"Done."
The proctor blinked. "W-winner, Kyle Ravenshade!"
The crowd erupted.
"What the hell! The fight barely took a few seconds. Aren't the fights supposed to be a little bit closer at this point in the tournament!?" Their disbelief was understandable. Yes, Kyle was strong, they had seen it every time her came up on stage.
He had ended every single one of his fights in a few seconds, and without using any Qi techniques up until now. But this was the last one-hundred and twenty-eight for heaven's sake. Every single cultivator here was a monster in their own right.
It just didn't make any sense for him to still be one-shotting his opponents. Even the other who had been dominating initially were starting to struggle in their own battles.
"Did you even see him move?!"
"That cut—too fast!"
"He's not even using Qi! Monster!"
Kyle sheathed his sword, vanishing from the stage in silence.
In the waiting area, Nuna was already standing. Her talisman pulsed next.
"Guess it's my turn," she said.
Kyle nodded with a smile. "Don't keep me waiting for long."
She smiled faintly. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Moments later, she was on stage, her spear in hand, and her face calm as still water. Her opponent, a woman from the Sky River Sect, spun her twin blades, lightning crackling along their edges.
She was in the middle of the foundation establishment realm. A talented cultivator from a major sect, no doubt.
"Don't hold back," Nuna said softly.
"I wasn't planning to!" She dashed toward Nuna.
They clashed. A flurry of exchanges followed as blades clashed continuously with a spear. And then, out of nowhere, Lightning split the air, and then Nuna was gone.
The Sky River disciple gasped, looking around frantically, before realizing Nuna was behind her, spear tip pressed against her back.
"Yield," Nuna said simply.
The match ended before the crowd even processed what had happened.
"That was—what was that?!"
"She moved without a ripple of Qi!"
"Is she… suppressing her cultivation?" Theories began to form when the crowd failed to explain how else some of these youngsters seemed to be on a different plane.
The sect elders up above exchanged glances.
"She's terrifying," one muttered."Indeed. Her control is beyond measure."
Whether by chance or not, Zephyr and Zenith both flashed onto empty platforms in unison, and with their arrival, wild cheers rose from the stands.
"Those two again! I love watching their fights!"
"They're gorgeous!"
"Focus on their technique, not their faces!"
"Can't do both?!"
On two separate platforms, the twins faced their respective opponents, both high-ranking disciples of mid-tier sects.
Zephyr twirled her daggers, grinning. "Let's make it pretty."
Zenith drew hers calmly. "Let's make it clean."
Both declared in unison: "Twin Gale Dance!"
Qi exploded around them. Though apart, their movements mirrored perfectly, every spin, every cut, every step in sync. The crowd went silent, hypnotized.
Their opponents couldn't keep up. Within seconds, both were disarmed, bleeding only slightly, spared out of mercy.
The crowd erupted again, chanting their names.
Lucien clapped once from the waiting area, lips curving faintly. 'They've improved again. But still not enough yet.'
The fights grew more intense. Each round brought louder cheers, closer matches, and rising tempers.
"Two wins for the Azure Moon Sect! They're unstoppable tonight!"
"Not for long! That Serena girl's up next!"
"I bet ten stones she loses!"
"You're on!"
Spectators bickered and shoved as they threw spirit stones into betting pots.
"Fight!"
Serena leapt onto her platform, flames dancing around her. Her opponent was an agile man from the Windcloud Pavilion, dual fans spinning in his hands.
"Lady Serena," he said with a grin, "I'll go easy on you."
She smirked. "Don't. You'll regret it."
"Wind Cleaving Dance!" he shouted, slicing through the air with blades of wind.
Serena slammed her palms together. "Crimson Lotus Art, Second Bloom!"
A fiery lotus erupted beneath her feet, petals of flame swirling like a storm. The wind blades hit and burned to nothing.
She pointed a single finger forward. "Go."
The lotus exploded. Her opponent was blown off the stage, his fans melting midair.
"Winner—Serena of the Crimson Frost Sect!"
The stands erupted into wild cheering.
"Beautiful and terrifying!"
"She's the Fire Queen reborn!"
"Damn it, I bet against her again!"
The drunk men howled, throwing their mugs. "She's making me broke!"
As the day neared its end, murmurs spread as a familiar figure flashed onto the numerous screens, indicating he was coming up.
"He's finally up."
"The guy from the Twilight sect."
"Lucien the swordsman."
Lucien flashed onto the platform, adjusting the black sheath at his side. His expression didn't change, but the air seemed to shift around him, calm, suffocating, absolute.
On the platform, his opponent bowed deeply. Another disciple from the twilight sect, "It's an honor, Senior Lucien."
Lucien nodded once. "Stand tall. You'll need it." He said simply.
The proctor raised his hand. "Begin!"
The other cultivator moved first, shouting, "Blazing Meteor Slash!"
Lucien unsheathed his sword. The sound alone silenced the crowd.
One step. One slash.
Clang!
Silence.
A faint line of light traced through the air, and the opponent's weapon shattered like glass.
Lucien exhaled, sheathing his blade again.
"Done."
The proctor blinked. "Winner—Lucien of The Twilight Sect!"
The arena went wild.
"Unreal!"
"That wasn't even a full technique!"
"He's a monster!"
Kyle watched from the stands, eyes narrowing slightly. 'Core Formation indeed. This guy has plot armour!' He almost cried out loud. Which was ironic considering that Kyle was also doing the same to his opponents.
Beside him, Nuna tilted her head. "He's strong."
Kyle nodded, agreeing with her. "Too strong for now. But power alone doesn't decide everything. I believe either you or I has a good chance in a fight against him. And if either one of us does make it to the final, it would probably be against him."
She smiled faintly. "I like that confidence."
The crowd roared on as the matches continued into the night. The bracket would be drawn when only thirty-two remained, and by now, it was obvious that the organisers were making sure none of the more promising participants would meet each other before then.
No one was complaining though; it would only make things that much more exciting, which was a win-win situation for everyone involved.