Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Selection of The Azure Dragon Sect [4]

One of the outer disciples stepped forward, handing over a small booklet in which all the recruits wrote their names.

When everyone had finished, a space was opened up for battle.

"Ariel Aquaria," the elder called, and the pale beauty stepped forward. A disciple of the same cultivation took his place across from her.

"Begin!"

She moved first, she step across the arena stones, with her watery aura cutting through the air and driving straight toward his chest.

"Shit!" The disciple barely deflects the strike, and Ariel’s fist already striking toward his arm.

He felt his bones crack on the impact. By the time he finally managed to circulate his Qi and build up his defenses.

Ariel’s fist hit his face. His nose burst open, and he fell backwards.

"Enough," Elder Alder said. "Ariel Aquaria passes."

"That was a great fight, Young Lady Aquaria. With your talent, you’ll certainly reach great heights," Elder Alder praised her.

"Thank You, Elder Alder." She bowed before turning around to leave the arena.

As Ariel stepped down from the arena, Jack moved to meet her.

"It has been a while, Young Lady Ariel. Your technique was impressive."

"Young Master Jack." She returned the gesture with a graceful smile. "Your praise is too kind for me. I still have much room to grow."

"You are too modest, Young lady Ariel. I wanted to greet you after the first test, but I never got that opportunity."

"Int’s okay Young Master Jack," she replied warmly. "I wish you do well in your test."

Ariel drifted away from Jack and made her way back to Damon’s side.

"You know him?" he glanced at her and asked.

"Who? Young master Jack? Yes, I met him a few years ago at a noble clan meeting."

"I see, no wonder he keeps sending me his death glare and killing intent."

"A commoner? And he likes me?"

"We ran into each other before the test. He was making trouble for your new sister, calling me commoner trash." He moves his head closer toward her.

"It’s just that you’ve never noticed how he feels. Then again, you’ve not even understood you own feeling before."

"Well, he already too late for that. I’ve already found my man." she said that with a smile on her her lips

’Well, let’s see how far his superiority complex will go...’

****

The tests that followed were of little interest.

Recruits and middling disciples traded blow after tedious blow until Elder Alder stepped in or exhaustion settled the matter.

"Hardly worth watching..." Damon muttered, shutting his eyes and turning his focus inward to circulate his Qi.

Only one name roused him from his indifference.

"Next," Elder Alder announced, glancing at the booklet. "Jack Frostborn."

’Look at me, Ariel. This is what your future husband is capable of.’ He gives a glance on her way, a smile on his lips.

The Frostborn family’s young master move forward, as his silver robes embroidered with his clan’s insignia rippling in the wind.

His hand moved onto the sword hilt on his side, pulling it in a single smooth arc.

"Come," he said it with confidence to the disciple who would test him, a big young man of avareage appearance.

Before settling into his stance, Jack cast a glance toward Ariel. He would let her see precisely what a worthy man looked like in combat.

"Begin!"

The elder’s call had barely faded before two auras at the Elementary Spirit Realm surged outward.

His opponent was a fire cultivator. The disciple roared and swung a broad axe overhead and bringing it down in an arc.

Jack evades it and his blade meet the axe. Both men were moved back before squaring off once more.

Each collision sent shockwaves rolling through the air, the force of their cultivations enough to make the weaker recruits shuffle back without quite meaning to.

"Not bad!" The disciple snarled, dragging the axe across the ground with a grinding shriek.

His fire Qi surged through the handle and flooded the darkened blade, wreathing it in a roaring blaze.

"The same cannot be said for you." Jack pressed forward undeterred, the Qi along his sword blazing with renewed intensity.

Their weapons collided with a thunderous crack that sent a tremor through the earth beneath them. Jack’s jaw was set tight, every muscle straining as he drove his weight forward.

"Move!" His Qi erupted outward, hurling the outer disciple off his feet.

The man hit the ground hard and struggled to rise, only to shudder and spit a thin thread of blood.

Exhausted, Jack dropped to one knee and turned his gaze toward Ariel, searching her expression for something resembling admiration.

’A real man fights like this. Only I am worthy to stand at your side — not some gutter-born nobody.’

The thought lingered as contempt filled his features and his eyes slid toward Damon. That commoner could never match him. Of that, he was certain.

"That was a great demonstration, young master Jack. You’ll certainly reach great heights," Elder Alder praised him, but received nothing but a dissatisfied grunt as Jack returned to his original position.

’Hopeless...’ the old man thought wearily, though there was no time to dwell on it. He cleared his throat and called the next name.

"Damon, come forward."

Damon calmly walked forward, the wooden sword coming out from his side.

Elder Alder looked confused. ’Why did Damon pull out a wooden sword?’

But he decides to let the fight continue.

The disciple he would be fighting was also a sword user, a man of medium height and an ordinary face.

His spiritual root was wind, his clothes fluttering as he swung his sword around himself, and the wind Qi spread through his body.

"Are you messing with me, junior? Bring out a real sword." The disciple, angry thinking Damon is messing with him.

"Don’t worry about it, senior. Please instruct me well, senior!" Damon gave a formal bow, his voice calm and humble, interrupted by Elder Alder’s order.

"Then don’t blame me if anything happens, I won’t take it easy on you." The disciple grinned.

"Begin!"