The panic that resulted from Blue’s sudden appearance before the contestants was difficult to contain at first, but Lena and Azar were quick to appear and suppress the noise before any spectators took notice. Azar blocked the audience’s view of Blue with his large frame, and Lena released an aura that practically paralyzed several of the young contestants.

“Honoured Imperial Guard!” Tsurum, the burly representative of the Air Moon Sect, shrieked as he hid behind Tae, whose own expression immediately turned sour.

“Pixie! Save us!”

“Silence!” Lena replied with a stern warning.

“The pixie belongs to Micro. Its presence is known and safety measures are in place.”

“What safety measures?!” Tsurum shouted.

“That’s a blue one!”

“Enough of that.” Lena said as she rolled her eyes. She emitted a small burst of her aura, filled with notable frustration, in Tsurum’s direction, causing him to faint without another word. Lena then looked at Blue.

“Pixie. What is the meaning of this?”

“Huh?” Blue raised an eyebrow and jumped on Micro’s head, leaning forward with an intimidating glare.

“It’s my turn to fight!”

“Why would a pixie fight in some yearly jade sect tournament?” Lena asked.

“I’m a representative of the Fire Something…” Blue paused for a moment and looked at Kel for assistance.

“The Fire Mountain Turtle Sect…” He explained to her.

“But why do you claim to represent it?”

“Are you as senile as that old baldy?” Blue shouted back.

“He said we were all representatives.”

“When did my grandfather make such a claim?”

"There was a big room, lots of people… Is that ringing any bells?”

“My grandfather said… Oh…” Kel’s face suddenly paled.

“What is it, young master?!” Tae asked, her concern for his sudden change in complexion shared by the other contestants who skill stood frozen in fear by the pixie. Micro tried not to move his head, worried that Blue might fall off.

“My grandfather said…” Kel mumbled.

“He said that the masters of the Turtle Art before him would represent the sect…”

“So? What about Blue?” Tae asked.

“Micro…” Kel said slowly.

“Was Blue in your pocket at that time?”

“Of course!” Micro replied with a thumbs up.

“Then it is true.” Kel stated with glassy eyes.

“The pixie known as Blue is already officially recognized as a contestant. Regardless of the circumstances, the matter was settled before we even left the temple.”

The other contestants couldn’t find the words to express their shock or confusion as Azar and Lena radiated increasingly anxious auras. Blue looked around at them and laughed, and Lena sighed before turning to Micro once again.

“Why did I promise not to interfere in this tournament…?” She asked with a deep breath.

“Is there any chance of your little blue friend withdrawing at this point? She has yet to be challenged after all.”

“You may address me directly, human.” Blue interjected with a dignified glow.

“And no, I shall not be withdrawing. As a turtle-master, I have rights, and I shall fight that child over there.”

“Why must you fight her, dare I ask?” Lena asked.

“Because her face annoys me.”

“I shouldn’t have asked…”

Lena instinctively held her hand up to stop Azar from saying whatever he was about to say, while the other contestants slowly backed away from Micro and Blue. Kel thought for a moment while Tae looked at him patiently, and then he straightened his posture, wiped some blood and dust from his face, and nodded.

“I believe the only way to resolve this is to go with the flow.” Kel said with resolve.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Leave this to me. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Kel walked back out to the stage just as the announcer was getting ready to continue the event. Ki looked down with a look of amusement as Kel returned.

“You miss me already?” She asked, prompting some laughter from the audience.

“I have news regarding the representatives of the Fire Mountain Turtle Sect.” Kel declared loud enough for everyone to hear.

“A fourth representative, officially sanctioned by our sect leader, wishes to join the tournament.”

“A second latecomer?” The announcer asked.

“Even for masters of the Turtle Art, that is a little hard to stomach, young master.”

“As heir to the sect, I must apologize on their behalf!” Kel continued, bowing to the announcer. He lifted his head and continued with a solemn expression.

“But I must also protect their rights. As masters of one of the primary arts studied in our sect, they are as entitled to participate as I am. Furthermore, they have expressed a particular desire to challenge the remaining representative of the Air Moon Sect.”

“They want to fight me?” Ki asked in surprise.

“This is highly irregular…” The announcer replied.

“However, I believe the decision should fall to the contestant in question…”

The crowd turned its attention to Ki, whose face lit up at once.

“Bring it on!” She shouted confidently.

“I’ll fight as many turtles as you bring me!”

“I should warn you…” Kel shouted over the excited crowd.

“I will not tolerate any disrespect shown to a legitimate disciple of my sect, from you, or anyone in this arena...”

“Sure, sure, whatever.” Ki replied.

“That goes for everyone here!” Kel suddenly shouted at the audience, then addressed the announcer.

“As one who has overseen this sacred event for generations, can I trust you to enforce our principles, regardless of the unique qualities of the contestant?!”

“Of course!” The announcer replied, clearly offended by the question.

“Do you swear on the honour of your sect that all contestants will be afforded an equal share of courtesy and respect?!” Kel continued.

“I’ll say this once!” The announcer shouted angrily.

“I will die before I bring dishonour to this event! All contestants will be treated fairly. Are you satisfied?!”

“I have one final request.” Kel added with a more modest tone.

“What is it?!” The announcer cried out along with much of the audience.

“Swear on your honour that you will not run from this contestant, nor attack them, regardless of their colour, shape, or wings.” Kel warned all who listened.

“I swear it!” The announcer shouted in frustration, joined again by the audience.

“Very well.” Kel concluded.

“The Imperial Guard bears witness to your oath.”

“Hurry up and-” Ki shouted, but the arrival of her opponent on the stone platform silenced her.

Several among the audience noticed the nature of the small, blue contestant immediately, while others took longer to process what their eyes were seeing. The arena quickly fell silent, and tension began to rise. Kel feared the announcer would forget his promise any moment, but a familiar and frustrated voice deflated the anxious air.

“The Imperial Guard did, in fact, witness the oaths made by each of you here tonight.” Lena announced with her hand on her forehead, her voice amplified by her aura.

“On your honour and my own, the tournament will proceed uninterrupted…!”

“Excuse me, Blue…” Kel whispered to the pixie who stood in front of him on the stone platform.

“What do you want?” She snapped back.

“I’m busy here.”

“I wanted to ask a small favour of you.” Kel continued.

“If you could refrain from using any techniques that may cause-”

“Fun?” Blue interrupted.

“Yes…” Kel nodded.

“You represent the Fire Mountain Turtle Sect today, so it would be inappropriate to use techniques foreign to cultivators…”

“You’re saying you want me to go easy on the brat?” Blue turned around to ask, pointing over her shoulder at Ki.

“Fine, how about this?”

Blue suddenly turned and walked quickly over to Ki, who was still paralyzed by fear. The hushed audience watched with grim expressions as they waited to see what the fate of the young master of the Air Moon Sect would soon be.

Blue lifted one of her tiny hands, as if waving to the girl, causing hundreds to gasp. As her hand began to glow, only the intense stare of the Imperial Guards kept many from abandoning their honour and fleeing at once.

“There.” Blue said to Ki casually.

“Now we both have two arms.”

“You- you- you-” Ki stuttered, grasping her newly healed arm in disbelief.

“You’re a pixie?!”

“I guess you’re smarter than you look.” Blue replied as she stepped back and placed her hands on her hips, then she addressed the audience.

“But today, I am not just the pixie called Blue!”

The audience held their breath while waiting for the rest of her announcement. Ki finally managed to take a single step back, but her knees shook too much to run.

“I fight for the honour of the Flaming Turtles!” She shouted with pride.

“You mean the Fire Mountain Turtle Sect!” Tae shouted from the contestants’ waiting area, though she could only roll her eyes as Blue continued.

“You’re lucky I remember you exist at all!” Blue snapped back.

“A thousand sects like you pop up every day, for crying out loud…!”

“Pixie…” The announcer tentatively interjected.

“You truly mean only to fight… But this is a cultivators’ competition… I can’t…”

“You’re looking at the greatest cultivator you’ll ever see, junior!” Blue replied, pointing at her chest with her thumb.

“Feast your eyes!”

As she began to emit a powerful green aura, the eyes of the announcer and many among the audience began to glow, indicating usage of the appraisal skill or something similar. Their glowing eyes all widened as they beheld the tiny core burning fiercely within the pixie.

“It’s true…!” Several cultivators mumbled.

“She has a proper core, there can be no doubt…”

“And she’s mastered at least two Core Cards?!” A large woman shouted in shock.

“Alright girl!” Blue shouted over the noise of their confusion.

“Let’s dance!”