บท 44: Ruined Plans*

"The winner... Xin Guang!!"

"WHOOOOO!!"

The arena echoed with the deafening cheers of the audience, their enthusiasm for the victorious Xin Guang palpable in the air. Some of the more astute disciples couldn't help but take note of the newcomer's astonishing prowess and the enigmatic technique he had displayed.

As the cheers continued, Xin Guang became a hot topic of discussion among the older disciples. His technique, while unpolished and lacking finesse, had displayed an unexpected level of power for someone of his cultivation realm.

However, amidst the chatter and speculation, a few individuals saw the events through a different lens.

Jianyu, a thorough observer, shook his head as he watched Xin Guang standing in the arena with a self-satisfied smirk.

"To keep acting as if he was completely fine... This kid is too prideful and obsessed with looks..." Jianyu muttered under his breath.

In reality, Xin Guang's technique had failed due to the interference of the wood qi from the parasitic roots feeding his flames, causing his technique to run amok. The magnificent explosion that had captivated the audience was not the intended result.

The Seven Ascendant Flowers technique's Petal Ignition was meant to create four flames resembling a flower's petals, and with greater mastery, it could produce up to eight. Its essence lay in the meticulous control of the flames, a subtlety lost on the spectators.

Furthermore, the explosion had left Xin Guang with a significant injury, hidden only by the nature of his cultivation method, which absorbed flames to heal wounds and replenish his qi to some extent.

'Well, he was lucky I guess. After all, there's no way he would've been able to use that technique at qi condensation realm's peak.'

'Sigh... My plan is in shambles now...'

Jianyu sighed, contemplating the turn of events. He had originally predicted that Xin Guang would lose, causing him to rely on him to grow stronger, creating a deeper connection between them through shared experiences.

While it might have seemed devious and cunning, such tactics were not uncommon among disciples or elders seeking growth of their own factions, albeit with varying degrees of subtlety.

'Well, the end result will likely be the same,' Jianyu mused to himself. 'Xin Guang will definitely seek my help, especially given his pride. He won't accept a victory based on chance.'

As the crowd's cheers continued to wash over the arena, Jianyu silently plotted his next moves, determined to guide Xin Guang's path in a way that served his own agenda.

...

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

...

Xifeng's mind raced as she watched Xin Guang's performance. She was quite familiar with his abilities, having witnessed his prowess in her previous life. The unexpected strength he displayed now left her bewildered.

'This is strange... Xin Guang shouldn't be this strong at this point,' she thought, her brow furrowing in deep contemplation.

In her past life, Xin Guang had lost to Xiao Dong, and it took him several years to master the Seven Ascendant Flowers technique. Xifeng couldn't fathom what had brought about this drastic change in his abilities.

'But I haven't done anything that could have influenced him, and he was the same as his past life self during the entrance examinations,' Xifeng pondered, her mind racing for an explanation.

Then, in a sudden moment of realization, her eyes widened with shock. A chilling thought swept over her.

"Could it be?!" she whispered to herself, her gaze darting towards her fiance, Jianyu.

'Did he create that technique?' she wondered, her thoughts racing. 'No, now that I think about it, that has to be it!'

Xifeng remembered that the eight divine lords who served Jianyu had possessed strange techniques, and even Jianyu's own technique had been enigmatic and unique.

'Yes,' she thought, 'considering that his personality has become much more mellowed than before, it makes sense that he decided to endorse Xin Guang.'

However far-fetched her conclusion might seem, Xifeng's confidence as a regressor outweighed her doubts.

"Xifeng?" Jianyu's concerned voice interrupted her thoughts. He looked at her with furrowed brows. "Are you sure you're feeling fine? Is something perhaps bothering you?"

Xifeng managed a smile, touched by his concern. "I'm completely fine. I was just worried about my friend who was also participating."

Jianyu still seemed uncertain, his gaze lingering on her. He then turned away, concealing his own thoughts.

As they conversed, Mo Suyin, seated nearby, chimed in. "Ah! It seems like the next match is about to begin."

"Su Wen... Huh..." Jianyu muttered as he observed the girl in the arena, lightning coiled around her arms.

"Xifeng, this friend of yours is truly talented, so there's no need for you to worry about her," Jianyu reassured her.

"That's true... However, isn't there a chance that she'll lose?" Xifeng replied though it was a feigned concern. In truth, she had taken devious and underhanded measures to ensure Su Wen's victory against Xiao Dong, including providing her with an artifact of a higher caliber than allowed for the competition.

Jianyu chuckled. "A chance? Well, if you think in such a pessimistic way, there's also a chance that all of us will die tomorrow!"

He crossed his arms and exaggeratedly acted out a dramatic scene, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Haha, I guess you're right," Xifeng laughed, finding his antics endearing.

"Hmph! Just don't think about such useless things!" Jianyu huffed, his face turning slightly red in embarrassment as he turned away, hiding his bashful expression. Xifeng's laughter echoed in the background as they continued to enjoy the martial arts competition unfolding before them.

...

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

...

"Amazing..." Su Wen whispered under her breath, her fists clenched as she gazed at Xin Guang's gallant figure in the aftermath of his explosive performance. The sheer power and ferocity of his attack sent shivers down her spine.

"That attack... If it was targeted at me..." She couldn't help but feel a cold shiver run down her back, yet her face bore a wild grin as she anticipated her upcoming fight against this new "prey."

However, her excitement was short-lived.

"I forfeit."

Her opponent's admission of defeat hung in the air like an ominous cloud, causing Su Wen to recoil in disbelief.

"Why?!" She roared at the seemingly cowardly opponent before her.

"As I said earlier, I got injured earlier and am unable to fight you," he replied calmly, his expression unchanging.

"Ugh...! To think I was looking forward to battling this coward!" Su Wen seethed, her head throbbing with frustration. She couldn't let her carefully laid plans for the day go to waste.

"T-then how about we have a spar three days later!" she suggested, desperation creeping into her voice.

"Three days..." Xin Guang mused, holding his chin as he considered her proposal. "Yeah, in three days, your injuries will also-"

"I'll have to refuse," Xin Guang interrupted, turning away and beginning to leave.

"Huh? W-wait a seco-!" Su Wen tried to reach out to him, but he seemed single-mindedly to ignore her.

"Brother Guang, why don't you agree to her?" A sweet voice echoed throughout the arena, belonging to a boy who had yet to mature. The voice was distant yet clear, carrying a persuasive tone.

Xin Guang halted in his steps, his gaze shifting to the one who had called out to him.

"I believe it would be a great experience for you," the boy continued.

Xin Guang remained silent for a few moments, locked in contemplation, his eyes fixed on Jianyu. Eventually, he relented.

"Fine," he agreed, his decision made. Su Wen's eyes lit up with a mix of relief and anticipation as she realized that her plan for a future spar had been salvaged.

...

"Three days... huh?" Jianyu murmured to no one in particular as he sat on his bed, a slight grin apparent on his visage as remembered Xin Guang's annoyed expression.

"Sigh," sighing to himself he rubbed his temple, "Today was more tiring than I expected... might as well get some sleep tonight..."