The two disciples were seriously engaged in battle, and although they had no combat training, their speed made it so that no martial artist experienced in a thousand battles could defeat them.
"Eat my sword". "Haa!!". One of the fighters, a young man of eighteen years old with a tan complexion and a bulky and tall height, lifts his sword upward with both hands, then, with force, descends it with the momentum of dividing a sea at his opponent.
His opponent was given a scare, because of the power contained in that strike.
"Who's afraid of you?!". The opponent said then raised his sword horizontally in a defensive stance to receive the bulky boy slash.
Bang!!. The hands of the opponent, who has a thin physique and an average height with a fair complexion, shuddered, and his sword was sent flying out of his hand.
Before the thin-shaped boy could get a hold of himself, another slash was coming his way. This time, he cleaves his head away. The thin-shaped boy was paralyzed with fear.
"Argh!". He screamed as he closed his eyes.
A minute passed, but he could still feel like he was alive, so he opened his eyes and saw that he was outside the ring. With everyone looking at him with a mocking look.
Especially the older disciples, they didn't even try to hide the disdain they felt for the cowardly boy.
But they forgot that some of them in their first competition did worse than him.
"Kray wins". Eldest sister Sonia announced in a deadpan tone.
The bulky boy named Kray, with a smug look on his face, stepped down the stage.
The eldest sister, Sonia, then called up two other names who went up the stage to fight.
Zeron looked at the amateur fight that was going on the stage, and he tried his best not to escape a yawn.
Seriously, the fight was embarrassing.
The fighters that went on stage could not make use of their enhanced strength to fight.
There was no finesse in their fight.
Still, the fight was entertaining to the older disciples as they commented with laughter and chuckles, but the new disciples did not find it funny.
Most of the new disciples are gazing at the fight going on the stage with a serious visage. Including the Sake trio.
The current fight going on the stage has concluded when one of the opponents sends the other flying out of the stage with a kick to the ribs.
After Eldest sister Sonia announced the winner, she called the name of the next fighters. "Rale and Dido"
Rale took in a deep breath, looked at his friends, and then with a determined look, climbed the stage.
And on the stage, his opponent is already waiting for him.
His opponent had a unique aura around him; he stood there silently, but there was a powerful intention coming out of his body.
(Oh no!, Rale is in danger). Zeron thought forcefully. Looking worried.
"Start". Before the word could subside.
Dido attacked and his attack was scary.
With a speed that surpasses the others that have gotten on the stage.
Dido pierced his sword forward and there was no stagnancy or unfamiliarity with that Pierce.
It was smooth like he had practiced it a thousand times.
Dido has surely practiced it a thousand times because he is a martial artist.
Though only a master-class martial artist the combat instinct of a martial artist and the strength of a cultivator make him a monster to this newbies cultivators who have no formal combat training.
Everyone was expecting the sword to defeat Rale but..
Bang!!. Rale was shaken off his feet as he slid to the edge of the ring with blood dripping from his mouth. But... With a somewhat creepy chuckle, with blood on his teeth. Rale said, "Strong". With a sharp gleam in his eyes.
Dido was surprised and not only him, everyone was surprised.
Thinking how could Rale anticipate the direction of the attack and parry it. But sadly, his strength was weak, so he couldn't parry it, he could only block it.
Dido looked at Rale, then he became serious. His muscles started quivering.
There was a shocked exclamation from the audience because the quivering of the muscle shows that Dido has stepped into the Muscle tempering stage, which is stage two of body refining rank.
Rale was serious as he walked forward to the center of the stage, away from the edge.
He positioned himself in a defensive stance. Gazing at Dido with a concentrated look.
Dido's muscles stopped quivering, and as if the air was still. There was the sound of his sword whining as he attacked with a Sonic boom ringing in the air.
There was no way to dodge that attack. Before the sword arrives, the stinging air of the sword pressure has already started tearing Rale's skin. But Rale did not falter, there was no fear in his eyes.
"Now!". Instead of Rale remaining in defense, he attacked. His sword pierced Dido's eyes with no form of defense around him. "One sword ends it all". He said.
Then the sword in Rale's hand accelerated twice as fast and lunged at Dido before Dido's sword could reach him. Rale's sword has touched his body. Piercing through his right eye and Dido's sword piercing through Rale's body.
Or so they thought. None of that happens. The eldest sister, Sonia, saved them both from mutual destruction.
Eldest sister Sonia looked at Rale and Dido and said. "Rale wins".
Dido was not doubtful of the judgment because it was Rale's sword that would have first pierced him, so in a real fight, he would have died first before Rale followed.
Dido went down the stage before Rale could walk down. Eldest sister Sonia said to him. "Lad, you sure are courageous".
"Who taught you that cultivation sword skill?". She asked in a curious tone.
Rale turned back and said. "My father".
He then continues walking down.
Eldest sister Sonia kept looking at him while in thought. She seems to have remembered something.
The elders on the platform at the top were commenting on the battle that had just happened.
"What impressive lads". Said an elder.
"For Dido to have broken through to the muscle tempering stage, he sure is fast". Said another elder. The elder then continues, "And that boy Rale, the sword skill he just used reminds me of someone".
The elders were surprised, and they looked toward that elder for further words. The elder chuckled and said.
"Fellow Daoist, have you forgotten about the sword devil?".