Under the Elders’ Watch

Some fights had passed, and once again it was Nyara's turn.

The movement in the stands gradually ceased. The whispers fell silent, and all eyes turned to the arena. Her first victory still lingered in the crowd's memory—something many tried to explain, but couldn't.

She stood up slowly, adjusting the worn sleeve of her dress, and walked with the same calm as before, as if this was just another tedious routine.

Her next opponent was already in the center of the arena. A sturdy young man, with sun-bronzed skin and calloused hands from carrying barrels. He was known as Bei Chen, the son of one of the village's winemakers, and he had won his first fight with pure brute force, crushing his rival with an arm lock.

"Liu Mei…" he murmured, frowning as he saw her approach. "So you're the girl who defeated old Duan's grandson?"

Nyara looked at him like he was just a stone in her path.

"And you're just another one who's going to fall."

The elder of the tournament raised his hand.

"Begin!"

Bei Chen was the first to move. His footsteps made the arena tremble slightly, and his fists, wrapped in a thin layer of yellowish energy, cut through the air like hammers.

"Haaa!"

He charged with a fierce shout, throwing a direct punch at her face. Fast and strong—the kind of blow that had already knocked many down.

But Nyara didn't even blink.

With a slight twist of her body, she dodged by mere millimeters. The fist passed beside her head, and with a simple touch to the side of his arm, she redirected the force of the attack, unbalancing him.

"Redirection technique?" some elders thought, watching with sharper eyes.

Bei Chen staggered half a step forward but quickly recovered, irritated by her coldness.

"You think too highly of yourself, don't you?"

He spun his body and tried to hit her with an elbow to the ribs. This time, Nyara stepped forward, shortening the distance before the strike, catching him off guard.

With her left arm, she blocked the elbow. With her right, she struck the center of his chest with her fingers held together. It didn't look strong—not to ordinary eyes. But Bei Chen's body trembled. He stepped back three times, gasping, feeling the impact hit his internal organs like a silent wave.

"What was that…?" he murmured, panting. "What kind of strike is that?"

Nyara didn't answer. She just circled around him like a predator studying prey too confused to run.

"Your body is strong, but your foundation is weak," she finally said. "Your energy is a muscle without control. This isn't cultivation, it's a waste of energy."

Bei Chen grunted and charged once again, with all his strength, no technique. He jumped, trying to deliver a downward blow with both fists. Nyara slowly raised her right hand.

And then, snap.

Her palm struck his chest with surgical precision. Bei Chen was thrown backward as if hit by an invisible wall. His body rolled a few times before stopping on the ground, gasping in pain, his tunic torn and chest marked.

Silence.

Even the forest birds seemed to stop singing for a moment.

The elder raised his arm hesitantly, still stunned.

"Victory… Liu Mei!"

The audience took a moment to react, but when they did, it was a mix of shock, murmurs, and wide eyes. Some began to wonder who exactly this girl was—and if she was really from the village as she claimed.

In the crowd, an old man with white hair and sharp eyes crossed his arms thoughtfully.

"Hm… this girl is no ordinary one… Mid-level Awakening Essence Stage," murmured one of the elders.

All the leaders of the great families turned to him, incredulous. Even some of the other elders cast suspicious glances before turning their attention back to Nyara.

"But someone at the Mid-level Awakening Essence Stage shouldn't have this strength…" the elder added, frowning.

The truth was, since Nyara hadn't reached a high cultivation level yet, she had made a simple decision: strengthen her body above all else. Refine it, make it a weapon by itself. And with that, she developed techniques that didn't depend on spiritual energy, like redirection—a fighting style that confused even experienced cultivators.

The conversation in the highest tiers of the stands had shifted.

"Old Liu, didn't you expel your daughter from the family because she lacked a core?" questioned Lord Qin, leader of the respected Qin family, with an ironic smile on his lips.

Liu narrowed his eyes, fists clenched on his knees. His expression was a mix of pain, regret, and contained anger.

"I… was forced by the elders. I didn't agree with it for a single second… My own daughter…" he murmured, his voice trembling. His gaze fixed on Nyara, who prepared for the next fight on the stage below. "They said she was a burden. A disgrace."

Behind him, some elders of the Liu family exchanged tense glances. One stepped forward, as if to justify the decision, but stopped when he saw Liu's expression darken like a thunderstorm.

"And now she's there…" Lord Qin finished, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Defeating cultivators stronger than her, with a coldness even our own children haven't shown yet."

The silence that fell over that corner of the stands was suffocating. Many eyes turned again to Nyara, who remained standing in the center of the arena.

Nyara stepped down from the arena, watching as some fights passed, when she noticed a young man climb the arena while staring at her, as if his opponent wasn't the boy in front of him, but Nyara herself.

Nyara looked at the young man and realized he was the same one who had tried to pick a fight with her before.

"Looks like someone wants revenge," Nyara murmured.

Kael Luo, from the Luo family, was known for his fierce determination and refusal to accept defeat. His piercing gaze fixed on his opponent, a cultivator from the Wei family, who seemed to hide fear behind an arrogant expression.

As soon as the judge signaled the start of the fight, Kael charged with an explosion of energy. His aura, at the Mid-level Awakening Essence Stage, shone intensely—a clear warning of his power. With precise and swift strikes, he disarmed his adversary before he could react. Every move was a demonstration of technique and strength combined.

Within seconds, Kael knocked his opponent to the ground with a precise blow to the chest, making the young Wei family cultivator spit blood and admit defeat. The crowd erupted in murmurs, impressed by the speed of the victory.

In the stands, the elders watched the fight closely.

"That boy is really impressive," commented Elder Zhang. "He's at the Mid-level Awakening Essence Stage, but very close to the perfect level."

Elder Wu nodded, frowning.

"If he keeps this pace, he has great chances of defeating any opponent in this tournament."

Chief Qin added with respect:

"The Luo family seems to have invested heavily in him. A natural talent, hard to surpass."

A few minutes passed and the judge announced:

"Liu Mei versus Kael Luo!"

The crowd erupted in murmurs and applause, as these two were the most prominent competitors in this contest.