C21 Martial Arts Competition

"Aotian, don't forget to come and help Wei later!"

Early in the morning, Aotian had just arrived at the cafeteria for breakfast when he ran into Rohlin. Spotting Aotian, Rohlin couldn't contain his excitement and blurted out his greeting.

It had been a month since the last selection, and today marked the first day of the Junior Academy's martial arts tournament! Early risers, the academy's students, gathered in groups, buzzing with anticipation as they made their way to the training field to watch the competition. The competitors themselves were brimming with energy and excitement.

"Sure, I'll be there for sure!" Aotian responded, matching Rohlin's enthusiasm.

"How about we head over together now?" Rohlin suggested.

"Oh, alright then!" Aotian agreed, having just finished his meal. He had his own reasons for wanting to observe the matches today—to gauge the other participants' skills and techniques and to gain experience from watching real combat.

Arriving at the training field, Aotian found it swarming with spectators. He managed to weave through the crowd and positioned himself in front of the second martial arts stage. Looking around at the throng of people, he marveled at the turnout. The school seemed deserted on any other day, but today it was as if the entire student body had surfaced, eager to witness the event.

Before long, an elder with a commanding presence ascended to the judges' stand. Observing his firm and agile stride, Aotian recognized the hallmark of a master, someone with a significant standing within the school.

The elder then addressed the crowd with authority, "Students, it is with great pleasure that we welcome you to our annual martial arts competition.

This year's contest will unfold across eight stages. The third-year students will compete on the first and second stages, while the second and third stages are reserved for the second-year students, and the fifth and sixth stages for the first-year students. Each year group has thirty contestants, divided into five groups. The top two from each group will advance directly, and two more will be chosen from among the third-place finishers based on their preliminary scores and performance. The semi-finals, to be held in three days, will split the remaining contestants into two groups, with the top two from each group moving on to the final round. I encourage everyone to compete with a spirit that places friendship before rivalry. Lastly, I extend my best wishes for outstanding performances and a successful tournament!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience!

"Alright, I hereby declare the fifty-seventh martial arts tournament of Black Tortoise Academy officially underway!"

After the announcement, competitors from each grade scurried to their designated arenas, ready to be grouped for the start of the matches.

"Aotian, there you are! We're up at arenas five and six. Let's get moving. Didn't you catch the principal's announcement? They're forming groups now!" Rohlin appeared out of nowhere, urging Aotian.

"Oh, then why aren't you off drawing lots? What are you doing here? You'll be disqualified if you're late!"

Aotian replied with a hint of exasperation, "Right, I should head out. Make sure you're there to cheer me on later!"

With that, Rohlin dashed off with a burst of energy.

Watching Rohlin disappear into the distance, Aotian didn't head to his own grade's arena; instead, he made his way to the third grade's section. He figured that competition might offer him more of a challenge.

As the last match of the Grand Supreme Group concluded, Aotian shook his head in disappointment, "Are there no true masters among them?" After a day of spectating, he realized none of the competitors were stronger than him. He was confident he could easily best any of them in combat.

Returning to his dorm, Aotian grabbed his gear and headed to the mountain behind to continue his training.

Aotian skipped the matches for the next few days, only returning for the semi-finals and finals.

He arrived early in the morning, securing a prime spot in the stands to witness the day's climactic battles.

The morning's semi-finals, perhaps conserving energy for the finals, didn't showcase the fighters at their peak. Yet, after intense bouts, finalists from each grade emerged: first grade's Rohlin Elton and Wester; second grade's Loong Qian and Terry; third grade's Ayrs and Hwa Yao. Rohlin's advancement to the finals genuinely surprised Aotian, while Loong Qian's progression seemed inevitable. Her exceptional talent and mastery of the Loong family's dragon combat qi and martial arts made her a shoo-in. If she hadn't made it, she would have truly disappointed the crowd! As for Hwa Yao, a scion of the prestigious Hwa family, his advancement was expected. With the family's exclusive battle energy and martial techniques, his skills were a cut above the rest, and his considerable talent assured his place in the finals.

Aotian had some knowledge of Hwa Yao, as his nominal fiancée was a member of the Hwa family and Hwa Yao's own sister! Naturally, he had learned a bit about Hwa Yao. Rumor had it that Hwa Yao was exceptionally talented and stood out as one of the best in his generation within the Hwa family. He was greatly esteemed by the family patriarch. By the age of 16, he had already attained the level of an advanced swordsman, matching Aotian's own strength. Furthermore, he was likely to attend an advanced academy next term.

In the afternoon, Aotian headed directly to the venue for the third-year finals to witness Hwa Yao's decisive match. Aotian, whose strength was comparable to Hwa Yao's, was eager to measure the extent of the gap between them, or to discover if he had surpassed him.

The match commenced swiftly upon the referee's announcement. Elton burst into action, closing in on Hwa Yao with a rapid acceleration before raising his sword for a swift strike. Hwa Yao appeared utterly unfazed, nimbly sidestepping the attack. With a light flick of her sword, she parried Elton's blade, then quickly gathered her strength for a sweeping horizontal slash. Elton, seeing the blade coming, hastily blocked with his sword across his chest, managing to fend off what seemed like a straightforward assault. When Elton blocked the attack, Hwa Yao wasted no time, shouting "Hurricane Sword" and conjuring a whirlwind of sword shadows that flew towards Elton. Elton leaped up, slashing down to intercept the incoming shadows, but the force was so great that one grazed past Hwa Yao, leaving a shallow cut on Elton's shoulder. Seizing the moment, Hwa Yao launched into the air, unleashing a flurry of moves that left Elton struggling to defend. Before long, Elton found himself backed to the edge of the stage. Out of desperation, he bellowed "Lightning Everything" and struck the ground with his sword, the blade's energy carving a deep gash in the earth as he attempted a counterstrike against Hwa Yao. But Hwa Yao, with a graceful leap, evaded and descended from above, circling to Elton's side and effortlessly placing her sword at his neck, clinching the victory.

"The gap is massive, isn't it?" Aotian mumbled to himself as he watched the match. Hwa Yao's true strength had been completely obscured in this bout due to the vast difference in skill. Hwa Yao secured an easy victory, facing virtually no challenge at all. Consequently, there was no real display of skill. Disheartened, Aotian sighed and headed back to the dormitory, not bothering to watch any of the other matches.

"Aotian, why didn't you come to see my match yesterday? Did you know I lost? It was so close, it's infuriating!" Rohlin vented to Aotian early the next morning.

"Would you have won if I had been there?" Aotian asked.

"I... I... That's not what I'm saying! But I was really let down that you weren't there. You know? If you had been there, I would've had one more person cheering me on, and that would've given me a lot more confidence," Rohlin replied, feeling somewhat defeated by Aotian's question.

"I was at the third-year matches yesterday."

"Yeah, I know. Hwa Yao won with ease. Honestly, you didn't even need to go. Hwa Yao could've moved on to an advanced academy this year, but for some reason, he's staying until next year. He's already at an advanced swordsman's level. His winning the championship was expected—no excitement in that. You should've come to my match instead!" Rohlin continued to grumble about Aotian missing his match.

"True, it was an effortless victory for him."

"Obviously, it's not like people's strengths are just for show! You should've seen the second-year matches instead. I heard Loong Qian and Terry had a spectacular duel yesterday! In the end, Loong Qian narrowly clinched the championship from Terry," Rohlin said, his mood lifting as he spoke of Loong Qian's match.

"Really? Who's this Terry? Is he that strong?" Aotian inquired, intrigued by the news.

"Terry is said to be the son of a Marquis. He's incredibly talented and has already reached the level of an intermediate swordsman. His family's 'Violet Flame Dou Qi' is rumored to be quite formidable! But Loong Qian is from the Loong family, and she's been trained in their combat qi. Plus, her talent is undeniable. They were quite evenly matched!"

"Oh! It looks like the academy is truly a den of hidden talents!"

"Absolutely, have you forgotten which academy we belong to? We're the premier academy of the empire! It's only natural we're teeming with undiscovered masters."

Rohlin nodded in agreement upon hearing Aotian's boastful remark.

"Right, let's get moving. Time for class!"

"True, and I've got a prize to pick up today, too. Hahaha!"

With a burst of laughter, Rohlin dashed off toward his classroom!