The Werewolf Clan had never seen a crowd of this magnitude. From the lowest mortal servants to the highest-ranking immortals, millions had gathered, turning the mountain range into a sea of living souls. The air itself was heavy, saturated with the overlapping spiritual pressures of thousands of cultivators. It was a day of glory, but also a day of extreme tension.
Suddenly, the sky above the arena groaned. The fabric of space began to tear, revealing nine shimmering, colossal portals. The crowd went silent, their breaths catching in their throats.
The Arrival of the Sovereigns
From the first portal, two massive, golden-scaled dragons emerged, their roars shaking the very clouds. Following them was a tall human figure draped in robes of imperial gold—the Leader of the Dragon Clan. Though he walked in human form, every step he took radiated the crushing majesty of a primordial beast.
From the second portal, two fiery Phoenixes circled the arena, their wings leaving trails of eternal flames in the air. The Phoenix Clan Leader descended, her beauty as sharp as a blade, her presence turning the humid air into a dry heat.
Then came the human-centric clans.
The She Clan: Their leader was preceded by guards whose auras were terrifying—Immortal King 4th Realm experts. The ground cracked under their weight.
The Hun Clan: Black, ominous smoke billowed from their portal. Out of the darkness stepped their leader, his eyes two pinpricks of cold light.
The Chi Clan: Their leader arrived with two more Immortal King guards, their long spears glowing with ancient runes.
The Tian, Ling, and Feng Clans: Their leaders followed in quick succession, each surrounded by the shimmering "Rings of the Immortal King"—haloes of pure spiritual energy that marked their absolute dominance over the mortal realms.
Finally, the last portal opened. Unlike the others, there were no dragons, no smoke, and no guards. A single man stepped out. He was the Leader of the Ali Clan. His beauty was otherworldly, almost haunting, and he moved with a grace that made the other clan leaders look heavy.
The crowd erupted in frantic whispers.
"The Ali Clan? Even they showed up?"
"I heard they haven't left their hidden realm in a thousand years!"
"Look at those Immortal King Rings... they are so much denser than the others!"
The Familiar Echo
Alpha Khan stood on his balcony, his silver-rimmed eyes locked onto the Leader of the Ali Clan. A strange, cold shiver ran down his spine.
'Ali...' Alpha thought, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword. 'Why does that name sound like a song I've forgotten? Why do I feel like I've seen that man in a dream I can't quite remember?'
His internal turmoil was interrupted by a presence of equal weight. The Leader of the Werewolf Clan appeared in a flash of silver light, standing atop the high podium. He raised his hands, a gesture of both welcome and warning.
"Clan Leaders of the Nine Great Realms," his voice boomed, amplified by the arena's ancient formations. "We are honored by your presence at our Lunar Heart Competition. Let this be a testament to our strength and our unity. Welcome!"
He took his seat on a massive throne carved from pure spirit-jade. At that moment, a massive bronze bell was struck by four muscular Werewolves.
BONG!
The sound reverberated through the marrow of everyone present. The competition had officially begun.
The First Blood: Beast vs. Beast
The opening matches were designed to show the raw, primal power of the Werewolf Clan. Two warriors stepped into the arena. They were at the 2nd Realm of Blood Tempering. Neither had taken human form, as that was a privilege reserved for those who reached the Nascent Soul Realm. They were massive, furry beasts with muzzles dripping with saliva and eyes glowing with feral hunger.
They bowed to the Jade Thrones and then, with a roar that tore the air, they collided.
One of them, a grey-furred beast, lunged forward with a technique called "Crushing Claw." His paw expanded, glowing with a muddy brown spiritual energy, and slammed into the chest of his opponent. A shockwave of dust and energy exploded outward, obscuring the view.
"Is it over already?" a mortal in the crowd asked.
But as the dust settled, the second werewolf was still standing. His fur was matted with blood, but his eyes were blazing. Before the first one could retreat, the second werewolf lunged, his claws slicing through the air like daggers.
Slash!
Deep gashes appeared on the first werewolf's chest. Blood sprayed onto the white marble of the arena. Desperate, the first werewolf began to gather spiritual energy between his paws. The air hummed with a high-pitched whine.
"A laser beam!" Alpha whispered, impressed.
The second werewolf jumped, aiming for a finishing bite to the neck, but he was too late. The first werewolf released the gathered energy in a concentrated Spiritual Laser.
PHEW!
The beam pierced through the second werewolf's shoulder, cauterizing the wound and sending him flying back. He crashed into the arena wall, unconscious and bleeding.
The crowd erupted. "VICTORY!"
Werewolf healers rushed in to carry the fallen warrior away for treatment. Alpha watched the scene with a cold, calculating gaze. He knew these two were weak compared to him, but their ferocity was a reminder—in this arena, mercy was a death sentence.
The Call to Arms
Alpha felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Xiao Er (Yue-er). Her silver eyes were fixed on the tournament brackets appearing in the sky.
"Alpha," she said, her voice a calm breeze amidst the storm of the crowd. "The warm-ups are over. Your name has been called. It is time to show these 'Kings' who really owns the moon."
Alpha took a deep breath. The Half Lunar Heart in his chest began to pulse, a rhythmic thrumming that synchronized with the beating of the Great Bell. He looked down at the Jade Thrones, specifically at the Great Elder and the Dragon Clan Leader.
"They want a show," Alpha muttered, his Obsidian Arm beginning to glow with a faint, violet light. "I'll give them a massacre."
He stepped off the balcony, not using a portal or a flying beast, but simply falling through the air like a meteor.
THOOM!
He landed in the center of the arena, the marble floor cracking under his boots. The laughter of the crowd died down. All eyes—mortal and immortal alike—were now fixed on the lone human standing amidst the beasts.