The day of the Core Disciple Tournament arrived with a palpable energy that swept through the entire sect. A dull roar of anticipation emanated from the center of the inner sect, where the Grand Arena stood a massive, circular structure of white stone and azure banners that could house thousands of spectators. Disciples of all ranks flocked towards it, eager to witness the sect's strongest geniuses clash for one of the three coveted Core Disciple positions.
Alex, Elara, Jay, and Lily met near the main entrance, the sheer scale of the crowd and the electric atmosphere leaving Alex momentarily speechless. He looked slightly worse for wear, with faint dark circles under his eyes, and smelled faintly of scorched herbs and mineral dust.
"There you are," Elara said, a hint of concern in her voice. "We haven't seen you for two days. Have you been sleeping at all?"
Alex managed a tired but triumphant grin. "Mostly. I've been holed up at home practicing, or selling pills to buy more alchemy materials." He reached into a pouch and pulled out a single, shimmering pill. It had an azure hue, and a faint, cool mist seemed to swirl within its translucent surface. He handed it to Elara. "This is for you. I think it might help with your water-form cultivation."
Elara took the pill, her eyes widening at the pure, cool energy radiating from it. "Alex, this is... incredible. Thank you." She carefully placed it in a pouch, deciding to save it for another time, maybe when she is closer to a breakthrough.
Lily crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "Why are you stressing so much? You still have about seven days until your exam. You should be resting."
"He only has seven days," Jay countered quietly, his eyes serious. His words drew a sharp look from Lily. "Seven days to master skills that most alchemists take years to develop. I believe he's ready," he said, clapping a hand on Alex's shoulder, "but it's not about what I think. It's about him believing it himself."
Lily's expression softened slightly. "Fine," she conceded begrudgingly. "But all work and no play makes a dull disciple." Her eyes lit up with a familiar, mischievous glint. "Besides, I need to go place my bets. No point in watching a tournament if you don't have some spirit stones on the line."
Alex blinked. "You can bet on this?" The idea was so familiar, so reminiscent of sports betting back home, that it felt surreal in this new world.
"Of course," Lily said, grabbing his arm. "Come on, I'll show you. Who are you putting your money on?"
As she began to drag him towards a series of crowded booths run by entrepreneurial senior disciples, Alex realized a critical flaw in his plan. "I have no idea. I don't even know who's competing."
Lily stopped, giving him an incredulous look before breaking into a grin. "Right. The anomaly doesn't keep up with the sect gossip. Alright, rookie, lesson time."
She expertly navigated them through the throng, pointing out figures in the crowd who stood apart, radiating an aura of immense power. "See him?" she said, nodding towards a tall, broad-shouldered disciple with fiery red hair, surrounded by admirers. "That's Kaelen. Golden Core, Stage Two. Master of the Blazing Sun Fist. All brute force, no subtlety, but his offensive power is terrifying."
As Lily spoke, Alex's Immortal Eyes activated. A line of text floated above Kaelen's head.
Kaelen - Golden Core: Stage 2 (67%)
"And her," Lily continued, gesturing to an elegant woman with long, silver hair who stood alone, seemingly in serene communion with the breeze. "That's Seraphina. Golden Core, Stage Five. They say her Whispering Gale sword art is so refined that she can cut a falling leaf into seven pieces without making a sound. My money's on her."
Alex's gaze followed, and new text appeared.
Seraphina - Golden Core: Stage 5 (81%)
"But the real dark horse," Lily whispered, her voice tinged with respect, "is him." She pointed to a lean, intense-looking young man with sharp features, whose very presence seemed to make the air around him crackle. "Raiden. Golden Core, Stage Three. A lightning cultivator. Incredibly rare. His speed is supposedly unmatched in the sect. If he can get close enough, not even Seraphina can stop him."
Raiden - Golden Core: Stage 3 (44%)
Alex stared at the three of them, a knot forming in his stomach. It wasn't just their realms; it was the raw power he could feel even from this distance. He tried to focus on their full status, but the details below their cultivation levels were a blurry, swimming mess of characters he couldn't decipher. Still, the numbers he could see were intimidating enough. The gap between his Foundation Establishment and their Golden Core felt less like a gulf and more like a separate universe.
He was a minnow who had just learned to swim, and he was staring at three dragons.
His gaze continued to sweep through the crowd of powerful disciples when another figure caught his attention. This person stood apart from the others, not with the overt confidence of Kaelen or the serene poise of Seraphina, but with a quiet, almost unnerving stillness. She was watching the arena with a calm, detached focus, her presence like a sheathed blade. Alex's Immortal Eyes flared, revealing a level of power that surprised him.
??? - Golden Core: Stage 6 (20%)
"Lily," Alex said, interrupting her explanation of the betting odds. "Who's that? The one standing by the eastern pillar."
Lily followed his gaze. She frowned, squinting for a moment. "Her? I... I'm not sure. Her face is familiar, but..." Her eyes suddenly widened with recognition. "Wait. That's... that's Lyra. I'm surprised to see her here. The last I heard, she entered long-term seclusion almost a year ago to recover from some grave internal injuries she suffered on a high-risk mission."
The moment Lily said the name, the blurred text above the woman's head sharpened into focus.
Lyra - Golden Core: Stage 6 (20%)
So it can recognize people if I know their name, Alex thought, a flicker of understanding passing through him. How does that even work? He filed the new mystery away for later. Right now, he had a bet to make.
"Alright, I'm putting 50 low-grade stones on Seraphina," Lily declared confidently. "She's the highest stage here among the active competitors. It's the safest bet."
The disciples running the booth recorded her wager. "And for you?" the senior disciple asked, looking at Alex.
Alex looked past the three "dragons" Lily had pointed out and focused on the quiet, recuperated disciple standing alone, stage 6. Even with past injuries, she had the highest cultivation base he had seen here. It was a long shot, but his life had become a series of long shots.
"All of it on Lyra," Alex said, pushing his entire pouch of 390 low-grade spirit stones onto the counter.
Lily stared at him, her jaw agape. "Are you insane? You're betting everything you just earned on a disciple who's been out of commission for a year? You do know the odds on her winning are 20 to 1."
Alex just smiled. "Call it a gut feeling."
He didn't know if Lyra would win. But in a world of overwhelming power, sometimes the biggest advantage was being the one nobody saw coming.
---------------------------
A low, resonant bell toll echoed through the sect, signaling the official start of the event. The energy of the crowd became a physical force, a tidal wave of blue and white robes flowing through the grand archways of the arena. Alex, caught in the current, felt a sense of awe that dwarfed anything he had felt before. This wasn't just a competition; it was where legends were forged.
Inside, the arena was a breathtaking sight. Concentric circles of white stone seating rose like the tiers of a massive colosseum, easily capable of holding every disciple in the sect with seats to spare. In the center, far below, lay not one, but sixteen square fighting platforms, arranged in a perfect four-by-four grid.
"Incredible," Alex breathed, his eyes wide as he took in the scale of it all.
"Just wait," Lily said with a grin, pointing upwards.
Alex followed her finger and saw it: a near-invisible dome that shimmered over the entire arena floor like heat haze. As they found their seats in the mid-tier section, a hush fell over the tens of thousands of disciples.
High above the central platform, five figures appeared as if stepping from the air itself. Elder Lin stood at the forefront, flanked by Elder Ming, Elder Wu, Elder Zheng, and Elder Lian. Their combined spiritual pressure descended upon the arena, a silent, weighty presence that commanded absolute respect. The friendly buzz of the crowd gave way to a focused, reverent silence.
Elder Lin's calm voice, amplified by his Qi, washed over every disciple as if he were standing right next to them.
"Disciples of the Azure Plum Blossom Sect," he began, his voice devoid of unnecessary fanfare. "The path of cultivation is one of struggle and perseverance. Today, our most promising talents will test their mettle. They will demonstrate their mastery, their will, and their virtue. Three will be chosen to ascend."
He paused, letting the weight of the word "ascend" hang in the air.
"Let the Core Disciple Selection Tournament... commence!"
As his final word echoed, the translucent barrier over the fighting platforms came to life. The shimmering surface swirled with azure light, and then, across its vast expanse, glowing characters began to form, announcing the matchups for the first round across all sixteen platforms.
Alex's eyes darted across the massive projections. He saw Kaelen's name appear over Platform 3 and Seraphina's over Platform 9.
Lily nudged him, pointing towards one of the projections. "Look. Kaelen's up. Now you'll see what real firepower looks like."
On Platform 3, Kaelen materialized in a flash of light, his fiery red hair seeming to burn even from this distance. Across from him, a nervous-looking inner disciple drew a pair of twin daggers.
Another deep, resonant bell tolled, signaling the start of the first matches.
The disciple with the daggers vanished, his form a blur as he tried to use speed to his advantage.
Kaelen didn't even move. He grinned, and his right fist erupted in a corona of blinding, solar fire. The heat washed over the arena even from hundreds of feet away.
The fight had begun.