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nTranslator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

nDeep in the palace courts, only the sky was visible with high walls surrounding it.

nThe third prince sat in the pavilion with a steaming teacup in his hand.

nThe little eunuch dressed in blue scurried across the courtyard to reach the pavilion.

nThe eunuch kneeled down onto the floor with a pale face and his forehead covered in sweat.

nHe had received the latest news from the square but he did not know how to convey the message. The outcome was just too shocking. As a eunuch who served these princes, he knew what the consequences would be after he revealed the news.

n“Your highness, the outcome of the battle between Fang Lang and Li Yuanzhen… is out,” the eunuch said as he wiped away cold sweat.

n“Go on.”

nInside the pavilion, the third prince gently blew the steam rising from the tea.

n“Young Master Li Yuanzhen… lost against… Fang Lang,” the eunuch announced.

nThe atmosphere thickened instantly. The autumn leaves fell from the tree, covering the floor in gold.

n“I don’t condone withholding information. Tell me exactly what happened,” the third prince sipped on his tea and said calmly.

nThe eunuch dropped onto his knees with a loud thump.

n“Fang Lang used a flight sword technique and defeated Young Master Li Yuanzhen.” The eunuch revealed everything.

nCrack!

nThe little eunuch’s entire body shook violently when he heard the shattering of the teacup.

nAccompanying the Emperor was like accompanying a tiger, these princes who might become the future emperor were equivalent to young cubs.

n“Li Yuanzhen failed again… Useless garbage.”

n…

nIn the preparation area, the setting sun lit the horizon. Fang Lang, Liu Bubai and Jiang Linglong were standing together. Luo Yang came over as well. He decided to stick around since he saw Fang Lang’s ingenious flight sword technique.

nHe kept asking Fang Lang about the maneuvering techniques and runes.

nAfter answering a few questions, Fang Lang pointed at the battle that was about to begin in the ring. Only then did Luo Yang unwillingly stop.

n“Will Ni Wen win the battle? Ximen Xianxian’s ranking on the honor roll seems average,” Liu Bubai said with a frown.

nLiu Bubai really hoped Ni Wen would win the battle as they were both students from Luojiang Academy.

n“Win? It’s impossible. Even though Ximen Xianxian didn’t have a good rank, his true combat skills and strength are no less than geniuses like Li Yuanzhen. Ximen Xianxian cultivates Ruism. It’s different from the sword, martial arts and spell mastery, but he’s definitely not weak. In addition, with the background and support he’s got, it’s impossible for this girl to beat him,” Luo Yang said.

nFang Lang was quiet. The odds of Ni Wen winning were rather small, but…

nHe was probably the only one in Changan who knew about the transformation in Ni Wen.

nCore mutations, bloodline awakening…

nNi Wen might surprise them all with her performance.

n…

nInside the ring, the paper fan in Ximen Xianxian’s hand remained folded.

nWhen the bell rang, Ximen Xianxian bowed at Ni Wen with a smile. “Girl, why don’t you consider surrendering for this battle. I don’t want to see you hurt, nor do I want to hurt you.”

nNi Wen’s green robe hung loose on her thin frame—the color had faded after so many washes, but it was still neat and proper. She looked at him with a focused and serious expression.

nShe retrieved a cheap staff made out of dried wood from her sleeve.

nA powerful spell master like Li Yuanzhen did not need a staff when he cast a spell or rune.

nNi Wen still relied on the staff.

nXimen Xianxian toned down his arrogance after seeing Ni Wen’s sincerity.

nIn fact, both of them were not that different—they were normal civilians who were naturally gifted. However, Ni Wen did not have a sponsor like Ximen Xianxian.

nXimen Xianxian was able to achieve his status with the eldest prince’s support.

nThis battle was a match between geniuses from peasantry stock.

nXimen Xianxian held the paper fan in his hand and tilted it toward the sky.

nNi Wen started to make a move, exuding waves of spiritual sense. She motioned her staff and dipped it gently in front of her.

nThe waves of spiritual sense started constructing walls made of spiritual energy.

nThey were like layers after layers of palace walls defending her. The formation was extremely fast yet orderly.

nThis was a prime example of how a spell master casts a spell.

nAfter that, Ni Wen used her spiritual sense and started drawing in the empty space with the tip of her staff. She moved fluidly in a perfect rhythm and constructed a rune.

nShe cast the rune forward and it split into four brilliant runes.

n“Wind, Rain, Thunder, Fire.”

nThese are the four basic runes.

nThe four runes were like dazzling flowers blossoming above the ring.

nXimen Xianxian grinned. He stood out from the crowd in his white billowing robe.

nHe walked toward her slowly.

n“Let me recite you a poem as I send you down the ring. Who cares if I stand alone in the autumn winds, with withered leaves struggling in the bleak autumn’s day…” Ximen Xianxian recited as he walked.

nSuddenly, white spiritual energy formed around him like a white python wrapping around his body.

nNi Wen clenched her jaws and aimed the runes at him. Wind blades, rain needles, thunder arc, flaming rocks…

nThese were basic runes but together, their effects and power were not to be underestimated.

nIt was a technique that could inflict damage without consuming too much energy.

nHowever, Ni Wen’s cultivation was still far from powerful. A first-class spell master could only cause average damage with these runes.

nXimen Xianxian continued walking, his sleeves swaying in the air.

nThe white python around him kept destroying the runes cast by Ni Wen.

nHe was still reciting the poem enthusiastically.

nThe colorful clouds started moving in the sky— his righteous energy seemed to have inspired an auspicious landscape.

n“What a wild girl she is.”

nSuddenly, Ximen Xianxian closed in on Ni Wen. He raised his paper fan and knocked gently. Ni wen’s spirit energy walls vanished in an instant.

nXimen Xianxian’s fan slithered like a snake.

n“Smack!”

nHe gently tapped on Ni Wen’s staff and the staff exploded instantly. Ni Wen’s face went pale from the pain of the spiritual sense backlash.

n“Lady, surrender,” Ximen Xianxian said after he finished reciting the poem.

nNi Wen endured the stabbing pain in her head and tried to cast another rune, but Ximen Xianxian tapped her between the eyebrows with his fan and sent her flying across the ring.

nNi Wen stood up and gathered her spiritual sense.

nXimen Xianxian flew toward her and attacked with his fan. Ni Wen’s spiritual sense dispersed immediately, escaping from her mouth and nose. Her pale face turned even more sickly.

n“Give up. It’s not my preference to hit a woman.,” Ximen Xianxian shook his head and sighed in regret as he gently hurled his paper fan once more.

nThe righteous energy shot up into the sky.

nNi Wen’s body was tossed upwards, the rune that she tried so hard to cast shattered again.

nThe surrounding was silent.

nIt was an unbalanced match.

nThe difference between the two candidates was just too large. Ximen Xianxin was obviously much more powerful than Ni Wen, why did she refuse to surrender?

nNo one understood why a civilian student like her was so determined to go on even though she was at her limits. Her achievements had already brought so much glory to her family.

n…

nIn the preparation area, Liu Bubai clenched his fists as he watched Ni Wen being attacked again and again. He seethed. “I really want to hit him but I know that I can’t beat him.”

n“Lang’zi!”

nFang Lang just nodded without saying anything.

nFang Lang let out a sigh when he saw blood flowing down Ni Wen’s mouth and nose.

nThe scene of the mother-daughter pair under the sunset flashed in his mind.

nPerhaps Ni Wen wanted to prove something.

n…

nBoom!

nXimen Xianxian flung the paper fan in his hand and Ni Wen was sent flying in the air once more. The power of a spell master would be significantly weakened if their enemy got too close.

nXimen Xianxian stopped reciting the poem and frowned.

n“May I ask you why won’t you surrender?”

n“I don’t want to lose.”

n“Sometimes it’s not up to us. Persistence… can be meaningless sometimes.”

n“I don’t want to lose.”

n“You need an opportunity to change your fate. Unfortunately, you don’t have it.”

n“I don’t want to lose.”

nNi Wen answered stubbornly whenever Ximen Xianxian asked a question.

nXimen Xianxian was baffled by the girl’s determination. He was lost in his memories for a moment—the sight reminded him of his past as a beggar.

nHe desperately wanted to end the battle.

nHe shook the paper fan in his hand and created a tornado in the battle ring.

nNi Wen was swept into the air by the tornado, then slammed onto the floor. Her blood splattered onto the floor.

nBlood sloshed everywhere, yet the girl remained unbending but tragic.

nThe girl kept getting back on her feet, trying to form a rune with her trembling hands.

nAlthough she was afraid, she would never surrender. She had her reason—she wanted to give her mother hope.

nEvery attempt she made ended with her being flung around by Ximen Xianxian.

n“Surrender!”

nXimen Xianxian gripped his paper fan with a complicated expression. He called out to the girl who was barely able to stand.

nHowever, Ni Wen did not utter a word. She gathered her spiritual sense and continued to draw the rune despite nearing exhaustion.

nWas she going down this time?

nNo!

nA glint of gold flashed beneath Ni Wen’s eyes. Then, it grew into a stream of gold that fused with her drained spiritual sense.

nBuzz…

nA faint glow shone along Ni Wen’s body and she started casting runes at an extreme speed.

nFour runes of wind, rain, thunder and fire were thrown at Ximen Xianxian at once.

nEverybody gasped in shock at this sudden twist!

nAlthough the golden aura was faint, it exuded a familiar royal pressure.

nWhen the runes were almost approaching Ximen Xianxian, he tried to dispel them with his paper fan. The fan exploded into pieces the moment it touched the rune.

nXimen Xianxian spat out a breath of stale air as he stared at the stubborn girl with respect.

nThe righteous energy he had been suppressing for all these years burst out from him like a broken dam.

nHe gave his all as a sign of respect for his opponent.

nHe raised his hand, stepped forward with his right foot and bent his left knee.

nThen, he extended both his arms outwards, one palm pushing forward and the other in reverse.

nMoving Kunlun Hands!

nAll of a sudden, the clouds turned into a brightly colored tornado that came crashing to the ground. Blood splatters could be seen.

nThe sky darkened instantly. An earth-shattering sound started to build up but it was soon suppressed by a wisp of willpower from the Taiji Palace.

nThe storm loomed above the ring for a long time before it dispersed.

nXimen Xianxian was breathing heavily, slightly astounded by what he had just witnessed.

nThis girl… had bloodline abilities?

nIt was pin-drop silence around them. The atmosphere before the Taiji Palace was tense. The first prince stood up from his seat. He tried to remain calm but his eyes sparkled.

n“Royal bloodline? It’s faint… could it be a lost child from a vassal?”

nThe first prince turned back to look to the deep end of Taiji Palace. Abandoning royal blood among the commoners was against the Tang Code!

nSuddenly, a solemn voice erupted from the palace. “Investigate!”

nThe first prince lowered his head and bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

nThen, the Taiji Palace quieted down again.

nThe sand and dust slowly faded from the ring.

nXimen Xianxian looked at the figure standing in front of him with a confused and lost expression. ‘Why… How are you still standing?’

nHe had spent all the righteous energy collected over the years.

n“Aren’t you surrendering?” Ximen Xianxian asked hoarsely.

nThis time, there was no reply from the girl.

nXimen Xianxian was stunned, his robe swayed in the wind as he watched the blurry figure in the dust storm.

n“The winner of this round, Ximen Xianxian,” the court eunuch drifted into the ring and announced calmly.

nBelow the ring, Liu Bubai, Fang Lang and Jiang Linglong rushed to Ni Wen’s side.

nThe girl’s worn-out green robe was covered in dirt and blood. There was not a single drop of blood on her face and the flash of gold was gone. She stayed in the position of maintaining the rune, motionless as if she had lost her consciousness.

nThe only thing keeping her from collapsing to the ground was her unbending willpower.

nFang Lang, Lui Bubai and Jiang Linglong were speechless.

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