“It is time,” Master Guoqiang declared as the sun reached its zenith above the emerald-colored forest.

  Ishin finished the last of his basic spear stances, his muscles warm and qi replenished. He had spent all of yesterday and the morning restoring his strength. The aches in his body remained, but they were now bearable. His arms—nearly limp after the beating Lei Yun had given him—were heavily bruised but functional. He could grip his spear with full dexterity.

  “Very well.” Ishin looked across the earthen-hewn forest floor at his opponent. Yan was still bound to the same thick pine, the water gag sealed firmly in place. Deep shadows hung beneath her eyes. He doubted she had slept at all.

  Zhu Rhee stepped beside him. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” He saw the uncertainty in her face and offered a confident smile. “Don’t worry. My qi is back, and I have a plan to deal with her fire technique.”

  “That’s a relief,” Zhu Rhee said, visibly relaxing. “I wasn’t sure how you were going to overcome her range without your lightning bolt technique.”

  “Like I said, don’t worry about it.” He spun his spear once with a flourish. “She doesn’t have the element of surprise this time, so it’ll be easy.”

  “Come over here, Disciple Zhu Rhee,” Master Guoqiang called out from where he stood against a pine tree fifty feet away.

  Zhu Rhee studied Ishin one last time. “Good.” A teasing smile curved her lips. “But don’t get complacent. I expect you to not just win here, but also during the team selection process. Consider this your practice test.”

  Ishin rolled his eyes. “I appreciate your confidence, Senior Sister.”

  “Disciple Zhu Rhee,” Master Guoqiang repeated, sharper now.

  “We’ll speak again soon,” she said, heading toward the Master.

  As Ishin watched her leave, he silently hoped for that chance. In truth, he didn’t have a real method for countering Yan’s ranged fire technique. He had no defensive techniques and knew how rapidly the Iron Mantis could cast her spells. His only “plan” was to close the distance fast and dodge the Ember Darts as best he could.

  Maybe my improved qi cycling will be enough.

  “How will this work, Master?” Ishin asked, planting his spear against the ground.

  “I’ll set up a barrier around the two of you,” Master Guoqiang explained. “Then I’ll release the girl. You may fight once she’s free.”

  Yan glared at him but didn’t struggle. She’d abandoned that tactic sometime late last night and accepted her fate.

  “Understood.”

  Master Guoqiang said nothing more. He extended his hands, palms down, and water began to swirl around the clearing. Lifting his arms, he conjured a circular wall of liquid, enclosing both Ishin and Yan. The barrier formed a space about half the size of a dueling platform.

  Less distance to close, Ishin thought. Good.

  Moments later, the water restraining Yan splashed to the ground. She spat and gasped for air, crouching low as she sucked in desperate breaths. Ishin considered rushing her then—Master Guoqiang hadn’t forbidden it—but striking while she was still recovering felt dishonorable.

  After nearly a minute, Yan rose on shaky legs. “I’m surprised you didn’t kill me immediately.”

  “I’m not a coward like you,” Ishin replied. “If we have to fight to the death, let’s face each other directly.”

  “Honorable words for a murderer,” she snapped.

  He was growing tired of that accusation. “I am sorry for what happened to your brother and your friends,” he said, gesturing toward the two corpses outside the barrier. “But your brother attacked me first. Now you’ve harmed innocent people just for revenge.” He raised his spear. “This ends now.”

  “How right you are.”

  There was no formal start to the duel. Flames ignited in both of Yan’s hands, and Ishin charged. Cycling qi through his leg meridians, he surged forward—fifteen feet covered in a second.

  Within three seconds, the first Ember Dart flew toward him.

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  He ducked just in time, the heat grazing the top of his head. The second dart, trailing closely behind, was aimed at his chest. Ishin leapt sideways, avoiding it, but his forward momentum halted. The fireball struck the water wall behind him, erupting in a burst of steam.

  I can’t afford to get hit—if I do, it’s over.

  Still forty feet away, he pushed forward. But Yan had taken advantage of the pause. Two more darts shot at him, angled toward opposite sides of his torso. She was trying to herd him. Ishin jumped left again, evading, but was stopped once more.

  Then a dart struck his right shoulder.

  When did she fire that?!

  Pain erupted through his arm as his robes were seared away. He gritted his teeth, steadying his mind for what was to come. Another volley of Ember Darts flew toward him, but this time he ducked behind a wide tree trunk.

  “Hiding! Now who’s the coward?” Yan taunted.

  Ishin panted, sweat and pain dampening his brow.

  Only thirty feet away. Should I charge again?

  She’s fast—too fast.

  A blast of heat slammed into the tree, sending splinters flying. A second followed shortly after.

  “Are you going to stay there forever?”

  Must be nice to use your techniques more than once. This would be so much easier if I could just use Pale Azure Force Lightning Strike.

  A third Ember Dart struck the tree.

  Focus!

  Ishin scanned the area and spotted another thick pine twelve feet away. He bolted toward it. A fire dart streaked past behind him. Though the new tree wasn’t on a straight path to Yan, it allowed him to advance diagonally while keeping cover.

  Twenty-five feet.

  Two more darts crashed into the tree behind him. How is her qi reserve still going? Is this normal? Or is she just that gifted?

  He found another tree and moved again. And again. Every time he sprinted forward, Yan launched a new barrage. Every time, she missed.

  Behind the sixth tree, a dart scorched the edge of his robe.

  Ten feet now. I can make it.

  “Stop hiding!” she shouted.

  “Fine!” Ishin lunged from behind the tree.

  Yan conjured another round of Ember Darts. Ishin pushed qi into his legs and leapt. As she raised her arms to fire, he closed the gap and drove his spear into her abdomen. The blade burst through her back.

  Blood sprayed from her mouth. The fire in her hands vanished. Ishin roared as he carried her backward until the spear pinned her to a pine tree. Her limp body sagged along the weapon.

  He stared up at her—skewered and shaking. Blood dripped from her lips as she reached weakly for the spear shaft.

  “Murderer,” she hissed.

  Ishin twisted the spear. She gasped.

  “Maybe,” he said, before yanking it free and tossing her body to the ground.

  She didn’t rise again.

  Ishin stood over her corpse, blood dripping from his spear’s tip. This was the first time he had truly fought another human in a life-or-death duel—and survived. A low growl stirred inside his soul, primal and approving.

  It was done.

  The water barrier collapsed, soaking the forest floor. Master Guoqiang approached with calm strides, but Zhu Rhee sprinted toward him.

  “You won!” she exclaimed, eyes scanning his burned shoulder. “Your shoulder—how bad is it?”

  “It stings,” Ishin admitted. “But I’ll live.”

  “I’ll make sure you’re treated when we return to the school.” Her gaze shifted to Yan’s corpse. “You killed her.”

  Ishin pressed his spear into the ground and leaned on it. “I did.”

  Zhu Rhee hesitated. “Is… is this the first time you’ve killed someone?”

  “No. But it’s the first time I meant to.” The confession came easier than expected.

  “I see.” Her voice softened. “Are you alright?”

  Ishin paused, searching his feelings—comparing it to the deaths of Yan’s brother and the thunder horned wolf.

  “I’m fine.”

  She didn’t look convinced. “Truly, Senior Sister. It was her or me. I’m glad I’m the one standing.”

  She nodded slowly. “I’ve heard Hou Lei talk about his kills like they were nothing. But seeing it… it’s more gruesome than I thought.”

  “You’ve never killed someone, have you?”

  Zhu Rhee shook her head. “I haven’t. There hasn’t been a need at the Eight Oaths Resolve School.”

  That explains it.

  “I saw Hou Lei kill one of her friends when I first met him,” Ishin said. “I thought it was strange.”

  “Hou Lei is more eager for real combat than most of the school’s disciples.” Her voice was uneasy. “We all know combat is part of cultivation, but... still.”

  “Many of our disciples do not face such true adversity until they leave the school,” Master Guoqiang interjected as he reached them. “Most who grow up in the Eastern and Northern Quarters may never face such trials unless they join a sect or travel beyond the city.”

  They’re sheltered. Ishin nodded to himself. Just like at my tribe’s martial hall. Most of the disciples from the Daihu Tribe’s martial hall would avoid any true dangers until they left and became warriors if they followed a martial path.

  No wonder Zhu Rhee had wanted to join him for the hunt.

  “Allow me to congratulate you,” Master Guoqiang said. Ishin straightened. “You are hereby an official disciple of the Eight Oaths Resolve Martial School.”

  The words caught him off guard. For a moment, he’d forgotten why he agreed to this fight in the first place.

  He quickly composed himself and bowed. “Thank you, Master.”