The second day of the competition arrived, and the arena was once again filled with excitement. The strongest disciples from each clan had battled fiercely, and now, only ten remained. The fights had been brutal, pushing each competitor to their limits, and the final matches would determine who would be selected by the great sects.
Elder Yuan of the Dugong Sect stood up and addressed the remaining contenders "You have proven yourselves worthy, yesterday"she smiled "Now, as representatives of our sect we'll select the top 10 and choose." as she looked serious "So, show us your strength!"
The next battle was announced: Li Zhang of the Li Clan versus Han Xu of the Han Clan.
Li Zhang stepped forward confidently, his sharp gaze locked onto Han Xu, who remained composed. The two exchanged a brief nod before assuming their stances.
"Begin!" the elder declared.
Li Zhang wasted no time, surging forward with a powerful palm strike. Han Xu, however, sidestepped gracefully, countering with a precise strike to Li Zhang's shoulder. The impact forced him back, but he quickly recovered, spinning into a sweeping kick aimed at Han Xu's legs.
"Impressive footwork," Elder Su Mei of the Jingong Sect commented.
Han Xu leapt over the kick, landing smoothly before thrusting his palm forward. A burst of Qi exploded from his attack, catching Li Zhang off guard and sending him stumbling. Li Zhang gritted his teeth, charging back with a flurry of punches, each strike filled with raw power.
But Han Xu remained calm, he deflected each blow with minimal effort before stepping inside Li Zhang's guard and delivering a crushing elbow to his chest. Li Zhang gasped, staggering backward.
"Impressive." Senior Sister Lianhua murmured from the stands, watching closely.
With a final burst of speed, Han Xu struck Li Zhang in the abdomen, sending him crashing onto the arena floor. He groaned, unable to rise.
"The winner is Han Xu!" the elder announced.
Li Zhang clenched his fists but sighed in defeat, he had fought well, but Han Xu had proven to be the stronger opponent.
The remaining matches continued, with Li Mei, James, Li Jiang, and seven others from various clans securing their spots in the finals. The crowd roared with excitement as the ten finalists stood together, each one proving themselves through sheer skill and determination.
Next was James of the Li Clan versus Xia Feng of the Xia Clan.
As James stepped onto the stage, he met Xia Feng's confident smirk.
"You've been lucky so far," Xia Feng taunted. "But let's see how long that luck lasts."
James merely smirked back. "Let's find out."
"Begin!"
Xia Feng charged forward, his fist crackling with Qi energy. James sidestepped at the last moment, countering with a sharp kick to Xia Feng's ribs. Xia Feng growled, retaliating with a spinning back fist, but James ducked and swept his leg beneath him, knocking him off balance.
"Quick reflexes," Elder Huo Zheng noted. "This boy has potential."
Xia Feng snarled and leapt up, unleashing a barrage of palm strikes. James blocked most of them, but one landed on his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through his body. Gritting his teeth, he retaliated with a fierce uppercut, staggering Xia Feng.
Seizing the opening, James focused his Qi, gathering energy into his palm before launching a powerful strike into Xia Feng's chest. The force sent Xia Feng flying out of the arena, where he collapsed onto the ground.
"The winner is James!" the elder declared.
James exhaled, feeling the rush of victory.
The final match of the semi-finals was Li Mei versus Han Xu of the Han Clan.
Li Mei grinned as she faced Han Xu, who glared at her with determination.
"You won't beat me so easily," Han Xu declared.
"We'll see," Li Mei replied smoothly.
"Begin!"
Han Xu was fast, dashing forward and unleashing a rapid series of punches. Li Mei barely dodged the first strike but caught the second one on her arm. Smirking, she retaliated with a spinning kick that forced Han Xu back.
Not giving him time to recover, she stepped in close, her fingers glowing with Qi as she struck at his pressure points. Han Xu's body locked up momentarily, and Li Mei took advantage, delivering a final palm strike to his chest, sending him sprawling.
"The winner is Li Mei!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as James, Li Mei, Li Jiang, and seven other finalists stood victorious.
As the ten finalists stood on stage, the sect elders began their selections. Senior Sister Lianhua from the Ying sect stepped forward, her gaze scanning the competitors. She smiled slightly before announcing her choices.
"Li Mei, Li Jiang, James…" she called out, before her eyes landed on another competitor. "And Qin Juan."
Qin Juan, a tall and composed young woman, even taller than than most men including James, with striking green eyes and dark brown hair tied in a high ponytail, bowed respectfully upon hearing her name. She was known for her swift and precise sword techniques, a formidable opponent throughout the competition.
James, Li Mei, Li Jiang, and Qin Juan all stepped forward and bowed deeply to Senior Sister Lianhua in unison.
She nodded approvingly. "We leave at first light. Be prepared. The true journey begins now."
With that, the selection concluded and each sect choose their disciples, and the finalists dispersed, each knowing that their future had been forever changed.
Li Clan family
That evening, the Li Clan Leader reveled in the glory of their victory, laughing heartily as he raised his cup in celebration.
"Tonight, we drink to the triumph of the Li Clan!" he declared, his voice echoing through the grand hall. Dancers twirled gracefully, their silken robes flowing as musicians played enchanting melodies. The air buzzed with excitement, and the clan members cheered, indulging in food and wine.
James, however, felt exhaustion settling into his bones. The battles had taken a toll on him, and though the celebration was grand, he had little energy left to partake in it.
"You look tired, James," Li Mei teased as she sipped her drink.
James chuckled lightly. "I think I'll turn in early. Need to be well-rested for tomorrow."
Li Mei smirked. "Smart choice. Don't keep Senior Sister waiting."
James nodded and excused himself, making his way to his quarters. As he laid down on his bed, he took a deep breath, letting the day's events sink in.
Tomorrow, a new chapter of his journey would begin.