The dawn sun bathed Azure Sky City in a warm golden light, and excitement surged through its streets like a rising tide. Today marked the combat phase of the Azure Youth Competition, a prestigious event now held in the newly renovated City Arena—a vast coliseum capable of housing tens of thousands of spectators.
From early morning, cultivators, clans, nobles, and sect envoys had already begun to fill the seats, their eyes bright with anticipation. For many, this was more than a competition—it was a hunt for the future elites of the cultivation world.
Inside the arena, multiple platforms levitated on specially crafted floating formations, each protected by powerful spiritual barriers. Dozens of judges and city officials stood ready to oversee the matches.
The audience buzzed with murmurs of curiosity, but as soon as a tall, elegant man and a stunning woman in flowing robes entered the arena with a young boy beside them, much of the attention shifted instantly.
"Look! That's the Li Family!"
"That's Patriarch Li Tianyang and Madam Lin Meiyu—Azure Sky's most envied couple! That means… that boy is—!"
"Li Qingyun, the one who awakened nine meridians and the Primal Chaos Vessel Physique! He's already at Qi Gathering 4th Stage, isn't he?"
Wearing a white robe with faint gold lining, the boy walked between his parents. His expression was calm, his posture serene. But those who saw him murmured with awe—not because of his demeanor, but because of what he represented.
The appearance of Li Qingyun and his parents caused a visible ripple. Though Qingyun had kept a low profile since awakening, his innate talent had been the talk of the city for weeks. And now that the combat phase had arrived, all eyes were drawn to him—whether out of curiosity, expectation, or hidden envy.
He had hidden his true cultivation—Qi Gathering 7th Stage—beneath a perfect veil of spiritual suppression. To others, he appeared merely at the 4th Stage, high-tier among his peers, but nothing heaven-shaking.
"I am going, Mother, Father," he said softly.
Meiyu smiled. "Give your best and, Yun'er. Just be safe."
Tianyang chuckled, arms folded. "No need to hold back too much. It's good for the world to know a little of what's to come."
Qingyun didn't reply, only nodded. Inwardly, he thought: I won't reveal my blade unless truly necessary.
---
The Match Rules
Each participant would fight one opponent per round. A clear victory means you get into next rounds . Losing meant you are out of competition and cannot continue. It was basically a knockout match. After three rounds, the top 10 would be eligible for sect recruitment. Only the top 50 would even be considered.
There were over 400 children, but only a dozen or so were viewed as potential front-runners.
When the battle list was announced, four names caused a stir in the arena.
Qin Wushuang, Mu Yihan, Zhao Yunhai, and Xia Shuying—scions of powerful families and clans, each possessing formidable talent and rare inheritances.
Qin Wushuang, first son of the Imperial Qin family. He had awakened with seven meridians, and lightning affinity ran wild in his veins. It was whispered that he trained in the Qin Clan's Heavenstruck Arts, a terrifying technique that enhanced his speed and explosive power beyond his realm.
Then there was Mu Yihan, daughter of the Grand Minister. Clad in icy blue robes, her presence exuded a frost-like serenity. Seven meridians. Ice affinity. Her mother's legacy, the Snowblossom Sutra, was evident in the way cold mist lingered around her steps.
Zhao Yunhai of the Zhao Clan had a wilder demeanor. His five meridians pulsed with dual lightning and wind affinity, giving him burst movement that was hard to counter. Known for his unpredictable fighting style, Zhao had already bested Qi Gathering Stage 4 opponents in mock duels back at his clan.
And then, there was Xia Shuying.
The only one among them known to wield a sword. She was from the sword-wielding Xia Family, famous for their legacy rooted in the path of the sword. Shuying had six meridians and had awakened a Sword Bone Physique—a rare constitution that naturally sharpened her senses, instinct, and blade intent. She trained in her family's Crimson Ripple Sword Manual, and even her elders whispered that she had begun to perceive traces of sword rhythm.
Soon the referee had announced the battles and the lots were drawn by the officials.
–––
First Match: Qin Wushuang vs Lin Shan
Qin Wushuang stepped onto the first elevated dueling platform with the grace of someone used to being watched. His clothes bore the embroidered mark of the Imperial Qin Clan, and faint arcs of lightning crackled around his limbs. Seven meridians. Lightning affinity. The air near him sizzled.
His opponent, Lin Shan, was a sturdy boy with earth affinity at Qi Gathering Stage 3. He bowed stiffly and took a defensive stance, knees slightly bent, arms up.
"Begin!"
Lin Shan stomped forward, forming a barrier of rock around his arms before launching a heavy punch at Qin's chest.
Qin didn't flinch. He leaned slightly to the side, then raised two fingers.
Bzzzt!
A thin streak of violet lightning arced between his fingertips—and with a flick, he released it. The bolt pierced through Lin Shan's rock armor with a sharp crack and struck him squarely in the shoulder.
"Argh!" Lin Shan staggered back.
Qin stepped forward like a predator. His palm shot out, enveloped in lightning, and struck Lin's chest directly.
A shockwave of electric force sent Lin flying across the stage. He hit the barrier wall hard and slid down, groaning.
"Winner: Qin Wushuang!"
---
Second Match: Mu Yihan vs Chu Fan
A subtle chill swept the platform as Mu Yihan climbed the stairs, her blue-white robe rippling. Mist followed in her footsteps. She summoned her spiritual energy slowly, creating a thin layer of frost on the ground before the match even started.
Her opponent, Chu Fan, a flame-attribute cultivator with five meridians, raised his hand in salute. "I'll try not to burn the frost off," he said with a grin.
Mu Yihan didn't respond.
"Begin!"
Chu Fan immediately launched several arcs of flame from his palms, spreading them in a fan-shape. The heat distorted the air, turning it into waves.
But Mu Yihan's expression didn't change. She stepped sideways—and with a flick of her wrist, sent snow-like petals flying through the fire.
They weren't solid. They danced and twirled between flame arcs like spirits, absorbing the heat and extinguishing it.
"Snowblossom Second Step."
A frigid pulse spread from her body. Chu Fan found his legs frozen, ice climbing up from the soles of his feet. "What—!?"
Mu Yihan appeared before him in a flash. Her palm struck his chest softly—but cold surged through his meridians instantly, making him collapse.
"Winner: Mu Yihan."
---
Third Match: Zhao Yunhai vs Liu Huo
Zhao Yunhai was a firecracker of a boy—grinning, crackling with energy. His aura roared like a storm, a mix of wind and lightning, as he bounded onto the platform.
Liu Huo, a calm boy with metal affinity, wore a stoic expression as he raised a thick iron staff.
"Begin!"
The moment the word was spoken, Zhao disappeared.
A gust of wind and a flash of light were all that remained.
"Too slow!" Zhao's voice called from behind Liu.
Liu turned just in time to block a lightning-charged punch, but the sheer momentum sent him skidding backward.
Zhao weaved between gusts of wind, appearing and vanishing like a phantom. He struck from three directions at once—each blow charged with unstable lightning, each impact faster than the last.
Liu Huo fell to his knees after the sixth strike.
"Winner: Zhao Yunhai!"
---
Fourth Match: Xia Shuying vs Wu Liang
Xia Shuying walked onto the platform like a falling petal—graceful, controlled, and dangerous.
Her opponent, Wu Liang, gripped a halberd and smirked. "Don't think I'll go easy on a sword girl."
Xia Shuying bowed slightly. "I hope you don't."
"Begin!"
Wu Liang came at her like a whirlwind, the halberd spinning with force. His strikes created sonic booms, tearing small craters into the platform.
Xia sidestepped each one smoothly, her eyes calm, her sword still sheathed.
When Wu Liang finally paused to reset, her sword flashed.
One draw.
A thin arc of silver.
A delayed cut opened on Wu Liang's arm.
The audience blinked.
Then gasped.
The halberd dropped from Wu Liang's hand as blood trickled from a second, deeper cut along his side. The fight was over before he could react.
"Winner: Xia Shuying."
–––
Fifth match: Li Qingyun versus Luo Ji!
Luo Ji, from the wealthy Luo merchant clan, stepped forward confidently. He wielded a steel saber and had reached the third stage of Qi Gathering, cultivating a fire-based saber technique. A sneer curled at the edge of his mouth as he glanced at Li Qingyun's weapon.
"You're bringing a wooden sword to a real battle?" Luo Ji scoffed.
Li Qingyun smiled. "For safety. You'll understand soon enough."
The match began with a clang of the ceremonial gong. Luo Ji charged forward, saber blazing with a fiery red arc. Spectators leaned in, expecting a dramatic clash. But Li Qingyun didn't retreat. His wooden sword moved—swift, sharp, yet effortless. It was the Voidcleave Sword Technique, executed with perfect precision.
He stepped lightly, his qi perfectly flowing through his meridians. He twisted his wrist at the last moment—
"Voidcleave."
Whoosh!
His sword brushed the air. Luo Ji froze.
His saber arm dropped. His knees buckled. His body trembled as his spiritual energy scattered chaotically. There was no wound, no pain—yet it felt as though his very foundation had been severed.
"Wh-What…" Luo Ji gasped, falling to one knee, unable to move.
Li Qingyun stood calmly at the center of the stage, his wooden practice sword held loosely by his side. Across from him, his opponent lay on the ground, not injured, but unable to stand — eyes wide with disbelief. The referee raised his hand hesitantly.
"Winner: Li Qingyun."
A murmur spread through the arena like ripples in a pond. The crowd was baffled.
"Wait... how did he win?"
"He barely touched the other kid!"
"It looked like just one swing!"
Even the noble seats buzzed with quiet confusion. Then, from among them, a middle-aged man with steady eyes and a flowing green robe stood and spoke with clarity.
"That... was a refined application of a sword intent-based technique. Not just brute force."
The crowd quieted to listen.
"The move disrupted the opponent's stance and balance directly by targeting his center of gravity. It wasn't meant to hurt — it was meant to disarm, to control. That's a Voidcleave Sword Technique. What he used was a non-lethal variation meant for duels."
Whispers turned into gasps as the realization dawned.
"To do that with a wooden sword…" another elder muttered in admiration.
"And with such precision at the fourth stage of Qi Gathering? Impressive…"
A sect elder from the Sky–Reaching Sword Sect leaned forward, eyes glittering. "He didn't just use strength — he used intent. That strike was loaded with embryonic sword intent."
Meanwhile, Li Qingyun sheathed his wooden sword, turning to leave the platform. He offered a calm nod to his opponent, showing no arrogance. As he passed by the stunned crowd, he murmured to himself:
"I told them… it's just for safety."