The first half of the ten-year tournament was a free-for-all. A battle royale. One thousand competitors from all the sects and major factions, and one thousand “free entrees” who were allowed to take part based on their successful completion of lesser tournaments and contests that had taken place in the last year or so, all stepped into the ring together. Jack and I weren’t the only folks playing with time and space in the shattered world. Some clever soul had managed to set up an array that would temporarily turn the arena into an illusory micro-world.

From the perspective of the audience, the 100,000 competitors that were taking part in this tournament were all getting shrunken down into miniatures. Then those miniatures were sent to fight across a massive gameboard that had been set up to look like a slice of the Bellgrave. Complete with the big ass mosquitos, the velociraptors, and the paranoia-inducing, tree-imitating, megafauna. It was actually a bit nostalgic. I could definitely see Jack and me going back to that Jungle with our kids one day...assuming we even had kids. If not, we’d maybe go back during our 50th or 100th year anniversary.

Anyway, besides the bespelled ring itself, there were ten huge screens suspended above the ring that were showing close-up views of what was taking place in the ring. The screens were mostly for the mortals and those with less-potent cultivations. Since those with higher-cultivations were able to see what was going on micro-jungle just fine. However, I found the screens were a nice touch because the people in charge were good at putting a focus on the most impressive displays by the competitors.

Oh, and also, everything taking place in that micro-jungle was taking place at around 10x the speed of the rest of the world, because some wise soul realized that if we had to wait for 100,000 people to wheedle themselves to 1000 people, in real-time, we’d all be waiting here forever. Even then, that first half of the tournament ended up taking 3 days. Or a subjective 30 days for the competitors.

The mortals in the audience and those cultivators who had other shit to do went home and came back during those 3 days. Those of us in the sects and factions, kept our butts right where they were because we had more skin in the game, and we cultivators were used to sitting in one place for months, or even years, at a time, never mind three days.

Overall, I’ll say the battle-royale section of the tournament was kind of fun. It reminded me of some of the old-world real-time strategy games I’d played. Including the sped-up timeframe for things. It was interesting watching some folk join up into little teams, while trying to set up bases for themselves. While other folks, set off on their own to quickly eliminate the competition.

No one was holding back. The micro-world was enchanted so that severe to fatal damage would be negated, and simply result in the recipient being booted out of the ring. It was actually a very nifty setup. They’d created 100,000 of these biologically accurate, sympathetic-golems.

Each golem was matched with a competitor, with damage above a certain threshold being passed to the golems. If the golem broke, the competitor was out of the match. My [Tale of the Arcanist], my [Tale of the Crafter], and my [Tale of the Alchemist] were already hard at work pulling up designs for similar works, and various uses that they could be put to.

In the end, our Tree of Passionate Verdance won 212 out of the 1000 spots available, laying down some serious big dick energy and proving why our sect was one of the most prominent sects in the middle-realm.

Afterward, there was a recess. The ring had to be changed out for another ring. Also, all the competitors had been roughing it in the artificial wilderness for what they’d experienced as a month’s time. So, the second half of the tournament would be put on hold for another three days, while the tournament officials worked on the ring, and the competitors rested.

After we got all the disciples settled in the hotel, we elders were let off our leash again. However, this time, Trefor and Miya had some of us stick around, because while most of our peers and rivals within the city would surely act honorably, and with decorum and all that good jazz….it wasn’t impossible that someone might try to pull some hijinks. This was especially so, since a missing, or injured, competitor would be replaced by one of those who failed to make it into the top 1000.

Jack and I were part of those who ended up having to stay at the hotel, but we didn’t particularly mind. There was only one instance where we might have needed to go out, but I was able to handle that remotely. Then Jack made a few angry phone calls to a few folks who really ought to learn how to chill. So, we just stayed in our hotel room, ordered room services, watched movies, and diligently “cultivated”.