The sounds of applause greeted Yang Bin, as he heroically returned to his family in the judge's arms. Despite his exhaustion, there was a smug smile on his face.
The judge, slightly irritated by his smile, dropped him off.
"Ow! Could you set me down instead of dropping me?" Yang Bin glared at the judge, but the judge paid no attention and simply left. "How heartless." Yang Bin grumbled, as he shakily stood up.
Only to be tackled down again.
"Congratulations, brother! You made it to the final stage!" Yang Menggyao gave Yang Bin a hug with so much passion that he was knocked down again.
"Wait! I can't breathe." Yang Bin wheezed.
"Oh!" Still smiling, Yang Mengyao hurriedly got off him and helped him up.
"Congratulations, son." Yang Gang walked over and heartily patted Yang Bin's back. "I had expected an overwhelming victory, but since you did win in the end, I won't scold you."
Being knocked forwards, Yang Bin glared at him. "It would have been an overwhelming victory if not for your thoughtfulness." He said in spite, as Li Jing guided him to sit down.
"Without my thoughtfulness, you would have lost." Yang Gang replied.
Yang Bin wanted to scoff at that.
"Son, I bought some steam buns from a nearby stall." Li Jing handed over one to him. "Your next opponent will be one of the strongest youths of the clan. If I remember correctly, it was Yang Bai right?"
Biting into the steam bun, Yang Bin nodded. "My next opponent will be Yang Bai." He turned to his father. "Do you have any strategies to win against her?"
Thinking deeply, Yang Gang spoke slowly. "Yang Bai is a very difficult opponent. Firstly, her current cultivation level is at the initial rank of Qi Condensing, while you're still at the eighth rank of Body Tempering. The gap between you and her isn't as simple as a two rank difference. There is always a qualitative change when you break through a stage. At the Qi Condensing, it becomes a lot easier to manipulate your qi outside your body."
With a solemn expression, Yang Bin concurred. "Yes, indeed."
"Secondly, as the daughter of one of the clan elders, she definitely had the best training possible. She most likely has an abundance of technique, and could have been taught by multiple experts. Both the time she spent training and the quality of her training are greater than yours. In terms of techniques, you are completely outclassed." Yang Gang added.
"Yes, indeed."
"Finally, the most important thing is her choice of weapon. Unlike you, who is a close ranged fighter, she uses the bow. She will keep her distance from you, preventing you from ever attacking her."
"Yes, indeed."
"So with everything said, you are at a disadvantage in every aspect: cultivation, skill, and weaponry. Your chances of winning are nearly nonexistent. In conclusion, your best option is..."
Yang Bin listened on, eagerly awaiting this divine revelation that will alter the course of his life.
"To surrender!" Yang Gang finished dramatically.
"I understand! I will- Wait, hold on. What?" Yang Bin started nodding until he realized what Yang Gang said. He stared at him incredulously, not sure if his father was joking with him or not.
"Give up. Since you can't win, just aim to beat someone else. There are five slots; just aim to beat someone that isn't part of the top four. Surrender the moment you set foot on the stage. Use the time in between matches to recuperat, instead of risking injuries or exhausting yourself physically or mentally." Yang Gang repeated, with a serious face.
"But surely there has to be a way to beat her. Yang Lan was also at a disadvantage but he managed to beat Yang Chang." Yang Bin protested.
Yang Gang shook his head. "You cannot compare Yang Chang to Yang Bai. There is a chasm between the two of them. Yang Lan was only able to win, since Yang Chang lacked experience in actual combat, resulting in her giving into fear. Yang Bai will not make the same mistake."
As he listened, Yang Bin's expression became more and more glum. He knew everything his father said was logical, and surrendering was most likely the best option. However, he didn't want to just accept a defeat.
"I still want to try. As long as there is a chance, no matter how small it is, I'm willing to give it a shot." Yang Bin replied resolutely.
Shrugging his shoulders, Yang Gang didn't reprimand him. "Fine, do whatever you want. I've said my part." Deep inside, he was pleased by his courage and determination.
For the next hour, Yang Bin put all his efforts into meditating. Yang Bai was going to be the toughest opponent he had ever faced. If he wanted any chances, he needed to be in top condition.
An hour passed swiftly. An announcement roused him from his meditation.
"..... Yang Bin, please come up to the stage."
Ah. The hour went by rather quickly. Yang Bin stood up and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His heart started to race, as he began walking towards the stage. However, after talking two steps, he paused and his world became silent. Yang Bin saw his opponent.
Basking in the run rays, a girl stood in the middle of the stage. A smile decorated her beautiful doll-like face, as her eyes seemed to sparkle. Her sleek black hair was tied up in a ponytail. Although she was dressed in a casual leather tunic and pants, it didn't diminish her beauty. This scenery momentarily took Yang Bin's breath away. It was Yang Bai.
On the stage, a smile appeared on Yang Bai's lip, when she spotted him among the crowd. Although they were opponents, she was delighted to see him. She hasn't seen him ever since the hunt event four months ago. She casually waved at him. However, Yang Bin didn't react, frozen in place. Noticing his intense stare, she lowered her arm and shyly averted her eyes.
A couple steps behind Yang Bin, his family watched him.
"Is my son giving up? Why isn't he moving?" Yang Gang wondered out loud. Although he had recommended forfeiting, he was still slightly disappointed that Yang Bin would give up without even stepping on stage.
Li Jing softly laughed. "No hubby. Xiao Bin is experiencing the effects of youthfulness."
Yang Gang immediately understood. Facepalming, he reprimanded his son. "Son, what are you doing? Get up there! Don't tell me you're planning to give up just because she smiled and waved at you!"
At this point, Yang Bin realized his mistake. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he hurriedly ran up to his opponent. He quickly took note of Yang Bai's equipment: a bow, a dagger, but… "You aren't wearing your armor."
Yang Bai nodded. "Yes. I'm an archer, so I'll need a lot of mobility. The armor that's provided is burdensome and gets in my way."
Yang Bin scratched his head awkwardly. What would happen if he hits her? It was already difficult, but now he has to hold back?
"Oh don't worry about me. Just give it your all." Yang Bai waved her hand and replied, confident that she wouldn't get hurt.
On the judges stand, Yang Yugang observed the pink atmosphere between the two of them and then turned away. Ah yes. It must be really nice to be young. He silently lamented his singleness.
"Ahem!" He coughed to get their attention. "The next battle will be between Yang Bai and Yang Bin. Since there are Qi Condensing Stage cultivators, the platform may not have enough space. Thus, we aren't limiting you to the platform; you are free to use the entire stage. Other rules remain in place."
Yang Bin fell into deep thought. Normally, this would have been splendid news. More space meant more room for him to perform Phantom Tracks. Unfortunately, his opponent was Yang Bai. This extra space would just make it harder to catch her.
"Because of the rules, I can't go easy on you." Yang Bai said in a quiet voice. "I think it's best if you give up. You can still fight for another slot even if you lose."
Feeling a sense of deja vu, Yang Bin smiled wryly. These words sounded quite familiar to him. He knew that she was being sincere, not meaning to look down on him, but he was already on the stage. The audience awaits his performance. It's too late to quit now.
Yang Bin shook his head. "I can't do that."
Frowning slightly, Yang Bai understood what was bothering him and reprimanded him. "Don't care about what others think. The entrance to Tian Lin Academy is more important than other people's opinions."
However, Yang Bin adjusted his stance. "It's fine. This is my first time fighting a Qi Condensing Stage cultivator. I want to see how big the gap is between us."
Yang Bai could only sigh. "Alright."
"Battle begins!"