The dawn broke over the sect grounds, a quiet reminder of life's endless cycle. Disciples gathered once again at the main stage, their chatter and laughter rippling across the courtyard. But for Shen Yuan, the morning felt cold and strange. As he moved through the crowd with Bai Chen at his side, a strange knot of worry twisted in his chest.
When the judge stepped forward and bowed to the founder before looking at the participants, the crowd fell silent, anticipation thick in the air. His voice rang out, commanding attention. "The first match of the day, Mao Li versus Lei Tianfeng!"
Shen Yuan stiffened, his worry transforming into dread. He looked over at Bai Chen, who wore a similar expression of unease.
"Mao Li…" Bai Chen whispered, his brow furrowing. "She's skilled, but Lei Tianfeng is…" He didn't finish, but Shen Yuan understood well enough. Lei Tianfeng, the only ninth-layer Purifying Realm disciple among the participants, towered over the rest of them in terms of power, notorious for his ruthlessness.
Mao Li stepped on the stage, standing with her head held high, a proud defiance in her gaze. But Shen Yuan could see the tremor in her hand, the way her shoulders tightened as if bracing against an oncoming storm. Across from her stood a man wearing green robes with a chilling smile, it was Lei Tianfeng, his smug grin cutting across his face as he cracked his knuckles, barely taking her seriously.
As they faced off, Lei Tianfeng tilted his head, his tone mocking. "You know there's no shame in surrendering now, Mao Li. You won't have to endure what's coming."
Her jaw tightened, and she squared her shoulders. "I'm not here to surrender," she replied, her voice steady, even as her fists clenched at her sides. "I'll fight you with everything I have."
Shen Yuan felt his heart clench. There was a fierce pride in Mao Li, a resilience he couldn't help but admire. But against Lei Tianfeng…
The judge's hand dropped, signaling the start of the match, and Lei Tianfeng wasted no time, closing the distance in an instant. His first strike was swift, brutal, a fist aimed straight at her core. Mao Li managed to block it, her body straining under the force. Her face contorted with the effort, and she staggered, barely able to hold her ground.
Lei Tianfeng's attacks came relentless and vicious, each one aimed to break her. Every blow pushed Mao Li further back, her breaths growing labored, but still, she stood her ground. Her defiance shone brightly, even as her body started to falter.
"Quit," Lei Tianfeng sneered, his voice laced with contempt. "Your pride means nothing here."
Mao Li stumbled, blood trailing from her mouth, but she glared up at him, fire still in her eyes. "I… will never quit," she hissed, standing straighter, even as her legs trembled.
A surge of respect—and dread—gripped Shen Yuan's heart. He wanted to look away, wanted to deny the horrible certainty settling over him. Lei Tianfeng's face twisted into a dark smile, and in that moment, Shen Yuan knew.
With a final, merciless strike, Lei Tianfeng drove his hand into her chest piercing her heart, a flash of dark energy bursting outwards. Mao Li gasped, her body collapsing as her eyes glazed over, her last spark fading.
The world fell silent for Mao Li. Shen Yuan felt something inside him fracture as he watched her fall, her life snuffed out in an instant. Memories flooded his mind—of his grandfather's peaceful face, turned still and cold by death's touch, the crushing weight of helplessness, the searing pain of loss. His heart filled with sorrow so deep it was almost unbearable, but no tears came. Only a hollow, consuming darkness. He cared about her as a good friend as, she was one of the people who were nice with him.
As he looked up at Lei Tianfeng, he met his gaze with an intensity that could burn through iron. In that glance, they both understood. Lei Tianfeng grinned, satisfied, as if Mao Li's death had been nothing more than a means to intimidate his real target, which was Shen Yuan.
The air around Shen Yuan turned cold, his aura rippling out like an unforgiving tide. Disciples close to him backed away, shivering as an unnatural chill filled the air, and in seconds, a stillness descended over the courtyard. A faint cry escaped one of the disciples as his body froze, and one by one, ten of them dropped to the ground, unable to withstand the suffocating pressure of Shen Yuan's murderous intent.
Even the stage itself froze.
Even Lei Tianfeng got terrified for a second, his yin aura froze and shattered Mao Li's corpse.
"Shen Yuan, control your aura, you can fight Lei Tianfeng when it's your turn!", The judge Lao Zhuo commanded
Due to the judge's command Shen Yuan finally stopped and went to the sides.
The judge then looked at the founder, Gui Zuwang and asked, "Esteemed founder since Shen Yuan has killed ten disciples, should I punish him or move to the block finals?"
Gui Zuwang nodded in yes. "If you punish him, how will I be entertained?!", Gui Zuwang spat inside.
With that the judged bowed again and announced that the finals will start in two hours, while the stage is being fixed.
Bai Chen then asked, "Shen Yuan, are you…, ok?"
Shen Yuan looked at him and smiled, "Of course."
Bai Chen could see that Shen Yuan was suppressing his anger and at the same moment was shocked to see…, that Shen Yuan brokethrough to the 7th layer of the purifying realm. He was shocked that just simple anger, made him advance three layers at once.
Few hours passed as tension seemed to intensify, the sun was over the horizon as its rays descended on the stage that just got fixed.
The judge Lao Zhuo then called names in blocks, as it will have ten winners therefore, there were block matches from match A-J, each having two participants and one winner.
In total there were twenty participants including Shen Yuan and Lei Tianfeng, but only 10 of them will pass.
The rules of this final round were very simple as drinking water, it was either kill and pass or be killed and fail.
Every match went smoothly, even Match I too, which was a match of Bai Chen, Bai Chen was victorious in less than two minutes, as his opponent was way weaker compared to him.
The judge Lao Zhuo then spoke, "Last final match, Match J, Shen Yuan and Lei Tianfeng!"
With the announcement both stepped up on the stage.