Xiao Ran fell into step beside Shu Yue as they left the Sparring Ground. He politely took her bamboo stick and then pulled out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve. Shu Yue smiled behind her mask as Xiao Ran wiped the remains of Dishan's blood from her weapon.

"Congratulations, Young Mistress, you did very well in that match," Xiao Ran said as he handed her the bamboo stick back.

"Thank you, Xiao Ran," Shu Yue said softly.

"He was a skilled fighter, that Dishan," Xiao Ran noted. "But he relies solely on brute force, which is why Young Mistress is a hundred times better warrior than him."

Shu Yue giggled softly. "You flatter me too much, Xiao Ran."

Xiao Ran smiled, his golden slanted eyes gleaming like antique jewelry. Then, as if recalling something unpleasant, his face wrinkled in a scowl.

"That impudent human, he even said you're fragile! Has he no shame? You picked the right part of him to injure; his eyes were clearly in need of repair."

"But it wasn't entirely his fault; he simply fell into my trap, which is a good thing, so you don't have to be upset."

Xiao Ran just shrugged.

Xiao Ran had been Shu Yue's assigned bodyguard since she was six years old. He was five years older than she was. He was a hybrid of a fox spirit and a human.

Shu Yue looked at the bamboo stick. It was long and light, and had been crafted with fine elegance. Gently wrapping her fingers around it, she sent chi to the weapon. In a fraction of a second, a gap appeared between the handle and what now seemed to be a sheath. Though it looked like an ordinary bamboo, it was anything but. It wouldn't be easily damaged, broken, or even scratched. And with just the right amount of chi, the wielder of this weapon could unveil the sharp secret it hid.

Slowly, she removed the cover and revealed a slightly curved, single-edged sword. Sunlight glinted on the naked blade. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the sword. The feeling of the cold metal against her skin ignited her spirit. She sheathed the sword and rested her hand on the upper edge of the bamboo scabbard where Dishan's blood had once been.

She never unsheathed her sword during the match because she promised her father and late mother that she would only draw the sword if her opponent deserved it. Because once she unsheathed her sword, she would ensure that no life was spared.

This sword was their weapon of vengeance. She knew it was made specifically for that because her mother, a genius blacksmith, was the one who crafted it. Shu Liang, her father, said that she gave it to him before she died. However, Shu Liang handed the sword over to Shu Yue on her fourth birthday, the same day he gave up his swordsmanship for an unknown reason. So that responsibility had been passed down to her, which she gladly accepted and turned into her ultimate goal in life.

She would be the Ophiuchus Clan's sharpest blade, the one who would restore honor to their name.

"How much did we win today?" Shu Yue questioned as they passed through an arch. They walked down the bustling street lined with taverns, shops, and teahouses. Carts squeaked along the road. Vendors and buyers shouted in the markets.

Xiao Ran heaved a sigh, and Shu Yue heard a chink of coins as he pulled out a sack of silver taels from his chest under his white robe.

"Sixty taels of silver," Xiao Ran answered, looking at the bag of silver taels on his palm. "Strangely, I wasn't the only one who bet on you."

"What?" Shu Yue blurted out, surprised. Strange, she thought. She never expected anyone else to bet on her besides Xiao Ran.

Since Dishan began participating at the Sparring Ground last week, he always won. He became the public's favorite, and every spectator would always place their bet on him. So since last week, no one left empty-handed. That's why Shu Yue assumed no one would bet on her because her opponent was the undefeated Dishan.

But she was wrong. It seemed like someone saw through her deception. Or maybe he was just one lucky bastard.

"He looks strange. He's wearing a white robe with a gold belt, and he doesn't have the Ophiuchus Clan's emblem." Xiao Ran shoved the bag of gold back inside his robe. "And he looked nonchalant even when the sparring ended, as if he had expected it. But what confused me the most was that, despite wearing a gold belt, I couldn't sense his aura at all. I think he's very suspicious."

"Which means he wasn't a resident here, nor a disciple of the Ophiuchus Clan," Shu Yue said, frowning.

A gold belt? So he's an outsider? If he was from another clan, this could be a problem.

For someone who was always present at the sparring ground, Shu Yue had never seen someone wearing a gold belt. If there was a disciple like that, she should have noticed him already. Because there had been no young disciples in the current generation of the Ophiuchus Clan who had earned a gold belt since their fall. The clan leader, her father, never awarded anyone with a gold belt during every Rank Ceremony.

As far as Shu Yue knew, no member of the Ophiuchus Clan at present possessed a gold belt or had reached the Saint rank, not even in the records.

"Unfortunately, he left immediately after the money was distributed, so I didn't have the opportunity to speak with him."

"Which means he didn't want to be known," Shu Yue said. "I have a feeling we'll run into this guy sooner or later, and by then, I'll decide whether or not he should be eliminated."

If this mysterious man was really an outsider and a gold belt bearer, then he was a threat. But if he was a spy from another clan, that meant he was terrible at his job. He couldn't be that careless, could he? Unless Shu Yue was wrong and she was just being paranoid. But if Xiao Ran thought he was suspicious, it was enough to make her suspicious as well.

Shu Yue's brows tightly knitted as she concentrated on her thoughts.

Lu Baiyu hosting a sparring competition with the soul-binding scroll as a prize and the mysterious man with a gold belt appearing on the sparring ground for the first time and betting on her wasn't a coincidence, was it?

As Shu Yue pondered about the mysterious bettor, she sensed a tremendous chi radiating from behind them. It immediately alerted her mind to strengthen her guard. Her pace slowed as she tightened her grip on her sword. Despite the fact that a threat was lurking behind them, she maintained her calm demeanor, as though unaware of any dangers.

"Xiao Ran," Shu Yue called in a quiet voice.

"I know," Xiao Ran whispered back. "We're being followed. Warriors."

"I'm sensing a great amount of chi, which indicates that there are about ten warriors," Shu Yue observed. "I have no doubt they are one of Dishan's bettors, or more accurately, Dishan's subordinate."

Xiao Ran frowned. "Springbear warriors?"

Shu Yue tapped a finger on her bamboo stick and nodded. "Yeah. I knew this would happen; I know they'll come after me for this soul-binding scroll."

"I see; they need it for Dishan, the rising warrior from their tribe who seems to have great potential."

Shu Yue cracked a smile. "Ah, you're still as sharp as ever."

Xiao Ran cleared his throat. "Well, I have to keep up with Young Mistress."

Dishan must be aiming to join the army in this upcoming season of military recruitment, Shu Yue thought as she closed her eyes, feeling the wind around her and sensing the aura it brought with it.

The recruitment event, which was held once every four years, was fast approaching, so disciples were desperately preparing. They wanted to impress the officials in the hopes of being accepted and gaining a position in the courts, where they could learn high-level martial arts and spells. Therefore, every disciple aspired to join the army.

Acquiring a spirit beast was no ordinary feat. It was a great accomplishment for both the warriors and the magi. A spirit beast would be a disciple's most loyal and powerful ally, so having a beast companion was thought to be a huge advantage. However, the only way to obtain a powerful spirit beast was to use a soul-binding scroll, which was equally hard to acquire. It was a very rare and expensive item that worth a thousand gold taels.

That was why Shu Yue knew she wouldn't be able to leave in peace after the sparring match.

Well, who can blame them for being desperate? I am, too.

Shu Yue sighed and spun around to face the threat behind them. Xiao Ran followed suit. But there was no one there, except for a few pedestrians.

"Show yourselves!" Shu Yue bellowed.

One after another, the warriors hiding in the narrow space between buildings emerged like assassins. There were six men and four women, and they all wore silver robes. None of them were older than their mid-twenties. Their sharp eyes harbored killing intent.

Xiao Ran stepped forward, ready to defend Shu Yue against any incoming attacks. He looked at them with cold, merciless eyes, looking like a beast primed and ready to pounce on its prey should they harm his master. His demeanor was diametrically opposed to Shu Yue's, who looked calm and gentle, almost harmless. But the warriors barely glanced at him, as though he wasn't even there.

"Hand us over the soul-binding scroll, and we'll leave you alone!" exclaimed the tallest woman, standing ahead of her allies. She seemed to be acting like a leader now that Dishan was in such bad shape.

"Why would I hand over something I own?" Shu Yue asked in an innocent voice.

The female warrior gritted her teeth. Her killing aura intensified, and her chi began to stir. She looked even more fierce and menacing than before. Her incredible display of bravado and ferocity was commendable. It elicited fear from everyone, forcing them to be cautious.

But Shu Yue only found her fierceness entertaining.

"I'm sorry, but I need this item too," said Shu Yue in that nonchalant voice of hers.

The woman's face darkened with rage.

Xiao Ran raised his palm as a warning. "Step back! If any harm comes to her I will not hesitate to kill you!"

One guy laughed mockingly at Xiao Ran. "A half-beast acting like a bodyguard? What a weakling like you gonna do? Growl? Stand aside if you don't wish to be a hindrance to your master."

Shu Yue tapped a hand on Xiao Ran's shoulder as she stepped beside him.

"How about this?" Shu Yue said in a calm voice, and the warriors all looked at her. "Would you like a rematch? But this time, it's me against all of you."

Their eyes widened in surprise.

"H-how arrogant!" exclaimed one man as he glared at Shu Yue. "Don't be so full of yourself just because you defeated Dishan!"

The leader lifted a hand to silence her companion and smirked, her dark eyes blazing with a fierce fire as she looked at Shu Yue. "Sure. I will break that mask of yours and reveal the face of the coward hiding behind it!"

The woman looked so confident. Shu Yue studied her for a moment. She had a high amount of internal energy compared to her companions--compared to Shu Yue. When Shu Yue's eyes landed on the purple sash tied around the woman's waist, a slow, utterly wicked smile spread over her lips.

Ah, she's an A-rank warrior. No wonder she's so daring. Let me change that expression.

"Charge!" the fierce leader bellowed.