"This is going to be the most exciting tournament for a hundred years." A middle-aged man said as he looked at the empty stage in excitement.
"How so?" A teenager beside him asked.
"Because this time one of the sects is missing and their quota has been given to someone else without needing to compete at all." The old man answered smugly.
"Without even competing? Then they will just walk into the domain without even fighting for it in 6 months?"
"Exactly, my son. Exactly." The old man sighed, "Since it is so, the other sects are even more pumped up to win the rest of the tickets."
"Wow, that means there are only 6 sits left." The teen exclaimed.
Ezio at this time was beside his master. After his breakthrough, he consolidated his cultivation and started to meditate to find his acupoints. When he tried for the first time, something amazing happened. Something deep in his soul nudged him to an area. He didn't know what that feeling was, but he knew he could trust it. As he followed the feeling, he found his first acupoint. Just like that!
"Anon was that you?" He asked.
"What happened?" The usually silent avatar looked at Ezio in question.
"I was meditating to find my first acupoint and this feeling appeared. I followed it and it took me to my first acupoint." Ezio explained as vividly as he could.
"Hmm, although that is unusual, it is not that rare." Anon nodded after some time. "It might be your bloodline, innate ability, or something else that allows you to find your acupoints more easily."
"Isn't that a cheat? People cannot pass through this realm because they can't find their acupoints." Ezio asked in disbelief.
"People in higher tiered organizations have different techniques to find acupoints. People in the best kind of environments have so many more ways to allow them to swiftly find acupoints. Don't let the limits of a small Kingdom set your ceiling, Main."
Ezio, for a second, felt as if a universe exploded in his brain. 'Why am I limiting myself to this Kingdom? My ambition is beyond these lands, isn't it?'
After that, Ezio cultivated diligently. After all, finding acupoints easily didn't mean he could advance as quickly. Not only did he have to strengthen those acupoints by feeding them with Essence all time, but he also had to solidify his Qi.
Luckily, he didn't need to find another set of acupoints for Mana Cultivation, and he only needed to Solidify his Mana to progress.
So far, Ezio had found ten acupoints, which was phenomenal. It would take other people a number of years to achieve what he did. And he did it in a short span of time. Of course, this quickness got over his head, and he had to humble himself by battling against Mana Master Ezio.
Oh yes, that was a new feature of the Mysterious Room. Training Area. It could be set to any environment and he could battle against his avatars. He would be lying if he said he didn't fight against non-combat avatars to boost his confidence and bullied Trader Ezio and Doc. But Mana Master Ezio crushed him over and over again to teach him an important lesson, there is a mountain above the mountain. There is heaven above heaven.
Despite having the same set of Signiums, Mana Master Ezio's mastery over them was tens of times better than his. Manny was a fish in the ocean, and Ezio at best was a sailor.
Pullen out of his stupor by the cheers, Ezio looked at the stage. On it, appeared the golden couple of the Kingdom. Princess Moon and Prince Consort. Xiao Chen was waving his hand to his subjects while Princess Moon was smiling brightly.
Ezio looked at them in disgust and a bit of envy. Of course, he was envious. How dare that bastard hold Princess Moon's hand with his filthy claws?
"Welcome to the annual Ten Years Tournaments." Princess Moon spoke to a stone that amplified her sound so she could be heard from everywhere in the stadium. With it, cheerings and whisperings had stopped as well. Everyone was now listening to her with full attention. "It was my Father, The King, who held this tournament last time, but this time he is sadly incapable.
Our Kingdom suffered from within, and I will not hide it from its good citizens. My eldest brother tried to kill my father to take the throne. The Second Prince fought against the Third Prince for the throne. They all hurt this Kingdom and its people. I cannot explain how sorry all that makes me.
You suffered because of the sins of the royal family and I am truly, truly sorry." She shed some tears. Ezio for the fact knew they were genuine. But the sadness on the face of the man who was holding her hand was fake. But he had to give it to him. Xiao Chen was a good actor.
"Princess Moon, your tears are worthier than gold." He said as he wiped her eyes with his palms. "You were the only one who was worried about this land and its people instead of the throne. You walked the Kingdom with bare feet to find a solution. You suffered a lot to find a cure. And if it wasn't for you, this Kingdom would suffer even more. Raise your head proudly. If this Kingdom is standing today, it is thanks to you! Its people also see and appreciate it. Don't shed your tears, instead smile to bless your subjects."
Xiao Chen was also a master politician. People cheered in unison and the stadium was shaking with the sheer ferocity of gratitude. Princess Moon looked at Xiao Chen lovingly and smiled at people. She loved her fiance and her subjects, and she would do anything to make them happy. But she was so blind to see, the man smiling beside her was just a monster in human skin.