Betraying one's city is an extremely grave offense in the Azure Cloud Realm. To accuse someone who once fought tooth and nail for the city's glory of such a crime is the ultimate humiliation.
Yet, Mingyi listened without a trace of anger.
The arrowhead lodged in her shoulder was poisoned, numbing half her body. She sat down calmly and said, "Wei Changsheng, I was the one who taught you archery."
Her composed voice carried on the wind of Flying Blossom City to the man opposite her.
Wei Changsheng paused, then erupted in fury. "So what? All your skills were given to you by Sunspire City! At least I never betrayed my city! Unlike you, faking your death to live in disgrace, abandoning Sunspire's honor, and now even helping outsiders against us!"
The moment he spoke his first words, the people from Star Yearn City froze as if turned to stone. As he continued, confirming he hadn't mistaken her identity, Qin Shangwu strained to turn his neck, staring at Mingyi in shock.
Had he really spent hundreds of thousands of Shell Coins just to hire Ming Xian as their sparring partner?
This had to be a joke. The seven-year champion of the Six Cities Tournament, the rightful heir of the Ming family in Sunspire City, someone whose Challenge Certificates alone sold for thousands in gold—was she really risking her life for his mere hundreds of thousands?
He wanted to slap himself to see if he was dreaming, but his hands were too numb from shock to move.
Luo Jiaoyang and the others, having never participated in the Six Cities Tournament, were less stunned by this revelation. They quickly snapped out of it and tried to help Mingyi remove the arrow, but Ji Bozhai's Shield blocked them completely, leaving no room to approach.
Wei Changsheng was about to continue his tirade when Ji Bozhai struck him across the face with Essence Power.
The crisp slap echoed. His pupils constricted as he glared at Ji Bozhai in disbelief. "What are you doing?"
Fighters aimed for vital points in battle—slapping someone was downright insulting.
Ji Bozhai remained silent. The Mystic Dragon coiled tightly around Wei Changsheng, its tail lashing out to deliver another slap— crack!
Furious yet helpless, Wei Changsheng could only endure. Ji Bozhai's Essence Power far surpassed theirs; defeat meant submission. But resentment burned in him, and he twisted to curse Mingyi. "What did Sunspire City ever do to wrong you, you ungrateful wretch? Traitor! I spit on you!"
Slap!
Every word earned him another strike, yet he persisted, his hatred running deep.
Ji Bozhai listened impassively, signaling Luo Jiaoyang and the others to deal with Yong Wang.
He turned and walked back to Mingyi.
She didn't ask him to release Wei Changsheng, quietly enduring the insults as Ji Bozhai removed the arrow and applied antidote powder.
This time, his bandaging was gentle—so gentle that Chu He frowned. "Not that I want to nitpick, but isn't this difference in treatment a bit too obvious?"
Ji Bozhai ignored him. Once finished, he crouched before Mingyi. "Get on."
Without hesitation, she jumped onto his back.
Ahead, Yong Wang still resisted fiercely. Though their Essence Power was mediocre, their teamwork held Luo Jiaoyang, Chu He, and Fan Yao at bay.
Watching Wei Changsheng's relentless cursing, Mingyi suddenly spoke. "After all these years by my side, you should know I despise false accusations more than anything."
Wei Changsheng froze, then glared viciously. "Which part of what I said was false?!""Before this sudden ambush, I owed Sunspire City nothing. In fact, one could say Sunspire City owes me justice." Mingyi met his gaze calmly. "I never held it against Sunspire because I couldn't be bothered."
"But today, you shot me first, then blamed me for retaliating. So I thought I'd show you what happens when I truly decide to deal with you—whether you'd stand a chance."
Mingyi's eyes curved into a gentle smile. "I've earned every title there is, but 'city traitor' is a new one. If you insist on giving it to me, I'll take it."
With that, she locked onto Zhou Qin, who was still fighting ahead.
Zhou Qin was much like Fan Yao—brute strength but lacking agility. Drawing Star River Sunset, Mingyi easily predicted his dodge and struck the back of his neck with a needle.
Before Zhou Qin could even glance her way, the Nether Domain enveloped him, eliminating him.
Nearby, Zhu Wu hastily reinforced the shield over his own neck, but Mingyi's next surge of Essence Power flipped him over. Working in tandem with Luo Jiaoyang, she landed ten consecutive strikes, exploiting his unstable footing to press him into the flower mud, shattering his shield and eliminating him.
Mingyi aimed Star River Sunset at the bound Wei Changsheng. "You hurt me because you knew me well. Likewise, I can kill you because I know you just as well."
A chill ran down Wei Changsheng's spine as he clenched his jaw.
In the distance, only Yong Wang Mingxin remained. This was his first time in such a place, and he had arrived full of ambition—only to be utterly routed the moment he encountered Ji Bozhai and Mingyi.
Bitterly, he realized Dan Er had been right. He had actually hesitated back then.
These two were far stronger than anyone from other cities. If left unchecked, Star Yearn City would crush them all, leaving no room to rise.
Gritting his teeth, Mingxin suddenly smiled. "Sister, you've been gone so long without even sending word to the Empress. I wonder what expression she'll wear when she learns you're alive—and masquerading as a woman in Star Yearn City?"
The Empress's reaction mattered little. What mattered was that if her true identity as a woman were exposed, the Empress's entire family would be at risk. Her own flesh and blood.
Mingxin smirked, thinking he had her cornered—only to find her utterly indifferent, as if he'd merely remarked on the evening breeze.
"His Essence Power foundation is weak. No need for fancy moves—just knock him out," she told Ji Bozhai.
Ji Bozhai complied, sending Mingxin into the elimination Nether Domain with a single strike.
Wei Changsheng stared at Mingyi with a conflicted expression before finally saying, "You were once proud, righteous, kind, and filial. Who could have imagined you'd lose even your humanity? You care nothing for your city or family. Someone like you... it would've been better if you'd died back then."
"I have no city. No family," Mingyi replied coolly. "As for when I die—say one more word, and I'll make sure you go first."
Star River Sunset aimed at his forehead. No one would doubt she meant it.
Wei Changsheng shut his mouth resentfully, only to be knocked out by the Mystic Dragon's tail against his neck.
Silence fell, the atmosphere turning strange.
Mingyi glanced at the few remaining behind her, belatedly feeling at a loss. She'd hidden her identity for so long—revealing it like this was hard to swallow. How should she explain it to them?"That..." she tried to explain, "I'm not a spy, nor did I come here to rejoin the Six Cities Tournament. I really just came for the money..."
"You're so amazing!" Before she could finish, Luo Jiaoyang snapped out of his daze and excitedly rushed forward, reaching out to hug Mingyi. But under Ji Bozhai's icy gaze, he froze mid-motion, withdrawing his hands while continuing excitedly, "There really exists such an incredible woman in this world! I've truly witnessed something extraordinary today!"
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