Chapter 15: Battle on the Water

"Tournament?" Lin Feng echoed, still processing what the messenger had just told them. The council chamber buzzed with surprised voices.

"The Verdant Crown Tournament," the Grand Elder confirmed. "Once the most prestigious competition in the Eastern Territories before our disappearance. They've revived it after three centuries—and specifically invited our sect to participate."

Mei Shen, who had been welcomed into the mountain after their unexpected meeting on the path, leaned forward with interest. "This timing isn't coincidental."

"No," Elder Lian agreed. "It's either a trap or a test. Possibly both."

Lin Feng studied the formal invitation scroll with its ornate green and gold seal. "What exactly is this tournament?"

"A series of combat trials between disciples from all major sects," his grandfather explained. "Originally created as a way to establish rankings and settle disputes without full-scale sect wars."

"And we're expected to join?" Liu Mei asked.

"To refuse would be seen as weakness," Elder Zhou stated bluntly. "Our enemies would claim we fear showing our true capabilities."

The Grand Elder's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Or perhaps they hope we'll reveal too much in the heat of competition."

Lin Feng saw the trap immediately. If they competed fully, they'd expose their temporal techniques to scrutiny. If they held back too much, they'd appear weak. If they refused entirely, they'd seem fearful. No good options.

"Where is it being held?" he asked.

"Dawn Sky Lake," Elder Lian replied. "Two days' journey from here. The tournament begins in three days."

The lake's name triggered something in Lin Feng's memory. "Isn't that place known for unusual temporal properties?"

A approving smile flickered across his grandfather's face. "Indeed. It's why it was the traditional tournament site before our disappearance. The lake naturally amplifies certain types of energy—including temporal manipulation."

"Which means our techniques would be more effective there," Lin Feng realized. "But also more visible."

"Precisely the dilemma," the Grand Elder said. "Now we must decide: do we participate, and if so, how?"

After heated debate, they settled on a compromise: a small delegation would attend, showing enough skill to command respect without revealing their most advanced techniques. The Grand Elder turned to Lin Feng.

"I want you to represent us in the tournament," he said firmly.

Lin Feng blinked in surprise. "Me? I've barely reached Foundation Establishment. Most competitors will be at Core Formation at minimum."

"Which makes your success all the more impressive when you achieve it," his grandfather replied with complete confidence.

"I'll compete too," Liu Mei offered immediately. "My mixed techniques can demonstrate skill without revealing too much."

"And I," Mei Shen added. "My perception abilities would be valuable in such an environment."

The Grand Elder studied them thoughtfully. "A unique team, each with different strengths. Very well." He turned to Elder Lian. "You will accompany them as our official representative."

As the council dispersed to prepare, Elder Lian pulled Lin Feng aside. "This is more dangerous than they're admitting," she warned. "Dawn Sky Lake's temporal properties make it ideal for ambushes. Stay alert, especially around water."

---

Two days later, Lin Feng stood at the shores of Dawn Sky Lake, momentarily struck by its beauty. The vast body of water mirrored the sky perfectly, creating the illusion of standing at the edge of two worlds. Even from here, he could feel the unusual temporal energies radiating from the lake—like gentle waves washing against his senses.

"Impressive," Liu Mei murmured beside him.

"And deadly," Mei Shen added, her jade-marked eye seeming to glow as she scanned the area. "The temporal currents run deep here."

As they crested the final hill, the full tournament grounds came into view. Lin Feng whistled in surprise. The scale was massive—at least twenty different sect pavilions dotted the shoreline, combat platforms of various sizes floated on the lake's surface, and thousands of cultivators moved throughout the area.

"Looks like the entire cultivation world showed up," he commented.

"Not far from the truth," Elder Lian replied. "This tournament was once considered the true measure of a sect's power."

They made their way toward the registration pavilion, drawing curious stares. The jade lotus emblems on their robes—subtle but recognizable to those who knew—caused whispers to follow in their wake.

Lin Feng spotted Soaring Dragon Sect representatives near one of the larger platforms. Master Han was among them, his gaze lingering on Liu Mei before returning to his conversation.

"There," Mei Shen murmured, nudging Lin Feng. "By the red pavilion."

Lin Feng followed her gaze to where Ren Zhao stood surrounded by Crimson Phoenix disciples. The young master looked up suddenly, his amber eyes finding Lin Feng across the distance. Even from here, Lin Feng could feel the hostility radiating from him.

"He's still angry about our last meeting," Liu Mei observed quietly.

"Definitely," Lin Feng agreed.

After registering for the preliminary rounds scheduled to begin the next morning, they were escorted to their assigned quarters—a modest but comfortable pavilion near the lakeshore.

"The preliminary rounds will test basic combat abilities," Elder Lian explained once they were alone. "Nothing that should require revealing specialized temporal techniques."

"And our strategy if we advance?" Liu Mei asked.

"Controlled display," Elder Lian replied. "Show enough skill to be respected, not enough to reveal our full capabilities."

Mei Shen, who had been unusually quiet, spoke up. "There are Bloodhunters here. At least a dozen that I've spotted, disguised as attendants or minor sect disciples."

Lin Feng's hand instinctively went to his concealment pendant. "Can they detect us through these?"

"Not specifically," Mei Shen said. "But they know jade bloodline carriers are here. They're watching for telltale fighting styles and energy patterns."

"Then we maintain our cover and limit our techniques," Elder Lian decided. "Lin Feng, rely primarily on metal affinity moves. Liu Mei, standard Soaring Dragon water methods with minimal jade enhancement."

As night fell, Lin Feng found himself unable to sleep. He slipped out of the pavilion and made his way to the lakeshore, drawn by the unusual temporal energies that seemed to intensify under the moonlight.

The lake's surface reflected the star-filled sky perfectly, creating the disorienting impression of infinite space above and below. The air felt charged, almost alive with possibility.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Liu Mei asked, approaching from behind.

"Too much to think about," Lin Feng admitted. "The tournament, the Bloodhunters, my father's plans... it all feels connected somehow."

"Perhaps we're just pieces in a game too large to see from our position," she suggested, coming to stand beside him.

They stood in comfortable silence, watching the stars reflected in the still water. Eventually, Liu Mei spoke again.

"Are you worried about tomorrow?"

"Not about the preliminary matches," Lin Feng replied honestly. "But about what comes after. The political game behind the fighting."

"A far cry from being the failed disciple no one noticed," she teased gently.

"Sometimes I miss that simplicity," he admitted with a small smile.

Liu Mei's hand found his, warm in the cool night air. "You were never meant for the bottom, Lin Feng."

Before he could respond, a disturbance in the lake caught his attention. The perfect reflection rippled, then distorted, as if something beneath the surface was rising.

"Do you feel that?" he asked quietly, shifting into a defensive stance.

Liu Mei nodded, her free hand moving to the water talisman at her waist. "Something's coming."

The distortion intensified, water bulging upward about thirty paces from shore. Lin Feng prepared to activate a defensive technique, but hesitated when the rising form took shape—not a creature or attack, but a platform constructed of solid water, glowing with faint blue-green light.

As it fully emerged, they could see it was a circular arena perhaps fifteen paces across. Symbols carved around its edge pulsed rhythmically.

"A challenge platform," Liu Mei identified.

Her words were confirmed when a figure leaped from somewhere in the darkness onto the platform's surface. Even at this distance, the flame-red robes were unmistakable.

"Ren Zhao," Lin Feng murmured.

The Crimson Phoenix disciple stood at the platform's center, his posture a clear challenge. Then, with deliberate ceremony, he raised his hand and pointed directly at Lin Feng.

"A formal pre-tournament challenge," Liu Mei said, her grip tightening on Lin Feng's hand. "If you refuse, it will be seen as weakness by everyone here."

Lin Feng knew she was right. Such challenges were traditional before major tournaments—a way for rivals to settle personal scores without affecting official rankings. To decline would damage not just his reputation but that of the entire Jade Lotus Sect.

"I can't use temporal techniques," he said, thinking through his options. "Not openly, not against him."

"Then don't," Liu Mei replied. "Use your metal affinity techniques. Your foundation is stronger now, your control better."

Lin Feng took a deep breath, weighing risks against consequences. "I'll accept," he decided. "But alert Elder Lian. This feels too calculated to be a simple challenge."

Liu Mei nodded and squeezed his hand once before disappearing back toward their pavilion. Lin Feng turned to the platform where Ren Zhao waited, motionless, confident his challenge would be accepted.

Other cultivators had begun to notice the platform, gathering along the shoreline to watch. Word of a midnight challenge between Crimson Phoenix and Jade Lotus disciples would spread quickly.

Lin Feng walked to the water's edge, channeled qi into his legs, and leaped across the intervening space, landing lightly on the platform's edge. The surface felt solid beneath his feet despite being formed from water—some specialized tournament construct.

"Young Master Ren," he greeted formally. "I accept your challenge."

Ren Zhao's smile was cold. "I thought you might. The terms are simple—first to yield or leave the platform loses. No lethal techniques."

"Agreed," Lin Feng replied, moving to the opposite side of the platform.

Ren Zhao took a combat stance, his movements fluid and precise. "Last time we fought, you had Elder Lian's protection," he said. "Let's see how you fare without it."

Lin Feng settled into his own stance—not the Soaring Dragon forms he'd struggled with for years, but the metal affinity position his mother had taught him. Feet shoulder-width apart, weight centered, hands held like blade edges.

For a moment, neither moved. The gathered crowd grew silent, anticipation building. Then Ren Zhao attacked.

He crossed the distance with blinding speed, flames trailing from his fists as he launched a series of strikes aimed at Lin Feng's vital points. This wasn't the controlled display from their spar at Cloudhaven—this was Ren Zhao fighting with genuine intent to dominate.

Lin Feng didn't attempt to match him power for power. Instead, he relied on the True Jade Meridian Flow his mother had drilled into him—a technique that emphasized precision over force, redirection over opposition. Where Ren Zhao's style was all aggressive flame, Lin Feng's was controlled metal—cutting, deflecting, turning momentum against itself.

The first exchange ended with both fighters unscathed but wary. Lin Feng could feel Ren Zhao's cultivation advantage—the young master was solidly in Core Formation, his qi denser, his techniques more refined. But Lin Feng had advantages of his own—his unorthodox style confused Ren Zhao's rhythm, and the metal affinity techniques were perfectly suited to countering flame attacks.

"Interesting," Ren Zhao said, circling slowly. "You've abandoned the Soaring Dragon style entirely. These are Jade Lotus techniques."

"Metal affinity techniques," Lin Feng corrected, maintaining his guard. "Better suited to my nature."

Ren Zhao's eyes narrowed. "Let's test that nature."

He drew his sword—the same flame-hued blade he'd used at Cloudhaven. The weapon hummed with power as he channeled qi into it, the metal taking on a molten glow. With a slashing motion, he sent a crescent of golden fire arcing toward Lin Feng.

Lin Feng clapped his hands together, focusing metal-attributed qi between his palms. As the fire crescent reached him, he swept his hands apart, creating a shimmering plane of energy that split the attack down the middle, sending both halves harmlessly past him.

Murmurs rose from the watching crowd. That defense had been impressive—a Foundation Establishment cultivator shouldn't have been able to counter a Core Formation attack so cleanly.

Ren Zhao's expression darkened slightly. He launched a more complex assault, blade moving in patterns that left trails of golden flame in the air. Each slash created another fire projectile, until Lin Feng faced a barrage coming from multiple directions.

This time, simple deflection wouldn't work. Lin Feng's hands blurred as he formed a series of metal affinity seals, creating multiple shimmering barriers around his body. The fire projectiles struck these barriers with explosive force, obscuring Lin Feng in smoke and steam.

When the air cleared, Lin Feng remained standing, his robes singed but his defensive formation intact. Sweat beaded on his forehead from the effort—holding off a Core Formation cultivator's attacks was straining his cultivation base to its limits.

"You've improved," Ren Zhao acknowledged coldly. "But you're still fundamentally outmatched."

He sheathed his sword suddenly, shifting to a different stance. "Crimson Phoenix Art: Ashen Rain Technique."

The air above the platform shimmered with heat as hundreds of tiny flame needles formed, hovering ominously. With a downward gesture from Ren Zhao, they began to fall—a deadly rain of fire targeting Lin Feng from every angle.

This attack was different—not just powerful but precisely controlled. The needles adjusted mid-flight, seeking openings in Lin Feng's defense. No simple barrier would block them all.

Lin Feng had a split-second to decide. He could use a temporal technique and likely counter the attack completely—but that would reveal capabilities he was trying to hide. Or he could rely solely on metal affinity techniques and almost certainly lose.

He chose a middle path.

"Metal Heart Reflection," he called, dropping into a low stance and extending his arms in a circular motion.

A dome of metallic energy formed around him, but with a crucial hidden element—a subtle application of Time Flow Disruption within the metal energy, not visible to observers but altering how the flame needles interacted with his defense.

To onlookers, it appeared as if Lin Feng's metal energy was simply extraordinarily refined, causing the flame needles to slow as they contacted the dome, giving him time to precisely counter each one. In reality, he was manipulating the temporal flow just enough to create micro-pockets of slowed time where each needle struck.

The defense worked—barely. By the time the last needle dissipated, Lin Feng's robes were peppered with small burn holes, and his arms trembled from exertion. But he remained on the platform, undefeated.

Ren Zhao's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Impossible," he murmured, too quietly for the audience to hear. "That defense... there was something else..."

Lin Feng didn't wait for him to puzzle it out. He launched his own attack, hands forming seals his mother had taught him.

"Metal Affinity: Severing Edge Stream!"

Dozens of crescent-shaped metal energy blades erupted from his palms, streaking toward Ren Zhao in complex patterns designed to limit evasion options. It was the most powerful offensive technique Lin Feng had mastered without relying on temporal manipulation.

Ren Zhao countered with a wall of flame, but several metal crescents broke through, forcing him to dodge with increasing urgency. One sliced across his shoulder, cutting cleanly through his robe and drawing a thin line of blood.

The crowd gasped. A Foundation Establishment cultivator had just wounded a Core Formation master.

For an instant, genuine surprise registered on Ren Zhao's face. Then his expression transformed into cold fury. His aura flared dramatically, heat rippling the air around him.

"Enough games," he snarled. "Crimson Phoenix Secret Art: Blood Fire Crucible!"

The platform's water surface suddenly boiled beneath their feet. Steam erupted upward, forming a dome that enclosed the entire arena, cutting them off from the watching crowd. Within this superheated space, the air itself seemed to burn with each breath.

Lin Feng recognized the technique from sect histories—a forbidden Crimson Phoenix method that converted the user's blood essence into pure destructive power. That Ren Zhao would resort to such a technique in what was supposed to be a friendly pre-tournament challenge showed how seriously he was taking this confrontation.

"This goes beyond a simple spar," Lin Feng called out, keeping his guard up as the steam thickened around them. "What are you really after, Ren Zhao?"

"Confirmation," came the reply from somewhere in the burning mist. "My master suspected your bloodline was awakening. Now I'm certain of it."

Lin Feng tried to track Ren Zhao's position, but the steam distorted sound and sight. The platform beneath his feet grew increasingly hot.

"No ordinary Foundation cultivator could have countered my attacks," Ren Zhao continued, his voice seeming to come from all directions at once. "You're using temporal manipulation—subtly, cleverly, but unmistakably."

A blade of crimson fire suddenly slashed through the steam, nearly catching Lin Feng's side. He twisted away just in time, feeling the heat sear his robes.

"The alliance talks are a farce," Lin Feng realized aloud. "You never intended peaceful coexistence."

"Peace?" Ren Zhao laughed, the sound echoing strangely in the steam dome. "With temporal abominations? Your bloodline breaks the fundamental laws of proper cultivation. My sect has spent centuries cleansing the world of such corruption."

Another attack, from a different direction this time—a spear of golden flame that Lin Feng barely deflected with a hastily formed metal shield.

Lin Feng knew he was in serious trouble. The steam dome cut off any hope of outside intervention, and Ren Zhao clearly didn't intend to abide by standard sparring restrictions. Moreover, the superheated environment itself was wearing him down—each breath burned his lungs, each moment on the platform blistered his feet through his boots.

*I need to end this quickly,* he thought.

Lin Feng closed his eyes, focusing inward. The jade lotus mark on his chest pulsed with energy, responding to his need. He still couldn't risk obvious temporal techniques, but there was one metal affinity method his mother had taught him that incorporated subtle time elements...

"Metal Affinity Secret Art: Timeless Blade Echo!"

Lin Feng's hands moved in a complex pattern, metal energy gathering around them in layers that seemed to overlap and phase through each other. When he opened his eyes, they gleamed with jade light momentarily before returning to normal.

The technique manifested as five metal energy blades extending from each hand—but these weren't simple energy constructs. Each blade existed in a slightly different moment in time, making them nearly impossible to track or counter simultaneously.

Lin Feng swept his arms in a circular motion, the energy blades cutting through the steam like tangible weapons. Ren Zhao's surprised cry confirmed at least one had found its target.

The steam thinned briefly, revealing Ren Zhao clutching a bleeding shoulder, his expression a mixture of pain and rage.

"What was that technique?" he demanded. "That wasn't simple metal energy."

Lin Feng didn't answer. Instead, he pressed his advantage, launching into the offense with renewed vigor. His Timeless Blade Echo technique allowed him to attack from multiple temporal angles simultaneously—while observers would see only unusually fast and precise metal energy blades, Ren Zhao was experiencing something far more disorienting: attacks that seemed to arrive before they were launched.

For the first time, the Crimson Phoenix young master found himself on the defensive. His flames countered some blades but missed others that seemed to phase in and out of existence. More cuts appeared on his arms and legs as Lin Feng's assault continued.

"Enough!" Ren Zhao finally roared, his patience snapping.

He plunged his hand into his chest, drawing out a bead of crimson energy that could only be pure essence blood. Before Lin Feng could react, Ren Zhao crushed the bead between his fingers.

"Blood Phoenix Binding: First Seal!"

The broken blood bead exploded into a storm of crimson threads that shot toward Lin Feng with unerring accuracy. These weren't simple attacks—they were binding cords designed to entangle and immobilize.

Lin Feng recognized the technique with a jolt of alarm. This was a lesser version of the same Blood Phoenix Binding that Ren Zhao had attempted to use at Cloudhaven—a technique specifically designed to counter jade bloodline cultivators.

If those threads touched him, they would do more than restrain his movement—they would begin reversing the temporal flow in his meridians, causing excruciating pain and potentially permanent damage to his cultivation base.

There was no choice now. Lin Feng had to use a true temporal technique or risk crippling injury.

"Jade Lotus Legacy: Moment's Reflection!"

The world around Lin Feng seemed to crystallize as he enacted the technique. The crimson threads slowed to a crawl in mid-air as he stepped sideways—not in space, but in time, occupying a moment just slightly out of phase with normal reality.

To observers, it would appear as if he had moved with impossible speed. To Ren Zhao, who had some ability to perceive temporal manipulation, it would reveal Lin Feng's true capabilities.

The binding threads passed harmlessly through the space where Lin Feng had been, dissipating as they missed their target. Lin Feng reappeared behind Ren Zhao, a jade-infused palm strike already in motion.

"This ends now," he said, driving his palm into Ren Zhao's back.

The strike connected with precision, jade energy disrupting Ren Zhao's qi circulation. The Crimson Phoenix young master stumbled forward, his control over the steam dome wavering. The superheated mist began to dissipate, revealing the two combatants to the watching crowd once more.

Ren Zhao turned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his amber eyes burning with hatred.

"You've revealed yourself," he hissed. "The temporal manipulation. Just as we suspected."

"You forced my hand," Lin Feng replied evenly. "This was never a fair challenge—it was an assassination attempt disguised as a spar."

Ren Zhao's laugh held no humor. "The tournament hasn't even begun, and already the Jade Lotus Sect shows its true nature. I wonder what the neutral sects will think when they learn you're freely using the very techniques you claim to have under control?"

Before Lin Feng could respond, a wave of water rose from the platform's edge, sweeping between them. It solidified into the form of a tournament official—an elderly man with a long white beard.

"This challenge is concluded," he announced, his voice carrying across the water to the shore. "By tournament law, use of bloodline secret arts in a preliminary challenge is forbidden. Both participants are hereby warned."

Lin Feng bowed respectfully to the official, though his eyes never left Ren Zhao. The Crimson Phoenix disciple seemed unconcerned by the official's intervention.

"We'll continue this in the official matches," Ren Zhao said, loud enough for the crowd to hear. "Unless the Jade Lotus representative wishes to withdraw?"

"I look forward to our next encounter," Lin Feng replied with forced calm.

The challenge platform began to sink back into the lake, the match officially ended with no declared winner. As they descended, the tournament official spoke quietly to both of them.

"The Verdant Crown Tournament has rules for a reason, young masters. Blood arts and temporal manipulation are restricted to main tournament matches, and even then, only with prior declaration. Remember this, or face disqualification."

When they reached the shore, Lin Feng found Liu Mei and Elder Lian waiting. Behind them stood dozens of curious cultivators from various sects, all eager to discuss what they had witnessed.

"That was no ordinary metal affinity technique," Elder Lian said quietly as they walked back to their pavilion. "You used temporal manipulation."

"He gave me no choice," Lin Feng replied. "He was using a version of the Blood Phoenix Binding."

Elder Lian's expression darkened. "Then this was never about a simple challenge. He was trying to expose your bloodline abilities publicly."

"And he succeeded," Lin Feng admitted grimly. "At least partially."

"Which changes our tournament strategy completely," she concluded. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we plan anew."

As Lin Feng finally retired to his quarters, the dual-natured token in his pocket seemed to pulse with increased urgency, as if responding to the confrontation. The jade and crimson halves, normally in perfect balance, now flickered with erratic energy.

Whatever game was being played between the bloodlines, it had just escalated significantly. And Lin Feng was increasingly certain that both he and Ren Zhao were being manipulated by forces neither fully understood—forces set in motion long before either of them were born.