The moment his name was called, Alex stepped forward.

  His red robe swayed slightly as he moved, his crimson eyes gleaming with fidence.

  There was ation in his steps, only the steady, arrogant stride of someone who believed the oute of this match had already been decided.

  Across from him, the sed name was called.

  A boy in a pin gray robe slowly walked forward, his posture stiff, his expression tense.

  His name was "Daoist Pressuring Books."

  Unlike Alex, there was nan his steps.

  Only nervousness.

  His fiwitched at his sides, his breathing uneven, his entire being screaming uainty.

  The blond haired judge observed them with mild amusement.

  Then, he gave the signal.

  "Alex I, Daoist Pressuring Books,you may begin."

  At those words, both boys took their stances.

  Alex's lips curled into a smirk as he stared at his oppo, eyes filled with dession.

  Then, he spoke, his voice dripping with mockery.

  "Just give up.Why even try?Look at you. So weak-willed, so uain."

  He tilted his head slightly, red eyes fshing with disdain.

  "Have you even reached the peak of the Mortal Awakening Stage?"

  His words hit like a hammer.

  Daoist Pressuring Books flinched.

  His mind wavered.

  Doubt crept in.

  Should I just surrender?

  I already secured a pce as an unofficial outer disciple…

  Isn't that enough?

  As hesitation gripped him, Alex moved.

  With explosive speed, he lunged.

  His fist, aimed directly at Daoist Pressuring Books' face, cut through the air with force.

  A split sed before impact, Daoist Pressuring Books snapped out of his thoughts.

  His body reacted instinctively, taking a hurried step back.

  But it wasn't enough.

  Alex had anticipated it.

  A wide, predatrin stretched across his face.

  "Too slow."

  He didn't stop.

  Didn't pause.

  Didn't hesitate.

  With one powerful step forward, he closed the gap again.

  His red eyes locked onto his oppo.

  Then

  He struck.

  His fist ected with Daoist Pressuring Books' face.

  A sharp impact.

  A muffled gasp.

  A body crashing to the ground.

  Dust scattered.

  Daoist Pressuring Books groaned in pain, his vision spinning.

  But Alex wasn't finished.

  He crouched down, gripping his oppo's throat with an iron grip.

  Then, with a cold, emotionless gaze, he whispered two final words.

  "I win."

  With that said, the blond haired judge cpped his hands together, his usual amused smile returning.

  "gratutions, Alex , on seg the first victory in today's tour!"

  His voice echoed through the training grounds, but then, his smile dimmed slightly.

  "However, please remember,this is merely a test of strength and skill, not a battle to the death. ime, try to show a bit more restraint."

  It was a light warning, nothing more.

  Alex merely scoffed, rolling his shoulders as he turned away from the judge. Without aowledging the words, he walked back toward the other disciples, his crimson robe swaying behind him.

  Meanwhile, Daoist Pressuring Books gasped for air, coughing as he rubbed his sore neck. His breath came out in ragged gasps, his body trembling from both pain and humiliation.

  The moment his coughing fit subsided, he staggered to his feet, wobbling slightly before retreating to joiher disciples.

  A heavy silence followed.

  Then

  "Hah… What a pathetic fight."

  A disciple in the crowd sneered, his voice ced with disdain.

  "He lost before he even threw a single punch."

  Another scoffed, crossing his arms.

  "Why even cultivate with that kind of attitude? He should just live as a mortal instead."

  "B." A third disciple shook his head. "Not even worth watg. He didn't even TRY."

  The disappoi alpable.

  All around, the expressions of the disciples showed the same thing,pt, disi, and even irritation at the wasted match.

  Yuan, who had silently observed the fight, was equally unimpressed.

  A single g Daoist Pressuring Books told him everything,this boy had never fought for survival.

  Weak willed. Easily intimidated. No sense of battle instinct.

  He lost before the fight had even begun.

  A sigh rippled through the crowd.

  The blond haired judge, who had watched the match with mild disappoi, shook his head a out a soft sigh of his own.

  Then, he cpped his hands again, his voice ringing out with renewed energy.

  "Now the's move on!"

  His sharp green eyes swept over the remaining disciples before he called out the match.

  "Junior Schor Felix and Junior Lucy of Sword's Tiger Forest! Please step forward!"

  The crowd stirred again, anticipation rising.

  They hoped this time

  The fight would actually be worth watg.

  The first to step forward was a girl.

  She had striking e hair, matg e eyes, an oval-shaped face, and a slim, petite frame. Draped in an e robe adorned with delicate yellow lines, she carried herself with elegance, her every step measured and graceful as she approached the blond-haired judge.

  Then, anure stepped forward.

  A boy, taller than the girl, with brown hair and deep brown eyes. His features were above average—handsome in a schorly way. He wore a pristine white robe, the kind often associated with intellectuals, and bore a fident smile that radiated assurance.

  Both of them came to a stop before the blond-haired judge, nodding in respectful aowledgment. Their gazes met, and without hesitation, they exged a formal salute—a dispy of discipline rarely seen in first-round matches.

  The blond-haired judge chuckled at their politeness but chose not to ent on it.

  After a brief pause, his lips curled into a bright smile. "Alright, the fight begi—"

  Before he could finish his sentehe brown-haired boy, Schor Felix, suddenly spoke up.

  "Excuse me, Senior," Felix said, his tone polite but firm. "May I ask a question?"

  The blond haired judge raised a brow, slightly puzzled, but nodded. "Go ahead. Is something unclear?"

  Felix's smile widened. "I would like to request permission to use ons, as I am a trained swordsman."

  A trained swordsman?

  A murmur spread through the crowd. The other disciples, who had assumed this would be a barehanded match, exged uain gnces.

  The blond haired judge bli Felix for a moment before coughing lightly, his expression turning slightly awkward. "Ah, yes… Of course. Everyone is allowed to fight in whatever style they prefer. I have a sele of wooden swords, spears, axes, and other practice ons avaible."

  The air turned momentarily stiff.

  Up until now, everyone had assumed that these duels would be fought without ons. For the judge to casually mention that ons were allowed… It was almost embarrassing that no one had thought to ask before.

  Uhe stunned disciples around him, Felix's excitement only grew. His brown eyes lit up as he spoke, "Then, Senior, may I have a longsword?"

  The blond haired judge wordlessly tossed him a wooden longsword. Felix caught it in one smooth motion, gripping it with practiced ease.

  Then, the judge turo Lucy, the e-haired girl, and asked, "Do you want a on as well?"

  Lucy, who had remained silent up until now, simply nodded. Without hesitation, she poi the same type of sword Felix had chosen.

  Seeing this, the blond haired judge tossed her a wooden longsword as well. She caught it, adjusting her grip with precision.

  A satisfied nod from the judge.

  "Alright," he announced, his voice carrying across the arena.

  "The fight ow… begin!"

  The moment the blond haired judge gave the signal

  Lucy lunged.

  She wasted no time, her body shooting forward like a wild beast let loose. With both hands gripping her wooden sword, she swung down with sheer force, a blow that could easily shatter bones if it were a real bde.

  Felix, however, did not panic.

  Instead of blog head oook a single, calcuted step back.

  Wham!

  Lucy's sword struck the ground, sending a sharp crack through the cave as stone dust scattered. She had put too much forto her swing.

  A mistake.

  Felix saw the opening and immediately tered.

  His wooden sword fshed forward in a swift, precise thrust,aimed directly at Lucy's exposed ribs.

  Lucy's eyes widened. At the st sed, she twisted her body, barely dodging the attack. But Felix was not done.

  His movements flowed like water. With a simple twist of his wrist, he redirected his sword mid-strike and swung diagonally toward her shoulder.

  Lucy gritted her teeth and raised her sword to block

  Cck!

  Wood met wood, but the impact sent a jolt through her arms. She staggered back, her grip nearly loosening.

  Felix pressed forward.

  A horizontal ssh. A quick thrust. A feint to the left before smoothly shifting to the right

  His swordpy was elegant and trolled. Every movement deliberate, every strike precise.

  Lucy, oher hand, relied purely on brute strength. She swung wildly, using her sheer power to match Felix's speed. But she cked teique. Her swings were wide, her footwork unstable.

  Felix sidestepped another reckless ssh, his expression calm.

  Lucy growled in frustration and swung again,this time, an overhead strike with everything she had.

  Felix's eyes narrowed.

  He didn't retreat.

  Instead, he stepped in.

  Lucy's sword came crashing down

  And Felix deflected it with a smooth uparry, redireg her force to the side.

  Lucy stumbled forward, off bance.

  Felix acted instantly.

  His sword swept toward her exposed side,fast and .

  Thwack!

  The wooderuck Lucy's ribs.

  A , decisive hit.

  Lucy gasped, her body tensing from the sharp pain. She tried to swing again

  But Felix had already moved behind her, his sword lightly pressing against the back of her neck.

  The fight was over.

  A moment of silence.

  Then, the blond haired judge cpped his hands.

  "Winner,Junior Schor Felix!"

  Felix lowered his sword, stepping back with a respectful nod. Despite his victory, his breathing remaieady, as if the fight had been nothing more than a simple sparring match.

  Lucy, panting heavily, ched her fists in frustration. She turo Felix, her e eyes burning with something fierce

  But then, she exhaled and forced herself to nod.

  "You're strong" she admitted, though the bitterness in her voice was clear.

  Felix gave her a polite smile. "You are too. But your movements are too open. If you refine your teique, you'll be much harder to beat."

  Lucy scoffed, crossing her arms. "Tch. Teique, huh?"

  The blond haired judge chuckled at their exge before stepping forward. "Good match. Though, Lucy,brute strength alone won't always carry you through battles. sider his advice."

  Lucy didn't reply, only looking away with a frown.

  Felix simply adjusted his grip on his wooden sword before turning back to the watg his fellow disciples. and just smiled lightly.

  He had proven his strength.

  the now truly began tour.

  That thought came to the minds of all the disciples as they watched the fight between Felix and Lucy.

  Although Lucy cked proper teique, she was far from weak. Had she faced an oppo who didn't emphasize smooth and swordsmanship, she might have won. But luck was not on her side,she had the misfortune of entering Schor Felix.

  With that match cluded, the tour tinued.

  One disciple after aepped forward to fight.

  Four battles passed, yet Yuan had not been called.

  Then, for the fifth match, a familiar name echoed through the cave.

  "Junior Emilia!"

  At that moment, Emilia, who had been smiling and cheering for various fights, suddenly perked up. She had been having the time of her life, enjoying the battles and even making a few es with other disciples.

  Hearing her name, she blinked in mild surprise. "Huh? Already?" she muttered befrinning.

  With a fident stride, she walked toward the blond haired judge.

  Her oppo soon stepped forward as well.

  A young girl, seemingly around Emilia's age, with bck hair and bck eyes. She wore a purple robe adorned with yellow patterns. Her presence wasn't particurly imposing,just another petitor among the many.

  Her name was Amalia.

  Now standing face to face, the two girls exged gnces before turning to the judge.

  "I would like a rapier," Emilia requested, her voice brimming with excitement.

  "A long spear," Amalia added calmly.

  The blond haired judge simply smiled, retrieving their requested ons before tossing them forward.

  Both girls caught their ons with ease, their grips tightening as anticipation filled the air.

  The judge's smile widened.

  "Very well,let the fight begin!"

  With that decration, both batants took their stances, waiting for the first opening.

  --------------------

  AN:

  Hey, LazyRedMoon here.

  A reader retly ehat the cultivation world is cruel, which is on knowledge, and that the way you wrote it made it seem forced,causing no oo sympathize with the MC, making it feel like dumb plot force."

  So, I want to crify things a bit more because it seems I didn't write it properly.

  This refers to the part where Yuan was betrayed by Old Man Viktor. What I wao vey with this act of betrayal was to firm that Basilisk's memories are real,that the world truly is full of betrayal and schemes.

  To better expin how Yuahe world, imagihis

  You read a book with thousands of chapters filled with death, deception, and schemes. But your own life has always been peaceful, without flict. Then, one day, you leave your peaceful life and step outside,only to realize that the book you read might actually be how the real world works.

  Would you believe it immediately?

  Probably not.

  You'd think, "Maybe the book was exaggerated, or maybe the tent wasn't true at all." After all, if a ated, "The moment you step outside, someone will manipute and kill you," would you believe it? Nht? You'd dismiss it as nonsense.

  This is exactly the situation Yuan was in.

  He only had memories,memories so vast that no book could tain them. But without real life experieo verify them, he couldn't be sure whether to trust them or not. So, he was cautious, always on guard, yet still unsure.

  Then, Viktor's betrayal happened.

  At that moment, Yuan realized that the world truly is like the thick book he had "read." It was no longer just memories,it was reality.

  That's the realization I wa across with this betrayal.

  Maybe I didn't execute it well, or maybe my writing still needs improvement, as I have limited experience as a writer. But I'm doing my best to express the story I have in my mind.

  I'll work harder to make things clearer in the Volume and improve my writing.

  Even though my writing might not be perfect right now, the things I have pnned for this volume are big, and I hope I bring them to life with the right words.

  Thanks for reading!