章 75: One Step Higher

Elder Azure Cloud stepped forward from the line of twelve they formed behind the Cloud Master.

He was a gentle looking old man with long white hair draped over his shoulder. Not as profound as Patriarch Sen's, his eyes still radiated a deep knowledge that only an expert could have.

"The first series of fights will take place shortly. Each of you will fight once. The winner advances to the next round which will take place in three days time.

We Elders will judge you based on your magical ability during the fight. Killing will be severely sanctioned. The winner is decided once the other fighter loses consciousness, is forcefully pushed off the arena limits, or is incapable of fighting in any way. As proud disciples of the Cloud-Formation Pavilion, surrendering is not an option unless we decide it is best for you."

The rules were clear. They also implied that the Elders would make sure nobody was in too much danger and at risk of death. Of course if an Elder had to intervene, the fight would be stopped and decided immediately.

Finally, it was made clear that the results of the fight would depend on the disciple's magical ability. For most it would be pretty obvious, but for some like Fu Xue it meant that some physical based techniques would not be regarded as fair.

"All twelve Cloud Elders will be watching... This is more than a simple ranking tournament, isn't it?"

Nobody had dared talk out loud and yet this rhetorical question was on everybody's mind.

In order to judge the fighting of a few juniors, only one Elder, or even Inner Sect disciples were enough. And yet all twelve experts and the Cloud Master himself had mobilized.

The hidden reason behind the format of the tournament was becoming more and more evident.

Shin Sumi too was thinking about it, "The Elders are looking for disciples to enroll as their own students. Surely the most promising will find a master, basically having a place in the Inner Sect for as soon as they reach the third step of the Liquid Realm."

Even if the prospect didn't matter to Shin Sumi at all due to her secret position as the seventh Ghost from the Ghost Pavilion, it was a lot to think about. It was also an evident motivation to fight at full power and prove their worth to the Elders.

Sadly, something else bothered Shin Sumi even more.

"No surrenders. But in the face of the Elders, faking a loss would be way too obvious. Just from standing there, I almost feel their gaze directly on my soul."

Despite her true power, in terms of magical abilities and fighting prowess, Shin Sumi wasn't certain she could end up in the top six practitioners anyway, but she wasn't willing to risk it. She had already promised Xiao Yue that she would fight for the Star-Sword Pavilion as Bai Fulong.

To top it off, as if motivation wasn't high enough in the sixty four contestants, Elder Azure Cloud cleared his throat before continuing his announcement, this time with a devious smile.

"To make this a bit more fun for you youngsters, we have also decided on a certain ... training opportunity."

More than half the disciples present were already having cold sweats. Somehow in Elder Azure Cloud's mouth, a training opportunity sounded scarier than anything they had ever experienced.

"For those of you who will fail in the first two rounds, you will get to train for an entire week in the Dark Fortress, which is equivalent to a month out here. Exciting, isn't it? This way you are rewarded even if you don't make it to the top sixteen."

Every single pair of eyes were bulging as soon as the words 'Dark Fortress' fell. A dozen jaws dropped an deven a few thuds could be heard from disciples whose knees had given out.

"The Dark Fortress?!" Shin Sumi was frankly scared. She had already planned on losing in the first round but now it was entirely out of the question.

The Dark Fortress was a place known even by Honorary Disciples below the Liquid Realm as one of the scariest places in the sect.

Much like the Rising Star Tournament's floating continent, it was one of the Dark Sky Starry Sect's pocket dimensions used for training.

But unlike the floating continent who was overflowing with Shinsoo of different types and a great place for training, the Dark Fortress had different laws of physics applying.

Shin Sumi remembered Lan Hui's explanation he had given while shivering in fear just by recalling what he knew, "It is a small world in which light doesn't exist. Even fire can burn without giving off the slightest light, in there."

And it wasn't all. More than just a physical feat, training in the Dark Fortress was also a mental challenge.

"According to what I've been told, the only type of Shinsoo in the Dark Fortress is of darkness type. Unless the cultivation technique you have chosen uses darkness type Shinsoo, you will feel like your entire being is submerged in the darkest of waters, almost unable to move and breath."

Spending time in the Dark Fortress was said to be one of the most efficient ways to train, though. Time passed quicker on the inside than the outside, but the suffocating presence of darkness Shinsoo was really stimulating for the cultivation.

As Shin Sumi understood it, it had to do with honing a cultivator's affinity with Shinsoo. After all, once a blindfold is removed, even the dimmest light turns very bright.

And she knew that even the mysterious Copper Bell wouldn't be able to help her in this situation. As powerful as it was, the bell could only alter one's perception to fit their need but it could not change the laws of physics. If the Dark Fortress was completely devoid of any light, the Copper Bell was of no use at all.

"I have to win the first two fights, preferably only by luck or with the smallest advantage. I absolutely can't crush my opponents or else the Cloud Elders will know I'm not using my full potential in the rest of the rounds."

Such a strange feat that only Shin Sumi was capable of achieving, under the traits of Yan Yan. Only one question remained, though.

"Who will I be fighting first? Has the pairing up already been made?" she looked around at the grimacing disciples still in the process of digesting the idea that the Dark Fortress was just around the corner.

Only a select few were like her, scanning around for worthy opponents while not too bothered themselves.

Fu Xue was one of them, Chu Erlong and Jun Qian also calm, naturally.

"If I have to go up against one of them, I am screwed" Shin Sumi realized, "Either I manage to squeeze in a win but then I won't be able to fool the Elders and lose my other fights, or I might as well accept the Dark Fortress and also give up on the Star-Sword Pavilion rankings."

Patiently waiting for the assembly to regain their composure after his last announcement, it was at that moment Elder Azure Cloud chose to clear his throat once more.

"Now that you all understand the rules and what is at stake, it is time to compose the brackets according to your potential. Brother Orange Cloud, please."

Punctuating Elder Azure Cloud's sentence with a slight nod of his head, the orange wearing Elder stepped forward as well.

His eyes never leaving the ground in front of his feet like a shy boy in front of a pretty girl, the Elder's lips moved ever so slightly but no words escaped them.

"..." A few disciples perked their ears, trying to decipher if the Elder was saying something or simply being unnaturally shy.

Half a breath later, a rumble once more shook the ground. Following the silent incantation, a grey cube the size of an adult had dropped out of thin air, landing loudly on the tiles of the grand hall.

"A testing stele, just like the entrance to the sect. Are they going to measure our talents?" the disciples instantly recognized the monolithic testing stone.

"..." Elder Orange Cloud once more failed to produce a sound as all eyes were set on him. At his side, Elder Azure Cloud sighed while shaking his head ever so slightly from side to side. He, of course, knew of his fellow cultivator's habit with public speaking. Why did it turn out to be him having to summon the testing stone?

"Erm... What fellow Elder Orange Cloud is saying is that each of you will take turns here, put your hand on the stele and release a sliver of Shinsoo. The stele will then take it all into account to form the most appropriate order for the fights to come."

Then, pointing at the disciple standing the closest to where the stele had dropped, "You, go first."

The disciple instantly joined hands and bowed, before making his way to the testing stone with a resolute face.

Shin Sumi smiled internally as the silhouette of the man walked, trying to hide the clenching of his fists.

"Oh, what an interesting first pick."

A few meters away, Chu Erlong too looked at the man who had just been picked, alternating from the corner of her eye between Yan Yan and him, her teeth slowly grinding together.

In front of the testing stone, the young man inhaled deeply, contacting his palm on the cold smooth surface. Without letting any more anxiousness arise, he quickly injected his Shinsoo.

To his and everybody's dismay, the stone let out no reaction at all. Has it worked?

Gesturing him to move aside, Elder Orange Cloud signaled another disciple to take his place, a shallow smile appearing on his face. Despite not saying a word, the Elder seemed content with the testing.

"Maybe it doesn't show anything so that nobody besides the Elders knows our potentials. And yet even from that sliver of Shinsoo, I could feel you have grown stronger, Brother Bai", Shin Sumi realized.

Bai Xuengen awkwardly made his way back to the crowd, his empty gaze stuck on his own hand, wondering why there was no reaction from the testing stone.

Thankfully for him, during all of the sixty-four contestants' assessment, not even once did the stone show any response, and apart from Elder Orange Cloud's bizarre constant smile, neither did the Elders faces.

"Maybe the order will be decided fairly this time," Shin Sumi almost said out loud, still angry at how she was forced into fighting by Master Cloud's devious plan.

"Now that the order has been decided, we shall get started immediately. Brother Orange Cloud."

The shy orange robed Elder took one hand out of the folds of his robes. Between his small fingers was a brightly glowing piece of jade that slowly started to float above the ground before reaching above the height of the fighting platform, towering above the disciples.

A large magical screen appeared from the piece of jade. On it were sixty-four names, neatly arranged into one column. Next to them were a bunch of empty lines, fewer and fewer with each new column.

It didn't take a genius to understand what the display showed. According to the lines, all the fights were decided.

The criteria for the pairing seemed random at first, but a good eye easily spotted that the topmost fighters had all been put on different seeds.

"So the strongest according to the testing stone will only meet later on. Pairing a stronger cultivator with a lower ranked is actually pretty smart for deciding the line-up for the Cross Branch Arena."

Shin Sumi was reassured. Even if she didn't know everybody present, she naturally knew the names of the best contenders, none of which she would meet over the next two fights.

Because the fights were mostly one sided for the first round of this Cloud-Formation Pavilion tournament, the thirty two disciples who would move on to the second round were decided pretty quickly.

Without any surprise, Fu Xue, Bai Xuengen, Chu Erlong and the likes all managed an easy victory.

Ignoring the dejected disciples who knew the Dark Fortress was waiting for them, Elder Azure Cloud briefly congratulated the winners before opening the front door of the building.

"See you in three days Sister Yan," smiled Fu Xue, "I'm off to train, would you like to join me for some sparring practice?"

Yan Yan waved back, "thank you for the offer Sister Fu but I need to strengthen my cultivation base more than I need fight training. I will see you soon."

Shin Sumi didn't lie. Ever since she had gotten the Moon Stone, her cultivation had increased by leaps and bounds, finally managing to properly circulate the Moon Severing Ephemeral Shadow.

According to the texts she had found in the sect library, the Moon Stone would be depleted of its unique Shinsoo in a few days at most and she couldn't afford to waste more time.

"I'm on the verge of breaking through to the Liquid Realm second step. All of my techniques will become more powerful and I will be able to use the white scroll from the Ghost Pavilion."

White Claw Dusk Cleaver was the name of the first technique passed down by the Ghosts. Due to her sixty-four Shinsoo Apertures, Shin Sumi had a great affinity with Shinsoo which had instantly told her what some of the requirements for the technique were.

Not only did the technique use a lot of Shinsoo with one use, the complicated pattern of openings needed to circulate energy in the right way was such that attempting it before reaching the second step would only result in a strong energy backlash.

Knowing one's limits was key for survival in the Immortal World.

Tired but excited, Yan Yan promptly left the Cloud-Formation Pavilion for the forest behind the Second Star Arena. There, in the privacy of her own home she rang the Copper Bell once, her traits morphing back into her own face, Shin Sumi's real face.

Tapping her wrist with Shinsoo imbued fingers, she called out to the Lion Bat.

"Nuan you can come out now! I have a few spirit stones for you to munch on while I cultivate."

Gently stroking the Lion Bat's fur for a while, Shin Sumi felt sorry for having to force her into hiding in her wrist most of the time.

Erecting a magical barrier around her courtyard to make sure that Nuan couldn't get out into the wild on her own, Shin Sumi then sat down on the grass in front of her house.

The glow of the Moon Stone, as intense as ever, pierced between her fingers as she gently laid it down between her legs.

Shin Sumi's breathing slowed, her heart and dantian synchronized, her mind cleared from distractions.

***

Inside Shin Sumi's dantian was her Shinsoo Sea, the ethereal representation of her cultivation. Shinsoo Sea was the general term, although hers was more like a large puddle or a small lake. She only expected that it would bloom into a fully grown sea after advancing on the path of cultivation.

Most of the time the Shinsoo Sea would sit quietly, calm and flat like a mirror. Sometimes a few waves would stir, their crashing becoming the source of power for whatever technique she was using.

Only at the moment of a breakthrough, though, would the golden lake churn and rampage inside her body like it did now.

The clear white foam forming on the golden Shinsoo seemed to be the source of all the agitation. When the Moon Severing Ephemeral Shadow technique had been too hard for her to cultivate, Shin Sumi could only add so much energy to her reserve.

One cycle after the other, the foam was easily assimilated by the golden Shinsoo Sea.

But the Moon Stone Shinsoo was something else entirely. Running hundreds of cycles per day, the moonlight colored energy was much more present, making the usually calm Shinsoo Sea bubble and storm.

As the energy crashed inside her dantian, Shin Sumi subconsciously realized that the golden lake was expanding rapidly. Like a whirlwind of pure Shinsoo, the infinite void that was her dantian was being overtaken by the sea.

When the last wave crashed into emptiness, the golden sea had more than doubled in size. With the same intensity as if a bolt of lightning had struck her, Shin Sumi suddenly woke up from her trance and opened her eyes.

Every joint in her body was cracking, as if she had been immobilized for months and her body needed remodeling. It wasn't numb though, or ever uncomfortable in the slightest.

Shin Sumi's head was clearer than it had ever been and she could feel the strength pulsing through her bones, muscles and fibers.

She was covered in sweat, as if her body had expulsed all the filth within her to the outside, leaving her pure and refreshed.

She must have stirred the ambient Shinsoo in the area because Nuan had stopped playing and was sitting in front of her, intensely looking at her with her beady black eyes.

In total she had taken twelve full hours to break through to the second step of the Liquid Realm.

***

When Shin Sumi walked into the Cloud-Formation Pavilion main building, only a few other disciples had arrived. She was early, soon the other thirty one cultivators would come for the second round of the ranking tournament.

The assembly was complete when an imposing and intimidating silence overtook the large arena. The twelve Cloud Elders and the Cloud Master stepped out of thin air in a rainbow of colors.

The magical jade screen displaying the name of the fighters and the order of their matches had been updated.

Without the need for prompting, the first two disciples of the day met on top of the massive platform under the eyes of the others who were seated on one side, and the Elders on the other.