"Let the exam begins!!" Elder Jiang said.
After elder Jiang said those words, a huge barrier made from arrays quickly enveloped the whole arena. The students were all alerted and quickly assumed battle stances. After a few seconds, some of the students attacked each other, while others observed, and some took advantage of the fighting to launch sneak attacks on their fellow students.
Xian was fighting while keeping an eye on the three individuals who could pose a threat to him. Suddenly, someone approached from behind and drew their sword, attempting to stab him. With quick reflexes, Xian drew his own sword and parried the attack to his left. However, this momentary distraction allowed the muscular man to close the distance and deliver a powerful punch to Xian's back.
Xian was shaken from the attack and spouted a mouthful of blood. His insides were injured from just a punch from the muscular guy. Though shaken, he quickly regained his footing and faced the muscular man.
The muscular man immediately charged forward, attempting to punch Xian in the stomach. Xian saw the man coming at extreme speed and backed off slightly. He activated the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, stance 1 [Dancing Petals Technique], and successfully slashed the man's chest. Though the wound was shallow, it was enough to halt the man's advance. Just as Xian was about to dash forward for another attack, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the first round of the exam.
All students ceased their attacks as Elder Jiang shouted, "The first round of the exam has ended. Half of you have been eliminated from this round; only 20 remain. I'll give you 20 minutes of rest." Just as Elder Jiang spoke, he cast a cold smile at a handsome boy with black curly hair and mesmerizing brown eyes—it was Xian. What Xian didn't know was that Elder Jiang was Cedrick's master.
Xian sat cross-legged at the side of the arena and activated his breathing technique to recover his stamina and qi.
...
"Alright, that's enough rest, all of you," Elder Jiang shouted after 20 minutes had passed. "The second round will be a one-on-one fight. I'll draw some names on this ballot right here." He said, while holding a box with a hole in the middle. "Alright, the first match will be... Xian Sebastian versus Elias Finch. The second one would be... Silvia Evergreen versus Landon Hawthorne. The third... The fourth... The fifth... Xian was quite surprised that the muscular guy and twin tail girl is the second one fighting.
...
Xian was surprised to be matched with the frail-looking boy for the first fight. He didn't think much about it, but he was quite worried. Not only because he was still quite injured from the punch Landon gave him, but also because Elias was the strongest out of the three that he sensed.
The two came into the middle of the arena, and Elder Jiang shouted, "Alright, let the second round of the exam begin!" Just as Elder Jiang said that, the two quickly moved from their spots and arrived at each other, their attacks colliding with sparks flying. Xian was surprised to see that Elias's weapon was a black-colored claw emanating a menacing aura. It was an artifact—a Common (middle) artifact known as Devil's Claw.
After their attacks collided, they both took three steps back, and Xian's hand began to shake slightly from the impact.
Xian quickly focused and allowed his Qi to flow through his body, executing the Plum Blossoms Sword Technique, stance 1. The [Dancing Petals Technique]. He then slashed straight into Elias's right arm.
Elias remained motionless, but Xian was startled by the metalic clang as his blade collided with Elias's right arm. At the precise moment of Xian's attack, Elias had encased his right arm in ice, deflecting the blow.
Elias displayed remarkable agility, catching Xian off guard with his speed. In a swift motion, Elias extended his right arm, driving his claw into Xian's shoulder with precision.
As blood flowed from Xian's shoulder, he swiftly regained his composure. With Elias charging towards him, Xian attempted to parry the next attack. However, his focus was disrupted when three large ice spikes, each a meter in size, materialized above Elias's head and were launched towards Xian with remarkable speed.
Xian tried to dodge the ice spikes, but two ice spikes had managed to graze Xian. One grazed his left shoulder, and the other his right leg. After the two ice spikes hit Xian, he felt a sharp pain. Elias's sword had managed to pierce his stomach.
Xian spat a mouthful of blood, then quickly applied pressure to his stomach using his left hand. He felt his consciousness slowly fading away, stumbling while trying to hold his ground. Xian felt his world spinning. A small smile curled up on his lips as he fell to his side.
Xian completely lost consciousness. He lost. Elder Jiang let out a loud laugh at the scene. "I conclude that in the first round of the second exam, Elias Finch has completely won and shall be transferred to the inner hall the day after tomorrow."
Cheers erupted inside the arena, celebrating Elias's victory over the now unconscious Xian. "Elias has gotten the attention of Elder Jiang. His life will surely be much better after this." "Elias sure is strong. Xian was unlucky to have fought with him in the first round." A cold grin curled up on Elder Jiang's lips. 'That Xian kid will have it much worse from here on out. I hope that little disciple of mine will cultivate more after what I did as he said.' He thought.
After the first round, Elder Jiang announced the start of the second round, during which Silvia Evergreen made easy work of Landon Hawthorne. Silvia Evergreen finished the match in 2 seconds after Elder Jiang announced for them to begin.
Silvia Evergreen unsheathed her sword, and a blue, thunderous sword qi ran rampant along its blade. She quickly disappeared from her spot, and a blinding light enveloped Landon, followed by a dull thud. Landon fell face first after Silvia disappeared from her spot.
All those who were watching Silvia's fight were left in shock and awe. Quickly after they recovered from their shock, thunderous cheers erupted. Silvia indifferently walked outside the ring and sat on the side.
"Silvia Evergreen won! The third round shall commence shortly after." Elder Jiang announced.
The third round then started and after 20 mins, followed by the fourth, then so on, and so forth.
Six hours after Xian's fight, he woke up inside what seemed to be a clinic. He quickly sat up and felt a little pain in his head, clearly needing some more rest. He lay down again and thought about his last fight. He felt like all the unending practice and hardship he experienced had quickly gone down the drain. Being knocked out and completely defeated felt terrible.
...
After a day of rest, Xian exited the clinic after thanking the nurse. He made his way towards his dorm and spotted his roommate, Ken Zarra, who was eating. Ken remarked, "You know, man... You look like shit." Xian was taken aback by Ken's sudden comment.
Xian asked, "What? I think I look fine... What even made you say that?"
"Man, even a dog could tell that you haven't recovered from that fight," Ken replied. "Just remember, losing is okay. You're not some god who can't lose. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Just always remember what you're fighting for and how far you've come."
Xian smiled and said, "Thanks, man. I really needed that." After that, Xian left the dorm and headed to the training hall, where he began training his techniques fervently.
...
Just like that, another two years had passed, and Xian had progressed to the Foundation Realm Stage 2. Xian received a call from another disciple informing him that Elder Jiang was requesting his presence.
Xian left the training room and hurried to Elder Jiang's office.
As Xian reached Elder Jiang's office, he took a moment to compose himself before knocking on the door.
"Come in," Elder Jiang's voice called from within.
Xian entered the office, where Elder Jiang was seated behind a large wooden desk, his expression serious yet welcoming.
"Ah, Xian," Elder Jiang said, gesturing for him to take a seat. "I've been keeping an eye on your progress, and I must say, I'm impressed by how far you've come."
Xian felt a surge of pride at Elder Jiang's words but remained humble. "Thank you, Elder," he replied respectfully.
Elder Jiang nodded, his gaze assessing. "There's a matter I need your assistance with. A group of rogue cultivators has been causing trouble in the neighboring village. We need someone with your skills to help resolve the situation peacefully if possible."
Xian's heart raced with excitement at the prospect of being entrusted with such an important task. "I won't let you down, Elder," he promised, determination shining in his eyes.
"Good," Elder Jiang said with a nod. "Take this token. It will grant you authority in dealing with the situation. Remember, diplomacy is our first priority, but be prepared for anything."
Xian accepted the token with a grateful nod, his mind already racing with plans to handle the rogue cultivators. With a final bow to Elder Jiang, he left the office, ready to embark on his next adventure.
2 hours had passed, Xian got ready and treaded towards the neighboring village.
As Xian treaded towards the neighboring village, he couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation and responsibility weighing on his shoulders. The path ahead was familiar, yet today it felt different, charged with purpose and determination. Arriving at the village, Xian observed the bustling activity, but he also noticed an air of tension lingering beneath the surface. He approached the village elder, who greeted him with a mixture of relief and apprehension.
"Thank you for coming, Esteemed Taoist." The village elder said, his voice wavering slightly. "We've been at the mercy of these rogue cultivator for too long. Please, help us in stopping the tyranny of these bandits."
Xian nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation. He inquired more information about the location and the number of people the bandits had.
Xian received information from the village elder and swiftly made his way to the forest near the village.
Xian found himself inside the forest when he was suddenly attacked by four individuals wearing black hooded robes with masks covering their faces.
As the attackers descended upon him, Xian fought with all his might, but their coordinated assault proved too much for him to handle. Despite his skills, he was quickly overwhelmed by their superior numbers and ferocity.
Blows rained down upon him from all sides, each strike sending waves of pain coursing through his body. Despite his best efforts to defend himself, Xian found himself unable to keep up with the relentless onslaught.
Battered and bloodied, Xian collapsed to the ground, his strength failing him. The attackers showed no mercy, continuing their assault with ruthless efficiency until he lay motionless, barely conscious.
Xian felt his life slipping away. As his vision darkened, memories flooded his mind: images of his brother, moments from his past life, and the world of cultivation. He couldn't accept that after everything he had endured, this would be the end.
Xian vowed, "If I ever have another chance, I will become far stronger and refuse to be bullied by anyone! I will become someone the world reveres! I will strive to be the strongest—" Just as he was finishing his words...
[Ding!] [Congratulations, host, for activating the supreme cultivation system!] [Error!! Host seems to be on the verge of death.] [Activating **********]. Xian, teetering on the brink of death, had no idea what had just happened. "What the...?" he muttered as he drew his last breath.