Chapter 12: The Tournament Begins
The Azure Cloud Pavilion's tournament arena shimmered under the Spirit Realm's auroral sky, a vast jade platform ringed by floating seats where elders and inner disciples observed. Thousands of outer disciples filled the stands, their murmurs a tidal wave of excitement. Li Wei stood among the competitors, his azure robe fluttering in the qi-charged breeze. At the sixth stage of Qi Condensation, his dantian thrummed with power, the Nine Worlds Ascension Art scroll hidden in his sleeve pulsing faintly. Lin Xue stood nearby, her eyes scanning the crowd for Fang Luo's cronies.
Elder Mei Ling, presiding over the tournament, rose from her jade seat. Her voice, amplified by qi, echoed across the arena. "The outer disciple tournament tests strength, skill, and spirit. The top ten will receive spirit stones, pills, and a chance to enter the inner court. Fight with honor, or face expulsion."
The jade screen above flashed the first-round brackets. Li Wei's opponent, Deng Tao, was a towering figure with a shaved head and a reputation for brutal strength. At the eighth stage of Qi Condensation, his Iron Mountain Fist could shatter boulders. Whispers confirmed Fang Luo's cousin, Liang Wei, had rigged the match to crush Li Wei early.
As Li Wei stepped onto the platform, Deng Tao sneered, his qi radiating like a forge's heat. "A peasant dares face me? I'll break you." The crowd roared, sensing blood. Lin Xue caught Li Wei's eye, her nod a silent reminder of their strategy: Cloud Veil Formation combined with Starlight Slash.
The match began with a gong's reverberation. Deng charged, his fists glowing with earthen qi. Each Iron Mountain Fist shook the platform, sending cracks spiderwebbing outward. Li Wei activated Wind Step, his form blurring as he dodged, leaving afterimages. He wove Cloud Veil Formation with Lin Xue's guidance, a shimmering mist cloaking his movements. Deng's fists struck empty air, his frustration growing.
Li Wei countered with Qi Pulse Strike, targeting Deng's meridians. The invisible pulse staggered Deng, his qi flow faltering. Seizing the moment, Li Wei unleashed Starlight Slash, a crescent of auroral qi slicing through the mist. Deng raised a qi shield, but the slash cut through, grazing his shoulder. Blood sprayed, and the crowd gasped.
"Tricks won't save you!" Deng roared, swallowing a Spirit Enhancing Pill—likely supplied by Liang Wei. His qi surged, his fists glowing brighter. Li Wei's Spirit Sense detected the pill's instability; Deng's power was temporary but dangerous. He reinforced his Spirit Blade Formation, invisible blades spinning around him. Deng charged, his fists shattering the platform's edge. Li Wei sidestepped, letting the formation's blades slice Deng's arms, slowing him.
The match ended swiftly. Li Wei combined Qi Spiral with Starlight Slash, creating a spiraling auroral vortex. It engulfed Deng, hurling him off the platform, unconscious but alive. The crowd erupted, and Elder Mei's eyes gleamed with approval. Fang Luo, watching from the stands, clenched his fists, his face dark with rage.
Li Wei returned to Lin Xue, panting but triumphant. "One down," she said, her smile faint. "But Fang's next move will be worse." Li Wei nodded, the scroll's warmth urging him forward. The tournament was far from over.