Two days had passed since she attacked Kresa. Every minute she feared that sect officials would come and punish her. But no one seemed to care, at all.
Kira had continued her practice. Every morning she would head to the river and cultivate the Thunderstorm technique. Until the afternoon after that, she would practise her martial and movement technique till late at night.
She survived solely on those heavenly peaches she had stolen.
Yesterday she broke through to Body Tempering Stage Two. And had cleansed her muscles. Which had hurt even more than the cleansing of the skin.
But thanks to the addicting feeling the Qi caused her, she once again drowned herself in the sensation blocking out the pain.
She also made good progress in her martial arts. Now with the cleansing of her muscles done her physical strength had skyrocketed. She now could crush a rock her size. Even without using any technique. Not to mention how devastating her martial art was now. If she were to use windy hands in her current state against Kresa, Kira was sure she would have straight up ripped her apart.
Kira was frightened by the strength she attained within 3 days of cultivation. But one thing she was sure of. She loved it. And yearned for more. The fire of ambition burned in her chest, telling her to reach for the heavens. And let no one stand in her way. No matter what she had to do. She would do it.
'Everything to get stronger' she vowed.
As she was about to leave to pursue her daily training routine. A gentle yet commanding voice sounded through the entire outer sect. Stretching from the bottom of the 9 mountains through the valley till the river. The outer sect was enormous. Kira could only imagine what cultivation level the woman who spoke must have.
"Attention Disciples of the outer sect! Now that you had a couple of days to accommodate yourself. Your life in the sect truly begins. All new outer disciples are required to gather in the Arena in two hours. For some announcements regarding the Outer sect tournament for the new batch." The voice announced.
'There goes my training routine for today.' Kira yammered.
She took out a peach and the sect map from her bag. Studying the map in search of the arena while munching on a peach as breakfast.
A frustrated sigh escaped her lips when she found the arena. It was located a bit up the second peak also called Moonlit summit. Her quarters were near the river. She was as far away as you could be from the mountains.
'I better get going immediately or I will never make it.' Kira decided and stepped out the door.
It was still early. The cool spring wind blew through her robes sending a pleasant chill up her spine.
At the same time, many disciples stepped out of their quarters. All unlucky to be stationed far away from the Moonlit summit.
It was the first time she got a good look at her neighbours. And strangely many threw weird glances at her. With a myriad array of emotions in their eyes. Some were hateful, some disdainful but most, Kira couldn't believe what she saw, had fear in their eyes.
'What is going on? Why are they afraid? Is it because of Kresa? I will have to ask someone.' She wondered.
She started to walk forward joining the trail of disciples in the direction of the arena.
No one walked beside her. It was like they all avoided coming close to her.
One face stuck out from the crowd next to her. Because a smile adorned it.
Kira raised an eyebrow and the smiling boy approached her.
"Hi, Kjell is the name." The sandy-haired boy introduced himself with an infecting grin.
"Kira" she replied suspiciously.
"Ahh, don't be suspicious. You could call me a fan of your, ehm, work" he chuckled.
"My work? You mean the reason everyone walks around me with their pants full of piss?" she questioned.
"Exactly." He chuckled again.
A smile tucked on the corners of Kira's mouth.
"I must say, crippling your roommate on the second day. Is quite the statement." Kjell laughed.
Some disciples threw them suspicious glances.
"I guess you had your reasons. And I just can't find it in me to feel pity for some rich noble girl. Who was put in her place by one of us. The lower class." He gave her a proud smile.
Kira also smiled in return.
The two of them continued to chat, all the way to the arena.
Well, mostly Kjell talked. He was a very talkative young man. Kira found herself enjoying his presence and all the stories he told her.
He had an intoxicating personality, to whom you could listen to all day. His joyous nature was contagious.
Kjell told her about the village he grew up in. Located not very far from the sect.
He talked a lot about his family, especially his six siblings.
He complained a lot, about how much he hated working the fields of their farm.
The farm life is what he owed his broad and muscular body to.
Kira couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to have grown up in a big and loving family like Kjell.
When they arrived at the arena their eyes nearly popped out.
Two gigantic Statues of cultivators clashing swords were chiselled into the mountainside. To their feet lay the head of Dragon with his maw wide open. That was the entrance to the arena.
Hundreds of people were streaming into the Dragon's mouth.
Kjell and Kira were walking in silence marveling at the impressive architecture of the entrance.
Inside the Dragon Statue were a lot of pathways leading to the seating area.
At the back of the throat of the Stone Dragon next to the entrance to the pit. Was an office like stall, built into the wall. Where disciples could register private duels.
"Let's take this one." Kjell suggested and pointed to one of the paths to the right.
Kira nodded and followed.
The path led them to a staircase. Which's end opened up the arena.
They weren't even surprised by the sight of the enormous structure.
At least a hundred thousand people could be seated here. The most impressive thing was that the entire thing was carved into the mountain.
Illuminated by glowing lines of stone that flowed like veins through every part of the arena.
It was the greatest thing Kira ever saw.
'I have to get used to stuff like that. I can not always be blown away by the size of things, I am not in the mundane world anymore.'
„Kira over here" Kjell yelled. He had found two free seats.
Kira joined him. Kjell continued to chit-chat.
The arena was already filled with a couple of thousand people. Barely filled at all.
After waiting another twenty minutes. A gorgeous young woman in an all black robe appeared in the pit. The invisible pressure she excluded made everyone silent at once.
"I am Elder Rina." she stated her sweet melodic voice travelling easily over the entire arena. „The tournament will be held in exactly three months time. Use the time to train and cultivate. Special rewards will await the best performing disciples. But only for those that make it into the top 100. So work hard and give it your all. Even if you think you have no chance of reaching the top. You can still win the favour of elders who might take an interest in your performance." She explained.
"Place 100-50 will get 50 spirit stones each. Place 49-11 will get 50 spirit stones and 3 Cleansing Pills. Place 10-4 will get 100 spirit stones, 5 Cleansing Pills and One week of private training with one of the elders. place 3 and 2 will get 300 Spirit stones, 5 cleansing pills, 1 week private training and 1 Qi enhancement Pill. The disciple who will Rank First will get 500 Spirit stones, 5 cleansing Pills, 3 Qi enhancement Pills, Special training with a core Elder of the sect and a special prize from the Sect Head himself." The beautiful elder declared.
The outer sect disciples started to whisper among each other excitedly.
Three cultivators in purple robes appeared behind Elder Rina.
"My disciples will start to call your names when your name is called come down and receive your Participant token and number." After she said that the elder vanished as quickly as she appeared.