"As you all should know," The sect master said, waking the crowd from their stupor, only Jason kept staring disrespectfully at Sarah.
"My personal disciple here is a once in a billion years talent, she's even more talented than me, can you believe it?" The sect master smiled wryly, but a hint of pride in her student was clear in her affectionate eyes as she looked back at Sarah.
"Unfortunately… just like every other disciple we've nurtured here. Our customs and traditions will prevail through all personal attachment I might have to my lovely Sarah here."
'She's MY lovely Sarah!' Jason inwardly said, staring daggers at the sect master
"So here we are, in this competition, the winner will have Sarah. Body and soul!" The sect master shouted crazily, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Sarah kept her cold demeanor as she kept staring into the distance.
Jason almost went berserk with rage, his hair and eyes turned crimson as he gnashed his teeth till blood came out of his lips.
"Calm down, Jason. Or I will be forced to knock you out." Olne said as she placed her palm on my head, sending me waves of calming qi, covering my body.
'What is this? What kind of energy is this?' Jason calmed down considerably that he began wondering about the strange energy that calmed him down almost immediately.
"Sorry about that… it's just… this is such a weird tradition, selling their top disciple like that." Jason kept his gaze locked on Sarah.
"It's how they managed to become one of the most influential and powerful sects of this world. Think about it, using their disciples to forge ties with other powers, be it clans or families, helped them consolidate their power. Making their enemies think twice of offending them." Olne said as she returned to her seat
"And why would they since they can benefit from forging ties with the Shadowheart Sect also… what's so special about the Shadowheart Sect disciples anyways?" Jason turned around and took a seat opposite Olne.
Olne, as always, sipped from her tea, then looked back at him.
"Good genetics, fertile womb. The Shadowheart Sect secret cultivation method allows them to have the chance of conceiving a child is higher than other women of the same cultivation base." Olne said as a hint of disdain crossed her eyes for a millisecond.
"And how is that chance?" Jason smirked, wondering if Sarah would be… but he cut those perverted line of thoughts as Olne glared coldly at him from his sly smile.
"Ten times more." Olne uttered. Only for me to sigh.
"All of that to breed… humans really are obnoxious, huh?" I relaxed into my chair, while Olne only smirked as she returned to sipping her tea.
I know that cultivators seldom have children. And if they do, they become annoying young masters and haughty young misses. Everyone in the family dotes on them, especially if they show a hint of talent.
And having a seedbed, able to churn out more of those… talented young misses and masters.
And now the most talented, most beautiful…
I will destroy everyone standing in my way to bring her home.
________________________________________
Sarah gazed into the distance, the cheers of the crowd of no concern.
"Isn't it lovely? How the people cheer for you?" The sect master said with a smile under her veil.
"It would seem so." Sarah said, returning to her brooding.
The sect master pouted, then walked to Sarah and held her hand with hers.
"How about you start smiling more, hmm? A man's patience can wear thin when his maid isn't pleasing him with a smile."
Sarah shuddered as she heard her teacher. She couldn't help but smile a little to appease her.
"Good girl… I'm sure he'll love you…" The sect master smirked, then returned to the audience.
"Now then. I will now list the rules of this tournament, so listen well."
The audiences ears perked up.
"Rule number one: The age of the participants must not exceed twenty years of bone age, and must not be younger than fifteen."
Most of the crowd breathed a sigh of relief, although some of them grit their teeth, being older or younger than the required age.
"Second rule: Cultivation base must be in the core formation realm and higher. Any less and you will be kicked of the tournament, and laughed at for being useless~!"
The crowd erupted into laughter at the misery of those young masters that failed at their only job. Some of them looked embarrassed at being indirectly laughed at. So they remained silent.
"Rule number three: No killing. Even if you… accidentally kill someone, you will be disqualified immediately, and the sect will not be responsible for what happens to you outside of the sect, and you will be kicked out." The sect master glared at the audience, receiving silent agreement and some gazes full of depravity at the stern eyes of the sect master.
"Rule number four" The sect master continued "If you were kicked out of bounds from the arena, you will be disqualified. Also, and I doubt anyone is able… no flying!"
At that comment, everyone from the audience laughed. It was impossible for a youth to reach the Martial Spirit Realm at their age. At least there was no precedence.
"I guess that's all the rules. pretty standard, no? Oh! Almost forgot! Rule number five! No treasures above the Earth Realm!" At that last rule people groaned.
"You really thought, huh?" The sect master smirked, the audience laughed at her antics.
"Now then, please form a line near the elevated arena where the elders are, and be civil about it!"
As soon as the sect master uttered, a shadowy figure descended to the middle of the arena.
The audience saw it was a youth, wearing black robes with silver embroidery, with black hair and wearing a mask that covered the upper part of his face.
"Thank you, Shadowheart Sect Master for the rules explanation. Now I know what I must do." In an arrogant tone, the youth said as he smiled cheekily.
"Now then, Come one, come all. I don't care either way. For I will beat the ever-loving shit out of all of you." Jason said with flair deserving of a young master.
The crowd were dead silent. Olne could only sigh in frustration at Jason's reckless move.
"Ha…Hahahahahaha~!"
"What did this kid say?"
"Apparently, he's challenging everybody."
"Are you serious? Get out of the stage, kid! This is not a playground!"
"Who is this boy!? Does he not know the immensity of heaven and earth!?"
"Sect Master! Kick this kid out of the sect!"
"Yeah! Do that!"
"I can't believe someone can be this idiotic…"
Jason listened to the mocking crowd, but he didn't care. He stood defiant, readying himself as he started stretching.
"What's your name, kid?" a melodious voice sounded from behind him. Jason didn't stop stretching but did turn to face the sect master.
'I didn't even notice she came down here… fucking terrifying!'
"You can call me Kyle. Now, can you explain to those plebians why I'm here?" Jason said, sounding bored.
The sect master smiled sweetly, almost making Jason's heart skip a beat.
"Listen everyone! Young Master Kyle here is confident enough to take down all the youths eligible to participate in this tournament, and I'll tell you why. He is the only one with cultivation base of peak Core Condensation Realm. At the age of… fifteen no less. So he has merit!".