C20 The Beginning of the Spirit Selection

The night passed in silence.

The following day, Yang Rui entered the hall clad in a black robe, his long hair neatly tied with a white ribbon, exuding an effortless charm. He was greeted by the warm smiles of his parents and Yang Yiyi. "Apologies for my tardiness."

"You're always dragging your feet!" Yang Yiyi chided, though her eyes twinkled with pride. The once wayward boy had finally shaped up, and she had to admit, he looked rather dashing.

Yang Zhantian and Sikong Jiao exchanged glances, both acknowledging the remarkable transformation in Yang Rui. The former wastrel had matured significantly in the past six months, almost as if he were a completely new person.

With a hearty laugh, Yang Zhantian declared, "Let's go check out the talents from the neighboring cities!"

"Yes, let's go!"

"Very well, sir."

The party of six departed, joining the rest of the Yang family members who were already assembled at the Trial Field.

Upon arriving at the Trial Field, Yang Rui was struck by the sheer vastness of the square. Thirty-two massive arenas were arrayed before him, flanked by tiered seating that could easily accommodate fifty thousand spectators. Each arena was fronted by a throng of eager participants, likely contenders in the Spirit Selection.

The destination for Yang Zhantian and his entourage was one of these arenas, where the other young members of the Yang family were gathered.

"Patriarch!"

"Patriarch!"

"The Patriarch has arrived!"

Yang Zhantian approached the Yang family's formation, his brow furrowing slightly when he noticed the absence of Yang Qingcheng. Nonetheless, he offered an encouraging smile. "Each of you represents the strength and potential of our Yang family. Remember, it is through the fiercest flames that true gold is forged. Should you succeed in the Spirit Selection, it will be a great honor for our family. It has been three years since anyone from our family has made it into the top ten. I trust that this time, you will turn our fortunes around."

"We will not let you down, Patriarch!"

The group responded with a unified salute, fists to their chests. Yang Zhantian smiled in response, choosing to say no more.

Leaning in, Sikong Jiao whispered to Yang Zhantian, "Where's Qingcheng? She's not here yet. Do you think something's held her up?"

Yang Zhantian shook his head slightly, unsure of the situation as he hadn't received any news.

Yang Rui watched the commotion around the arenas as the atmosphere at the Trial Field grew tense. Turning to Yang Zhantian, he said, "Father, I'd like to try my hand on stage as well!"

"You?" Yang Zhantian raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this from Yang Rui. Initially, he had only intended to introduce Yang Rui to the Spirit Selection. He had dismissed the idea of participation, considering Yang Rui's abilities, but now his son was bringing it up himself.

"That's fine! Just be careful. There's no shame in admitting defeat if necessary," Yang Zhantian advised.

"Got it!" Yang Rui responded with a chuckle, eager to finally show what he could do.

Just then, a serene voice called out, "Father, Mother, I've arrived."

The bustling Trial Field quieted down as all eyes turned to the source of the voice. A woman in green, wielding a long sword, approached with graceful steps. Within moments, she stood before Yang Zhantian.

Yang Yiyi ran to her, exclaiming, "Big Sis, you're finally back!"

Yang Rui, upon seeing his older sister Yang Qingcheng, felt an inexplicable fear.

Why am I afraid of her? Yang Rui wondered, somewhat perplexed. It wasn't really fear; as a child, he had often been disciplined by Yang Qingcheng. So, despite his new soul and body, his instincts still reacted.

"Great! Qingcheng is back, haha, wonderful!" Yang Zhantian was overjoyed, while Sikong Jiao warmly greeted Yang Qingcheng.

Yang Rui stood to the side, feeling somewhat idle, but it was all the same to him. He was about to take the stage and demonstrate his prowess. He couldn't be sure of his ranking, but he was keenly listening to the surrounding chatter.

"Look over there, that's the Second Young Master of the Ximen family. Renowned for his mastery of both the zither and the sword, he's already reached Rank 2 of the Origin Martial Stage, hasn't he?"

"Yeah, he's only sixteen this year, yet he's already reached Rank 2 of the Origin Martial Stage. I'm curious if our Eldest Miss can outdo him."

"Our Eldest Miss's cultivation level is unknown to us, but surely it can't be too shabby, right?"

"Hey, isn't that Chung Hong, the Martial Madman from the Chung family?"

"Oh, indeed it is."

"That's Lau Junyu over there. He must be at Rank 3 by now, right?"

"And isn't that Lee Tian from Giant Wood City?"

"..."

A myriad of details were being pieced together. Yang Rui had managed to learn a bit and, after organizing his thoughts, he compiled a rough list:

Origin Martial Stage Third Rank: Lau Junyu, Chung Hong, Lee Tian, Zhang Ye, Xu Jin

Origin Martial Stage Rank 2: Ximen Yu, Yang Yiyi, Wang Zhan, Zhao Hu...

Origin Martial Stage Rank 2: Baili Kuangren, Wang Yunquan, Chen Wenlong...

...

The rankings for those participating in the Spirit Selection were taking shape, yet the strength of Yang Qingcheng, his older sister, remained a mystery. She had left home two years ago and was rumored to have been taken in as a direct disciple by a renowned master. Her true power would soon be revealed once she stepped into the arena. As for Yang Rui himself, already at Rank 3 of the Origin Martial Stage and on the cusp of Rank 4, he was ready to take everyone by surprise!

The bustling crowd suddenly fell silent as the City Lord of Chiba City ascended the main platform at the Trial Field. Casting a sweeping glance around, he proclaimed, "Each of you represents the pride of your respective families! I trust you're all aware of the reason we've gathered here today! Without further ado, there are thirty-two arenas, and you will vie for 256 spots—this is merely the first round! You're all familiar with the rules, aren't you? In this free-for-all combat, if you're knocked out of the arena, surrender, or are killed, you lose! Only eight contenders may remain standing in each arena!"

The rules were harsh and grounded in harsh reality!

Yang Rui was acutely aware that this world was far more merciless than the one he had known before. To survive here, he had to adapt.

The brutal selection process was designed to determine the top eight contenders in each arena. With roughly fifty competitors per arena, the high rate of elimination was truly daunting!

"So what? It's not like I can't make it into the top eight," Yang Rui said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as he mused to himself.

"Alright, I hereby announce that the contestants should proceed to their respective arenas to collect their number plates. The first round of the qualifying matches is about to commence!" declared the City Lord of Chiba City. Following his announcement, a soldier clad in light armor approached the crowd, carrying a cubic box. Each contestant reached into the box and retrieved a wax ball, within which a small slip of paper was sealed. The paper bore a number, and each number corresponded to an arena. The beauty of this random assignment was its ability to disrupt any preconceived strategies, maximizing the fairness of the competition.