"Begin!"
The fight exploded into motion. Delia's daggers flashed, weaving in erratic arcs of silver, but the twin sabers met every strike with sharp, precise movements.
Minutes passed, the crowd roaring as sparks flew. But at last, Delia faltered—a single slip—and one saber knocked her weapon away.
She froze as cold steel rested against her neck.
"Winner, Lian of the Azure Moon Sect!"
Delia sighed, dropping to her knees. "I really wanted to make it further…"
Serena helped her up after the match, smiling warmly. "You did great, Delia. You made it farther than most of the people here."
Delia pouted. "Still not far enough. But I'm happy for you, though. At this rate, you're basically guaranteed a spot in one of the big sects."
Serena laughed softly. "Let's just get through the next round first."
...
By the eighth day, the tension had changed. The weak were gone. Only monsters remained.
The air was thick with Qi, the crowd louder now, but more reverent than rowdy. Every fight that followed was fierce, filled with lightning-fast clashes, shattered platforms, and blazing auras.
Annalise's voice thundered through the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen! We have reached the last 128! From this point on, every fight will be among the very best!"
The stands shook with cheers.
Sect elders leaned forward in their seats, muttering among themselves.
"That white-haired youth again. Kyle, was it?"
"Yes. His technique… not a trace of wasted motion."
"And the girl with the spear. No Qi techniques, only pure control. How terrifying."
"The twins move like spirits, and Serena's flames are growing fiercer by the day."
"And Lucien?" one elder asked.
Silence followed for a moment.
"Lucien," the strongest among them said at last, "is Core Formation. The rest are talented, yes, but his victory is already written in the heavens."
Up in the waiting hall, Kyle smirked faintly, feeling the shift in the air. "Looks like the real battles start now."
Nuna nodded once, her calm voice carrying the weight of quiet confidence. "Let them come."
At this point, the fillers had mostly been eliminated. The majority of those left were disciples from major sects and a few outstanding ones from minor sects.
And then there were some outliers — Serena, Nuna, and Kyle. Those who had been tasked with scouting out and investigating their backgrounds had returned with news on this particular day. What they found was unbelievable.
"You say the white-haired youth is Marquis Ravenshade's heir, who was supposedly crippled until now?"
"Yes, Elder Snow!"
"Are you sure of this information?"
"I am sure. Whoever else you might send will come back with this exact piece of news."
The old elder stroked his beard with interest, his eyes looking at no one in particular, as if they could pierce through the walls to see below."Hmmmm, that is interesting… if that is true."
'Could it be that the Marquis was hiding the boy's talent all this time? his thoughts churned. 'But why? It makes no sense. What benefit is there to doing something like that?
If anything, it is a foolish and stupid thing to do. It is his seed that was being looked down upon all this time. So he must have found a way to heal the boy recently. No… not recently, otherwise his strength would not make sense. No one can cultivate to the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm in such a short time.'
Similar scenes were playing out in numerous booths where elders from different sects were seated. The news being delivered to them only served to increase the interest in Kyle Ravenshade.
Now that his identity had been revealed, everyone started watching him closely. Such a promising heir of a noble house would surely be a valuable asset for any sect to have.
Annalise's voice boomed, lively and thunderous. "Are you ready for the real show?!"
"YES!!" the crowd screamed back, shaking the arena.
"Then let the battles of the last 128… BEGIN!"
With a resonant hum, the platforms rose again. Energy surged beneath the arena floor as shimmering barriers surrounded each stage. Roughly half of the remaining participants flickered onto the stages, each of them facing an opponent of similar skill
"Fight!"
Dozens of explosions erupted instantly, fire, lightning, and wind clashing across the platforms. The spectators jumped to their feet as cultivators unleashed their Qi techniques with unrestrained vigor.
On one platform, a Water Sect disciple yelled, "Ocean Wave Crush!" sending a roaring surge forward. His opponent countered, shouting, "Blazing Tiger Pounce!" The wave evaporated into steam, and both fighters vanished in a flash of movement.
"Unbelievable speed!" Annalise called out, her voice threaded with excitement. "Who's your pick, folks?"
"Water Sect!"
"No way, the Fire freak's gonna roast him!"
"Five spirit stones say they both pass out!"
Coins and spirit stones changed hands so fast that the stands looked like a gambling den. This time, as soon as a fight ended, another pair would be called up to replace those who had left, keeping the excitement at a fever pitch.
It was at that moment that Kyle's talisman flared.
"Your turn, young master," Sebastian said from behind, bowing slightly. Kyle had found that there was no need for him and Nuna to keep sitting and waiting in the waiting room, as long as they were within the arena and had their talisman on hand, he would be teleported onto the stage as soon as his turn came.
Kyle nodded, stretching his neck. "Time to give them a show."
Nuna placed a hand on his arm, her eyes calm. "Don't toy with them too long."
"I'll keep it short," he said with a smirk.
In a flash of light, Kyle appeared on his platform, his white hair glinting under the mana lamps. His opponent, a burly man from the Iron Ridge Sect, cracked his knuckles.
"White hair, fancy sword, pretty face… you're one of those noble brats, aren't you?"
Kyle smiled faintly. "Something like that."
The burly man smirked a crooked, toothy grin, "I'm going to enjoy smashing that pretty face in."
Kyle just smiled in amusement at the comment.
The proctor raised his hand. "Begin!"
"Haaaaaa." The man charged, his fists glowing like molten metal. "Iron Mountain Fist!"
Kyle didn't move immediately. Then, in a blur of silver, his sword sang through the air.
Clang!
The man froze mid-stride. A thin line appeared across his gauntlet, then it shattered.
Before he could react, Kyle's blade tapped his neck lightly, making a thin red line that dripped with hints of blood.
"Done."