Stonehaven City lived up to its name. Where Azure City pulsed with the ethereal glow of intricate spiritual formations, Stonehaven felt grounded, raw, carved from the very essence of the earth. The air, crisp and cold, carried the scent of mountain stone and well-worn leather. The cultivators who strode its streets moved with a sturdy, almost unyielding gait, their spiritual energies dense and formidable, focusing more on endurance and defensive prowess than on flashy displays.
The Azure Dragon Academy delegation was housed in a section of the Stonehaven Academy's guest dormitories. While still luxurious compared to the Outer Court of Azure City, they lacked the elegant, flowing designs and abundant spiritual arrays of their Disciple Quarters. Here, everything was built for practicality and durability, reflecting Stonehaven's martial traditions.
Their first day was dedicated to registration and orientation. They learned that the Inter-Academy Competition was a grand event, spanning several weeks, with various stages designed to test every facet of a cultivator's ability: individual duels, team battles, spiritual formation challenges, and even monster hunting simulations in a specially constructed training ground.
"Welcome, representatives of Azure Dragon Academy," a deep voice rumbled. Elder Bronn, a burly, weathered man with hands like granite and eyes that missed nothing, greeted them. He was a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, and his presence alone exuded an aura of unshakeable strength. "You have traveled far. We hope your stay in Stonehaven will be... illuminating." His gaze, sharp and assessing, lingered on each of them, pausing for a fraction longer on Eric and Mei.
Lord Xin, ever the self-important one, immediately stepped forward. "Elder Bronn, it is an honor. I am Lord Xin of the Azure Dragon Academy, a descendant of the Xin Clan." He puffed out his chest.
Elder Bronn merely grunted, his gaze unfazed. "Your name matters little here, young master. Only your strength. Remember that." Lord Xin's face tightened, but he held his tongue under the Nascent Soul cultivator's immense aura.
Lady Seraphina, serene as ever, offered a respectful bow. "Greetings, Elder Bronn. We are eager to learn from Stonehaven's renowned cultivators."
Elder Bronn offered her a rare, faint smile. "Lady Seraphina. Your presence is always welcome. Your insights into formations are well-known, even here."
The dynamic was clear: in Stonehaven, lineage held less weight than raw, personal cultivation and demonstrable skill.
The competition began the following day with the individual duels. The atmosphere in the main arena was electric, far more intense than any internal Academy competition. Students from various Academies across the Green Valley Province gathered—the elegant Cloud Peak Sect disciples with their airy, wind-based techniques, the fiery Burning Sun Temple students radiating raw power, and the stoic Iron Peak Academy from Stonehaven, known for their impenetrable defenses.
Eric watched the early matches, his spiritual sense active, analyzing the different cultivation styles. The Stonehaven students, in particular, impressed him. Their Qi felt like solid rock, their movements unyielding, their defensive techniques almost impenetrable.
"Their cultivation methods focus on external body tempering and internal Qi densification," the Dragon Spirit explained. "They forge their bodies into living fortresses. It is a formidable path, but lacks the versatility of the Azure Dragon Scripture."
When Eric's name was called for his first match, a ripple of curiosity went through the crowd. He was still perceived as the 'lucky' Outer Court disciple from Azure City. His opponent was a burly Stonehaven student, Garn Ironfist, a Foundation Establishment Stage 2 cultivator, whose body seemed to be literally made of stone.
"You're that 'lucky' one, eh?" Garn grunted, his voice gravelly. "Let's see if your luck holds against Stonehaven's true strength." He immediately activated his defensive technique, his skin hardening, becoming like rough rock.
Eric maintained his calm. He didn't engage with banter. He moved first, not with a frontal assault, but with fluid, almost imperceptible shifts, testing Garn's defenses with light, probing Claws of Might. He used his spiritual sense to find the minute flaws in Garn's hardened form, the tiny gaps in his spiritual energy circulation.
Garn, used to opponents breaking themselves against his defenses, grew frustrated. He roared, launching a powerful Mountain Smash fist technique. Eric, with his Scales of Purity enhanced agility, sidestepped the heavy blow with ease, appearing almost instantly behind Garn. He then unleashed a precise, focused Breath of the Azure directly into the back of Garn's knee joint, a subtle, but vulnerable point.
Garn stumbled, his defensive Qi momentarily disrupted. Before he could recover, Eric followed up with a series of rapid, focused Claws of Might strikes, targeting the disrupted Qi flow in Garn's core. Each strike resonated deep within Garn's Dantian, causing internal vibrations. Garn's eyes widened in pain and disbelief as his robust Qi defense began to falter, an unexpected internal pressure building.
"Yield!" Eric commanded, his voice cutting through the arena.
Garn, gasping for air, clutching his chest, finally dropped to one knee. "I... I yield!" he rasped, his eyes filled with shock.
The crowd erupted in murmurs. It wasn't a flashy victory, but it was decisive. Eric had defeated a stronger, more physically robust opponent with surprising ease and precision, without ever truly revealing his true strength.
Lord Xin, observing from his skybox, scoffed. "He's still just getting lucky. A fluke."
Lady Seraphina, however, watched Eric with renewed interest, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Luck often favors the prepared, Lord Xin. And his control... it is exceptional."
Eric continued his silent, efficient ascent through the individual duels, quietly defeating opponent after opponent, his reputation growing with each baffling victory. He remained composed, never boastful, always polite in victory.
Mei, too, performed exceptionally. Her Calm Spirit Constitution truly shone. She navigated the duels with strategic brilliance, using her enhanced spiritual sense to discern her opponents' weaknesses and her purified Qi to exploit them with elegant, precise techniques. She even managed to defeat a Foundation Establishment Stage 1 cultivator with a series of cunning feints and a perfectly timed Spiritual Binding technique, immobilizing him without a direct blow. Her quiet grace and intellectual approach earned her the respect of many, including Elder Bronn, who observed her with a keen, approving eye.
Elara and Faelan, though not reaching the final rounds of the individual competition, put on a stellar performance in the team battles. Their coordinated movements and seamless spiritual energy exchanges allowed them to defeat teams whose individual members outranked them. Their teamwork was exemplary, a testament to Eric's guidance.
After the individual duels, the next major stage was the Spiritual Formation Challenge. Cultivators had to navigate complex formations, identify hidden spiritual arrays, and sometimes even dispel them. This was Mei's forte. She moved through the intricate mazes of shimmering light and invisible Qi barriers with an almost intuitive understanding, her Calm Spirit Constitution allowing her to perceive the subtle flow of spiritual energy that created the formations. She quickly became one of the top performers in this segment.
Eric, too, excelled. The Dragon Spirit, with its ancient knowledge, guided him through formations he would otherwise have struggled with, revealing hidden pathways and dispelling sequences that baffled even seasoned cultivators. His performance was subtle, but consistently perfect, adding to the growing mystique around him.
Between competition stages, Eric continued his personal cultivation, pushing his Foundation Establishment Stage 1 power further. He also found time to gather. The wilderness surrounding Stonehaven, rugged and untamed, was rich in spiritual resources. He continued to target B-rank monsters, their cores and unique materials commanding high prices. He also focused heavily on rare Earth-elemental crystals and Spirit-Solidifying Herbs, highly valued in Stonehaven for their body-tempering properties.
His previous encounter with the unscrupulous merchant in Azure City had taught him a lesson. He would not engage in risky black market dealings here. Instead, he sought out smaller, more reputable general goods merchants, diversifying his sales to avoid attracting undue attention. He also made sure to sell only a portion of his haul, saving the truly rare items for future personal use or for times of dire need. The constant influx of spiritual stones ensured his family's continued comfort and provided resources for his own rapid progression.
One afternoon, while searching for a rare Mountain Heart Crystal deep within a treacherous cave system, Eric sensed a powerful, familiar spiritual signature. It was Lady Seraphina. She was in the same cave, a small team of her personal guards with her, seemingly searching for similar rare crystals. She moved with effortless grace, her Core Formation Stage power radiating subtly, illuminating the dark caverns. She seemed to possess an innate connection to the spiritual energies of the earth, discerning hidden veins of crystals with uncanny accuracy.
"She possesses a Crystal Affinity Constitution," the Dragon Spirit informed him. "Extremely rare. It grants her a natural talent for sensing, interacting with, and even cultivating using spiritual crystals. It is a powerful constitution, especially in a city like Stonehaven."
Eric kept his distance, observing. Lady Seraphina was not just powerful; she was discerning, focused, and seemingly uninterested in the typical trappings of noble arrogance. She seemed genuinely dedicated to her cultivation. She paused, her head tilted, and her silver eyes seemed to pierce the very stone, pointing to a shimmering vein of crystals that Eric's own spiritual sense had only just detected.
As she extracted the crystals, one of her guards, a heavily armored man with a cold aura, suddenly tensed. "My Lady, we are not alone."
Lady Seraphina's spiritual sense pulsed outwards. She looked directly towards Eric's hidden position. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips. "Indeed. But it seems our guest is merely... observing." Her gaze lingered for a moment, a flash of shared understanding, before she turned and continued her work.
Eric remained hidden, surprised by her perceptiveness. She had sensed his presence, yet chosen not to reveal him. An interesting encounter. She was far more than just a powerful noble.
The final stage of the competition was the Monster Hunting Simulation. A massive, enchanted arena was set up, mimicking various dangerous environments. Cultivators were dropped into these simulations, tasked with hunting and subduing C-rank and even some B-rank monsters.
This was where Eric truly shone. His experience in the Spirit Hunting Grounds, combined with his unparalleled control and the raw power of the Azure Dragon Scripture, made him a force of nature. He moved through the simulations like a phantom, his strikes devastating, his movements impossibly swift. He took down B-rank monsters with an efficiency that left the judges, including Elder Bronn, wide-eyed. He never once revealed his true Qi stage, only the overwhelming effectiveness of his techniques.
Lord Xin, however, struggled. His lightning techniques, while powerful, were less effective against the durable, often defensive B-rank monsters of Stonehaven. He relied on brute force and flashy attacks, often sustaining injuries, winning through sheer power rather than finesse. He glared at Eric's consistently high scores with growing resentment.
The results were finally tabulated. Azure Dragon Academy had performed exceptionally well. Many of its representatives had reached the top tiers, a testament to the Academy's diverse training.
The ultimate victors were announced. Lord Xin, despite his struggles in the Monster Hunting Simulation, secured a spot in the top five. Lady Seraphina, unsurprisingly, was the overall champion, her versatile power and innate understanding of all disciplines making her unmatched.
And then, to the stunned silence of the crowd, the top Outer Court cultivator was announced.
"From Azure Dragon Academy... Eric!" Elder Bronn's voice boomed, and the crowd erupted, a mixture of shock and applause. Eric, the supposed Qi Condensation Stage 1 from a small village, had not only defeated Inner Court disciples but had been recognized as the strongest among all Outer Court cultivators in the entire competition.
As Eric walked to the podium to receive his accolades and prizes – a significant pouch of spiritual stones, a rare cultivation manual, and direct mentorship under Elder Bronn himself – his eyes met Lord Xin's. The young noble's face was a mask of furious disbelief, a chilling hatred burning in his predatory gaze.
This was just the beginning. Eric had proven his worth, but in doing so, he had drawn the attention of both allies and powerful adversaries. The path ahead, illuminated by his rising power, was growing increasingly perilous.