Mingyi had initially learned to disguise her Essence Power because pure white Essence Power made her an easy target in the Six Cities Tournament. She had meticulously studied the seven-colored forms and techniques of Essence Power to adapt to various situations. As for Ji Bozhai...
Mingyi didn’t think he had learned this skill for the tournament, but right now, it was clearly proving invaluable. Purple Essence Power swirled chaotically, forming a dense miasma. Fighters from other cities tried to sense Ji Bozhai’s location through Essence Power, but the entire area was saturated with purple energy—nowhere was there a trace of black.
In a moment of hesitation, a fighter from Sunspire City was the first to be struck through the abdomen by the purple energy, severely wounded and eliminated.
As the Nether Domain descended to retrieve the injured, fighters from the other cities began to scheme. Though they had tacitly agreed to eliminate Ji Bozhai first, some saw an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos and eliminate their rivals as well.
Caught in the heat of battle, none of them immediately suspected Ji Bozhai of disguise. Instead, they assumed the purple Essence Power was the work of a traitor among them, and their encirclement quickly fell apart.
Fighters from Flying Blossom City stared at the mirror, their expressions furious, only to be suddenly swept into the air by a surge of purple energy and slammed back down, immediately enveloped by the elimination Nether Domain.
Newgrass City met the same fate—their fighters, unable to withstand twenty moves against the swift and erratic purple energy, were swiftly incapacitated.
Spectators before the sixth mirror gradually caught on, as the scenes reflected showed continuous grunts and clashes, with the direction of battle constantly shifting—yet Ji Bozhai’s silhouette never faltered. But those inside the arena didn’t realize who had emerged victorious until the last city’s fighter was eliminated.
"The first round concludes—the Upper Three Cities are Star Yearn, Azure Snow, and Flying Blossom."
As the gong sounded, the audience erupted in uproar.
How many years had it been since Star Yearn City’s name appeared among the Upper Three Cities? And now, they had taken first place in the opening round. Ji Bozhai was truly extraordinary.
Nobles from Star Yearn City who had come to spectate cheered wildly, while the areas before Sunspire and Moonchase City’s mirrors fell into dead silence.
They stared at Ji Bozhai’s reflection in the mirror, their expressions dark and contemplative.
"By the heavens, we’ve finally won once!" Luo Jiaoyang rushed to fetch Ji Bozhai, gripping his arms as if ready to lift and toss him in celebration. "Brilliant! Now we finally have confidence and morale!"
"Well fought," Qin Shangwu praised him with measured restraint.
Ji Bozhai smiled and turned to Mingyi. "And you?"
Mingyi extended her hands and clapped half-heartedly. "Wow, amazing."
Her lack of enthusiasm was too obvious. He snorted, reaching out as if to pinch her cheek but withdrawing at the last moment, pressing his lips together. "Let’s go eat. This afternoon, it’ll be Chu He and Fan Yao’s turn."
The afternoon event was a duo battle. Chu He and Fan Yao usually coordinated well, but like all newcomers, they lacked absolute confidence in themselves.
Qin Shangwu patted their shoulders firmly. "No one from the other cities is stronger than you. Go with confidence."
Chu He and Fan Yao nodded, but as fighters of humble origins with limited experience, even with their purple Essence Power, they couldn’t help but feel a trace of timidity when facing opponents from other cities.During the meal, Meng Yangqiu and the other substitutes joined them at the table. The morning's victory had put Meng Yangqiu in high spirits, and the moment he saw Ji Bozhai, he exclaimed, "The Six Cities Tournament has always been the most grueling time for Star Yearn City. Among all the cities present, none have ever looked favorably upon us. But today is different—so many people are asking about you."
Ji Bozhai remained unfazed. "Plenty of people asked about me this time last year too."
"It's not the same. Last year, I didn’t think their arrangements would let Star Yearn City win. But this year, I feel hopeful." Meng Yangqiu's eyes burned with intensity as he spoke, then slowly shifted his gaze to Mingyi.
He hesitated, afraid of overstepping, but his expression made it clear he had realized who she was.
Mingyi smiled faintly but said nothing more. Yet Meng Yangqiu's heart raced uncontrollably. Ming Xian had always been his goal—he had always, always wanted to defeat her just once. Who could have imagined fate would play such a cruel trick, turning her into a woman and placing her right under his nose?
The first time Meng Yangqiu met her, he should have recognized her Essence Power. But it was too absurd—he couldn’t bring himself to believe it. Yet the world truly was that absurd.
He was actually glad she could participate in the Six Cities Tournament and even wanted to exchange a few words with her.
However, before he could find the right phrasing, Ji Bozhai suddenly grinned and asked Mingyi, "Isn’t this stir-fried peppers with peppers your favorite dish?"
Mingyi sighed. "Sir, this is diced chicken with peppers."
"Then eat up. Later, I’ll go with you to the spectator seats to discuss this afternoon’s opponents."
Mingyi nodded, elegantly yet swiftly finishing her meal before wiping her lips, standing, and giving a slight bow to the others.
Meng Yangqiu watched her devour her food with longing, not getting a single word in. The moment she set down her chopsticks and stood, Ji Bozhai blocked her from view entirely, pulling her away before he could react.
Meng Yangqiu stood frozen in place.
Luo Jiaoyang stifled a laugh and patted his shoulder. "Brother, that one on our team isn’t someone you should covet."
Meng Yangqiu sighed deeply. "Since when has he become so domineering? I just wanted to say a couple of words."
"People experiencing their first love are always possessive," Qin Shangwu remarked with the wisdom of an elder, watching the two depart. "Truly my disciple—just like me in my youth."
Everyone else: "..."
Leaving aside whether Ji Bozhai even had any "first love" left to experience, his handsome, ethereal appearance bore no resemblance to Headmaster Qin’s rugged, muscular build.
Luo Jiaoyang and the others lowered their heads to eat without comment, while Meng Yangqiu awkwardly chuckled and looked away.
The afternoon matches were scheduled after noon. Fan Yao and Chu He nervously approached Mingyi to eavesdrop on her conversation with Ji Bozhai, fearing she might set them some impossible goal.
But as they drew near, they heard Mingyi say, "Just assume they’ve already lost. We’ll need to win nine more matches after this."
Relieved, Fan Yao couldn’t help but feel indignant. "What do you mean, 'assume they’ve already lost'? They haven’t lost yet."
Mingyi tilted her head, almond-shaped eyes lifting slightly. "Momentum often decides victory. With the attitude you two have, you’ll only end up in the lower three cities. But it’s fine—we can still win later."
Her words made sense, but they were infuriating to hear. Fan Yao and Chu He both snorted, their gazes shifting to the other competitors.Those people appeared older than them, but just like when they had met Li Qing earlier, Mingyi had said that older people merely had more experience, not necessarily greater strength.
So, why not give it their all and try?
The two exchanged a glance and took a deep breath.
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