Half an hour passed without the two fighters clashing. All one did was attack while the other dodged. The spectators were getting bored due to this. Everyone started booing and complaining about the match. Some even gave up watching and walked out of the arena.
Li Niang was vexed. Not only did she get trapped into overseeing this match on her own account, but it was also a boring match to boot. She very much wished this match to end.
She wasn’t paying too much attention to the match due to how boring it was. She simply spared a little attention so she could act in case any of the participating students got into a dangerous situation. She now noticed something strange about one of the participants.
Gao Dou was getting slower. He was also panting.
Li Niang was not the only one who noticed this. Some spectators did too, including Gao Sou, who sat next to the stage.
"Hey! Adou! What the hell is wrong with you?" Gao Sou called.
Gao Dou turned to his brother. He wanted to reply but found it difficult to speak due to his short breaths.
At this moment, Amon coughed.
Xin Wuming dashed forward. Gao Dou was looking at his brother at the time. Combined with his fatigue, his response was late. He was about to move when Xin Wuming arrived and performed a jumping kick. The long reach of Xin Wuming’s leg struck the wrist of his hand holding the vajra dagger.
After stopping Gao Dou from using the vajra dagger, Xin Wuming spun in the air. His hand turned golden. A sharp aura followed his hand. This was his arcane art of the metal element, Sword Hand.
A layer of earth started covering Gao Dou’s body. It was his defensive arcane art, Rock Suit. He already started using the art when he realized Xin Wuming finally attacked. However, his fatigue made him unable to execute this art as quickly as he wished. The rock layer covering his body was still thin when Xin Wuming’s golden hand came slashing.
Xin Wuming’s Sword Hand tore through the rock layer. Chunks of rocks flew from the impact. Splashes of blood followed these rocks. The rock suit covering Gao Dou’s body was not thick enough to withstand Xin Wuming’s sharp hand.
Xin Wuming didn’t stop. His body continued spinning as his other hand came chopping. This time, it was aiming for Gao Dou’s neck. Gao Dou’s mind was in turmoil. His fatigue and pain combined into something that paralyzed him. He couldn’t evade Xin Wuming’s seemingly fatal assault.
Xin Wuming’s hand stopped half an inch from Gao Dou’s neck. The golden aura was so sharp the skin on Gao Dou’s neck split even without Xin Wuming touching him. Blood trickled from that wound.
Xin Wuming’s hand stopped not because he wanted to. His hand stopped because another hand was holding his arm. Li Niang stopped him before a casualty occurred in this match.
A gentle wave of energy pushed the two combatants away from one another. Li Niang declared, "Xin Wuming won this match."
Members of the Vicious faction immediately uttered a victory cry upon the declaration. The Nobles faction started throwing protests. Other spectators still in their seats were murmuring. The whole amphitheater was drowned in commotion.
Gao Sou leaped onto the stage and asked his brother, "Adou, what’s wrong? Why do you perform so badly?"
"I... I don’t know... I just feel very tired...," Gao Dou answered. He was still panting.
"What do you mean...?"
Gao Dou couldn’t answer. He also didn’t understand why he was tired just from a half-hour battle. It was not even an intense battle. Normally, he could spar for hours.
Xin Wuming made a victory pose as members of the Vicious faction came on the stage to cheer his victory. Seeing that, Gao Dou burst into anger.
"This... This is bullshit! It is clear there is foul play here! I beat him the last time. No way I lose to him now...!"
Amon was also on the stage with his faction members. He chuckled at Gao Dou’s accusation. "Do you hear yourself? Are you saying because Wuming lost to you once, it is impossible for him to ever win against you? By that logic, do you agree you will always be beneath me because you ranked lower than me in the entrance exam?"
"That’s not what I meant...!" Gao Dou shouted. The frustration caused his wound to spurt blood again. The wound he suffered was not deep. Though his rock suit failed to block Xin Wuming’s Sword Hand, it did reduce its power. Blood had stopped coming out after the slash, but now it was flowing again. Gao Dou hurriedly focused his aether to stop the bleeding.
"I, too, think something is amiss," Gao Sou said. "It is not normal for my brother to be tired after only a short fight. I agree with his suspicion. A foul play is at play here!"
Tuang Yin was among the members of Vicious on the stage. She came here because she, too, thought it was Amon who fought the match. She yelled back at Gao Sou even when she was not a member of Amon’s faction.
"What foul play? Give us proof, then! Don’t just go and spout bullshit after you lose! I hate sore losers like you the most!"
"Proof? My brother’s condition is the proof," Gao Sou uttered. "It is impossible he became tired so fast!"
Amon chuckled. "He is not fit. Why is it our problem? He has himself to blame for not maintaining his condition for this match. Maybe he spent too many hours having fun in the brothel last night."
"I didn’t do that...!" Gao Dou yelled. This caused blood to spurt from his wound again.
"Get your brother’s wound treated first," Li Niang said to Gao Sou.
"I won’t leave until we clear this up!" Gao Sou insisted. He yelled to one of his members to treat Gao Dou’s wound. He then turned back and said to Amon. "I don’t accept the result of this match! You are cheating!"
"Heh, a losing dog sure barks the loudest," Amon said.
Yan Long, who was among the Nobles members, told Gao Sou, "Senior, maybe it’s that wine?"