The jade that Princess Mei caught shimmered brilliantly—number one.
Without a word, she turned and walked towards Ring 1, her steps light as feathers yet full of force. Even before the matches began, a subtle pressure surrounded her—a cold aura that kept the other participants from stepping too close.
As for Yue Ling, she glanced at her own jade.
"Number 149... Ring 3?" she muttered with a frown. "Tch. We're not in the same ring? So unfair…"
One by one, participants headed to their respective battle arenas, each ring glowing with protective barriers and enchantments.
Within moments, all five rings were filled—except Ring 3.
Yue Ling stood outside, hands behind her back, gazing up at the invisible shield like it had offended her.
Butler San, watching from a distance, couldn't help but sigh.
"Young Miss, just use your spiritual qi and enter—why do you have to make everything dramatic?"
Yue Ling pouted.
"If nobody wants to help me in, then someone should at least throw me in... I don't want to be late!"
Just then, a snarky voice rang out from the waiting crowd near Ring 3.
"So annoying. If nobody helps you, then stay out!"
It was contestant Number 160, a young lady with sharp eyes and sharper tongue. She raised her palm, gathering spiritual energy in a swirling blue light, then hurled it toward Yue Ling—not to help her in, but to slam her out.
The crowd gasped. Even Butler San stepped forward in alarm.
But just as the blast was about to hit Yue Ling—
GBAM!
A loud, bone-rattling thud echoed across the arena.
Dust exploded into the air outside Ring 3 as Number 160 was suddenly sent flying backwards. Her body hit the ground like a rag doll, rolling several times before coming to a stop.
Silence.
Heads turned.
All eyes locked on Yue Ling, who stood where she was—one finger still casually raised.
"Ehh? I only used one finger to flick her away," she said innocently, tilting her head. "How come she flew like a bird? And you're from the Snake Tribe too…?"
Laughter erupted from the audience.
Contestants in all five rings tried to hold it in, but snickers and chuckles slipped out.
The girl who had attacked her—now crawling up from the ground—turned beet red in embarrassment. She had meant to teach Yue Ling a lesson, not be humiliated before the crowd.
But beneath the shame, she shuddered. That "flick" had nearly broken her ribs. Had she not instinctively shielded herself, she might have died.
She clenched her fists and hissed:
"I'll never mess with her again..."
And then... It began.
A blinding flash of light marked the official start of the first round.
Five rings. Three hundred cultivators. No turning back.
Ring 1 – The Ring of Ice
Everyone kept their distance from Princess Mei. Not a single soul dared to charge at her.
Why?
Because her spiritual pressure was like a glacier pressing on their souls. Some even stumbled just standing near her.
A tall, proud man finally stepped forward.
"I'm not afraid of you, Princess or not!" he roared—and dashed toward her.
But before he could close the gap—
He stopped.
Eyes wide. Mouth open.
And then… he fell unconscious.
All she had done was look at him.
The entire ring went still again. Some participants began fighting each other just to avoid fighting her.
Princess Mei simply stood there, her arms crossed, eyes closed, not lifting a finger.
Ring 2 – The Blood Arena
This was the most brutal and unforgiving ring—fists flying, qi blasting, weapons slashing.
But amidst the chaos stood a single boy.
Tall, calm, and surrounded by shattered ground—Bao.
No one dared to get within ten feet of him.
A thick aura swirled around his body like a living storm, and every time someone got close, they were thrown back with a violent gust. He didn't even move.
One man tried to challenge him from behind—Bao flicked a stone at his forehead.
Boom.
Out cold.
"He's too dangerous…"
"Don't provoke Bao!"
Even the most aggressive cultivators fought each other just to stay far away from him.
Ring 3 – The Realm of Mischief
Yue Ling finally stepped into the ring, all eyes watching her.
She skipped—literally skipped—into the center and smiled.
"Alright! Who's first~?"
Five cultivators stepped forward together, confident they could overpower the strange little figure.
They surrounded her, weapons drawn.
She yawned.
Then with a gentle flick of her wrist, she created a soft ripple of wind.
WHOOSH—
All five were blown out of the ring like feathers in a storm.
Gasps filled the air.
"Was that... spiritual qi?"
"Did she even form a seal?"
"What kind of technique was that?!"
More people stepped forward... cautiously.
But after a few more flicks, and watching six more contestants fly like paper dolls, everyone stopped.
One boy whispered:
"She's... not human."
No one dared challenge her again. The rest simply fought among themselves, giving Yue Ling a wide berth.
She sat cross-legged in the middle of the ring and sighed.
"So boring. My disguise is making them think I'm some kind of God."
She looked down at her plain robes and childish mask.
"I should change it for the next fight…"
Ring 4 – The Silent Mountain Ring
Unlike the name, this ring buzzed with tension—no beast tamers here yet, but fierce elemental cultivators with sharp techniques.
But no one shone brighter—or stood more alone—than Yize.
A youth with long silver hair tied in a high knot, standing completely still with his hands clasped behind him.
His robe carried the emblem of Elder Jin Feng, a powerful elder known throughout the cultivation world.
Yes—Yize was his grandson.
And it showed.
The very ground beneath his feet hummed with suppressed energy. Those foolish enough to test him had already been gently flicked out of the ring—without him even opening his eyes.
Now, no one approached.
"He's just like his grandfather…"
"We're not getting near that monster."
So they turned on each other, while Yize stood still like a mountain, untouched, unbothered.
Ring 5 – The Ring of Shadows
This ring was quiet—not because of peace, but because of fear.
Everyone avoided two figures moving in perfect synchrony: a boy and a girl. Twins.
Their names were Jia and Chen.
One dressed in black, the other in white.
Jia moved with silent strikes—swift and precise. Chen followed with mirrored steps, weaving defensive illusions and suppressing auras.
They moved like yin and yang. Shadows and light.
Whenever someone tried to ambush one—the other was already there, countering.
They didn't speak. They didn't hesitate. They didn't let anyone breathe.
Three cultivators were tossed out before they even realized what hit them.
One elder watching from the high platform narrowed his eyes.
"Those twins... what clan are they from again?"
"None. They were raised by the Silent Sect," another replied.
"No wonder…"
The rest of the ring? They all understood one thing:
Don't provoke the twins.
Yes, that's a sharp thought—it'll give more depth and highlight the intensity of the competition beyond just Yue Ling and Princess Mei. Let's revise that final part to include the names of the other prodigies, whispered like rising legends.
From the high stands, elders, sect leaders, and nobles observed with sharp eyes.
Each ring had begun to reveal its monster.
The air buzzed with awe and quiet murmurs that spread like wildfire among the spectators.
"That girl in white… That's Princess Mei, isn't it?"
"She froze someone with a stare. Not even a seal…"
"Did you see the masked one in Ring 3? Yue Ling. Just a flick of her hand!"
"I swear I saw her flick five people like dried leaves…"
"And Bao—did you see the way he knocked a man out with a stone?"
"He didn't even touch him."
"Don't forget Yize—Elder Jin Feng's grandson. No one dared look him in the eye."
"Those twins in Ring 5… Jia and Chen. They move like one soul."
"Yin and Yang..."
So many names. So many monsters.
And yet, the arena was still full of hidden powers waiting to rise.
"Who'll survive the next round?"
"Who'll fall...?"