The sun had set when the Sake match was announced.
The competition has been going on for a whole day.
The audience and the competitors, instead of looking tired are brimming more with excitement and energy.
....
"Sake versus Seya".
All three of them looked at Sake and gave him the thumbs-up sign.
Sake climbed the stage and looked at his opponent, who was already waiting for him on the stage.
His name is Seya, a good-looking fair fair-skinned boy who has the bearing of a noble.
He also has a wind attribute superior quality spirit root.
They both cupped their hands together at each other.
Then Sake attacked first.
With an agility not fitting his huge physique. Sake punched Seya in the face, but he misses.
Seya appeared at his back and, like an apparition, also appeared in his left, right, and front. He got Sake surrounded with images of himself.
Sake tried punching them, but his punches would always go through them.
His punch could not hit anything material, it was like he was punching a ghost.
"Ah, what kind of cultivation skill is this? It's not fair; the cultivation skill is so advanced while we are only given an exercise manual." Chulan said as she pouted, feeling sorry for Sake, and thinking it was unfair.
"No Chulan, this is not a cultivation skill". Zeron said.
"Not a cultivation skill?!". Chulan said looking surprised.
With total focus on the ongoing match, Zeron replied, "Yes, it's not; it's his speed".
"Huff, huff, how can you be so fast". Sake asked Seya as he held his knee and gasped for breath.
Seya gazed at him and replied indifferently. "Don't you know what my spirit root attribute is?".
Sake was surprised and said, "You mean wind?".
"Yes, I am the son of wind". Seya said.
"Now it's time for you to be defeated".
Piuu. Bam Bam Bam Bam..,
It's the sound of Sake being pummeled at a very fast speed.
Sake could not see Seya, all he could feel was himself being beaten up at all angles
"Ugh". Sake threw up blood, as he was bleeding and bruised up in his body, but.. he didn't fall.
Seya was surprised and asked. "Why are you not falling".
Sake laughed out loud, even as he cringes because of the pain. He said. "Just like you, your spirit root gives you more speed, mine.. it just gives me thick skin".
He continued by saying. "So come on, let's see who will collapse first".
"Is that so?". Seya asked.
Then he started walking towards Sake calmly, even as Sake stood in a fighting stance; even though his body was shaking, nevertheless, he was stable.
As Seya walked towards Sake, his bones started vibrating and..
Siuu. Bam!
"uurrggh!". Sake flew out of the stage while throwing up blood, his right chest was sunken in.
If Seya did not take back half of his force, Sake would have died.
"Sake!". Chulan screamed as she rushed towards the collapsed Sake, who was in critical condition.
Eldest senior sister Sonia said to Chulan as she bent down and placed Sake's head in her knee as she cried. "Don't worry, lass, his injuries are not that serious; you would see worse injuries than this in the future as a cultivator.
Rale went forward to help the medical staff as they took Sake to the sect clinic.
Chulan wiped the tears off her face and said to Zeron who was standing beside her. "Zeron, defeat him for me".
"No problem, you didn't have to ask". He replied as he gazed at Seya, who was surrounded by some disciples singing praises to him.
A new disciple who still doesn't understand why Sake was defeated quickly and brutally after tanking all the attacks of Seya for minutes asks an older disciple who was beside him.
The disciple replied.
"It's the disparity between levels of cultivation, the more you go higher in cultivation, the more difficult it is to surmount a level and fight".
He continued by saying that Seya has only been using the muscle-tempering stage strength to fight Sake, but when he used his bone-tempering stage strength, he could defeat Sake in a flash.
The next match that was fought was between two skin-refining stage cultivators.
The match was remarkable because both cultivators were former martial artists.
They did incredible maneuvers, hair-raising attacks, and defence.
Death was just a step away if any mistake was committed.
The bout lasted for twenty minutes, with one of them winning because of having higher endurance.
That was the last match for the day.
Elder Lei asked the disciple to dismiss, that the competition will continue tomorrow.
On leaving the field. Zeron and Chulan encountered Rale who was returning from the sect clinic.
"Rale, how's Sake". Chulan asked.
"Sigh, he is alright, but his right chest bones were crushed. He is only alive because cultivators have stronger life force and regeneration abilities".
"Ah!". Chulan screamed before covering her mouth.
Zeron frowned and asked. "That serious?"
Rale nodded and said that. "it may be a good thing for him, because the injuries accelerated the drug efficiency of the foundational pill he took, and caused him to break through to the muscle tempering stage".
He continued. "the sect doctor said that he will be fully recovered in a week time".
Zeron sighed and said "what a relief".
Rale and Chulan nodded with a relieved expression.
Rale was about to go to his dwelling when Zeron stopped him.
"Is there anything else". He asked Zeron while feeling curious.
Zeron looked at him and said. "I noticed the sword art you used in the competition was strange".
Rale on hearing this, became on guard.
Zeron laughed as he saw Rale turning very serious.
He said. "Don't misunderstand, what I want to say is that I know someone who once used similar sword style like yours".
He continued. "She told me that the true meaning of her type of sword art, as understood by her is instant explosion".
"Instant explosion?". Rale echoed back.
"yes, instant explosion. Accumulate without reserve, sense with the heart and release with the soul".
Zeron looked up to the sky after saying that, then continued. "her sword art is not totally the same with your own, there are dissimilarities, hers focused on one strike after accumulation, while yours is more profound, there is her charm in your sword art and many others".
Zeron then walked away from Rale while saying.
"The person that taught you that sword art is incredible".
Rale stood in the same spot for two hours.
He then sighed and looked towards the already disappeared back view of Zeron and said.
"Thank you Zeron, you helped me pushed my mastery to the beginner stage".
He continued. "Now, I can revenge for Sake myself".
He gritted his teeth.