The Grand Sect Tournament opened with fanfare—gongs echoing across the mountains, colorful flags snapping in the wind, and thousands of disciples packed into the massive central arena. Ling Qinghe stood with the Azure Cloud outer disciples, Ninebro perched proudly on his shoulder like a golden general.
"Bro, this is bigger than any esports final I've ever seen," Ling Qinghe muttered, adjusting his sleeves. His newly boosted E-rank qi felt a little less pathetic, but he was still relying heavily on vibes and fox support.
System: Tournament Round 1 begins: Group survival melee in the Illusionary Battle Realm. Last 50 teams advance. Hidden bosses and treasures inside. Watch out for Mo Xuan—he's definitely scouting you, Host. Romance radar pinging hard.
The Azure Cloud team was a four-man squad plus fox: Ling Qinghe, Gu Xichen, Huo Yan, and Ye Tianlan. Mo Xuan's Eclipse Valley group was assigned to an adjacent starting zone, which felt anything but coincidental.
As the portal to the Illusionary Realm opened, Mo Xuan passed by their group. His crimson-streaked hair swayed as he offered Ling Qinghe a slow, predatory smile. "Try not to get eaten by illusions, little beauty. I'd hate to lose such entertaining company so early."
Gu Xichen's ice qi flared coldly. Huo Yan cracked his knuckles with sparks of flame. Ye Tianlan's sword hummed. Ling Qinghe just waved cheerfully. "See you inside, Dark Bro! Don't forget to eat something spicy—it improves mood."
Ninebro yipped and tried to follow Mo Xuan again before Ling Qinghe grabbed his tails.
Inside the realm, the landscape shifted into misty forests, ancient ruins, and glowing treasure spots. Teams scattered immediately. Their group moved together, but rival disciples were everywhere.
First obstacle: A swarm of illusionary shadow beasts.
Huo Yan took the lead with explosive flames, clearing wide paths. "Stay behind me, Snowhair!"
Gu Xichen created ice barriers to shield Ling Qinghe from flanking attacks, his hand occasionally brushing Ling Qinghe's back protectively. "Focus on conserving your qi."
Ye Tianlan danced through the beasts with elegant sword strikes, occasionally pulling Ling Qinghe out of danger with a gentle tug on his sleeve. "Careful. These illusions target the mind."
Mo Xuan's voice suddenly echoed from a nearby ridge as his group clashed with another team. "Not bad, Qinghe. Your guardians are working hard." His laughter carried on the wind, dark and teasing.
Ling Qinghe, in true fashion, contributed by throwing spirit fruit cores as distractions and using his storage ring to drop random items (including an empty ramen cup) that tripped shadow beasts. Ninebro created golden chaos, nipping and glowing to break illusions.
During a brief rest near a glowing treasure spring, the four MLs surrounded Ling Qinghe in a protective circle while he caught his breath.
"You're drawing too much attention," Gu Xichen said quietly, brushing a stray petal from Ling Qinghe's white hair. His steel eyes held a rare softness mixed with worry.
Huo Yan grinned but ruffled Ling Qinghe's hair a bit possessively. "Yeah, but he looks good doing it. Still, stick closer to us."
Ye Tianlan offered him a small vial of qi-replenishing liquid, his fingers lingering against Ling Qinghe's when handing it over. "Your spirit is strong. But please don't push yourself too hard."
Before Ling Qinghe could respond with his usual "Thanks, bros," Mo Xuan appeared from the shadows of a ruined pillar, having slipped away from his own group. He leaned casually against stone, eyes gleaming with dark amusement as he watched the protective huddle.
"Four guardians for one beautiful flower? How greedy," Mo Xuan drawled, voice like velvet over steel. He stepped closer, ignoring the rising tension from the others. "Though I can't blame them. You shine brighter than any treasure here, Qinghe."
Ling Qinghe felt his cheeks warm under the intense, multi-directional attention. "You guys are all acting weird today. Is this tournament stress or…?"
Ninebro happily abandoned the group to rub against Mo Xuan's leg, earning a deep chuckle and head scratches from the disguised Demon Lord.
System: Jealousy levels rising across all routes. Mo Xuan's interest: "Intrigued + Dangerous Fascination." He's suppressing his true aura, but your presence is making it harder. Cute.
A massive illusionary boss—a towering phantom dragon—chose that moment to appear, drawn by the gathering qi. The fight turned chaotic. Flames roared, ice spread, swords flashed, and Mo Xuan joined in with shadowy tendrils that dissolved the phantom's attacks with eerie efficiency.
Ling Qinghe supported from the middle, directing Ninebro for maximum distraction while occasionally yelling gamer advice: "Aim for the weak spots, bros! It's glowing like a loot pinata!"
In the heat of battle, Mo Xuan suddenly pulled Ling Qinghe behind him when a claw nearly struck, one arm wrapping briefly around his waist. "Not today," he murmured close to Ling Qinghe's ear, sending a shiver down his spine. The touch carried hidden demonic warmth that strangely complemented Ling Qinghe's qi.
Gu Xichen froze the claw solid in response. Huo Yan incinerated it. Ye Tianlan severed it cleanly.
The boss fell. Their team secured a valuable treasure orb.
As the first round neared its end, the group emerged victorious. Mo Xuan lingered a moment longer, brushing invisible dust from Ling Qinghe's shoulder with surprising gentleness. "Until the next round, little beauty. Try not to let them monopolize you."
He vanished into the crowd with a wink.
Ling Qinghe stood there, heart beating faster than after any fight, surrounded by three (now very tense) protectors and the lingering scent of shadows and spice.
"Bro… I think the difficulty just spiked again," he said, laughing weakly as Ninebro yipped in agreement.
System: Round 1 cleared! Rewards incoming. New Title: "Flower Surrounded by Wolves (and One Dragon)." The real tournament—and real feelings—are just beginning.
End of Chapter 14