The Tournament Begins

"Ranked ninety-ninth?"

A faint smile played at the corner of Yun Che's lips. "Now I'm truly looking forward to this clan tournament…"To be listed among the top one hundred of the Yun Clan's disciples was already a mark of distinction among his peers.After all, within the vast lineage of the Yun Clan, there were thousands of young disciples between the ages of twelve and eighteen. Even among those who chose to compete, the number easily reached four or five hundred.If it had been the Yun Che of the past, he wouldn't have even been worth mentioning—ranking among the top hundred would have been an impossible feat.

"With only twenty days remaining until the tournament, I must seize every moment…"

Having completed his registration, Yun Che immediately returned home, devoting himself entirely to his preparations.As the day of the Clan Martial Assembly drew nearer, an air of intense training and anticipation pervaded the entire Yun Clan.Under such immense pressure, many disciples found themselves breaking through bottlenecks, achieving new heights…This was precisely the outcome the Yun Clan's elders desired.After returning home, Yun Che not only focused on refining his Martial Inner Force, but also continued honing his mastery of Furious Dragon Fist.At present, Furious Dragon Fist remained his most formidable offensive technique.More than half a month ago, he had already cultivated it to the Mastery Stage.And now, without even realizing it, he had pushed it to the Peak Stage!Achieving the Peak Stage meant that he had grasped over ninety percent of the technique's true essence. Its might now exceeded that of the Mastery Stage by at least fifty percent.To Yun Che's knowledge, no other outer disciple had ever managed to elevate an intermediate martial art to its peak form.At this point, only half a month remained before the tournament.As time grew scarce, Yun Che intensified his training, focusing on Lingering Step Qi Technique—honing his control over his Martial Inner Force.To solidify his advancement, he consumed his most treasured medicinal resource—a three-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng.Having cultivated Martial Inner Force ahead of schedule, Yun Che's progress was unparalleled. His refinement of physical strength outpaced that of all his peers.Then, three days before the tournament—

He ascended to the peak of the Third Martial Stage.

Only half a step away from the critical threshold.

"Haaah…"

Yun Che exhaled slowly, his breath carrying a tangible force.At this moment, he had pushed every aspect of his body to its current pinnacle.

"Three days remain. Can I break through to the Fourth Stage?"

He murmured to himself, deep in thought.It was said that Yun Linlong, the clan's most revered prodigy, had broken through to the Fourth Stage a full two years ago, securing his position as a True Martial Warrior.For the next two days, Yun Che attempted to break into the Fourth Stage, only to face repeated failure.But this outcome did not surprise him.

"My Martial Inner Force is still a step behind that of a Fourth-Stage warrior. My physique, too, is lacking the final refinement it needs."

It didn't take long for Yun Che to pinpoint the cause.The first three stages of martial cultivation were foundational. If one's foundation was unsteady, their future advancement would be plagued with instability.Yun Che had climbed too swiftly over the past two months—his footing was not yet firm.Recognizing this, he ceased forcing the breakthrough and instead focused on stabilizing his current state.

Time slipped away.

The final day before the tournament arrived.

"Tomorrow… the Clan Martial Assembly begins."

Yun Che took a deep breath, unfurling his palm.A wisp of pale azure energy surged forth, twisting into the air with a sharp whistle—like a cutting wind.With Martial Inner Force, a single palm strike from him could now instantly obliterate an ordinary Third-Stage opponent.He was no longer merely a quasi-warrior.He had become something far more formidable—a half-step into the True Martial Realm!A quasi-warrior could easily overwhelm an average Third-Stage opponent within a mere few moves.Even against fearsome beasts like the Blue-Headed Tiger King, they could pose a substantial threat.However, a half-step warrior had already set foot at the threshold of true martial mastery—standing a tier above all others in the Third Stage.At Yun Che's current level, he could now face the Blue-Headed Tiger King head-on.The only difference between him and a true martial warrior was not their Martial Inner Force, but rather the final refinement of his physical constitution.

That night.

Within the Yun Clan's grand pavilion courtyard—

"Clang!"

A blade of cold steel unsheathed, slicing through the night air.The gleaming sword wove streaks of frosty brilliance, leaving thin, razor-sharp afterimages in its wake.The very air turned frigid, as though winter's chill had descended upon the courtyard.The wielder of this formidable blade was a young man clad in violet robes—his eyes as keen as the edge of his sword.His every movement exuded a sharp, piercing aura, and the power behind each strike was terrifying to behold.Each casual swing of his sword was comparable to Xing Fei's Rending Wind Slash—capable of cleaving through an enormous tree as thick as two men's arms.Ordinary Third-Stage warriors wouldn't even stand a chance.

"Jian'er, well done!"

A middle-aged martial artist observed with a satisfied smile.

"You've already cultivated Coldstream Sword to the Mastery Stage. Among all the outer disciples, you alone have achieved such a feat with an advanced martial art."

The violet-robed youth, standing proudly with sword in hand, was none other than Yun Yijian—ranked among the top three of the Yun Clan's outer disciples.

"It seems the ranking of the outer disciples is about to change."

A razor-sharp glint flickered in Yun Yijian's eyes.

"As for Yun Che, that ridiculous upstart—I will personally humiliate him, strip him of his dignity, and expose him for the fraud he is!"

With that, his sword flashed—Four or five streaks of freezing light burst forth, slashing through the night air.Even a True Martial Warrior would have been forced to take him seriously."Jian'er," the middle-aged man shook his head.

"Your ambitions must not remain confined to the outer ranks of the clan."

"Your true rivals are the inner disciples! With your current prowess, entering the top twenty of the grand tournament should be no challenge. But if you manage to break into the top ten, that would bring great honor to me as your father."

Yun Yijian's eyes gleamed with determination.

"Rest assured, Father. I have at least a seventy percent chance of securing a place within the top ten of the final tournament!"

Meanwhile…

Across the Yun Clan's expansive estate, another pavilion was illuminated by flickering lantern light.The elderly man with a severed arm smiled warmly.

"Fei, the preliminary round of the family martial tournament begins tomorrow. How confident are you?"

"Grandfather, rest assured. I have absolute confidence. No one in the outer ranks is my match," Yun Fei replied, her exquisite features illuminated by the soft glow of the lantern, radiating an ethereal beauty that was utterly breathtaking."In the outer ranks, the only one you need to be cautious of is 'Yun Yijian.' As for Yun Yue, his strength lies in defense—he shouldn't pose much of a threat to you," the old man analyzed."Yun Yijian? Perhaps," Yun Fei responded indifferently.As a prodigy, there was hardly anyone in the outer ranks she deemed worthy of her attention. And yet, for reasons she could not explain, a tall and composed figure surfaced in her mind.That person—who wasn't even ranked among the top ten of the outer disciples…"Furthermore, if you make it to the final round and face Yun Linlong, the number one ranked disciple, do not act recklessly. Among the younger generation of the Yun clan, he is undeniably peerless," the elder cautioned.—

At the same time.

In a grand and opulent courtyard, a deep, commanding voice resounded."Qian'er, Kun'er, you must both strive to showcase your best during this martial tournament. Especially you, Qian'er—your strength has already reached the level of a quasi-warrior. You must seize a place in the top ten.""Yes, Father! With my current strength, even the so-called number one of the outer disciples, Yun Yue, is no longer my equal," Yun Qian replied with composed confidence.Beside him, Yun Kun clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he murmured inwardly:

"Yun Che! I have now broken through to the third level of martial cultivation, and my 'Thirteen Serpent Variations' has advanced to the sixth form. In this tournament, I will make sure you suffer!"

The impending family martial tournament had sent ripples through the entire Yun clan. Even the elders and high-ranking members of the family had begun to take notice, quietly anticipating the results.On the eve of the tournament, countless young disciples of the Yun clan honed their blades, readying themselves for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ascend.—

The Next Morning.

Dawn had barely broken when figures began gathering at the Yun clan's sacred training grounds, the "Tianwu Arena."Most of them were young disciples of the clan, though among them stood a few high-ranking elders observing the scene.Among the first to arrive were the top-ranked outer disciples—Yun Yue, Yun Yijian, and Yun Fei.Yun Che was also among them.This was his first time stepping foot into the "Tianwu Arena."He cast his gaze around. The arena housed ten dueling platforms, each spanning a hundred meters in diameter, hewn from solid granite—an unyielding battlefield designed to withstand the ferocity of combat.As time passed, the gathering swelled, the sheer number of outer disciples present exceeding five hundred. In contrast, only a sparse handful of inner disciples had arrived.Yun Che was not surprised.After all, the family martial tournament began with a "preliminary round."The purpose of the preliminaries was to filter out the weaker competitors among the outer disciples, selecting only the most formidable fifty who would then qualify to challenge the fifty inner disciples in the final round.This was the Yun clan's way of eliminating the unworthy and preserving only the strongest for the grand tournament.For the inner disciples, who had long since established their dominance, there was no need to participate in this initial round. They only needed to await the final battle that would take place in half a month.Eventually, a small group of twenty inner disciples arrived, their expressions unreadable as they observed the eager crowd."Not bad. This year, the outer disciples actually have a few promising contenders. I wonder if any of them will be strong enough to displace the weaker inner disciples," one of them mused."At most, only the top three might stand a chance," another remarked dismissively.As whispers and discussions rippled through the crowd, a sudden stir swept across the arena."Look! Even Yun Qin, the fourth-ranked inner disciple, has arrived!"The moment her name was uttered, the chatter abruptly ceased, and a hush fell over the field.Among the inner disciples, all eyes were drawn to a young woman, poised like an ethereal moonlit silhouette.She was Yun Qin, ranked fourth among the inner disciples.Yun Che, his left eye subtly activated, detected a surge of martial energy emanating from her—a force even more refined than his own.

"A true warrior… Yun Qin has already reached the fourth level of martial cultivation!"

A sharp breath escaped him.He had anticipated that the inner disciples would be powerful, but to witness such an overwhelming presence firsthand was beyond his expectations.If Yun Qin, ranked fourth, was already this formidable, then what unfathomable heights had the number one disciple, Yun Linlong, attained?"I heard that Yun Qin's strength is second only to Yun Linlong himself. She is considered an equal to Yun Han and Yun Feng, standing at the pinnacle just beneath the four prodigies of Yuyang City.""Neither Yun Linlong, Yun Feng, nor Yun Han have even bothered to show up!"Standing in the crowd, Yun Yue's expression darkened slightly.It was evident—the top-ranked inner disciples did not even consider the outer disciple matches worth their attention.Their dominance had been so thoroughly cemented that they did not even need to make an appearance.Perhaps… only in the final round would their true strength be revealed.—

Half an hour later.

A thunderous voice echoed across the arena:

"The Yun Clan Martial Tournament is about to begin!"

"Today marks the commencement of the preliminary round, where we shall select the fifty strongest contenders out of the five hundred and twenty-two outer disciples."