The duel between Princess Hong Xue and Yin Rou had barely ended when the first ripples of chaos began to spread through the arena.
On the dais, the Empress of the Crimson Jade Dynasty and Widow Bai of the Silken Vein Pavilion exchanged words in clipped tones, their attendants caught in the tension. Below, spectators murmured in waves, taking sides, betting on whether this incident would poison relations between the two factions for the rest of the tournament.
The host elder, sensing the atmosphere growing dangerous, quickly called out:
"Next duel Tie Yuan of the Iron Vow Sect versus Qingling Sect's Inner Disciple, Wei Zhan!"
Enter Tie Yuan
Tie Yuan walked into the dueling ground barefoot, every step cracking the tiled arena floor. His heavy build and stone-hardened muscles radiated the essence of his sect's philosophy: strength above all.
Wei Zhan, a lean but determined swordsman from Qingling's Hall of Azure Waves, stepped forward, his blade trembling with suppressed qi.
Tie Yuan folded his arms and smirked."I'll give you five chances. Hit me with everything you have. After that, I'll make my move."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Wei Zhan's eyes narrowed."You'll regret underestimating me."
Wei Zhan's Five Strikes
The referee's hand chopped down."Begin!"
First Strike – Azure Wave BreakWei Zhan swept his sword in a horizontal arc, a blue crescent of water-qi exploding forward. The wave struck Tie Yuan's torso and dissipated harmlessly, leaving only a faint shimmer of steam.
Second Strike – Sea Serpent CoilHis blade twisted, forming a spiraling serpent of liquid qi that wrapped around Tie Yuan, constricting. With a flex, Tie Yuan shattered the technique like dried reeds.
Third Strike – Abyssal Tide CrashWei Zhan leapt high, crashing down with both hands on his blade, summoning a tidal force of compressed water. The impact splashed across Tie Yuan's shoulders he didn't move.
Fourth Strike – Stormpiercer ThrustFocusing wind-qi into his sword tip, Wei Zhan lunged at lightning speed. The point met Tie Yuan's chest… and stopped dead, as if stabbing a mountain.
Fifth Strike – Ninefold Ripple BarragePouring his remaining qi into his blade, Wei Zhan unleashed nine rapid slashes, each layered with water and wind. The strikes landed, leaving faint white lines on Tie Yuan's skin… but not a single drop of blood.
The Counterattack
Wei Zhan staggered back, panting, his qi nearly depleted.Tie Yuan rolled his shoulders and let out a booming laugh.
"My turn."
He stepped back, planting one bare foot deep into the tiles, drawing up the arena's earth-qi into his arm. The air around his fist rippled as a low rumble spread through the ground.
"Ground Collapse Fist!"
In a single stride forward, he slammed his fist into Wei Zhan's chest. The sound was like a boulder cracking. Wei Zhan's ribs snapped, and the shockwave raced through his body, rupturing his meridians.
The impact hurled him backwards like a rag doll. His body struck the barrier wall and the barrier shattered, sending him crashing into the stone edge of the spectator stands.
Aftermath and Fury
"Zhan'er!" Xuanye was already on his feet, sword drawn, rushing toward Tie Yuan with killing intent in his eyes.
Physicians and healers swarmed Wei Zhan's crumpled form. After a tense inspection, one elder turned to Sect Master Lin with grim finality:"His meridians are destroyed. Bones shattered. His cultivation… is gone."
The Qingling elders erupted in anger. Sect Master Lin rose, his voice a whipcrack:
"Iron Vow Sect Master, what kind of beast have you trained? This is your disciple's 'control'?"
Xuanye's sword was already a hair's breadth from Tie Yuan's throat when a wave of suppressive qi crushed him to his knees. Two elders pinned him in place."Stop!" Sect Master Lin barked, his voice echoing through the arena in both Common and ancient tongue.
The Iron Vow Sect Master chuckled darkly."The rules forbid killing, not injury. Your disciple still breathes. Or does Qingling only field flowers that wilt under a little pressure?"
"You...!" Sect Master Lin's face darkened.
Tie Yuan merely smirked as the referee declared him the winner and awarded the points.
Xuanye's voice cut through the tension, low and cold:
"I will not let this go."
Tie Yuan didn't even turn to look at him as he left the field.
Closing Duels of the Day
The next matches were announced with forced cheer by the host:
Prince Lian Xun of the Empyrean Lotus Empire defeated Void Horizon Sect's Illusion Blade with elegant, calculated strikes.
Zuo Kuang of the Obsidian Bone Sect narrowly defeated the Sea Cloud Kingdom's Fang Dao after a brutal, corpse-puppet-assisted exchange.
The day's duels ended under a cloud of tension that even the loudest cheers could not sweep away.
To be continued...