The long black haired youth clad in scruffy, yet presentable robes had disappeared into the crowd as quickly as he had collided with Mei Ling. The Xi clan boy didn’t seem to want to stick around and she never caught his name, but the token he showed her and Hu Men probably meant that he was at least a descendent of the Xi clan who just didn’t want a lot of attention brought to him on the street. At least that is what Mei Ling would do if she was in the town surrounding her Iron Tortoise sect.
After having calmed down she realized that he was mildly attractive, but she didn’t feel a lot of energy coming from him which meant he was either adept at concealing it or low cultivation level. The youth possessed a subtle allure, yet his aura lacked the vigor typical of cultivators. One way or another she would learn more about him that was certain.
“Miss Mei, it's time to prepare for the tournament. Your father wishes to recruit disciples aligned with our sect's practices.”
Hu Men, Mei Ling's long-serving protector, bore a towering presence that contrasted with his gentle demeanor.
"Let's proceed. I'm intrigued by that boy's potential," Mei Ling agreed.
"Should he belong to the Xi clan, it might complicate matters," Hu Men cautioned.
"When has that ever deterred us?" Mei Ling retorted, determination gleaming in her eyes. Hu Men merely grunted in response.
Xi City sprawled across expansive terrain, dwarfing the modest surroundings of the Iron Tortoise sect. Among the few sects permitted operation within Xi clan territories, the Iron Tortoise Sect held authority granted by the patriarch. Renowned for their focus on Iron and Adamantite core methodologies, they catered primarily to rogue cultivators drawn to body-centric training. This ensured they were not seen as direct competitors to the Xi clan which enabled them to keep their place.
With their special passes they entered the arena through the VIP entrance and found their seats. “Hu Men, find a few promising talents who haven’t formed their cores yet. Watch the matches closely. I will get into the later rounds and see if any of the higher level contestants I can win over.”
Hu Men knew what to do well this was his third trip here recruiting for the sect. Mei Ling was here to be the younger generation representative of her father’s sect. Mei Ling hadn’t formed her core yet despite being extremely close she hadn’t pushed herself over the edge to break through into the Core formation realm.
Her father ranked among the continent's foremost Adamantite core practitioners. However, Mei Ling's physical attributes didn't align with the prerequisites of this cultivation path. While typical Adamantite practitioners boasted a robust, muscular build—primarily favoring men—Mei Ling stood as the antithesis, small and petite. Her father, with no other heirs, had earnestly hoped she might grow into this method. Yet, despite her ability to deliver force surpassing her stature, she never was able to absorb the amount of energy into her muscle and bones well enough to be talented in it. Simply put, she was too small.
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Despite her potential lag in cultivation progress, Mei Ling harbored no doubts about her capability to advance to the upper echelons. Her father’s meticulous training had honed her skills impeccably.
“Mei Ling?” a familiar voice called out from beside her.
A familiar voice sliced through the ambient chatter, drawing Mei Ling's attention. Standing beside her was the last person she anticipated encountering. Before her stood a girl of her age, her long black hair pulled away from her face. "Xi Biyu! Surprised to see you here so soon," Mei Ling greeted with a trace of astonishment.
Xi Biyu lived not far from her sect and therefore her family visited her father fairly frequently since they were of the same generation. Mei Ling and Xi Biyu could be called childhood friends, but they had grown apart in recent years. Xi Biyu, seemingly blessed with innate talent in cultivation, had never encountered the hurdles that plagued Mei Ling. Whether she knew or not they drifted apart and Mei Ling never had the inclination to confront the issue and so she stopped writing letters or visiting a few years ago.
“It is lovely to see you! It has been a few years since and you look the same!”
Mei Ling couldn’t help but glance at her still fairly flat chest; it felt like two daggers had impaled her heart. Most of the other girls their age had begun to become women already and she was still as small as ever. Being small even for a non-adamantite practitioner didn’t help her at all.
“Yeah…I’ve been busy the last few years. It is good to see you too!” Mei Ling scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
Xi Biyu hooked Mei Ling’s arm and pulled her over. “I look forward to what you are able to do even if we end up competitors. What Core did you develop? I’m sure it was Iron or Adamantite since you always practiced such methods.”
"I-I haven't formed my core yet," Mei Ling admitted, averting her gaze as a blush tinged her cheeks.
Xi Biyu, sensing her misstep, coughed lightly. "I'm certain you're on the brink of a breakthrough. I recently achieved a Zephyrite core."
Mei Ling felt slightly encouraged that she wasn’t too far behind, but it still didn’t feel amazing either to know her childhood friend had a direction to take. Perhaps this tournament could show everyone including her father she was stronger than she looked.
On another side of the arena, a faction of disciples engaged in spirited discussions, their fervor for cultivation evident in their animated gestures. Their eagerness to prove themselves palpable, sparking a silent admiration within Mei Ling. Despite their varying levels of expertise, the fire in their eyes revealed a shared ambition—to excel and make a mark in the tournament. Biyu would certainly be one of the top talents for their age group this year and Mei Ling had to perform also.