Chapter 94: Chapter 94 - The Redemption Pool and the Five Mystic Realm Slots

Round One continued.

Su Bai watched the other platforms quietly.

On the other platforms, the matches quickly reached their end.

Han Yuelin won.

This was not surprising.

His opponent was also a capable disciple, but Han Yuelin’s battle rhythm was too strong. Once his sword momentum rose, the other side could only retreat again and again until there was nowhere left to retreat.

On another platform, a sword disciple won after a fierce exchange.

On the last platform, a spell user won through layered techniques and careful distance control.

Soon, all five winners of Round One had been decided.

Su Bai. Ji Ruyue. Han Yuelin. The sword disciple. And the spell user.

The five stood on the winner’s side.

Across from them, the five defeated disciples entered the Redemption Pool.

Among them was Liu Meng.

Her face had regained some color, but she was still quiet after losing to Ji Ruyue.

Su Bai glanced at her.

Liu Meng noticed his gaze and immediately straightened.

She looked nervous for half a breath, then determined.

Su Bai nodded lightly.

She nodded back.

At that moment, Li Xuanzong’s voice resounded across the training ground.

"Round Two will now begin."

The entire viewing area quieted.

"The five defeated disciples will each have one final chance to challenge any disciple who currently holds a slot."

His gaze swept across the Redemption Pool.

"If the challenger wins, they will take the slot. If the challenger loses, they will be eliminated."

The five disciples in the Redemption Pool fell silent.

Their eyes moved across the winner’s side.

Then they all became quiet.

Because among the five winners, three were clearly monsters.

One fought like a silent ghost with needles.

One froze the battlefield as if emotions were unnecessary decorations.

One laughed while cutting through enemies that made others despair.

No one wanted to choose them.

That left only two reasonable targets.

The sword disciple, and the spell user.

Of course, "reasonable" did not mean weak.

Anyone who reached this point was strong.

But compared to the three monsters, the two of them at least looked like cultivators from the same world.

The elder overseeing the Redemption Pool looked at the five defeated disciples.

"You may choose now."

Liu Meng stepped forward first.

She looked toward the platforms.

Finally, her gaze stopped on the spell user.

"I challenge Platform Five."

The spell user on Platform Five narrowed his eyes slightly, then nodded. He did not look offended.

Being chosen was natural.

If one wanted to keep a slot, one had to defend it.

The second challenger stepped forward.

It was the sword cultivator who had yielded to Su Bai earlier.

Everyone’s eyes immediately became strange.

Some wondered if he would challenge the sword disciple or spell user.

But unexpectedly, he looked toward Han Yuelin.

"I challenge Senior Brother Han."

The viewing area stirred.

Even Su Bai looked slightly surprised.

Han Yuelin froze for a moment, then he laughed.

"Good!"

The sword disciple bowed seriously.

"Senior Brother, I know I cannot win. But since I have already reached this step, I wish to receive guidance from your sword."

Han Yuelin’s smile became brighter.

There was no mockery in his eyes, only approval.

"Then draw your sword properly."

The sword disciple’s expression became solemn.

"Yes."

The third challenger stepped forward.

It was the shield-bearing disciple from Su Bai’s group during Phase Two.

He had blocked the Nascent Soul Shadow Beast for one breath.

One breath sounded short. But sometimes, one breath decided whether others could live or act.

His name was Qin Baoshan. He is from Heavenly Forge Peak. The shield he carried had been personally crafted by him.

Qin Baoshan looked toward the remaining sword disciple.

"I challenge Platform Four."

The sword disciple on Platform Four nodded.

The last two defeated disciples exchanged glances.

Then they looked at Su Bai.

Su Bai’s eyes moved slightly. For one small moment, his heart lifted.

Would they choose him?

But the two disciples immediately looked away.

Su Bai’s heart sank again.

Then they looked at Ji Ruyue.

Ji Ruyue’s face remained calm.

The two disciples also looked away.

Finally, they both looked toward Liu Meng and Qin Baoshan’s chosen platforms.

They decided to wait for the results.

If Liu Meng or Qin Baoshan won, they would challenge them.

Su Bai silently sighed. He did not know what to feel.

In the past, he would have been relieved that no one wanted to fight him.

Now, he actually felt ignored.

This was dangerous.

He felt he was becoming influenced by battle-loving people.

Perhaps he had been beaten by Lu Canghai’s cloud clones too many times to become like this.

...

The first three Redemption Pool battles began almost at the same time.

On Han Yuelin’s platform, the match did not look like a competition. It looked like a lesson.

Every time the junior disciple struck, Han Yuelin blocked just enough, then sent a counterattack that forced him to correct his posture.

The junior disciple gritted his teeth, but his eyes grew brighter.

He was losing, but he was learning.

The spectators watched silently.

Even Jian Wushuang’s expression softened slightly.

Han Yuelin was wild in battle, but he did not bully his junior.

He gave him a proper sword exchange.

Finally, Han Yuelin’s sword stopped at the disciple’s throat.

The junior disciple froze.

Then he slowly lowered his sword.

"I admit defeat."

Han Yuelin laughed.

"Not bad. Train another three years. Then come find me again."

The junior disciple bowed deeply.

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Han Yuelin kept his slot.

...

On Platform Four, Qin Baoshan faced the sword disciple.

This match was completely different.

The sword disciple attacked quickly, his sword light sharp and continuous.

Qin Baoshan did not retreat much.

He held his shield in front of him and moved like a mountain that had learned footwork.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

The sword struck his shield again and again.

At first, many spectators thought Qin Baoshan was only defending.

But soon, they realized something.

He was not merely blocking, he was reading.

Every sword strike left behind a rhythm.

Qin Baoshan watched them all.

Then, when the sword disciple used a slashing pattern for the third time, Qin Baoshan suddenly stepped forward.

His shield tilted.

The sword slid across the shield’s surface and lost its line.

The sword disciple’s chest opened.

Qin Baoshan struck with the edge of his shield.

Boom.

The sword disciple was pushed back three steps.

Before he could recover, Qin Baoshan’s shield pressed forward again.

The second impact drove him to the edge of the platform.

The sword disciple tried to change direction.

Qin Baoshan had already predicted it.

His shield arrived first.

Dong.

The sword disciple stopped at the boundary line.

One more step and he would fall.

The elder looked carefully, then nodded.

"Platform Four, Disciple Qin Baoshan wins."

The viewing area erupted in surprise.

Su Bai watched with genuine respect.

This man was useful.

A team entering a Mystic Realm did not only need people who could attack. They needed someone who could stand firm when everyone else needed time.

Qin Baoshan stepped down calmly, his shield resting against his arm.

His expression did not show much excitement, but his eyes clearly relaxed.

He had taken a slot.

...

On Platform Five, Liu Meng faced the spell user.

This match was the most dazzling.

The spell user attacked first.

Three rings of blue light appeared around his wrist.

Water arrows shot toward Liu Meng in curved paths.

Liu Meng moved quickly.

Green light flashed beneath her feet, pushing her sideways.

The arrows struck the platform and burst into mist.

But the spell user’s technique did not end.

The mist spread, then condensed into thin water ropes that tried to bind Liu Meng’s ankles.

Liu Meng raised her hand.

Green-red flame bloomed.

The water ropes hissed and evaporated.

The spell user’s eyes narrowed.

Liu Meng moved.

Her flame did not rush forward in a straight line. Instead, it split into small burning seeds that scattered across the platform.

The spell user immediately retreated and summoned a water barrier.

The burning seeds landed.

At first, nothing happened.

Then thin roots of flame grew from them.

They did not burn upward.

They burned sideways like living vines.

The spell user’s expression changed.

He waved both hands, summoning a curtain of water to sweep them away.

But the flames clung to the stone and continued growing.

The spell user lifted his hands.

A larger spell formed.

But Liu Meng had already expected that.

She threw out a small pellet.

The pellet struck the ground and burst into pale powder.

The powder entered the flame vines.

Boom.

The flames surged.

The spell user’s water barrier shook violently.

The viewing area gasped.

"She used medicinal powder!"

"Is that allowed?"

"She made it herself! It is part of her technique!"

"Alchemists are terrifying!"

Su Bai blinked, then nodded.

’Good.’

If she could not overpower someone with pure flame, then she would improve the flame with medicine.

That was very reasonable.

The spell user was forced back again and again.

His water spells were strong, but Liu Meng’s flame kept growing from strange angles.

Eventually, he found himself surrounded by burning roots.

He tried to leap upward.

Liu Meng raised two fingers.

The flame roots curled.

They formed a cage.

The spell user stopped in midair, his expression helpless.

After a moment, he sighed.

"I admit defeat."

The elder announced, "Platform Five, Disciple Liu Meng wins."

Liu Meng froze.

Then her eyes brightened.

She had won.

The viewing area erupted.

"Senior Sister Liu won!"

"She took a slot!"

Liu Meng quickly looked toward Su Bai.

Su Bai gave her a thumbs up.

Liu Meng’s face turned red, but her smile became impossible to hide.

She had taken a Mystic Realm slot.

At least for now.

...

The last two disciples in the Redemption Pool now had to choose.

They looked at the five current slot holders.

Then they looked at Su Bai again.

The two disciples immediately looked away.

Su Bai felt another small disappointment.

The fourth challenger eventually chose Qin Baoshan.

The fifth chose Liu Meng.

The two matches began after a short pause.

Qin Baoshan’s second fight was harder than the first.

His opponent had watched his previous match and avoided repeated attack patterns. But Qin Baoshan was patient. He did not rush. He endured, defended, and waited until the other disciple grew impatient.

Then one shield bash ended the fight.

Qin Baoshan kept his slot.

Liu Meng’s second fight was more dangerous.

Her opponent was a fast movement cultivator who tried to avoid her flame seeds entirely.

For a while, Liu Meng could not catch him.

But she did not panic.

Instead, she scattered medicinal powder in small amounts while pretending to miss.

After several exchanges, the powder mixed with the faint flame trails on the platform.

The movement disciple suddenly slowed.

Green-red flame rose beneath his feet and formed a ring.

The disciple looked down.

Then looked at Liu Meng.

His expression became complicated.

"I admit defeat."

This time, the cheers were even louder.

Liu Meng had defended her slot.

The five winners were finally decided.

...

Li Xuanzong stood on the high platform and looked over the training ground.

His voice resounded clearly.

"The Radiant Face-Off has concluded."

The entire sect became quiet.

"The five Mystic Realm slots have been decided."

The five disciples stepped forward.

Li Xuanzong looked at them, and satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

"These five disciples will represent Radiant Sky Sect when the Mystic Realm opens."

The viewing area erupted into cheers.

Outer Sect disciples cheered. Inner Sect disciples cheered. Even some elders nodded with approval.

Yan’er clapped so hard her palms turned red.

"Senior Brother Su won!"

The senior sisters beside her shouted even louder.

"Senior Brother Su won!"

"Senior Sister Liu won too!"

"Radiant Sky Sect!"

"Radiant Sky Sect!"

The training ground, which had been filled with tension all day, finally became lively again.

The five winners gathered at the center.

Liu Meng immediately moved beside Su Bai.

"Senior Brother!"

Her eyes were shining.

"Please take care of me in the Mystic Realm!"

Su Bai smiled.

"Me too, Meng."

Ji Ruyue stood nearby, quiet and cold.

Han Yuelin walked over with a laugh.

"Junior Brother Su! When we have time, let’s fight properly GAHAHA."

Su Bai’s eyes lit up slightly.

"We can exchange pointers," Su Bai said.

Han Yuelin laughed louder.

"Good! I will remember that."

Qin Baoshan also approached.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried his shield calmly on his back.

Up close, Su Bai could see faint hammer marks along the shield’s edge.

"You crafted that yourself?" Su Bai asked.

Qin Baoshan looked slightly surprised, then nodded.

"Yes, Senior Brother. I am from Heavenly Forge Peak. This shield is still unfinished, but it suits me best."

Su Bai’s respect for him rose. A man who forged his own shield and used it to protect others was not simple.

"In the Mystic Realm," Su Bai said, "having someone who can protect is very reassuring."

Qin Baoshan paused, then he clasped his hands.

"I will do my best."

Ji Ruyue looked at them quietly.

Liu Meng hesitated, then greeted her.

"Senior Sister Ji."

Ji Ruyue nodded.

"You fought well."

Liu Meng blinked, then quickly bowed.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

The atmosphere between the five was good.

They had fought together in Phase Two. They had seen each other’s strengths. At the very least, they were not strangers.

At that moment, Li Xuanzong’s voice sounded again.

"The Mystic Realm will open in roughly two months."

The five disciples immediately became serious.

"For the next month, the sect will personally train you and provide resources suitable for your paths."

Li Xuanzong continued, "After that month, you will travel to the gathering of factions that hold entry slots. The final preparations will be made there before the Mystic Realm opens."

His gaze became solemn.

"The Mystic Realm contains fortune, but also danger. Do not assume that obtaining a slot means obtaining safety."

The five disciples clasped their hands at once.

"Yes, Sect Master."

Li Xuanzong nodded.

"Rest for three days. After that, you will be summoned."

He looked over the entire training ground.

"The sect competition ends here."

The words fell.

The array lights slowly faded. The platforms sank back into the ground. The training ground returned to its original appearance.

For a moment, Su Bai looked around quietly.

The competition was over.

The five slots had been decided.

And from this moment onward, the true preparation would begin.