Chapter 18: The Final Round
The Azure Cloud Pavilion's arena thrummed with anticipation as the outer disciple tournament reached its final round. The jade platform, scarred from prior battles, gleamed under the Spirit Realm's auroral sky. Thousands of disciples filled the stands, their chants a roaring tide. Li Wei stood at the platform's edge, his eighth-stage Qi Condensation qi pulsing steadily. The Nine Worlds Ascension Art scroll, hidden in his sleeve, hummed with encouragement. Lin Xue stood nearby, her eyes scanning for Liang Wei's interference.
Elder Mei Ling's voice silenced the crowd. "Li Wei versus Su Chen. The victor claims the Foundation Establishment Pill and a chance at the inner court. Begin!"
Su Chen, a lean figure with frost-white hair, exuded a chilling aura at the ninth stage of Qi Condensation. His Frost Phoenix Claw was legendary, said to freeze an opponent's qi mid-battle. His eyes, sharp as ice, locked onto Li Wei. "You've surprised many, but I am no Fang Luo," he said, his voice calm but laced with arrogance.
The gong sounded. Su Chen moved like a specter, his Frost Phoenix Claw slashing with icy qi that frosted the platform. Li Wei activated Wind Step, dodging as frost spread where he stood. He countered with Starfall Strike, a meteor of auroral qi crashing toward Su. The prodigy raised a Frost Phoenix Barrier, the meteor shattering into harmless sparks. The crowd gasped, sensing the gap in skill.
Li Wei's Spirit Sense detected a subtle shift—Liang Wei's qi lingered in the arena's formations, amplifying Su Chen's attacks. The sabotage was subtle, undetectable to the elders. Li Wei wove Aurora Veil, its prismatic light refracting Su's next claw strike. He followed with Heaven's Echo, the resonant qi amplifying his Starlight Slash into a booming auroral blade. Su dodged, but the slash grazed his robe, drawing a thin line of blood.
"You're clever," Su admitted, his hands forming complex seals. A Frost Phoenix Tempest erupted, a blizzard of icy qi that froze the air. Li Wei's Spirit Blade Formation spun, its invisible blades slicing through the tempest, but the cold seeped into his meridians, slowing his qi. Pain lanced through him, but the scroll's voice echoed: The dao bends but does not break.
Lin Xue signaled from the sidelines, her Cloud Veil Formation ready. Li Wei nodded, combining her formation with his Celestial Pulse. The mist absorbed Su's icy qi, redirecting it as a shockwave. Su staggered, his barrier cracking. Li Wei seized the moment, unleashing a dual Starfall Strike and Heaven's Echo. The resonant meteor crashed, shattering Su's defenses and hurling him to the platform's edge.
Su Chen knelt, yielding. "You've earned this," he said, his tone respectful. The crowd erupted, and Elder Mei declared Li Wei the champion. She presented the Foundation Establishment Pill, a radiant orb pulsing with power. Liang Wei, in the stands, vanished into the crowd, his aura dark with malice. Lin Xue joined Li Wei, her smile bright. "You did it," she said. "But Liang won't let this slide."
Li Wei clutched the pill, his dantian eager for the breakthrough. The tournament was won, but the war was just beginning.