The competition kept moving at a thrilling pace, the air thick with tension and excitement. Soon, it was finally Team 9's turn. Bao, the calm and fearsome prodigy, stepped into the ring, his number gleaming brightly against his robe. His opponent was Team 21.
Bao, a spiritual qi fighter and an array master, stood tall beside his partner — a young man whose quiet demeanor belied the danger he carried. This partner was no ordinary alchemist; he was born with the bloodline of the snake tribe — the legendary Serpent Bloodline. Alchemy was too mild a word for his art; he was a poison master, a terrifying existence who could both create deadly venoms and brew the antidotes with equal mastery. If anyone dared cross him, they would only realize it after their spiritual core started decaying from within.
The atmosphere shifted the moment they entered.
Team 21, both spiritual qi fighters with solid foundations, looked at Bao and his partner with cautious respect. Suddenly, one of the fighters from Team 21 stepped forward, hands cupped respectfully. His voice, slightly trembling, carried across the ring, "Senior Bao, it is my honor to face you today. I am not here to fight brutally. Your qi aura alone is enough to send me out of the ring."
He straightened, smiling brightly. "Please… if possible, teach me a few pointers during this match!"
The audience erupted into gasps.
No one expected this. Instead of a brutal clash, a one-on-one sparring session without spiritual qi or talents was proposed — pure hand-to-hand combat, a test of foundation and insight.
Bao, ever the composed one, nodded slightly. "Very well."
The arena fell silent, the excitement sharper than any blade.
They lunged at each other. Bao's movements were as fluid as flowing water, yet carried the force of a crashing mountain. Each strike was measured, each dodge was intentional. As they exchanged blows, Bao would pause slightly, tapping his opponent's wrist, pointing at his stance, correcting a step mid-fight.
The audience watched, wide-eyed, their breaths caught in their throats.
This wasn't just fighting — it was teaching through battle. Bao's calm voice floated out amidst the strikes:
"Center your weight on the back foot."
"Don't let your spiritual consciousness leak during motion."
"Flow your qi along the meridian under your left rib — not the right."
Every word was like gold to the young fighters watching.
They memorized it with wide eyes, clutching their fists tightly in admiration and awe.
Despite their decision to spar, Team 21 was no pushover. The spar pushed Bao and his partner to act seriously.
At a critical moment, when Team 21's fighter nearly trapped Bao with a clever feint, his poison master partner quietly moved — without even activating his serpent bloodline fully — and subtly deflected the attack using an almost invisible wave of poisonous intent.
If not for him, they might have lost that round.
In the end, Team 21 was respectfully defeated. Yet, as they bowed and stepped off the ring, their faces were filled with smiles and pride, as if they had just won a treasure.
Because, to them, getting guidance from a prodigy was more valuable than victory itself.
In the snake tribe, to even speak with someone like Bao was nearly impossible — such figures were always lost deep in seclusion, chasing the heights of cultivation. Today, they had not only spoken but sparred, and even been guided. They were truly on cloud nine.
Meanwhile, far away in the stands, Yue Ling was cultivating quietly — or so it seemed.
Seated cross-legged, her long lashes trembled slightly as she absorbed the spiritual qi around her. Yet, her sharp senses picked up everything. She felt the excitement, the whispers, the admiration for Bao's show.
Inwardly, she scoffed.
Why are they even on cloud nine when they lost? she muttered in her mind.
What if it was their enemy standing across the ring? Would they still smile and sing praises? Naive. Foolish.
Her thoughts turned sharper when her eyes flickered to Bao.
And that white-face boy, acting all gentle and refined… all just so ladies would swoon over him. Hypocrite.
Without warning, Yue Ling spat on the ground beside her, a sharp and disdainful "Bahh!!" escaping her lips.
Princess Mei, sitting nearby, jumped in surprise.
She turned, narrowing her eyes.
"Are you even cultivating at all? Or just pretending?" she asked, shaking her head.
"I seriously don't understand how Grandfather and Butler San manage you every day… what a pity."
Just then, the commentator's voice boomed, announcing the next match:
Team One versus Team Twenty-Two!
Princess Mei frowned, her hands balling into fists.
"I really don't want this partner of mine…" she grumbled under her breath. "I need to protect her from falling out of the ring. Hmph!"
Yue Ling, overhearing her cousin's frustrations, chuckled lightly, her laughter tinged with mischief.
"It's not bad if you lose," Yue Ling teased, smirking slyly. "You can just act like those proud idiots who fought Bao and still smiled after losing."
Princess Mei growled, glaring daggers at her.
"Are you even my cousin at all?"
Feigning innocence, Yue Ling said, "The lady you're thinking you have to protect — she might not be so weak. If I hadn't been in the same ring as her until now, she might have been the prodigy of our ring."
Winking, she added with a grin, "Maybe you should make her your friend."
Closing her eyes dramatically, she pretended to return to her cultivation, though in truth, Yue Ling was secretly eager to watch her cousin fight. After all, it was rare for her to be serious about anything, and this was a chance she didn't want to miss.
Fortune favored her.
All the teams in Princess Mei's ring were composed of girls — fierce, proud, and unpredictable. The perfect storm.
With a loud swoosh, both Princess Mei and the girl Yue Ling mentioned — Daiyu — flashed into the arena at the same time, their feet barely brushing the ground.
Their synchronized movements startled everyone.
Even the two girls themselves paused slightly, exchanging impressed glances.
Cool.
Both thought simultaneously.
I want to ask her how she mastered such speed and steps…
Before the commentator could even announce the start, a fierce burst of aura qi exploded from both sides — Princess Mei and Daiyu vs. their opponents.
The sudden collision of spiritual pressure was so intense that even the spectators felt their clothes flutter violently, as if a wild storm had been unleashed inside the arena.
The crowd rose to their feet.
Hearts pounded.
Sweat beaded on foreheads.
This wasn't going to be a simple match — it was about to be a clash of true power.
The tournament had only just begun… and yet, the blood of the future warriors was already burning hotter than ever.