Finals

The arena vibrated with energy; the stands were boiling with excitement. Elder Lu Hong, standing imposingly with a solemn expression, raised a hand to request silence.

Slowly, the murmurs died down, and silence fell upon the arena. With a deep voice, he announced:

"The second semifinal will be between Lin Ming and Huang Lei!"

The voices in the crowd rose again as the two young cultivators stepped onto the stage, their eyes filled with determination. Lin Ming displayed confidence, his calm expression contrasting with the visible tension on Huang Lei's face—a disciple renowned for his brute strength and solid martial technique.

"Lin Ming is the favorite!" someone shouted from the stands.

"Don't underestimate Huang Lei! He advanced quickly this year!" another spectator defended his favorite disciple.

"Lin Ming has proven his worth many times. Last year he took second place; this year he will definitely be first!" another voice replied.

As the comments continued, Lin Ming assumed a combat stance, eyes focused and posture perfect.

Huang Lei also prepared himself, concentrating his spiritual energy.

The referee waved and firmly declared:

"Begin!"

Immediately, Huang Lei rushed forward aggressively. His hand, enveloped in spiritual energy, lunged like a sword toward Lin Ming. However, Lin Ming, moving fluidly, easily dodged and counterattacked with an open palm. The impact was fierce, hurling Huang Lei meters away and sending him sliding and falling out of the arena.

A brief silence overtook the audience, quickly replaced by applause and astonished exclamations.

"Lin Ming won so quickly?"

"That was incredible!"

Lu Hong, in the VIP stands, raised his voice, announcing:

"The victory belongs to Lin Ming! Tomorrow, in the grand finale, Lin Ming will face Zhou Fan!"

The mention of Zhou Fan sparked further discussions.

"Lin Ming is strong, but Zhou Fan seems incredibly strong too!"

"Don't be foolish; Lin Ming is at the ninth level of Qi Refining, while Zhou Fan is only at the seventh. It's obvious who will win and who will lose." another disciple argued.

--------------------

Later that night, after the day's battles concluded, tranquility gently descended upon the reserved area of the outer sect.

Kaelen sat in a meditative posture inside a small room reserved specifically for him. Around him, a comfortable silence filled the space, interrupted only by the youth's gentle breathing.

His eyes were closed, his face showing intense concentration as he slowly absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy. A fine layer of golden light softly emanated around his body, indicating the internal circulation of his Qi.

After a long period, Kaelen slowly opened his eyes.

"Alright, let's see how much progress I've made this time." Kaelen murmured to himself.

With a simple thought, Kaelen quickly summoned the luminous system interface, instantly appearing before his eyes.

[Host: Kaelen/Eric]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 15/85]

[Physical Condition: Normal]

[Cultivation: Essence Forging (4)]

[Techniques: Immortal Ascension (Minor Success)]

[Talent: Radiant Sun]

[Constitution: Mortal (Alterable: In Cooldown)]

[Luck: Cyan (Very Good) (Alterable: In Cooldown)]

[Do you accept these settings?] [Yes] [No]

Kaelen carefully analyzed each attribute, slightly furrowing his brow and letting out a longer sigh.

'My cultivation has advanced quickly, but it's still insufficient. After this competition, I need to dedicate myself fully to cultivation and reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.'

Kaelen remained silent for a moment, considering the recent system update. His brows knit together slightly in a worried expression.

"Ever since the system updated, the cooldown to alter my constitution and luck has significantly increased." Kaelen murmured, a hint of concern in his tone.

"I still don't know exactly how long it'll take before I can change my attributes again."

"Regardless of how long the cooldown lasts, my priority must be to cultivate as much as possible during this period. I can't afford to relax."

Kaelen took a deep breath, once again closing his eyes and slowly resuming his meditation. As his spiritual energy circulated once more, Kaelen felt tranquility gradually return to his mind, slowly entering a trance-like state.

-----------------------------------------

The next morning, the arena was even more crowded. The rising sun cast golden rays upon the packed stands.

In the VIP area, Kaelen sat calmly between Elders Xuan Bei and Lu Hong, his eyes fixed on the central platform, observing every detail with curiosity and expectation.

"We've finally reached the finals!" Lu Hong declared excitedly, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

Xuan Bei nodded lightly with a small smile. 

"Indeed, watching competitions among juniors can be quite refreshing. Solitary cultivation can sometimes become a torment."

Kaelen remained silent, focused on the stage below.

Lu Hong, noticing the crowd's impatience, stood up and raised his hand in an imposing gesture, instantly silencing the excited audience.

"The final battle between Zhou Fan and Lin Ming will begin now!" he announced, his voice echoing like thunder throughout the arena.

The words reverberated through the arena, instantly quieting the spectators who awaited anxiously.

All eyes were fixed on the battle platform, where the two young cultivators climbed slowly, each emitting a distinct aura.

Lin Ming ascended with visible confidence, though his eyes shone with a threatening calmness, clearly indicating he would not underestimate his opponent.

Zhou Fan slowly stepped up, his face serious and focused. His left hand remained bandaged after his exhausting fight against Yan Feng, clearly showing he had not fully recovered.

"It looks like Zhou Fan is still injured from the last battle..." a disciple murmured in concern.

"Lin Ming isn't foolish. He'll certainly exploit that weakness." another disciple analyzed coldly.

In the VIP area, Lu Hong sighed as he observed the two fighters.

"With that injury and the difference in cultivation, I'm afraid Zhou Fan doesn't stand a chance this time."

Xuan Bei discreetly nodded, and the three leaned slightly forward, eager for the battle to commence.

Zhou Fan and Lin Ming stood face-to-face, postures firm and eyes sharp as blades.

"Good luck, Zhou Fan." Lin Ming commented calmly, a provocative smile appearing on his lips. 

"I hope that injured hand doesn't hinder you too much."

Zhou Fan responded with a cold smile, raising his right hand forward, assuming a defensive posture while keeping his left hand back.

"Don't worry, Lin Ming. One hand is still enough to deal with you." he confidently retorted.

Without further delay, the referee lowered his hand, signaling the start.

Zhou Fan instantly charged forward, demonstrating surprising aggressiveness.

Ignoring the pain radiating from his left hand, he launched a decisive attack with his right fist, trying to immediately destabilize Lin Ming.

Lin Ming swiftly dodged, immediately counterattacking directly towards Zhou Fan's injured hand, clearly exploiting his opponent's vulnerability.

Zhou Fan, sensing the danger, hastily pulled his arm back, narrowly evading the blow. But Lin Ming persisted, relentlessly pressing forward with swift and precise strikes, each aimed carefully at Zhou Fan's weakened left side.

The crowd watched intently, each movement drawing gasps and emotional cries from the audience.

"Lin Ming is really exploiting Zhou Fan's injury, what a despicable tactic!" exclaimed a female disciple with wide eyes.

"In a real battle, enemies never hesitate to exploit weaknesses. That's not despicable, it's strategic." another disciple retorted firmly.

Nevertheless, Zhou Fan fought skillfully, compensating for his disadvantage with agile movements and precise evasions. He patiently awaited a chance, and when Lin Ming momentarily faltered, Zhou Fan quickly seized the opening, delivering a sharp kick to Lin Ming's torso, forcing him back a step.

The arena erupted once more, clearly favoring Zhou Fan. After all, it was customary to cheer for the underdog.

"Zhou Fan is truly a monster! Even injured, he's still pushing Lin Ming back!"

The confrontation continued evenly balanced, Zhou Fan showcasing his impressive adaptability, while Lin Ming leveraged his superior cultivation and strength.

Observing the match carefully from the VIP stands, Elder Xuan Bei murmured appreciatively:

"Zhou Fan is remarkable; despite his injury, he maintains an equal footing with Lin Ming. Truly impressive."

Hearing this, Kaelen chuckled softly. Kaelen recalled checking Lin Ming's information earlier through his system. There was nothing exceptional about him beyond slightly higher cultivation than the rest of the disciples.

The battle reached a critical turning point when Lin Ming, deciding to end the fight decisively, gathered an immense amount of spiritual energy in his right palm. A blazing aura formed around him, and overwhelming pressure filled the arena.

Zhou Fan immediately recognized the threat and attempted to retreat, but it was already too late.

Lin Ming surged forward rapidly, his fiery strike about to crash down upon Zhou Fan. In desperation, Zhou Fan raised his right hand, gathering his remaining spiritual energy.

A powerful clash erupted at the center of the platform, creating a shockwave that shook the entire arena and momentarily blinded the spectators. When the dust settled, everyone held their breath in shock.

Standing between Lin Ming and Zhou Fan was Elder Lu Hong, who had swiftly blocked Lin Ming's devastating blow.

Kaelen was stunned by the elder's incredible speed, but before he could question anything, Lu Hong's voice resonated clearly across the entire arena:

"Lin Ming is the winner!"

An explosion of applause filled the arena, the spectators rising from their seats in admiration of the spectacular fight they had just witnessed. Despite his defeat, Zhou Fan slowly lifted his head, his determined gaze unwavering.