"I-I Give Up!" Ralf announced and Sophia stopped her assault.
"The Winner is, Sophia Christine" Judge announced indifferently.
"S-she… won…" Elder Ryan muttered, still unable to believe the outcome.
Not only the elder but even the crowd also had a shocked expression which soon turned into a cheerful one and they all cheered.
"She Won!" Elder Ryan exclaimed after coming out of his shock and everyone inside the cabinet bloomed. Even Ace and Maeve had a small smile on her face, of course, that was for a completely different reason.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
"Aaaaa!!" Gracie clapped and then raised her hands, imitating the crowd and celebrating her friend's victory.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
Gracie then continued clapping while Ace and Maeve had a wide smile on their faces.
"Elder Ace… how did you know she will win when even Elijah lost to that young man?" Sect Leader Kalm questioned and when Elder Ario heard the question, his expression turned unsightly.
"It's because of her fighting style" Ace answered.
"Do mean it's because she is a close combat mage?" Sect Leader Kalm questioned.
"Not really, it is more because she knows she is a close combat mage. Most of the participants in this tournament don't know what kind of mage they are.
But not only Sophia knows about her fighting style, but she also uses it to her advantage.
And if you are talking about Elijah, then sorry for being blunt but that guy is only good at bullying someone with weaker cultivation. He doesn't stand a chance against someone stronger or same cultivation as him" Ace explained and Elder Ario's expression turned even more unsightly.
"Even if it is true, Elder Ace, you shouldn't just look down on Elijah, he did enter Top 16 and bring Glory to the sect" Elder Ario refuted.
"I just said what I felt like and if Elijah, just like you, is happy about bringing 'glory' to the sect and is not worried about losing to someone with the same cultivation level as him, then I don't think he will advance much in future" Ace shrugged indifferently.
"You!"
"Enough! Elder Ario, calm down" Sect Leader Kalm ordered. Elder Ario snorted and glanced towards the stage.
The competition continued, and Top 4 were selected.
It was the first time after 20 years that a disciple of Inferno Sword Sect reached this far and everyone was happy about it.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
Gracie cheered as she saw Sophia entering the stage while the elders had grim expressions.
"Well, it seems this is as far as we go"
"But she did great, Sect Leader Kalm, you should reward her well"
"Yeah, give her few more years and I am sure she will perform even better!" The elders sighed as they already lost hope.
Her opponent was Maya, who is one of the tournament favorites and just like everyone expected, Maya won pretty easily. The Gap between cultivation was too wide to fill with techniques, plus, Maya wasn't as ignorant as other mages, she was a well-trained mage.
Sophia lost and the tournament continued.
Just as everyone expected, Maya grabbed the first place as she glanced towards the Inferno Sword Sect's cabinet secretly while accepting the rewards.
Then the ranking matches continued and Sophia lost again, getting the 4th position.
After the matches, it was time for the showdown between elders.
Each Sect sends 1 elder to fight against another elder of a different sect. The opponents are drawn randomly and elders only have to fight a single match.
Though it is said to be a reference match through which disciples can learn, the main aim is for the sect to show their prowess. It is pretty obvious that a sect cannot rely on disciples to show their strength, the main powers of the sect are the elders.
The cards were drawn and the 2 sects fighting each other were publically shown on a huge screen.
And when the elders of Inferno Sword Sect saw the opponent's name, their expression turned grim.
"Gracious Flower Sect…" Sect Leader Kalm muttered and then glanced towards Ace who was going to fight for their sect.
Everyone had solemn expressions except Elder Ario who was grinning inwardly while the man in question, Ace, his eyes were shining brightly as he glanced at his nightingale and then towards the stage.
Suddenly, Ace's gaze fell on the betting crystal.
"Are we allowed to bet when the elders fight?" ace questioned and everyone's expressions turned shocked.
Elder Ryan nodded.
"Alright!" Ace's expression turned even brighter, who doesn't like easy money?
"Alright, bet everything we have!" Ace spoke to Maeve who then whispered.
"Even the one you plundered from that family you destroyed?"
"Nah, those busybodies are still trying to find some clues, it would be doubtful if we use all that money, just bet 1/4th of that and all the money I have earned through selling the resources given by sect" Ace whispered back and Maeve nodded.
As the two chatted other elders were getting emotional.
'What an optimistic young man, even though he knows he will lose, he still bets on the opponent and earn money!'
"Well, I think I will also bet this round!"
"Yeah, me too"
"Allow me too!"
Other elders joined and Elder Ario had the most blissful expression.
"Well then, allow me to bet as well" Sect Leader Kalm spoke and walked towards the betting crystal.
'They are betting on me? Don't they trust me way too much? Or is it their way to show me their support? Huh? Even that geezer Ario is betting.
Aren't they too nice to be true?'
Ace thought inwardly but decided to remain silent.
"The respected elders who are participating in the demonstration, please report in the Participant hall" The judge announced.
"Alright, I am going" Ace announced and shared a kiss with Maeve and then kissed on Gracie's forehead.
The other elders reported and of course, Ace gained a lot of attention as he was the youngest in the bunch.
"Alright, the participants of the first match, please come forward" An old age man announced.
2 geezers stepped out and walked towards the stage. The fight started quickly and after 30 minutes of a long and hard battle, the results were announced.
"Elder Jin wins!" The judge announced.
"Participants of the 2nd match!" The old man announced and Ace stepped forward.
He entered the stage and glanced at his opponent who was smiling at him.
"Well, well, well, I never thought I would get to fight you" Elder Aurora smiled.
"Me too" Ace smiled back while glancing towards the Inferno Sword Sect's cabinet and waving his hands towards it.
At the same time, inside the Inferno Sword Sect cabinet, Gracie was practically jumping on her mother's laps when she saw Ace entering the stage.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
"Pwapwa! Pwapa!!"
She clapped as loudly as she could while her eyes shined with radiance.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
"Aaaa!!!" She cheered louder than ever while Maeve was having difficulties controlling her.
"She's rather excited" Sect Leader Kalm smiled as he saw Gracie cheering excitedly.
"She is" Maeve answered with a smile, even she was happy to see Gracie acting like that and really wanted to enter the stage just like Ace.
"Hmph! Let's see how she reacts when her father loses!" Elder Ario snorted but was completely ignored by Maeve, making him even more furious.
...
"Well, I don't think you know me, I am Elder Aurora from the Gracious Flower Sect. I was known as the youngest mage to become an elder but… I think that you have successfully taken that title from me" back at the stage, Elder Aurora introduced herself.
"I am Ace Vorste" Ace replied.
"Well, I have decided to go easy on you as there is someone in my sect who has fell for your charm and I don't want to hurt that person by defeating you so quickly"
"I know" Ace answered.
"You know?"
"It is Maya, right?" Ace guessed.
"You know but still aren't answering her feelings? Why is it?" Elder Aurora questioned with narrowed eyes as her gaze turned cold.
"Don't tell me that you want to keep her as a spare that you can woo if you someday get bored of your wife" Elder Aurora spoke in a cold tone.
"Well, you have rather… unique imaginations…" Ace answered with a chuckle.
"But no, I never plan to do something like that. I just didn't say anything because I don't want to hurt her. I think that with time, she will find someone who is right for her and will forget about me" Ace answered.
"You… you don't even want to give her a chance?" Elder Aurora questioned.
"What chance are you talking about? I already have a wife" Ace responded.
"But isn't it common for men to have multiple wives?"
"Well, it is common but not for me, as I said before,
Maeve's mine.
But this statement goes both ways.
I am hers.
There is no way I can accept anyone else other than her" Ace answered with a smile and Elder Aurora had a surprised expression on her face.
"You are a lot better than the men I met, she's really lucky to have you" she replied with a smile
"That is incorrect,
I am the one who is lucky to have her"
Ace answered with a smile.