Journey of true Cultivation

The moment the blond haired judge declared the match had begun, Emilia wasted no time.

With a sharp exhale, she lunged forward, gripping her rapier tightly. Her movements were swift, aggressive,she had no interest in waiting for Amalia to take the first move.

But her opponent was no fool.

Amalia, with her long spear in hand, took a measured step back, her eyes calm, calculating. Unlike Emilia, she did not charge recklessly. Instead, she held her ground, her grip firm, spear angled slightly downward,ready to counter at a moment's notice.

As Emilia closed the gap, she swung her rapier in a direct thrust toward Amalia's shoulder. Yet, just before the blade could reach its target, Amalia twisted her spear and deflected it to the side, causing Emilia to stumble forward slightly from her own momentum.

"Hmph." Amalia smirked, her voice laced with mild amusement. "Too straightforward. You think rushing in blindly will win you this fight?"

Emilia clicked her tongue, stepping back to regain her stance. "Tch. Who said I was rushing in blindly?" she shot back with a grin, but her tightened grip on the rapier betrayed her frustration.

Not wanting to give Amalia more time to set her footing, Emilia swung her blade again,this time feinting toward Amalia's left side before pivoting to strike her right.

But Amalia was ready.

She sidestepped smoothly, her spear sweeping low in retaliation. Emilia barely managed to hop over it, but the moment she landed, Amalia was already thrusting the spear towards her chest.

"Too slow."

Emilia barely had time to twist her body, the tip of the spear grazing the fabric of her robe. She could feel the rush of wind from the attack, her heart pounding as she pushed herself to regain control. This girl wasn't just stalling,she was dictating the pace of the battle.

The watching disciples murmured amongst themselves, eyes fixed on the intense exchange.

"Emilia's too reckless. She keeps charging in, and Amalia's just countering her every time."

"That's because Amalia has a spear. She's keeping the fight at her preferred range."

"But Emilia's fast. If she can close the distance, she might actually win."

Hearing the comments, Emilia scoffed, not breaking eye contact with Amalia. "You're a coward, keeping your distance like that. Afraid of fighting me up close?"

Amalia's eyes narrowed slightly, though she did not let the words shake her composure. "A noble does not fight foolishly. Why waste my strength on reckless charges when I can wear you down?"

That arrogant tone irked Emilia, but she didn't let it cloud her thoughts. Fine. If Amalia wanted to control the pace, she'd just have to break through it.

Taking a deep breath, Emilia suddenly lowered her stance, gripping her rapier with both hands. Then, without warning, she dashed forward at an even greater speed than before.

Amalia reacted immediately, swinging her spear in a horizontal arc to halt Emilia's advance.

But this time, Emilia expected it.

At the last moment, she ducked under the spear's trajectory, her body nearly parallel to the ground. Using the momentum, she rolled forward and sprang up just as Amalia was adjusting her stance.

A smirk flashed across Emilia's face. "Gotcha."

She thrust her rapier forward, aiming directly at Amalia's abdomen.

But Amalia, refusing to let herself be caught off guard, twisted her body just in time. The rapier's tip scraped against her robe but failed to pierce through.

Gritting her teeth, Amalia retaliated instantly. She spun on her heel, using the length of her spear like a staff, and swung the wooden shaft at Emilia's side.

Thwack!

The impact sent Emilia staggering sideways, a sharp pain flaring along her ribs. She barely managed to keep her grip on the rapier as she steadied herself, breathing heavily.

For a moment, the two girls simply stared at each other, their bodies tense, chests rising and falling rapidly. Sweat dripped down Emilia's forehead, but her excitement only grew.

Amalia, though still composed, was clearly more cautious now. Her grip on the spear had tightened, her breaths slightly heavier than before.

"Not bad," Emilia admitted, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "But you're still not winning this."

Amalia's expression remained unreadable. "Confidence without skill is just arrogance."

"Oh, don't worry," Emilia grinned, raising her rapier once more. "I've got both."

With that, the fight resumed.

Emilia went on the offensive once again, her strikes more refined this time. She no longer threw herself recklessly into attacks. Instead, she began mixing in feints and quick footwork, forcing Amalia to work harder to keep her distance.

But Amalia remained steadfast. She expertly maneuvered her spear, blocking and redirecting Emilia's advances, never allowing her to land a direct hit.

Then, suddenly, Amalia made her move.

She lunged forward for the first time in the match, thrusting her spear straight toward Emilia's chest. The abrupt change in pace caught Emilia off guard, and though she barely managed to deflect the attack with her rapier, Amalia followed up instantly.

A sweeping kick aimed at Emilia's legs.

Emilia had no time to dodge.

The kick connected, and she lost her footing, crashing onto the ground with a grunt.

Gasps erupted from the watching disciples.

"She's down!"

"Amalia's going for the win!"

Seizing the advantage, Amalia aimed her spear downward, intent on ending the fight.

But Emilia wasn't finished.

Just before the spear could reach her, she twisted her body and swung her rapier upward. The impact knocked Amalia's spear off course, creating just enough space for Emilia to roll away and spring back to her feet.

Both fighters now stood across from each other once more, panting heavily, their stances unsteady.

The match had taken its toll.

They exchanged one last glance, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

With one final burst of energy, they charged at each other at the same time.

Emilia's rapier shot forward.

Amalia's spear lunged forth.

The attacks landed simultaneously.

Then

Both bodies collapsed to the ground.

A heavy silence filled the cave as the disciples stared in stunned disbelief.

Neither girl could move.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then, the blond haired judge clapped his hands together, chuckling. "Now that was a fight."

His green eyes sparkled with amusement as he looked at the two exhausted fighters. "I declare this match… a draw!"

The announcement was met with murmurs and nods of approval. While some were disappointed there wasn't a clear winner, others were simply impressed by the sheer intensity of the battle.

As for Emilia and Amalia, they lay on the ground, breathing hard.

Emilia turned her head slightly, looking at Amalia with a tired grin. "Not bad."

Amalia scoffed weakly. "You're insufferable."

Despite themselves, they both chuckled softly.

But as both of them chuckled, a warm energy suddenly emerged from nowhere, surrounding them in a gentle embrace. This warmth seeped into their exhausted bodies, gradually washing away their fatigue and soothing their aching muscles.

Slowly, strength returned to their limbs.

After a few minutes, Emilia and Amalia could stand again. Their bodies still ached, but at least they could move.

Seeing this, the blond-haired judge smiled and gestured toward them. "You've recovered enough. Step back to the group."

Neither of them argued. They gave each other one last glance,half pride, half exhaustion,before making their way out of the fighting area.

Meanwhile, Yuan, who had observed the entire battle in silence, finally processed his thoughts on the fight.

An amateurish battle, at best.

It had been a difficult fight for them, but in Yuan's eyes, it was by no means a good one. Their movements lacked precision, their decision-making was flawed, and their understanding of true combat was nonexistent.

Still, their instincts weren't terrible.

He could acknowledge that. Both Emilia and Amalia had potential. There were many things they could improve on,proper footwork, better endurance, and most importantly, emotional control. Their emotions had dictated too much of their fighting. It was a weakness, one that could be exploited by a more composed opponent.

And then, there was Emilia's reckless approach.

Too much wasted energy. Too little thought.

Yuan internally sighed. If that had been a real fight against a cultivator, she would have died before even realizing why.

Her combat style was based purely on instinct rather than skill. Predictable. Exploitable. Every move she made was something an experienced warrior could read within seconds. Against an opponent who wasn't easily overwhelmed, her attacks would amount to nothing.

Still, her wild and fearless approach did have one merit.

Unpredictability.

For an opponent unaccustomed to reckless aggression, Emilia's all-in attacks might catch them off guard. Her lack of hesitation could create openings where hesitation would otherwise exist.

But that was only useful against the inexperienced.

and against a true cultivator that could kill without mercy? It would be a swift and meaningless death.

Then there was Amalia.

Unlike Emilia, she had discipline. She understood control. She maintained distance well. She was patient.

Those were good qualities. However, her flaws were just as obvious.

She was too focused on maintaining an advantage rather than securing a victory.

She treated battle as a game of positioning and control, rather than a life or death encounter. And worst of all?

Arrogance.

Amalia's self confidence bordered on overestimation. She assumed she could dictate the flow of battle, that she could control the fight to her pace.

That was a fatal flaw.

A fight cannot always be controlled. A battle does not always follow your expectations.

If she ever met an opponent who broke her rhythm, who refused to play by her rules, she would crumble.

In the end, Yuan found this fight… pointless.

A good spar, maybe. But if this had been a true battle, both of them would be lying dead on the ground.

Neither had the instinct to kill.

Neither had the awareness to survive.

This was just a fight between two people who didn't know how to kill each other.

But as Yuan reflected on the fight between Emilia and Amalia, the next match had already begun.

Each fight had its own unique qualities, but in the end, all of them were merely displays of low level cultivators fighting like ordinary mortals. There was nothing particularly special about them,just raw potential and a bit of competitive spirit.

That was all.

And so, Yuan gradually lost interest.

The matches blended together, each one resembling the last. Nothing stood out.

But then

After the eighth fight, the blond-haired judge called out his name.

"Junior Yuan and Junior Daoist Water Lake, please step forward!"

The judge spoke with his usual bright smile, his voice carrying across the training ground.

Hearing his name, Yuan stepped forward with quiet composure, his expression unreadable.

As he approached, his gaze fell upon his opponent,Daoist Water Lake.

The moment Yuan's name was called, a subtle shift occurred in the atmosphere. Unlike the previous fights, which were mostly met with casual interest, this time, some of the disciples began to pay closer attention.

After all, Yuan had already stood out during the endurance trial. Now, they were curious to see whether his combat skills matched his mental fortitude.

As he stepped forward, Yuan's expression remained neutral, his black azure eyes scanning his opponent with a calm gaze.

Daoist Water Lake, on the other hand, carried himself with quiet confidence.

He was a young man, slightly taller than Yuan, dressed in a flowing blue robe embroidered with wave like silver patterns. His long black hair was tied neatly behind his back, and his deep blue eyes held a tranquil sharpness,like a still lake that could erupt into a raging tide at any moment.

Unlike some of the earlier combatants, who either appeared too arrogant or too nervous, Daoist Water Lake exuded an aura of balance and composure.

As Yuan studied his opponent, the other disciples whispered among themselves.

"Daoist Water Lake… he's one of the stronger recruits."

"Yeah, I heard he trained under a retired sect disciple before coming here."

"But that Yuan guy… he endured over three minutes in the first trial. What if he's even stronger in combat?"

"Well, we're about to find out."

While the whispers continued, the blond haired judge smiled and clapped his hands together.

"Both fighters are present. Now, before we begin, do either of you wish to request a weapon?"

Daoist Water Lake bowed slightly, his voice smooth and controlled.

"I would like to request a long spear blade," Daoist Water Lake said, his voice steady.

The blond-haired judge gave a small nod, reaching into his storage and effortlessly pulling out a long spear blade before tossing it toward Daoist Water Lake. The young cultivator caught it with practiced ease, gripping the weapon firmly as he tested its weight.

Then, the judge turned to Yuan.

Yuan hesitated for a moment, his mind briefly drifting into deep thought.

Which weapon should he choose?

Basilisk had never been one to rely on weapons. His true strength lay in his techniques, his overwhelming schemes, and his mastery of runes. But that didn't mean he was unfamiliar with weapons altogether. Among the many weapons he had encountered throughout his lifetime, the sword was one he had studied,though never truly mastered.

So why not?

With that thought in mind, Yuan looked at the judge and spoke calmly.

"I would like a sword."

The blond haired judge nodded, retrieving a wooden sword before tossing it in Yuan's direction.

Without hesitation, Yuan caught the weapon mid air, his grip firm yet relaxed. He turned the blade in his hands, examining its balance before giving it a few light swings. Each movement was controlled, his strokes clean and precise.

After a few tests, he nodded in satisfaction.

Now that both fighters had their chosen weapons, the blond haired judge's smile widened as he looked between them.

"Then," his voice echoed through the training grounds, "begin the match!"