The selection continued as participants were constantly waking from their trance-like state. One by one, they left the selection field.
The young cultivator from the free market, Tochi Gimo, was also eliminated. He left feeling dispirited.
After half an hour, only ten remained in the selection field.
One of them was the City Lord's disciple, Magi. He was only sixteen this year, but he already has the cultivation of Middle-Level Martial Heavenly Layer and was very proficient in sword arts.
Each of the large clan also has a cultivator that qualifies to continue with the selection, except the Cruz Clan who has two. They were twin cultivators, one specialized in water skills and the other in ice skills.
There was also a young man from a small clan outside the city who qualified. And the rest were from small clans and groups in the city.
The City Lord waved his hand and the Monument of Talent vanished. The remaining ten cultivators woke up from their trance and looked around. They noticed that they were the only participants remaining in the selection field. It only means that they passed and qualified to proceed with the selection.
"And that's the end of the second phase. Congratulations to the ten of you for making it to the last phase of the selection. Your clans and groups are already proud of you for coming this far." Leader Mogan looked at the ten young cultivators and smiled at them. "There are only six remaining slots that we have to fill."
The young cultivators looked at him earnestly.
"To identify the other six who will join me in the Royal City, we will now conduct the last phase of the selection." He continued. "The next phase is a one on one battle."
He waved his hand again and ten golden cards appeared in the air and hover above the cultivators in the selection field.
"You will be drawing lots." said the City Lord.
Someone nabbed a card first. All the others did the same. They jump and grabbed a card.
"Your card also has the name of your opponent and a number that determines the order of the battle."
Everybody looked at their cards and saw the name of the person they will have the first battle with.
"The process is simple. The first to admit defeat will lose. You may use your martial spirit but not any weapon or talisman. The first five of you to win their battles will automatically secure a slot. The losing parties will fight each other for the remaining one." He explained. "The first battle can start now."
The eight other cultivators moved away from the center of the selection field at the same time.
The young man from outside the city moved to the center of the field as he got number one on his card. He was going to fight against a cultivator from the Gimo Clan.
"I am Gab of the Fu Clan from Boki Village." He introduced himself.
"Ippo of the Gimo Clan." The other introduced himself. "I will be merciful."
"Please guide me." Gab politely said. He cupped his fist and bowed.
Ippo shamelessly moved towards him and attacked with a giant fist of divine energy. He used the Giant Attacks technique which is an upper-grade jade tier technique and is a very popular martial art skill for young cultivators. One attack transforms the divine energy of the cultivator into a fist making the energy more concentrated and powerful.
Martial skills and techniques were divided into six tiers – Copper Tier, Gold Tier, Jade Tier, Earth Tier, Sky Tier, and Saint Tier. Each of these tiers was also divided into three grades – Lower, Middle and Upper.
Everyone was shocked that someone from a large clan can be as shameless as he.
"He is just like you, Pangi." The leader of Shuǐ Clan said to the leader of the Gimo Clan.
Clan Leader Pangi gave a look of disdain toward the leader of Shuǐ Clan. "It's your strength that wins you battle, Gio."
Migo clenched his fist when he saw this.
'Shameless.'
Fortunately, Gab was able to react and release an attack to protect himself. He used a martial art skill that is best for cultivators with beast martial spirit – Beast Flow technique.
"Tiger claw!"
A tiger claw made of divine energy was instantly created and clashed with the giant fist. The crowd was stupefied with the enormous strength released from the collision of the attacks. Good thing, a protection barrier surrounded the selection field so even the ordinary people in the crowd were unharmed.
Without waiting, Gab quickly moved forward and attacked using another Tiger Claw. Ippo reacted swiftly and formed an earth barrier in front of him. He stepped backward and awaken his martial spirit. It was a golem.
"Let's see if you can still take this." He said. "Golem Punch."
The golem moved towards Gab and threw a punch. Everyone felt that it was many times stronger than the giant fist from earlier.
"Black Tiger Spirit." He also decided to awaken his martial spirit. Instead of clashing with the golem, he utilized one of the skills of the Black Tiger Spirit – Tiger Speed – to avoid the attack. He moved towards Ippo and released another attack using the Beast Flow technique.
"Beast Bite." He said. Tiger Fangs made of divine energy appeared and moved directly to attack Ippo. He was not expecting that his Golem Punch would be ineffective and failed to prepare for any counterattack.
He received the attack directly and was pushed back more than a dozen steps. His hair was disheveled, and he looked extremely pale.
"I admit defeat." He dejectedly said. He had wasted so much energy and needed to stabilize his condition, or else, he would not be able to fight in his next battle.
"Thank you for your guidance." Gab politely said and moved away from the selection field.
Ippo glared at him and moved as well.
Clan Leader Gio laughed on the stage. "And shamelessness will lose you battle."
Clan Leader Pangi gritted his teeth but he ignored him.
The first battle finished in just a couple of minutes and everyone was amazed at how strong Gab was. He was able to secure a slot to go in the Royal City.
The next battle was between Acqua of the Cruz Clan and Gil of the Sato Clan. The Sato Clan is also well known as an average clan in Crystal City and owns several establishments. They also have a number of businesses in the Royal City.
They both moved to the middle of the selection field at the same time.
Acqua was wearing a blue robe. She looked beautiful and her eyes showed a hint of innocence in them. People in the crowd were mesmerized by her.
"Please guide me." She softly said.
"Let's start." Gil simply said.
"What a snob." She said and smiled evilly. "Let me help you taste despair."
She awakened her martial spirit right away, a water elemental. Elemental martial spirits are usually stronger than other types of spirits because they are part of nature. They can easily utilize the power of nature.
"Water Orbs". She shouted. Hundreds of balls of water, the size of a marble, formed in the air. With a wave of her hand, they flew towards him instantaneously.
"Her Royal Rain technique has already reached the high-level mastery." Commented some of the cultivators in the crowd.
"She really is a genius of the Cruz Clan." Some added.
Ordinary people were amazed by the scene.
Migo was watching excitedly. Despite seeing several battles between cultivators in the past, he can't help being surprised with how much power they can use, and how they utilize their martial spirit during a battle.
"Wind Spirit." Surprisingly, Gil also has an elemental martial spirit. He then used the Quick Wind movement technique together with the Wind Spirit enhancement to boost his speed and reaction to avoid the water orbs.
Acqua laughed evilly. "Do you really think that's enough to win?" Hundreds and hundreds of water orbs continued to rain down on him.
Gil increased his speed and reaction and moved towards her.
"Wind Spirit Arrows." He waved his hand and the wind spirit transformed into several arrows and flew towards Acqua.
"Water Barrier." She immediately cast a defensive skill blocking the wind arrows. Her focus was on the attack that she failed to notice Gil has already appeared on her side.
"Hurricane Punch!" Gil shouted as he threw a punch. Utilizing the power of his martial spirit, the divine energy in the punch grew stronger.
It landed on her side. She was thrown and crashed on the protective barrier.
Gil won the battle.
She glared at him. "I'm going to kill you."
She prepared to release another attack when suddenly she was enveloped in ice and unable to move. On the stage, the leader of the Cruz Clan was looking at her with disdain.
"You already lost." She said. "Get her."
Some cultivators of the Cruz Clan appeared at once beside the frozen Acqua and left with her.
The crowd was looking at the leader of the Cruz Clan with admiration. Without even doing anything, she was able to freeze another cultivator. This only showed how powerful she was and the mastery of her skills and techniques.
"The third battle may start now." The City Lord said.
Two young cultivators walked towards the middle of the selection field. Tuuli of the Ryhmä Group and Wang of the Lin Clan.
Tuuli was wearing a white robe embroidered with golden daisies. Her black hair danced gracefully in the air. She was beautiful and mysterious.
"I never expected that you will be my first opponent," Wang said. Since they were kids, he has always been attracted to her. "I don't want to hurt you. I admit defeat."
Everyone was shocked when they heard him. He was giving up the fight.
She looked at him coldly and then smiled. Suddenly, she activated her divine energy and released a powerful gust that shot towards him. Caught unprepared, he was thrown out followed by a crashing sound.
"I don't need anyone to protect me." She proudly said. "I can handle myself."
The members of the Lin Clan who were in the crowd looked at her angrily as she stepped out of the selection field.
Wang felt humiliated but he silently stepped out of the selection field as well.
The next fight was between Paqui of the Eki Clan and Magi, the disciple of the City Lord. The moment they stepped into the selection field the fight has started.
Paqui used a movement technique to get near Magi right away. At the same time, he utilized the Saber Flow technique to gather divine energy on his leg and released a kick.
When Magi saw this, he reacted right away and used an upper-grade jade tier technique, Sword Dance, and released sword energy that collided with the kick. He followed it up with two sword blades that flew towards Paqui.
Seeing this, Paqui awakened his martial spirit, a saber. Weapon spirits are many times powerful than regular weapons as they can easily use divine energy and enhance their power. They also have innate skills that can be used during battles.
He used his saber spirit to protect himself from the attack and used his movement technique again to put a distance between him and Magi.
"Hundred Sabers." He shouted.
Hundreds of small sabers made of divine energy appeared around him. It rained down on Magi.
He didn't wait for the attack to reach him when he awakened his own martial spirit, a sword.
"Giant Sword." He infused his martial spirit with divine energy and became a giant sword. He used it to block the attack.
Hundreds of sabers attacked the giant sword, but Magi was safe.
The City Lord smiled seeing how his disciple successfully blocked the attack.
Both moved towards each other. Paqui attacked using his saber spirit targeting Magi's chest. But Magi noticed this and used his sword spirit to block the attack.
Migo was watching the fight intently. He was able to follow all their movements. He can feel the power of divine energy being utilized on every attack and defense.
While defending, Magi released two sword blades that caught Paqui off guard. One pierced in his right shoulder and the other in his left leg. Magi took this chance and punched on his stomach throwing him backwards. He crashed on the ground bleeding.
Magi won the battle.
Paqui was seriously injured and will no longer be able to continue with the selection.