As Thale crept through the winding corridors of the complex, the sounds of battle echoed all around him. Every corner he turned seemed to hold a new scene of violence, with cultivators locked in a fierce struggle, their bodies wreathed in crackling Qi as they fought for survival.
He watched in horror as one young man was cut down by a group of ruthless opponents, his screams cut short as they snatched the glowing crystal from his grasp. "Why do you want to kill me?" he heard the dying man gasp, "Just take my crystal."
But his killer only sneered, "You are competing with me for resources. Resources that will make me stronger. You are blocking my path to cultivation, so you must die." The coldness of the words sent a shiver down Thale's spine, as he realized the brutal nature of this competition.
