Heaven's Golden Finger

Winning Combination

Shun contemplated the contest rules. No magic nullification skills, for obvious reasons. The first five strikes must be basic swordplay. If both opponents were still uninjured after that, they could call on higher level cultivation skills such as spirit binding or the like.

Up until now, the only skill Shun had needed had been Leifeng Sect's basic sword skills; combining attribute and element into one weapon, its mutable shape defined by the wielder's will. In a way, it was the spiritual equivalent of Priest Housu's living metal blade, except that its substance was based entirely on the wielder's bases.

Shun's bases being Lake and fire meant his sword was formed of steam. It'd taken him years to balance his bases, to get the shape just right. Summoning more than one weapon and shifting their shapes mid-fight had taken more years but had been worth it. Determined to overcome his antithetical bases, he'd practiced and practiced.

He knew he was good. Could see just how good Liang Ren was, too. The other boy might seem flighty and foolish, but he'd fought his way to this round with startling ease. Under other circumstances Shun might have suspected a cheat, but he'd watched those fights. Liang Ren's opponents weren't throwing the game in his favor and he wasn't using magic. He was just that fast and that well-cultivated.

The only one of Liang Ren's opponents who'd lasted long enough to reach the fifth round had been Tong Si and he'd faltered at the very end, overwhelmed by the boy's speed and energetic performance. Shun visualized the fight, slowing the motions down in his head to see how Liang Ren's acrobatics set him careening across the arena. He'd spun, tumbled and dodged, evading Tong Si's rapid blade with ease.

Noticing fake Shirong still watching him worriedly, Shun tapped his Shidi on the forehead. "Stop acting like I'm going to die. Even if I fail, the spell will protect me."

"Even so...."

"Even so, trust me. I can do this." At least he hoped he could. "You bet on me, after all. Do you think I'm going to waste that much money?" Fake Shirong might not know just how much he'd set down, but just the fact that he was confident Shun would win was heartening. Not to mention there was a certain pleasure in the thought of overcoming the arena's expectations and wiping the floor with that aggravating boy.

Which, no doubt, was exactly how Liang Ren felt about him.

#

At last the time came to fight and Liang Ren was obviously in a particularly excited mood. He leapt up onto the stage without bothering with the stairs and bounced on his toes as he took up his position. "Hey, hey! You're a pretty one. Wanna go out later?"

Shun raised a brow. "Just so you know, I am a man."

"So? Got something against doubling up?" The boy paused, glanced past Shun, and added, "Or are you already reserved?"

Shun kept his eyes on his opponent, keeping his expression as cold as he possibly could. He had no doubt who Liang was looking at, nor what he implied. He also had no intention of letting the boy's teasing get to him. Later he'd have to have a few words with fake Shirong, because his Shidi's habit of looking like a lovelorn puppy was likely to cause them trouble later.

"What I am is ready to fight. I trust you are as well?"

A bright grin crossed Liang Ren's humorous features. "Oh, I was born ready to fight." He glanced up at the box where his father sat. Waved brightly and confidently. As the announcer came up onto the platform to check them, he added, "Hope you are, too."