NOVEL NEXT Chapter 98: After the storm
The battlefield was gone.
What remained was silence—broken walls, scorched trees, and the faint hum of fading Qi.
Li Ming stood among the ruins, hair messy, robes singed. The wind carried the smell of smoke and burnt stone. He sighed. "So much for a quiet day."
Bai Guo perched on a broken pillar, wings drooping. "Quiet? You split a mountain again."
Li Ming groaned. "Can we not make that a habit?"
Lan Yue passed by, sword sheathed, expression calm but eyes tired. "You fought well. But you should rest. The Sect Healers have their hands full."
He nodded and glanced at the horizon. Crimson clouds still hung faintly above the mountains—remnants of the battle. "We won… but at a cost."
Around them, disciples hurried to rebuild. Broken platforms were lifted by Qi. Cracked walls mended themselves under glowing formation lines. The Sect Master moved from group to group, his presence steadying the chaos.
Wu Jian crossed the courtyard, bandages wrapped around his arm. He smirked. "Not bad, lightning boy. You actually pulled your weight."
Li Ming smirked back. "You didn't faint. I'm proud of you too."
"Don't push it."
---
Later that evening, the Sect Master gathered the inner disciples at the main pavilion. The air buzzed faintly with tension—and pride.
"You've defended Azure Sky with honor," he said, voice firm but warm. "But the world will not rest. The Grand Tournament's third round is about to begin. Our sect will enter as one of the top 20."
A wave of murmurs swept the crowd.
Li Ming's eyes widened slightly. Top 20… after all that?
Bai Guo whistled. "Guess we're moving up in the world, huh?"
The Sect Master continued, "The next round will not be simple duels. It will test coordination—five-man team battles. You will face sects far older and richer than ours. But after what I've seen…" He looked toward Li Ming, Lan Yue, Wu Jian, Xue Yan, and Bai Guo. "…I believe you're ready."
Xue Yan grinned, flicking a speck of ash from her sleeve. "Finally! Something that doesn't involve fireballs in my face."
Li Ming deadpanned. "Don't jinx it."
Lan Yue smiled faintly. "She just did."
---
Night fell.
Azure Sky's peaks glowed softly under the moonlight. Disciples rested, laughed quietly, or mended robes torn in battle. For once, there was peace.
Li Ming sat on the edge of the platform, staring at the stars. Bai Guo landed beside him in his smaller form.
"You're thinking too much again," the bird said.
"Just… realizing how far we've come," Li Ming replied. "When I first joined, I couldn't even control my Qi properly. Now…"
"Now you make fireworks with your face," Bai Guo said proudly. "Progress."
Li Ming chuckled softly. "Yeah. Progress."
He leaned back, closing his eyes. For a moment, the world was quiet. No enemies. No fire. Just wind.
Tomorrow, training would begin again.
And soon after that—the third round.
But tonight, Azure Sky rested under the stars it had earned.
---
Morning sunlight bathed the repaired platforms of Azure Sky Sect.
Flags fluttered. Qi shimmered faintly in the air — tense, charged, alive.
Li Ming adjusted his robe, exhaling slowly. "So this is it… the third round."
Bai Guo flapped onto his shoulder. "Yep. Five against five. No breaks, no running, and probably no sense left by the end."
Lan Yue approached, her calm presence steadying the group. "Remember — unity matters more than strength this time."
Wu Jian scoffed. "Unity, huh? I'll try not to hit lightning boy by accident."
Li Ming smirked. "Try harder."
Xue Yan stretched her arms lazily. "If you two finish flirting, can we start?"
Both turned at once. "We're not—!"
She grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Let's win."
---
The arena for the Grand Sect Tournament's next round was vast — a suspended platform surrounded by floating stones and glowing barriers. The roar of countless cultivators echoed from the sky seats around them.
The referee's voice boomed: "Azure Sky Sect versus Ironheart Pavilion!"
A tremor of excitement ran through the air.
Opposite them, five Ironheart disciples stepped forward — their skin gleaming faintly like polished stone. They radiated sheer physical power.
Li Ming muttered, "Great… we got the muscle sect."
Bai Guo rubbed his temples. "You're lightning, not a hammer. Don't punch rocks."
---
The bell rang.
Instantly, Ironheart's frontliner charged — a blur of motion and stone fists. The ground cracked under his steps.
Wu Jian stepped up, flames bursting around him. "He's mine!"
Fire met stone. Their clash sent shockwaves across the arena.
Behind them, two Ironheart disciples raised spears infused with earth Qi, launching spikes across the field.
Lan Yue's sword danced — each swing slicing through incoming attacks before they touched her teammates. "Focus! Don't scatter!"
Xue Yan's hands glowed bright pink, forming chains of condensed energy that wrapped around an opponent's arm. "Got one!"
Li Ming shot upward, lightning sparking across his blade. He looked down, grin flashing. "Time for some thunder!"
He sliced through the air, his attack splitting into arcs that struck the ground like bolts — stunning three enemies at once.
Bai Guo whooped. "Descendant! That's the good kind of explosion!"
"Thanks!" Li Ming yelled back. "Let's keep it that way!"
---
For a moment, it looked like Azure Sky held the upper hand — until the Ironheart leader slammed his palms into the platform.
The entire arena trembled.
Massive stone arms burst from the floor, grabbing Li Ming and Wu Jian midair.
"Hey!" Li Ming shouted. "Unfair! That's terrain abuse!"
Wu Jian snarled, fire erupting from his fists. "Break free!"
The stone cracked, and Li Ming spun, blasting lightning downward. "Thunder Strike!"
He shattered the construct, landing beside Lan Yue with a roll. "Any ideas?"
She met his gaze, eyes calm. "Just one. Combine."
He blinked. "Combine what?"
Before he could ask again, she stepped forward, her sword glowing with icy-blue Qi. "Your lightning. My flow."
He smirked. "Alright, let's make it flashy."
They moved as one — lightning wrapped in flowing swordlight, slicing through the Ironheart team like a storm-tide wave.
One by one, the enemies fell, their defenses shattered.
---
When the dust settled, only the Ironheart leader stood, panting. He raised his arm, gathering the last of his Qi.
"Not done yet!" he roared.
Li Ming raised his sword, breathing hard. "Then let's finish this properly."
He pushed his energy to the limit — arcs of lightning spun around him, merging with Lan Yue's calm blade aura.
"Azure Sky Dual Art — Skyflow Thunder!" they shouted together.
The combined strike hit like a crashing waterfall of light.
The shockwave threw everyone back.
When the glow faded, the Ironheart leader was on his knees, his weapon shattered.
Silence fell.
Then — the referee raised his hand. "Winner — Azure Sky Sect!"
---
The crowd erupted.
Banners waved, disciples cheered, and Bai Guo puffed his chest proudly. "That's how my descendant does it!"
Xue Yan laughed, collapsing on the ground. "Remind me never to stand next to you two when you do that move again."
Wu Jian smirked faintly. "Hmph. Not bad… for lightning boy."
Li Ming grinned. "You too, firebrain."
Lan Yue's lips curved in a small smile. "Good teamwork."
For a moment, the team stood there — tired, bruised, but smiling under the sky.
The announcer's voice echoed through the air:
"Azure Sky Sect advances to the final rounds!"
Li Ming looked up at the sky, heart steady, Qi still humming through his veins.
They'd done it.
The path ahead was still long, but for now—
—they had won.
To be continued...