Semifinals

The next morning, the arena of the Celestial Dragon Sect overflowed with the energy of the spectators. It was a vibrant spectacle, filled with eager young disciples, observing elders, and members of smaller factions seeking promising talents.

Although the competition had been ongoing since the early stages, it was in the semifinals that the true climax began. After all, the battles between the best disciples always sparked the greatest interest.

On an elevated grandstand, three figures observed the battlefield below. Elder Lu Hong, a man with a stern appearance, crossed his arms and cast an evaluating look at the young man beside him.

"Young Kaelen, did you really make that proposal to Zhou Fan? You must know that any inner sect disciple would fight for this opportunity."

His voice carried a hint of mild skepticism.

Kaelen remained impassive, looking at the arena with a slight smile.

"Don't worry, Elder Lu Hong. I know exactly what I'm doing." His response was brief but carried confidence.

Lu Hong furrowed his brows but did not insist. His gaze shifted to Xuan Bei, who remained silent, attentively observing the interactions. The elder's sharp gaze indicated that he shared the same skepticism as Lu Hong.

It was understandable. To them, Kaelen was a young man who had started cultivating less than a month ago. How could someone so inexperienced evaluate the true potential of a cultivator?

Lu Hong sighed, crossing his arms again as he pondered. It was a well-known fact that Zhou Fan was talented, but in the grand scheme of cultivation, talent in the early stages often became irrelevant at higher levels.

"You do know that what defines a cultivator in the long run is not just their strength in the Qi Refinement stage, right?"

Lu Hong commented casually.

"Starting from the Golden Core level, battles transform completely. Close combat loses effectiveness, and spiritual energy techniques begin to dominate duels. And when one reaches the Nascent Soul level, the fight is conducted in an entirely different manner. Disciples who excel in the early phases often fall into an abyss when they reach these levels without a solid foundation."

Elder Lu Hong glanced sideways at Elder Xuan Bei.

Xuan Bei, who had remained silent until then, finally decided to intervene.

"Indeed, many outer sect disciples stand out in the early stages because they have more experience in real combat. However, even if by some stroke of luck they reach the Nascent Soul stage, all their previous combat experience would be irrelevant."

Xuan Bei's voice was neutral, but it carried an undeniable truth.

Kaelen absorbed every word attentively. His knowledge of the vast world of cultivation was still limited, and for that reason, he placed total trust in his system to evaluate Zhou Fan's talent. However, he was not naive. He knew that once Zhou Fan was taken to the Eighth Peak, his master would likely be able to see through Zhou Fan's talent.

Then Kaelen casually commented,

"Trust me, elders, I know what I'm doing."

The two elders exchanged a quick glance. Kaelen's words were firm, making them difficult to dismiss outright.

The arena below roared with the cheers of the crowd as a new duel was announced. Zhou Fan stepped onto the stage, his gaze cold and calculating, while his opponent, a disciple named Yan Feng, waited with closed eyes, exuding an aura of contagious calm.

As Lu Hong made a brief signal to the external elder responsible for arbitration, his voice thundered through the arena.

"Let the semifinals begin!"

The moment his words echoed, Zhou Fan shot forward like an arrow, his clenched fist aiming directly at Yan Feng's face. However, before the blow could land, Yan Feng slid to the side with impressive agility. In a fluid counterattack, his fist shot towards Zhou Fan's abdomen, aiming for a precise and devastating strike.

Zhou Fan instinctively reacted. With his left arm, he deflected Yan Feng's attack, but as he did so, an intense flame exploded from his opponent's fist. The scorching heat spread in an instant, burning Zhou Fan's hand and scorching the right side of his body.

Feeling the burning sensation on his skin, Zhou Fan leaped back in a flash, creating distance. His eyes analyzed Yan Feng with a newfound layer of caution.

Yan Feng, on the other hand, maintained his upright posture, his eyes gleaming with unwavering confidence.

The tense silence was broken by Xuan Bei's surprised tone as he observed from the VIP section of the grandstand.

"That disciple Yan Feng… He managed to expel Qi outside his body while still in the Qi Refinement stage. That is rare."

Lu Hong nodded, adding with interest,

"Not only that. His technique also alters the nature of the Qi, giving it an elemental property. That is something noteworthy."

Kaelen, who had only been observing attentively until then, leaned slightly forward and asked with curiosity,

"Elders, is this really that impressive? Expelling Qi and changing its nature—is it really that difficult?"

Lu Hong smiled at the young man's interest and responded in a patient tone,

"Young Kaelen, what makes this impressive is not the difficulty itself, but the time and effort spent to reach this level."

Lu Hong paused before continuing, observing Kaelen's attentive expression.

"To create a technique like this, a cultivator would normally need to be at the Foundation Establishment level. However, Yan Feng is still in Qi Refinement. The fact that Yan Feng possesses this technique means that someone stronger invested time and effort in creating it for him. That is not something done without a reason."

Kaelen slightly furrowed his brows, pondering over that information.

"And what if Yan Feng created this technique himself?" Kaelen questioned.

Xuan Bei, who had been watching the fight with sharp eyes, let out a low chuckle before responding,

"If Yan Feng had created this technique on his own, he wouldn't be in the outer sect. And if he were already an inner sect disciple, he would never waste time developing a technique for the Qi Refinement stage. Truly talented cultivators do not waste time on techniques that will soon become obsolete."

Xuan Bei then looked at Kaelen and asked with a slight smile,

"Tell me, has your master taught you any combat techniques?"

Kaelen shook his head.

"No."

Xuan Bei nodded as if he had already expected this answer.

"There is a reason for that. Your master knows that you will remain in the lower levels for only a short time. For a genius like you, investing time in techniques that will soon be irrelevant is a waste of potential. Your master will probably wait until you reach the Golden Core before teaching you combat techniques. Only then will the investment be worthwhile."

Kaelen listened attentively, absorbing the elder's words. It made sense. Combat techniques were essential, but only when one reached a level that justified learning them.

Taking a deep breath, Kaelen turned his attention back to the arena.

Yan Feng wasted no time. As soon as Zhou Fan retreated, Yan Feng advanced again, delivering a sidekick followed by a punch engulfed in flames.

Zhou Fan, however, dodged with ease, spinning on his heels and leaping backward.

Yan Feng gritted his teeth and attacked once more. Consecutive strikes filled the arena, flames slashing through the air, but Zhou Fan, always a step ahead, evaded without even attempting a counterattack.

"Stop running, you cowardly rat!" Yan Feng shouted, his tone laden with frustration.

In the VIP seats, Xuan Bei smiled slightly.

"A smart strategy," he commented.

"Yan Feng is burning an absurd amount of spiritual energy with each attack. He may be strong, but his technique is not sustainable."

Back in the arena, the effects of Zhou Fan's strategy began to manifest. Yan Feng's breathing was irregular, and the glow of his flames visibly weakened.

Zhou Fan, seeing his opponent's exhaustion, finally took the initiative. 

With a swift movement, he advanced, his fist exploding toward Yan Feng's chest.

"What—?!"

Yan Feng tried to retreat, but it was already too late. Zhou Fan's punch landed squarely, making him stagger. 

Before he could react, a precise kick struck his leg, throwing him off balance. Then, Zhou Fan delivered a final blow straight to his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

The referee stepped forward and raised his hand.

"Yan Feng is incapacitated! Zhou Fan wins the match!"

A brief silence spread through the arena before the spectators burst into murmurs and exclamations. Zhou Fan remained firm, breathing deeply, while Yan Feng lay on the ground, defeated.

Zhou Fan cast an intense look in Kaelen's direction, as if trying to gauge his reaction.

Kaelen returned with a smile, immediately grasping the silent message in Zhou Fan's gaze.

With this victory, Zhou Fan had already secured his place in the finals. Regardless of the outcome of the next day's match, his fate was sealed.

Zhou Fan had become a lineage disciple under the Eighth Peak.

In the VIP seats, Xuan Bei displayed a faint approving smile before commenting.

"Zhou Fan made the right choice by facing a more powerful opponent. On the battlefield, brute strength does not always determine the victor. This was a victory won through intelligence."