Fifteen winners were selected from the people who took part in the preliminaries. The girl who was part of the Zhou Clan was one of the winners. After the preliminaries, the Zhou Clan’s branch head asked everyone who would be taking part in the tournament to travel down to the arena floor.

Wu Jian stood among the crowd of forty-five contestants. There were a lot more people this year than there had been last year. Ten were from his Wu Clan, but there were also ten from the Juishi Clan and another ten from the Ming Clan. The other fifteen, including the girl from the Zhou Clan, made up the remaining forty-five.

Standing on either side of Wu Jian was Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu, and a little further from them was Ming Shen and his group. He could feel the older boy glaring holes into the back of his head. Wu Jian did his best to ignore the glare and focus on what the Zhou Clan branch head was saying.

“The tournament will now begin. My people will erect four rings, which will serve as the battleground for individual fights. Contestants will be selected to fight from a random drawing. I want each of you to come up here and grab a slip from within this box.”

As he said this, he gestured to a small box with a single hole at the top, which sat upon a pedestal. Everyone formed a line, stuck their hands into the box one at a time, and pulled out a slip. Wu Jian looked at the slip in his hand. Four. Then he looked up at Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu.

“What number did you two get?” he asked.

“One,” Wu Meiying said, holding up her slip.

“I got three,” Hou Jingshu answered.

“I guess that means we won’t fight for some time yet,” he said. He considered this a good thing. Wu Jian didn’t want to fight either Wu Meiying or Hou Jingshu until the end of the tournament.

“Each of you will be placed within a bracket based on your number. Head to the ring with the sign for your designated number. There, you will fight your opponents until one of you is chosen as the victor,” Zhou Zu said. He looked across at the sea of heads, Wu Jian thought for sure he paused upon reaching the veiled girl, but then he continued talking. “Winners are selected by knockout, ring out, or surrender. Killing is not allowed. Even if you only kill someone by accident, you will still be disqualified and your family punished. Remember that.”

They really weren’t playing around. After saying this, everyone was asked to clear the area. Several Zhou Clan cultivators entered the arena, made a series of hand seals to synchronize their chi, and released their technique. Four large rings grew out of the ground. Each one was perfectly square shaped and stood about one foot off the arena floor. There was enough room between them for maybe six people to stand shoulder to shoulder.

“It looks like this year’s competition is much bigger than the one two years ago,” Wu Meiying said as they were making their way up the stairs.

“There are definitely a lot more people this time,” agreed Wu Jian.

“How many people participated last time?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“From the Wu Clan, it was just me, Wu Meiying, and Wu Yong,” Wu Jian said. “The Ming and Juishi Clans had four participants each.”

“While anyone from the ages of eight to fifteen can participate, most clans only allow people who are at least thirteen to take part. Jian and I were exceptions to the rule,” Wu Meiying said. After all, they had only been nine when they first participated.

As they were walking up the stairs, Wu Jian stopped upon seeing something out of the corner of his eye.

“Quickly, hide behind that column, you two,” Wu Jian said in a hurried whisper.

Neither Wu Meiying nor Hou Jingshu knew why he was asking this of them, but they didn’t ask questions either. He and the two girls quickly darted behind the nearest column. Then they peered out from behind it.

“Is that Elder Wu Wei?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“It is.” Wu Meiying narrowed her eyes. “I wonder what he’s doing?”

Elder Wu Wei was standing in front of a door, looking warily left and right down the corridor. He looked in their direction, but the trio ducked back behind the column before he could spot them. They peeked back out from behind the column only to find the tail end of his robe billowing as he slipped through the door.

“That’s suspicious,” Wu Meiying mumbled.

“I think we should see what he’s up to,” Wu Jian said, agreeing.

Hou Jingshu was already leaving the column and heading for the now closed door. The other two caught up with her, and together, they pressed an ear to the door and listened into the conversation happening on the other side.

“Did anyone see you?” someone asked. Wu Jian immediately recognized Ming Han’s voice. There was no mistaking that deep baritone rumble.

“I was not followed,” Elder Wu Wei’s voice.

“Good. We cannot afford to linger here or people might become suspicious. Is it done?”

“It’s done. I’ve made sure to get one of the Zhou Clan elders on our side. Your bribe helped immensely,” said Elder Wu Wei.

“Gya ha ha ha! I’m glad to hear it! I’m looking forward to seeing the Ming Clan win again this year. I don’t want anything standing in my way. Of course, you shall be suitably rewarded again just like you were during the last tournament.”

“Thank you, Lord Ming.”

Because they didn’t want to risk getting caught, the three decided not to overstay their welcome and quickly departed. They traveled down the corridor until they were standing by the entrance to the Wu Clan’s viewing booth. Once there, they found a small space that was out of the way and unobtrusive so they could talk about what they had just heard.

“Wu Wei is working with Ming Han to undermine this tournament,” Wu Jian said. “It sounds like he did this last year too. That explains a lot.”

“And he and Ming Han bribed the Zhou Clan elders,” Wu Meiying added.

Hou Jingshu clenched her hands and, through gritted teeth, said, “this is unforgivable. How dare they interfere with the tournament like this!”

“What should we do?” asked Wu Jian. “Tell Father?”

“I think that would be the best idea,” said Wu Meiying. She tapped her chin several times, then shrugged. “We should let Uncle know and leave this matter to the adults. Besides, even if Ming Han and that smelly elder decide to rig the tournament, it won’t stop me from winning.”

“You mean it won’t stop me from winning,” Wu Jian said with a smile.

Wu Meiying smiled back. “You wish.”

“How nice to see you two getting along so well together,” Hou Jingshu mumbled. When the two saw her disheartened expression, they smiled wryly and embraced the girl in a two-pronged hug that brought a bright red blush to her face.

“Don’t feel bad. You know we love you,” Wu Meiying said.

“A-all right! All right! I get it! I don’t feel bad anymore, so just stop hugging me! It’s embarrassing!”

Sharing a grin between themselves, Wu Jian and Wu Meiying let go of the blushing Hou Jingshu. The three of them went to find Wu Jian’s father. He was looking down at the arena floor, which now sported four official looking rings made of stone, but he looked at them when they arrived.

“You look like you have something to say. Well? Speak up and tell me what’s on your mind,” he commanded.

“We have something to tell you about Elder Wu Wei, Father,” Wu Jian said. He informed Father about what he had seen, about the conversation they had overheard. Father’s expression as Wu Jian told him that Wu Wei and Ming Han were working together and had bribed a Zhou Clan elder made his expression turn grave.

“I see. It seems Elder Wu Wei really can’t be trusted.” Father paused for a moment. “You were right to tell me this. Focus on your fights and leave this matter to me.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Sure thing, Uncle.”

“We will leave this issue to you, Lord Wu.”

Each of the children said something and backed away as Father walked over to Mother and Wu Taohua. He began speaking, gesturing to them every so often, which caused the two women to look their way. Mother and Wu Taohua nodded several times before Wu Taohua left the viewing booth.

Not long after they informed Father of what they had discovered, Zhou Zu called all the contestants back down to the arena. The trio split up and traveled to their respective rings. Each ring had a Zhou Clan elder waiting for them. The one at ring four was a man with graying hair, wrinkles lining his eyes, and a proud bearing that made him seem a touch arrogant. Eleven others stood in the group with Wu Jian.

“Your brackets have been decided. Take a look here.” The elder pointed to a board, which had their names listed on them. “This is who you will fight and the order you will fight in.”

Wu Jian’s name was in the first bracket. The other person in his bracket was Wu Jing.

So I’m fighting against my own clansmen…

Wu Jian narrowed his eyes. It was unusual to fight against one’s own clansmen during the initial stages of the tournament. The Zhou Clan avoided doing that last year. Granted, that might have been because there weren’t as many clansmen participating, but he also wondered if maybe this was part of Ming Han’s plan. Perhaps he planned on having Wu Jian cull his enemies for him.

Nothing could be done about it either way, so Wu Jian hopped onto the ring as the other contestant climbed on from the opposite side.

Wu Jing was a fifteen year-old boy who was ranked third among the older Wu clansmen. He had the same dark hair and dark eyes as everyone else, but his skin was darker as well. His mother, Wu June, was from the Qing Province, a desert nation known for its scorching heat and large swaths of sand.

“I didn’t think we would be fighting so soon,” Wu Jing said.

“Neither did I, but let’s make this match a good one,” Wu Jian said with an easy smile as he stuck out his hand and clenched it into a fist. Wu Jing stared at the hand for a moment, then made a fist and bumped it against his.

“Yeah. Let’s.”

“Are both contestants ready?” asked the Zhou Clan elder. They nodded. “Very good. Bow to me. Bow to your families. Now, bow to each other.” Wu Jian and Wu Jing did exactly as they were instructed, then adopted a martial arts stance and faced each other. The elder raised his hand. He waited a second, then brought it down. “Fight!”

Wu Jian darted forward the moment the fight began, forgoing his normal wait and see approach. He launched several swift jabs at Wu Jing’s face that were designed to test the older boy’s reflexes. His opponent stepped back and used the back of his hands to divert each of Wu Jian’s strikes, proving that he had great reflexes, timing, and hand to eye coordination.

Shuffling along the ground, Wu Jian took two steps forward, spun on the balls of his left foot, and threw a kick at Wu Jing’s stomach. It was dodged entirely as the boy leapt to the side. His opponent tried to counter, but Wu Jian retracted his leg and backed off.

“You’re very fast,” Wu Jing observed. “I noticed that at the training hall. But I didn’t realize you were also so strong. I guess that six thousand strength rating isn’t just for show.”

Wu Jian smiled. “You’re also pretty good. With Wu Hong gone, you might be one of the strongest youths in the clan.”

“I don’t think I am much stronger than you though,” Wu Jing admitted.

Wu Jing’s strength during the last strength test had been 6,524, over five hundred points above Wu Jian’s. He had probably gotten stronger since then too. While Wu Jian was confident he had also become stronger, Wu Jing had the advantage of age and experience over him.

This was going to be an uphill battle.

Narrowing his eyes, Wu Jian waded forward. He was about to attack, but Wu Jing beat him to the punch, launching a fist from his torso. It was a swift, brutal attack, but Wu Jian narrowly evaded the punch by tilting his body left. Rather than come back up and attack, he traveled further down, placed a hand on the ground for balance, and threw out a heel kick that Wu Jing caught with his forearms. Even though he blocked it, the attack was powerful enough to knock him back several steps.

“Hsss!” Wu Jing hissed as he shook out his arms. “You really are strong. I can’t afford to take another hit if I want to win.”

“Sorry, but I have no intention of letting you win. I have to meet Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu in the finals and semifinals.”

“Ha ha. So you want to face your fiancées in the finals. I get you. However, are you sure they’ll win their matches? Wu Meiying will be fighting against Zhou Lihua and Juishi Meirin. Hou Jingshu is fighting against Ming Shen and Juishi Son. They’re all top-tier fighters and considered the strongest within their clans.”

“I have confidence in their abilities,” Wu Jian said. “And even if they didn’t make it to the finals, I still intend to win this year.”

“Then you’re going to have to get through me first.”

“That’s the plan.”

Despite their taunting, both of them smiled as they once more exchanged fists. Wu Jing and Wu Jian were not only from the same clan but were on relatively friendly terms. Neither of them had spoken much, but they respected each other because of their strength.

Wu Jian diverted a punch with the back of his left hand. He rotated his wrist and grabbed the now outstretched arm, spun around, and used his body as a lever to toss Wu Jing through the air. His opponent flipped his body around and landed in a crouch. Before he could recover, however, Wu Jian was there, launching a powerful kick that caught him in the chest. The other boy managed to get his arms up in time to block, but he was launched clear out of the ring.

Landing on the ground outside of the ring, Wu Jing huffed and looked up. “I see what you did. You threw me so I’d be close to the ring’s edge and launched a kick before I could recover so I’d get thrown off the arena.”

Wu Jian shrugged. “It was the only thing I could think of to avoid either of us getting injured.”

“Smart,” Wu Jing said with a smile.

The Zhou Clan elder raised his hand. “Victory goes to Wu Jian!”