SUPREME SWORD SECT

“Respect to the patriarch.” The gatekeepers immediately bowed in respect upon seeing Fa Wa.

Fa Wa merely smiled and led Ziyan Rouxi and Xiao Tian inside.

Xiao Tian arrived at Fa Wa’s residence. Fa Wa looked at Xiao Tian. “Tian, you will stay here now. However, although I have adopted you as my grandson, you will not be exempt from duties. Your task is to clean the entire courtyard and the training area. You must also take care of all the books in this house; do not let a single book gather dust! When you turn ten, I will register you as a disciple of this sect. Even though I am the patriarch, I must follow the sect’s rules. Do you understand?”

Xiao Tian clasped his hands together. “Grandfather, I understand.”

****

Every day, Xiao Tian diligently performed his tasks. Every morning, Xiao Tian diligently swept the courtyard, removing the scattered dry leaves. The morning sunlight reflected off the sweat on his innocent face. After that, he moved on to his next task, dusting off the books during the day. His small but nimble hands wiped each book carefully, not wanting to damage the precious pages.

At night, Xiao Tian took advantage of the opportunity without Fa Wa’s knowledge, sneaking into the library. In the silence of the night, he read the books with great interest, absorbing the knowledge within. Despite his young age, his determination and passion for learning never waned.

Three years had passed since Xiao Tian had been living in the Supreme Sword Sect. He was now nine years old.

“Tian, let’s go to the martial arena. There’s an interesting event to watch,” said Ziyan Rouxi. She was now eleven years old. Although she had turned eleven, her beautiful face already looked more mature.

Xiao Tian nodded; he was also very interested in the battles of the talented disciples. He watched the competition to find the strongest disciple in the Supreme Sword Sect.

When they arrived at the martial arena, no one dared to stop them, as everyone knew that the two children were the patriarch’s grandchildren.

“Look! Is that the patriarch’s adopted grandson named Tian?” one disciple asked another.

“Yes, that’s Tian. Unfortunately, he doesn’t like martial arts; he has never been seen training.”

“Maybe he’s waiting until he turns ten to start training.”

“Hahaha, he’s indeed the useless adopted grandson of the patriarch. Unlike Miss Ziyan, even though she hasn’t turned ten yet, her fingers are always busy with training, so when she turns ten, she won’t just start training, but she’ll already be able to defeat disciples older than her.”

“Maybe that’s the difference between a real grandchild and an adopted one. After all, he is adopted, so it’s normal if his martial arts talent is lacking.”

Xiao Tian heard the disciples’ remarks. However, Xiao Tian never took them to heart. He was used to the insults from the sect’s disciples. Despite his status as Fa Wa’s adopted grandson, people did not hesitate to mock him.

Ziyan Rouxi wanted to reprimand them, but Xiao Tian stopped her. “There’s no need to respond to them; let’s go see grandfather.”

“You’re too lenient with them. If you keep this up, they’ll keep mocking you!” Ziyan Rouxi was displeased that her adopted brother was being belittled.

“No need to be angry. Besides, I’m not hurt by their insults.” Xiao Tian smiled slightly. However, behind that smile lay a hidden meaning.

They both sat behind Fa Wa. They listened as Fa Wa laid out the rules for the competition to find the strongest disciple under seventeen years old.

Fa Wa looked at everyone present. “You all know why this competition is being held. It’s to find the strongest talent. Whoever wins will represent the Supreme Sword Sect in the She Empire tournament. So, use all your abilities so I can determine the best resources for you. I will personally train the strongest disciple for a year. By the time the tournament is held, you will be ready to compete with disciples from other sects and kingdoms in the She Dynasty. Do you understand?”

Fa Wa’s voice carried inner energy, so his words were heard by everyone present.

“Patriarch, we understand.” All the disciples answered in unison.

“Good, as long as you understand!” Fa Wa looked at one of the elders. “Liu Qingyun, lead the event!”

Liu Qingyun was an elder with high status in the sect. Although he was not young anymore, his muscles and fierce face showed he was very strong.

“Yes, patriarch.” Liu Qingyun immediately stepped into the martial arena. He began the competition.

Xiao Tian continued to watch the fights. However, his eyes were always drawn to one male disciple. That disciple’s name was Daniel.

Xiao Tian murmured, “Daniel has an internal energy of 230 rings; he’s already a third-class warrior. But he’s sealing his internal energy and showing that he only has 100 rings. This guy is very cautious; it seems he’s the one who will win this competition.”

Circle of Energy

Xiao Tian learned about the warrior realms from the books he read.

The levels of warriors were measured by the number of internal energy circles they possessed.

A first-class warrior: had 30 circles of internal energy.

A second-class warrior: had 100 circles of internal energy.

A third-class warrior: had 200 circles of internal energy.

A fourth-class warrior: had 300 circles of internal energy.

After that, they progressed to the realm of king warriors.

King warriors were divided into earth king warriors, sky king warriors, and martial king warriors.

An earth king warrior had levels from one to nine.

Level 1: had 500 circles of internal energy.

Level 2: had 700 circles of internal energy.

Level 3: had 900 circles of internal energy.

Level 4: had 1,100 circles.

Level 5: had 1,300 circles.

Level 6: had 1,500 circles.

Level 7: had 1,700 circles.

Level 8: had 1,900 circles.

Level 9: had 2,100 circles.

Sky king warriors also had levels from 1 to 9.

Level 1: had 2,400 circles of internal energy, and each level added 300 circles.

Martial king warriors also had 9 levels. However, they no longer referred to it as internal energy; those who managed to become martial king warriors had transformed their internal energy into Qi.

‘My uncle Wang Chong is at the level of a sixth-rank martial king warrior. Rumor has it that even people in the empire have achieved the level of a half-martial emperor. My journey is still long. Right now, I only have 430 circles of internal energy; I need 70 more circles to break through to an earth king warrior. Currently, I’m still a fourth-class warrior. It seems I no longer need to hide my strength, as the best resources of the sect are only given to the strongest disciples. After this event, I’ll speak to Grandfather so I can start training with the other disciples!’

While Xiao Tian was contemplating various things, Liu Qingyun announced the final match. “Now, we enter the final round. Whoever wins will be the best disciple of our Supreme Sword Sect. Use all your abilities, but killing each other is forbidden. Daniel, Lu Xuan, step forward and show your strength!”

Daniel and Lu Xuan were the disciples who had made it to the final; they were the most talented disciples under the age of 17 in the Supreme Sword Sect.

Both immediately entered the martial arena.

Daniel cupped his hands towards Lu Xuan. “Brother Lu Xuan, please guide me.”

“Hahaha, I will.”

Bhuzz—

Xiao Tian noticed that the disciple named Lu Xuan was also hiding his true strength; he had 210 circles of internal energy but only showed 140 circles. “Hmm, this is really interesting.”

Xiao Tian’s murmur was heard by Ziyan Rouxi. “Brother Tian, are you now interested in becoming a warrior?”

Hearing Ziyan Rouxi’s question, Xiao Tian smiled slightly. “Sister, you must train diligently! Otherwise, when I start training, I will surpass you immediately.”

“Hahaha, I look forward to it. Start training soon.” Ziyan Rouxi did not get angry; instead, she smiled sweetly.

Fa Wa felt happy seeing his biological granddaughter so close to his adopted grandson. He hoped both would grow and become pillars for the Supreme Sword Sect in the future.

****

In the center of the vast martial arena, Lu Xuan and Daniel stood facing each other with their swords drawn, ready to fight. The audience around the arena held their breath, waiting for the exciting duel between these two warriors to begin.

"BEGIN!" shouted Liu Qingyun. As soon as his voice was heard, Lu Xuan and Daniel immediately launched their attacks.

Both warriors moved swiftly, their swordplay displaying high skill and cunning. The sound of clashing swords between Lu Xuan and Daniel echoed through the arena, captivating the audience even more.

After several exchanges of blows, Lu Xuan began to feel something was wrong. Daniel’s internal energy seemed endless, and each of his attacks grew stronger. Lu Xuan realized he had to use his full strength if he wanted to defeat his opponent.

“I can’t hide my power any longer!” Lu Xuan murmured to himself. With resolute determination, he unleashed his internal energy that he had been holding back. A strong aura enveloped his body, surprising the audience and eliciting cheers of admiration.

Now ready to face Daniel with his full strength, the battle between these two warriors grew fiercer. They fought tirelessly, each trying to prove their prowess in front of the cheering spectators.

When the people felt Lu Xuan’s internal energy, the elders began to praise him.

“Brother Lu Xuan, defeat Daniel. Only brother Lu Xuan deserves to win this competition.”

Many disciples cheered for Lu Xuan, especially the female disciples. Lu Xuan, at 15 years old, was very handsome, causing many of the female disciples to idolize him.

Daniel was not as handsome as Lu Xuan, but he had a firm face and the aura of an expert. His face always looked relaxed, and a slight smile always adorned his lips.

Hearing the praise he received, Lu Xuan’s spirit burned even brighter. He swiftly enveloped his sword with a bright yellow energy. Meanwhile, Daniel enveloped his sword with a mysterious purple energy. They exchanged fierce glances, ready to unleash their best abilities in this fight.

This time, Daniel decided to take the initiative to attack. With quick movements, he launched a slash of his sword towards Lu Xuan. However, Lu Xuan deftly avoided the attack and immediately countered with a retaliatory strike. But, who would have thought, Daniel had another plan. When his sword slash missed Lu Xuan, Daniel immediately took advantage of the momentum to spin his body nimbly. In an instant, he delivered a powerful kick that hit its target accurately. Lu Xuan was taken aback; he didn’t expect Daniel to attack in such a manner.

Bang—

“Aah…” Lu Xuan screamed in pain. He clutched his ribs, which felt broken.

He looked at Daniel approaching him. However, he was very puzzled because now Daniel’s aura felt different.

DANIEL

“Daniel, have you been hiding your strength?”

Daniel smiled slightly. “If you can hide yours, why can’t I?”

“Daniel, don’t rejoice yet. I haven’t lost to you!” Lu Xuan tried to stand up, but Daniel didn’t give him the chance. He moved very quickly and stood before Lu Xuan, placing his sword at Lu Xuan’s neck.

“You’ve lost!” Daniel smiled, seeing Lu Xuan’s face that could not accept this reality.

“How could I lose to you? Please explain to me how you can be stronger than me? I’m not just a talented disciple, but I also come from a strong background. While you, you have no background, so how can you be stronger than me?”

Daniel didn’t answer. He just smiled as usual. However, when Liu Qingyun was about to announce the winner, an old man’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Fa Wa, why didn’t you tell me there was such excitement happening at your place?”

Fa Wa immediately stood up, frowning. He saw an old man coming with two middle-aged men and a young man about Lu Xuan’s age.

Fa Wa recognized the man; he was the patriarch of the Endless Valley. “Gan Feng, what are you doing here?”

Gan Feng sneered. “I came specifically to see who the winner of your sect’s competition would be. Now let the champion fight my disciple! Xing Han, face him.”

“Yes, Patriarch.” Xing Han did not wait for Fa Wa’s approval; he immediately went to the martial arena.

Fa Wa was very angry. However, Gan Feng stared at him sharply. “Fa Wa, are you afraid your disciple will lose? If you’re scared, just say that your sect’s disciples are incompetent and admit defeat.”

Fa Wa cursed the old man in his heart. ‘Damn, if this old bastard didn’t have a son working in the empire, he wouldn’t dare to cause trouble in my place. I can’t refuse this challenge; if I do, I’ll lose face.’

Fa Wa was stronger than Gan Feng. The difference was, Gan Feng had someone in the She Empire, so he acted arrogantly wherever he went in the She Dynasty.

“Daniel, face him and show your abilities!” Fa Wa shouted to Daniel.

Xiao Tian furrowed his brow at the scene. "Daniel is no match for him; that man has 280 inner strength circles, almost breaking through to a fourth-class warrior."

Ziyan Rouxi seemed to mishear; since when did her adopted brother become a keen observer?

Daniel cupped his hands. "Patriarch, I will fight him!"

Xing Han sneered coldly. "Trash, step forward!" he taunted fearlessly.

Without hesitation, Daniel leaped forward, swinging the sword he held. The blade glowed with a mysterious purple energy.

With swift and agile movements, Daniel launched a series of attacks, both slashes and thrusts. However, Xing Han seemed unperturbed. He dodged Daniel's attacks easily as if dancing among the rain of swords.

Clang—

Daniel executed a fast and decisive strike with his sword, but Xing Han calmly and deftly used his scabbard to block the attack. Xing Han didn't even draw his sword, as if mocking Daniel's efforts to wound him.

On the other side, Xiao Tian felt anxious about the situation. He turned to FA Wa and said, "Grandfather, Daniel is not his match. From Xing Han's attacks, he intends to launch a surprise attack and incapacitate Daniel. This can't be allowed." Xiao Tian's expression was worried while FA Wa pondered momentarily, observing the ongoing fight between Daniel and Xing Han.

"Tian, I know that. But no other student can compete with him under the age of 17. I hope Daniel surrenders before he gets hurt.” Fa Wa smiled bitterly at this one-sided fight. The boy named Xing Han wasn't even attacking despite clearly having greater inner strength; he was merely toying with Daniel.

"Grandfather, let me fight him! I won't let that old man humiliate you in your own Sect."

"Tian, you haven't even trained. How can you fight?"

Xiao Tian looked at his grandfather with sincere eyes, his face full of determination. "Grandfather, Tian will be honest. I often trained without your knowledge. My strength is enough to drive out that uninvited guest!" he said firmly.

Seeing Xiao Tian's serious face, Fa Wa was slightly confused, unsure whether to believe him. His brows knitted together as he observed every detail of Xiao Tian's expression.

After a few moments of contemplation, Fa Wa made up his mind, deciding to trust Xiao Tian. After all, he knew his adopted grandson's character; he wasn't one to joke, especially in such a situation.

Fa Wa nodded slowly, then patted Xiao Tian's shoulder with confidence. "Go ahead! But, if you can't fight him, admit defeat immediately." Fa Wa was very worried; even though others hid their strength, he could see everything. However, he couldn't see Xiao Tian's strength.

****

"Trash, it's time for me to end this fight!" Xing Han suddenly drew his sword and moved swiftly, intending to kill Daniel; he didn't want just to injure him.

However, just as Xing Han's sword was about to reach Daniel's neck and take his life, a shadow suddenly flashed by with incredible speed. Xiao Tian was already standing before Daniel, protecting him from Xing Han's attack. With extraordinary strength, he pinched Xing Han's sword with two fingers, stopping the lethal attack in Daniel's face.

"That's enough! Or I'll teach you a lesson!" Xiao Tian said with a bone-chilling tone.

Everyone in the room was shocked by the young man's sudden appearance. The elders and disciples were stunned; even Fa Wa, Xiao Tian's adopted grandfather, was utterly astonished.

Xing Han furrowed his brow, puzzled by the figure who dared to stop him. He stared at Xiao Tian, who appeared younger than him. But what intrigued Xing Han was the cold aura from Xiao Tian as if it could freeze every soul that approached him.