Chapter Thirty-Three: Victory Without Battle

Li Sibai woke early the next day. After breakfast, he glanced at the front hall to check the results of the previous day's matches. Today would see the quarterfinals, and it was his first time stepping onto the stage.

Arriving at the martial arena ahead of time, Li Sibai waited patiently for his opponent. The place was already crowded; many disciples had gathered early, eager for the day’s contests to begin.

He overheard two nearby disciples chatting idly and, with nothing better to do, listened for a while.

"Did you hear? One of the competitors who advanced last night got injured."

"No way, someone’s already hurt after just the first round?"

"Did you place a bet? The top eight have been decided, and I heard the favorite for this year’s exam is a disciple named Qin Feng."

"You’re rooting for Qin Feng too? I put fifty Xuantian Jade-Clearing Pills on him."

"Come on, Brother De, Qin Feng's odds are so low—there’s no real profit even if he wins. Is there any quick way to make money? I really need it."

"Well, you could bet on Shi Tou. He’s got the second-best odds, and he’s not in the same bracket as Qin Feng; they’ll only meet in the final, so you might have a shot."

The other man hesitated for a moment before making up his mind.

"Brother De, I still think his odds are too low," he said.

Brother De glanced at him. "Old Five, are you in debt again?"

"You know me, Brother De—I just can’t control myself."

"Hmph, people like you should be thrown off the mountain; you don’t deserve to stay in the Xuantian Sword Sect," Brother De muttered, frustrated, though he was a gambler himself.

"Come on, Brother De, don’t be like that. Show me the way, and I’ll repay you someday."

Brother De thought for a moment, then said,

"Do you know who has the highest odds in this tournament?"

"I heard it’s a guy named Li Sibai, supposedly an outer sect good-for-nothing," Old Five replied, his face twisting as if he’d guessed something.

"Then put all your remaining money on him to win first place. Odds are one to a hundred right now. If he wins, you’ll make it all back; if he loses, pack your things and leave before the debt collectors come."

Old Five seemed to expect this advice from Brother De. He wasn’t willing at first, clearly lacking confidence in Li Sibai. But after a moment’s thought, he gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and said,

"Alright, Brother De, I’ll do as you say. Let’s hope he brings me luck this time." With that, he took his last five Xuantian Jade-Clearing Pills and walked toward a disciple taking bets.

The Xuantian Sword Sect forbade gambling among disciples; these betting operations were run secretly by those from influential families, who skimmed commissions from the wagers.

Li Sibai shook his head and smiled wryly. Sorry to disappoint you, Old Five, he thought. Even I don’t believe I can win first place; looks like you’ll be leaving the mountain soon.

By now, the match was about to begin.

Suddenly, a commotion swept through the crowd. In the distance, a tall figure approached—it was none other than today’s opponent, Guang Tai.

Guang Tai’s expression was strained and pained, something Li Sibai found odd.

Guang Tai staggered up to Elder Yun Fei, the examiner for the day, bowed, and said,

"Elder Yun Fei, my recovery after yesterday’s match has been poor. I am not yet fully healed and feel unable to compete today. I have come to inform you—I wish to withdraw."

His voice was not loud, and the surrounding noise meant only a few nearby heard him clearly.

Yun Fei looked surprised.

"Guang Tai, are you sure? If you withdraw, you’ll have to wait a whole year."

Guang Tai straightened his clothes, nodded, and replied, "Thank you for your reminder, Elder Yun Fei. I lack the strength and must focus on training to try again next year." With that, he turned and left without a backward glance.

Li Sibai did not hear what Guang Tai and Yun Fei said. On the opposite side of the platform, he waited patiently for Guang Tai’s arrival, but instead received news of his opponent’s withdrawal. He couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions.

"What’s going on today? Another victory without a fight—when luck comes, nothing can stand in its way!" he thought.

When Elder Yun Fei announced Guang Tai’s withdrawal, the disciples below began to talk among themselves:

"I said someone would drop out, but I never expected Guang Tai. Otherwise, I’d have lost everything."

"Honestly, he’s so weak—didn’t even dare to challenge, just surrendered outright. Truly a disgrace to the outer sect!"

"Wait, another outer sect good-for-nothing actually made it to the semifinals. Ha! The outer sect’s strength really is lacking this year. Even the useless ones can reach the top four. Next year, who knows how many will sign up?"

"No way! Li Sibai made it to the semifinals too? His luck is just incredible! He hasn’t even fought once and is already in the top four."

"I bet his luck ends here. What are the odds now? Whoa, one to two hundred! Ha, just as expected!"

Li Sibai listened quietly to his fellow disciples’ conversations, uncertain how to feel. On one hand, he was glad to advance to the next round; on the other, he hadn’t displayed any strength and was the subject of gossip and ridicule, leaving him somewhat disheartened.

Since this match had been canceled, the crowd shifted their attention to another platform, where a contest was in progress—the lower bracket’s battle, featuring the tournament’s favorite Qin Feng against an unknown female disciple.

Qin Feng showed no mercy. His palms moved swiftly, his fingers as quick as the wind, using a palm technique he’d learned somewhere that conjured gusts as he struck. The female disciple dared not take him lightly; she couldn’t get close and could only dodge at the edge of the platform.

In less than half a stick of incense’s time, Qin Feng had knocked her off the stage and claimed victory.

Thunderous applause erupted; cheers filled the air. Most had likely bet on Qin Feng and were now elated.

The elders watching at the edge of the field nodded in approval, clearly impressed by Qin Feng’s display of skill.

Qin Feng thanked his fellow disciples for their praise, bowed, and left the stage.

Thus, with the first two matches concluded, two had advanced to the semifinals: Qin Feng and Li Sibai.

The next two quarterfinal battles were about to begin.