Chapter Twenty-Nine: The First Battle (Part One)

"Ji Mo, as fellow disciples, by age I am your elder, and in cultivation I am two ranks above you. Even if I scold you a few times, there's nothing wrong with that. Yet you are so unyielding, so defiant, with no respect for your seniors. Apologize to me immediately, or else..." Zhong Yao stepped forward, forcing herself close to Ji Mo, staring at her coldly as she spoke.

"And if I refuse to apologize?" Ji Mo raised an eyebrow.

"Then we'll settle this with our fists. If you manage to beat me, I'll apologize to you. But if you can't defeat me..." Senior Sister Zhong snorted.

"Oh, so it's a fight to decide who's superior. You could've said so sooner." Ji Mo replied, a hint of amusement in her tone. Perhaps it was because she had been stifled for too long, but upon hearing Zhong Yao's words, a surge of excitement she could not restrain welled up within her. She longed to leap forward and have a proper brawl. Odd, she wasn't usually one for combat. Why this sudden craving for battle?

"Very well, Ji Mo, you do have guts. Let's settle this on the Duel Platform!" Zhong Yao almost choked on her words, glaring fiercely at Ji Mo before turning on her heel and striding toward the platform.

On Task Peak, there was a Duel Platform, set upon an open space a thousand meters from the Task Hall, designed to resolve grudges among disciples. The sect strictly forbade private fights, but permitted fair, contractual duels on the platform.

Of course, the platform was mostly for lower-ranked disciples. If foundation or pill condensing cultivators wished to duel, they had to go to Martial Peak, where several large platforms stood. The grand sect competitions, held every twenty years, took place there.

Ji Mo, eager for a fight, would not back down. As soon as Zhong Yao moved, she followed closely. Many disciples, seeing this, trailed behind them toward the platform—some had entered the sect alongside Ji Mo and Zhong Yao, others belonged to the previous intake, but all were cultivators in the Qi Refining realm.

The love of spectacle is human nature, and cultivators are no exception. Ji Mo and Zhong Yao were both figures of much discussion among the newcomers, so their duel attracted even more interest. In no time, over a hundred people surged toward the Duel Platform along with them. Ji Mo herself was no stranger to gossip; discussions about her had always been a source of amusement among the new disciples of Moonward Sect.

As for Zhong Yao, she too was an outstanding presence among this year's new disciples. Upon entering the sect, she was taken as a personal disciple by the Grand Elder of Sword Spirit Peak. Her status there was just a shade below that of Mu Baiyun, who had been accepted by the Sect Master himself. She hailed from an eighth-grade cultivation family in Xianfeng County, and was nineteen years old.

Gifted from a young age, she was doted upon in her clan. Yet, upon arriving at Moonward Sect, before even officially entering, she'd been overshadowed by Ji Mo; after joining Sword Spirit Sect, she was again surpassed by Su Baiyun. This proud and ambitious girl had long harbored a smoldering fire within her. Now, facing Ji Mo's provocation, she only wished to teach her a harsh lesson.

Ji Mo knew nothing of Zhong Yao's inner turmoil, nor would she have cared if she did. She disliked comparisons and could not grasp Zhong Yao's mindset. But she was not the type to be bullied—she would not suffer insults or blows without retaliation. Her temperament was somewhat lazy and free-spirited, but that did not mean she enjoyed being trampled. If left alone, she was amiable enough; but if someone made her unhappy, she would make them even more so.

More importantly, every cell in her body now cried out for battle. As for fighting, Ji Mo lacked experience—her childhood before the age of five didn't count, and after three years of dullness, she finally regained clarity and entered Moonward Sect. In the six years since, her strength made opportunities for combat rare.

All told, her fourteen years of life had afforded her no real combat experience. Yet, upon hearing Zhong Yao's challenge, a wild excitement rose within her bones!

One carried a belly full of anger, the other was consumed with the urge to fight. As soon as both stepped onto the Duel Platform, they hadn't yet exchanged blows, but the battle intent in their eyes sparked countless flames in the air.

"Ji Mo, don't say I'm bullying you because I'm older. I'll give you three moves to start—make your move." Zhong Yao watched Ji Mo coldly, wishing she could charge forward and force Ji Mo to beg for mercy, but to display her magnanimity, she restrained herself, showing the demeanor of a senior.

"Is there any wager for this duel?" Ji Mo was in no hurry, fixing her gaze on Zhong Yao as she spoke.

"You... what wager do you want?" Zhong Yao's brows arched, barely able to contain her anger.

"You have contribution points, don't you? How about each of us putting up a hundred points as the stake?" Ji Mo's gaze shifted slightly.

A hundred contribution points—not much, but not a trifle either. For disciples at their cultivation level, each task earned at most a few dozen points. Ji Mo's identity token held over nine hundred, but those had been given by Lei Wei. This was her first real fight, and she knew little of Zhong Yao's abilities, so she felt no certainty of victory. She reasoned that if she lost, she couldn't afford to lose too many of her master's points, so she set a wager she could accept.

"Fine, a hundred it is." Zhong Yao sneered, accepting without hesitation. Why refuse contribution points offered up so easily? She had only broken through to the fifth level of Qi Refining half a year ago, completed three tasks, and earned just over forty points. With what her master gave her, her token held fewer than two hundred points.

Her master, though Grand Elder of the main peak, was not as wealthy as Lei Wei, and had more than one newly accepted disciple. To be given two hundred points was already a sign of considerable favor.

"Good. Please let the referee witness this." Ji Mo turned to the referee standing outside the circle. This referee was a foundation cultivator; he had appeared as soon as the two stepped onto the platform. Ji Mo and Zhong Yao were both notable figures—their duel was not an issue, but if it ended in serious injury or death, it would become a major affair.

"Very well. Ji Mo and Zhong Yao will duel, with one hundred sect contribution points wagered. The winner will receive the points, and neither party may renege." The referee nodded, publicly announcing the agreement and thereby sanctioning their wager.

"Hey, Wang Shu, how about we open a bet? Let's wager on which senior sister will win." A few disciples on the platform whispered together, the referee ignoring their side bets, which were commonplace during such duels.

Ji Mo, however, gave the audience little time to place their bets. As soon as the referee's announcement fell, she called out, "Take this!" and shot toward Zhong Yao like a cannonball.