Ascension of the Silent Guardian

The battle in the Outer Sect continued. The upcoming fights were nothing spectacular; all the disciples were still at the Mortal Realm, barely attracting the attention of the elders. Only two stood out in the next ten matches: Lan Wei and Qin Rong. Both were at the first level of the Foundation Realm. Despite their noticeable performance, the fights were unimpressive, as their opponents were only at the mid-stage of the Mortal Realm, and the difference in cultivation was too significant.

In the eleventh match, it was Jin Yu's turn. She was already at the peak of the Mortal Realm, while her opponent, Feng Yiran, had reached the first level of the Foundation Realm, making the fight more challenging.

Soon, both were called to the arena. Jin Yu and Feng Yiran exchanged greetings.

"Let's have a good match!" Jin Yu said, clasping her hands and bowing respectfully.

"I don't think you're worthy of my greeting," Feng Yiran replied arrogantly, his tone filled with disdain.

**"Such arrogance,"** Jin Yu thought, cursing him inwardly. However, in front of the elders, she had to show respect and composure.

"Then, I will prove my worth with my skills," she said, her expression firm and confident as she raised her sword, ready to attack.

Jin Yu couldn't yet fully infuse her sword with energy; the spiritual energy merely swirled around the blade. However, a thin strand of aura began to seep into the weapon. She focused and quickly attacked Feng Yiran, who effortlessly infused his sword with spiritual energy, easily defending her attack, his arrogant gaze growing even more contemptuous.

"Is that all? You don't have the skill to face me."

She ignored his taunts and retreated, concentrating even harder. Unconsciously, she managed to imbue her sword with Qi. She was on the verge of breaking through to the Foundation Realm and began to press Feng Yiran with intensity. He, on the other hand, had no dharmic techniques or spells, relying solely on his cultivation. But Jin Yu was a natural swordswoman, having trained her blade relentlessly.

The battle lasted almost three hours before Jin Yu found an opening. Feng Yiran, in a defensive stance, let his guard down and exposed a weakness in his abdomen. Without hesitation, Jin Yu struck, ending the fight.

"The match is over. Jin Yu is the victor," Elder Lian Ziyue announced with a satisfied expression. She, too, disliked Feng Yiran's arrogance.

This was one of the matches that caught the elders' attention, though not as much as others. Even so, they noticed Jin Yu.

After that fight, the others were average in comparison. All the disciples who fought had not even reached the advanced stage of the Mortal Realm, but Tian Ling watched every fight attentively, absorbing as much as he could.

When all the matches were over, Elder Lian Ziyue spoke:

"Today's battles are over. The winners will fight again tomorrow and continue in the competition. Those who lost are disqualified, but if an elder sees potential in you, you may still be recruited as inner disciples."

With that, everyone returned to the Outer Sect's palace, many eager for the upcoming fights. They would only know their opponents the next day, and the tension was palpable.

On the peak of a mountain, covered in clouds as white as cotton, the master of the Serene Mist Sect, with an imposing appearance and dressed in a white robe with golden engravings, sat in a lotus position, admiring the vast sky.

"Any promising disciples?" the sect master asked telepathically to Liang Wuyin.

"There are a few, Master, but I don't think any are worthy of being your personal disciples."

"My instinct tells me you're wrong. I believe he is there. When they reach the Inner Sect, bring the disciples to me. I want to see for myself."

And with that, their conversation ended.

The next day, the disciples once again headed to the arena along with the elders to continue the battles.

Upon arrival, Elder Lian Ziyue announced the order of the fights.

Tian Ling, upon seeing the order, was startled. His heart began to race. He would be fighting Jiang Zhenhai, and the difference in their cultivation levels was enormous. Tian Ling was excited but also nervous. He knew that at this moment, he had no real chance of winning, but he still wanted to fight. His battle would be the second of the day.

The first match was Jin Yu's, who defeated her opponent with mastery. Luckily for her, the adversary had only recently reached the advanced stage of the Mortal Realm and had yet to consolidate his cultivation. She defeated him easily, and soon after, Tian Ling's match began.

Both ascended to the arena as soon as they were called. The elders, attentive, sharpened their focus, for they were now witnessing two geniuses. Tian Ling was considered the greatest prodigy, having broken through to the Foundation Realm at twenty-two years old. Of course, Tian Ling did not know that yet.

They greeted each other politely.

"I hope for a good fight, senior," Tian Ling said, clasping his hands in respect.

"I hope so too, brother," Jiang Zhenhai replied with respect, demonstrating impeccable temperament.

Tian Ling took his stance, imbuing his sword with spiritual energy. He thought, **"I need to give it my all right from the start. Our cultivation gap is immense."** He gripped his sword firmly, as thunderbolts danced around the blade. He could feel the energy vibrating, each pulse charged with the power he had accumulated.

Without hesitation, Tian Ling lunged towards Jiang Zhenhai. His sword absorbed the surrounding lightning, crackling with electricity. He charged with all his might, betting on the initial impact to make up for the power disparity.

Jiang Zhenhai, calm, assumed a defensive posture, raising his sword imbued with spiritual energy. The sound of their swords clashing echoed across the arena, and the force of Tian Ling's strikes was impressive, though unrefined.

"He's strong..." Jiang Zhenhai thought, surprised by Tian Ling's raw power, though it was clear he lacked experience. Each of Tian Ling's attacks carried overwhelming strength but lacked precision, and Jiang Zhenhai, skilled, easily blocked each strike.

"You have talent, but... you lack experience," Jiang Zhenhai said calmly, dodging yet another attack.

Frustrated, Tian Ling increased the intensity of his strikes. Lightning once again began to gather around his sword, and he focused everything into one final attack.

"Stormy Sky Sword!" Tian Ling shouted, unleashing his technique with all the power he had.

The strike hit Jiang Zhenhai, forcing him back a few steps, but at the last moment, he spun his sword and, with a precise movement, blocked the final attack. The impact made the arena floor tremble, and the audience fell silent for a moment.

However, as the dust settled, it became clear: Tian Ling had been defeated. His body gave in to the strain, and he collapsed to his knees, panting heavily.

"The victory goes to Jiang Zhenhai," Elder Lian Ziyue announced in a neutral tone, but her eyes showed respect for Tian Ling's performance.

Jiang Zhenhai walked over to Tian Ling and extended his hand, helping him up.

"You have great potential, Tian Ling. You just need refinement," he said with a respectful smile.

Despite his defeat, Tian Ling felt proud. He knew he had much to learn, but that fight had ignited a new flame within him. He smiled back, shaking Jiang Zhenhai's hand.

The elders exchanged meaningful glances. Despite the loss, Tian Ling had proven that his talent and determination were exceptional. The future still held great promise for him.

Thus, the battles continued, one after another, but nothing particularly interesting happened in the following fights.

"All the fights have ended. We will not proceed further. Now, the elders will choose some disciples to follow them. The decision to accept or decline is yours," Elder Lian Ziyue declared, raising her voice.

The first to be called was Jiang Zhenhai.

"Two elders want you as their disciple: myself and Elder Mei Lianhua. You have the right to choose. Whom do you wish to have as your master?" Elder Liang Wuyin asked.

"I would like to accept Elder Liang Wuyin as my master," Jiang Zhenhai replied without hesitation.

Thus, he became the first to become an inner disciple and would accompany the elders back to the Inner Sect.

The surrounding disciples murmured in nervousness. Tian Ling, among them, felt his heart race. He longed to continue advancing, and he knew this was his great opportunity. But would he be chosen?

It didn't take long for Tian Ling to be called. As he approached the elders, all eyes were on him. He could feel the weight of expectation pressing on his shoulders. Standing before the elders, Liang Wuyin spoke:

"All three of us want you as a disciple. Who will you choose as your master?"

Tian Ling was shocked. His eyes widened, and a rush of adrenaline surged through his body. **"All of them want me as their disciple?"** he thought. Nervousness overwhelmed him for a moment, but before he could respond, the familiar sound of the system echoed in his mind.

Suddenly, everything around him turned gray. Time seemed to have frozen. Tian Ling was confused, observing the elders and disciples around him, motionless like statues. It was as if the world had stopped just for him. **"What's happening?"** he thought, until the system interface appeared before him.

[THE SYSTEM HAS DETECTED THAT THE HOST IS ABOUT TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT DECISION IN THEIR CULTIVATION PATH. YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:]

Tian Ling felt the weight of each word as he read the choices. Each one carried a different destiny. He knew that the choice he would make now would define the rest of his cultivation journey. The absolute silence around him only intensified the importance of this moment.

[1 - BECOME MEI LIANHUA’S DISCIPLE. SHE DISLIKES CONFLICT AND PREFERS TO CULTIVATE IN PEACE. HER GOAL IS THE DAO, AND HER DEVOTION TO THE SECT IS ABSOLUTE. YOU WILL HAVE TO CULTIVATE DILIGENTLY. REWARDS: A HIGH-GRADE SPIRITUAL TREASURE, A BOTTLE OF FOUNDATION PILLS, AND A SYSTEM UPGRADE.]

[2 - BECOME LIANG WUYIN’S DISCIPLE. HIS PERSONALITY IS CALM, BUT HE ENJOYS BEING FLATTERED. TO HIM, WHAT MATTERS IS YOUR FAME IN THE CULTIVATION WORLD. YOU WILL HAVE TO BUILD A NAME FOR YOURSELF. REWARDS: A BOTTLE OF FOUNDATION PILLS AND A SPIRITUAL-LEVEL TREASURE.]

[3 - BECOME SHEN QIXIAN’S DISCIPLE. HE ENJOYS CONSTANT BATTLES AND ADVANCES HIS CULTIVATION THROUGH THEM. BEING HIS DISCIPLE MEANS CONSTANTLY FIGHTING AND COMPLETING MANY MISSIONS IN HIS NAME. REWARDS: A BOTTLE OF FOUNDATION PILLS AND A SPIRITUAL-LEVEL DHARMIC TECHNIQUE.]

Each option seemed more enticing than the previous one, and Tian Ling felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He couldn’t make this decision lightly. His heart raced as he pondered the choices.

"Mei Lianhua... cultivating in peace and diligence... Liang Wuyin... seeking fame and recognition in the cultivation world... Shen Qixian... constant battles and evolution through strength..." Each of these paths offered not only power but also unique challenges.

The idea of receiving a "system upgrade" by choosing Mei Lianhua was intriguing, but the path of constant battle offered by Shen Qixian stirred something deep within him. It was a difficult decision. And he knew that whatever choice he made would resonate throughout his entire journey.

Time seemed to stand still, allowing him to reflect deeply. The system, as always, left nothing to chance. He was about to take the next step toward his destiny, and regardless of the choice, it would shape the cultivator he would become.

The elders, frozen in time, waited for his response. And now, Tian Ling knew: the next move was crucial.