Descendants of the False Gods

Chapter 034: Life in the Imperial Capital (12)

“We’re friends now, so let’s do proper introductions. I’m Tian Lan, you can call me Lan. This is my twin brother, Tian Luo, you can call him Luo. This is your classmate Liu Xiong—you know each other. We all call him Little Bear, or Fatty. And this is your classmate Shen Yi, we all call him Xiao Yi. The little guy behind me is also a student in your grade. His name is Li Xin, but you can call him Little Gossip. We’re all friends now!” Lan introduced them one by one.

“I’m Lu Bing. My dad wanted a son who could become a soldier, but I turned out to be a girl, so everyone at home calls me Little Soldier. The guy next to me is Hou Ting, but everyone who knows him calls him Woodblock.” Lu Bing also generously introduced herself again now that they were officially friends.

“Friends or not, we still can’t skip the sparring. In the next round, you’ll go up against Xiao Yi. Let’s see your full capabilities. Don’t feel pressured,” Lan returned the conversation to its original purpose.

Lu Bing and Xiao Yi walked to the center of the training ground, standing two meters apart.

Xiao Yi stretched his legs, shifting into a semi-crouched stance. His legs swayed back and forth, arms relaxed at his sides as he loosened his muscles.

Lu Bing also warmed up—arms extended, fingers interlaced and flipped outward. Her legs alternated as she rose on her toes, ankles rotating twice.

Then she slid one foot forward and one foot back, raising both hands in front of her chest to guard her upper body. Her head lowered slightly so that her fists shielded her face, and her eyes locked onto Xiao Yi’s every move.

Perhaps because his opponent was a girl, Xiao Yi didn’t make the first move. He stayed in a defensive posture, shifting his weight front and back, torso swaying, ready to switch up offense and defense at any time.

Seeing that Xiao Yi remained in a half-defensive stance, Lu Bing stepped forward with her left foot and immediately followed with a rapid three-kick combo to initiate the attack.

Xiao Yi shifted his weight forward, bracing with his left shin to block the first low kick.

Then he swung his left arm out to block the second mid-level sweep.

Finally, he leaned back slightly to dodge the third high whip kick.

After her high whip kick missed, Lu Bing used the momentum to spin. As her right foot landed and became the pivot, she lifted her left leg for a rear thrust kick toward Xiao Yi.

Just as Xiao Yi was regaining his balance, preparing to counterattack, another swift leg came at him like a venomous snake darting from a hole1, targeting his chest.

He quickly crossed his arms in front of his chest to block her powerful back kick.

That kick packed a punch. Even with crossed arms, he couldn’t fully absorb the force. His arms slammed into his chest, and he had to use his entire upper body to take the blow.

Even then, Xiao Yi stumbled back a step before regaining his footing.

After the back kick, Lu Bing spun and returned to her original stance.

Once both had regained their balance, Lu Bing launched another attack—this time a high whip kick aimed at Xiao Yi’s head.

Xiao Yi leaned back quickly to dodge.

Missing again, Lu Bing immediately spun into a high sweeping kick, stepping forward to strike Xiao Yi’s head once more.

The distance was now too close for Xiao Yi to dodge by leaning back, so he shuffled his feet to retreat, moving just out of range.

But Lu Bing wasn’t letting up. Following through, she stepped forward again and delivered a side high kick toward his face.

Xiao Yi raised his arms to block.

Her leg was blocked, but she quickly changed the motion from a high kick to an axe kick, slamming downward.

Xiao Yi shuffled back once more, barely dodging her descending leg.

As that leg landed, Lu Bing immediately used the other to launch a side kick toward Xiao Yi’s torso.

He quickly bent his arm to block horizontally.

But that kick turned out to be a feint—her leg pulled back halfway, bypassed his blocking arm, then thrust forward again in a straight kick toward his chest.

Xiao Yi had no time to dodge. He raised his other arm to block at his chest and took the kick head-on again.

This time, he stumbled two steps back.

Sensing the distance growing, Lu Bing launched a powerful spinning back kick.

Xiao Yi crossed his arms over his chest once more—but this time the force was overwhelming. He staggered back five or six steps, then finally collapsed on the floor with a loud thud, nearly lying flat on his back.

Applause erupted from all around. Lu Bing had temporarily won this round of sparring.

“Didn’t see that coming—she looks so quiet and gentle, but she’s fierce in a fight,” Lan and Luo clapped as they walked over.

“That was a great spar. But in the future, don’t overuse high kicks. Use them strategically and in moderation. They’re powerful but leave you open to counters,” Luo advised, dampening Lu Bing’s excitement with a splash of cold water.

Lu Bing froze briefly, then respectfully nodded and said, “Oh,” though her expression was a little awkward.

“How about this? Let’s test it. Attack me however you normally would,” Luo offered, knowing some people might not take his advice seriously.

Lu Bing didn’t argue and immediately took her stance.

Luo took two steps back and mirrored Xiao Yi’s earlier posture.

As everyone cleared space again, Lu Bing launched her attack.

Out of respect, she didn’t start with a high kick this time.

She began with a two-kick combo to Luo’s shin and waist.

Luo lightly lifted his front foot to avoid the low kick, then used his arm to block the mid-level kick.

As Lu Bing retracted her leg, she suddenly launched a front thrust kick toward Luo’s abdomen.

He lowered his center of gravity and deflected her leg to the side with one arm.

Lu Bing spun into a back kick, aiming right for Luo’s face.

Luo suddenly dropped into a crouch and countered with a spinning sweep, dodging her kick completely.

Because her leg was too high and couldn’t retract in time—and her weight was on her supporting leg—Luo’s sweep took her down.

She landed on her butt. The fall wasn’t graceful.

Luo walked over and extended a hand to pull her up. “Now do you understand what I meant earlier? Also, when doing a high kick, you can slightly turn your body mid-motion and convert it into a downward strike. That keeps the pressure on your opponent while helping you land quickly to regain balance. But I can tell—you’ve worked really hard on your leg techniques. Even after so many kicks, you’re still maintaining your form. That’s impressive. Honestly, Lan and I might not be better than you in that regard.”

Blushing, Lu Bing lowered her head and softly replied, “Oh,” trying to hide her embarrassment with a small smile.

“Alright, today’s sparring ends here. Luo and I will now go over our lineup. The rest of you can practice on your own—or join our discussion if you’re interested.” Lan took on the air of a true captain.

“Do I get to spar too?” Li Xin squeezed in and asked in a small voice.

“No need for archery in a team spar. You and your three little punches can just sit this one out. Be a good substitute, alright? I’ve got a mission for you—use your strengths and go gather intel on the other teams. But don’t get caught! You might get beat up!” Fatty said, laughing, as he assigned Li Xin a very useful job.

It was all about involvement and ritual2—and now that Little Gossip had a mission, he finally felt included.

“I’ll get it done!” he declared excitedly, then ran off to carry out his specialty task.

“Don’t forget to stop by my place after school so we can take your measurements,” Lan called after him with a grin. Honestly, Li Xin was just there to fill a spot. Whether he wore armor or not made no difference—no one expected someone who hadn’t learned martial arts to actually fight in a martial arts tournament.

Once “Little Gossip” left, the remaining six stayed behind, sitting on the training room’s bench to discuss team formation.

“We’ll stick to our last formation—line up in depth. I’ll use my speed to test the enemy, Second Bro will find their weakness, and Big Bro will smash through. The rest can follow up. We’ll charge all the way to the finals!” Fatty proposed confidently.

“Don’t be like last time. You didn’t even finish probing the enemy before collapsing on the ground,” Xiao Yi teased him quietly.

“Pfft! You weren’t any better. Didn’t Second Bro have to carry you home?” Fatty snapped, clearly still bitter about that past embarrassment.

“Enough, both of you. This time, we’ll definitely face elites from at least two academies. It won’t be that easy. Like my second uncle says: ‘Attack like a blade, defend like a boulder’3. That’s how we win. Sure, we’re smaller and younger, so it’s fine if we lose. This is about learning, improving our skills, and maybe—just maybe—reaching the finals and getting to play with some high-level gear. Luo will finalize the formation—we’ll try to get everyone a chance to go on stage. After all, this kind of opportunity doesn’t come often. But don’t cry if you get hurt! Especially the boys—super embarrassing! As for girls… I get the worst headache when they cry!” Lan recalled that time a girl cried for a whole martial arts class after he accidentally knocked her down—left him squirming the whole period. That was a core trauma for him.

Everyone promised they wouldn’t cry even if injured—including Lu Bing.

“Don’t worry, brothers. If anyone gets hurt, Luo and I will beat their opponent until flowers bloom all over their face to avenge you!” Lan added, clearly worried about his teammates’ safety.

“I’ve come up with what I think is a solid offense-defense formation. I call it the Coiled Snake Formation4. We’ll start with a 2-2-1 lineup. Lan and I will take the front, with Big Bro leading the offense and me handling defense. Hou Ting will stand behind Big Bro to back him up and guard the flanks. Fatty will stand behind me, and I’ll protect both him and my brother. Fatty can then strike fast when there’s an opening. The final spot goes to either Xiao Yi or Lu Bing. They’ll handle ranged attacks or deliver finishing blows. This formation can also switch to a 3-2 setup, with Lan in the center and Hou Ting and me at his sides. That way, we expand our defensive coverage and create more attacking depth and angles from the rear.” Luo laid it out clearly. In truth, he’d been thinking about formations since they signed up, but only today—with a better understanding of the new members—was he able to finalize a mature plan.

“This is great! Second Bro’s always full of ideas—so sharp!” Fatty chimed in with timely flattery.

“Yeah, it’s solid. Anyone got suggestions?” Lan also thought it was a great balance of offense and defense.

Hou Ting’s strength was defense, but he lacked attack power—this plan played to his strengths. He had no complaints.

“If possible, can we rotate more so we get more time on the field?” Both Lu Bing and Xiao Yi would have to alternate, meaning fewer chances to participate.

“I’ve thought of that too. Once Little Gossip brings back intel, we’ll know which teams are weaker. That way, we can give you both more chances…” (continued)

Footnotes

1. 1. 1. 1. “如出洞的猛蛇” (rú chū dòng de měng shé)– Literally “like a fierce snake darting from a hole.” A metaphor for a sudden, fast, and deadly move.

1. 1. 1. 1. “参与感和仪式感” (cānyù gǎn hé yíshì gǎn)– This refers to the sense of involvement and ritual, often considered important in group settings or ceremonies in Chinese culture.

1. 1. 1. 1. “进攻是一把尖刀，防守是一块磐石” (jìngōng shì yì bǎ jiāndāo, fángshǒu shì yí kuài pánshí)– “Offense is a sharp blade, defense is a massive rock.” A common idiom about balanced strategy.

1. 1. 1. 1. “盘蛇阵” (pán shé zhèn)– “Coiled Snake Formation.” Likely fictional, but evokes imagery of a flexible, winding formation that strikes strategically and defends effectively.