The fourth day dawned with a clear, cloudless sky.
Kyrian opened his eyes before sunrise, as usual. He sat on the balcony of the Green Sword Tree for a few monts, feeling the pure Qi of the floating city envelop his body like an invisible mantle.
Mo Tianhai appeared beside him, leaning against the wooden railing.
"Nervous?" Kyrian asked.
"Excited," Mo Tianhai replied, with a half-smile.
"Finally, I’m going to fight for real."
The two went down together. Mo Xia, Long Xue, Wu Jian, and Shen Yu were already waiting for them in the central hall. Feng Yuan and i Ran wore serious expressions.
"Today is the decisive day," Feng Yuan said.
"Only seven will advance to the next phase. Fight with everything you have."
The group set off toward the Central Plateau.
When they arrived, the atmosphere was different. The floating stands were more crowded than ever. There were no empty spaces left. Even the branches of the giant trees around were occupied by cultivators who had not managed to get seats in the official stands.
At the center of the arena, the thirteen remaining participants were already gathered.
Kyrian observed each of them carefully. Most were nas he already knew from the first phase, those who had dominated the Pocket Realm with high scores.
Huo Ling and Huo Jiao, from the Blazing Sword Sect. The two brothers were feared by all. Huo Ling was the second overall, and Huo Jiao was not far behind.
Mu Qing and Mo Sun, from the Ancient Forest Sect. The host sect’s disciples were always treated with respect, and these two in particular had demonstrated impressive wood techniques.
Yin Xue, from Shadow Valley. The sect of Luo Hei. Yin Xue was different, more silent, more dangerous. His black eyes seed like voids.
There was also a tall and robust disciple from the Silver Moon Sect, wielding a spear that shone like moonlight.
A bearded giant from the War Hamr Sect, carrying a hamr as large as his own torso.
A young woman with flowing hair from the Wind Sect, whose steps barely touched the ground.
A girl with a gentle expression but sharp eyes from the Thorn Flower Sect, with real thorns growing on her arms as part of her technique.
A muscular man with calloused hands from the Mortal Fist Sect, who did not even carry a weapon.
And finally, a silent disciple from the Purple Rock Sect, whose skin had a faint violet glow.
Thirteen warriors. Thirteen slots are at stake.
The Leader of the Ancient Forest Sect appeared at the center of the arena.
"Today’s rules are the sa as yesterday. The fights will be decided by a draw. Whoever advances without fighting will be decided by fate."
Once again, golden leaves flew from the great ancestral tree.
Kyrian caught his. Number 3. He would fight.
Mo Tianhai held his leaf and frowned again. Number 5. He would also fight. This ti, there was no luck for him.
The one selected by draw this ti was Mo Sun, from the Ancient Forest Sect itself. The young man with green hair bowed his head in gratitude, but his face remained serious. He knew luck would not carry him far if he did not have the strength to keep up.
The list appeared in the sky.
Third fight. Kyrian (Verdant Sword) vs. Huo Jiao (Blazing Sword)
Kyrian raised an eyebrow. Huo Jiao. The younger brother of Huo Ling. He was not as famous as his brother, but his strength was respectable.
The first two fights happened quickly.
The first was between the disciple of the Silver Moon Sect and the girl from the Thorn Flower Sect. The silver spear against poisonous thorns. It was a battle of patience and precision. In the end, the Thorn Flower girl won with a strike that poisoned the opponent’s arm, forcing him to surrender.
The second fight was between the War Hamr giant and the Mortal Fist disciple. Pure brute force against brute force. The hamr broke two fingers of the Mortal Fist fighter, but the man’s fist pierced the giant’s chest with a single blow. The winner was the Mortal Fist, but both were carried out of the arena on stretchers.
When the third fight was announced, silence took over the plateau.
"Kyrian of Verdant Sword against Huo Jiao of Blazing Sword!"
The two stepped onto the arena.
Huo Jiao was a young man with reddish hair and eyes that seed to contain living embers. His red robe fluttered with the heat emanating from his body. He wielded a dark red sword, and thin smoke rose from the blade.
"Finally, I will face you," Huo Jiao said, with a confident smile.
Kyrian looked at him with a certain respect. A sword sect. A sword warrior like himself was standing before him.
The judge raised his hand.
"You may begin!"
Huo Jiao did not hesitate.
"Supre Blazing Sword Technique. Fire Bird!"
He was not joking. From the very first second, Huo Jiao unleashed his most powerful move. A massive phoenix of flas erged from his sword, expanding until it occupied half of the arena. The heat was so intense that the air distorted around it. The phoenix flew toward Kyrian with a deafening cry.
Kyrian did not move. His sword eyes blinked.
The first cut was direct, straight, and concentrated. An invisible blade of pure sword intent and sharp Qi sliced through the air toward the phoenix.
The two attacks collided at the center of the arena.
The explosion was deafening. Flas and invisible blades annihilated each other, creating shockwaves that made the arena’s protective runes glow intensely. The audience instinctively recoiled.
When the smoke dissipated, Huo Jiao was still standing. His phoenix had disappeared, but Kyrian’s first glance was gone as well.
"I did it!" Huo Jiao shouted, his eyes shining.
"Your gaze is not invincible!"
But Kyrian was already preparing the second.
Before Huo Jiao could gather energy for another supre attack, the second cut ca. Faster than the first. Sharper. More lethal.
Huo Jiao did not have ti to prepare another phoenix. He raised a barrier of fire Qi around his body, a desperate defense.
The invisible blade struck the barrier.
Cracks spread across the flas, but the barrier held. For a second. Only a second.
Huo Jiao was thrown backward, but he did not leave the arena. He fell to his knees, coughing blood, but still within the bounds.
The audience erupted in shouts.
"He withstood two!"
"Kyrian’s gaze is not invincible!"
Huo Jiao tried to stand, his sword trembling in his hand.
"I can still... continue..."
Kyrian looked a third ti.
The third cut was softer than the previous ones. Kyrian controlled it carefully, reducing its power so as not to kill his opponent. But it was still powerful enough.
The strike hit Huo Jiao in the chest. He flew out of the arena like a burned leaf, crashing heavily onto the plateau ground. Blood flowed from his lips, and his sword rolled away from his hand.
"Kyrian wins!"
The plateau fell silent for a mont, then erupted into applause and murmurs.
"Three glances! He needed three glances!"
"Huo Jiao is strong... very strong!"
"If he had endured one more..."
Kyrian stepped down from the arena without looking back. His face was thoughtful. Huo Jiao had endured more than most.
The fourth fight was between Yin Xue, from Shadow Valley, and the disciple of the Purple Rock Sect. Yin Xue won in minutes, using dark techniques that left the opponent paralyzed with fear.
Then it was Mo Tianhai’s turn.
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