Chapter 6 - Preparation for the Tournament

“Movement skill? Don’t I need an attacking skill?” Astler frowned, he wasn’t going to win by running away!

“You ignorant idiot! You specialize in the wind element, wind elementalists specialize in speed and agility! What’s more, this is the only skill I have that you can currently learn! Take it or leave it!” Wolfy said firmly.

“I guess…” Astler was a bit disappointed.

“This is the movement skill I still use you know?” Wolfy said, pissed that Astler was looking down on his movement skill.

“Oh?” Astler was intrigued. A Core realm movement skill that a peak legend realm expert still uses? What kind of skill was this? He began to get a bit eager.

“Hoh, so you want the skill now do you? It’s true, any skill I use is amazing. This skill has 3 stages to it. The first is the only one you’ll be able to use for now. The first stage increases your speed tenfold! The second stage increases your speed a hundredfold and creates afterimages as you move! The third and final stage increases your speed a thousandfold makes it appear as if you’re teleporting!” Wolfy looked quite smug.

Astler was stunned, it appeared as if you were teleporting? What kind of speed is that?

“The only reason I even have this skill is because I created it myself through my insights into the profundities of wind” Wolfy said smugly.

“It must be amazing then Master Wolfy! Please teach me!” Astler knew how and when to suck up. Plus Wolfy was too easy.

“HAHA! It can’t be helped” Wolfy said happily. Since Wolfy was inside his soul realm, he just needed to concentrate a little to impart the technique.

As the skill appeared in his mind, Astler became more stunned. Wolfy made this? This is amazing!

“You won’t even be able to achieve the first level before the tournament starts, but if you concentrate, you should at least be able to increase your speed three of fourfold” Wolfy imparts.

Back in the Tiannan main family building, the elders were having a meeting regarding the approaching tournament.

“I hear your son hasn’t been seen for months Elder Mao? I do hope nothing’s happened to him” Another one of the grand elders said. This man was named Xiang Tiannan, he was the father of the Xiao Tiannan the boy who enjoyed making Astler’s life miserable.

“Haha! Don’t worry about my son, he’ll be back in time. You should worry about who’s going to win the tournament! I fear your son might not have the skill!” Mao was not worried on the surface but was deeply worried inside, he actually went searching for Astler some time ago and had discovered he went into the Forest of Death. He was almost certain something must have happened. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he come back? He couldn’t have run off right?

“You….” Xiang was infuriated.

“Now, now fellow elders. Regardless of who wins, let’s make sure we get the rules sorted so the children can have a wonderful tournament!” A smiling bald man said. This man was Zhou Tiannan, he was the most senior elder, in a position only second to the clan leader himself. He was also constantly playing something of a peacekeeper role between the two other grand elders.

“Yes Elder Zhou!” The other two men didn’t dare be disrespectful to this man who was in the 5th stage of the profound realm.

Later on Xiang Tiannan found Xiao Tiannan.

“Has that Astler brat really disappeared?” He asked his son.

“Haha! He has, no one’s seen him since I beat him up 3 months ago! He must have gone and killed himself!” Xiao laughed. In his opinion Astler was an extremely low form of life.

“Regardless, you better win this tournament boy. You’ve been given the best cultivation resources since you were 8. There are no excuses!” Xiang yelled.

“Yes sir! “ Xiao replied. Xiang was extremely overbearing.

The day of the tournament.

Everyone in the entire city has turned up to the city square. Thousands of people were packed around a large stage with an unassuming man in the center. He was very elderly, balding and has a giant white moustache and beard. He was simply smiling, watching all of the Tiannan clan members who had turned 13 in the previous year sit nervously before him.

The three grand elders looked on from the side. No one however, was more nervous than Mao Tiannan.

“Where is he?” Mao thought to himself

“If he’s alive, then he’ll be here, he wouldn’t miss this, he wouldn’t intentionally shame me like this. If he doesn’t show up in the next few minutes, then I’ll have to accept that he died” Mao had a somber expression on his face.

The man on stage then spoke.

“Quiet” He said it calmly, but the sound resonated in everyone’s eardrums.

This was the clan leader. Everyone was quite surprised to see him, it was quite rare for the clan leader to appear, so much so that not many people knew what he looked like. People could only guess as to who he was and most guessed correctly.

He then began to list off names. The names he listed stood up and walked on stage, the elderly man took their hands and was quiet for a few seconds before announcing their cultivation strength in a deafening but serene voice.

Three names were listed, it was apparent it was being done alphabetically. Astler’s name should come up soon. Mao’s heart seized with nervousness.

“Astler” The old man said.

Mao’s heart fell and he could even see Xiang with a smirk on his face, this made him even more somber. His son was dead. This was the worst thing that could have happened. Mao had never had children of his own. He had once taken a wife when he was a young adventurer. They had met while travelling and quickly fell in love. After years of travelling together, the woman became pregnant. It was the happiest Mao had ever been in his life. About 6 months into the pregnancy, they had encountered members of the Hong Dynasty. Mao was able to desperately struggle and escape with his wife. But she later succumbed to her injuries and died. Mao had vowed never to take another woman and had been true to his word. He could hardly bear the loneliness located in that hole in his heart. It was then that he found Astler. The boy was just lying there in the middle of a random forest, nothing but a baby. Mao had taken him back to the Tiannan clan and had taken him as his own and over time, the hole in his heart was filled by the joys of parenthood. For even Astler to now die, Mao no longer had the will to live on. Just as he was about to literally collapse he heard a voice.

“7th stage of the core realm”