In the courtyard, three distinct auras surged skyward! Veil, Alice, and Roy had all completed their breakthroughs at nearly the same time. The air rippled with intense energy, as if thunder, gales, and towering mountains were colliding in a single space.
Veil was the first to open his eyes. His aura was now as solid as a mountain, and as he clenched his fists, he felt an unprecedented surge of power coursing through his body. He let out a booming laugh.
"Haha! I've finally reached level 36! This tournament—I'm going to crush every opponent that stands in my way!"
Not far from him, Alice slowly opened her eyes. A sharp glint of psychic energy flickered in her azure irises as she smirked and crossed her arms.
"I've also broken through—level 33! This time, I won't let you muscleheads steal all the spotlight."
Roy stood up next, lightning crackling faintly around the blade of his sword. His gaze was sharp, like a flash of lightning cutting through the storm.
"Level 33… But my Hidden Thunder Sword Technique has already reached mastery. Even against stronger opponents, I have full confidence in my victory."
Veil clenched his fists, his excitement radiating like a burning flame.
"This tournament—we're taking the top five for sure!"
Alice rolled her eyes and teased, "Careful with those bold claims. What if you embarrass yourself?"
Roy chuckled. "Unless an inner sect prodigy decides to interfere, we won't be falling behind."
The three exchanged glances, their eyes burning with determination.
With their preparations complete, Roy, Veil, and Alice set off for the Outer Sect Tournament grounds. Along the way, many disciples noticed them, whispering among themselves—some with curiosity, others with a hint of admiration or even fear.
"Isn't that Veil? I heard his Giant Bloodline has awakened, and he's even mastered an intent technique!"
"And that's Roy, right? I saw him training in the courtyard the other day—his lightning sword was so strong, it shattered the stone tiles beneath him!"
"And Alice… She's a powerful psychic-type cultivator. I heard she's already awakened her psychic intent!"
The murmurs continued, some tinged with awe, others with a competitive edge, as fellow disciples wondered just how strong these three had become.
Veil, hearing all the chatter, grinned smugly and clapped Roy on the shoulder.
"Did you hear that? We're famous now!"
Roy simply shook his head with a smile. "Being famous is meaningless if we don't back it up with strength."
Alice flicked her hair back, a playful glint in her eyes. "Don't get cocky just yet. The true powerhouses often stay hidden in the shadows. Who knows? There might be stronger monsters waiting for us in the tournament."
With that, the three continued forward, their resolve firm.
The Dueling Grounds was the largest arena in the Outer Sect, its towering stone stands capable of holding over a thousand spectators. Today, the entire venue was packed with eager disciples, the air buzzing with excitement.
At the center of the main platform, an elder with a long white beard hovered in midair, his aura vast and unfathomable. This was none other than the Outer Sect Grand Elder, the presiding official of the tournament.
On the battlefield, all participating disciples held their breath, waiting for the final announcement of the rules. On the main platform, the Outer Sect Grand Elder swept his gaze across the crowd, his voice echoing like thunder, shaking everyone to their core—
"This Outer Sect Tournament will be divided into three major stages!"
As soon as he spoke, the arena fell into complete silence. Every disciple perked up, listening intently.
The Grand Elder continued, "In the first stage, all participants will enter a special secret realm within the academy. Within this realm, numerous tokens are hidden. Your task is simple—collect as many tokens as possible!"
"The more tokens you gather, the higher your ranking!"
"Ultimately, the top ten disciples with the most tokens will automatically secure the top ten positions for the next stage!"
Upon hearing this, many disciples exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.
"Securing a top ten spot right away? That's a huge advantage!"
"But the greater the reward, the greater the risk… If someone gathers too many tokens, they'll become a prime target for everyone else!"
Sure enough, the Grand Elder continued, "However, those who make it into the top ten must also accept challenges from other competitors."
"If you have fought five or more battles, you will then have the right to refuse additional challenges!"
The crowd fell into deep thought. Some looked serious, others were already eager to fight.
Veil grinned excitedly. "Hah! So this means I get to fight even more? Perfect!"
Alice rolled her eyes. "Did you not hear the important part? If we make it to the top ten, we'll be facing non-stop challenges without rest! Only after five fights can we choose to decline further battles."
Roy smirked calmly. "That just means we have two options—either be so strong that no one dares to challenge us, or finish our fights quickly to avoid being worn down."
The Grand Elder's voice rang out again.
"In the second stage, each disciple will have two chances to issue challenges!"
"You may directly challenge anyone in the top ten. If you win, you take their position!"
"For those who failed to secure a top-ten spot in the first stage, this is your one and only chance to break through!"
Hearing this, many disciples' eyes lit up with excitement.
"So even if you don't perform well in the first stage, you can still fight your way up later?"
"Yes! But with only two challenges available, if you lose both, you're completely out!"
Veil clenched his fists, his battle spirit soaring. "Two challenges? Heh, I only need one!"
Alice sighed, rubbing her temples. "Are you sure you won't get knocked out by someone else?"
Roy remained calm, his eyes sharp. "Whether it's the top ten or the lower ranks, there's only one real goal—the top five."
The Grand Elder's gaze turned piercing as he declared—
"The third and final stage will be the battle among the top ten!"
"Only the top five will qualify for entry into the Inner Sect!"
The arena instantly erupted in gasps and exclamations.
"As expected! The Inner Sect only accepts the top five!"
"That means even if you make it to sixth or seventh place, you still won't qualify!"
"This competition is brutal!"
Veil cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Now this is what I call a real challenge!"
Alice frowned slightly. "A three-stage tournament… Each round could be a trap, and every fight will be crucial. There's no room for mistakes."
Roy's expression remained calm, his fingers gripping his sword hilt. "Making it into the top ten is just the beginning. The real goal is the top five."
As the excitement in the crowd reached its peak, the Grand Elder continued—
"Since this is a grand tournament, the rewards must be worthy of your efforts! The top five will receive the most generous prizes!"
Top Ten Rewards: Three bottles of high-grade fourth-tier elixirs
Top Five Rewards: Three bottles of mid-grade fifth-tier elixirs, a mid-tier Heaven-rank martial skill, and an extra 3,000 spirit stones!
The moment the words "Heaven-rank skill" were spoken, the entire arena fell silent for a brief moment—then exploded into an uproar!
"A Heaven-rank skill!? Even many Inner Sect disciples don't have access to one!"
"Top five… I must reach the top five no matter what!"
Veil grinned excitedly. "Hah! This isn't just about securing an Inner Sect spot—we need to take the best rewards too!"
Alice chuckled mischievously. "With so many strong opponents, raw strength alone won't be enough… I'm going to play this smart."
Roy's gaze darkened, his grip on his sword tightening. "Power is the only real pass to victory. We have to give it everything we've got."
The Grand Elder surveyed the eager, battle-ready disciples and announced—
"Enough talk! The first stage—The Secret Realm Token Hunt—begins now!"
As his voice fell, a massive teleportation array appeared in the center of the arena. One by one, the disciples stepped into the formation, vanishing into the unknown world of the secret realm.
As the teleportation array shimmered with light, Roy and his companions felt a sudden shift. In the blink of an eye, they found themselves transported into the Secret Realm!
When they steadied themselves and took in their surroundings, they discovered a vast ancient forest stretching endlessly before them. Towering trees loomed overhead, shrouded in mist, while the air pulsed with faint spiritual energy. In the distance, deep, guttural beastly roars echoed, sending chills down their spines.
"Luckily, we weren't separated!" Alice patted her chest in relief.
"That gives us a huge advantage," Roy nodded, scanning the area for potential dangers.
Veil cracked his neck with excitement. "What are we waiting for? Let's go grab those tokens!"
As they moved forward, the trio quickly realized that this place was far from ordinary.
Some areas were veiled in thick fog, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of ambushes.
Certain locations radiated intense spiritual energy, which could indicate either powerful treasures or high-level beasts guarding them.
Faint echoes of battle rang through the forest—other disciples had already begun fighting for tokens!
Alice crossed her arms, deep in thought. "This place is too vast. Wandering around blindly will be inefficient. We need a strategy."
Veil scratched his head. "Strategy? Isn't it simple? Find someone, beat them up, and take their tokens!"
Alice rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Is fighting the only thing in that thick skull of yours?"
Roy chuckled. "Alice is right. If we want to gather tokens efficiently, we can't rely solely on brute force. We need a smarter approach."
"For example—prioritizing locations that are more likely to contain a high concentration of tokens."
Alice nodded. "Exactly. There's a pattern in places like this. Areas rich in spiritual energy usually contain high-value targets."
Veil snorted dismissively. "Bah, too much talking! Let's just go and fight already!"
Alice sighed, "...You're such a musclehead."
After some discussion, the group devised a plan:Avoid large early conflicts to conserve energy.
Target areas with high spiritual energy, which might contain high-value tokens.
Observe other competitors and ambush them at the right moment.
Roy's gaze sharpened. "We head southeast. The spiritual energy there is stronger. If we're lucky, we'll find valuable tokens!"
Veil grinned. "Alright, let's move!"
Discovery! The Hidden Token in the Ancient Tree
After carefully avoiding a few ongoing battles, the trio arrived at a massive tree covered in thick vines.
Roy touched the bark and sensed the energy. "The spiritual concentration here is high. There must be something hidden."
Veil, eager as always, clenched his fist and punched the tree trunk.
BOOM!
The bark cracked open, revealing a glowing golden token embedded within a hollow!
"Found it!" Alice's eyes lit up in excitement.
Just as they reached for the token, the ground beneath them trembled violently.
Suddenly, a massive beast burst out from the earth—
A [Violent Earth Bear]!
The monstrous creature stood several meters tall, its fur as tough as steel. Its glowing red eyes locked onto them with a fierce, territorial rage.
"Looks like taking the token won't be that easy!" Roy narrowed his eyes, gripping his sword tightly.
Veil grinned, clenching his fists. "Hah! This just makes it more fun!"
Alice groaned. "Can't you at least consider how strong it is before charging in?!
Fierce Battle Against the Violent Earth Bear!
With a deafening roar, the Violent Earth Bear stomped the ground, causing the earth to crack and shake violently. The powerful shockwave forced the trio backward!
Veil didn't hesitate—he lunged forward and threw a powerful punch directly at the beast's head!
BOOM!
The impact echoed like metal striking metal.
Veil's expression shifted slightly. "Damn, this thing is tough!"
The Earth Bear roared in anger, opening its jaws and unleashing a massive burst of earth-elemental energy straight at Veil!
"Watch out!" Roy's eyes flashed as he activated his lightning step, his figure blurring like an afterimage. With a single swift strike, his sword slashed toward the bear's underbelly!
CLANG!
His attack left a shallow wound, but it wasn't enough to deal serious damage.
From the back, Alice swiftly cast a spell, releasing "Mental Disruption."
A spiritual shockwave crashed into the Earth Bear's mind, causing its movements to briefly stagger!
Veil seized the moment, crossing his fists together before unleashing his "Mountain Shatter Fist!"
BOOM!
His powerful blow knocked the bear back several meters!
However, the Earth Bear was incredibly durable—rather than weakening, it grew even more enraged!
Roy narrowed his eyes. "This isn't working. We need to find its weak spot!"
Taking a deep breath, he channeled all his lightning energy into his blade, preparing his most powerful technique—
"Hidden Thunder—Void Lightning Slash!"
With a flash of lightning, his sword became a streak of blue light, piercing straight toward the Earth Bear's throat!
SLASH!
The bear let out a pained roar as the attack finally broke through its defense! Electricity surged into its body, causing its movements to stiffen!
Veil took the chance, throwing a final full-power punch directly at the beast's skull—
BOOM!
The Violent Earth Bear collapsed, defeated!
The trio, catching their breath, exchanged victorious smiles.
Alice cheerfully retrieved the golden token from the hollow. "Looks like we got ourselves a nice reward!"
Roy nodded. "This is just the beginning. We need to gather more tokens as quickly as possible."
Veil clenched his fists, his excitement still high. "Hah! Let's find more and take them all!"
Alice sighed, shaking her head. "You're such a bandit."