Hearing his name being called out, Alex stepped forward and surprisingly to Yuan, Alex was the boy who had stared at him before.
With each step, Alex's red robe swayed slightly, his crimson eyes gleaming with arrogance and confidence.
There was no hesitation in his stride, only the steady, self assured pace of someone who believed the outcome had already been decided.
Across from him, the second name was called.
A boy in a plain gray robe slowly walked forward. His posture was stiff, his expression tense. Unlike Alex, there was no arrogance in his steps, only nervousness and hesitation.
His fingers twitched at his sides, his breathing was uneven, his entire presence radiated uncertainty.
The blond-haired young man observed them with amusement, then raised his arm and swiftly let it fall.
"Begin."
At that command, both boys took their stances, but with just a single dash and one precise strike, the fight ended almost instantly.
"Congratulations, Alex, on securing the first victory in today's tournament!" the blond haired young man announced.
With a scoff, Alex turned and left the arena, unbothered.
Meanwhile, the defeated boy, Daoist Pressuring Books gasped for air, coughing as he clutched his sore neck.
His breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembling from both pain and humiliation.
The moment his coughing fit subsided, he staggered to his feet, wobbling slightly before retreating to join the other disciples.
A heavy silence followed.
"Hah… what a pathetic fight."
A disciple in the crowd sneered, his voice laced with disdain.
"He lost before he even threw a single punch."
Another scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Why even cultivate with that kind of attitude? He should just live as a mortal instead."
"Boring." A third disciple shook his head. "Not even worth watching. He didn't even try."
The disappointment was palpable. All around, the expressions of the disciples showed the same thing, contempt, disinterest, and even irritation at the wasted match.
Yuan, who had silently observed the fight, was equally unimpressed. A single glance at this Daoist Pressuring Books told him everything: this boy had never truly fought before.
Weak willed. Easily intimidated. No sense of battle instinct. He lost before the fight had even begun.
The blond haired young man, who had watched the match with mild disappointment, shook his head and let out a soft sigh of his own.
Then, he clapped his hands again, his voice ringing out with renewed energy.
"Now then, let's move on!" His sharp green eyes swept over the remaining disciples before he called out the next match.
"Junior Scholar Felix and Junior Lucy of Sword's Tiger Forest! Please step forward!"
The first to step forward was a girl.
She had striking orange hair, matching orange eyes, an oval shaped face, and a slim, petite frame.
Draped in an orange robe adorned with delicate yellow lines, she carried herself with elegance, every step measured and graceful, as she approached the blond haired young man.
Then, another figure stepped forward.
A boy, taller than the girl, with brown hair and deep brown eyes. His features were above average, handsome in a scholarly way.
He wore a pristine white robe, the kind often associated with intellectuals, and bore a confident smile that radiated assurance.
Both of them came to a stop before the blond-haired judge, nodding in respectful acknowledgment.
Their gazes met, and without hesitation, they exchanged a formal salute, a display of discipline rarely seen in first round matches.
The blond haired young man chuckled at their politeness but chose not to comment, his lips curling into a bright smile.
"Alright, the fight can begi—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the brown haired boy, Scholar Felix, suddenly spoke up.
"Excuse me, Senior," Felix said, his tone polite but firm. "May I ask a question?"
The blond haired judge raised a brow, slightly puzzled, but nodded.
"Go ahead. Is something unclear?"
Felix's smile widened "I would like to request permission to use weapons, as I am a trained swordsman."
The blond haired young man blinked at Felix for a moment before coughing lightly, his expression turning slightly awkward.
"Ah, yes… of course. Everyone is allowed to fight in whatever style they prefer. I have a selection of wooden swords, spears, axes, and other practice weapons available."
The air turned momentarily stiff.
Up until now, everyone had assumed that these duels would be fought without weapons.
For the blond haired young man to casually mention that weapons were allowed… it was almost embarrassing that no one had thought to ask earlier.
With that, both participants chose their weapons, interestingly, both picked the same, a longsword.
Seeing this, the blond haired young man tossed them each a wooden longsword. They caught the weapons and adjusted their grips, readying themselves.
"Alright," he announced, his voice carrying across the cave"The fight can now… begin!"
To Yuan, the fight wasn't particularly noteworthy. After the third strike from each combatant, he could already see who would win.
The scholarly looking disciple clearly had better technique than the girl, and in the end, his superior form led him to victory.
The blond haired judge clapped his hands with a smile."Winner, Junior Scholar Felix!"
Felix lowered his sword and stepped back with a respectful nod. Despite his win, his breathing remained steady, as if the duel had been nothing more than a warm up.
The girl, Lucy, panted heavily and clenched her fists in frustration as she sat on the cold ground. She turned toward Felix, her orange eyes burning with fierce determination.
After this match, several more battles took place, each less impressive than the last in Yuan's eyes. Then, during the fifth match, a name was called"Junior Emilia!"
At that moment, Emilia, who had been smiling and cheering throughout the previous fights, suddenly perked up.
She had been enjoying herself thoroughly, cheering for others, chatting with a few disciples, and soaking in the excitement of the event.
Hearing her name, she blinked in mild surprise.
"Huh? Already?" she muttered, before flashing a grin.
With a confident stride, she walked toward the blond-haired young man, while her opponent stepped forward from the crowd.
A young girl, seemingly around Emilia's age, with black hair and black eyes, stepped forward.
She wore a purple robe adorned with yellow patterns. Her presence wasn't particularly imposing, just another competitor among the many.
Her name was Amalia.
Now standing face to face, the two girls exchanged glances before turning to the blond haired young man and requesting weapons.
Emilia chose a rapier, while Amalia selected a spear. The blond haired young man simply smiled, retrieving the requested weapons from his sleeve and tossing them forward.
Both girls caught their weapons with ease, their grips tightening as anticipation filled the air.
"Very well, let the fight begin!"
The moment the blond haired young man declared the start of the match, Emilia wasted no time.
With a sharp exhale, she lunged forward, gripping her rapier tightly. Her movements were swift and aggressive, she had no intention of waiting for Amalia to make the first move.
Unlike the previous matches, this one was truly interesting. Both girls were equal in skill, strength, and determination.
They stood opposite each other, breathing heavily, clearly exhausted from the relentless exchange. Yet neither backed down. From Yuan's perspective, it was clear the final clash would decide the victor.
With a final burst of energy, they charged at each other simultaneously.
Emilia's rapier thrust forward. Amalia's spear lunged to meet it.
Both strikes landed at the same time and both bodies collapsed to the ground.
A heavy silence filled the cave as the disciples stared in stunned disbelief. Neither of the girls moved.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then, the blond haired young man clapped his hands and let out a chuckle.
"Now that was a fight."
His green eyes sparkled with amusement as he looked at the two exhausted fighters. "I declare this match… a draw!"
The announcement was met with murmurs and nods of approval. While some were disappointed there wasn't a clear winner, others were simply impressed by the sheer intensity of the battle.
As for Emilia and Amalia, they lay on the ground, breathing hard.
Emilia turned her head slightly, looking at Amalia with a tired grin. "Not bad."
Amalia scoffed weakly. "You're insufferable."
They both chuckled softly, but suddenly a warm energy emerged out of nowhere, surrounding them in a gentle embrace.
This warmth seeped into their exhausted bodies, gradually washing away their fatigue and soothing their aching muscles. Slowly, strength returned to their limbs.
After a few minutes, Emilia and Amalia could stand again. Their bodies still ached, but at least they could move.
Seeing this, the blond-haired young man simply smiled and gestured toward them. "You've recovered enough, step back to the group."
Neither of them argued. They gave each other one last glance, half pride, half exhaustion, before making their way out of the fighting area.
More and more fights continued until the blond-haired young man called Yuan's name.
"Junior Yuan and Junior Daoist Water Lake, please step forward!" he announced, his voice carrying clearly across the cave.
Hearing his name, Yuan stepped forward with quiet composure, his expression unreadable. As he approached, his gaze fell upon his opponent, Daoist Water Lake.
The moment Yuan's name was called, a subtle shift occurred in the atmosphere. Unlike the previous fights, which were mostly met with casual interest, this time some of the disciples began to pay closer attention.
After all, Yuan had already stood out during the endurance trial. Now, they were curious to see whether his combat skills matched his mental resilience.
As he stepped forward, Yuan's expression remained neutral, his black azure eyes scanning his opponent with a calm gaze.
Daoist Water Lake, on the other hand, carried himself with quiet confidence.
He was a young man, slightly taller than Yuan, dressed in a flowing blue robe embroidered with wave like silver patterns.
His long black hair was tied neatly behind his back, and his deep blue eyes held a tranquil sharpness, like a still lake that could erupt into a raging tide at any moment.
Unlike some of the earlier combatants, who either appeared too arrogant or too nervous, Daoist Water Lake exuded an aura of balance and composure.
As Yuan studied his opponent, the other disciples whispered among themselves.
"I heard he trained under a retired sect disciple before coming here."
"But that Yuan guy… he endured over three minutes in the first trial. What if he's even stronger in combat?"
"Well, we're about to find out."
While the whispers continued, the blond haired young man smiled and clapped his hands together.
"Both fighters are present. Now, before we begin, do either of you wish to request a weapon?"
Daoist Water Lake bowed slightly, his voice smooth and controlled.
"I would like to request a long spear blade," he said, steady and composed.
The blond haired young man gave a small nod, reaching into his sleeve and effortlessly pulling out a long wooden spear before tossing it toward Daoist Water Lake.
The young cultivator caught it with practiced ease, gripping the weapon firmly as he tested its weight.
Then, the blond haired young man turned to Yuan.
Yuan hesitated for a moment, his mind briefly drifting into deep thought.
"Which weapon should I choose?" he thought to himself.
Basilisk had never been one to rely on weapons. His true strength lay in his techniques, his overwhelming schemes, and his mastery of runes.
But that didn't mean he was unfamiliar with weapons altogether. Among the many he had encountered throughout his lifetime, the sword was one he had studied, though never truly mastered.
So why not?
With that thought in mind, Yuan looked at the blond haired young man and spoke calmly.
"I would like a sword."
The blond haired young man nodded, retrieving a wooden sword before tossing it in Yuan's direction.
Without hesitation, Yuan caught the weapon mid air, his grip firm yet relaxed.
He turned the wooden sword in his hands, examining its balance before giving it a few light swings.
After a few swings, he nodded in satisfaction.
Now that both fighters had their chosen weapons, the blond haired young man's smile widened as he looked between them.
"Then," his voice echoed through the training grounds, "begin the match!"