As the shimmering portal of the secret realm pulsed, a group of disheveled disciples suddenly materialized in the central square. The onlookers, who had been eagerly tracking the progress of the tournament, turned their attention to the emerging figures. Whispers of pity and disappointment spread through the crowd like wildfire.
"They're the first ones out," someone muttered. "Must've been eliminated early."
The group of disciples, each bearing a jade that no longer held the faint glow of life, looked dejected as they slowly made their way toward their elder. The elder of the Crimson Peak Sect, Elder Ren, awaited them with an expression that quickly shifted from concern to fury.
"What happened?" Elder Ren demanded, his voice a harsh growl.
One of the disciples, nursing a bruised arm, stammered, "It was the disciples of the Supreme Mount Sect, Elder. They... they overpowered us and destroyed our jades."
Elder Ren's face turned an alarming shade of red. "Supreme Mount Sect?!" he bellowed, his voice carrying across the square. His eyes zeroed in on Kai, who stood calmly amidst the growing commotion.
Kai raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. 'Here we go,' he thought, watching as Elder Ren stormed toward him.
"You!" Elder Ren jabbed a finger in Kai's direction. "Your disciples attacked mine and stole their points! This is an outrage!"
Kai shrugged nonchalantly. "Well from your conversation , maybe they shouldn't have tried to attack us in the first place. You know, Elder Ren, I hear karma's a real pain in the backside."
Elder Ren's eyes bulged. "Are you mocking me, boy?"
Kai pretended to think about it. "Mocking? No, no. It's more like… constructive criticism."
The crowd snickered, but Elder Ren was far from amused. His fists clenched, and the air around him seemed to crackle with barely restrained energy. "I'll show you constructive—"
Before he could finish, Elara stepped forward, her expression as serene as ever. "Now, now, Elder Ren," she said, her tone light yet carrying an undeniable authority. "No need to get violent over a little tournament scuffle."
Elder Ren, in his fury, lashed out with a palm strike aimed straight at Kai. But before the blow could land, Elara moved with lightning speed. Her own hand met Elder Ren's attack with a simple, effortless motion, and the result was immediate.
The force of Elara's counterattack sent Elder Ren flying backward, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud. He skidded to a halt several feet away, groaning in pain, his face pale as he realized the sheer power difference between them.
The square fell into a stunned silence. The spectators, including members of the top five sects, were utterly shocked. For a moment, it seemed as though even the very air had frozen in place.
Kai couldn't resist adding, "See, Elder Ren? That's what I call constructive feedback."
Elder Ren could only sputter in response, too weakened and humiliated to retaliate further.
Among the gathered crowd, the elders of the top five sects exchanged glances. One of them, a tall, stern-looking man from the Radiant Sun Sect, leaned toward his companion and whispered, "Who are they? I thought the Supreme Mount Sect was a minor sect."
His companion, an elder from the Azure Sky Pavilion, nodded slowly, his eyes narrowed in thought. "That woman... she's at least at the Nascent Soul stage. How have we never heard of them?"
Another elder, this one from the Thunder Valley Sect, frowned deeply. "If they have this kind of power, they could be a serious threat in the tournament."
Kai, catching snippets of their murmurs, merely smiled to himself. 'Let them wonder,' he thought. 'The Supreme Mount Sect is just getting started.'
And with that, the square once again buzzed with the sound of speculation and hushed conversations, the mystery of the Supreme Mount Sect deepening as the tournament continued.