Deng Ai sat in the stands, watching his friends fight below.

“Deng Ai?”

Deng Ai almost missed the soft voice, he looked up and saw Xue Shaonu standing on the stairs. There was a flurry of movement around her, with people moving around, making it hard for her to stand in place.

“Xue Shanou?” Deng Ai said, shyly, looking around to make sure she was talking to her.

Xue Shaonu squeezed between the seats to get to him. “Is this seat taken?”

“Yes! I mean no! I mean, I’m keeping it for someone, Li Ao.” Deng Ai said.

“Oh!”

“He is in the tournament. So he asked me to keep this seat so he would have somewhere nice to sit when… well… when he loses he wants a good seat to boo whoever knocked him out.”

Xue Shaonu giggled. “Well, can I sit here while we wait for his return. Hopefully not soon.”

Deng Ai nodded. “Yeah, that should be fine.”

She sat down. “I have a seat somewhere but there’s all this flurry of movement I could not get there. I wonder what is going on.” She said.

“I think the City Lord is coming. I heard people talking about it.” Deng Ai said.

“Oh! Xu Hau’s father?” she said, looking around.

She finally spotted the man, with an entourage of servants and guards…

City Lord Xu followed his daughter down the flight of stairs to a line of special booth. The booth had a roof for shade, was relatively close to the ring. There were six seats in each booth. As he entered, Xu Hua’s boyfriend, Hao Meng and Yang got to their feet and bowed.

“City Lord Xu,” Hao Meng began, “Yang and I are honoured to have been invited to sit with you.”

City Lord Xu tilted his head in confusion. “I did not invite you, my daughter did.”

“Dad!” Xu Hau pouted. “Please be nice.”

The man smiled. “Of course, nice to meet you both.” He sat in the middle seat of the booth. Xu Hau sat next to him and with the City Lord seated the other boys did so too.

He squinted his eyes at their arena as the two combatants entered the ring. “Is that the boy you were talking about?”

The teenagers looked at the combatants entering the ring and City Lord Xu could feel tension rising in the air.

“No,” Xu Hua said, “that is someone else. Trash, really.”

“Really?” City Lord Xu said.

“He’s name is Wang Zen… at least the boy in the mask is.” Yang said, a playful smile on his face. “Funny, Chen Jian probably has a few interesting stories between him and the boy.”

“That I do.” Chen Jian said, showing up.

The City Lord looked at the boy, dressed in a navy blue fighting outfit. The boy bowed.

“Dad, this is Wang Zen.” Xu Hua gestured at the man.

“Pleased to meet you, Sir.”

Xu looked the boy up and down. He was lean, light skinned with long hair neatly tied into a ponytail. He could also feel the power radiating from him. “So this is the talented 1st year I’ve heard about? I look forward to seeing your performance.”

They all heard the referee begin the current match and their sights went to the ring to witness the action. City Lord Xu could feel the power that came from the boy, which was even greater than the one he felt from the boy beside him but something seemed off about it. Also, there was a killuing intent coming from him.

“I surrender!” the boy facing Wang Zen proclaimed when the match began.

“Uh, that was anti-climatic.” City Lord Xu said as he watched the boy in the mask slowly leaving the ring.

“So, I have heard you are the best in your class, Chen Jian. I bet this Wang Zen is your rival.” City Lord Xu said.

“I do not believe so, Sir.” Jian said. “He is in the lower classes andc many times, he has been the worst of our year.”

“Really? Then how did he get so powerful?”

“It is a mystery to us all, Sir.” Hao Meng said. “He just showed up powerful.”

“Medicinal pills perhaps?”

“I doubt it, Father.” Xu Hua said. “He is from a poor noble family. He would not be able to get the kind of pills to obtain such a power. Which begs the question how did he get this strong.”

As if Wang Zen could hear them talking about him, he stopped at the edge of the ring and looked directly at them.

City Lord noticed that he as not exactly looking at them but at Jian Chen in particular. He noticed the two boys glare at each other.

“Why is he wearing a mask?” City Lord Hu asked.

“He is trying to be cool but he just looks like a fool.” Hao Meng said.

Zen eventually got off the stage to make way for the new combatants.

“Well, I look forward to seeing you two fight.” The City Lord said.

“You will be disappointed, Dad.” Xu Hua said. “He may be powerful but he is still trash. He will lose pretty soon in the tournament.”

“We shall see daughter.”

“It was pleasure to meet you, Sir.” Chen Jian bowed. “I have a match to get to.”

Jian went to his next match, which was over in a matter of seconds, due to him knocking out his opponent.