The village square simmered with restless energy, a buzz of activity broken only by the sudden arrival of three familiar figures. The procession drew every eye, halting conversations mid-sentence. Ancy led the group with her signature composure, Jian trailed behind her with a look of barely contained frustration, and Alex, always the oddity, grinned like a child who had just stumbled into trouble.
"Jian, you jinx—" Alex began, only to have his words cut short by Ancy's sharp glance.
"Save it," she said with a calm that carried an undercurrent of warning. "Let's focus on explaining this… properly."
Jian's response was a groan as he dragged his feet. "Oh, I can't wait to see how you 'handle' this."
The trio passed through the village gates, their unusual entrance drawing murmurs from the gathered crowd. Even the elders—Feng Lord, Rong Elder, and the stoic Martial King—paused their private discussion to watch. The villagers stared, their confusion growing as Jian abruptly tossed Alex off his back and disappeared into the crowd.
Alex landed in an unceremonious heap, dusting himself off with exaggerated flair. "Well, that's gratitude for you," he muttered, earning a smattering of laughter from the villagers.
"Enough gawking," Ancy's voice cut through the crowd like a blade. She stood tall, her deep blue eyes scanning the assembly. "Get back to your work."
The Feng Lord's commanding voice reinforced her words. "You heard her. Move along!"
The crowd reluctantly dispersed, though whispers lingered. The elders exchanged meaningful glances before the Feng Lord gestured for Alex to approach. "You," he said, his tone equal parts frustration and curiosity. "Explain."
Alex scratched his head, flashing an unconvincing smile. "Father, I—well, you see—I was helping pick fruits, and things got… complicated."
"Complicated?" The Martial King raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Elaborate."
Before Alex could spin another excuse, Sony stepped forward. His sharp blue eyes locked on Ancy, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Or maybe Ancy would like to explain? After all, she always has the perfect answer."
Ancy met his gaze with unwavering calm. "Jian was helping Alex because he injured his leg. It's nothing worth this commotion."
Sony's smirk deepened. "How noble. And yet, you still find time to humiliate him?"
The tension between them was palpable. The villagers, sensing the brewing storm, stopped pretending to work and began watching from the corners of their eyes. Ancy's silence spoke volumes, her refusal to rise to Sony's bait infuriating him further.
"Enough!" the Feng Lord barked, his voice sharp and commanding. "We don't have time for petty quarrels. We've received a letter from the capital. The most important thing now is to prepare for a training session—one that may determine the participants for the upcoming tournament."
The news caused an immediate stir among the villagers.
"A tournament?" one gasped, disbelief evident in their voice.
"After all these years, they're finally taking notice of us," another murmured in awe.
Whispers spread like wildfire through the crowd, mingling excitement with apprehension. Faces filled with a mix of hope and trepidation as the realization dawned.
"We're finally going to meet cultivators... those monsters," one villager whispered, his voice tinged with both awe and fear.
"Yeah," another village elder murmured, "I heard the capital is where true cultivation happens. The place where warriors are made, where they walk the path of true power."
The air was thick with anticipation, but also with the underlying uncertainty of what this encounter would mean for them.
The youths were filled with a rising tide of anticipation. This was it—their chance, the one they had been waiting for their entire lives. The opportunity to escape the cycle of ordinary village life and grasp something greater.
"A tournament? Are you serious?" One young man's voice cracked with disbelief, his heart racing. His eyes shone with hope, unable to believe that this could truly be happening.
"I can't believe it," another murmured, his hands trembling. "All these years... and now, they're finally offering us a chance."
A collective murmur swept through the group, but it was the youth who spoke loudest with their excitement. For them, it wasn't just a tournament; it was the key to a future far beyond the ordinary.
"We might actually meet cultivators... real warriors," one youth whispered, almost reverently. His face held a mix of awe and nervousness, knowing that this was an encounter with something unimaginable for someone like him.
"Yeah, the capital... they say that's where true cultivation happens," another said, eyes wide with excitement. "This could be our shot to break free from this village. To actually become warriors. To have power."
The air around them buzzed with a restless energy as they realized the significance of this moment. This was more than just a competition—it was the chance to prove themselves, to change their fates, and to step into a world where they could become more than they had ever dreamed.
At that moment, a sharp, rhythmic drumming suddenly echoed across the square, slicing through the tense air. All heads turned to Alex, who stood at the center, grinning widely, a tiny drum in his hands. His presence was so unexpected that the villagers hadn't even noticed how he had slipped away unnoticed earlier.
His attire only added to the surreal image: a mismatched robe, short pants, and sandals, as if he had stepped out of a dream. But it was the sound of his drumming that truly seized their attention. Each beat was precise, yet carried a strange, mesmerizing rhythm. The beats seemed to wrap around the villagers, soft and hypnotic, as though pulling them into another world.
For a moment, the square seemed to blur. The harshness of reality faded, replaced by the gentle, pulsing sound of the drum. The villagers stood motionless, eyes wide, as if caught in a trance. Alex's music wasn't just a distraction; it was an invitation into a dream-like state, where the weight of their worries melted away and the harshness of the moment became distant and unreal.
The sound flowed through the crowd, washing over their consciousness. They could feel the tension ebbing, replaced by a sense of calm that felt almost otherworldly. It was as if Alex had unlocked a doorway, allowing them to float into a space free from the pressure of their lives.
"Come on, everyone," Alex called out, his voice warm and grounding, though his drum continued to hum with a deep, resonant pulse. "If we're going to face this tournament, we might as well enjoy the ride, right?"
The spell was broken, but the effects lingered. The laughter that followed wasn't forced; it was a natural release, the first breath of relief since the announcement. Even the most anxious faces had softened, caught in the lingering echoes of Alex's unexpected magic.
Despite themselves, a few villagers began nodding along, the infectious energy breaking the earlier tension. Even Rong Elder let out a rare chuckle.
The brief moment of levity was shattered in an instant. A deafening BOOM rang out, the sound so powerful that it seemed to rattle the very air. The laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by an eerie silence. Smoke began to rise from the edge of the square as Sony appeared, his glowing sword lowered, its light flickering ominously.
"What is the meaning of this?" the Martial King demanded, his voice booming, echoing across the square like thunder.
Sony remained unfazed, his expression calm and steady. He held up a rolled parchment, the urgency in his posture clear. "A letter," he said, his voice cutting through the tension. "from the two great villages."
Feng Lord's eyes narrowed as he reached for the letter, his fingers trembling slightly as he unraveled it. His expression darkened as he read, the weight of the news settling over him like a storm cloud. "The other villages are mobilizing," he muttered, his voice heavy with concern. "Warriors and prodigies will arrive within the week."
He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the gathered villagers, his tone turning grave. "This tournament will decide more than just our pride. It will determine the fate of our future. Prepare yourselves."
The shift in the air was immediate. The playful mood that Alex's drumming had sparked evaporated, replaced by a cold, pressing realization. The tournament was no longer just a distant possibility—it was an imminent reality, and its stakes were far higher than any of them had anticipated.
The crowd dispersed quickly, the weight of the announcement replacing the earlier frivolity. Ancy turned to Alex, her expression softening. "You'll need to focus now. No more games."
Alex gave a mock salute. "As you wish, fearless leader."
....
In a modest home on the village's edge, Moi sat cross-legged in meditation. His father, Suzui, watched him from the doorway, his weathered face lined with both pride and worry.
"Are you certain about this?" Suzui asked. "The prodigies from the two great villages are formidable. Their techniques are…"
Moi opened his eyes, the sharp gray irises glowing faintly with Qi. "I've mastered Dragon Palm and Mountain Rip," he said, his tone steady. "If I don't step forward now, I'll never know my limits."
Suzui let out a heavy sigh, his gaze lingering on his son with an unreadable expression. "You carry the hopes of this family, Moi," he said, his voice low and steady. "But remember, strength alone isn't enough. Cunning—strategy—wins battles. Preparing to face prodigies from the two great villages won't be easy."
Moi, his curiosity piqued, asked quietly, "Father, how strong are the prodigies from the other villages?"
Suzui's eyes darkened as he fixed his gaze on Moi, the weight of his words palpable. "Moi, there are three great villages," he began, his tone grave. "Blood Culture Village, though ranked last, still carries its own power. Each of these great villages forms the backbone of the Southern territories, each holding its own place of influence."
He paused, allowing the words to sink in before continuing, his voice becoming even more serious. "Then there's the Dragon Bone List— a ranking of the strongest youths in the Southern villages. Sony, our top genius, is ranked fourth. Jian is ranked sixth, and Ancy holds the eighth position."
He let the silence stretch before adding, his tone edged with caution, "But it's the top three you should truly worry about. Those are the ones who will truly test you."
Suzui's words hung in the air, thick with the weight of what lay ahead. The challenge was no longer an abstract concern—it was a tangible reality, one that would demand everything from Moi.
Moi's expression hardened as he took in his father's warning. His gaze steady and unwavering, he nodded, his fists tightening at his sides. A faint ripple of Qi shimmered around him, as though his very being was channeling the intensity of his resolve.
"I'll prove to everyone," he said, his voice low but fierce, "that this village has more than one prodigy."
The words carried a quiet power, and for a moment, the air seemed to still in response to the strength of his determination. The path ahead would be difficult, but Moi had made up his mind—he would rise to the challenge.