Duan Rong, Xiao Yu, and Ximen Kankan walked back to the queue, just in time to see Shen Mizi being released from the lineup.
The three of them immediately quickened their pace toward Shen Mizi.
As soon as Shen Mizi saw them approaching, she looked at Xiao Yu with a questioning gaze and asked, "Did you pass?"
Xiao Yu nodded and said, "Yes, I passed."
"I passed too," Ximen Kankan said joyfully. "Now it’s up to you."
Shen Mizi clutched the sword in her hand and said, "Both of you passed. I’m sure I can too."
The three followed Shen Mizi, and soon they arrived at the circle where Shen Mizi’s duel was to take place.
The circle was labeled number Chensi twenty-one.
At this moment, inside the circle stood a person.
It was a woman.
However, she was very ugly, her features seemed misplaced, her eyebrows raised so high, and she had a large birthmark on her forehead that covered most of it.
To be honest, her appearance was actually quite frightening.
Possibly because of her looks, though other dueling circles had at least some onlookers, this one was deserted, with only the Internal History Department’s attendant standing there alone.
Shen Mizi stood there, giving the woman just a cold glance, barely noticing her appearance, instead letting her icy gaze sweep over the long spear in the woman’s hand.
After showing the number on her assessment form to the attendant, Shen Mizi stepped into the circle, standing opposite the ugly woman.
The attendant of the Internal History Department announced the rules as usual, then was about to shout the word "start."
But as soon as the first syllable of the word left his mouth, Shen Mizi already had her long sword in hand, thrusting forward.
The woman swung her long spear, a crisp clang sounded as their weapons met, Shen Mizi twisted the Sword Edge, slicing toward the woman’s fingers gripping the spear’s shaft.
The woman leaped back, her spear shadows like a staff, coming down on Shen Mizi’s head.
Shen Mizi pivoted on her toes, her body slanting. The saying goes "an inch shorter, an inch more perilous." She originally intended to close in and attack fiercely, but unexpectedly, the woman’s Spear Technique was versatile, her True Qi robust. Within two moves, they had already widened the distance between them.
With the distance increased, the woman’s spear edge suddenly became fierce, almost suppressing Shen Mizi completely.
The advantage of Shen Mizi’s Orchid Chaos Sword could not be utilized at all.
She could only rely on her agility and swift sword to barely hold on!
The three watching from outside the circle could all see Shen Mizi’s disadvantageous situation.
Duan Rong’s expression flickered, but after careful consideration, he still saw Shen Mizi’s impending defeat. Shen Mizi was evidently unlucky; her opponent’s Martial Arts and True Qi were stronger than hers, plus she had the advantage of superior weapons.
Clearly, the advantage of Shen Mizi’s Orchid Chaos Sword was utterly nullified under the fierce assault of the spear.
Duan Rong quickly came to a conclusion.
The best strategy would be to end it quickly, conserve strength, and prepare for the second round.
Duan Rong suddenly shouted to Shen Mizi inside the circle, "Shen Mizi!"
Shen Mizi was currently using her swift sword to fend off the long spear, her eyes sharp, searching for a chance to counterattack, but at that moment, hearing Duan Rong call her name, she instinctively let out a gasp.
Duan Rong coldly said, "You can’t win this round! Surrender!"
Fury surged in Shen Mizi’s heart, and while launching an electric-like sword strike, she cursed, "What the hell are you doing?!"
Xiao Yu and Ximen Kankan also cast strange looks at Duan Rong.
They, too, saw Shen Mizi’s disadvantage, but it hadn’t reached the point of immediate surrender. Moreover, though Shen Mizi was at a disadvantage, she was holding steady, and a reversal opportunity might still present itself if she continued to hold on.
But Duan Rong had already discerned that Shen Mizi had no chance; even if she found an opportunity to counterattack, she would still be pushed back, falling into a passive defensive position once more. After repeated struggles, she would ultimately exhaust and be defeated!
In that case, it would be better to surrender and conserve energy.
Seeing Shen Mizi unmoved, Duan Rong focused intently on the battle within the circle. His figure suddenly flickered, quick as a specter, standing behind Shen Mizi, suddenly shouting loudly, "Surrender!"
Duan Rong’s voice was loud and abrupt, even startling Xiao Yu and Ximen Kankan watching there, let alone Shen Mizi, who was engrossed in the duel.
Furthermore, Duan Rong’s shout was so close, as if exploding beside her ears.
Shen Mizi jumped, her movements and sword shadow both faltered, and by the time she reacted, a flash of silver was spiraling before her eyes; the long spear was already thrusting toward her face. She rapidly retreated, sweeping her sword horizontally, and when she steadied herself, the woman on the opposite side had already withdrawn her spear and stood still. Shen Mizi looked down, surprised to see half of her foot had already stepped outside the circle.
The Internal History Department’s attendant started documenting while announcing the duel’s result.
Shen Mizi burst into rage, pointing at Duan Rong, and cursed, "What are you doing? Why did you sabotage me?!"
Duan Rong said, "You can’t win. If the struggle continued, you’d still lose!"
"How do you know I’d lose?" Shen Mizi retorted, suddenly smiling coldly, saying, "I saw you eating noodles in broth this morning! Did you hold a grudge just because I mocked you a bit? Now using the duel as a chance for revenge, am I right?"
With a face cold and expressionless, Duan Rong looked at Shen Mizi and said, "Calm down, and think carefully, could you really defeat her?"
As Duan Rong spoke, he glanced at the woman standing there.