The outer sect arena looked similar to the tournament center in her city except many times smaller, only holding about 50,000 people. Upon arrival, the disciples found tables with simple meals of a rice ball and water jug waiting for each of them as they entered. Fenghuang Yu didn’t miss the chance to scan the sect ranking column and once again found her brother maintaining his place at 97. She was so proud for him she could burst.

When they entered they were directed to the various rows in the front, called the participant rows, so the individuals involved could get into and out of the fighting grounds easier. It had a large center circle and three smaller circles around the edges. An older man in outer sect elder robes was standing in the middle of the center sparring circle with his hands behind his back just waiting for the place to fill up. This man stood out because he had a black piece of cloth over one eye and wrapped diagonally across his head. That side of his face had terrible burn scars and Yu shuddered to think of what could have caused something so severe they couldn’t be healed.

When the girls found their seats, Yu scanned the area and saw there were more than just new disciples there. In fact, there were far more older disciples than there were new people. Most wore the black and white of the outer sect, but Yu saw some red of inner sect dispersed throughout. She even saw a handful of the gold of core. Apparently it was something of a show, like at home. They probably made wagers also. The higher level boxes were separated by glass and filled with various adults in elder garb. They were hard to make out through the glass and Yu only recognized one, the blue-haired Elder Bao from the testing center.

After more than half an hour, all the new disciples were present - thousands of them to replace those who were kicked out for not reaching and maintaining a 20,000 placement or whatever other reasons. Scanning the arena, Yu figured it was maybe a quarter filled.

Soon the one-eyed elder in the center stepped forward causing the crowd to hush. He said, “Congratulations to those of you who made it to the end of your Welcoming. This arena is where you will battle for placement, honor, and points while in the outer sect. This event has historically been the first opportunity for our new disciples to earn points in any material amount. You will do so with blood and sweat and tears, as all true cultivators do. Challenges offered. . .” and then he went through the same rules the vice leader went through. The only addition he made was that challenges that were reasonable in regards to the wagers must be accepted as well. The elders would determine what is fair. Beyond that, it was standard and nobody reacted until he added the part of the sect leader’s disciples. A funny fellow from the outer sect but not a newbie called out “Can we challenge him for 10,000 points?” Everyone laughed until the elder said, “Outer sect disciples, may challenge, yes.” Yu’s mouth dropped open. Were they kidding? Those people had been there for years. “However, it can be rejected. You will pay the disciple 1,000 points to take the chance and you will provide your next 20,000 points if you lose.” There was no way in the nine hells Yu was fighting an experienced cultivator that opened who knows how many meridians. The entire thing was absurd. She came to train and get strong, not become a target or a spectacle.

Yu retied her ponytail, making sure it was extra tight and thought, “Then again, the points would be handy. They’d be challenging me after all. Actually, if I could-”

The man took Yu’s mind off of her insane planning when he spoke about the fights themselves. “There is no intentional killing. Weapons will be blunted but Qi skills can still risk your health and life. The staff will of course do what it can, but if you fight and do not walk off the stage admitting defeat, you will risk yourself. Do not take this lightly. Geniuses are only geniuses if they live.”

Yu was sure most of the new disciples did not realize so much was at risk. Cultivation was no game, contrary to the fact that it could be put on like a show. How many of this group of thousands had never fought for their lives against beasts or another human?

“And so I ask for a first challenger. Please stand and state your challenge.”

Yu whispered to the girls, “I’ve got this ok?” They nod, acknowledging the plan Yu put forth to them today during the tour. Even Jao Li agreed. Eventually.

For a few minutes nobody moved or took action until finally a burly black-haired young man stood and said, “I challenge disciple Kang Jing Shan for rights to his first 100 points.” Another brown-haired boy right next to him stood and said, “I accept if you offer your first 100 when you lose.” He snorted and said, “I agree.”

They both leaped down and the elder said, “Challenged disciple, what are the terms?” The second boy said, “A single melee weapon and Qi skills only.”

“Present your weapons for dulling.” To that point Yu found the structure pretty much like the only other tournament she had seen. The whole betting thing was new to her, but otherwise, there were people with dulled weapons battling it out. “Tap your badges to solidify the bet.” They did and headed to their circles.

It turned out that the Qi skills added a whole nother dimension to the fighting. Granted, all the skills were simple but seeing the challenger burst into flames and the other disciple flit around on air currents was definitely different and reminded Yu she needed real-world practice with her Qi skills. In this fight, the moment the hand dropped with the shouted “Begin,” both contestants enabled a single Qi skill. The larger of the two, the fire user, burst into flames that looked like standard Flame Thorns to Yu. The wind user’s robes and hair were being whipped around by a cyclone surrounding them. Jao Li whispered, “That’s the skill I got.” Yu nodded as she watched the fire user charge forward wielding a poleaxe and the wind user zoom around with twin long daggers. The ignited warrior’s fire was struggling to stay lit as the wind user zoomed around him whipping his twin daggers but never getting close enough to strike. Yu figured speed would have an advantage in that type of combat eventually and she was proven right a few breaths later when the wind user got a strike in on the outside of the other competitor’s leg. The advantage did not last though as the fire cultivator ignited his poleaxe with the Fire Sword skill and swung it in a large circle around the entire ring as far as he could reach. The air user was just charging again so he had to react and attempted to leap over the long weapon. Apparently this was something the Fire Warrior was expecting because he released his axe with one hand and used what Yu believed was the Fire Summoning skill to create a flaming pole in his other hand and swept it higher. The other competitor was in mid-air and obviously did not know how to move while floating so he was struck in the shoulder and arm and sent tumbling away.

The challenger, panting, released all his Qi and chased in an exhausted sort of lope. The other fighter was still down but trying to rise. The downed cultivator said, “I give.”

The flame cultivator put away his axe, slowly walked to the defeated foe, and held out his hand. The other took it and stood with assistance. The crowd was cheering at the battle and the good attitude of both at the end. At least Yu hoped that was part of it. The elder said, “An excellent first fight. You both receive an extra 50 dragon points for being the first brave enough to challenge this cycle.”

That started the landslide of challenges. Almost all of them were friendly if not cordial. Only two were filled with enmity. One was between two brothers who were in dispute for whatever reason. They really had an issue with each other. It was quite a brutal fight resulting in numerous broken bones and some cases of frostbite and burn scars. Maybe their affinities were simply in opposition. Who could tell? The other was, unsurprisingly, about a girl. Again. Boys. . .

During all the fights Yu had her eyes on someone the whole time. He was speaking and joking around with a number of other girls and boys fawning on him.

As the warriors from the latest fight were escorted off in opposite directions, Yu saw Bao Qing look over at her group and slowly stand with a menacing grin on his face. He said, “I challenge disciple Gui Ai for 100 points.”

The shaking girl mumbled her reply and quickly sat back down. The elder on the ground floor said, “What did you say?”

Jao Li said, “She said she accepted and resigns. It is his win. She will provide the points at the suite.”

Bao Qing beamed and said, “Fine. I challenge you, Jao Li, for the same.”

“I also accept and resign.”

People were whispering now. Who was this guy? Could he be the mysterious sect leader’s disciple?

He was grinning widely now and said, “I challenge Jao Lu for 100 points as well.”

Like the others, she admitted defeat without a fight causing people’s imaginations to start running wild. They figured it could easily be him.

With a leer, he stared at Yu who stared back with a curious expression on her face. The blue-haired boy said, “I challenge Fenghuang Yu for 100 points.”

Whispers of “Will she quit too? If so I’m going to challenge him. It could be him,” and the like permeated the arena.

Yu stood and said, “I accept with a challenge. Bao Qing, I will give 100 points if you win and you will give me rights to your room if you lose and agree to never step foot in your old suite again.”

Bao Qing stared at her and had a surprised look on his face. Yu said, “You must accept, or admit defeat. It is a reasonable request, is it not, elder?”

The one-eyed man nodded and said, “Room trading is a fair and normal wager.”

The boy's face turned ugly and he spat “Fine!” and started walking to the center.

After leaving Bai and her outer robe she said, “Watch him, ok?” They all nodded and Yu grabbed her badge and jogged down, leaped over the edge and landed on a circle, and then leaped again to land in the center. It was all faster than Bao Qing despite him having started after. People would think she was excited or anxious or whatever. She didn’t care.

The elder said to Bao Qing, “As the challenged of the new agreement, what are the terms?”

Bao Qing leered at Yu and said, “Qi skills only. No weapons.” It was what Yu assumed he would choose.

He nodded and said, “Tap your badges.” Yu held out hers and Bao Qing tapped it. There was no Sign but Yu figured the sect recorded it somewhere. The elder instructed, “To your circles then.”

The instant the elder dropped his hand Yu was sprinting at Bao Qing with all her Qi enhanced might. He was grinning at her and glowing blue. Particles of water were forming around him and clumping into little balls. A Water Mage then. She had figured he was Water given the hair color, glow, and hair guan, but did not know whether Warrior or Mage. Yu continued sprinting and was five strides away when the first ball of water, about half the diameter of her palm, shot towards her. She ignored it and let it strike her in the shoulder. It splashed causing her to wince and slow. Yu started forward again. The leer was more pronounced than ever as he pointed at her and more balls shot forward and hit her. At first she was slowed but still pressed forward. Then Yu began being pushed back with the deluge of watery missiles. The only change her opponent seemed to notice from her was the raising of one arm to protect her eyes. Again and again, he materialized balls of water and struck Yu with a splash. Her clothing was soaked and clung to her muscular form, mixing with the water on the floor beneath her feet. Each strike drove her back a step, and after each strike she pushed forward. Then the blows slowed and Yu could make progress again. In a few moments, Bao Qing was panting and sweating and the water was taking longer to coalesce. Yu lowered her hand after one last strike and grinned aggressively at him. Then she pressed down with her legs and launched forward.

Realizing what was happening, Bao Qing yelled, “No!”

He glowed brighter but the blue flickered and faded. In moments Yu was one stride away, her body fully flooded with Qi. Bao Qing backpedaled but he was slow, having used all his Qi in his attacks. Yu slowed her strikes slightly so he could see it coming and he raised his arm in a standard but efficient block. He was taught the basics, clearly. Yu let her attacks be blocked and then struck with a quick combination of her left leg to his right knee and her left arm curving to the neck from above and at an angle. She was almost too slow to stay balanced. All of his blocks would leave a sting and that was confirmed when she saw his face wince with each. She grinned the entire time, striking just soft and slow enough to allow him hope. He was panting then and slowing down. Yu slowed with him, striking light enough to leave a bruise and nothing more.

All of a sudden Yu backed off and spoke with regular breaths, “Don’t worry, Bao Qing. It’s almost over. You have two more now.”

Panting he looked at her in denial and shock. “What?” he asked between breaths.

Then she leaped forward and struck him twice, once on each shoulder, blowing past blocks that barely even started rising.

Then Yu nodded once and said, “There. Feel free to resign now.

He screamed, “You’re a child!”

Yu tilted his head to the side and said, “Well, technically yes. I just turned nine so I suppose that’s true.”

The crowd was pretty nuts by then but that set them off even more.

He asked through gasps, “How?”

Yu shrugged and answered with, “You were the idiot that used those water strikes from a distance. Obviously, I used Earthen Armor. I was even glowing a little brown under my clothes which you would have seen if you weren’t so focused on yourself.” There was substantial muttering and laughter in the crowd. Earthen Armor was a well-known skill and everyone who knew anything about it also knew soft blows were nothing more than bruises to that defensive skill. One must strike hard in a concentrated area to damage it, not hit and then disperse the way the water did. Or a cultivator could be substantially stronger, which he wasn’t. The poorly trained boy had no clue that was why Yu allowed the first strike to hit - she was determining his strength. Yu finished her statement with “Oh, by the way, you have one more bruise than I do.” That set off the crowd in a further uproar filled with laughter and derision.

Yu took a step forward while staring him in the eyes and said, “Resign or I keep going. There’s no reason to drag this out. You’ve lost enough face.”

His face turned pale and then red and he glowed blue once more. Yu’s closed fist snapped out faster than anyone but those with enhanced vision could see and slammed into his throat. The glow dropped with him as his knees hit the stone floor, his hands gripping his neck. He fell over and she took a step back yelling, “Healers!”

Then she turned to the elder who was standing there with his arms across his chest. She bowed to him while hearing healers shuffling around behind her. “Elder, could you please officially call the match? I want to make sure I get my new room. No offense to my suitemates but they are all boys and they kind of smell.” That caused a lot of laughing, mostly from the female contingent of the audience.

Suddenly everyone in the stadium heard the sound of shattering and the blue-haired elder Bao leaped from the box followed by shards of clear glass. She landed with a slam onto the center of the stadium and knelt by her downed family member who was being lifted to be carried off stage to a healing center.

The woman stood and whipped around glaring at Yu, her fists clenched and whole body taught. Yu backed up further and the other elder in the stadium center stepped forward and partially in front of Yu. He demanded in a harsh tone, “Elder Bao, what are you doing? None are permitted to intercede in a match save me or a representative I appoint.”

She spit through clenched teeth, “This little bitch intentionally hurt my nephew. That strike was unnecessarily harsh. I demand she be disciplined.”

Yu could only see the arena elder’s back but she did notice his body tightening. “Your nephew lost a sanctioned challenge and was hurt. Injuries do happen occasionally, as regrettable as it is. Feel free to join him with the healers if you like.”

She moved her glare from Yu to the elder in front of her. “Elder Guang, it was blatantly intended to harm a young boy she clearly hates. She is a cruel selfish disciple who should be expelled immediately for intentionally harming another disciple.” Yu tilted her head at the woman. Interesting. As none of that was provable nor enforceable according to the sect rules, Yu was wondering what her real goal was. Or maybe she was truly as angry as she appeared.

Elder Guang responded in a tone exuding patience. “Elder Bao, this disciple defeated your nephew in a fair and publicly agreed to duel. Not only did he have the opportunity to resign, but he was also verbally asked to do so to avoid further harm. Now you are interfering in business that is not yours. Please, enjoy the coming bouts in your proper seat or leave. We will discuss compensation for damaging my building later.”

She refused to leave and called out to the crowd. “I offer an additional 1,000 points from my personal allotment to any disciple who defeats her. And another 1,000 to any who defeats her in a manner similar to which she harmed my nephew.”

Immediately after she completed her offer, a slamming sound echoed through the arena then. Without anyone noticing he had withdrawn it, Elder Guang was holding a tall bamboo staff with metal caps on both ends, one of which he had just slammed onto the central circle’s stone floor. Everyone looked at him as he glared at Elder Bao, “That is not how this works, Elder Bao. All wagers made in the arena must be equal, as you well know.” The woman glared daggers at him while glowing slightly blue. He stood there in front of Yu as if not intimidated in the least.

Finally, the glow faded around her and she spat, “Fine!” Then she leaped up and vanished back into the box she broke. Thankfully the box was not over students and nobody was covered with glass shards. The elder tapped his staff one more time on the stone ground and all the glass in the fighting area dropped into the earth and vanished.

Then he cleared his throat and said, “Fenghuang Yu wins.” Turning to Yu he continues, “You receive his room.” Yu was about to turn away having no intention of fighting anymore when the elder called, “Hold a moment, I am not done.”

Yu looked at him quizzically and asked, “Elder?”

“Fenghuang Yu wins the match and his room. Additionally 100 for the fight, 100 for the win. . . and his next 1,000 points for the failed challenge.”