Chapter 72: The Sect Leader’s disciple

An hour later.

The aged voice on the platform finally slowed, as if reluctant to stop.

Turns out, the Sect Leader’s usual silence was just him saving all his words for this moment.

"Very well, that is enough."

Elias gave a slight nod, signaling the next segment.

Mainly because, if he kept talking, most of the audience would be dozing off.

Next was the drawing of lots.

The stewards collected all participating disciples’ tokens and tossed them into a bronze ox artifact. With a strike to its back, the elder channeled his energy.

A metallic clatter echoed as the ox spat out two tokens.

He glanced at them and announced.

"Corey versus Seraphina."

The first match was Corey?

Theo turned his gaze to the stage.

Corey’s aura was stronger than when they last met. Clearly, his combat arts had advanced. With a heavy broadsword strapped to his back and an unyielding demeanor, he exuded a rugged determination.

His opponent was no pushover either.

The woman had delicate features. But her high cheekbones lent her frosty expression an added sharpness.

Theo activated his system overlay to observe.

[Name: Seraphina]

[Age: 23]

[Realm: Inner Scenery]

[Fate: Green tinged with gray]

[Evaluation: True disciple of Falling Mist Peak. A future candidate to inherit the peak. Prone to extremes. Her nature makes her susceptible to obsession.]

[Recent Events: Learned that Lucius, the senior she admires, desires the Crimson Edge. She is now plotting to seize Frost-Bite.]

Bad luck for Corey.

"Lucius wants my Crimson Edge?"

Theo raised an eyebrow.

He recalled that the elder of Beast Taming Peak bore the name Lucius.

A single "Begin!" marked the start of the duel.

Corey knew that against an opponent a full realm above him, prolonged combat was unwise.

Whoosh.

His heavy broadsword flashed into his grip. As he swung, the blade’s aura swelled severalfold.

A thunderous opening move.

The crushing blade light descended.

Seraphina’s eyes flickered with surprise. Yet she neither dodged nor countered.

Instead, the soft blade at her waist coiled around her arm like a silver serpent.

She didn’t retreat or strike. She closed the distance.

Corey’s pupils constricted.

He couldn’t fathom her actions.

Even with a higher cultivation, was she really arrogant enough to face his heavy blade with her bare body?

But the next instant.

Seraphina’s form turned supple. She drifted like scattered leaves in the wind. Utterly elusive.

Corey’s broadsword met no resistance, as if striking cotton.

Then. Cold light flashed before his eyes.

In the blink of an eye, the serpentine blade twisted along an uncanny trajectory. It darted toward his face.

In her hands, the soft blade seemed alive.

The crowd gasped.

This was none other than the renowned Serpent Blade Art of Falling Mist Peak. A superior martial technique.

And Seraphina had mastered it to perfection!

...

"Cleave!"

A furious roar echoed through the air.

At the critical moment, Corey abruptly retracted his heavy broadsword. He blocked the serpentine strike and unleashed a surge of dense energy.

A faint aura radiated from the blade. It swept outward in a fan-shaped arc.

"Energy Manifestation!"

The term flashed through the minds of the spectators.

Corey had broken through to this level. A technique martial artists usually only achieved at the Inner Scenery realm.

Gasps of astonishment erupted across the arena.

On the elevated platform.

"This Corey is not bad. Though his realm is still a bit low."

"He must be one of the top disciples of this generation."

The arrogant young man from the Blazing Jade Forest spoke indifferently.

"An energy projector at the Body Cleansing realm. His talent is exceptional. But he is still far behind our elites."

The visiting delegations showed some surprise.

Most hailed from prestigious backgrounds. To them, Corey’s only commendable trait was his combat prowess.

The Crimson Whale Syndicate members were far more excited.

Rising from the martial world, they admired Corey’s relentless fighting spirit. Many cheered him on.

"Was Corey not an outer disciple?"

Sect Leader Elias had some recollection of the young man.

"Yes. He is one of those who rose unexpectedly. Perhaps he stumbled upon a fortuitous encounter."

The elders nodded slightly.

Regardless of the outcome, given Corey’s performance, he had earned the qualifications to become an inner disciple.

The battle in the arena continued.

By now, Theo could no longer be considered a novice in martial arts.

Thanks to his time spent with Liana and Elara, he had developed a keen eye for combat.

Watching the two figures clash on the stage, Theo shook his head.

"Corey’s chances of winning are not high."

Corey only managed to hold his own against an Inner Scenery opponent by using Energy Manifestation. The technique drained his stamina rapidly.

Seraphina was no fool when it came to combat. She had already noticed this. She opted to rely on her superior movement techniques to wear him down.

Liana withdrew her gaze. She sipped her tea.

"Three breaths."

Exactly three breaths later.

Corey suddenly slackened. His face paled. He clasped his fists.

"Senior Sister, I admit defeat."

Seraphina halted her movements. She didn’t even spare him a glance.

She stepped off the stage and began meditating alone.

The steward’s booming voice resounded across the arena.

"Seraphina, victorious!"

"Corey, relegated to the loser’s bracket. One more loss, and you are out."

To ensure fairness, the sect evaluation did not eliminate participants after a single loss. One had to lose twice in a row, guaranteeing a relatively reasonable outcome.

With such an intense opening match, the atmosphere grew even more heated.

The steward patted the bronze ox artifact again. Two more tokens dropped from its mouth.

...

An hour passed.

During this time, Kaelen had also taken the stage. He secured a dominant victory, drawing considerable attention and praise.

"He must be the most outstanding genius of this generation, no?"

The arrogant young man from the Blazing Jade Forest grew restless. He was itching for a fight.

The Blood-Robed Youth from the Crimson Whale Syndicate narrowed his eyes with interest.

"A dormant bloodline? The chaotic energy is so well-controlled."

"That golden hue. The tranquility feels almost like a Zen body art. Interesting."

The Provincial Governor, noticing his interest, lowered his voice.

"Young Master, this boy is from the Valerius family. He will likely return to the capital."

"Noted."

The Blood-Robed Youth nodded dismissively.

Strangely, despite being a mere syndicate member, he treated the Provincial Governor with casual disregard.

"Elder Silas has trained an excellent disciple."

"Kaelen is truly gifted. A fine physique for forging. Our sect may soon have another grand artisan."

"His unique constitution will grow even more formidable when he reaches the Mystic Core realm. That is when he will truly shine."

Listening to his colleagues’ admiration, Elder Silas’s weathered face broke into a smile.

Kaelen was indeed the disciple most likely to inherit his legacy.

He was fortunate with this one.

"Kaelen..."

"Is that the lad who is always trailing behind my precious disciple, calling him ’Brother Theo’ at every turn?"

An untimely question came from Vespera.

The elders chuckled.

As fellow members of the Silent Thunder Sect, they preferred seeing their talented juniors in harmony, united for future trials.

The only one not feeling particularly pleased was Silas.

Creak.

Silas’s grin froze. His grip nearly shattered the armrest of his chair.

The finest disciple of his peak was Theo’s loyal follower.

The peak’s origin artifact was also in that brat’s hands.

The more he thought about it, the more it rankled.

"Hmph. Vespera, do not celebrate too soon."

"This old man knows you bet on Armory Peak topping the rankings. I have no idea where you found the audacity!"

The moment he spoke, the elders’ gazes snapped toward Vespera. Brimming with bewilderment.

Their expressions screamed:

We know you are usually unhinged, but this is next-level madness.

Your only disciple is just a Body Cleansing kid.

In truth.

By the time Vespera remembered that Liana wasn’t technically her disciple, she had gone through three stages.

Denial. Regret. Resignation.

If the outcome couldn’t be changed, then so be it.

Vespera took a casual sip of wine. She spoke airily.

"Because I believe in my precious disciple."

The elders: "!"

Why was she so confident? This wasn’t like her.

Everyone knew Vespera prized rare metals and wealth above all. She never gambled without certainty. Yet she staked such a heavy bet on her disciple.

Could it be... that the lone seedling of Armory Peak truly possessed some earth-shattering advantage?

Elder Silas fell into deep thought.

That brat couldn’t possibly... have mastered the Crucible of Genesis already?

...

Battles between martial practitioners were seldom flashy. When skill gaps existed, outcomes were decided swiftly.

Besides, this was a spar between sect members, not a life-or-death struggle.

Another match concluded shortly after.

The steward patted the bronze ox again.

"Next bout."

"Falling Mist Peak’s Seraphina versus... The Sect Leader’s disciple, Liana!"