The morning mist clung stubbornly to the training grounds. A sharp wind carried the scent of mountain flowers and fresh sweat. In the center of the largest arena stood five disciples, all handpicked to represent the Brightmoon Sect in the upcoming Intersect Tournament.
Arin was the last to arrive.
He skidded to a stop, hair still wet, one slipper on backward. "I'm not late, am I?"
Yura raised an eyebrow. "Only by ten minutes, which is impressive considering you live ten seconds away."
"I got attacked," Arin explained, panting. "By a rogue spiritual chicken. Very territorial."
Jun Bai crossed his arms. "Liar. You probably overslept."
Arin looked deeply offended. "That chicken had glowing eyes. I barely escaped with my dumplings."
Serenya sighed, folding her arms. "Enough. We begin now. Pair off."
Before Arin could protest, Yue Lan stepped forward. "He's with me."
Arin blinked. "Wait. That sounds dangerous."
"It is."
Jun Bai grinned as he paired with Serenya. "Let's go, Ice Princess."
She drew her blade without a word.
Moments later, the sparring began. Yue Lan advanced like a wave—fluid, constant, unrelenting. Arin dodged, slipped, blocked, and panicked in that order.
"You're holding back," she said calmly.
"No I'm not," Arin wheezed. "This is my full power."
"You're thinking too much. Feel the flow of your qi."
"I am feeling something," he gasped, ducking under a flying palm strike. "It's fear."
Yue Lan moved with precise control, pressing her attack. Her strikes never aimed to injure, but each one came within a breath of doing so.
Arin, to his credit, managed to stay standing. Mostly.
Meanwhile, Yura sat on the sidelines, watching both pairs while chewing a sugar plum.
"He's getting better," she muttered.
A nearby elder leaned in. "That's debatable."
"Still alive, isn't he?"
Barely.
Serenya and Jun Bai's battle, in contrast, was all sharp angles and spiritual explosions. Every exchange of blows echoed across the training fields like thunder. Ice shards met blazing fists. Wind twisted around them as techniques collided.
Jun Bai laughed, clearly enjoying the challenge. "Finally! Someone who hits back harder than my last four girlfriends combined!"
"Unsurprising," Serenya muttered. "They must have had excellent aim."
The sparring lasted another hour. By the end, Arin was flat on his back, staring at the clouds.
"I'm not dead," he whispered.
[System Remark: Miraculous.]
Yue Lan stood over him, offering a hand. "You did better than expected."
"Really?" he asked, hopeful.
"No."
"Fair."
Jun Bai flopped beside him, sweaty but grinning. "You know what? That was fun. I might even respect you. Eventually."
"Such praise," Arin muttered, "I might cry."
The elders called the session to a close, praising the group's progress. But not everyone was watching from within the sect.
Far away, a robed figure stood on a cliff overlooking the training grounds, hidden by a barrier of silence and illusion.
"The seed of chaos… has not yet awakened," the figure whispered. "But when it does… the heavens will tremble."