034 Arena

Inside one of the houses found on outer peak, four friends were talking about in the morning.

"We have to go to classes, yet again." Liam said, as he was still getting ready while everyone was already waiting for him.

"I think the classes are quite useful and interesting." Aria said.

"I know, but some of them aren't, I would much rather be able to choose to which classes I go to and not have to attend every single one." Liam said.

"I agree with Liam, why do I need to the classes where they explain the basics of forging or the basic beasts. I only need to learn about alchemy." Peter said.

"It's always better to know more, you might focus yourself on alchemy, but you never know in what kind of situation you'll end up. It's never a waste to learn, at least the basics." Ralph said.

"I'm done, let's head out." Liam said before the four friends started heading towards their classes.

All the time spent in class, Liam did not pay much attention to what the elder was teaching them, he was constantly thinking about what movement technique he should try to copy. He had learnt all of his techniques so far, by copying what others were doing.

So far, he had only seen Kyle's lava skates, but that won't work with water. Kyle was able to skate across the ground, by melting it with the lava, just like how skates melt the ice on which you slide on.

"I have no idea what to do." Liam said.

After classes, Liam asked everyone if they had any ideas about how he could develop a movement technique with his water element. Aria and peter had some crazy Ideas.

"I know, you can force water out of the bottom of your shoes and hands, making them like…" Aria did not know, what that would look like, but it sounded a lot like jet engines.

"That will take way more qi than it's worth." Liam said.

"I know, you can carry a board with you, make a wave and surf across." Peter said in excitement.

"Stop it, you know that won't work." Liam said in frustration.

"I know you like taking inspiration from others, why don't you go to the arena. Fights are ongoing there, constantly. Watch a few and see if any ideas come to your head." Ralph said.

"You're a genius!" Liam said before he went straight towards the arena in the training valley.

When he got there, he was one of the only ones there. Compared to the fight between Kyle and Owen, which had the whole arena full. Even his fight with William, there were at least 500 people watching. Right now, the people inside the arena could be counted on one hand.

There were two people, both earth users and they were both hiding behind an earth wall.

"This is so boring, how do they expect to win, if they only hide behind a wall." Liam was getting annoyed. He could see that the inner court disciple overwatching the fight, was also pretty bored.

"If no one makes a move in 30 seconds, it's a loss for both of you and you'll both fall to the bottom." The inner court disciple said.

"It seems they are fighting for a house position; the inner court disciple does not have that kind of authority. But these guys won't know." Liam said to himself. Other than 5v5, in the lower houses, they could also vote for a leader and if both teams agree only the leaders would fight them. Sadly Liam can't do that, as what team would refuse to fight against their team which was missing a person.

Soon, they both lowered their wall and one of them was faster with sending a wave of earth that threw the other person off the arena.

Over the course of the next few hours, there were only similar boring fights, nothing of use to Liam. Just when he was beginning to think that this was a waste of his time and he would be better of just brainstorming ideas, a few hundred people entered the arena.

Liam was surprised by what was happening, for the past three hours, there were barely 20 people at the most. And now in just 5 minutes, a few hundred entered the arena.

Liam used his now enhanced hearing to eavesdrop on the people around him.

"Olivia is challenging someone in the top 1000. Will she be successful?" Someone said.

"I hope so, either way, I'm here to see her fight. She's so hot when she does. I don't want her to beat up her opponent to fast, but I also do, as that makes her even hotter." Another person said.

"What kind of fetish is that?" Liam was so confused. But at least he now knew why there we're so many people. Well two reasons. One was because this was a big match, someone challenging the top 1000, another was that everyone was the same as the person he overheard, they were only here to watch Olivia fight.

Either way, Liam was hoping to see something interesting.

The two fighters entered the arena and they were introduced by the now elder overseeing the fight.

"Olivia Sentoro, rank 1356, challenges Nick Dull, rank 987." The elder said out loud. "May the fight, begin!"

Nick did not waste any time and he instantly rushed towards Olivia, being aggressive from the start. What surprised Liam was, that Nick wasn't running towards her, he was riding a wave. And to add more to Liam's surprise, the speed at which he was traveling was really great. But he would imagine he didn't have much control. It wasn't as versatile as Kyle's lava skates.

Olivia did not waste any time, in front of her, several wooden spikes 30 cm thick shout out towards Nick.

"Wood element, for being one of the basic 5, it sure took a long time for me to see someone use it." Liam was now very interested in the fight. He wanted to see how someone, who was in the top 1000, fought with the water element. And he was already smiling, seeing the movement technique Nick used.

6 sharp logs of wood we're flying towards nick, he quickly slashed his hands and from them, two water arches flew out. They cut two of the logs in half. When the two logs split in half, the halves hit the other 4 longs making them fly off to the side, completely missing Nick.

"Someone in the top 1000 is on a whole another level. Even if I was a cultivation realm above him, I don't know if I would have won." Someone said from the crowd and Liam heard him.

"Learning skills and techniques makes up for you lack of cultivation level. If I only cultivated, wouldn't I be able to beat them with pure strength?" Liam thought. "Not all people can cultivate 24/7 but even if they could, everyone has a limit. Once you've reached your limit, can't you just train your martial techniques then." Liam had unconsciously, spoken his thoughts out loud.

"Not practicing martial techniques since a young age and low cultivation level leaves you with a weak foundation. Why do you think there are so many disciples at the fifth human realm? All in the top 500 could have broken through by now, but no one does." A man sitting a few seats left of Liam said to him.

Liam turned his head towards him, a bit embarrassed about his lack of knowledge.

"Don't worry too much about it. I'll tell you the basics. There are two reasons why no one breaks through to the sixth human realm. It marks the passing of the halfway point in the human realms. Not having a strong foundation will not allow you to surpass the seventh human realm, even if you had the best of talents. The other reason is soul pets. To have ideal growth, you need to get you soul pet before reaching the sixth human realm. You'll see, that after the expedition next week, all of the top outer court disciples will breakthrough and promote to inner court disciples. Leaving a space for a new era of outer court disciples. Only the ones that breakthrough in the first circle, are considered important, all the others are mere commoners." The man smiled.

"Did the others know this already, is that why Aria and Peter and even Ralph are so focused on cultivating right now?" Liam made sure his thoughts stayed only inside his head.

"Once I learn this movement skill, I'll put all of my focus in cultivation. I have to be the best." Liam thought.

The fight was in a bit of a stalemate. Nick was constantly moving around throwing attacks at her, while Olivia used her wood and plants to attack and defend, remaining stationary.

She would often make a Venus flytrap the size of a car appear in Nick's path, waiting to eat him, before it was destroyed by an attack from nick.

And all of the attacks that he was throwing at her, we're being blocked by a plant with massive thick leaves.

None of the combatants could do anything to the other, it was only a battle of stamina.