The sun hung high over the Verdant Moon Sect, casting long golden rays upon the central arena. Cheers rippled through the thousands of disciples gathered on the mountain terraces and carved stone seats surrounding the dueling platforms.
Today wasn't about battles—not yet.
Today was about **legends**.
Names whispered in dorm rooms. Moves mimicked in secret. Stories retold and reshaped with every passing month.
The **Top Ten** of the outer court—disciples who had risen above over two thousand competitors to dominate in strength, technique, and reputation.
As the first wave of random draws concluded and groups were being formed, attention shifted toward the main spectator platform, where the top ten had been seated in their own honorary row.
> "That's really them…"
> "All ten in one place."
> "Monsters, every one of them."
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### **Rank 10 – Jin Yu (The Crimson Palm)**
A lean, red-robed youth sat with arms crossed and head tilted back lazily. His hands were bandaged, faint traces of red Qi leaking from his fingertips like embers waiting to ignite.
> "They say his palms can boil blood through a single strike."
> "He crippled a Fourth Level disciple last year with one blow…"
He was a rogue, once an orphan from a bandit clan, rumored to have trained in forbidden close-range combat techniques before being recruited into the sect. Dangerous. Reckless. But terrifying in close quarters.
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### **Rank 9 – Bai Mei (The White Needle)**
Slender. Pale. Elegant.
Bai Mei sat like a ghost, dressed in flowing white robes, her eyes half-closed behind a veil of thin silk. Her specialty was piercing-speed strikes with a rapier—faster than the eye, venomous like a serpent.
> "She beat two opponents in one duel using a single movement."
> "No one's ever seen her use more than three strikes…"
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### **Rank 8 – Lu Qiang (Iron Wall)**
A massive figure hunched forward, fists the size of bricks resting on his knees.
Lu Qiang wore no weapon—his body was his blade. Trained in **Verdant Body Scripture**, his muscles were like stone, his skin like leather. The strongest defense among the outer disciples.
> "They say he once took a full sword slash… and didn't even blink."
> "If you can't break his guard, you can't win."
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### **Rank 7 – Zhao Fen (The Mist Blade)**
A quiet, low-speaking youth with silver-gray robes and eyes always scanning the edges of things.
Zhao Fen wielded a curved blade and was known for vanishing mid-fight, reappearing behind his opponent.
> "He controls mist using mid-tier wind and water arts."
> "He once killed a beast in the fog without being seen."
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### **Rank 6 – Wu Lin (The Howling Spear)**
Loud. Wild. Laughing.
Wu Lin's voice boomed louder than most elders. His spear style was unorthodox, blending sweeping brute-force swings with the momentum of sound arts that disoriented his opponents.
> "You can hear his fight before you see it."
> "And by the time you do, it's already too late."
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### **Rank 5 – Yun Xue (Frost Step)**
A girl of few words and colder Qi.
Yun Xue moved like falling snow—silent, graceful, deadly. She trained in both sword and formation array triggers, laying traps during battle.
> "No one's won a fight against her once she activates her formation core."
> "Even Rank 4 avoids duels with her unless necessary."
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### **Rank 4 – Ren Jue (The Twin Fang)**
Shadow recognized this name.
**Brother of Ren Kai**—the arrogant disciple he had fought and knocked out weeks ago.
Ren Jue wielded dual sabers and was known for his relentless assault style. No pauses. No hesitation. Just slash after slash until the enemy collapsed.
> "He's been on a warpath ever since his brother lost to someone unknown."
> "They say he's looking for that disciple…"
Shadow narrowed his eyes, keeping his aura flat.
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### **Rank 3 – Mei Rong (Blade Dance Fairy)**
A tall, long-haired girl dressed in sky-blue robes. Her blade moved like silk, her footwork choreographed like art.
But her elegance belied terrifying strength.
> "She combines three movement techniques into a single flow."
> "No one's been able to read her rhythm yet. She dances, they bleed."
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### **Rank 2 – Xun Tai (Void Fist)**
A solemn youth who spoke maybe five words a year.
Xun Tai didn't use traditional Qi techniques. Instead, he had cultivated the rare **Void Arts**—techniques that erased spiritual energy from attacks, making them untrackable.
> "He's a ghost. You feel the punch, but never see it."
> "Only the Sect Master knows how far he's progressed."
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### **Rank 1 – Liang Chen (Heaven's Trial)**
And then… silence.
The top-ranked outer disciple didn't boast. Didn't arrive late. Didn't draw attention.
He stood with hands behind his back, eyes closed, blade sheathed at his waist. His reputation came not from one battle—but from **every** one.
> "They say even Core Disciples keep an eye on him."
> "He's rumored to have already touched the Sixth Level of Foundation."
> "They call him Heaven's Trial… because if you can't beat him, you're not ready to rise."
Even Shadow had heard the name.
> "Liang Chen…"
> "So that's the summit I must climb."
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### **Structure of the Tournament**
While eyes remained fixed on the top ten, Elder Lu Jian once again addressed the crowd.
> "The competition will consist of **three stages.**"
> "**Stage One** – All outer disciples have been randomly divided into **50 groups** of 50 participants."
> "Each group will battle in small brackets. The last **ten** standing from each group will proceed."
> "From 2,500, only **500** shall remain."
The formation stones on the dueling platforms glowed, adjusting with arrays.
> "**Stage Two** – The remaining 500 will be decided into 50 groups and each 10 will enter a single, massive platform. **All-out battle**. No brackets. No alliances. No rules. Until **only 1** remain standing."
A ripple of tension passed through the crowd.
> "**Stage Three** – The final ten will face each other in **one-on-one duels**, ranked by random draw. The victor… shall be crowned Champion of the Outer Court."
He paused.
> "And the one who stands at the end… may earn more than rank. They may earn the right to challenge the **Inner Court Ascension**."
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The disciples roared.
Excitement buzzed through the air like lightning.
Shadow stood among them, silent as ever, watching names rise like banners.
And in the heart of it all…
He smiled faintly.
> "You all have names."
> "But I have purpose."
> "Let's begin."
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