Wang Li wanted to run.
No—he needed to run.
His third trial was set. He was to duel Mu Yuechan, his ex-girlfriend, the Ice Demoness of the Frozen Lotus Sect.
A girl whose favorite hobbies included freezing people alive and cultivating on top of glaciers as if she were sunbathing.
A girl who had once dumped him by sending a single snowflake infused with her sword intent— and when it landed on his palm, it had cut him so deeply he nearly lost his hand.
Now, he was supposed to fight her?
Just to escape marriage?!
Wang Li sighed as he stood in the Frozen Lotus Sect's dueling arena.
Hundreds of disciples and elders surrounded the platform, their gazes locked onto him with expressions ranging from amusent to pity.
"This is the guy who's trying to back out of an engagent with Senior Sister?" a disciple whispered.
"Bold move," another muttered. "But foolish."
Even the elders shook their heads.
The Frozen Lotus Lord sat above them on his icy throne, watching with hidden amusent.
Mu Yuechan, anwhile, stood opposite Wang Li, her arms calmly crossed as if this was nothing more than a light morning exercise.
Her expression was unreadable.
But Wang Li knew that look.
It was the sa look she had before she had once frozen an entire lake to trap him for three days after he forgot their anniversary.
...Okay, maybe he had deserved that one.
But still!
Wang Li took a deep breath. "Alright. Rules?"
The sect master smirked. "Simple. If you last ten minutes against my daughter, I will allow you to reconsider your engagent."
Wang Li perked up. "Really?"
Mu Yuechan raised an eyebrow. "You think you can last ten minutes?"
He hesitated.
"...How violent are you planning to be?"
She cracked her knuckles, a thin layer of frost forming over her fingertips.
"Oh, don't worry," she said. "I'll go easy on you."
Wang Li's stomach dropped.
That was exactly what she said the last ti they dueled—before she shattered the floor beneath his feet and buried him in an avalanche.
"...I have made a mistake," Wang Li muttered under his breath.
The Frozen Lotus Lord raised a hand.
"Begin."
The Battle Begins
Wang Li barely had ti to react before the temperature plumted.
A sudden gust of cold air erupted from Mu Yuechan, spreading across the platform like a blizzard. Ice crystallized on the ground, freezing Wang Li's boots in place.
Fast.
Too fast.
She wasn't even using her sword yet.
"Survive ten minutes," Wang Li reminded himself.
Ten minutes.
How hard could it be?
He gathered his qi, circulating his Draconic Yang ridian to counteract the cold. His fiery golden energy clashed against the incoming frost, lting the ice around his feet just in ti—
Before Mu Yuechan appeared behind him.
"Too slow."
Her foot smashed into his side.
Wang Li barely blocked in ti, his arms vibrating from the force.
Then she flicked her wrist—
And a sharp icicle shot toward his head.
"Shi—"
Wang Li ducked, rolling to the side just as the icicle shattered the ground behind him.
Cold sweat dripped down his back.
This wasn't a fight.
This was an execution.
Wang Li's Desperate Struggle
"Alright," he muttered. "Ti for a strategy."
Option 1: Run.
Nope. The arena was locked down by an elder's formation.
Option 2: Fight back.
Also nope. She had frozen his dantian once before. He did not want a repeat of that.
Option 3: Annoy her into making a mistake.
Bingo.
Wang Li smirked and straightened. "You know, Yuechan, if you wanted to be this close to , you could've just asked."
Mu Yuechan's expression didn't change.
But her next attack was twice as fast.
Shit.
Wang Li dodged, barely avoiding a barrage of ice needles that slamd into the floor.
"Okay, bad joke," he wheezed.
She tilted her head. "You think annoying will help you?"
"Yes?"
She sighed.
Then raised her hand—
And a giant frozen lotus blood beneath his feet.
"Oh. That's new," Wang Li muttered—before the lotus exploded, launching him into the air.
The Last Few Minutes
Ti was running out.
Wang Li crashed to the ground, rolling to absorb the impact. He gasped for breath, his qi circulation sluggish from the cold.
Three minutes left.
He had to last.
Mu Yuechan landed gracefully, staring at him with mild curiosity.
"You've gotten better," she admitted.
Wang Li coughed. "I'd rather you just let win."
She actually laughed.
Then her expression turned sharp.
"Don't worry," she said, forming a final ice spear in her palm. "I'll make this quick."
Wang Li panicked.
Think. Think. Think.
Then—an idea.
He grinned.
"I surrender."
Mu Yuechan froze.
The entire crowd went silent.
Even the Frozen Lotus Lord blinked.
Mu Yuechan frowned. "What?"
Wang Li stood up, dusting himself off.
"I surrender," he repeated. "You win."
The sect master narrowed his eyes. "You are forfeiting?"
"Yes." Wang Li nodded. "You said I had to last ten minutes to avoid the engagent. But you never said I couldn't just... surrender instead."
The sect exploded into chaos.
"He's giving up?!"
"What kind of man forfeits against his future wife?!"
"This is disgraceful!"
The Frozen Lotus Lord scowled.
"You dare—"
Mu Yuechan suddenly raised a hand.
"Fine."
The crowd fell silent.
She exhaled, letting the ice in her palm fade.
Then she turned to Wang Li, her gaze calm but unreadable.
"If you don't want to be engaged, then so be it," she said. "I won't force you."
Wang Li stiffened.
...Wait.
Did he just win?
The Frozen Lotus Lord narrowed his eyes. "Yuechan—"
She shook her head. "It's fine, Father."
She glanced at Wang Li once more before turning away.
He watched her go, feeling... weirdly unsatisfied.
Had she really let him off the hook that easily?
And why did he suddenly feel like he'd lost sothing instead?
The sect master sighed.
"...Very well," he muttered. "The engagent is called off."
The crowd gasped.
Wang Li exhaled in relief.
Finally. He was free.
...So why did he feel like this wasn't truly over yet?
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