The Tigerfiend's Gambit

Ji Wuyu sat to one side, holding a beast-head goblet. "Perhaps Ji Yichuan is letting his son try ahead of schedule. Even if he fails, Ji Ning can try again in four years."

Ji Lie nodded.

"They have two chances, but we cannot afford a single loss." A faint smile appeared on Ji Lie's face. "Fortunately, back then I adopted my righteous son, 'Pi.'"

Ji Lie then spoke to a servant at his side. "Tell Pi to come see me."

"Yes, my lord." The barefoot maid bowed and quickly withdrew.

A moment later, a tall, broad-shouldered youth strode in. He wore a suit of golden fur and bore an intense, savage aura. His face was covered in a layer of golden fuzz, and his eyes glimmered with a faint golden light, marking him as distinctly inhuman. A jet-black straight saber was slung across his back.

As he strode in, he looked like a lean, man-shaped golden bear. Though he was only thirteen years old, he was already slightly taller than Ji Lie himself.

"Father." Pi spoke in a low, rumbling voice.

"Pi." Ji Lie looked at his adopted son, nodding in satisfaction. "The Golden Sword Ceremony happens once every four years. I will have someone register your name for this ceremony. I have only one demand—win the Golden Sword."

"Yes." Pi's voice was deep and steady.

"Mm." Ji Lie nodded in satisfaction. He had adopted many righteous sons over the years, but few had pleased him. Pi was one of the few who had truly satisfied him. Entrusting Pi with disrupting Ji Ning's path in the Golden Sword Ceremony, Ji Lie was filled with confidence.

Ji Lie continued, "The one you need to be wary of this time is Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan's sole son—Ji Ning! Although he hasn't been tempered by true, life-and-death combat, he has, after all, been trained in the most supreme techniques and secret arts of our Ji Clan. The top-tier techniques I have imparted to you are also outstanding, but compared to his, they are slightly inferior."

Pi nodded.

He understood. He was merely an adopted son. But Ji Ning? He was the sole heir of Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan, the most promising successor to the position of Prefectural Lord. The gap in their status was like heaven and earth. Ji Ning could easily obtain the most supreme techniques of the Ji Clan, but he, an adopted son, could never receive the strongest secret arts of a tribe.

"And Ji Ning has already reached the Unity of Man and Sword realm this year." Ji Lie looked at his son. "Do not take him lightly."

"I will surely claim victory." Pi's voice was low and resolute.

The Golden Sword Ceremony had begun!

Hordes of tribal youths fought continuously from the lowest levels. One by one, they were eliminated, and the stronger ones pressed on. After a full month of brutal struggle, the eight strongest youths were finally selected. To be precise… seven youths were selected through combat. The eighth, Ji Ning, had been directly designated as one of the top eight without undergoing a single match!

Ji Ning. The sole son of Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan. The genius youth of the Ji Clan's Western Prefecture.

According to the official explanation from the Western Prefecture, Ji Ning's strength was formidable, so there was no need for him to participate in the lower-level bouts. He was given a direct spot in the top eight.

Anger? Resentment?

"Hmph. When the final day comes and he faces the other seven opponents, this Ji Ning will definitely lose miserably."

"How shameless!"

"Disgrace to the Ji Clan!"

The tribal youths muttered among themselves. As for the news that Ji Ning had already reached the 'Unity of Man and Sword' realm, very few of those tribal youths were aware of it.

…

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~" War banners flapped in the wind.

The howling winter wind could not extinguish the fiery excitement in the hearts of the countless onlookers. Today was the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony!

At the center of the vast training grounds of the Martial Hall was an enormous combat stage. Beneath the stage stood eight tribal youths, one of whom was Ji Ning, dressed in a simple beast-hide garment. Further out, a ring of Black Armored Guards surrounded the stage, ensuring that the tens of thousands of gathered tribal youths and citizens of the Western Prefecture City dared not cross the line.

"They're here."

"The Xiantian lifeforms are here."

The tens of thousands of onlookers erupted in excitement. The Golden Sword Ceremony had lasted for many days, but ordinary days never saw such huge crowds. Only today was special. Because today was the final day of the ceremony, where the eight strongest would fight for supremacy to claim the Golden Sword.

On the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony, many legendary Xiantian lifeforms would come to spectate.

"That one riding the long-necked exotic beast is Tianhuochui."

"The one riding the white tiger is the finest archer of our Western Prefecture!"

"That… that's the Fire God, Ji Lie!"

"Look! Dripping Sword! The one with the snow-white hound by his side—that's Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan! That snow-white hound is the Xiantian divine beast, the Whitewater Hound."

"The Prefectural Lord!"

"Prefectural Lord Ji Youyang has appeared as well."

"How are there so many Xiantian lifeforms? Far too many."

"So many Xiantian lifeforms!"

…

A clamor arose, a wave of madness.

The Golden Sword Ceremony was held every four years. Normally, only a few Xiantian lifeforms would come to watch. But today, many legendary figures had appeared. The ever-mysterious Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan, the foremost expert of the Western Prefecture, had actually come. The arrogant Fire God Ji Lie had also come!

Every one of the Ten Stewards had arrived. Not one was absent.

Because this was not just a simple Golden Sword Ceremony. More importantly… this was a trial battle for the heir to the Prefectural Lord position. If Ji Ning could win the Golden Sword, he would become the next Prefectural Lord. With such a momentous event at stake, it was only natural that virtually all the Xiantian lifeforms of the Western Prefecture were in attendance.

"Today is the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony." A clear, cold voice rang out. A long-haired woman, wreathed in a faint blue light, stood on the combat stage. "Now, I invite the eight youths to step onto the stage."

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

Eight figures leaped onto the combat stage in quick succession.

Ji Ning swept his gaze across the stage and noticed that the other seven opponents were almost all staring at him. It was clear that, being the only one among the top eight who had been directly slotted in without having to fight through the lower rounds, he had earned the enmity of these seven competitors.

"As if I wanted this!" Ji Ning curled his lip. Being directly designated as one of the top eight had been entirely Prefectural Lord Ji Youyang's decision. "But these seven are all really tall. Even the shortest girl there is at least one meter seventy. They're all a bit taller than me… and that big, stupid-looking one must be two meters thirty."

They were all youths, true, but they had all trained for years, and most were nearly sixteen years old. Only Ji Ning was ten, which naturally made him the smallest and most slender.

"You eight will fight one-on-one. The loser steps down, the victor remains. This will determine the top four. Then, we will decide the top two, and finally, the strongest." The long-haired woman spoke.

Ji Ning and the other seven youths listened attentively.

Suddenly—

"Stop!" An icy voice cut through the air.

The tens of thousands of watching tribal youths and citizens of the Western Prefecture City all turned to look. Even the long-haired woman frowned and turned around. She was, after all, a Xiantian lifeform of the Western Prefecture, and had only come to officiate on this final day. Who would interrupt at a time like this? As she turned her head, she saw a cold-faced man in white beast-hide clothing.

The long-haired woman trembled.

It was Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan.

"Lord Dripping Sword."

"Dripping Sword. Just standing there, he looks like a massive iceberg. I feel a chill in my heart just looking at him." Among the tens of thousands of onlookers, many had looks of excitement in their eyes. Every Xiantian lifeform was as mighty as a god or demon, but Ji Yichuan was the most dazzling existence on these lands, a figure of legend.

Seated, Ji Yichuan spoke coldly. "The final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony is meant to determine the strongest of these eight and award the Golden Sword. In my opinion… just let Ji Ning fight the other seven at once."

"One against seven?" The long-haired woman was stunned. "This… this…"

"What!"

"One against seven? The other seven are the most talented youths!"

"This!"

Shock rippled through the crowd.

Even Prefectural Lord Ji Youyang, seated beside Ji Yichuan, was slightly taken aback. The viper-like old man Ji Lie, seated on Ji Youyang's other side, let out a loud laugh. "Excellent! One against seven! Ji Ning is an extraordinarily talented youth of our Western Prefecture. Even if he fails, it will be a good tempering experience. But, Yichuan… if your son loses this one-against-seven battle, what then?"

"If he loses, he will, of course, admit defeat and forfeit the Golden Sword!" Ji Yichuan said indifferently.

"Good." Ji Lie nodded.

Ji Youyang looked at Ji Yichuan with a puzzled expression, then finally spoke. "Let it be as Yichuan has said."

"Yes, Prefectural Lord." Seeing that both major factions of the Western Prefecture had agreed, the long-haired woman had no choice but to nod. Privately, she could only sigh at Dripping Sword Ji Yichuan's extreme arrogance.

"You eight."

The long-haired woman looked at the eight youths. "Select your weapons from these. Once you have chosen… listen to my command. When I give the signal, Ji Ning will fight the seven of you. The battle will only end when Ji Ning is defeated, or when all seven of you are."

"Whoosh." The long-haired woman waved her hand, and a large pile of weapons appeared on the combat stage. There was a wide variety of weapons, all with one thing in common—they were unsharpened.

"Choose." The long-haired woman said.

Ji Ning and the other seven youths stepped forward and quickly selected their weapons. Ji Ning chose a tough, durable black longsword weighing about fifty jin.

Down below, the tens of thousands of onlookers buzzed with discussion. Many of them were seeing 'Dripping Sword' Ji Yichuan for the first time. They all felt that Ji Yichuan was like an eternal iceberg, sending chills down their spines. "Ji Yichuan is far too proud and aloof. Even towards his own son, he is this harsh. One against seven? Even if Ji Ning's strength truly surpasses the other seven, how can he possibly win when facing seven opponents at once?"

"This is insane."

"That Ji Ning is only ten years old, and his father is making him participate in the Golden Sword Ceremony, and even making him fight seven at once. Poor kid."

Many of the onlookers began to feel sympathy for Ji Ning. On the combat stage, he was the smallest and the youngest. He had a delicate, refined appearance. And his father was a famous, icy cold disciplinarian. They could easily imagine how harshly the boy had been trained by his father.

"Have you all chosen?" The long-haired woman looked at the eight youths.

Seven of them stood on one side of the stage, armed with curved sabers, long spears, straight sabers, or longswords. They all stared intently at Ji Ning.

On the other side stood Ji Ning, alone and isolated.

Ji Ning held his single sword, calmly watching his opponents.

"Since you have all chosen." The long-haired woman waved her hand, storing away the remaining pile of unsharpened weapons, and then said, "Begin."

The moment the words left her mouth.

Swish! Swish! Swish! The seven figures on one side of the stage shot forward simultaneously, charging straight at Ji Ning.