My Promotion Came With A Death Wish

The city streets were a river of cultivators, all flowing towards the grand arena.

The air thrummed with a mix of excitement and nervous energy.

I walked with Sect Master Gu Ran and his commanders. 

"Quite the crowd, Sect Master," I remarked, dodging a particularly zealous Blazefury Sect disciple who was practicing fire techniques a little too close for comfort.

"Indeed, Alex," Gu Ran replied, his gaze sweeping over the throng.

Urg grunted, his eyes narrowed, scanning the crowd. "Too many people. Too much noise. Needs more discipline."

Zephyr chuckled.

"That's the spirit of the tournament, Urg. Controlled chaos. And a chance to see who's truly strong."

We finally reached the arena, a colossal structure that dwarfed everything around it.

The entrance was a massive archway, guarded by more of those glowing mages and their little Sky-Drakes.

As we stepped inside, the roar of the crowd enveloped us, a deafening wave of sound.

We made our way to our private viewing box, high above the arena floor.

The twelve Azure Cloud Sect disciples took their places, their faces a mixture of anticipation and focused calm. They were ready.

"We will just wait until the King comes," Sect Master Gu Ran said, settling into his plush seat, his gaze fixed on the empty golden throne that sat on a raised platform at the far end of the arena.

It was an impressive throne, shimmering with golden light, clearly designed for someone of immense power.

Then, without warning, a blinding Flicker! of golden light erupted from the empty throne.

The light was so intense it forced everyone to shield their eyes.

Pulse! energy rippled through the entire arena, making the very air vibrate.

And then.

Thud! that shook the ground, as if something incredibly heavy had just materialized.

When the blinding light faded, King Theron stood on the throne platform.

He hadn't walked, he hadn't flown in on Dravo.

He had simply… appeared. No dragon this time. Just the King, radiating an immense power.

Glow... Glow... Glow...

A magnificent golden aura immediately flared around him, far more intense than the one he'd displayed yesterday.

It wasn't just a light; it was a palpable force that seemed to push down on everyone in the arena, a silent declaration of his supreme authority.

The air crackled, and even the most powerful Sect Masters in their boxes looked visibly impressed, some even bowing their heads slightly.

Then, with a subtle shift, the golden aura weakened, receding slightly, though still vibrant around him.

He looked out at the silent, awestruck crowd, his regal gaze sweeping over every single person.

"Cultivators of the realm," King Theron's voice boomed, amplified by formations, carrying a weight that made my very bones vibrate.

"For generations, the Grand Sect Tournament has been a proving ground for the young talents of our realm. A competition for disciples, a showcase of their potential."

He paused, and a collective murmur rippled through the crowd. What was he getting at?

"However," King Theron continued, his voice now imbued with a new, thrilling intensity, "this year, the rules have changed."

A collective gasp swept through the arena.

Sect Masters exchanged bewildered glances. My own heart leaped into my throat. Changed? How?

"This year," King Theron declared, his golden aura flaring again, "the Grand Sect Tournament will be a competition for… Sect Masters!"

The arena exploded. Not with cheers, but with a cacophony of shouts, gasps, and outright disbelief. Sect Masters from across the realm, who had been sitting comfortably in their boxes, suddenly looked like they'd been hit by a rogue Qi blast.

"What?!" I blurted out loud, utterly flabbergasted.

"Sect Masters?! But I'm just a Ninth Layer! I'll get flattened!"

Sect Master Gu Ran, beside me, looked equally stunned, his wise eyes wide with shock.

Lyra's impassive face had cracked, revealing genuine surprise. Urg looked like he'd just been told his favorite club was made of foam.

Zephyr's smirk was gone, replaced by a look of utter bewilderment.

King Theron, seemingly oblivious to the uproar, continued, his voice cutting through the rising clamor.

"And the prize for this year's champion… will be a Dragon Egg! A Fifth Layer Dragon Egg! After growing for a hundred years, it will mature into a mighty Fourth Layer Dragon, capable of rivaling even Dravo!"

My jaw dropped. A Dragon Egg? A Fifth Layer one that would become a Fourth Layer Dragon?!

That wasn't just about prestige; that was about creating a literal, living, breathing, flying weapon of mass cultivation!

"This is an opportunity," King Theron's voice resonated, "to make your sect the most powerful in the entire realm! To forge a legacy that will echo through generations!"

Vrrrm!

"...."

Pop!

King Theron vanished from the platform.

A second later, he reappeared, sitting calmly on his golden throne high above the arena, as if he'd never left.

It was a casual display of teleportation that made my own [Basic White Wings System] feel like a pair of glorified arm-flaps.

"Let the Lottery begin!" King Theron's voice boomed from his throne.

"The Elders and Grandmasters will conduct the drawing!"

Below, on the arena floor, several ancient-looking cultivators, radiating immense power, moved towards a shimmering, golden pot.

This was it. The drawing for the matches.

Sect Master Gu Ran finally found his voice.

"Alex… did you hear that? Sect Masters! A Dragon Egg!" He looked at me, a mixture of awe and panic in his eyes.

"I am a Sixth Layer, but against some of the other Sect Masters here… Grand Elder Kael of the Blazefury Sect is a peak Sixth Layer! And there are rumors of a Fifth Layer hermit Sect Master from the Shadowvale who occasionally attends!"

"But… but I'm just a Ninth Layer!" I wailed.

"I'll be splattered! I'm a Systems Trader, not a fighting machine! My systems are for enhancing people, not turning me into a one-man army against actual masters!"

On the arena floor, one of the Elders, a wizened old man with a long, white beard, stepped forward.

"With a flick of his sleeve, Elder Zhou plunged his hand into the glowing Spirit Pot.

A moment later, a jade slip floated upward, radiating golden light."

The Elder's voice boomed, amplified by formations.

"The first match of the Grand Sect Tournament, Sect Master's Edition! Sect Master Gu Ran of the Azure Cloud Sect… versus… Grand Elder Kael of the Blazefury Sect!"

Gu Ran! Against Ignis's master, the fiery Grand Elder Kael! And then, I realized. If Gu Ran was fighting, that meant… I was fighting too.

Sect Master Gu Ran's face, which had been a mask of shock, now settled into a grim determination.

"Kael," he murmured, a flicker of challenge in his eyes. "Always the first to step forward."

This was going to be a disaster. Or the most epic underdog story ever.