As the dawn approached, Demeris decided to conclude his clandestine experiments. Moving as stealthily as he could, he snuck back into the dorms and into his bed. After using his Qi to renew and reinvigorate his body, he pretended to be asleep.
People started stirring from their beds as the first rays of the sun entered through the windows. Soon enough, everybody was awake including Ronan who promptly greeted him good morning. Demeris, maintaining the facade of someone who had enjoyed a restful night, acknowledged Ronan with a subtle nod.
Demeris's days followed a calm routine of work and rest. During the nights, he practiced to control his Qi, trying to shape it into more complex forms, in which he was generally successful. However, his frustration grew as his attempts to make his immaterial Qi turn solid kept ending in failure. No matter how hard he tried, it stayed like smoke, passing through solid objects.
One day, as Demeris and Ronan exited the dormitories en route to the gardens where their tasks awaited, they couldn't help but notice Hestos hailing passersby. Catching sight of them, Hestos called out their names and gestured for them to approach. Responding to his summons, they closed the distance until they stood beside him, realizing that a small crowd had already gathered around Hestos.
Capturing the crowd's attention, Hestos issued commands. "Today marks the annual Initiate Tournament. Your task is to ensure the open-air arena up in Initiate Plateau is pristine before the tournament kicks off at noon. Remain there until the event concludes, catering to the needs of the cultivators. Any questions?
With no questions from the group, Hestos provided directions. The ten or so servants, accompanied by Demeris and Ronan, set off on their journey. Excitement filled the air as they chatted animatedly, thrilled at the prospect of witnessing cultivators in action. Demeris, in particular, felt a surge of enthusiasm, knowing that observing these skilled individuals would undoubtedly enhance his understanding of Qi.
Upon reaching the arena, they noticed a young man, around 20 years old, standing proudly in the center with an upright posture. Spotting the newcomers, he remarked, "You pitiful lot must be the servants sent to clean the arena."
Immediately, he took charge, issuing orders and assigning tasks to each individual. The work was demanding and relentless, with no breaks allowed. They toiled tirelessly until just before noon. As they finished, the young man directed Demeris and his companions to a corner near the ring where they were told to await orders.
Before long, a group of young men and women arrived, most of them exuding a natural charm with their flawless skin and graceful movements. Dressed in pristine white shirts and silk pants, they presented a simple yet elegant appearance. Demeris found himself gazing in amazement, as it was his first time seeing so many cultivators in one place.
The servants, on the other hand, went unnoticed, as if they were merely part of the background. Demeris didn’t mind, content in watching so many beautiful people in one place.
As the crowd swelled, Demeris thought he saw some familiar faces. Upon closer inspection, he indeed recognized Sam, Gregori, and Ladina—teenagers selected for cultivation training from Meadow Grove, his hometown. Examining the gathering more closely, he eventually identified his old friend Manchu, the baker's son, who had also been chosen for cultivation training. The five of them had moved from Meadow Grove to the Summit Serenity Sect, flown by a charismatic cultivator who recruited the four as trainees and Demeris as a servant.
He was a bit surprised however when Manchu saw him, yet didn’t even grace him a little smile, or a nod even, as a sign of recognition.
Gradually, the room fell silent as a ruggedly handsome man made a commanding entrance, striding towards the podium that overlooked the arena ring. Standing tall, he gazed over the arena before addressing the gathered crowd.
"As you undoubtedly know by now, I am Winsterson, the current adept overseer of the Initiate Plateau. Welcome to the annual Initiate Tournament. Today, valiant combatants will vie for the opportunity to join the esteemed Inner Initiate circle. For those unfamiliar, being an Inner Initiate entails receiving special favor from the sect, providing additional resources to hasten your cultivation. However, the path to this privilege requires proving oneself superior to the competition."
"The eight fighters, step forward," he commanded.
Eight individuals—five men and three women—left their seats in the stands and positioned themselves in the center of the arena, facing the overseer. Once they were in line, Winsterson continued speaking.
"So, you're the best of this year's class? Very well. This contest will assess your Qi usage and control. We have healers on standby, and an Adept will oversee the fights to ensure no one gets seriously hurt. Accidents may happen, so exercise caution. When your opponent yields, you stop. Your opponents are already assigned, so let the matches begin. First pair of combatants, take your positions."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Demeris watched with anticipation as two young men prepared for their bout. Without warning, one of them gestured, summoning a large, shimmering fist in the air that charged directly toward his opponent. Caught off guard, the opponent crossed his arms in defense, taking the hit head-on. A thunderous crash echoed, and Demeris observed the man being propelled like a ragdoll, crashing hard into the stone benches. Healers swiftly converged on him to ensure his well-being. In the blink of an eye, the wielder of the magic fist emerged victorious.
Claps and cheers erupted from the stands. The winner bowed exaggeratedly and then went back to the sidelines. The next two fighters were called to the stage, this time a man and a woman.
At the signal to begin, five silk handkerchiefs seemingly materialized out of nowhere, and swirled gracefully around the woman in a mesmerizing dance.
Simultaneously, her opponent produced a sword also from thin air, released it, and let it hover in the air, its point aimed at the woman.
“A flying sword,” Demeris muttered excitedly.
The sword swiftly streaked towards the woman, but one of the handkerchiefs shot out and appeared to harden. Upon impact, the sword deviated from its original path, and the handkerchief gently descended to the ground. As the man attempted to redirect the sword, three other handkerchiefs darted towards him, shapeshifting and developing sharp points, and hardening.
Before reaching the man, he shouted, "I yield!" The handkerchiefs froze in midair, and the woman was declared the winner of the astonishing encounter.
The subsequent two fights unfolded without much complexity. In the first, a conventional clash ensued, marked by punches and kicks. From the onset, it became evident that one combatant, a woman, possessed superior speed and strength, ultimately securing victory.
The second bout, also between a man and a woman, involved flying swords. The man was primarily on the defensive, evading a relentless barrage of sword attacks from the woman. The fight was abruptly halted when the referee intervened. The attacker was surprised until the referee pointed behind her, revealing another airborne sword poised to strike at her back.
The first semifinal bout featured a clash between the man wielding swords and the one with the magic fist. The magic fist materialized immediately, predictably heading toward the sword-wielder. Reacting swiftly, he gestured for one of his swords to intercept the fist while simultaneously leaping to evade. The collision occurred, resulting in the sword breaking into pieces. However, the momentum of the fist waned, causing it to miss its target who evaded successfully.. The man landed gracefully and remarked, "That was a very strong technique," expressing appreciation, before adding, "but it must have depleted all your Qi, didn't it?"
"Do we need to continue?" he inquired, his flying sword hovering by his side.
Wisely, his opponent yielded in response to the evident advantage.
The next match featured two women, one without any weapons and the other wielding handkerchiefs. Contrary to expectations, the unarmed fighter took the initiative, launching rapid punches and kicks at her opponent. The skirmish unfolded with remarkable speed and intensity, as the handkerchief-wielding participant deftly used three of them for enhanced defense, while the remaining two were employed for counterattacks. The confrontation concluded when one of the handkerchiefs pierced through the other woman, decisively bringing the fight to an end.
The audience began to murmur excitedly as the final match was announced, the man with the swords and the woman with the handkerchiefs. They squared off at the middle of the ring, their respective weapons ready. At the signal, they both attacked simultaneously, two swords versus five handkerchiefs.
Initially, the woman appeared to have the upper hand, compelling the sword user into a defensive retreat. However, as the fight progressed, the handkerchiefs began to lose their agility. Eventually, the swordsman was able to slash through them, leaving only one handkerchief remaining. Wisely, the woman yielded.
Cheers erupted, praising the victorious swordsman. The jubilation continued until Winsterson silenced the crowd. "Excellent fight, everyone. Kursana, approach the podium."
Winsterson waited until Kursana, the triumphant fighter, reached the podium. He then proclaimed, "Your robust Qi supply and remarkable Qi control have not gone unnoticed by the sect. Welcome to the Inner Initiate circle!"
Another round of cheers erupted, this time even louder and more sustained.
The crowd gradually dispersed. Demeris patiently lingered, hoping to catch Manchu again in the crowd, but he couldn't spot him. Once the arena emptied, Demeris and the other servants received orders to ensure the area was clean before leaving. Despite the mundane task, the excitement lingered among them and they chatted animatedly while cleaning. Even as they completed their duties and made their way back to the servant's quarters, the vibrant conversation persisted, fueled by the lingering enthusiasm of the day's events.
They finally quieted down when they got back to the dorms and went to their respective beds. Demeris waited for Ronan to fall asleep and then sneaked out again to practice outside. This time, he had new ideas about Qi from watching the fights earlier.