Even though Lucidity, the pixie, was small in size and stature, her appearance on stage still dazzled the entire audience.

Chou, on the other hand…

Suffice to say, he managed to cause more than a few of the astonished spectators to gossip aloud.

Their tones were heavy with ridicule.

"At first I assumed we would be granted another glorious battle, like the previous one," a mocking voice called from the crowd. "But look at this. What is this that shows up? A young spirit beast that looks as though it should still be suckling at its mother's breast! I'd wager a bet that the girl's previous victory was nothing but a fluke."

"What manner of creature is this which the spirit boy holds in his hand?" another spectator spoke up with confusion clear on his face as he gawked at the lobster on the stage.

The murmurs and hushed comments grew louder and louder, and suddenly it seemed as if the giant red lobster had become the focus of the tournament. Lucidity and Chou had been all but forgotten.

"I believe I have seen something like this beast once before. It is a sea creature, I think. My great uncle, who traveled throughout the entire world, says that the tail of this particular animal is very juicy and quite scrumptious…"

The culinary debate and mockery amongst the spectators only continued.

"Hah! Do you mean to say this spirit beast brought a meal to the stage? The direct disciple of the Bestiary Division must be quite the powerful cultivator, to allow her spirit beast to busy himself with a snack while confronting an enemy."

Chou's round face darkened, expression stormy as a thundercloud.

"Who are you calling a spirit beast? Your mother is a spirit beast!" he screeched in insult, pointing his finger at the crowd. "Chou is a dignified and high ranked pitcher plant, and if Master allowed it, then you'd be Chou's dinner tonight!"

His infuriated expression, plastered as it was on his adorable baby face, only heightened the boisterous jeering of the men in the crowd.

Li Meirong ignored the insults coming their way, and instead bent down in front of Chou to stare him in the eye at his own level. She squeezed his radish-like arms gently to gain his attention.

"Ignore their silly taunts, Little Chou," she said, and then continued a little more anxiously, "Tell me now, why are you holding a lobster?"

Truth be told, Li Meirong was as flabbergasted by the lobster just as much as the crowd was. She didn't mind the ridicule, but she needed Chou to focus on the battle at hand, and bringing a lobster to the arena... well, it proved that the little pitcher plant's mind was not in the right place for this.

Chou directed his large, glittering gaze her way, wide-eyed and innocent as if he could do no wrong. His chubby white cheeks puffed out indignantly.

"Chou was busy training the new recruits when Master summoned Chou to battle," he explained. He raised his small hand above his head, arrogantly displaying the lobster to the entire crowd. "This one shows great promise. Chou named him Zhu Zhi. Master, look how big and fat Zhu Zhi became. He is twice the size of the other red bugs!"

Zhu Zhi squirmed in Chou's grip, snapping his big claws twice as if to proudly acknowledge the declaration.

"..." Li Meirong wordlessly stared at Chou, her expression a mixture of concern and helplessness.

She gulped down her grievances and remained silent. In this current situation, it wouldn't help to reproach Chou, anyway...

Not to mention, she just couldn't bring herself to scold the little pitcher plant when he gazed at her with such an innocent expression.

How could she bear to shatter her little one's dreams and explain that they are now making a mockery of themselves on stage? If Li Meirong had a better reputation to uphold, she might have been a bit more bothered by this, but as things were - she had little to lose by letting Chou just be himself.

However, Chou bringing a lobster to a battle stage - and in front of the whole sect, too - was something she knew she'd never be able to live down.

The battle hadn't even started and she already wished to forfeit!

Li Meirong pinched the space between her brows and took a deep, calming breath.

"Chou, as helpful as… Zhu Zhi is... let's leave him aside for now. I need you to focus on the fight, and to concentrate on protecting yourself. I would like to win, but not at your expense. If you get injured, I will immediately resign."

Chou's expression became solemn in thought, staring fixedly at Li Meirong.

In a situation such as this, if it were another opportunistic cultivator, he or she might chastise him, or throw him straight into battle without consideration for his well being. Chou knew his silly master had worked hard for this opportunity to achieve what she had in this tournament; he knew that much. Yet she was willing to relinquish her position, her win, for his sake, and would do so without hesitation.

His master was always looking out for his best interest, and that both touched and satisfied him greatly.

Chou kept his feelings bottled deep inside, though. He refused to show any form of weakness in front of such a large audience. When all was said and done, he had a reputation to uphold, after all!

He stretched his neck and raised his head high in an attempt to seem more imposing, his smooth forehead wrinkling slightly in disapproval. "Master is such a weakling still! Why is my Master still so weak of heart, even after becoming so powerful?"

Shaking his head, as if to lament his troubled fate, Chou added, "It is a good thing Master has Chou, or Master would accomplish nothing in this life."

Li Meirong pursed her lips, and her eyes squinted to glare at Chou. She had to hold herself back from smacking him over the head in punishment for his words. 'This brat needs to get his booty spanked!'

How was it that her genuine concern for his health suddenly labeled her as being weak of heart? And how did that make her unable to accomplish anything in life?

Before Li Meirong had any chance to react, however, Chou set aside his lobster at the edge of the stage and prepared his vines for battle. "Do not worry, Master. With Zhu Zhi and Chou around, nothing bad will happen to you!"

Senior Wei stared amusedly at the entire exchange between Li Meirong and Chou. Lucidity remained dutifully seated on his palm, gazing up at him expectantly as she waited for his signal to act.

"Please set your worries at ease, Junior Sister," Senior Wei said, giving a deep bow. "I will be sure to finish this battle as swiftly and harmlessly as possible."

Li Meirong turned from Chou and eyed her opponent with concealed suspicion. Senior Wei had been the very image of decorum and modest manners from the very start, yet the way he spoke made it clear that he expected to be the victor.

She knew this particular Senior was one of the stronger cultivators in her division, and she appreciated his talent and knowledge, but his cocky attitude bothered her.

The desire to prove him wrong grew within her.

Li Meirong bowed back, glancing back at Chou as she did so, and gave a subtle nod. "Thank you for treating me well, Senior Wei," she answered calmly.

Chou saw the cautionary look from Li Meirong, and tilted his head slightly. He then silently pounced upon Senior Wei, swinging a multitude of vines at him from every possible direction.

Senior Wei straightened in a leisurely fashion and let out a bitter chuckle. He showed not even a hint of concern, despite the dozens of constricting vines being hurled his way. He let his pixie loose to fly into the air.

"A sneak attack?" Senior Wei spat the words, his smile died and his eyes hardened. "That is not very courteous of you, Junior Sister."

"I never said I was courteous," Li Meirong replied calmly, even as she mentally coordinated the best possible locations to strike with Chou. She intended to shatter Senior Wei's illusion of her, and his overconfidence in being able to best her, by the end of their battle.

She had made a promise to take part in this tournament, and she intended to battle in earnest, as long as no harm came to her or hers.

Li Meirong had wished to avoid a fight altogether by having Chou conduct a sneak attack. She had hoped to immobilize her opponent with the first strike. She would rather gain the upper hand by unscrupulous means than risk her or Chou being harmed in any way.

Unfortunately, the pixie responded immediately to the sneak attack. Lucidity pressed her tiny fingers to the holes in the flute, mouthpiece still pressed to her rosebud lips, and played a short, pleasant tune. As she played, her little fingers were moving expertly over the instrument, and her entire being started to glow.

On the stage, the pixie appeared like a bright star, twinkling in the distance.

Just as Chou's vines were about to constrict around both Senior Wei and his pixie, Lucidity finished playing her short tune.

Chou immediately froze in place, completely immobile, and his vines wilted. They fell limp, collapsing all around him as he dropped to the ground.

The little plant spirit looked dead to the world, lying on the cold concrete floor of the stage with his eyes closed.

Li Meirong's heart clenched in her chest as she witnessed Chou's sudden collapse. Her lungs constricted, and she opened her mouth to speak Chou's name, but could not utter a single word.

The only sound that left her lips was the screech of a banshee's wail.

The deafening scream reverberated throughout the arena where the pitcher plant boy lay dead on the ground.

Li Meirong sank to her knees and crawled the short distance to Chou's side, dragging his pale, feeble frame into her arms.