The morning of the final day dawned over the Aurelian Spear Kingdom. The golden spires of the capital glead under a bright sun but the streets were unusually quiet. Li Yu made his way up to the upper royal pavilion.
"Young Master Yu," Prince Shen greeted while offering a warm smile and gesturing to the empty chair beside his sister. "You arrived just in ti. The sealing array is undergoing its final recalibration."
"I would not miss the conclusion of this event." Li Yu replied as he was taking his seat. He poured a cup of warm spirit tea while savoring the rich and herbal aroma.
"Four distinct paths of the Dao. The Zhan Clan’s physical domination, the Glacial Peak’s elental suppression, the southern jungle’s primal bloodline and Mo Fan’s unyielding spear intent. It is an exciting display."
“Are you interested in any of these n?” Li Yu asked curiously. That was the whole point of this tournant after all, her hand in marriage.
“I might have my eye on a few.” She said vaguely with a smile but quickly changed the subject.
A resonant gong echoed across the stadium, silencing the murmuring crowd. The announcer’s voice bood through the viewing formations and was calling the combatants for the first semifinal match.
Zhan Feng stepped out from the northern tunnel. He rolled his broad shoulders while his heavy iron gauntlets caught the morning light. Across from him, Mo Fan erged from the southern tunnel. The dark horse wore his plain blue robes, holding his iron spear with a relaxed and steady grip.
The referee dropped his hand and Zhan Feng did not hesitate and started strong. He had seen Mo Fan fight and decided his best chance was to get the advantage and overwhelm him.
Tyrant's Gravity Domain erupted.
The air turned viscous and was shimring with a hue as the gravity within the arena multiplied in an instant. The dark spiritual stone beneath their feet groaned, forming spiderweb cracks under the imnse spatial pressure. Mo Fan felt the crushing weight imdiately as his knees bent slightly and the shaft of his iron spear bowed under the force.
Zhan Feng did not give his opponent a mont to adapt. He unleashed a deafening roar as his pores expelled vast amounts of Qi that coalesced into the towering phantom of a Desolate Golden Ape. The massive beast beat its chest while sending localized shockwaves through the heavy air. Zhan Feng lunged forward with the golden ape mimicking his movents, bringing two glowing fists down toward Mo Fan like falling teors.
Mo Fan tightened his grip on his spear while his eyes reflected a calm, undisturbed surface, showcasing a Dao heart that had weathered countless storms. He did not attempt to dodge the wide area of the descending strike, instead he channeled his Qi into his legs and thrust his spear upward.
He utilized the piercing laws of the spear path. Mo Fan condensed his spiritual energy into a microscopic point at the tip of his weapon once more as Zhan Feng’s heavy fists descended. Mo Fan’s spear tip t the exact center of the right gauntlet. The clash sent a violent tremor through the stadium.
Mo Fan’s spear intent acted like a razor thin needle piercing thick leather. The concentrated point broke through the heavy laws surrounding Zhan Feng’s fist while sparks of golden Qi shattered into the air. The force of the Zhan Feng was imnse, pushing Mo Fan back several paces and leaving deep trenches in the stone where his boots dragged.
Zhan Feng capitalized on the montum as he continued to rain down a flurry of heavy punches. Mo Fan fell into a rhythmic and seemingly defensive dance. He seed barely able to just move in ti as he used the flexibility of his spear shaft to parry the heavy blows, redirecting the energy rather than eting it head on. The fight beca a high speed blur of golden fists and silver spear. Zhan Feng battered the dark horse but Mo Fan’s defense was an airtight fortress built on fundantals and hardships.
"Feng is draining his Qi too fast," Prince Shen observed with his eyes narrowing. "The domain requires a massive upkeep. He was hoping to end this quickly but it’s being drawn out. Mo Fan has just enough strength to be able to move just enough within the domain."
Mo Fan sensed the slight deceleration in Zhan Feng’s punches as the golden hue in the air flickered for a fraction of a second. He exhaled a sharp breath and twisted his body, evading an overhand strike that cratered the floor. Stepping inside Zhan Feng’s guard, Mo Fan unleashed a rapid barrage of thrusts. His spear intent flowed like water and was slipping past the heavy gauntlets and striking Zhan Feng.
With a final, explosive burst of Qi, Mo Fan drove the blunt end of his spear into the center of Zhan Feng’s chest. The concentrated intent ruptured the golden ape phantom, dispelling the beast into a cloud of mist as the gravity domain collapsed. Zhan Feng was launched backward and tumbled across the stone before coming to a halt.
Zhan Feng slowly pushed himself up to one knee and was coughing up a mouthful of blood. He looked at his cracked iron gauntlets, then at Mo Fan who stood calmly with his spear at the ready.
"I yield." Zhan Feng grunted while waving his hand. He knew he had exhausted his reserves and his battle plan had failed him.
The crowd erupted into cheers for Mo Fan as Mo Fan offered a respectful bow to Zhan Feng before retreating to the tunnels.
"A well earned victory." Li Yu nodded approvingly. "He knew he just had to hold on for a chance. He fought with the current, letting Feng exhaust his own tide before striking the rocks."
The stadium staff worked quickly to repair the damaged floorboards and once the stone was settled, the gong sounded for the second semifinal match. Prince Xue of the Glacial Peak stepped onto the stage and across from him stood Fang, the wild youth from the southern jungles
"This will be a harsh clash of natures," Jinling remarked.
The match began as Fang let out a feral howl, his bloodline awakening instantly. A thick, crimson mist erupted from his skin, forming the spectral projection of the primal blood wolf. The beast roared out loud, radiating a heavy and oppressive heat that lted the frost gathering on the arena floor. Fang dropped to all fours and charged, intending to overwhelm the prince with physical savagery as he had done countless tis before.
Prince Xue remained still with his face showing no emotion. He tapped the toe of his boot against the stone and the Zero Domain expanded. A silent wave of pale blue light washed across the arena as the ambient spiritual energy froze, turning the air into a thick and biting fog.
Fang charged into the domain with no fear. The primal blood wolf avatar snarled, devouring the freezing Qi in an attempt to fuel Fang’s body. However, as Fang closed the distance, his movents grew sluggish. The crimson mist forming the wolf avatar began to crystallize and turn into brittle red ice.
Fang roared out loud and began pushing his bloodline to its limit, generating massive amounts of internal heat to fight the creeping frost. He leaped into the air and was aiming a devastating, Qi infused strike at Prince Xue’s head.
Prince Xue raised a single hand and he condensed the entire Zero Domain into the palm of his hand and caught Fang’s fist. The collision was silent as the cold laws surged through Fang’s arm, instantly freezing his ridians. The primal blood wolf avatar shattered into a thousand pieces of frozen red light. The freezing Qi invaded Fang’s heart while slowing his pulse to a near halt. Fang’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed onto the frosted stone, encased in a thin layer of blue ice.
The dical staff rushed to the stage to save the wild youth’s life. Prince Xue lowered his hand and was breathing raggedly. Even though he had won and did so convincingly, the drain on his Qi and soul to perform the techniques he did was devastating. If Fang had sohow managed to keep going, it would have been the prince’s defeat instead.
The intermission lasted for two hours, allowing the crowd to catch their breath and the competitors to rest and prepare. The sky above the capital remained clear and was setting the perfect stage for the finals.
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The gong echoed a final ti and the noise in the stadium died down to a hushed whisper. Prince Xue and Mo Fan walked onto the stage. The cold noble and the unassuming dark horse.
"Begin."
Prince Xue did not waste ti testing his opponent. He unleashed the full and unbridled power of his Zero Domain as Zhan Feng had done. The pale blue light surged outward, covering the entire arena in a thick layer of ice.
Mo Fan stood in the center of the encroaching storm as he thrust his spear forward with his intent flaring all around him to form sowhat of a barrier against the ice. He had seen what happened to the opponents who fell victim to it.
Prince Xue ford a hand seal and condensed hundreds of floating ice lances. With a flick of his wrist, the lances rained down on Mo Fan like a deadly blizzard. Li Yu couldn’t help but think of his own Abyssal Javelin technique when seeing this and unconsciously nodded approvingly.
Mo Fan moved as he spun his iron spear, creating a rapid vortex of spear that shattered the incoming ice. He advanced step by step with his boots cracking the ice beneath him as he moved. However, the strength of Prince Xue’s domain technique was overwhelming and creeping. The temperature continued to drop and frost began to climb up the shaft of Mo Fan’s spear, making the weapon more brittle.
Mo Fan realized that spear intent would not be enough to cross the frozen void before his weapon shattered. He wished he had gotten to the Domain King realm so he too would have an innate domain technique he could use. With his background, there was no opportunity for him to acquire a domain technique that he could use at his current cultivation level like Prince Xue had.
Mo Fan lowered his guard for a fraction of a second and his right thumb brushed the ancient ring on his left index finger. A dormant power awakened and a pulse of golden Qi erupted from the ring. It did not form an attack; it manifested as a towering, phantom projection of an ancient shield that engulfed Mo Fan’s body.
It quickly isolated Mo Fan from the surrounding reality and created an impenetrable barrier against the Zero Domain. The freezing laws washed over the golden phantom and were unable to penetrate the ancient Qi. Prince Xue’s eyes widened in rare surprise but he poured more of his internal reserves into the domain, attempting to freeze the golden light but the shield held firm.
Protected by the phantom shield, Mo Fan surged forward. He crossed the arena in a single and explosive burst of speed. Prince Xue attempted to retreat but was too slow in comparison so he created an ice wall to hide behind. Mo Fan thrust his spear and the golden shield funneled its energy into the tip of his spear. The iron tip struck the ice wall and the piercing laws, now backed by the ring’s power, shattered the ice like fragile glass.
The tip of Mo Fan’s spear stopped exactly one inch from Prince Xue’s throat as the golden Qi receded and vanished back into the rusted ring. Prince Xue looked at the iron tip hovering near his skin and he exhaled a long breath of frosty air and nodded.
"I have lost," Prince Xue declared calmly.
The referee raised his hand and signaled the end of the match. The stadium erupted into a deafening roar. The dark horse, a youth with no known background or massive faction, had conquered the tournant. He had defeated the heirs, the rogues and the nobles to claim the ultimate victory and the people couldn’t help but cheer him on.
Up in the royal pavilion, Princess Jinling stood up with a graceful smile on her face. She prepared to address the stadium and formally recognize the victor. However, Mo Fan turned toward the royal pavilion and he planted his spear into the stone floor and offered a deep formal bow to Emperor Jinhai and the Princess.
"Your Majesty. Your Highness," Mo Fan’s voice carried through the stadium and was amplified by his Qi. The cheering crowd quieted down and was eager to hear the victor claim his royal bride.
"I am deeply honored by this tournant and I hold the utmost respect for the Aurelian Spear Kingdom," Mo Fan stated clearly. "Princess Jinling is a woman of unparalleled beauty, grace and martial talent. However, I must respectfully decline the offer of marriage."
A shocked gasp rippled through the hundred thousand spectators.
Mo Fan kept his head bowed as he continued. "My heart belongs to soone else already. My beloved suffers from a terrible affliction and her life hangs by a thread. I entered this tournant solely because the royal edict promised vast rewards from the treasury to the victor should the marriage not co to pass. I seek only the dicinal herbs and resources necessary to save her."
The stadium plunged into chaos as the shock quickly morphed into outrage. Nobles and sect heirs stood up with their faces red with anger.
"Insolence!" A prominent sect elder roared from the stands.
"He dares insult the Princess of the Kingdom?" Another noble yelled while drawing his weapon. "Kill him! Let his blood wash away the disrespect!"
The calls for execution multiplied and the atmosphere grew hostile. It began thick with killing intent directed at the lone youth standing in the arena. Emperor Jinhai’s expression remained unreadable as he raised a single hand. The gesture was simple but his majestic aura pressed down on the entire stadium, instantly silencing the angry shouts.
Jinling stepped forward to the edge of the pavilion and her voice echoing clearly across the arena. She did not look insulted; rather, her eyes held a sense of respect for the man below.
"The crowd forgets the rules of our own tournant," Jinling declared. "The edict clearly stated that the victor would receive a mountain of supre resources if a union was not ford. Whether that was rejecting him at the end or in this case him rejecting the marriage. This man fought with honor with a singular goal in mind and he won with honor."
She looked down at Mo Fan. "Love is a powerful force on the Dao path. If your heart is already spoken for, I would never force a union upon you. Such a marriage would bring only resentnt, not strength."
Mo Fan looked up with genuine relief washing over his face. He took a huge gamble to co here to claim the rewards from this tournant. The princess or emperor could easily just kill him here for having such thoughts while entering a marriage tournant. However, for his love, he was willing to take the risk and bear such burdens.
Li Yu was also moved by Mo Fan, just like his vow to get strong enough to help his family and to beco strong enough to be worthy of Lian. Everyone worked hard for different reasons along the path of the Dao. Mo Fan had his respect.
"You may proceed to the royal treasury," Jinling continued with her tone magnanimous. "Claim your rightful rewards. I truly hope you find what you need to save your beloved."
Mo Fan dropped to one knee and offered a salute of gratitude. "I thank Your Highness for your wide berth of mind. I will never forget the grace of the Aurelian Spear Kingdom. I know I am not strong enough to matter to you now but I promise that whenever I beco strong enough and this kingdom needs , I will answer the call."
Mo Fan retrieved his spear and walked out of the arena while being escorted by royal guards toward the palace treasury. He left behind a stadium buzzing with frantic whispers but the tournant was over and the victor had claid the alternate prize. However, to the relief of many of those that had lost, the Princess remained unwed. Everyone wondered what the royal family would do next.
Later that evening, the crowds had dispersed and the capital returned to a semblance of normal rhythm. Inside a private study within the royal palace, Jinling stood near a large window and was looking out over the city lights. Emperor Jinhai sat behind a heavy mahogany desk and was reviewing reports from the tournant.
"You handled the crowd well today," Jinhai noted while setting a jade scroll aside. "Many empires would have taken Mo Fan’s rejection as a slight against their face."
"Face is fragile if it requires forcing a desperate man into a loveless marriage," Jinling replied while turning to face her father. "Besides, I want to find soone that truly wants to be with and soone I truly want to be with. Soone whose path aligns with my own."
Jinhai smiled and the stern mask of the Emperor fading into the fond expression of a caring father. "Our empire is strong enough to handle a disrupted tournant. You do not need to be a political tool, Jinling. I ant what I said. You have the freedom to choose your partner. It looks like your idea for this tournant didn’t work out though."
Jinling walked over to a nearby table and poured a cup of tea. "The talent pool was vast but few truly caught my attention. Honestly, the most interesting person I spoke to during this entire event did not even enter the arena."
Jinhai raised an eyebrow with a knowing glint in his eye. He had seen the interactions between them. "You speak of Li Yu."
"I want to see what he is like," Jinling admitted casually. "He possesses an incredible talent, yet he lacks the suffocating presence so many others have. Perhaps spending so ti getting to know him will lead to sothing. Maybe it won’t. But I am curious and want to be with him more."
Jinhai leaned back in his chair and let out a deep and booming laugh which surprised Princess Jingling.
Jinling frowned slightly. "What is so funny, Father?"
"Your whole life, told you do not want to be a political tool," Jinhai chuckled while shaking his head.
"Yet you fix your eyes on one of the most politically heavy youths in the Myriad Realms. Do you have any idea what kind of advantage a union with the grandson of Zhan Tian would bring? Of the Li and Zhan Clans? If you married Li Yu, the political weight would easily make you the Empress of this kingdom. Even your brother would step aside for you knowing how much benefit it would bring to this kingdom. If he didn’t step aside willingly, he’d be forced aside by just about everyone."
Jinling’s eyes widened in horror and she quickly waved her hands while rejecting the notion entirely. "No! I have never desired the throne! Let Shen deal with the court and the endless edicts. I just want a strong partner to travel the Dao with!"
Jinhai continued to laugh and was highly amused by his daughter’s frantic rejection of power but that was always her way. "The heavens have a strange sense of humor, Jinling. Let us see where this curiosity takes you."
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