The next morning.
The martial arts field was filled up with thousands of spectators.
The competitors have lined up, nineteen of them since Sake is still recovering from his injury.
Elder Lei's voice was heard again, coming from the direction of the elevated platform.
He said. "One competitor cannot attend the competition because of serious injuries, but the good news is that..".
The voice paused as if it was interrupted.
Elder Lei then continued. "The good news would be announced after the competition".
"Let the matches begin".
The eldest senior sister, Sonia Lee, jumped to the top of the stage in a single leap and with a lithe movement.
She faced the nineteen competitors and said. "try not to injure too seriously. At least make it possible for the person to continue the competition".
She faced Seya when she was talking to the competitors.
Seya put up an indifferent look, with a prideful countenance and his hands behind his back, looking like a young overlord.
After talking to the competitor, Eldest's senior sister, Sonia Lee, floated back down from the stage.
Below the stage, she announced.
"First match, Zeron versus Kray zi
Kray zi stood with wide shoulders and a bulky frame.
He held his sword with both hands as he gazed at Zeron intently.
Zeron looked back at him and with no words shared between them.
Zeron attacked.
"Dragon tiger, tiger pounce".
There was a roar that sounded like a tiger roar. It came from Zeron's body as he attacked Kray
"foundational sword art, sword cleave!". Shouted Kray.
His sword cleaved at Zeron.
Zeron faced the sword, and without the intention of dodging it, his fist hit the blade's sharp edge.
Clank!!!
That was the sound of metal hitting metal.
But this time, it was a fist hitting metal.
""huh!! The audience was surprised".
It was understood that the body of a cultivator would only compete with a tier 3 treasured weapon after the bone tempering stage.
The crowd was shocked, thinking that Zeron had already entered the completion of the bone tempering stage, but if they knew his real cultivation. They would be shocked.
Kray paused his attack and looked at Zeron.
"Bone tempering stage?". He asked.
Zeron did not respond.
"So what if you are bone tempering stage cultivator. I would still cut you with my sword".
He attacked again.
Zeron parried his attacks with his hands and also attacked with different techniques in the exercise manual 'Dragon Tiger.'
Kray Zi is a very strong person in his level of cultivation.
He is among the top players in the muscle tempering stage.
He could probably defeat an average bone-tempering stage cultivator, but he faced Zeron, who is a monster.
He was suppressed in all aspects.
"Dragon contract, tiger pounce". Said Zeron who punched Kray.
Kray hurriedly blocked with his sword, but the impact was so strong. He slides to the edge of the wide stage.
"huff, huff". Kray breathes heavily.
Zeron advanced towards him step by step, and when he was in front of the sweating Kray.
He said. "I am impressed; you could hold on for so long. That is not a normal feat."
Kray stabilized his breath and attacked Zeron again.
"Eat this!". He screamed.
Zeron shook his head and dodged the strike.
With a roundabout kick, Kray was kicked out of the ring and became unconscious.
Making it the second person he has defeated in the competition with a roundabout kick off the stage.
The crowd looked at Zeron, impressed, as he walked down the stage.
"Hey, you." Someone approached Zeron and blocked his front
It was Seya.
"I will defeat you and be the first in this competition". He said.
Zeron replied. "Didn't the elder say that first place does not matter, that we are only showing our skill to be chosen by a master?"
Seya looked at Zeron as If he was a fool.
Seya then said. "who do you think the strongest teacher would pick. First or last".
After saying that he walked out.
Rale and Chulan approached Zeron.
Chulan asked. "what were you two discussing?".
Zeron shook his head and told them what Seya said.
"As expected of an arrogant person". Chulan said.
She continued. " I know that it is Zeron that will win first place."
Rale shook his head.
Chulan was surprised that Rale didn't believe that Zeron would win first place.
Rale, instead of clearing her confusion, just looked to a certain spot.
Chulan followed his eyes and saw who he was staring at.
He was staring at Jiao Dayu who stood indifferently among the competitors.
Zeron tapped Chulan's shoulders and said. "stop staring; my aim is not to get the first place."
On the pedestal inside of the pagoda, the elders were discussing animatedly.
"Wow, used only a month to step into the completion stage of the bone tempering stage. What an impressive lad". Said an elder.
""Yes, yes, very impressive!"". Echoed the group of elders.
One elder asked. "Sect leader, what do you think".
Everyone looked at the sect leader.
The sect leader thought for some seconds and said. "I don't think that is his full strength".
""Huh!"". The elders chorused.
"But sect leader, the bone tempering stage is the limit that a superior quality spirit root would reach after a month of intense cultivation. An elder said
"And according to Elder Lei, Zeron plum did not have a special spirit root".
Everyone was silent as they thought.
No one doubted the sect head for being mistaken because none there could compare to the sect head's breath of wisdom and spirit.
"Cough, cough".
The elders looked at the sound of the cough and saw that it was Elder Lei.
"Elder Lei, did you have anything to add". Said Elder Gui Fu.
Elder Lei looked at the group of gathered elders and said. "maybe he has a special physique."
An elder interjected by saying that the orb of truth would have detected it, but the other elders gave that elder a 'are you stupid look', so he embarrassingly shut his mouth as he remembered that
Not all physiques can be detected by the orb of truth, or better still, there is a need for a high-quality or superior-quality orb of truth to determine some unique physique.
The Sword River sect only has the medium quality orb of truth as the highest quality
Elder Chao Dao broke the silence by saying. "Why all the contemplation, whether he has a special physique or not, he is our disciple, so it's to our advantage that he is strong. Isn't that right?".
The elders nodded their heads and said.
"Right, right."
What was on the elder's mind now was how to make Zeron their disciple.