The elder's voice rolled across the grand arena.
"To bear the mantle of Sect Master," he intoned, "is to shoulder not only the glory of Tianyu Sect, but the burden of every disciple, every peak, every drop of blood shed in our name. Power alone is not enough."
He paused, his eyes sweeping the gathered disciples, lingering on the ten candidates standing at the forefront.
"Strength determines right and wrong in the world of cultivation, yes. But strength without wisdom leads only to ruin. The one who would ascend must prove not only their might, but their judgment. When to fight, when to restrain. When to advance, when to retreat. And above all, they must swear upon the heavens themselves, etching their blood into the oath of loyalty to this sect, binding their soul to its future."
The disciples and spectators shifted, some visibly stiffening at the mention of the heavenly oath.
"The first phase," the elder declared, lifting his sleeve, "is the proving of strength."
He gestured toward the ranks. A stone pillar that had ten names carved on it from top to bottom.
"From the mock trials and sparring of recent weeks, we already have a measure of your power. Now, the duels shall determine your worth before all. The rules are simple: maintain dominance in the duel, but restrain yourselves from unleashing your full killing intent. One who cannot control the edge of his blade, who slays his sect-companion in the path of cultivation, can never be trusted to bear the mantle of Sect Master."
The crowd buzzed with murmurs, a mix of excitement and unease.
"The procedure is thus: the first-ranked disciple will choose a challenger among those placed at the bottom five first, but their duel shall be last. First, the fifth-ranked disciple will begin. The arena will bear witness. Then the fourth-ranked shall do the same, then the third… until the duels are set."
He let his words hang in the air like a decree.
"Prepare yourselves. The fate of Tianyu Sect begins with the clash of blades and the measure of hearts."
One by one, the five top disciples stepped forward. Each paused briefly before the presiding elder, cupping their fists in salute before whispering the name of their chosen opponent. The audience craned their necks, eager to see which rivalries or hidden grudges might surface.
When the last name had been given, the elder raised his hand for silence.
"The duels shall now begin," he declared. "The first duel — fifth-ranked Duan Caixia… has chosen seventh-ranked Duan Xianlong."
A ripple passed through the crowd, some disciples discussing, others murmuring in approval.
Two figures now stood in the martial stage.
Duan Caixia, her gaze didn't waver. Her opponent, Duan Xianlong, carried himself with the unyielding air.
The two bowed.
"Caixia of the Thousand Beast Peak pays respect."
"Xianlong of the Silver Rune Peak pays respect."
The elder's sleeve flicked, activating the runes that sealed the dueling ground. The formation shimmered faintly, cutting off stray qi from spilling into the audience.
"Begin," he commanded.
Duan Caixia, briefly flickered toward the spirit beast at her side — a pale fox with four small tails, its eyes glimmering with restrained energy.
Duan Xianlong waited, his robe ink-black with flowing glyph patterns that pulsed faintly. His fingers were already weaving subtle sigils in the air, sealed until the moment was right.
Without further warning, Caixia's fox companion leapt forward in a blur of white. She formed the first technique instantly.
Fox Flame Sweep
The spirit beast's tails flared with controlled fire, sweeping across the ground in arcs. The motion was to pressure and disorient Xianlong.
Xianlong's eyes narrowed, and with a subtle movement of his fingers, glowing runes spiraled outward from his wrist.
Starlight Ward
A translucent shield blossomed in front of him, the runes absorbing the heat and dispersing the energy into harmless threads of light.
The shield barely rippled as the fox's sweeping fire dissipated against the inscriptions. A ripple of murmurs passed through the onlookers many impressed by the inscription's precision.
That was an Inscription Discharge, which an attacking inscriptionist can use to manifest powerful techniques.
The fight was very fast-paced; the spectators had to fuel more Qi to their vision to follow what was going on.
Caixia grinned. "You'll need more than passive defense."
Xianlong took a step forward, his eyes locked on the fox rather than Caixia herself.
Binding Echoes
The ground beneath the fox's feet erupted in glowing seals that twisted like vines of ink. They sought to anchor the spirit beast's energy, to tether it before it could surge again.
The fox leapt high, folding midair to avoid the spiraling chains, landing gracefully beside Caixia. She hissed under her breath and activated her second move.
Frostwhisker Phantom Pounce
The fox expanded into a spectral double, rushing at Xianlong's flank with claws of pale frost, intended to feint and draw his focus.
Xianlong's brow twitched. He discharged a counter.
Thousand Forms Mirror Script
Dozens of illusory copies of Xianlong sprang around him, each casting distorted reflections of his stance. The frost claws struck at empty air.
The original Xianlong, barely perceptible, sidestepped with measured grace, allowing the phantom strike to pass.
Realizing the inscriptionist's composure, Caixia drew on instinct rather than speed.
Ember Surge Howl
The fox's roar rippled through the air as controlled shockwaves, pushing against Xianlong's senses and pressure points. Caixia closed in, using the roar's disorientation, she pinpointed the real Xianlong to press with a flurry of strikes.
Her palm flashed
Tailwind Palm Gust
Each strike aimed at weak joints and breathing channels.
Xianlong barely moved, redirecting each force with soft taps to his sleeves. It activated a hidden rune.
Flowing Deflection Lines
invisible Qi patterns bent and twisted around Caixia's strikes, dispersing their momentum like wind over water.
Then, in a swift reversal, Xianlong's hand traced one final symbol.
Script of Still Waters
A wave of soft, pulsing light rippled toward Caixia's feet, seeking to unbalance her by freezing her motion briefly.
Caixia sensed it and leapt in midair, twisting her body so the energy passed under her landing.
Spiral Dancing Mist
The fox extended its tail tips like blades, spinning in a spiral that created a ring of dense fog around them, cutting visibility for observers but not for Caixia herself.
Now aware that Xianlong's inscriptions were subtle but formidable, Caixia altered her approach. She no longer pressed for victory through force but sought to test his endurance.
Four Qi Tendrils
The fox divided its energy into four thin tendrils, each darting toward different pressure points not to harm, but to overwhelm and confuse. They grazed against Xianlong's shoulders, wrists, and sides.
Xianlong's eyes flickered but did not panic.
Impact Absorption Script
The symbols on his robe shifted colors and shapes, absorbing multiple strikes and redistributing the energy across his body, turning them into harmless light particles.
A faint smile curved his lips. He whispered to himself, "So you won't stop…"
Both combatants were breathing harder now, though neither had thrown a lethal strike. The spectators leaned in.
Caixia narrowed her eyes, then performed her final gambit. She channeled her Qi onto her spirit beast. This would force Xianlong's judgment.
Crescent Fang – Luring Tail
The fox sprang high, curving around him like a crescent moon. Its claws danced close to his throat, then darted toward his hands, where inscriptions shimmered like lightning threads.
At the last instant, Xianlong froze not from fear, but from discipline. He let the claws pass by very close and countered with —
Reverent Echo
A soft circle of inscriptions encased him, not blocking but acknowledging the attack. The runes shimmered, signaling that the strike was welcomed.
The fox landed softly beside Caixia, tail lowered in acknowledgment.
Caixia exhaled and smiled, extending her palm toward him.
"You're… better than most expect. Do not let them say an inscriptionist is weak."
"I have nothing to counter now, I admit defeat."
The duel ended without bloodshed.
Caixia's strikes had come close, but not enough to break through his control. She had tested him to the edge, and he had responded without faltering. But Xianlong's spiritual force was at its end.
The crowd erupted in applause. Elders nodded approvingly, and even visiting sect members exchanged glances, surprised that an inscriptionist could stand toe-to-toe with a beast tamer without raising a blade.
As they bowed to each other, Caixia whispered softly to Xianlong, "I barely won today… but that's all I ever wanted, to see you hold."
Xianlong's eyes crinkled with quiet amusement. "Then I hope we meet again."