Clyde Makes a Move

While a bit of tension hung around, most focused on the stages once the combat round began. There were four sparring zones, each set up on elevated stone platforms, which were fortified with various spells and arrays. The platforms couldn't be destroyed by any attack below the power of an Earth Realm cultivator, so the overseeing elders wouldn't have to fix them after every match. Shui didn't have many expectations while watching the matches, and although the crowd was excited, he didn't see anything that surprised him. There were a few disciples who looked like they could go against the seeded group, but none that could pose a threat to him. Considering that they would have to be at least as strong as Kate at half-step Earth Realm to make him interested, this wasn't unusual.

Once the combat round was finished and the final ten participants in the Core Disciple Selection were decided, Shui and his group prepared to leave. However, Clyde blocked his path.

"This is good timing. How about you and I do some sparring while we're here?"

Shui didn't have any interest in sparring with Clyde, but the anger that he exuded made Shui curious.

"Why? Are you still holding onto grudges from a year ago?"

"That's certainly part of it, but I hear Lisa hasn't been herself recently, and it seems that's your fault."

"My fault? I guess I can't say you're wrong about that."

As Clyde's aura exploded, Serina tried to intervene.

"Wait! While the way Ms. Lisa is acting has something to do with Shui, he didn't do anything,"

"I don't care! I won't forgive anyone who makes her sad."

Serina tried to say something else, but Shui placed his hand on her shoulder and held her back.

"I didn't investigate your relationship with her, but based on how she treated you when we last met, I don't think this is a matter you can stick your nose in."

"Hmph!"

Clyde seemed angry enough to pounce at Shui, but instead he leapt on to one of the sparring zones.

"Come up here and tell me that with your fists."

If his opponent wasn't Clyde and his relationship with Lisa was more amiable, he probably would have made a different choice, but in this case, Shui chose to join Clyde on the platform.

"Shui and Clyde are fighting?!"

"Isn't it too soon for this?"

Although most had begun to leave, news of Shui and Clyde confronting each other quickly regathered the crowd. Shui was considered by some to be the unconfirmed strongest inner section disciple, so it was no surprise that many were interested in how he would fare against the confirmed strongest. Though the Core Disciple Selection had an inter-disciple combat section at the end, by then the core disciples were already determined, so it was an optional section. That meant a fight like this might never happen again.

"I know Shui's really strong, but will he be alright?" Sasha asked.

"I don't think he'll lose, but," Serina answered in an uncertain tone.

Serina and Fatty were confident that Shui could defeat Clyde, but since this involved Lisa, there was still a bit of lingering anxiety.

Once Shui joined Clyde in the sparring zone, an elder appeared between them.

"The Core Disciple Selection will begin in earnest in two weeks. Are you two certain that you wish to battle now?"

"Thank you for the advice, Elder Tona, but there's no need to be worried. I have no intent on being injured here," Clyde answered.

"It's the same for me."

Shui followed Clyde with a similar response while presenting a composed aura. He had his own motives for agreeing to this match, but he didn't plan on crippling or humiliating Clyde since he seemed to be someone with decent character, though his anger was misplaced.

"Very well. You may begin!"

After the elder announced the start of the match, a bronze war hammer of a similar height appeared in Clyde's right hand. The hammer was a supreme special-rank artifact, and it was custom-made for Clyde to show his true power.

"This may be a spar, but you should take out your weapon if you don't want to be hurt too badly."

Shui had no need for a weapon to face Clyde, but he decided to humour him and took out a longsword artifact of the same rank. It was something he made for practice, so it didn't look fancy, but its quality was undeniable.

"Should I make the first move, or would you like to try?"

"Hmph. Allow me to test your rumoured strength."

Clyde charged at Shui. Although Shui had the lower energy cultivation, he was runoured to practice body cultivation, and Clyde's honed instincts told him not to underestimate him, so he seriously swung his hammer. Instead of meeting the hammer head-on, Shui subtly deflected it in a way that made it look like Clyde had missed.

"You'll need to do better if you expect to hit me."

Irritated by Shui's taunt, Clyde unleashed a barrage of swings so fast that the hammer seemed to attack Shui from every direction. In return, Shui parried every swing with a stable expression. Due to how quickly their weapons were moving, the two seemed to be evenly matched, but the elders and those with keen eyes could tell that Shui maintained an advantage. 

"It doesn't seem that you've spent long learning hammer techniques. I agreed to spar, but if this is all you have to show, then I'll have to end this soon."

Clyde wanted to smash Shui's face with his hammer in response, but he knew that his heavy offensive couldn't get past his calculated defense. Clyde withdrew his hammer and stepped back to create some distance between the two of them. 

"That was only the beginning!"

Clyde then cast a spell that attracted the air to the head of his hammer before wrapping it in a giant mallet of rapid winds. 

"Tornado Judgement!"

Even with Shui's superior sword technique, he wouldn't be able to deflect a spell like this. However, using a spell that was under the four elements against Shui, who had reached the manipulation stage of the Four Elements Technique, could only be called an ignorant decision. With a simple swing of his sword, Shui dispelled Clyde's spell. Though shocked, Clyde quickly used a different spell to create several smaller versions of the wind mallets and sent them to Shui.

While their number made them slightly difficult to deal with in one move, the only hindrance Shui faced in controlling these mallets was Clyde's nature energy that supported them. However, by increasing the number of mallets, his control over each of them had weakened. To defend against the incoming wind mallets, Shui stomped his right foot as the trigger to create a gust that tore the mallets apart. 

"Give up. Using wind against me is like blowing hot air at a storm. And if you don't start getting serious, I'll end this with my next move."

Clyde clicked his tongue, but he didn't try casting another wind spell.

"Woah, does this mean, Shui's the strongest?"

"Idiot, the match isn't done yet."

"But Shui obviously has the advantage here."

"This is why you're an idiot; Senior Clyde still hasn't used his trump card."

After his exchanges with Shui, Clyde was certain that anything less than his full power wouldn't be able to break his guard. He didn't want to reveal too many cards before the real selection, but losing to Shui was even more disagreeable.

"Fine then. I'll go all out just as you asked."

Clyde dropped his hammer to the ground and slowly began releasing a weak electric current. To face his rising power, Shui took a basic stance and waited for him. Anyone could tell that their next clash would be on a higher level than before, but one person didn't want to see this go any further.

"Both of you, stop!"