I only wanted to kill a chicken, not split the heaven

The next morning, the entire Azure Sky Sect buzzed with tension.

Banners fluttered in the mountain wind, and the giant arena below was surrounded by thousands of cultivators from every sect across the region.

Li Ming stood beside his team—Lan Yue, Bai Guo, Wu Jian, and Xue Yan.

Their robes glimmered with Azure Sky's emblem, sharp and proud under the sun.

He clenched his fists. So this is it. The real tournament.

From across the arena, the Crimson Blade Sect marched in—five warriors clad in red armor, their leader radiating killing intent like fire itself.

Bai Guo muttered under his breath, "They look like they eat swords for breakfast."

Lan Yue's eyes never left their opponents. "Stay sharp. Remember the plan—Wu Jian and I take the front. Li Ming, support from the center. Xue Yan and Bai Guo, defense and formation."

Li Ming nodded, heart pounding. His cultivation energy hummed quietly inside him—eighth level of Foundation Building, sharp and focused.

The referee raised his hand.

"Azure Sky Sect vs. Crimson Blade Sect—begin!"

The air exploded with energy.

Wu Jian dashed forward, his sword like a streak of lightning, clashing with the Crimson leader's flaming blade. Sparks erupted, heat rolling through the arena.

Lan Yue followed, her strikes elegant but deadly, each movement fluid like a flowing river cutting through fire.

Li Ming inhaled deeply, forming a seal with his fingers. "Golden Vein Burst!"

Energy flared under his feet, golden lines surging across the ground. A pillar of light shot upward, blocking two Crimson disciples from flanking Wu Jian.

"Not bad!" Wu Jian shouted mid-swing.

Li Ming grinned. I learned from the best… and Bai Guo's accidents.

Xue Yan raised both hands, forming ice-like shields that shimmered under the flames. "Hold steady!"

The Crimson disciples unleashed fiery spears, but they shattered against her wall of frost.

Then, one of the Crimson disciples spun his spear, energy flaring red-hot. "Flame Spiral!"

A tornado of fire raced toward Li Ming.

He reacted instinctively, channeling his Qi outward. "Spirit Step—shift!"

The air cracked, and his form blurred. He reappeared beside Wu Jian, the heat grazing past him.

Wu Jian's eyes flicked sideways. "You almost roasted me."

"You're welcome!" Li Ming shot back.

The crowd roared as the two teams clashed again—steel against flame, frost against fury.

Lan Yue's sword collided with the enemy leader's once more, sending a shockwave rippling across the arena. Dust flew.

The referee raised a protective barrier around the platform. The power being unleashed was no longer just for show—it was dangerous.

Li Ming's arms trembled slightly, but his eyes stayed clear. He could feel it—his energy was stabilizing better than ever before.

Lan Yue shouted, "Li Ming, now—combine your strike with Wu Jian's!"

Without hesitation, Li Ming poured his Qi into his palm, condensing it into a glowing sphere. Wu Jian swung his sword at the same time, both attacks fusing in a blinding flash.

"Dual Crescent Strike!"

The combined force hit the Crimson front line directly, sending two disciples flying off the stage.

The crowd erupted.

"Azure Sky scores two eliminations!" the referee announced.

Bai Guo pumped his fist in the air. "That's how it's done, descendant!"

But the celebration didn't last long.

The Crimson leader stepped forward, fury blazing in his eyes. "You'll regret that!"

His energy surged—the temperature spiked instantly. The ground beneath them began to melt.

Li Ming gritted his teeth. This guy… he's way above the others!

Lan Yue raised her sword, her aura glowing silver-blue. "Form up! Don't let him divide us!"

The enemy leader smirked, crimson flames wrapping around him like a storm. "Divide you? I'll burn you all together."

He vanished.

Li Ming barely had time to react before a searing blade came crashing toward him. He raised his arm to block, energy surging, the impact shaking his bones.

Wu Jian appeared behind the enemy in an instant, striking fast—but the leader twisted midair, catching Wu Jian's sword between two fingers.

Li Ming's eyes widened. "What the—"

With a single motion, the Crimson leader flung Wu Jian backward, his aura bursting like an inferno.

Lan Yue lunged forward, slashing upward with her full force. "Azure Moon Slash!"

The attack tore through the arena, meeting the Crimson flame head-on. The explosion shook the sky.

When the light faded, both fighters stood at opposite ends, breathing heavily.

The audience held their breath.

Li Ming slowly stood back up, sweat rolling down his forehead. He's strong… but not unbeatable.

He steadied himself, Qi flaring golden once again.

"Alright," he muttered, eyes sharp. "Let's see whose flame burns brighter."

The Crimson leader grinned. "Come, boy. Show me if the Azure Sky has any bite left."

And then—both of them charged.

The second clash of power shook the entire platform.

----

The mountain shook again as Li Ming's fist met the Crimson leader's burning sword. Sparks flew, a blinding mix of gold and red.

The crowd gasped—each blow sent shockwaves through the barrier around the arena.

Lan Yue moved in like lightning, her blade flashing between them, intercepting a counterstrike that would've sliced through Li Ming's arm.

"Focus, Li Ming! Don't lose your rhythm!"

He gritted his teeth, forcing his breathing to steady. "I'm not! Just… maybe my bones are!"

Bai Guo, still in human form, summoned a burst of spiritual energy, spreading glowing talismans through the air.

"Binding Seal—Feather Lock!"

Golden feathers surrounded the Crimson leader, spinning like chains. For a moment, it worked—his movement slowed, his flames dimmed.

"Now!" Lan Yue commanded.

Li Ming and Wu Jian charged together, blades and fists glowing.

Li Ming's attack was raw and fast; Wu Jian's, sharp and calculated.

For the first time, they moved perfectly in sync.

Their strikes crossed—one golden, one silver—and smashed into the Crimson leader's chest.

The impact blasted him backward, flames scattering across the arena. He landed hard, his sword skidding away.

The referee raised his hand. "Crimson Blade Sect leader—out of bounds!"

The audience erupted in cheers.

"Azure Sky Sect wins the first round!"

The energy barrier faded, and the air finally cooled.

Li Ming dropped to one knee, panting heavily. Bai Guo clapped him on the back. "Not bad, descendant. You didn't explode anything this time."

"Thanks," Li Ming muttered, half-dizzy. "Progress."

Wu Jian crossed his arms, expression unreadable. "Don't get cocky. This was just one battle."

Li Ming smiled faintly. "Maybe. But we won it together."

Wu Jian gave a small huff and walked away, though a flicker of respect crossed his face.

Lan Yue sheathed her sword, her voice calm but proud. "Good work, everyone. This victory means Azure Sky is moving to the next stage."

The crowd's cheers rolled like thunder across the arena.

Disciples waved banners. Elder cultivators nodded from the stands.

But as the excitement grew, Li Ming's gaze drifted to the mountain in the distance. For a moment, he felt… uneasy.

Something pulsed faintly in his chest, a flicker of unfamiliar energy. He frowned. Strange. Why now?

Lan Yue noticed his expression. "Li Ming, what's wrong?"

"Nothing… probably just tired." He forced a smile.

But Bai Guo's eyes narrowed. "That wasn't ordinary exhaustion. I felt it too—something brushed through your aura."

Before Li Ming could reply, the tournament announcer's voice boomed across the arena:

"The next round will begin tomorrow morning! Prepare yourselves—teams will be randomized for the second stage!"

Lan Yue blinked. "Randomized?"

Bai Guo scratched his head. "That's new. They're changing the rules mid-tournament?"

Wu Jian stopped at the edge of the platform, voice low. "This isn't normal."

Suddenly, a messenger rushed in, pale and shaking. He bowed before Lan Yue.

"Elder Lan Yue! The Sect Master requests your team immediately—something urgent has happened!"

Li Ming frowned. "Urgent? What now?"

The messenger hesitated. "It's… about the next stage of the tournament."

Bai Guo tilted his head. "What about it?"

The messenger swallowed. "The tournament's host has been… attacked."

The entire team froze.

Lan Yue's grip tightened on her sword. "Attacked? By who?"

Before he could answer, the sky darkened. Clouds gathered unnaturally fast above the arena.

The referee shouted for protection barriers, but it was too late—

A single streak of light tore through the clouds and struck the mountain beyond the sects.

A massive shockwave rippled outward, shaking the ground.

Li Ming's body instinctively flared with Qi as he shielded Xue Yan from debris. "What was that?!"

From the explosion's center, a crimson aura surged into the air—dense, cold, and overwhelming.

Lan Yue's face turned pale. "That energy… that's not a cultivator."

Wu Jian took a cautious step back. "Then what is it?"

The light faded. And from the smoke, a tall figure emerged—its form blurry, wrapped in blood-red mist.

The crowd fell silent.

Bai Guo's voice cracked slightly. "No way… that's impossible…"

Li Ming clenched his fists, a cold shiver running down his spine. "Who is that?"

Lan Yue's eyes hardened. "That… is no participant."

The figure's voice echoed across the sky—deep, distant, and terrifyingly calm.

"Azure Sky Sect… your victory was impressive."

It paused, then smiled faintly through the mist.

"Let's see how long you can keep it."

The air grew heavy. Even the wind seemed to stop.

Li Ming's pulse thundered in his ears. "That… doesn't sound like a referee."

The next instant, the figure's red eyes glowed—

—and the ground beneath them cracked open.

To be continued...