The Family Tournament
- - 2 Hours Later - -
Everyone from the family was sitting in the crowd, patiently waiting and anticipating the soon-to-commence tournament. They had waited all week for this event and wanted to see how far the youths had come in such a short time span.
Moments later, one of the supreme elders, the old one, walked slowly across the family courtyard until he reached the vicinity of the fighting stadium.
"Alright, everyone. Today is the day that you've all been waiting for, our Ghostly Blade Family's tournament. It happens every 14 and a half years, and today we have a batch of new youths with powers that we've yet to witness." The supreme elder weakly said. He infused his Spirit Qi into his voice, amplifying his voice.
Everyone heard the supreme elder and became excited. A fire burned in everyone's hearts and they couldn't wait any longer for the tournament to begin.
Commence the tournament!
Don't keep us on ceremony!
Let us start the tournament already!
Shouts erupted from all around the giant courtyard, they were the raging anticipation-filled shouts of the spectators.
The supreme elder placed his hand in the air and the courtyard fell silent.
"Alright everyone, I shan't keep you waiting. Let the family tournament commence!" The supreme elders voice aroused the emotions in everyone's hearts and the courtyard was sent into an uproar.
A loud voice erupted from near the tournament stadium.
"Number 1 and number 9, please ascend to the stadium!" It was a man who was sitting at a small desk holding a large bowl of slips of paper with numbers on them.
Number 1 and Number 9 quickly left the crowd and ascended each side of the stadium. Both of them used standard swords.
Their Martial Spirits remained a mystery until they revealed them.
"The match will start in three, two, one! Fight!" The moment the man said fight, everyone's hearts took a giant leap and felt as if they were burning with exhilarated flames!
"Go, Li Bao!"
"Hu Da, win for us!"
"Hu Da won't win! I heard about his Martial Spirit before the tournament!"
"What? That's impossible!"
"It's true, I heard that Hu Da had some kind of entrapment Martial Spirit!"
"Oh no..."
Many people eagerly chatted as they watched the fight unfold with hastiness. Hu Da was the one with golden-yellow hair and chestnut-brown sky-blue eyes. Lu Bao was the one with dark-green hair and cyan blue eyes.
His face was dressed with a confident smile as he rushed at Hu Da with his sword that was as long as a pool noodle. It was an extremely long cross-blade that could slice a tree in half from a few meters away.
How a child of only 12 to 13 years could lift, carry, and brandish such a sword? There was no clear answer...
"You're mine!" Lu Bao snickered as he jumped forward and swung his long cross-blade in a circle that conjured up skin-cutting winds. The cross-blade was carved with strange engravings that lit up light green every few seconds.
Every time it pulsed, light winds would appear in the stadium.
"Is that Lu Bao's Martial Spirit? That sword looks rather imposing..."
"Yes, it is! Apparently it's rank 3, but during an accident it was damaged and now lies dormant. Lu Bao unfortunately has to work very hard to reawaken it!"
"I can't wait to Hu Da's Martial Spirit! Maybe it has a chance now?"
Many people presumed that Hu Da had a chance now that they were informed of Lu Bao's shortcoming.
Maybe Hu Da might be able to pull through...
Hu Da didn't cower and instead advanced forward with his blade by his side. It was a slim and light green katana that sliced through the air numerous times, causing the air to howl.
As his katana was about to meet with Lu Bao's cross-blade, Hu Da summoned his Martial Spirit, which came in the form of a bright purple seal. It floated in the air for a short period of time before landing gently on Hu Da's katana.
His katana glowed with a bright purple light that caused the already sharp aura possessing the katana to only grow even more. The aura became so terrifying that the slightest swing could cut the air!
"What the hell?! How did his weapon grow so strong just now?"
"Hey, which bastard said that Hu Da's Martial Spirit was an entrapment-type?!"
"..."
Hu Da pressed forward with his katana, matching Lu Bao's cross-blade in strength. A wicked smile appeared on his face as he slashed downward with his katana as if it were a broadsword.
Lu Bao was sent back a few meters.
He rushed forward again, slashing out with his cross-blade in a diagonal line. Hu Da's katana met the cross-blade over and over again.
They slashed at each other over and over, sending sparks flying, typhoons spinning away, and cyclones through the stadium!
The two opponents were in a deadlock stalemate for who knows how long, until Lu Bao's eyes flickered slightly and he brought his cross-blade up. Then, he pierced it forward, like a spear, letting it slightly graze Hu Da's neck, drawing a small line of blood.
Hu Da looked frustrated, but he unsummoned his Martial Spirit and laid down his katana.
Suddenly, the man's voice rang out.
"Number 1 wins!"
"I told you he had no chance!"
"What are you talking about? They were basically on par!"
Rebuttals and affirmations could be heard from all sides of the courtyard after the match ended. Eventually, after an hour or so, the supreme elder raised his hand and silenced everyone.
"The next match will start." He pointed his hand towards the man who calls out the numbers, signifying for him to speak.
"Alright... Number 3, and Number 12, please ascend the stage." The moment the man's words exited his mouth, Khoru's heart felt a small jolt.
It's my turn already? This is only the second match...
Khoru wanted to observe more of the matches before he had to go, but alas that wasn't what fate had in store for him.
He quickly got up, surprising the entire crowd.
"Huanfeng's son is competing already?"