Chapter 8 - First Sub Phase

--*In the Sect Arena*--

[Third Person View]

"I am very delighted to see all of the future disciples of our Sky Mountain Sect participate in the final phase of our exam, before we start the final phase, i would like to tell all of you that your future lies in your hands, don't be too reliant on our small sect because only you could fully exploit your potential to all its worth, do not be led astray easily, and remember that joining a sect wont be your final journey but it is only but a mere stepping stone for your future endeavours, whether all of you will fall or rise up will entirely depend on your actions and choices, a sect could only guide you to the right way and help you harness some of your potential but only you can fully harness it. With that being said let us start the Final Examination,"

"The Final Examination consists of two Sub Phases. First Sub Phase is a Tag Battle and the Second Sub Phase would be a Solo Battle. Your performance in each phase will be rated accordingly from One to Ten, With Ten being the highest and One being the lowest, meaning if your performance was flawless you'll get a Ten but if it's the opposite the you'll get a One."

"The First Sub Phase could be considered as a warm up with additional points and the Second Sub Phase is the important phase as it will be the deciding factor whether who wins or not because the amount of points one could gather in the Second Sub Phase is incomparable to the First Sub Phase."

"The winner of this exam will get the following rewards, 20 Tier 1 Qi Accumilating Pill, 20,000 Silver Coins and 5 Tier 1 Qi Refining Pill. I hope these rewards are sufficient for the winner's rewards."

"The first Sub Phase will begin shortly but before that please pick a partner among your peers to be your ally as your foes will be decided through lots again, those that picked the same number will fight, in numerical order of course, you can start finding your partner now but hurry up, time is gold." The Sect Elder informed.

The disciples then started searching for a partner for the first sub phase.

[MC's POV]

I don't have to trouble myself with finding a partner since i already have Wang'er but the scene im witnessing currently is something that i can describe with only two words, 'Pure Chaos,' the other disciples are running from one person to another searching for a partner.

Of course there would be boys that gather around beautiful women as expected but boys will be boys so who am i to judge? the same is also happening with the girls, some girls also gathered around good looking guys, and other disciples have found their partners too.

"This scene is the perfect definition of chaos," Said Wang'er

"I agree, most of them are running from one person to another," I replied

"I guess it can't be helped, we can have some spare time to rest, till the situation settles down." Wang'er suggested.

"Very well..."

Me and Wang'er then sat at the floor while waiting for the other disciples to make up their mind upon who will be their partners.

--*Many minutes later*--

The chaos finally stopped as most of the disciples have chose their respective partners.

But those few minutes were enough for me to achieve the 2nd stage of Qi Refining realm, last night i was also cultivating my Qi after successfully achieving the 1st Phase of Body Modification so it only took one small push to reach the 2nd stage of Qi Refining realm.

"Seeing as most of you have chosen your partners, we will begin the First Sub Phase now."

"I would have to ask for the representative of all pairs in the arena to get a number badge from the lots, the number in the badge you've obtained will determine when your turn will be, i will call each number from 1-30, when i call your number please climb up the arena with your partner to begin the match. The arena has 2 sides in it, One pair will go in dragon side, and one will go to the phoenix side. Don't worry, the sides wont affect your score for your performance, its purpose is only for determining who wins efficiently" The Elder informed

Hm... Number 23 huh? well this isn't so bad

"Seems like it'll be quite some time before our turn Wang'er,"

"That's for the best, we can have more time to observe how our peers fight and we can have enough time to regain more energy for our fight," Wang'er stated. "Oh? It seems like the first match has ended, that was quick..."

"Hahaha, it's not that it was quick but we just didn't pay attention and continued talking so it seemed like the fight went on quick."

"I see... The pair on the phoenix side won the first match and now the 2 other pairs is coming up the stage for the second match," Wang'er informed me. "Lets concentrate on the fight in front of us for now, it would be a shame if we can't observe them because we kept on talking, after all one of them might be our enemies in the Second Sub Phase so it is more ideal to observe how they fight."

"Alright, alright..."

Wang'er does have a point so i can't argue with what she said.

--*A couple tag fights later...*--

[Third Person View]

A couple of fights have passed, Shen Zhang and Wang Xiu Ying were focused on each match, trying to figure out how to counter some moves that other contestants have made.

Shen Zhang and Wang Xiu Ying's turn is near. Shen Zhang was getting pumped up but the same could not be said to Wang Xiu Ying as she has already been through countless fights and she doesn't really need to observe the matches of other disciples but it was just her habit to observe and carefully plan out her course of actionq through her times of being a noble executioner so these kinds of fights are merely child's play for her, she have seen way worse and much intense fights beforehand.

In Wang Xiu Ying's eyes, these disciples are nothing but ants that she can easily crush into meat paste, even those few disciples who were apparently 'Geniuses' were just ants in her eyes, people that weren't even worthy of her attention.

Now it is Shen Zhang and Wang Xiu Ying's turn.

--*Somewhere*--

[Third Person View]

"Master we found out that the princess was indeed at the boy's house but she eventually left the house," The three Guards reported to their master. "The Princess was having a conversation with what seemed like the boy's father, he gave the princess a relic of some sort that changed her looks and a bag of gold coins, fortunately we have heard their conversation."

"Continue," The master spoke.

"If we aren't mistaken, the boy's father was offering the princess whether to go to moonlight continent and live a new life there and he'll give her an astral ring with gold coins to start anew there and basic necessities or stay in this continent and still live anew but with a new identity so that's what the relic we mentioned before have done, after she used the relic, her entire appearance changed in a blink of an eye, he also offered to support the princess plan for revenge to those that betrayed her if she choose the latter." The three Guards added.

"So did you happen to know which option did my daughter choose?" The Guard's master questioned the three guards.

"Naturally Master, the princess have chosen the latter." The three Guards answered.

"Interesting... What could have made her chose to stay in this continent with the risk of being exposed and not go to the moonlight continent? But that's also a good thing since you three could continue observing her and protect her from the shadows."

"You lot have also memorized her current appearance right?" The master of the guards asked.

"Of course Master!" The three Guards assured.

"Very well, continue protecting her from the shadows and report her progress directly to me." The Guard's Master ordered.

"Understood!" The guards then disappeared from thin air after receiving the order.

"Hah... Xiu'er... When will i be able to reunite with you my daughter..." The Guard's master said with teary eyes.

--*In the Sect Arena*--

When Shen Zhang and Wang Xiu Ying knew that it was their turn, they immediately climbed up the arena to the Dragon Side, their competitor also climbed up the stage to the Phoenix Side.

After seeing each other, both sides bowed and clasped their hands together whilst saying 'Please go easy on us' in unison.

"Likewise the rules are simple, If a pair concedes defeat or if they get knocked out of the arena then the remaining pair will win, you lot can start now." The elder informed the 2 pairs.

"Understood!" Shen Zhang, Wang Xiu Ying and the other pair said in unison.

Both sides engaged in a head to head combat with the aim of knocking each other out of the ring.

"Wang'er can you let me handle this battle by my own? I would like to test the technique that my father had given to me last night from grandfather," Shen Zhang asked Wang Xiu Ying.

"Is that so? alright then, go wild Shen," Wang Xiu Ying agreed.

"As you wish Wang'er" Shen Zhang said.

Shen Zhang the began to channel the Heaven's Will towards his fist, compressing the power inside his fist and releasing it in one go.

"WAH!!!!" The pair from the phoenix side screamed on top of their lungs as they were sent flying and now they are currently falling outside of the arena.

Seeing this, Shen Zhang couldn't help but be astonished, he didn't expect that the power of the Heavenly Strike Technique was that strong, although he had gotten the hang of the technique but he still couldn't freely control its power but he managed to reduce its original power down to 20% but the outcome was still unbelievable.

Wang Xiu Ying was also a bit shocked because she also didn't expect that the fight would end that quickly because of how strong Shen Zhang's technique was.

The Audience were also dumbfounded as to how Shen Zhang sent the other pair flying with just one punch, and the punch didn't even hit them but it was the force that the technique excerted which caused a strong gust of wind to be sent towards the other pair, the audiences also felt the gust of wind pass by them, it was comparable to when one is riding a Flying Beast in the sky but ten times stronger.

The Sect Elder also didn't expect that the match would end just like that with just one punch of Shen Zhang but he spared no time and immediately caught the falling pair.

The crowd cheered for Shen Zhang and Wang Xiu Ying and saying things like:

"That was so strong!"

"Amazing!"

"Please let me have your babies!" to which Wang Xiu Ying responded with a look of killing intent towards the ladies that said it.

"What an amazing display of strength!"

"How did he do that?!"

and many more things.

"Dragon side wins!" The Sect Elder announced. The Sect Elder disregarded what just happened not too long ago and just thought of it as Shen Zhang being stronger than the other pair.

"You were so cool earlier Shen~" Wang Xiu Ying complimented Shen Zhang.

"Heheh... Thank you Wang'er" Shen Zhang smiled.

The rest of the battles carried on without a hitch and finished quickly.

"Now that the First Sub Phase is done, it is the time to initiate the Second Sub Phase!" The Sect Elder announced.