The Tournament Begins – Blood, Battle, and Madness

The entire Heaven Sundering Sect was roaring with battle intent. The announcement of the Grand Tournament had shaken the disciples to their core—sparring matches erupted spontaneously across the sect as everyone prepared for the ultimate proving ground.

Jiang Chen stood at the edge of the training fields, arms crossed, watching the frenzy unfold. A smirk tugged at his lips.

"Now this… this is going to be fun."

Beside him, Xiao Dong was practically vibrating with excitement.

"I swear, bro, this is the best damn day of my life!" Xiao Dong grinned, cracking his knuckles. "You realize what this means, right? We get to beat the shit out of people in front of the whole sect and get rewarded for it!"

Jiang Chen chuckled. "That's all you care about?"

"Well, that and the fact that I get to see where I rank against the other True Disciples." Xiao Dong grinned, eyes flashing with battle hunger. "I don't know about you, but I'm dying to see how strong the other monsters of this sect are."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a moment. It was true—he had barely met any of the other True Disciples. His seclusion and training had kept him isolated, and now, for the first time, he'd have the chance to see who his real competition was.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the morning of the tournament, the entire sect gathered at the colossal arena carved into the mountains. It was a battlefield built from titanic stone slabs, reinforced with ancient formation scripts to withstand the chaos that was about to unfold.

A massive stone tablet now stood in the center of the arena, etched with the names of every participant in each bracket.

"The battle rankings…" Jiang Chen murmured as he scanned the names.

Outer Disciples – 300 Competitors.

Inner Disciples – 150 Competitors.

True Disciples – 20 Competitors.

At the very top of the True Disciple rankings, he saw some interesting names.

 1st Place – Bai Muchen (The Undefeated Fist Demon – The strongest disciple in the sect.)

 2nd Place – Mu Qinglan (The Phantom Blade – A True Disciple specializing in absolute speed and precise, lethal strikes.)

 3rd Place – Shen Yun (The Thunder Tyrant – Known for his brutal fighting style and overwhelming strength.)

At the 10th rank, he saw a name he recognized.

 10th Place – Xiao Dong (The Madstorm Brawler.)

And below him…

 11th Place – Jiang Chen (The Rising Monster.)

A slow smirk spread across Jiang Chen's face.

"I haven't even fought yet, and they already know I'm a monster?"

Xiao Dong whistled. "Damn, bro, they put you just under me? Guess you'll have to fix that real soon."

Jiang Chen rolled his shoulders. "Won't take long."

The first bracket began, and the Outer Disciples took to the stage.

The first round was absolute carnage.

Hundreds of Foundation Establishment disciples clashed like wild beasts, their bodies slamming into the arena floor, bones breaking, Qi explosions sending fighters flying. The Heaven Sundering Sect didn't believe in mercy.

Jiang Chen watched with mild amusement.

"This is more of a slaughter than a tournament," he muttered.

Xiao Dong laughed. "Welcome to the Heaven Sundering Sect! Either you kill, or you get killed."

As the battles raged, some strong fighters emerged.

 Lu Tian – A monstrous brawler who crushed his opponents with sheer brute strength.

 Zhao Ruo – A fierce female disciple who wielded explosive fire Qi, reducing the battlefield to molten ruin.

 Wei Liang – A speed-based fighter who dodged every attack, wearing his opponents down before striking like a viper.

After dozens of brutal battles, the top 20 Outer Disciples were chosen.

Each of them would now have the right to challenge an Inner Disciple for their position.

Jiang Chen yawned. "This was just a warm-up."

The second bracket began, and the Inner Disciples stepped forward.

This battle was far more refined—these fighters were stronger, faster, and more skilled.

Clashes erupted across the arena as Qi-based techniques shattered the air, shockwaves tearing apart the stage.

This was where the real competition began.

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes, watching the fights carefully.

"These guys are strong. But they're not monsters yet."

Xiao Dong, however, was grinning like a madman. "Now this is more like it! A proper battlefield!"

After a series of intense battles, the top 10 Inner Disciples were chosen.

And just like the Outer Disciples before them, they were now allowed to challenge True Disciples for their place.

Jiang Chen stretched. "Alright… Now it's finally getting interesting."

Almost every Inner Disciple challenged the last ranked True Disciple, Mu Beichen. However, it seemed every True disciple was not without strength, they were all monsters in their own right. He defeated every single challenger with one blow. 

The final bracket was about to begin.

The air grew thick with tension as the 20 True Disciples stepped forward, standing above all others.

Jiang Chen's golden-amber eyes flickered as he scanned the competition.

Every fighter here was a monster.

Some were cold and calculative.

Some were laughing, excited for the challenge.

Some were simply waiting, silent and composed.

But one thing was certain—this battle would be unlike anything before.

Zhao Yan stepped forward, his voice booming across the arena.

"Alright, brats! You've seen the blood spill, and now it's your turn to entertain us!"

The crowd roared.

Zhao Yan smirked. "Since there are only 20 of you, we'll skip the first round eliminations. Instead, we're going straight to the deathmatches!"

Jiang Chen's grin widened.

"Finally."

The time for talk was over.

Now, the real battle would begin.

The air was electric, charged with anticipation.

The final bracket of the Grand Tournament was about to begin.

The True Disciples stood in the arena, scattered across the battlefield like ancient warlords waiting for their chance to conquer.

Jiang Chen stood among them, arms crossed, his golden-amber eyes scanning the battlefield.

Each one of these fighters was a monster.

Some were calm, like seasoned executioners awaiting their next victim.

Some were grinning, their blood already boiling for battle.

Some were silent, like hidden blades waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

But one thing was certain—no one here was weak.

"This is where I prove myself."

Xiao Dong grinned beside him, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, let's see which unlucky bastard gets thrown against us first."

Jiang Chen smirked. "Unlucky for them, lucky for us."

The battle was about to begin.

Elder Zhao Yan stepped forward, his Qi shaking the very air around him.

His grin was wicked, full of bloodthirsty amusement.

"Alright, brats! You made it this far, but now it's time to see who actually belongs at the top!"

The crowd roared in excitement, the entire sect buzzing with energy.

Zhao Yan's gaze swept across the fighters before he pointed toward the large stone tablet.

A glowing golden inscription appeared, detailing the first round of matchups.

The first name appeared, flashing with power.

Jiang Chen vs. Liu Qing 

A murmur spread through the crowd.

Xiao Dong whistled. "Oho? You got Liu Qing?"

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "Who's he?"

Xiao Dong grinned. "One of the more… unpleasant True Disciples. Thinks anyone not born in the sect is beneath him."

Before Jiang Chen could respond, a cold voice cut through the noise.

"So I'm fighting the outsider?"

Jiang Chen turned toward the voice.

A tall figure stepped forward, clad in dark purple robes embroidered with golden streaks. His sharp features were framed by long, slicked-back hair, and his eyes gleamed with arrogance.

Liu Qing.

One of the True Disciples who had earned his place through years of battle.

He stopped a few steps away from Jiang Chen, looking him up and down with clear disdain.

"The elders just let you skip the rankings, didn't they?" Liu Qing sneered. "You didn't fight your way up like the rest of us."

Jiang Chen tilted his head. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

Liu Qing's face darkened.

"I don't care what Elder Zhao Yan or the Old Man thinks," Liu Qing said coldly. "You're not one of us. And today, I'm going to put you in your place."

Jiang Chen smirked. "You sure talk a lot for someone about to lose."

The crowd erupted into laughter.

Liu Qing's expression twisted with rage.

Zhao Yan grinned. "Hah! Enough talk! Both of you—onto the battlefield!"

Jiang Chen and Liu Qing stepped onto the massive stone battlefield, standing across from each other.

The air between them was tense, crackling with Qi.

Liu Qing cracked his neck, his body glowing with a fierce, golden light. Jiang chen noticed a defining Peak Foundation establishment aura radiating from Liu Qing, but to say that deterred him would be a joke. 

"Let me show you the difference between a true disciple and some wandering rogue," Liu Qing said, his Qi flaring.

Jiang Chen rolled his shoulders, unbothered. "Let's see if you can actually back up that arrogance."

Zhao Yan raised his hand, his grin wicked.

"BEGIN!"

BOOM!

Liu Qing vanished.

Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed. Fast.

In an instant, Liu Qing reappeared behind him, his palm glowing with golden light.

"Heaven Sundering Palm!"

A massive shockwave exploded outward, crushing the air itself.

Jiang Chen twisted at the last second, barely avoiding the full force of the attack—but the sheer power sent him skidding backward, his feet digging trenches into the stone.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

"He's fast!"

"Liu Qing is going for the kill immediately!"

Jiang Chen exhaled slowly, flexing his fingers.

"Not bad. But now it's my turn."

BOOM!

Jiang Chen vanished.

Liu Qing's eyes widened in shock. "What—?!"

Before he could react, Jiang Chen reappeared above him, his Chaos Qi swirling violently.

"Starshadow Burst!"

A massive explosion of spatial energy erupted around his palm, and Jiang Chen struck downward like a meteor.

BANG!

Liu Qing barely crossed his arms in time, his body slamming into the arena floor, shattering stone.

The disciples watching gasped.

"What the hell was that?!"

"He disappeared—then reappeared in an instant!"

Jiang Chen landed smoothly, his golden-amber eyes gleaming.

"You talk too much."

Liu Qing gritted his teeth, climbing back to his feet. His arms trembled from the impact.

"You… you bastard," he growled.

Jiang Chen smirked. "That's just the beginning."

Liu Qing roared, his Qi flaring to its peak.

"Fine, then! If you want to die, I'll grant your wish!"

His entire body glowed, golden light swirling into his fists.

Jiang Chen's expression remained calm. He raised his palm, Chaos Qi coiling around it.

The entire arena shook.

Everyone watching held their breath.

Both fighters prepared their strongest attacks.

Liu Qing roared—

"Heaven Sundering Palm – Destroy!"

Jiang Chen smirked—

"Heaven Sundering Chaos Palm!"

BOOOOOOOOOM!

The two attacks collided, sending a shockwave that shattered the entire battlefield.

The explosion was so massive that even some of the outer formations cracked.

Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring everything.

For a long moment—silence.

Then—

A figure emerged from the smoke.

Jiang Chen stood tall.

Liu Qing was lying in a crater, unmoving.

The crowd erupted into chaos.

"HE WON?!"

"Jiang Chen just DESTROYED Liu Qing!!"

Xiao Dong burst into laughter.

"Bahahaha! That bastard did it! My brother is a monster!!"

Jiang Chen cracked his knuckles, his expression unreadable.

He turned toward the True Disciple rankings, his name now shining in golden light.

 11th Place – Jiang Chen → 10th Place – Jiang Chen.

His smirk widened.

"Not bad. But I'm not done yet."

The tournament was far from over.

And Jiang Chen was just getting started.