Chapter 4 – The External Sect Competition Begins

The battle of the external sect was about to begin. Everyone was excited, as the chance to become inner disciples was just ahead. Even those who hadn't yet reached the Foundation Realm could catch the attention of an elder and be recruited. That was the goal of everyone. Tian Ling, however, was focused on his thoughts, taking deep breaths to contain his anxiety.

Letting out a long sigh, he murmured to himself:

"It's time... I've prepared as much as I could."

He had already reached the second level of the Foundation Realm, but he felt it would be impossible to advance any further in the external sect. The spiritual energy was scarce, and that prevented his progress. He couldn't help but think: *"I'm training the Tempestuous Sky Sword technique, but without thunder energy, I can't perfect it... I'll do my best!"* He clenched his fists with determination, feeling the pressure of the situation.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the palace, and it didn't take long for three elders to enter the hall of the external sect. They walked with elegance and an intimidating presence, like kings parading among their subjects. Their long and ornate robes made them stand out even more. Liang Wuyin, with his long white beard and austere gaze, exuded wisdom and power. Mei Lianhua, an elder with a firm posture, had silver hair and eyes that seemed to see through the souls of the disciples. Shen Qixian, the youngest of the three, had a serene expression, but his aura was powerful and unyielding.

Tian Ling, watching them closely, felt the weight of the situation grow heavier. He knew these elders could change his fate with a single decision. Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in his mind, bringing information about the powerful figures before him.

[NAME: LIANG WUYIN

INTERNAL ELDER OF THE SERENE MIST SECT

AGE: 496 YEARS

REALM: THIRD LEVEL OF TRUE SOUL

SPIRIT ROOT: MEDIUM]

...

[NAME: MEI LIANHUA

INTERNAL ELDER OF THE SERENE MIST SECT

AGE: 602 YEARS

REALM: THIRD LEVEL OF TRUE SOUL

SPIRIT ROOT: MEDIUM]

...

[NAME: SHEN QIXIAN

INTERNAL ELDER OF THE SERENE MIST SECT

AGE: 403 YEARS

REALM: SECOND LEVEL OF TRUE SOUL

SPIRIT ROOT: HIGH]

Seeing these panels before him again, Tian Ling was surprised and couldn't help but think: *"Is this the difference of having a high-grade spirit root? Shen Qixian is almost as powerful as the others, but he's nearly two hundred years younger..."* He realized that he was treating the system's information as something natural, as if it were already part of his life. But another thought soon crossed his mind: *"I heard the sect has nine elders. Why are there only three here?"* The absence of the other elders left him uneasy. The more elders present, the greater his chances of being noticed.

Suddenly, Elder Lian Ziyue appeared, and her presence immediately silenced the murmurs of the disciples. She had an imposing posture, and her voice echoed throughout the hall with authority:

"This year's external battle will be fiercer. Unfortunately, the other six elders couldn't attend. Therefore, only Elder Liang Wuyin, Elder Shen Qixian, and Elder Mei Lianhua will be present. The battle will take place in rounds: whoever wins continues, and whoever loses will be disqualified. Does everyone understand?"

A murmur of confirmation spread through the crowd, but the tension was palpable. The absence of the other elders increased the pressure. Each fight would be more decisive than ever.

Soon, everyone headed to the teleportation circle of the external sect, going to the battle hall. The atmosphere was thick with expectation.

The location where the battles would take place was astonishing. It looked like an ancient island, with wildflowers covering the surrounding fields. A lush forest encircled the arena, which stood in the center, as if nature itself wanted to embrace the event. The soft sound of running water and the fresh breeze added a touch of tranquility to the place, but for the disciples, tension was inevitable. Tian Ling was amazed and thought to himself: *"What an incredible place... and the spiritual energy here is... extremely dense and pure. What must it be like in the inner sect?"* Only disciples who had entered the Foundation Realm could perceive the difference in the quality of the spiritual energy. The weaker ones were oblivious to this abundance of power around them.

Upon arriving at the arena, the elders sat in three elevated chairs, observing everything with critical eyes. The external disciples took their seats in the surrounding stands, nervous, waiting for their turns. Elder Lian Ziyue soon announced the matches. Tian Ling would be the third to fight. The first match would be between Zhao Xun and Hei Bian, both at the advanced stage of the Mortal Realm.

"The first two participants, take your wooden swords and step into the arena," said the elder firmly.

Zhao Xun climbed up with an arrogant smile, his body relaxed, as if he already knew the outcome. Hei Bian, on the other hand, seemed tense, his eyes fixed on his opponent. When Zhao Xun grabbed his wooden sword, he pointed at Hei Bian and said disdainfully:

"Hei Bian, give up now. If you surrender, I promise not to humiliate you."

His tone was filled with confidence. He had trained since childhood, even if with basic techniques, and was skilled in both sword and combat. Hei Bian, however, wasn't willing to surrender without a fight.

"Since I'm here, there's no reason to back down," he responded, raising his sword with determination.

The fight began, but to the surprise of many, it ended quickly. Hei Bian advanced, but Zhao Xun dodged easily and, with a strike to Hei Bian's chest, sent him flying out of the arena. The fight was over.

The elders looked bored. The experience gap between the two was enormous. Even though both were at the advanced stage of the Mortal Realm, Zhao Xun was at the peak, on the verge of breaking through to the next level, while Hei Bian was still far from it.

Tian Ling, watching closely, was perplexed by the difference. *"Does experience really make that much of a difference?"* he thought. He was absorbing every detail of the fight, trying to learn as much as possible. As Zhao Xun descended from the arena, he cast a disdainful glance at Tian Ling. The prodigy couldn't see Tian Ling's cultivation level, so he didn't even bother to worry.

Soon, the second match began, this time between two prodigies: Jiang Zhenhai, at the sixth level of Foundation, and Yu Meilin, at the fifth level. Both were only thirty-six years old, considered young prodigies for their era. Although age wasn't the most important factor for cultivators, it was remarkable that they were already so advanced in cultivation before turning forty. This only reinforced their talent.

The elders, who had been bored by the first fight, were now excited. These two youths promised a spectacle. Jiang Zhenhai and Yu Meilin stepped into the arena and greeted each other respectfully, very different from the arrogance seen earlier. The character of the disciples was also something the elders considered in their decisions, and the three elders were pleased with the respectful attitude of both.

After greeting each other, they drew their swords and took their combat stances. Jiang Zhenhai held his sword with both hands, enveloping the blade with his spiritual energy, concentrating it at the tip of the sword. He leapt toward Yu Meilin, who kept her guard up. She, too, imbued her sword with energy, but spread it across the entire blade, preparing for impact. The swords clashed with a resounding bang.

Boom! Boom!

The arena was enveloped in a cloud of dust, and the disciples watched in silence, fascinated. Jiang Zhenhai and Yu Meilin exchanged powerful blows, and each impact reverberated throughout the arena. The other disciples watched, impressed. *"Do I have to reach that level if I want to become an inner disciple?"* they wondered, anxious.

Tian Ling, however, was completely absorbed in the battle.

"Incredible..." he murmured to himself. He wasn't scared or anxious, but rather... excited. *"I want to become even stronger. That's my goal,"* he thought, feeling motivated as he watched the incredible battle with his own eyes.

The elders observed every move of the combatants closely. Jiang Zhenhai, with his sword technique, displayed a perfect combination of strength and grace. Yu Meilin, on the other hand, used her affinity with the ice element to create barriers and swift attacks, making the fight even more dynamic and unpredictable.

"Impressive skill from both of them," commented Liang Wuyin, his voice filled with approval.

"They truly represent the future of our sect."

Shen Qixian, maintaining a serene expression, added:

"It's rare to see such talent in ones so young. We must ensure they are properly guided."

The battle continued intensely for almost two hours. Jiang Zhenhai and Yu Meilin demonstrated an almost telepathic synergy, anticipating each other's moves and adjusting their strategies in real time. With every strike and block, the tension in the arena grew, and the spectators could hardly believe the display of power before them.

Finally, after a series of devastating blows, Yu Meilin made a miscalculation. Jiang Zhenhai seized the opportunity and delivered a final strike that destabilized Yu Meilin, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto the arena floor.

"Victory goes to Jiang Zhenhai," announced Lian Ziyue, giving a moderate applause.

The elders exchanged approving looks. Jiang Zhenhai extended his hand to Yu Meilin, helping her up, showing respect and sportsmanship.

"Congratulations, Jiang Zhenhai. Your technique is at an exceptional level," praised Mei Lianhua.

Yu Meilin, still regaining her composure, responded with a timid smile:

"Congratulations to you as well, Jiang Zhenhai. Your skill is truly impressive."

Tian Ling observed every detail of the fight, absorbing not only the techniques but also the posture and mindset of the combatants. He knew that every battle was an opportunity to learn, and he was determined not to waste it.

With the first two matches concluded, the tension in the air remained high. Elder Lian Ziyue stepped back into the center of the arena to announce the next round.

"Very well, the first two matches have shown the strength and potential of our disciples. Now, we will begin the third match," she declared, turning her gaze toward the protagonist.

Tian Ling's heart began to race. He took a deep breath, recalling the words of determination he had spoken moments before.

"It's time... I've prepared as much as I could."

He stepped into the center of the arena, receiving his wooden sword. As he observed the other participants, he noticed a mix of nervousness and confidence in their eyes. The arena felt more alive than ever, with dense spiritual energy filling every corner of the space.

The disciples around watched in silence as Tian Ling took his combat stance. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, focusing on the spiritual energy around him. He felt the internal strength pulsing within him, synchronizing with the energy of the arena.

Suddenly, an external disciple named Li Wei stepped into the arena. He was at the advanced stage of the Mortal Realm, his expression determined.

"May the best skill win," said Li Wei, flexing his muscles before the fight began.

The duel began with a rapid exchange of movements. Tian Ling was far superior to Li Wei in cultivation level, but he lacked battle experience. The first movements were basic sword strikes, both trying to gauge each other's level. Though the power difference was clear, Li Wei, realizing his disadvantage, attempted to use quick, unexpected movements to surprise Tian Ling.

"He's extremely fast, and his strength is surreal... but he doesn't seem to have any combat experience," thought Li Wei as he dodged Tian Ling's strikes. Despite his agility, Li Wei noticed the lack of precision in each of his opponent's moves.

Suddenly, he saw an opening and counterattacked. Tian Ling quickly blocked with his sword but was pushed back.

"Why is he so weak? Is this the difference between our realms?" thought Tian Ling. He wasn't wrong. Although his lack of experience was an issue, the huge difference in realms made his inexperience irrelevant.

Soon after, Tian Ling raised his sword and imbued it with thunder energy, preparing to use the Tempestuous Sky Sword technique. At that moment, the elders' eyes widened in shock, astonished to see a young man who had just entered the Foundation Realm using a technique from the thunder element.

Thunder energy crackled along the blade, buzzing with an overwhelming force. He had never used this technique in real combat before, and the risk of failure was high. But in that moment, there was no hesitation in his heart.

"(Focus the energy on the tip of the sword... I need to be faster)," he thought.

With a graceful movement, Tian Ling spun his sword, releasing a burst of energy that struck Li Wei directly. The strike was effective, and Li Wei was sent flying backward, landing on the arena floor.

Around them, the disciples gasped in surprise, and the elders exchanged astonished looks.

"This young man... he doesn't even realize how formidable he is," murmured one of the elders.

"Victory goes to Tian Ling!" announced Lian Ziyue, impressed by the young cultivator's performance.

The elders continued to exchange significant glances, and Shen Qixian commented:

"Tian Ling has shown remarkable control over his spiritual energy. He has the potential to grow quickly."

Liang Wuyin added:

"Let's see how he develops in the next battles. His talent is promising."

Tian Ling stepped down from the arena, feeling a mix of relief and pride. He knew that this victory was only the beginning of his journey.

The external battle continued, with each match revealing more about the talents and potentials of the disciples. The victories and defeats would shape the future of each participant, determining who would be recruited by the elders to become inner disciples.

As the day progressed, Tian Ling continued watching and learning, absorbing every lesson the fights offered. He was more determined than ever to reach his goal and become one of the next inner disciples of the Serene Mist Sect.