The Shining Star Above The Heaven

The sun was already high in the sky, and the heat from it was quite strong. This month had already entered summer, so it was not surprising that the sun felt much hotter than in previous months. However, despite the heat, it did not lessen the enthusiasm of the people surrounding the stadium or those across the continent who were watching the tournament.

The large projectors that displayed the tournament were always placed in wide open grounds so people could gather to watch together. Not all of them had something to shield themselves from the sun's heat. For cultivators, they could adjust their bodies to adapt to the hot temperature, but for mortals without cultivation, they could only endure the heat normally.

The ones inside the stadium were the most comfortable, as they were covered by the roof, and the stadium also had a temperature regulator that could adjust the entire arena's climate. At this moment, the stadium had already reached its full capacity in both the normal spectators' area and the VIP section.

There were still a few vacant VVIP rooms, but those were truly expensive, and not many people could afford them. With the situation like this, those who managed to reserve a place inside the stadium were considered the lucky ones.

Their spirited cheers echoed across the stadium as the viscount category came to an end and the earl stage category was finally about to begin.

"To the earl stage participants, please step onto the arena and pick your number." Orlav's voice resounded, followed by another wave of cheers from the crowd. The bustling voices of the many spectators, along with the announcement, stirred Zander from his cultivation. He slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the arena.

He took a deep breath before making one huge leap, landing directly in the arena. Walking calmly toward the box placed in front of Orlav, he cast a glance at Kang Yongjin, who was already much closer to the box, waiting for his turn to draw a number. Zander wondered if he would have to face this man much earlier than expected.

He then turned his eyes to the other participants. Their expressions seemed tense as they waited for their turns to draw. One after another, they reached into the box, pulled out a ball, and showed it to Orlav. As usual, Orlav announced the number along with the name of the participant. After some time, it was finally Kang Yongjin's turn.

He seemed not to care and simply put his hand inside the box. However, all of the participants were watching him with even more tense expressions. Their faces seemed to say that none of them wanted to face this monster yet. Their hearts beat faster, and when Kang Yongjin showed the ball to Orlav, Orlav shouted,

"Kang Yongjin, number Seventeen!"

One of the projectors displaying the draw results immediately showed Kang Yongjin in slot number Seventeen, and he already had an opponent waiting in that slot. The spectators who saw it grew even more excited, while the participants let out sighs of relief, except for a man.

The moment he realized who his opponent was, his heart turned cold, and he cursed his bad luck. Of all people, he had to face Kang Yongjin in the very first battle. It was truly infuriating!

Kang Yongjin's opponent was from the Vanreimer family, a noble house of the Vindas Kingdom. His father was one of the dukes, renowned throughout the kingdom. The family was known for using spears as their signature weapons, which was why a spear was strapped across his back.

He knew his limits, and from the beginning he had truly hoped not to be paired with Kang Yongjin or that masked man called Mister Z. However, as if the heavens wanted him to face hardship from the start, his very first opponent turned out to be Kang Yongjin.

Still, he kept his displeasure to himself. Although he was facing a giant wall in his first fight, he would not bring shame to his family. He would give his best, and maybe, just maybe, he could break through that wall called Kang Yongjin.

The spectators, meanwhile, grew more uproarious. Most of them did not want Kang Yongjin and Zander to meet so early. In their minds, many already considered the two of them as finalists. For such a fight to happen at this stage felt disappointing. They wanted to see them clash in the final, where both would truly unleash everything they had to seize the champion's title.

Zander, who glanced at the projector and saw that Kang Yongjin already had an opponent, did not react much. However, deep down he felt relieved that he would not have to face Kang Yongjin so soon. If they met earlier, he imagined he would be forced to use every hidden card he had, which would put him at a disadvantage in the later rounds.

There was always the possibility that he might lose, but even if he won, his next opponent would already know what he was capable of. On top of that, his condition might not be as fresh as before. He knew that fighting Kang Yongjin would not be easy, and his body would have to endure Kang Yongjin's powerful strikes. If that happened, his next opponent could take advantage of his weakened state.

He turned his head forward again as it was almost time for his turn. The participant before him drew a number, and then at last, it was his turn. Zander stepped in front of the box, and without hesitation, he reached in and took out a ball.

At this moment, only two vacant slots remained, number three and number thirteen, which meant Zander would already have an opponent no matter which slot he drew. His two possible opponents waited with tense expressions, their eyes fixed on Zander without a blink.

When he pulled out the ball and showed it to Orlav, both of their hearts skipped a beat before Orlav's voice resounded through the arena.

"Mister Z, number three!" The moment Orlav announced it, one of the participants let out a sigh of relief, while the other could only sigh in resignation. The one who would face Zander was a descendant of Duke Arim from the Atria Kingdom.

His family had stood among the opposition forces of the former Prince Wilmar, and he himself possessed extensive battle experience. During the civil war, he had fought alongside his family and gained plenty of battlefield knowledge.

However, despite his experience, he still had to admit that this battle against Mister Z would be far more difficult. In the war, he had faced many kinds of strong opponents, yet most of them could be dealt with through strategy and troop coordination.

Facing someone who had already comprehended sword will in a one-on-one battle was an entirely different challenge. This would be his first time fighting such an opponent in this kind of setting.

After a few moments, all of the earl stage participants had finally drawn their slots.

"Alright, let's begin the round of the earl stage category! Other than number one, Rick Saymond, and number two, Arentinus Corelis, please leave the arena," Orlav announced.

After the other participants left the arena, only the two fighters remained. Zander, seated in the waiting area, focused on observing the match that was about to begin. The two contestants stood at a distance of five hundred meters from each other.

Both Rick and Arentinus wielded swords, though of different kinds. Rick carried a one-handed arming sword, while Arentinus used a longsword. Their expressions were solemn, and the moment Orlav gave the signal—

"The battle begins!"

—they instantly vanished from their positions and reappeared at the center of their battle area.

TRANG!

Their swords clashed, releasing a violent gust of wind that swept through their surroundings. Yet neither stopped. Both pressed forward, and moments later their strikes flowed without pause. With his arming sword, Rick held the advantage in speed and attack variation over Arentinus. That much was expected, since a longsword was heavier and larger than an arming sword.

However, Arentinus could still swing his sword with surprising speed despite its size. His bulky frame also helped him control the weapon easily, and the power behind each of his strikes far exceeded Rick's.

Feeling that he did not have a significant advantage, Rick decided to use his elemental comprehension. While continuing his sword attacks, he suddenly stomped the ground, and a wave of earth surging forward. The impact caused Arentinus to nearly lose his footing as the ground beneath him shifted.

But Arentinus quickly countered, using his mastery of wind laws to propel himself into the air while lifting his sword with both hands. Rick followed him into the air, unleashing another strike mid-leap.

Storm Bringer!

Sky Sword First Form: Splitting Air!

Arentinus unleashed a massive slash energy, sending a wave of wind so strong that it could injure anyone caught in it. Rick, meanwhile, slashed repeatedly in quick succession, a few of his own slash energy colliding with Arentinus's attack.

A moment later, their attacks met.

Dung!

Whooosh!

A dull sound rang out at the initial impact. Arentinus's slash energy still pushed forward, but with each clash against Rick's, it gradually lost momentum until it finally dissipated.

Arentinus landed on the ground as his attack neutralized. Rick followed swiftly using his movement technique, closing the distance instantly.

Their battle was far from over!