The Royal Grounds buzzed with energy as disciples and leaders trained relentlessly. Among them were the ten most prominent figures, their breakthroughs drawing admiration from sect masters and peers alike. The leaders included Princess Yunyao and her brother, Prince Yunfeng, from the Yuanfeng royal family; Long Zhenyu of the Dragon Dive Sect; Lie Hongzhi of the Blazing Sun Sect; Ling Yuna of the Heavenly Edge Sect; Lei Zhen of the Shen Wu Sect; Princess Mei Xue and her elder brother Mei Zihan from Tianluo Kingdom's royal capital, Tianque Cheng; Feng Lihua of the Thousand Blossoms Sect; and Han Wuying of the Silent Moon Sect. Their progress was undeniable, but Ling Yuna stood above all, having reached the mid-stage of level two, earning her the title of the strongest disciple present.
The seven sect masters observed from the elevated platform, nodding in satisfaction at their disciples' growth. Their pride was evident as they exchanged subtle glances, each silently claiming victory for their sect's progress.
On the training grounds, Ling Yuna paused her sword practice, drenched in sweat. Her sharp eyes glanced toward Mei Zihan, who stood amid a field of flames, perfecting his techniques. Ling Yuna's lips curled into a small grin as she thought, "Compared to the others, his growth is remarkable. He's currently second only to me. If I want to progress further, training alone won't suffice. A fierce battle… he's the perfect candidate."
She approached him, her aura commanding attention. "It seems you've been working hard for quite some time," she said, her voice calm yet challenging.
Mei Zihan turned to her, a faint smile on his face. "Yeah, and so have you," he replied.
Her eyes glowed with intensity, and the surrounding air grew heavy. "Then how about a duel to see how much progress we've made in the last few months?"
Mei Zihan's grin widened, his body releasing faint flames that caused the temperature to rise. "Okay, but this won't be like any ordinary duel. My condition is that we fight until one of us is severely injured and can no longer continue."
Ling Yuna said nothing, drawing her sword as her sword intent surged, slicing through the tension in the air. Mei Zihan's flames intensified as he smirked. "I take that as your agreement."
Disciples across the grounds noticed the shift in atmosphere, and shouts of excitement erupted. "It's a duel between the top two disciples!" Cheers filled the air, anticipation building.
The Duel Begins
Ling Yuna moved first, her sword blazing with intent. Multiple swords manifested around her as she dashed toward Mei Zihan. Mei Zihan responded swiftly, summoning flames that erupted like a volcano beneath him. Ling Yuna's voice echoed as she shouted the name of her technique, summoning a formation in the sky. A massive ten-thousand-foot-long sword materialized above, descending upon Mei Zihan with overwhelming power.
"Starting the duel with such an intense technique?" Mei Zihan thought, making a hand sign. Flames burst from the ground, forming a colossal sword that he wielded with both hands. With a mighty swing, his flaming sword clashed with Ling Yuna's descending blade, creating a deafening explosion. Wind howled and the air vibrated with energy, leaving the spectators in utter shock.
The two attacks canceled each other out. Mei Zihan wasted no time, summoning several flame orbs that floated around Ling Yuna, encircling her. "You've lost," he declared as the orbs released fiery veins that gripped Ling Yuna, scorching her. She gritted her teeth, muttering, "I underestimated you."
With a roar, her sword trembled, releasing a tidal wave of sword intent that sliced everything in its path. Mei Zihan defended himself as a phoenix shadow appeared behind him, its wings shielding him from the onslaught. When the ripple subsided, Mei Zihan emerged with numerous cuts, but his aura continued to rise, his spirit burning brighter as the battle dragged on.
Ling Yuna raised her sword, her voice unwavering. "You're strong, but this battle ends here." Thousands of swords manifested in the sky. With a swing of her blade, they rained down upon Mei Zihan like a storm.
Mei Zihan sighed, muttering, "It seems I've reached my limit. This sword rain will hurt." The phoenix shadow roared, enveloping him in flames to absorb the impact. However, 30% of the swords still struck him directly, leaving the ground stained with his blood.
Ling Yuna thought to herself, "He's not bad... To force me to use my two strongest techniques, he's truly skilled for someone with mid-level abilities." On the side, Mei Xue watched the battle with teary eyes, her emotions swirling as she saw the battered condition of her brother, Mei Zihan...
Ling Yuna turned, muttering under her breath, "Mei Zihan... You're good. You might have won this battle if you had a high-rank flame ability... but what a pity." She began to walk away, her tone laced with both condescension and regret.
"You know," Mei Zihan said, his voice firm despite his battered state. "I used to think the only thing holding me back was my mid-rank ability. But after meeting a young warrior named Xuan Li, my entire perspective changed. The problem wasn't my ability—it was my mindset, believing my mid-rank ability was trash.
"It doesn't matter if it's mid or high rank—this flame is mine. It's my blood, my essence. I know it better than anyone else, and I believe in it. I trust it not to let me down."
Ling Yuna abruptly turned, her anger evident, arrogance etched on her face. "Say what you want," she sneered. "Do you really think you can win this battle with your ability against my True God's Blessing?"
Mei Zihan slowly stood, his body covered in cuts and barely recognizable. Blood pooled at his feet, some of it starting to faintly burn. He stared at Ling Yuna with one good eye, the other nearly swollen shut and dripping blood. "Yeah," he said, his voice steady. "I can."
Frustrated, Ling Yuna raised her sword. Several ethereal blades manifested around her, trembling with immense power. The surrounding temperature plummeted, the ground quaking beneath the weight of her aura. Nearby disciples shouted in alarm.
"Oh no! It's turning into a death match—someone stop her!"
Among the sect leaders, the Grandmaster of the Moonlit Blade Sect, Lian Ruoyan, stood. "We must intervene," he said firmly.
But Zhu Yifeng, elder of the Rising Star Pavilion, held up a hand. "Wait. Things are not as simple as they seem. I sense a heavenly law of flame responding to something. Intervening now would be unwise."
At his words, the other sect leaders hesitated, deciding to wait.
Back on the battlefield, Ling Yuna's swords surrounded her, their energy rising to a terrifying peak. Mei Zihan stood still, battered and bloodied, staring at her with unyielding determination. Then, he felt it—a ripple deep within his heart, like something breaking free. A sudden shock surged through him, and with a deafening bang, something shattered inside.
Flames erupted from Mei Zihan's body, rising to the heavens. The fire burned with such intensity that the very sky seemed to catch ablaze. A massive shadow appeared, its outline majestic and overwhelming. Disciples gasped in awe.
"That… That's…!"
In the sky, wings of flame spread wide, burning with an ethereal glow. The shadow revealed itself to be a colossal phoenix, its six fiery wings radiating divine power. Its eyes blazed like twin suns, and the very air trembled under its presence.
Mei Zihan stood amidst the flames, his wounds healing rapidly under the phoenix's aura. The temperature soared, so intense that Ling Yuna had to fortify herself with her sword's energy to withstand the heat. Mei Zihan's eyes burned with newfound power as the enormous phoenix loomed above him.
"Shall we begin?" he mocked, his voice brimming with confidence. "The real battle starts now."
On the sidelines, Zhu Yifeng's expression grew solemn. The other sect leaders noticed and asked, "Elder Zhu, what's happening to him?"
Zhu Yifeng's lips trembled as he spoke. "His phoenix ability has undergone a breakthrough. It's now a top-tier high ability, on par with Ling Yuna's True God's Blessing."
The sect leaders were stunned. "Impossible! No one can surpass their ability's rank—it's unheard of!"
Zhu Yifeng sighed, his gaze never leaving Mei Zihan. "Of course, you wouldn't know. In the history of cultivation, this has only happened twice before. This is the third time. When a cultivator achieves perfect enlightenment and truly understands their ability, they resonate with it. This resonance causes the ability to evolve, breaking past its original limits.
"This method is no secret, but it's so difficult that it's been forgotten over time. To think I'd witness such a phenomenon with my own eyes… My life has been worth living just for this moment."