The day before the third round of the tournament slipped by in quiet determination.
Li Qingyun stood in the grassy courtyard behind his room, where a gentle breeze stirred fallen petals from the plum trees. He was bare-footed, dressed in simple robes, his eyes calm as a still lake but with a faint trace of excitement hiding behind the veil of his composure.
It was nearing evening.
He opened the system interface once more, watching as the numbers shifted slowly, steadily. He had spent nearly all day in silent meditation, enhancing his control over spiritual energy while absorbing the Qi-rich herbs stored in his space ring.
––––
[System interface]
[Host: Li Qingyun]
[Realm: Qi gathering stage (8th stage)]
[Physique: Primal Chaos Vessel Physique]
[Slots: 2 (occupied) (100 points requires for 3rd slot)]
[Techniques: Jade body tempering scripture (transcendent stage locked– 0/100 points),
Ninefold essence sutra (perfect), Voidcleave sword manual (perfect), Phantom step art (minor completion)]
[Energy : 50 points]
–––––
That's right he has broken through to the 8th stage of Qi gathering realm in the afternoon and his Qi vortex has expanded more and his spiritual energy has grown by one-fifth of his total spiritual energy.
Next he has to advance his movement technique to perfect stage and 50 points were just enough for that.
[Energy: 50 points accumulated]
[Spend 50 points to advance Phantom Step Art to Perfect Stage?]
[Proceeding through Major Completion...]
Li Qingyun stood again. The changes came almost immediately.
With major completion, each step no longer blurred only his image—it distorted the air itself. Brief mirages followed every motion, bending light around his body.
It felt like he was stepping through folds in space.
He launched forward with a whisper of wind behind him—no explosive bursts, no visible exertion. He was there one moment, gone the next.
[Major Completion Achieved - Phantom Step Art: Mirage Treader]
"Mirage Treader..." Li Qingyun whispered, eyes widening. "I can move faster than the eye if I chain this properly."
But he wasn't done yet.
He channeled the rest of the energy into the slot containing the technique. A brilliant silver-blue light engulfed him, and he felt the familiar heat of the system's enhancement pulse through his meridians.
[Advancing to Perfect Stage...]
[Phantom Step Art: Phantom Sovereign Walk (Perfect Stage)]
Suddenly, everything clicked. Every motion he'd practiced, every pivot, spin, and redirection—came together in harmony.
The moment he moved, three phantom images appeared, each so vivid they looked alive. They mirrored his stance, his stride, and even the faint glint in his eyes. The line between reality and illusion had been severed.
This wasn't just speed—it was deception crafted into movement.
The System provided information regarding it's effects.
[Perfect Stage Effect – Phantom Sovereign Walk:
Creates three active phantoms that mirror the user's movements.
Doubles movement speed.
Enhances spatial evasion instinctively during battle.
Greatly lowers reaction threshold for rapid direction shifts.
True presence becomes indistinguishable in the middle of movement.]
He stopped, panting lightly—not from exhaustion, but from sheer exhilaration.
"Now this... this is real footwork."
Li Qingyun allowed himself a quiet chuckle. "At this stage, even if someone's stronger, they'll struggle to touch me."
He took one final step across the room—and disappeared, reappearing behind a pillar in a single blink.
Tomorrow, the third round awaited.
And he would dance through it like a phantom king.
–––––
The arena buzzed with excitement as the third round began. One hundred young cultivators remained, and the atmosphere had shifted. There was no more room for luck or weak opponents. Everyone who stood on that stage now was exceptional, whether openly or in hiding.
Li Qingyun stood silently in the waiting area, back straight, dressed in a simple blue robe that fluttered gently in the wind. His expression was calm, but his eyes carried a subtle sharpness. His breathing was even. His heartbeat, slow and deliberate.
Before the match began, he opened his system interface for a brief review.
---
[System Interface]
[Host: Li Qingyun]
[Realm: Qi Gathering (8th Stage)]
[Physique: Primal Chaos Vessel Physique]
[Slots: 2 ( 1 in use, 1 Available)]
[Techniques:
Jade Body Tempering Scripture(perfect) (Transcendent stage locked –– 0/100 points); Ninefold Essence Sutra (Perfect); Voidcleave Sword Manual (Perfect); Phantom Step Art (Perfect)]
[Energy Points: 0]
He took a slow breath. "Time to test this properly," he murmured.
The announcer's voice rang through the air.
> "Match 12! Li Qingyun of the Li Family versus Yan Huan of the Iron Ring Clan!"
Li Qingyun stepped onto the stage, met with familiar gasps and whispers from the crowd. His previous matches—clean and precise—were still fresh in people's minds. But this time, he didn't plan on ending it in one move.
A ripple passed through the crowd. Yan Huan was known among the younger generation not for his cultivation realm—only 4th stage of Qi Gathering—but for his savage combat instincts. He'd trained under a strict elder who focused on combat awareness, and even older children found sparring with Yan Huan a painful experience.
Yan Huan strode into the arena with metallic gloves clenched tightly around his fists. These were forged using refined black iron and embedded with spiritual threads that helped channel the explosive strength from his cultivation technique — the Iron Tyrant Body Technique, a Rank 2 High-Grade body refinement art.
Despite being only six years old, Yan Huan carried himself like a seasoned brawler. His muscles, though lean, held a wiry tension, and the glint in his eyes screamed battle-hardened tenacity.
Li Qingyun's gaze lingered on those iron gloves with mild interest. "Heavy fists, huh?" he muttered with a chuckle. He raised his hand and lightly tapped the hilt of his wooden sword. "Let's see how much noise they make."
Yan Huan raised a fist and pointed it at Li Qingyun. "I've seen your matches. You're strong, but I want to fight you properly. No holding back!"
Li Qingyun offered a small smile. "That's the plan. Let's enjoy it."
"Begin!"
Yan Huan charged instantly, the ground cracking under his feet. His metal fists shimmered with spiritual light, and his movements were aggressive, honed. He wasn't just a brawler—he knew how to read rhythm and react.
Li Qingyun flickered sideways.
Two afterimages were left behind.
Phantom Step Art activated subtly. He weaved through the air like mist, his true body hidden between phantoms.
Clang!
Yan Huan's fist struck one of the afterimages. It dispersed.
"Eh?!"
Before he could recover, another phantom blinked behind him, and he twisted, trying to catch the real Li Qingyun with a backhand. But it missed.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yan Huan unleashed a barrage of precise, powerful punches, each one strong enough to fracture stone. He managed to brush Li Qingyun's sleeve once, barely nicking it.
Li Qingyun ducked low, swept his leg around, but Yan Huan leapt back, reading the motion in time.
"This kid's instincts…" Li Qingyun thought, "they're good."
He spun mid-air and landed, his wooden sword unsheathed and resting along his side like a crescent moon. But he didn't strike.
The two exchanged several dozen moves, dodging, closing distance, using faint feints and baited responses. Every time Yan Huan got close, he found himself hitting a phantom—or narrowly missing the real target.
His frustration grew, but his eyes remained sharp.
"You're not just fast," Yan Huan said, panting lightly, "You vanish!"
Li Qingyun gave a small grin. "Or maybe you're chasing the wrong shadow."
Then, in a blur, he moved again. Three phantoms dashed in different directions. The real body lunged forward with a flicker of sword light. But instead of striking flesh, Li Qingyun flipped the blade and tapped Yan Huan's metal glove.
It was enough. The strike hit the spiritual core point of the Iron Tyrant Fist's flow.
Boom.
A shock ran through Yan Huan's body, and the metal gloves lost their glow.
He froze. "That... was Voidcleave Sword...?"
Li Qingyun didn't press the advantage. He merely stepped back, stance calm, sword behind his back.
Yan Huan panted, arms lowered. "I… I can't move properly now. I concede."
The referee hesitated but then raised his hand. "Winner: Li Qingyun!"
The crowd was silent for a heartbeat.
Then, thunderous applause exploded. But this time, there was more than awe—there was respect. The fight hadn't been a quick finish. It had been a duel, an exchange, a dance of strength and speed.
Even the elders nodded.
"A six-year-old who can dominate a close-range fighter like Yan Huan without overwhelming strength? Ridiculous!"
---
After the match, Li Qingyun approached his opponent and extended a hand.
"You're good," he said sincerely. "Most people can't even touch me."
Yan Huan took it with a grin. "Next time, I'll land more than a graze."
"I'll be waiting."
'Of course I was just fighting with the strength of 4th stage Qi gathering realm but it was enjoyful. If I had fought with my full strength no one can even see me, dueling will be far from possible at that time.' Li Qingyun thought.
That Night
The sky was quiet. A faint silver moon hung high over the Li family estate.
Li Qingyun sat cross-legged by the lotus pond behind the main hall. The wind rustled the trees softly, and the scent of jasmine drifted by.
He opened his system interface.
---
[System Interface]
[Host: Li Qingyun]
[Realm: Qi Gathering (8th Stage)]
[Physique: Primal Chaos Vessel Physique]
[Slots: 2 ( 1 in use) (1 available)]
[Techniques:Jade Body Tempering Scripture – Perfect( Transcendent stage requires 100 points to be unlocked, 0/100 points)
Ninefold Essence Sutra – Perfect
Voidcleave Sword Manual – Perfect
Phantom Step Art – Perfect]
[Energy Points: 0]
He looked at his hand, flexing it slightly.
"I didn't have to win that way. I could've ended it in ten breaths… but I wanted to experience it."
He closed his eyes.
Li Qingyun let the panel fade from his vision and exhaled deeply. He closed his eyes and lay back on the wooden bench.
"Why do I want to grow strong?" he whispered into the wind.
"To live long? Maybe."
"To control fate? Maybe."
"But something tells me... I don't want to be helpless. I don't want to lose the things I love. I don't want my destiny to be decided by someone else."
The silence answered nothing. And yet, it brought a kind of clarity.
He recalled his parents' smiles. His mother packing him pills with a warm scolding. His father patting his head quietly, the pride hidden behind calm words.
His thoughts trailed off as the stars began to blink above.