Xi Biyu stepped into the large room where merely two other people around her own age waited as well. The room was fairly large with large furniture. Two of the youth, a boy and girl who she assumed were children of her uncle the youngest of the Patriarch’s sons and her direct cousins. Despite being opposite gender they looked nearly identical and were twins a year younger than herself.

From what she could sense neither had yet formed their core, but they both seemed to be well on their way to forming it.

“Welcome children” a mature, but still youthful sounding voice came out. From behind a screen emerged a woman who looked strikingly like her own mother. Jin Nuan the youngest wife of the Patriarch and their grandmother.

Bowing in unison they cupped their hands “We grandchildren, great grandmother!”

Waving at them to end the formalities she sat across from them. “Come then introduce yourselves and let me see what my bratty children have produced!”

Xi Biyu didn’t hesitate and stepped forward since she was eldest; it was natural for her to go first. “Greetings grandmother, I am Xi Biyu.”

“Ah Ninger’s brat. Good to see you at least got our good looks. I was never too fond of your father’s features.” Jin Nuan said absentmindedly.

Xi Biyu’s face twitched; it turned out her grandmother happened to be very superficial. “Thank you. I guess.”

Looking at her nonchalantly Jin Nuan nodded satisfied “Zephryrite core? That is a rare one in these parts, but not so rare in my family. I’m glad someone inherited my family's core even if not my own. Spit it out tell me when you broke into core formation.”

“Only a week ago roughly.”

Jin Nuan smiled “lucky for you I happen to still have a few cultivation methods that are decent for someone with a Zephryrite core. It will be far more useful than those silly ruby based Xi clan methods.”

Not bothering to wait, her head snapped over to the other two. “You two brats must be the twins from my son.”

“Yes. I am Xi Hong and this is my younger brother Xi Rong.” Xi Hong introduced both of them.

“We are the same age! Why do you always do that!” her brother grumbled.

“Neither of you have entered the core formation yet, but I can sense strong water and fire energies from you both respectively. I suspect you will see those manifest in a year.”

Jin Nuan smiled brightly “I was thinking that my grandchildren might lag behind the others, but it doesn’t appear you guys will.”

Xi Biyu blushed slightly at the compliment. Her grandmother was originally from a branch family of the Jin family who ruled the Jin empire. It was obviously a political marriage that Xi Zongde her grandfather had desired to try and placate their expansionist tendencies. Despite that she was one of the strongest cultivators in the Xi clan currently easily within the top twenty. Sapphire core was the second most common core found among the Xi Clan making that feat all the more impressive.

“Now. You three will stay with me for the rest of your time here and I will be training you for this week up to the tournament.” Jin Nuan smiled kindly, but behind the smile Xi Biyu sensed something malevolent sending a shiver up her spine.

In her heart she felt like she might be in for some suffering the next few days.\

…

A spear came cruising through the air around it the air seemed to warp as if it was assisting the spear to go faster than normally possible. Its direction was heading towards a wall of men all armored with a similar golden painted leather. Opposing them was a similarly dressed wall of men.

The spear impacted the first man immediately ripping through the shield as if it didn’t exist and slammed through the next three men impaling and instantly killing them.

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The man who threw it wore golden armor with a red plum that cascaded down from the top. In his hand was a longsword with a zephryrite gemstone imbedded into the hilt. The zephryrite was clear with streaks of a milky white color. Those who had a Zephryrite core could manipulate the wind to a terrifying degree.

Jin Luen was the crown prince of the Grand Jin Empire. He was mildly irritated that he had been sent to quell a rebellion of sorts. He had much greater things to attend to besides these people.

A feeling to dread over took the rebels. As the imperial army descended.

Jin Luen's eyes scanned for his prize as the chaos of the battle took hold.

A whip of water came from his peripheral vision and grazed the front of his chest piece leaving a slight scuff. If it had been a direct hit he may have actually wounded him.

“Jin Luen! I am surprised the Emperor sent you.” From amidst the chaos an elderly man came out with a long white wispy beard.

“Elder Qin of the Sapphire Temple sect.” Jin Luen was greatly annoyed at this man in particular. “When does and old dog know it is beaten? What use is this rebellion? You led these men here to die!”

The old man sneered showing his long yellow almost rat-like teeth. “You Jin imperials are filled with hubris! We capitulated with the understanding of autonomy! Yet we are taxed into poverty and our best young cultivators were brought away from us!”

Jin Luen sighed “your foolishness will cost you your life.”

“Boy, you may be a rising young talent, but you are barely taking your first steps into the Xian Realm! While I have been a Xian Realm practitioner for nearly two hundred years!” the man's rat like face was repulsive to look at.

“I don't want to waste more time on qwelling this rebellion. If you Surrender the dissolution of your sect will be all that is done and you can go be a hermit cultivator for the last of your miserable life.”

*tch*

*tch*

Elder Qin snickered “Once I hand your head on a silver plate to the New Dawn they will protect me and the sect. Jin will be in for a rude awakening.”

Jin Luen frowned upon hearing about New Dawn. It was a rising power in the east and the main rival of their empire on Sosea.

They had absorbed many powers in recent years. Clashes were inevitable, but he was surprised they were willing to try and subvert recently conquered territory from them so blatantly.

“Enough talk.” Jin Luen raised his longsword and readied himself. “It is time for people long past their time to retire.”

Elder Qin opened a small gord letting a small stream of water to spill. Immediately he began to form several orbs off water and floated them around him.

Jin Luen had seen high level Sapphire core cultivators before they were tricky opponents who could attack from unexpected angles. His instinct was always the same. A good defense is a unrelenting offense.

Jin Luen launched himself rapidly, closing the distance. Energy manifesting itself as wind made his steps burst from the ground.

Elder Qin clicked his tongue and shot out two tendrils of water slashing at him. Which Jin Luen slashed immediately with two powerful slashes his sword dispersing the water.

The orb began to slowly reform as he continued to close the gap.

Around them most of the fighting started to watch as the two men who would determine this battle fought.

A bead of sweat formed on Elder Qin's forehead as he slowly backed up, sending more and more tendrils at Jin Luen.

A smile formed on his face as the gap between them continued to slowly close. Spinning around another frantic swipes Jin Luen formed a wall of air with his hand and pushed three of the tendrils to the side, scattering it into the wind.

Finishing he lunged at Elder Qin who hastily formed a shield of water only for it to be kicked by a concentrated funnel of air that struck Elder Qin in the chest toppling him over.

Fear overtook the elderly man. “W-wait we can come to some arr-”.

*swisssh*

A crisp whistle of a sword threw the air rang out cutting off Elder Qin's words.

The onlookers on bothsides watched as Elder Qin heralded as one of the older generations of Sapphire core cultivators head rolled off his shoulders.

It only took a moment for mass routing to occur from the several thousands who had followed Elder Qin.

“Milord, what are your orders?” Jin Luen's captain ran up cupping his fist.

Kicking the head to the side Jin Luen looked up “Pursue and kill them all. Show no quarter. Capture any cultivators who are younger than 20 years old and bring them to me. Harvest the cores of any older than that.”

The captain nodded and began to shout out the orders as they began to pursuit of the retreating rebel army.

Bending down Jin Luen looked at the headless toned body of Elder Qin. Flipping the body over he took out his dagger and slashed open the chest to reveal a large polished Sapphire.

The core of a dead Xian cultivator could be harvested for immense benefits and uses. Xian level cultivators were not common and Elder Qin was nearing the end of his long life since he had become complacent in his training. It was no surprise a relatively fresh, but skilled Xian level cultivator could beat him.

What mattered now was that Jin Luen could go back to his father and look more deeply into New Dawn.