Ling Tian quickly looked away from the Snake Queen, his gaze drifting across the arena. The ring announcer stepped forward, a long, reddish staff in hand, and struck it against the floor. A burst of energy erupted, creating a spiritual array around the stage.
"Attention, participants and spectators," she declared, her voice echoing through the arena. "The rules for this tournament are simple: no killing, and if you lose, concede graciously. No unsportsmanlike behavior will be tolerated. My words are final, and we will now proceed with the random draw to determine the matchups."
The ring announcer raised her staff, and a series of small, glowing orbs appeared in mid-air. They swirled and danced, eventually settling into a random pattern.
"The participants for the first round are as follows," she announced, her voice clear and crisp. "Chen Lei, Wang Lei, Fan Long, Zhang Wei, Huang Jin, Liu Feng, Gao Yuan, and Kong Ming."
The crowd erupted into cheers as the participants' names were announced, their excitement and anticipation palpable. The ring announcer raised her hands, and the crowd gradually fell silent.
"The first match of the tournament will be between Huang Jin from the Eastern Golden Phoenix Clan and Kong Ming from the Western Heavenly Clan," she declared.
Huang Jin suddenly leapt into the air, his movements fluid and powerful. A pair of phoenix wings, crafted from flames, erupted from his back, casting a golden glow over the surrounding area. He slammed his fist onto the ground, causing the earth to crack beneath his feet.
The crowd gasped in awe, impressed by Huang Jin's display of strength and power. Meanwhile, Kong Ming flew onto the stage, his movements gentle and effortless. He landed softly on the ground, his eyes fixed intently on Huang Jin.
Here are the details of the characters:
*Huang Jin*
- Name: Huang Jin
- Age: 22
- Clan: Eastern Golden Phoenix Clan
- Element: Fire
- Specialty: Phoenix Physique
- Skills:
- Golden Flames
- Phoenix Strike
- Golden Light
- Personality: Confident, Ambitious, Hot-tempered
- Appearance: 5'11", lean-muscular build, golden hair, piercing blue eyes
*Kong Ming*
- Name: Kong Ming
- Age: 25
- Clan: Western Heavenly Clan
- Element: Heaven/Space
- Specialty: Celestial Body
- Skills:
- Heavenly Slash
- Void Strike
- Starlight
- Personality: Calm, Intelligent, Strategic
- Appearance: 6'0", slender build, short black hair, deep brown eyes
The crowd held its collective breath as the two opponents faced each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The air was electric with tension, and the anticipation was palpable. The match was about to begin, and only one could emerge victorious.Huang Jin's eyes fixed on Kong Ming, his gaze burning with intensity. He clenched his fist, and a fierce roar erupted from his lips. Flames danced across his knuckles as he charged towards Kong Ming with incredible speed.
Kong Ming focused on Huang Jin's feet, watching as they moved with a blur. He dodged the Phoenix Strike with ease, his movements almost ethereal. As Huang Jin's attack whizzed past, Kong Ming countered with a swift kick that sent Huang Jin crashing to the ground.
Huang Jin's face twisted in shock and anger as he struggled to his feet. His eyes blazed with fury as he summoned a wave of golden flames, infusing them with 50% of his spirit energy. The flames shot towards Kong Ming, a pillar of fire that seemed capable of incinerating everything in its path.
The specter, watching from the sidelines, chuckled. "Hehehe, what a bold move, Huang Jin."
But Ling Tian's expression remained serious. "I don't think that will work. Using 50% of his spirit energy against a Nascent Soul cultivator is a reckless move."
The flames engulfed Kong Ming, but he stood firm, his eyes narrowing as he countered with a Heavenly Slash. However, the flames proved too powerful, and they struck him with full force.
The crowd erupted into a collective gasp as the dust settled. The Snake Queen cleared the air with a gentle breath, revealing Kong Ming still standing, albeit slightly singed.
Huang Jin's expression changed from confidence to shock. "How is this possible?" he muttered.
Kong Ming drew his Heavenly Sword, and in a flash, he vanished and reappeared behind Huang Jin. A swift slash later, and Huang Jin stumbled forward, his body cut in multiple places. Kong Ming repeated the process, his movements a blur as he sliced Huang Jin's defenses to ribbons.
Huang Jin's injuries mounted, but he refused to yield. He launched a desperate attack, pouring all his remaining energy into a single strike. Kong Ming dodged the attack with ease, then countered with the Zhi Ma, the Numb Finger technique.
Huang Jin's body went limp, his nerve endings paralyzed by the technique. He crashed to the ground, defeated.
The crowd fell silent, stunned by the display of Kong Ming's skills. Then, they erupted into cheers, their applause thunderous.
Ling Tian's eyes narrowed. "What kind of technique is that?" he whispered.
Meanwhile, the specter snuck up behind the Snake Queen, his eyes fixed on the expensive necklace around her neck. He carefully removed the necklace, unaware that the Snake Queen had noticed someone tampering with her jewelry, but she couldn't see who.
Ling Tian spotted the specter's thievery and stood up, trying to distract the crowd. "Hey, young man, sit down, I can't see," someone said, and Ling Tian quietly complied, his eyes locked on the specter.
The ring announcer's voice cut through the chaos, her smile bright. "The winner of this match is Kong Ming!"
As the crowd cheered, Ling Tian quickly moved to the Snake Queen's side, intentionally pouring water on her. "What's wrong with you?" she exclaimed, shocked.
"My apologies, my queen," Ling Tian said, his eyes locked on the specter, signaling him to stop.
The Snake Queen's gaze met Ling Tian's, and she felt an unexpected spark of attraction. "Who is he?" she muttered to herself.
Ling Tian swiftly absorbed the specter into the seal and walked away, leaving the Snake Queen to wonder about the mysterious young man who had caught her eye.
As Ling Tian released the specter, he jolted him against the wall, his voice low and menacing. "You're going to get us into trouble. Stop stealing and focus."
The Snake Queen appeared beside him, her voice husky. "Who are you talking to?"