Chapter 39: Han Cai Enters The Arena

After announcing the rules of the arena, Elder Miao announced again, "All the participants may enter the arena."

The fifty disciples around the elders began to walk through the arena. Additionally, from the east side, fifty yellow-dressed outer sect disciples who were in the top 50 of the common faction moved towards the arena. As the disciples around the elders entered the arena, Han Cai got up and followed last. When Han Cai started to walk in, Elder Zhou nodded at him and smiled.

Soon, all the disciples who were participating were inside the arena. Once all the disciples were inside the arena, two elders of the outer sect discipline hall went to the south and east and closed the arena doors. Meanwhile, ten elders from the discipline hall went on the ten platforms, while 10 elders stood below each platform to make sure that no multiple disciples would jump or challenge the disciple on the platform or distract them.

Elder Miao announced that the ten disciples who wanted to acquire the platform first could go ahead now. For some time, no one moved, but soon one outer sect disciple from the common faction's top 50 moved, and a few others followed suit. Following his lead, other disciples from the common faction moved. Shortly, all ten platforms were acquired by them.

Han Cai thought he would wait until the end when all the disciples had fought all day and would tire each other out, before he should take the platform. But then he realized that the same thing was in the minds of almost all the disciples, that they would wait until the end to take the platform. After seeing that no one had moved, Han Cai finally made his move.

Han Cai thought to himself, "Let's get done with it."

Dressed in white from top to bottom, carrying a white sword, he was very eye-catching, but since he was in the back, keeping a low profile, no one noticed as everyone's attention was on the ten students standing on the platform. Han Cai walked gracefully, and by the time people noticed, he was already standing in front of the elder of the discipline hall who was standing below platform 1.

Han Cai bowed, took out his outer disciple medallion, showed it to the elder, and spoke, "Elder, I would like to challenge platform 1."

The sect master, sitting in the center of the inner sect elders on the north of the arena, noticed Han Cai as he walked gracefully towards the platform. He observed Han Cai's white-dressed attire and the white sword he carried, which made him stand out amongst the other disciples. The sect master was impressed by Han Cai's confidence and grace as he approached the platform. Han Cai radiated a peaceful aura and had a determined look on his face. He also noticed Han Cai's low-profile approach and thought that Han Cai was indeed special. As Han Cai challenged the disciple on platform 1, the sect master watched intently, waiting to see Han Cai's skill and strategy in the fight. The sect master could sense that this was a disciple with great potential.

When Han Cai stepped onto the platform, all of the elders looked at him curiously. The outer sect elders thought, "So this is the disciple Elder Zhou fought for."

The inner sect elders thought, "This must be the heaven-defying talent Elder Miao was talking about."

The elder beside the sect master spoke, "Is this the kid?"

The sect master nodded. He had just told them that there was a talent in the outer sect they should come and see for themselves, but he had yet to give them any other information that Elder Miao had told him. He wanted to verify it with his own eyes before believing it.

Then, the second elder beside the sect master spoke, "This kid has covered all his clothes with Qi. Is he worried that his clothes will get dirty during a fight? Isn't it unwise to waste Qi before the fight?"