rays that slipped through the openings still pressed against him like a constant, irritating weight. He endured it in silence.
Jiu Lan sat beside him, her hand resting on the hilt of her thin blade. She was tense, ready to volunteer when the time came. Jiu Ping sat on her other side, hands clasped tightly in her lap, her face a mixture of nervousness and hope.
Jiu Yin leaned slightly toward his sister and spoke in a low voice. “Do not volunteer yet. Let us scope out the competition first. You are not the most talented here, but if you find an opponent where you can show off your skills, it will be useful. Watch how they fight. Learn their weaknesses.”
Jiu Lan glanced at him, her green eyes sharp. She gave a small nod, though she clearly wanted to prove herself. “I understand. I will wait for the right moment.”
The City Lord of Snow Wind City stepped onto the central platform and raised his hands for silence. He was a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard and sharp eyes. Informally, he was not part of any of the three major clans, but everyone knew his bias toward the Yin clan. He had risen through careful alliances and political maneuvering. His voice, amplified by a sound talisman, carried clearly across the arena.
“The first match will be between a youth from the Lu Clan vassals and a fighter from the Yin Clan main branch. Step forward!”
The crowd roared in anticipation as the two fighters made their way to the platform.
A sturdy young man from a vassal family under the Lu Clan stepped onto the platform. He faced a fighter from the Yin Clan, a broad-shouldered youth known for his physical strength. The crowd roared as the two bowed to each other and the match began.
The Lu Clan fighter opened with a powerful punch reinforced with Qi. His fist glowed with a faint brown light as earth-attribute Qi hardened his strike. The impact echoed across the arena like a hammer striking stone. The Yin Clan fighter met it head-on, his own arms wrapped in a reddish glow. The two clashed with a loud crack. Sparks of Qi flew in every direction. The Lu Clan youth’s punch pushed his opponent back several steps, the force of the blow visibly shaking the other fighter’s frame. The Yin Clan fighter countered with a heavy kick to the side. The blow landed with a dull thud against the Lu Clan youth’s ribs, forcing a grunt of pain from him as the air was driven from his lungs.
Jiu Yin watched closely. “The Lu Clan fighter relies on defense and power. His Qi hardens his body, but it slows him down slightly. The Yin Clan fighter is more aggressive.”
They traded blows in a brutal exchange. Each strike was heavy and raw. The Lu Clan youth’s Qi manifested as earthen reinforcement, making his skin tougher and his punches hit like falling rocks. Every successful hit left faint cracks in the platform beneath them. The Yin Clan fighter used a more aggressive fire-like Qi that left faint burn marks on his opponent’s arms with every successful hit. Sweat poured down their faces. Blood trickled from split lips and bruised knuckles. The crowd cheered every heavy impact, the roar growing louder with each exchange.
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Jiu Yin continued his analysis. “The Yin Clan fighter is faster, but his attacks are reckless. He leaves openings when he overcommits.”
The Lu Clan fighter took a hard hit to the jaw that sent him staggering. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he shook his head to clear it. He roared and charged back in, landing a devastating uppercut that lifted his opponent slightly off the ground. The Yin Clan fighter crashed down hard, coughing blood, but he rolled away before the next blow could land.
Jiu Ping leaned toward her daughter during a brief pause in the action. “That Lu Clan boy is sturdy, but his movements are a bit predictable. You could exploit that if you face someone like him.”
Jiu Lan nodded, eyes fixed on the platform. “His defense is strong, but he leaves his sides open when he commits to a punch. I could use the Moonlight flow to slip around him.”
The match ended with the Lu Clan youth winning by a narrow margin after a prolonged exchange of blows. He stood panting, blood dripping from a cut above his eye, while his opponent lay on the ground, breathing heavily. The crowd cheered loudly.
Jiu Ping let out a small sigh of relief. “That was close. The Yin Clan fighter almost had him. These matches are more brutal than I expected.”
Jiu Lan’s expression was focused. “The difference in experience shows. The main branch youths have had better training. We will have to be smarter, not just stronger.”
The second match was between a graceful young woman from the Shi Clan and a male fighter from a minor vassal family under the Yin Clan. The Shi Clan woman moved like flowing water, her strikes precise and elegant. She opened with a palm strike that sent a wave of blue Qi rippling through the air. The Qi manifested as a gentle but cutting force that struck her opponent’s shoulder and spun him around with a sharp cry of pain. He countered with a heavy punch, his fist glowing with a faint red light, but she danced aside, her movements light and fluid. Her next attack was a spinning kick that landed with a sharp crack against his ribs. The impact sent him staggering. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he tried to regain his balance. He swung wildly, but she was already behind him, landing a precise elbow strike to the back of his neck that dropped him to his knees. He tried to rise, but she followed with a palm strike to his chest that sent him sliding across the platform, coughing blood.
The crowd went wild for her.
Jiu Ping watched with wide eyes. “Her movements are so graceful. The Moonlight trait you have is similar in elegance. You could learn from watching her.”
Jiu Lan nodded slowly. “She is talented, but when evenly matched in cultivation the average man will overpower a female cultivator. It is important to adjust. She didn’t.”
Jiu Yin smirked slightly. His twin sister was a very forthright personality.
The Jade Valley observer nodded approvingly. “Graceful. She has good foundation work. Jade Valley could refine her further.”
The Thousand Peaks observer laughed again. “Too soft for my taste! But she has speed. That counts for something.”
The Crimson Moon observer remained silent, but his eyes followed her movements closely.
The Shi Clan woman ended the match with a final palm strike that sent her opponent flying off the platform. He crashed into the barrier with a heavy thud and did not get up.
Match after match continued. Some were quick. Others dragged into drawn-out battles of endurance. No major upsets occurred. The stronger youths from the main clans mostly dominated the fighters from smaller vassal families. The crowd’s speculation grew louder with each fight.
“Lu Hei is going to destroy whoever he faces!”
“Shi Mei is the one to watch. Her talent is limitless!”
“Yin Zhao’s raw power is terrifying. He might take the whole thing!”
Jiu Yin remained quiet, absorbing everything. He was learning more about this world’s cultivation with every clash. The way Qi could be shaped into different manifestations. The importance of traits and bloodlines. The balance between raw strength and technique.