The Third Kingdom by Wong Tao

Author:Wong, Tao [Wong, Tao]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781778550201
Amazon: B0B2KMFK8D
Goodreads: 61203042
Publisher: Starlit Publishing
Published: 2022-07-01T07:00:00+00:00

***

Wu Ying walked over to the sect Elders’ table, bowing to them and taking the indicated seat. He felt the eyes of the other cultivators watching him, the quiet questioning of why he was being so honored, but he chose to ignore it. There was nothing he could do about the others, for now. Nor would declining the invitation be in his best interest. Not with the sects being a second potential source of income.

Having greeted the pair and received his tea and a portion of the snacks arrayed, the group entered into small talk even as the privacy bubble that kept their conversations muted to the outside world was left inactive. They spoke mostly about the weather and rumored incidents in various cities—conscriptions, bandit raids, rumors of demon beast appearances and subjugation. The trio of Core Formation elders and the two silent sect cultivators seated by the side all avoided the topic of the tournament itself.

Small talk. Wu Ying was grateful enough for it, for the information provided and his probing let him paint a greater picture of the kingdom. For all that the invitation had been extended by both Elders, Elder Tsui was carrying the conversation, with Elder Eng only interjecting occasionally. Elder Eng looked entirely dissatisfied, glaring about Wu Ying occasionally when his impersonal mask fell. However, in time, the talk trailed off and the point of inviting him was reached.

“Your results in the tournament today were… interesting, Cultivator Long,” Elder Tsui commented leadingly.

“Having a chance to practice my unarmed styles is not something I can afford to let pass me by,” Wu Ying said mildly. “After all, I do not have sect mates to test my understanding upon.”

“A tournament is no place for testing! It’s why you lost,” Kong Lai scoffed. “As it stands, you might not even enter the semi-finals!”

“Ah, but the semi-finals do not count previous wins,” Shi Fei said. “There is strategy to entering not as the chief contender, such that one might face a weaker opponent to start.”

“Only if they do weaker-to-weaker pairing and not weaker-to-stronger,” Kong Lai said. “Otherwise, he might face me immediately and lose.”

Elder Eng snorted loudly, making Kong Lai bow her head in sudden contrition.

“Elder—” she began.

“You overestimate yourself, always. Just like my disciple… my late disciple…” For a second, Elder Eng’s voice grew faint, before it firmed. “Used to. You think all this is a game, when the path to cultivation is fraught with danger. If you do not learn, you too will die.”

“I was always better than him,” Kong Lai said mulishly.

“Fool!” He made a small motion, a chi projection forming and slapping her across the face from his seat. She rocked backward, choosing not to dodge the obvious attack, knowing that doing so would entail greater punishment. “What good is martial prowess when you are stabbed in the back!”

“I apologize, Elder Eng. I did not think.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Elder Eng spat to the side. “Useless. My disciple and nephew, killed. You, I’m saddled with because of my youngest sister and her lack of morals.

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