Luo Jiaoyang's loud shouting snapped the dazed crowd out of their stupor, and voices rose one after another.
"You're really Ming Xian? Ming Xian is still alive?"
"Ming Xian was actually a woman... For seven years, the top Fighters from five cities lost to a girl?"
"That's incredible, no wonder she could forge Divine Tools. Isn't She Tianlin Ming Xian's master?"
"If you're so wealthy, why bother running around for money?"
The last question came from Qin Shangwu, who found it absurd: "Winning just one Six Cities Tournament should earn you tens of thousands of taels of gold in rewards. How could you be desperate for mere hundreds of thousands of Shell Coins..."
Mingyi scratched her head, slightly embarrassed. "I didn't understand the value of money back then. All the rewards went to the queen mother. I left suddenly, and she didn't give me a single Shell Coin."
Truthfully, even if she hadn't left abruptly, her mother wouldn't have given her the money. Those rewards had become the queen mother's means to compete with Consort Meng and a source of funds for her own family.
The old Mingyi had cared only about Combat Skills, thinking basic necessities were enough. She never imagined being broke could be so miserable. Now, money was her lifeline. As for city glory? That could wait—after all, it couldn't even buy a single scallion pancake on the street.
"This isn't the place for chitchat," Ji Bozhai frowned. "Let's find the remaining two teams first. Eliminating them will let us leave."
Mingyi, still draped over his back, fell silent for a moment before asking, "Why must we eliminate all teams to leave?"
Ji Bozhai tilted his head with a raised brow. "Then how do we leave?"
Mingyi pointed toward the brightest patch of moonlight. "Stand there. If no one dares approach within half an hour, we can leave."
Earlier, they might have wondered how she knew so much. But now, when she spoke again, Luo Jiaoyang and the others followed without hesitation, heading where she pointed while asking, "What if someone approaches within half an hour?"
"Then it's survival of the fittest," Mingyi said. "The Upper Three Cities are ranked by exit order, but sometimes people exploit loopholes. Like in the last Six Cities Tournament—Moonchase City and Sunspire City struck a deal. Moonchase stood in the moonlight first while Sunspire guarded them for half an hour, in exchange for Moonchase helping Sunspire later."
The group frowned in unison. "That's dirty. Isn't the Six Cities Tournament about strength?"
"Being able to cooperate with rivals is also a form of strength," Mingyi said matter-of-factly. "Though before this, Sunspire never collaborated with anyone."
With Ming Xian present, Sunspire had been confident of victory and never needed alliances. But last time, without her, Sunspire refused to drop from the Upper Three Cities immediately, so they partnered with Moonchase—letting Moonchase take first place while they settled for second.
As they dashed out of the flower thicket, bathed in moonlight, Chu He gazed up at the unusually bright moon and sighed. "Star Yearn City's moon isn't this bright."
Qin Shangwu punched him. "Don't boost other cities' morale while undermining our own when we're out here."
"But it's true. Back home, even the stars are this big and bright, so the moon isn't special." Fan Yao scanned the quiet surroundings, still wary. "What if they all rush us at once?""No," Mingyi said. "Facing Sun and New Grass have both been eliminated. Moonchase City cares too much about face to pursue us further, and the remaining Azure Snow City lacks ambition—nothing to fear."
Qin Shangwu listened from behind, his eyes growing brighter with each word.
Wasn't Mingyi the Artifact Smith he had always dreamed of? Not only could she craft Divine Tools, but she also had rich combat experience, capable of providing excellent guidance to these greenhorns.
But she was from Sunspire City, and her identity was special, which gave him some reservations.
He scrutinized Mingyi with difficulty, then his gaze shifted slightly to Ji Bozhai, who was carrying her on his back.
An idea struck Qin Shangwu as his eyebrows twitched.
As Mingyi had predicted, they stood under the brightest moonlight for half an hour without anyone challenging them. Soon, the Nether Domain descended around them, transporting them out onto a flat grassy field.
The moment they landed, Luo Jiaoyang and the others began chattering excitedly about the battles they had just experienced. Mingyi, severely injured, was swiftly carried away by Ji Bozhai without a word, straight back to the grand mansion she had purchased.
Xiuyun was horrified at the sight of Mingyi covered in blood and immediately took her from Ji Bozhai’s back, ushering her into a room for careful examination and fresh bandaging. Before Ji Bozhai could even utter a word, the door slammed shut in his face.
He rubbed the tip of his nose, annoyed but helpless, and turned to change his clothes—only to find Qin Shangwu standing in the courtyard, beckoning him with a kindly wave.
"Master?" He approached.
Qin Shangwu pulled him into a secluded corner and said warmly, "I recall you had quite the reputation in Star Yearn City—a charmer who could win the hearts of any woman, none could resist you."
Ji Bozhai stiffened and immediately declared with righteous indignation, "Those are all baseless rumors! Your disciple is virtuous, never lingering among flowers, and spends every day focused solely on cultivation—"
"Cut the nonsense," Qin Shangwu interrupted with a wave. "I’m not here to scold you. I just want to ask—if you’re so skilled with women, why did you and Mingyi part ways back then?"
At the mention of this, Ji Bozhai fell silent for a moment before replying with a careless smile, "Why else? I just lost interest."
"You lost interest in her?"
"...Yeah."
A man’s pride and dignity kept Ji Bozhai’s neck straight, refusing to bow.
Then Qin Shangwu smacked the back of his head. "What’s not to like about such a fine girl? She’s a hundred times better than those painted dolls in Flower Full Tower. Why don’t you settle down and live properly with her?"
Rubbing the back of his head, Ji Bozhai muttered vaguely, "Let’s drop it. The Six Cities Tournament is the priority now."
Even if he wanted to settle down, she might not be willing.
"If you know the Six Cities Tournament is the priority, then you should treat her even better," Qin Shangwu said, glancing behind him and lowering his voice. "She’s Ming Xian. If she helps our Star Yearn, we’ll easily take first place. Then we won’t have to kowtow to anyone else—"
"Master." Ji Bozhai’s expression darkened.
Qin Shangwu faltered, suddenly uneasy. "Wh-what?"
"She was already used by the last city for years, and in the end, she had nothing left," Ji Bozhai said, lowering his gaze as his hands clenched slightly. "Let her choose what she wants to do next."
Let her choose? Qin Shangwu frowned deeply.How many Fighters in this world can truly live freely? They are merely pawns in the games of cities. Someone like Ming Xian, if undiscovered, might still have a chance, but once exposed, how could they possibly have the opportunity to choose their own path?
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