Ming Yi was a grudge-holding person. Since Ji Bozai said he wouldn’t care about her life or death, she decided not to care about him either. If he lived and continued to protect her, fine. If he died, so be it. After all, if he could die this time, he could die next time too. An unreliable patron was useless anyway.
Let him fight on his own.
She poured some peanuts into her mouth from a small dish and chewed with lowered eyes, not watching the arena.
One Zheng Tiao was already troublesome enough, let alone Bao Yuankui and Zuo Ping who would follow. Ji Bozai’s expression was grave as he hesitated for a moment before finally establishing his Netherworld Domain, which was purple bordering on black.
“You’ve progressed so quickly?” Zuo Ping frowned, muttering, “It was pure purple just yesterday.”
“You think he showed his true abilities yesterday?” Bao Yuankui snorted with a laugh. “If he didn’t hold back a little, what would he use to deal with the Six Cities Conference?”
Zheng Tiao, who had seen this color of Netherworld Domain at the conference earlier, immediately became excited. He materialized his purple qilin and charged towards Ji Bozai.
Ji Bozai focused intently on to counter, deflecting each of Zheng Tiao’s attacks one by one. Though victory was assured, he couldn’t avoid suffering some flesh wounds.
“Zheng Tiao truly lives up to his reputation as a martial fanatic. During his absence, he must have been studying how to deal with Ji Bozai.”
“His techniques are seasoned, excelling in experience. Ji Bozai will have to suffer a bit at his hands.”
As blood splattered and the qilin roared, Shu Zhonglin and others on the platform grew anxious. “Where are our Muxing City duelists? Are we just going to watch outsiders gang up on one of our own?”
Following his words, Ming Yi looked towards the main seats. Luo Jiaoyang, Chu He, and others were intently watching the arena but showed no intention of going down to help.
Knowing that the Grand Secretary had paved this path for Ji Bozai, it was understandable that they didn’t want to go down and help. There was nothing to criticize.
She turned her gaze back and continued eating the next dish.
Zheng Tiao was defeated, and Ji Bozai, covered in wounds, calmly faced Zuo Ping.
If yesterday’s Ji Bozai was an insurmountable mountain for Zuo Ping, today that mountain had crumbled by half. Zuo Ping was extremely excited, immediately using his ultimate move, willing to suffer a thousand cuts to inflict eight hundred on his opponent.
Ji Bozai responded with composure, his bloodied profile gleaming in the fierce midday sun, eliciting a wave of low exclamations from the women in the distance.
Ming Yi’s mouth twitched.
Still, trying to look cool in this state, did he think Bao Yuankui behind him was a pushover?
She didn’t think Ji Bozai would fall on Zuo Ping’s stage, but the following Bao Yuankui was truly unpredictable. Moreover, although Zuo Ping’s moves didn’t seem capable of winning, they could inflict more wounds on him. Facing Bao Yuankui with so many injuries wouldn’t be an easy task.
“Miss Ming,” Liang Xiuyuan suddenly spoke up, “Earlier, Bozai entered the arena to protect you. Now you just sit and watch?”
His tone was somewhat sarcastic. Ming Yi smiled good-naturedly, “My Lord, as his brother and with decent Yuan Power yourself, you’re sitting here watching. Why should I, a mere woman, be anxious?”
“Weren’t you just speaking so eloquently earlier?” He sneered, “I thought you knew about Yuan Power.”
Was he upset with her because of Xu Tianji?
Ming Yi shook her head, clicking her tongue, “One should have brothers like you, My Lord. Considerate and reliable.”
Liang Xiuyuan’s face darkened. “You…”
Shu Zhonglin held him back, exasperated. “I see that woman has bewitched you. What are you doing bothering Miss Ming at such a crucial moment?”
“I just feel it’s unfair to Tianji,” Liang Xiuyuan lowered his eyes. “If she were here, she would surely find a way to save Bozai, not sit here stuffing her face like this person.”
“Her way of helping…” Ming Yi raised an eyebrow, “Standing in the arena reciting ‘The Duelist’s Manual’?”
“Ming Yi!”
“I’m right here,” she smiled mockingly. “My Lord, with such a temper, your moves must be fierce. Why don’t you go down and face Bao Yuankui? You could also share some of the burden for Lord Ji.”
Liang Xiuyuan was so angry he clenched his fists. What woman was as sharp-tongued as her? He was, after all, Ji Bozai’s friend, yet she showed no restraint in offending him.
“If you can’t help, just stay quiet,” she said coolly, turning back to watch the arena. “You’re affecting his ability to judge positions by sound.”
Zuo Ping’s wind blades came from all directions, too fast for anyone to react. Ji Bozai could only rely on his hearing to judge their origin, thickening his shield in that direction by two parts to conserve Yuan Power as much as possible.
Just as he was about to defeat Zuo Ping, Season Qing, who had been recuperating on the side, suddenly propped himself up and made a move. His blue-green Yuan Power formed into a long spear, fiercely stabbing towards an angle Ji Bozai hadn’t guarded.
“Sneak attack!” the spectators cried out.
This shout blurred Ji Bozai’s perception of the hidden weapon’s direction and sound, delaying his reaction for a moment. By the time he turned to see the long spear, its tip was already near his lower back.
A streak of earth-gray Yuan Power flew in from somewhere, striking the long spear hard. The razor-sharp spear instantly dissipated into a cloud of blue-green smoke.
Ji Bozai was stunned and looked towards Ming Yi’s direction.
Ming Yi was lowering her head, eating her food with great concentration, not looking at him at all.
Was it an illusion? Ji Bozai came to his senses and continued to deal with Zuo Ping.
Although Season Qing’s behavior was despicable, it didn’t violate the rules. The arena was a place where blades and swords showed no mercy. With this precedent set, those on the sidelines who didn’t dare to enter the arena but didn’t want Ji Bozai to win began to take action successively.
“Despicable! Unworthy of being called duelists!” Luo Jiaoyang couldn’t stand it anymore. He slammed the table and flew into the arena, blocking these hidden weapons for Ji Bozai one by one.
Chu He hesitated for a moment before following suit.
Disliking Ji Bozai was one thing, but this was still Muxing City’s territory. There was no reason to let others take advantage like this.
However, even with them joining, there weren’t enough people to guard all directions. Some gaps were bound to be exploited. In a moment of distraction, Luo Jiaoyang saw a purple lotus blade flying towards Ji Bozai from the side.
He reached out, about to intervene, when a streak of earth-yellow Yuan Power instantly arrived, shattering the lotus blade.
The purple fragments glittered in the sunlight. Ji Bozai glanced back at him and said in a low voice, “Thank you.”
Luo Jiaoyang blushed slightly. It wasn’t he who had saved Ji Bozai, but the situation was too urgent to explain. He could only grit his teeth and continue blocking other attacks.
“Now this looks more like it,” the Celestial Official stood beside the Grand Secretary, watching and nodding slightly. “The Six Cities Conference will ultimately rely on several people working together.”
The Grand Secretary was also quite pleased but still had a slight regret: “Bozai lacks experience and needs more practice. Back in the day, the Ming family’s legitimate son won against numerous experts single-handedly.”
“The Ming family’s heir was trained from childhood. Lord Ji is self-taught. We can’t compare them like that,” the Celestial Official smiled. “But given time, he will surely be able to lead our Muxing City to prosperity.”
The massive Yuan Power impact stirred up the surrounding sand and dust, forcing everyone to raise their sleeves to shield themselves. When they looked again, Zuo Ping had already been defeated.
Ji Bozai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and faced the next opponent, his eyes showing even more interest: “Lord Bao, please enlighten me.”