Romance Of Flame And Ice - Chapter 328

She entered with her a long red cloak over her body, covering her face, five wind sect disciples stood behind her with Su Ci by her side, they all started pointing fingers at her and calling her names but she kept her eyes lowered.

Her hands were held in chains that everyone could tell is not ordinary as she walked towards the front.

“Greetings your majesty,” they chorused with their heads bowed.

Huo Ying immediately sprung up from her seat with her misty eyes and her fist tightly clenched.

“Huo Lan,” she called aloud, causing them to turn to her.

She raised her head to look in the direction of her sister when the hood of her cloak came off, her red eyes became fixed on her sister’s.

“Huo Ying!” she called back.

Their mother could barely hold herself in her seat, her eyes held a feeling of longing, she clutched the edge of her seat tightly.

They had never seen her eyes but they could tell that the tale is true, her eyes are crimson red and her red hair fluttered as the breeze blew past her.

Huo Ying was about to take a step towards her when Huo Qiang held her hand to stop her, she glared at him then glanced at Huo Lan again who has a faint smile on her lips, not minding the people around who are taken aback by her strange appearance.

She nodded her head to tell Huo Ying not to come to her which Huo Ying obeyed then took her seat again.

They had never seen someone like her, even the first prince couldn’t take his eyes off her, he looked at her as though she is an intriguing object but the fourth prince was mesmerized, he has seen those eyes and red hair before but they are even more beautiful now in his eyes.

A smile dangled on his lips.

Sect leader Lin didn’t like the attention she draws but he hopes her test today will keep her forever in the cave or lead her to her death.

“Is she really dangerous?” the emperor asked as Huo Lan is taken to sit far away from the crowd.

“Your majesty has nothing to worry about, the chains will keep her in place,” he answered with a sneer in his mind, no treasure of the wind sect can withstand her power, the chain can only restrict her for a while but it will shatter if she becomes unstable and that is exactly what he wishes for.

“We will now announce the rules of the contest,” Master Li Jie, one of the masters from the wind sect announced as he stood in the middle of the tournament situated in a very large perimeter, four large pillars representing the four main sects with the different colours of the sects are rooted around the four corners of the ring where he is currently standing.

The large spectators are seated in the open arena while the sects are seated under large canopy-like covering while the emperor, princes and the sect leaders of the four main sects are seated on the high stand where they can easily see everything around and below them.

“The magic wheels will determine the arrangement of the contest if a representative from one sect wins a fight then the wheels will spin to determine what sect competes with the winner next, each sect has one chance to compete after losing each fight but losing three fights consecutively, you will drop out of the contest, each representative should be reasonable in deciding when it is time to stop fighting, no one is allowed to kill anyone on the ring or that person will face serious punishment, falling off the ring will  mean you have lost,” he scanned everyone for a moment then he inhaled deeply.

“And lastly, I ask that everyone refrains from disrupting the contest, the four pillars will be activated to protect everyone from an outburst that might occur but we cannot guarantee that it will totally be able to completely protect everyone, the contest will now begin,” as soon as he walked down from the short stairs, gold light immediately shot out from the four pillars, the lights soon connected then formed a shield around the ring.

They are used to protect others outside the ring, they might feel some of the effects but not all.

The magic wheels soon started spinning really fast then it finally stopped.

“The first contest is between the Wudang sect and the talisman sect,” Master Li Jie announced, the spectators and members from both sects cheered aloud.

A main sect fighting one of the inferior sects, the winner is already clear to them but considering that the disciples in the talisman sects are all females, they still hope to watch a good fight.

A young female in the yellow uniform of the talisman sect, Chu Yi who is known to be one of the three best disciples of the talisman sect and a young disciple from the Wudang sect in a brown uniform walked into the ring.

They stood in the middle then bowed at each other with their hands cupped together.

“A disciple of the talisman sect, Chu Yi,”

“A disciple of Wudang sect, Gao Zhong,”

They introduced.

“You may begin,” master Li Jie announced then both moved away from each other while the cheering quieted down.

Gao Zhong pulled out his large sword then he assumed his position while she unsheathed her soft sword which is mainly used for drawing talismans.

He came at her first with his large sword swinging at her swiftly but she nimbly dodged his sword, she drew a pattern in the air with her sword then a yellow talisman appeared, she sent it towards him which he also dodged but she kept drawing it swiftly.

Both kept attacking and defending but he could hardly keep up with the speed of her talisman forming arrow-like patterns after being drawn until she decided to end the game.

She lunged into the air then used her sword to draw a pattern which later appeared to be a large octagonal pattern.

“I am afraid it has to end here,” she smirked smugly then made a slash in the air with her sword which sent rains of arrows down on him.

He started breaking them off with his sword but the speed and force were too much for him, in an instant, he dropped his sword.

“I surrender!” He screamed before the arrows hit him to death, she quickly retracted the arrows then landed on the ground with a smile on her lips.

“The winner of this round is Chu Yi from the talisman sect,” master Li Jie announced, earning a round of applause from the crowd, then Gao Zhong came down from the ring, leaving Chu Yi.

“She sure is fast,” Huo Li remarked

“Speed is the main element of the talisman sect, drawing talismans in a fight is impossible without speed,” Huo Qiang responded with his arms crossed and his eyes keenly observing everything going on around him but Huo Ying is still distracted by her sister and her mind is far away from the contest just like the fourth prince.

The magic wheels spun again.

“Next round is between the vitality sect  and the talisman sect,” he announced

This time, a female disciple from the vitality sect entered the ring.

“Wen Ning,” she introduced

“Chu Yi,”

With the introductions done, both assumed their position, it didn’t come as a surprise to the spectators that she is not holding a sword since the vitality sect are known for fighting with their unique ability to conjure plants.

This time, Wen Ning started the battle, she twirled her hand, sending long and thick vines dashing towards Chu Yi who quickly lunged into the air then twisted her body to land on the other side, but the whip-like vine kept swinging at her under the manipulation of Wen Ning.

Everyone started commenting, they all underestimate the vitality sect so it is the first time seeing a disciple of the vitality sect with such fast speed, leaving Chu Yi no time to draw her talisman so she can only defend using her sword.

The more she cut down, the more the vines keep sprouting from below her feet and her sides until Wen Ning wrapped the vines around her waist then she pulled her forward and pressed her sword against her neck.

A round of applause filled the place but the loudest belonged to sect leader Yang of the vitality sect while sect leader Meng scrunched her face in disbelief, Chu Yi might not be the best but she is one of the aces in the sect.

“Sect leader Meng, it seems like your disciples have not been training, even a measly disciple from the vitality sect who has never been seen managed to defeat your disciple,” Sect leader Zhou remarked with a hint of mockery in his voice, loud enough for the others seated around them to hear.

“I will await a good show from your sect then,” she concisely answered to preserve her image in front of the emperor and others.

“The winner of this round is Wen Ning from the vitality sect, the next round is between the vitality sect and the….”

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