Prelude to the tournament

"What we should be concerned about now is the tournament, which is why we're here," Patriarch Hong said with a finishing touch and they all turned to stare at Lord Feline.

"Ah yes, I received word from the Beni capital city a few days ago. The tournament is just one and a half months away. There will be spatial travel points erected on every island to make transportation easier for people traveling there. The trans passes are available but only ten thousand were sent to our island, which means we can only about one thousand one hundred people from each city can attend," Patriarch Feline's disclosure of this information filled the patriarchs' faces with disappointment.

They murmured among themselves wondering why the passes this year were so few. There were up to a million people living on the Island but only ten thousand passes were sent. The influential people on the Island would be the ones to receive most of them which meant there would be a lot of dissatisfaction. They could only favor some over others.

"That's not all, the warriors participating won't be using the trans passes," Lord Feline statement made everyone pause to listen to his next statement

"The warriors participating this year will have their special means of transportation created by the Beni capital city. According to them, they'll be a preliminary round first where a lot of unworthy warriors will be filtered out," Lord Feline divulged.

The Patriarchs and other powerhouses on the Island were eligible to participate in the tournament but these men that were thousands of years old found it beneath them to participate in a tournament that should be for youngsters. They believed that even if they came out on top they wouldn't gain anything since they were already past their prime age. The demon lightning fruit wouldn't be of any help to them.

The prime age for cultivators was around one to a thousand years of age. After surpassing a thousand years their cultivation speed would slow down unless they traveled to an upper-level universal planet and the higher the cultivation level the harder it is to reproduce an offspring.

"The Beni city will be sending some officials over to assist us with the creation of the spatial gateways so I implore all of you to assist, and lest I forget, there will be a meet and greet in my Ritler City Hall, one month from now. All the cultivators participating are expected to attend to receive information about the tournament preliminary and making connections," Immediately Lord Feline disseminated the information completely, a knock was heard as the huge doors at the east corner was opened up.

A man in blue robes came in with some people behind him.

"Lord Feline the dignitaries from Beni capital city are here,"

*********************

In two weeks Alusec trained Ivrena and Briella different techniques when using their abilities. He trained them in energy distribution and channeling making their cultivation increase by leaps and bounds.

Ivrena mastered the art and her telekinesis could travel as far as ten thousand meters in a week after training while Briella who had an elemental source and was well versed in the use of fire was also thought how to compress fire to increase its intensity.

Alusec took her a hundred thousand feet in the sky and asked her to attack the ground from that point using a fire technique. After two weeks of drilling, she could finally do it.

Alusec trained them on how to be versatile in their attacks and left them in part of the ocean for two days to survive on their own. Alusec was shocked to come back in two days and find sea monsters of different sizes stacked up on a particular seamount in that area.

He only had one thought, "More food for those insatiable girls,"

In one more week, Both sisters broke through again after rough training. Alusec did not slack in training them.

Ivrena was now in the sun transformation level while Briella was in The Star transformation level. Their skyrocketing cultivation shocked even themselves.

During this time too Ruby did not slack in training Rin. Ron's cultivation was stable at the early stage sky transformation level.

The trio couldn't believe their own strengths they felt like everything was a dream.

"I'm going to prove myself, in this tournament. I'll make father proud and position among the top hundred," Ivrena clenched her fist as she stayed underwater in meditation, beside her was Briella and Rin.

Rin had a look of determination on her face as she also clenched her fist, "I'll avenge Father, mother, and nanny Folander with my own hands and then I'll travel across the world with big sis and Lord Alusec,"

Briella too had her thoughts, 'Lord Alusec says that I'll be able to create powerful alchemy pills with my fire when I train them well enough. I'll never let what happened to my mother happen to anyone I hold dear. I will train till myself and be able to create heavenly pills that can bring someone back to life from the brink of death,'

Alusec had already passed a technique to both sisters to learn and he also permitted them to channel power from Rhadelia.

The art he gave them to learn was an art called 'Blend'. This art made two become one and it was an art that would combine both sisters making them more powerful than before, joining both Rhadelia souls together for a brief amount of time.

----

-Baki Clan

Three weeks after the meeting with the city lord and patriarchs, they had finally constructed the spatial gateways completely in Ritler city.

Patriarch Hong returned to the clan and was briefed about what happened with Elder Feng.

Patriarch Hong called for a meeting again and asked Elder Mori to explain everything that happened which he did, except for the part of the fight. No one saw what happened. They only heard that shockwaves and the ground quaking in the clan. Then Elder Feng's headless body lying in a crater.

Patriarch Hong was shocked but he decided not to pursue the matter. He waited for Alusec to return first, he decided he would listen to what happened from the horse's mouth.

True to his name Alusec returned that night with everyone. According to the elders, he had been coming back every night to stay in the patriarch's quarters even after everything that happened. None of the guards could stop him they were scared since the incident about him killing an elder brutally circulated around the clan.

Patriarch Hong demanded an explanation from Alusec on seeing him but he was surprised to see both his daughters and two unknown females with Alusec.

Alusec showed Patriarch Hong a memory of everything that happened, making Patriarch Hong apologize severally for his elder's conduct.

Alusec was amazed again seeing how he behaved, "The only problem I have with him is that hairstyle," Alusec stated with aloofness and walked into the corridor headed for the room he had been staying in.

Patriarch Hong and everyone was dumbfounded, "What's wrong with my hairstyle?" He asked as everyone stared at his pigtails.

Ruby chuckled and followed Alusec alongside Rin.

Only the patriarch and his daughters were left in the gigantic living room.

Patriarch Hong noticed the cultivation level of his daughters and his mouth was wide open as he asked with shock, "How did the both of you.....?"

Ivrena and Briella smiled as they glanced at each other. Alusec had already permitted them to tell their father everything. He would have to know sooner or later since they would be journeying with Alusec after the tournament.

"Are you ready to listen, Father?" Briella asked making Patriarch Hong look at them in puzzlement.

---

The next morning on the streets of Baki city loud discussions could be heard on streets, especially commercial stalls.

-"The tournament is in two weeks!"

-"I heard that next week they'll be a gathering at Ritler city,"

-"Is everyone invited?"

-"Are you stupid? only powerful cultivators participating in the tournament are invited. When did you suddenly become powerful oh great lord?"

-"Tch! I heard that the trans passes will be distributed to only a few,"

-"Ah, my chances of visiting the Beni capital city has gone up in smokes,"

-"Keep quiet you weakling, Only the rich and powerful can visit that place. Stop dreaming,"

-"I heard a rumor that the tournament would be broadcasted with an artifact,"

-"Are you for real?"

-"That means we can watch even though we won't be there physically,"

People conversing about the upcoming tournament could be heard all over the place. A lot of people were feeling enthusiastic about it.

Alusec already heard about the gathering. He wanted to snub it earlier but after hearing Patriarch Hong talk about some information that was going to be passed by the city lord about preliminaries he changed his mind. The preliminaries were going to start a week before the tournament begins.

"Two weeks left huh? I hope you don't disappoint me," Alusec said as he remained stationary in the mid-air. He was currently in the room he stayed in when he arrived at baki clan earlier.

"Although, I didn't recover to my desired level. This is still enough," Alusec said while probing his energy. He recovered to the supreme lord level. He should have been faster had he not been training the girls.

"It's time! I can't wait to spar with that cocky bastard," Alusec said as he floated down and started walking towards the door.

"Let's give these kids a good show," Alusec smirked as he opened the door and walked out.