"Everyone, look! Su Cheng has chosen to close his eyes for his ninth arrow as well."
Suddenly, the commentator's words caused the two lolis to sit up straight, their eyes filled with anticipation and hope. They stared nervously at the screen, each murmuring their own heartfelt blessings.
Cornelia: "Hit the target!"
Ailiya: "Su Cheng is so lame; he's definitely going to get eliminated!"
"Thud~"
"He hit it! Oh my god, Su Cheng hit it! He hit the bullseye!"
The commentator's excited voice came through the TV, and the two girls cheered, their cheeks flushed with excitement.
In the audience:
"Yay! Su Cheng hit it! That's amazing!!"
"As expected of the one-in-a-million archery prodigy!"
The five members of Xuan Ying suddenly stood up, shouting excitedly, their hands slapping together in celebration, their faces beaming with joy.
Meanwhile, in the corner, Li Guanqi, seeing their excitement, finally let out a sigh of relief. His hands loosened, and his tense body gradually relaxed. It seemed his mood had improved as well.
In the villa area:
Ji Qingyi, who had initially closed her eyes, suddenly opened them, a hint of shock in her gaze. "What a child blessed by luck."
Behind her, Ji Yuewu's eyes revealed a look of "I told you so," and she glanced at her master, who seemed like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world.
"Chu Beixuan did not choose to close his eyes for his ninth arrow. Let's see how this shot turns out."
The commentator's voice was still trembling, clearly affected by the excitement of the previous round's intense competition.
"Thud~"
Hit the target.
"Now, let's see Su Cheng's final... Oh my god, Su Cheng... he's closing his eyes again!"
The audience gasped in unison, their eyes fixed on the screen, filled with awe.
The screen shifted to show the five judges, who also widened their eyes, clearly unsettled.
"He didn't just close his eyes again—he hasn't opened them since the ninth arrow!"
Another commentator couldn't help but explain, his voice shaking.
"Thud!"
"Su Cheng hit the target again!"
"I can't even find the words to describe how I feel right now."
"This is just incredible!"
Ji Qingyi didn't close her eyes this time. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on Su Cheng, the shock in her eyes replaced by sharp scrutiny.
Though she didn't understand how Su Cheng could hit the target, it didn't stop her from analyzing his state.
Why?
Because Su Cheng's current state, with his eyes closed, was completely different from the seriousness he had shown yesterday. There was no trace of focus or intensity; his last two shots seemed almost casual and random.
Ji Yuewu, standing behind her, could clearly sense her master's emotional shift—and it was significant.
"Chu Beixuan has also chosen to close his eyes for his final shot."
"I can tell this shot was a last resort."
"Yes, if he hadn't done this, he might have been eliminated."
The commentators continued their analysis.
"Su Cheng has won."
Ji Qingyi watched Chu Beixuan on the screen and noticed subtle changes in his movements. Clearly, Su Cheng's consecutive lucky shots had rattled him.
Not just Chu Beixuan—even Ji Qingyi found it hard to believe.
This kind of luck could only be described as heaven-defying.
At that moment:
"Chu Beixuan, missed the target."
"What a shame."
"Indeed."
The commentators' voices carried deep regret.
Ji Qingyi's eyes lingered on Su Cheng on the screen, a glimmer of something unusual in her gaze.
Was this all due to luck, or was it a miracle?
"Is this a miracle?"
Ji Yuewu whispered to Ji Qingyi.
But this time, Ji Qingyi remained silent, busying herself with the tea set, as if it had nothing to do with her.
"Hmm?"
Ji Yuewu, seeing that Ji Qingyi wasn't responding, let out a soft sound of acknowledgment.
Ji Qingyi looked up, pointed at the tea set, and said calmly, "Make me a pot of flower tea."
"Of course!"
Ji Yuewu replied.
Ji Yuewu left the room, locking the door behind her.
Some time later:
The semifinals began.
Ji Qingyi and Ji Yuewu sat at the tea table, quietly sipping their fragrant tea.
The aroma of the tea filled the air, carrying a subtle floral scent.
"The thrilling semifinals have begun!"
"This is the second archery range."
"Su Cheng vs. Xiao Zhan."
"Su Cheng is in the first position."
"Su Cheng's first arrow hits the bullseye!"
"Xiao Zhan also hits the bullseye!"
………………
"Now it's Su Cheng's fifth arrow..."
"Oh my god, Su Cheng has closed his eyes again!"
"He hit it!"
The cheers and applause from the TV made Ji Qingyi's hand tremble slightly as she held her teacup. She then downed the tea in one gulp.
"Xiao Zhan has also closed his eyes."
"Will he hit the target?"
"Beautiful, he hit it too!"
"Great!! Great!!"
The commentator couldn't help but shout, but then fell silent. A moment later, his voice returned: "Su Cheng is still closing his eyes as he prepares to shoot his sixth arrow!"
"Will he hit it?"
"Thud~"
"He hit it!!"
"Xiao Zhan missed."
"Su Cheng opens his eyes, and even with his eyes open, he hits the target!"
………………
The finals:
[Yan Qiye vs. Su Cheng]
"The thrilling final battle has begun!!"
"Who will be crowned the ultimate champion tonight?"
"Let's wait and see!"
The commentator's excited voice echoed throughout the venue.
"Yan Qiye has chosen to close his eyes for his first arrow!"
"It seems this first shot is aimed directly at Su Cheng."
"Thud~"
"He hit it!"
"Thud~"
"Su Cheng has also hit the target in the same manner!"
The commentator's voice grew even more excited.
"Great! Great! Great!!"
The audience erupted in thunderous applause, everyone standing up to cheer for the two competitors.
This ticket was worth every penny—this individual competition was more thrilling than any other event, more exhilarating than ever before!
Su Cheng, in particular, had stunned everyone, single-handedly turning the finals into a blindfolded archery competition!
The audience watched the screen, their eyes red with excitement.
They had come to watch an archery competition but were treated to a blindfolded shooting spectacle.
Even the dozens of judges stood up, as sitting would have been disrespectful to this historic moment in archery.
Whether Su Cheng won the championship or not, after tonight, he would become a legend in the archery world, revered by all.
"Second round!"
The commentator shouted excitedly.
"Thud~"
"Yan Qiye hits the target with his eyes closed!"
"Now it's Su Cheng's turn. Beautiful! He also hits the target!"
The commentator's voice was now hoarse, his throat nearly giving out.
"Thud~ Thud~"
The audience went wild, clapping incessantly, venting their excitement.
"Great! Keep going! Keep going!"
"He hit it!!! He hit it again!!!"
".......
"Yan Qiye's seventh arrow."
"Will he hit the target again?"
"Whoosh~"
But this time, there was no sound of a hit.
"Ah~ He missed."
As the commentator announced this, the entire audience fell into a stunned silence.
"Will Su Cheng open his eyes to shoot his seventh arrow?"
"No! He hasn't. He's still closing his eyes."
The audience gasped, and you could even hear the heavy breathing of those around you.
After all, Su Cheng could have secured the championship by opening his eyes, but he chose not to, continuing to shoot blindfolded!
The atmosphere in the audience grew even more intense, with no one wanting to miss this moment.
"Thud~"
"Su Cheng's seventh arrow hits the bullseye."
"He hit it!! He hit it!!! He hit it!!!"
The commentator's voice grew even more excited, shouting with all his might, while the audience became even more frenzied.
"Yan Qiye's eighth arrow hits the target!"
"He hit it! He hit it!"
"He hit it!!!"
"Su Cheng also hits the target!"
"Yan Qiye's ninth arrow misses."
"Su Cheng's ninth arrow hits."
"Yan Qiye's tenth arrow hits."
"This is Su Cheng's final arrow!"
"Huh? Did he miss?"
"What?"
The two commentators seemed disbelieving, but then the screen zoomed in on Su Cheng's target. In the next second, everyone's eyes widened in shock.
Even Ji Qingyi's expression froze.
The sound of shattering echoed as the teacup was crushed in her hand, a momentary lapse in controlling her strength.
Though she was capable of such a feat, Su Cheng had only been practicing for less than half a month!
“This is the legendary double… double arrow… tailshot!”
The commentator’s voice grew increasingly fervent, as if he had just witnessed a miracle. He couldn’t contain his excitement and let out a scream.
On the screen, one arrow was embedded in the tail of another, the fletching still quivering, as if narrating its own tale of resilience and bravery.
“Oh my god!”
“Is he a god?”
“I just want to kneel before Su Cheng right now!”
“Let’s give our new king the most thunderous applause!”
At first, the audience in the stands was utterly stunned, but soon erupted into unprecedented screams.
“Su Cheng! Su Cheng! Su Cheng!!!”
“Su Cheng! Su Cheng! Su Cheng!!!!”
Everyone’s faces were lit up with excitement and exhilaration, some even slapping nearby objects in their fervor, cheering for Su Cheng!
In the villa district,
Ji Qingyi watched the screen, her heart racing as Su Cheng’s name echoed repeatedly.
After a long while, her lips trembled slightly, and she murmured softly, “Holy crap.”
The two words, spoken with perfect enunciation, slipped from Ji Qingyi’s lips. Beside her, Ji Yuewu turned her head mechanically, staring at her mistress with a look of utter disbelief.