The Sparring Duel

The sun hung high over the Crimson Feather Sect's training grounds, casting long beams of golden light over the stone tiles. The murmurs of gathered disciples filled the courtyard, their excitement palpable. The reason? A duel that no one had expected.

At the center of the arena stood Huang Fei, a senior disciple known for his arrogance and brutal combat style. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his golden robes embroidered with the insignia of the inner sect. A sneer curled his lips as he rolled his wrists, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.

Opposite him was Xiao Lian, the outcast, the girl from the unwanted division of the sect.

She stood there, unbothered, as if this duel was nothing more than an afterthought. Her long white hair cascaded down her back, a few stray strands framing her delicate yet sharp features. Her gold eyes held an unreadable glint, one that sent an uncomfortable chill through those who dared look too closely.

Ji Ren stood at the edge of the training ground, arms crossed, his dark eyes narrowed. He had seen something in her yesterday, something he couldn't yet define. He wasn't convinced she was strong, but he was certain of one thing.

She wasn't normal. And now, she was about to prove it.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" Huang Fei's voice was laced with mockery.

"Yesterday, you had the audacity to critique Senior Brother Ji Ren's swordplay. Today, you stand before me as if you're someone important."

Xiao Lian simply smiled, tilting her head. "Did I offend your delicate ego, Senior Brother?"

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Huang Fei's face darkened.

"You'll regret this," he snarled, unsheathing his sword with a metallic hiss. "I'll make sure you know your place."

The sect's overseer raised his hand. "Begin!"

Huang Fei lunged.

To the untrained eye, Huang Fei was fast, his sword cut through the air in sharp, brutal slashes. But to Xiao Lian, he was an open book.

SIS activated instantly.

[Analyzing opponent's movements...]

[Predicting attack patterns…]

In the split second before his blade reached her, she twisted her body to the side, avoiding the strike by a hair's breadth. The crowd gasped.

Huang Fei's eyes widened. He adjusted, swinging his sword in a horizontal arc.

[Predicting angle… Countermeasure]

[calculated…]

Xiao Lian dropped to one knee, sliding beneath the blade in a single fluid motion. The wind from his attack ruffled her hair as she rolled to her feet behind him.

A murmur spread through the disciples.

"Did she just…?"

Huang Fei growled, spinning to face her. "You little—!"

He thrust forward with a piercing attack, aiming for her shoulder.

[Opponent telegraphs movements. ]

[Repeating sequence. Probability of strike]

[landing: 0%.]

Xiao Lian leaned back just enough to let the blade pass an inch from her skin. Then, with a flick of her fingers, she tapped his wrist, just enough to throw off his balance.

The shift was subtle. Barely visible. But Huang Fei stumbled. Gasps erupted from the audience.

Ji Ren's gaze sharpened. "That wasn't luck."

She wasn't dodging randomly, she was calculating, predicting every move before it even happened.

Huang Fei snarled, frustration evident in every tense muscle. He charged again, this time faster, feinting left before swinging right. It would have worked on a normal opponent.

Not her.

[Opponent's feint detected. Adjusting response…]

Xiao Lian sidestepped at the exact right moment, letting his blade slice through empty air. Before he could recover, she shifted closer, too close, stepping into his personal space.

For a fraction of a second, Huang Fei faltered. And Xiao Lian smirked.

"You're too predictable," she whispered.

Then, she moved. She didn't use brute strength. She didn't rely on raw cultivation.

She used him. With a slight shift of her weight and a calculated press of her fingers against his wrist, she redirected his momentum against himself. His own force betrayed him.

Huang Fei's balance crumbled. He stumbled...then, in front of the entire crowd, fell onto his back, his sword clattering to the ground. The training ground fell into stunned silence.

Xiao Lian didn't move. She simply stood over him, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Eye dark for a split second.

Huang Fei lay there, breathless, his face twisted in disbelief. He had lost. Not to overwhelming strength. Not to superior cultivation. But to pure tactics. And by a girl. A new recruit and it's painful and a disgrace to his name.

"You rely too much on your cultivation," Xiao Lian said lightly, her voice carrying across the stunned crowd. "Strength without intelligence is nothing but wasted potential."

Silence. Then an uproar. Gasps, murmurs, whispers. The outer disciples looked at her with wide eyes, while the inner sect disciples exchanged uncertain glances. Even the elders watching from the pavilion were visibly intrigued.

No one had expected this. No one had expected her.

From his spot at the edge of the courtyard, Ji Ren remained silent, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiao Lian.

She was… different. She had no significant cultivation level. No divine technique. No overwhelming power. And yet, she had humiliated Huang Fei.

Ji Ren's fingers unconsciously tightened around his sword hilt. He should be unimpressed. But… he wasn't. The anger was their, and he'll surely slit her throat open with the hotness of how angry he is.

Instead, a strange sense of intrigue curled in his chest. She had seen his flaws the other day, how much had she seen of him? And how much… had she not yet shown?

Xiao Lian turned away from the training ground, her gold eyes light with amusement. She knew the storm she had just unleashed.

Huang Fei would never forgive her for this humiliation. The inner disciples would take notice of her now, not necessarily in a good way. And Ji Ren…She could feel his gaze burning into her back.

A slow, knowing smile curved her lips. This was only the beginning. The game had just begun. And now she has made many enemies through her cultivation and