Rain stood under the morning sun, inside the arena. Today marked the start of the competition to determine the Top 20 participants who would earn entry into the secret realm. He glanced to both sides, observing the opponents who had also advanced to the top 30. Among them, his gaze fell upon Yu Lie, who was staring at him with burning intensity.
So, the kid has emotions, after all, Rain thought, amused. During their fight the previous day, Yu Lie had felt less like a person and more like a sword—sharp, focused, but devoid of any feeling.
Suddenly, the commotion in the arena fell silent as three figures descended into the center of the arena. An old man, a young man, and a young woman floated down gracefully, commanding instant respect from everyone present.
Rain recognized them immediately. The old man was Bai Xuan from the Jade Sword Sect. The young man was Mu Bei from Cloud City, and the young woman was Gu Yasha from the Tyrant Blade Gate. All three were Human Base cultivators, tasked with presiding over the competition and overseeing the secret realm.
Rain noticed as Elder Yasha stepped forward, beginning a congratulatory speech for the top 30 participants. Her words flowed with authority, but for Rain, they entered one ear and promptly exited the other. His focus shifted instead to analyzing the three elders. While they were all in the same realm, he couldn't discern who among them was the strongest. However, Elder Yasha's leadership was evident—unsurprising, given that the competition was being held within the Tyrant Blade Gate's territory.
Rain's attention sharpened as Elder Yasha transitioned to explaining how the competition would be conducted.
With a wave of her hand, a box floated into the air and appeared before her. Elder Yasha explained, "Inside this box are 30 pieces of paper, each with a number from 1 to 15. Those who draw the same number will face each other in the fighting field corresponding to that number."
She continued, "The winner of each fight will remain in their designated fighting field, while the loser will move to the next field to their left."
Rain watched as the box floated toward the participant on his right. The individual reached inside, drew a piece of paper, and examined it. The box then drifted to the next person in line.
Rain observed the first participant head toward the No. 2 fighting field, confirming his number. Minutes passed as the box made its way through the group, floating closer to Rain.
When the box finally reached him, he reached inside and pulled out a slip of paper. It bore the number 8.
Rain noted that the No. 8 fighting field was still empty, so he walked over and stepped into it. Standing in the center, he began to observe the surroundings while waiting for his opponent. It wasn't long before his challenger was selected and approached the field.
Upon seeing his opponent, Rain's expression turned serious. His challenger was none other than Lu Yan, a Seventh Rank Great Warrior. If this fight had taken place yesterday, Rain wouldn't have been confident in his ability to defeat him. But after acquiring Yu Lie's sword skill and integrating it with his own, Rain felt his sword realm had advanced slightly.
Though still far from reaching the third realm of sword mastery, his strength had increased by 10%. That improvement meant he now could contend with an average Eighth Rank Great Warrior or a Refining Energy Realm Cultivator.
Rain stood calmly, waiting as Lu Yan took his position on the opposite side of the field. From the look in Lu Yan's eyes, it was clear he didn't consider Rain a serious threat.
Glancing at the clock, Rain noted there was still time before the match would officially begin. He shifted his focus, recalling what he knew about Lu Yan.
When Rain first heard of him, he had been surprised. Lu Yan was the eldest son of the Lu family, one of the six prominent cultivating families in the core region of the White Stone Mountain Range. Yet, despite his prestigious lineage, Lu Yan was born without a spiritual body. The eldest son of a leading cultivating family within the White Stone Mountain Region... born a mortal.
At first, the Lu family paid little attention to Lu Yan. Deemed an embarrassment, he was treated no better than a servant. But everything changed when he turned 15. To the astonishment of the Lu family's patriarch, Lu Yan advanced to the Great Warrior realm.
For powerful immortal families, a Great Warrior meant little, as the warrior path ended at that stage. However, for the Lu family—a modest immortal family where the strongest individual was only at the 10th realm of Refining Energy—a Great Warrior was a significant force.
While the Lu family possessed methods for cultivating as a Great Warrior, their highest practitioners had only reached the 6th realm of that path. Recognizing his son's exceptional talent, the head of the Lu family sent Lu Yan to train under a friend: the Great Elder of the Seven Evil Palace, an 11th-realm Great Warrior.
Rain was genuinely surprised when he learned that the Seven Evil Palace had an 11th-realm Great Warrior. His past enmity with the Crow Master of the Seven Evil Palace made this revelation particularly striking.
Even so, Rain felt no undue pressure. He knew that while he wasn't a match for an 11th realm Great Warrior yet, after leaving the secret realm, he would be stronger. Even if he couldn't defeat such an opponent, he was confident that they wouldn't be able to take his life.
Rain noticed all the participants entering their respective fighting fields. With a sharp inhale, he turned his attention to Elder Yasha, watching her as she raised her hand and announced, "Start the competition!"
At her signal, Rain's sword materialized in his hand, its blade shimmering with a faint fiery glow. Opposite him, Lu Yan summoned a massive axe, its surface etched with golden runes that pulsed with power. Without hesitation, Lu Yan charged forward, his axe blazing with golden light that wrapped around both him and the weapon.
The intensity of Lu Yan's aura was overwhelming; the golden radiance doubled his axe's power and reinforced his defenses, making him a nearly unstoppable force.
Rain braced himself, raising his sword, and with a flick of his wrist, sent a wave of fiery energy toward Lu Yan. The flames morphed into a spear mid-air, streaking toward his opponent. Lu Yan responded with a roar, swinging his glowing axe and releasing a phantom golden blade that cut through the fiery spear with ease.
The clash began in earnest.
Rain darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the crushing impact of Lu Yan's axe as it slammed into the ground, cracking the arena floor. He retaliated by forming a whirlwind of flame-shaped weapons—spears, daggers, and swords—hurling them at Lu Yan in a relentless barrage. Lu Yan, however, stood firm, his golden aura absorbing much of the impact.
Their weapons clashed repeatedly, sparks and bursts of flame lighting up the field. Rain's swordsmanship was fluid and precise, his strikes aiming for the gaps in Lu Yan's defenses. Meanwhile, Lu Yan relied on raw power, each swing of his axe creating golden phantoms that forced Rain to remain on the defensive.
"You're strong," Rain admitted, sidestepping another devastating blow that sent a shockwave rippling through the arena. "But brute strength alone won't guarantee victory."
Lu Yan smirked, the golden light around him intensifying. "And flames won't save you."
For the next forty minutes, the fight pushed both to their limits. Rain's superior skill and clever use of fire-based attacks allowed him to land several glancing blows, his flames scorching Lu Yan's armor. However, Lu Yan's sheer strength and enhanced defenses prevented any significant damage.
As the fight wore on, Rain began to feel the strain. Despite his agility and skill, Lu Yan's overwhelming physical power kept pressing him back. The golden aura surrounding Lu Yan never faltered, while Rain's reserves of energy began to dwindle.
Rain took a step back, panting lightly, his gaze sharp and calculating. He knew he could drag the fight out further, but the result was inevitable. Lu Yan's hard power was simply too much to overcome.
With a wry smile, Rain sheathed his sword. "You've proven your strength, Lu Yan," he said calmly. Without another word, he leaped backward, landing gracefully outside the arena boundary.
The crowd erupted into cheers and murmurs as the referee declared Lu Yan as the winner. Rain glanced back at Lu Yan, noticing the mix of triumph and slight confusion on his opponent's face at his sudden surrender.
As Rain stepped off the field, a green light enveloped him, its gentle glow restoring his energy and healing his wounds. He walked calmly toward the waiting area, his expression contemplative. 'Skill can carry you far, but there are times when raw strength tips the scales,' he mused. This was one of those times. His loss wasn't a failure—it was a valuable lesson and one he intended to build upon.
Settling back into his place, Rain turned his attention to the ongoing battle on the ninth field, observing intently as he waited for the match to conclude. In the meantime, his mind worked alongside the soul chip, analyzing his fight against Lu Yan. Rain's skills and understanding of his techniques were superior to Lu Yan's, but the latter's sheer strength and higher realm had tipped the scales.
What stood out most was Lu Yan's exceptional physical prowess. Though he was only a 7th-rank Great Warrior, his body strength was equivalent to a 9th-rank Great Warrior. The analysis confirmed that Rain might have triumphed if his realm had been just one level higher.
Rain's thoughts were interrupted when he noticed the ninth field's match had concluded. However, he remained seated, observing the aftermath. The contestants were evenly matched in strength and skill, resulting in a brutal fight that left the winner heavily injured. Healing the victor would take some time, giving Rain a moment to prepare mentally.
He wasn't particularly concerned about his new opponent, a 5th realm Great Warrior with only average fighting skills. Rain's realm was higher, and his combat strength surpassed his opponent's by at least three levels. When the winner had finally recovered, Rain stepped into the fighting field with confidence.
The match lasted only five minutes, ending decisively with Rain's victory. As the new winner, Rain assumed his position as the defender of the ninth field, prepared to guard it against any upcoming challengers.