2025-08-26 18:10:15The air in the Duō Clan battle grounds seemed to hum with energy. Thousands of eyes watched from tiered seats carved into the stone walls, their whispers and shouts rising into a storm of excitement. The arena was vast — a 5-kilometer-wide circle of polished stone, the ground etched with faint arrays that shimmered in the sunlight.
At its heart stood six square platforms, each a hundred meters across and reinforced with spirit inscriptions. These would host the duels, allowing several battles to unfold at once like the petals of a grand, bloody flower.
Elder Lǐ's voice, calm yet commanding, boomed across the grounds.
"The descendant battle will now commence! Let the clansmen demonstrate their strength!"
A glowing screen appeared before him, names forming into pairs. Gasps and murmurs rippled across the crowd as each descendant discovered their opponent.
But one name Duō Yī was absent from the first draw.
The whispers began instantly.
"I hope I get the failed son of the Clan Head.""He's only here to embarrass himself.""Whoever fights Duō Yī gets a free victory."
The cruel words weren't loud, but they carried needling into Duō Yī's chest like tiny blades.
Duō Yī kept his face still, but his knuckles whitened against his staff. He could feel eyes on him, some pitying, some mocking, and one pair sharper than the rest: Duō Zhēn's.
Zhēn's expression was unreadable as he clenched his fist and looked away, but the air between tension noticed by the crowd.
The Match-Ups
Elder Lǐ's voice rang again:
"The battles will proceed in the following order.Platform One: Duō Chóng vs. Duō RóngPlatform Two: Duō Líng vs. Duō KūnPlatform Three: Duō Méi vs. Duō XiǎoPlatform Four: Duō Wěi vs. Duō FāngPlatform Five: Duō Jiān vs. Duō LínPlatform Six: Duō Shēn vs. Duō Lì."
The crowd erupted into chatter as the combatants moved to their platforms, robes flaring, weapons gleaming. Duō Yī stayed in the stands, a mixture of relief and anticipation swirling in his gut.
"The battles will commence simultaneously. Participants, take your places! The remaining matches will be announced shortly."
The assembly dissolved into a flurry of activity as descendants hastened to their designated platforms. Duō Yī's eyes scanned the list, his name absent. A mix of relief and anticipation swirled within him. Suddenly, a soft murmur caught his attention. "Duō Yī's waiting for his chance to embarrass himself." Duō Yī's gaze shifted, searching for the speaker, but the crowd seemed to swallow the voice. his gaze returned to the platforms, his attention drawn to the battles unfolding before him. . ..
Duō Chóng stood tall, his lean build accentuated by his fitted, dark-gray robes. His raven-black hair was tied back, revealing piercing blue eyes – a hallmark of the Duō Clan's heritage. A sharp jawline and determined expression completed his resolute features. He wielded a slender, curved saber with an intricately designed hilt, adorned with small, silver tracings that seemed to shimmer in the light.
His opponent, Duō Róng, presented a stark contrast. Her long, wild hair cascaded down her back like a rich, auburn waterfall, framing her heart-shaped face and striking blue eyes. Her athletic build was evident beneath her flexible, leather armor, which seemed to mold to her every movement. A graceful, crescent-shaped sword hung at her side, its blade etched with minute, golden patterns that danced in the light.As the battle raged on, Duō Chóng's saber sliced through the air with deadly precision, only to be parried by Duō Róng's swift sword strikes. Their movements were a blur, each seeking to exploit the other's weaknesses.
The crowd watched, transfixed, as the two descendants clashed in a mesmerizing display of martial prowess. Next to them, on Platform Two, Duō Líng and Duō Kūn engaged in a battle of wits and brute force. On Platform Two, Duō Líng and Duō Kūn faced off in a titanic clash of strength and strategy. The air seemed to vibrate with anticipation as these two behemoths of the Duō Clan collided. Duō Líng, the towering giant, stood at an impressive 6'3" with a chiseled, granite-like physique. His bulging muscles rippled beneath his sleeveless, black robe, adorned with intricate, silver thread patterns. His piercing blue eyes blazed with intensity, and his sharp jawline seemed set in determination. The training scars on his cheeks, a series of intricate, crescent-shaped marks pulsed with his racing heartbeat. Duō Kūn, though slightly shorter, compensated with sheer mass. His 6'1" frame was a labyrinth of corded muscle, forged from years of rigorous training. His bald head glistened with sweat, accentuating his rugged features and the network of fine, silver threads woven into his gauntlets. His icy blue eyes burned with a fierce inner fire. As they circled each other, the crowd held its collective breath. The air was heavy with tension. Suddenly, Duō Líng unleashed a thunderous roar and charged forward. Duō Kūn met him head-on, their massive fists colliding in a shockwave of crunching bone and flesh. BOOM! The impact sent ripples through the thick stone platform, causing the ground beneath to tremble. The sound echoed through the grounds, a deafening crash that left spectators stunned. Duō Líng stumbled back, his face a crimson mask. Duō Kūn's eyes blazed with triumph, but his grin faltered as Duō Líng rebounded with a vicious counterattack. CRACK! THUD! SMASH! A flurry of punches rained down upon Duō Kūn, each blow landing with precision and force. The stone platform shuddered beneath their feet as they exchanged blows. Duō Kūn retaliated with a crushing haymaker, but Duō Líng sidestepped, using the momentum to fuel his own strike. KA-BOOM! Their fists met in mid-air, the collision sending shockwaves through the stone. The sound was akin to boulders crashing, leaving onlookers aghast. Sweat dripped from their brows as they battled on, their grunts and snarls mingling with the cacophony of clashing fists. Duō Líng unleashed a whirlwind kick, but Duō Kūn caught his leg, spinning him around. Duō Líng countered with a devastating elbow drop. THUD! Duō Kūn stumbled, his eyes widening. Duō Líng seized the opening, unleashing a barrage of rapid-fire punches. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The outcome hung in the balance, each warrior refusing to yield. Duō Kūn stumbled backward, his defenses wavering under Duō Líng's relentless assault. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The rapid-fire punches pounded against Duō Kūn's guard, threatening to shatter his resolve. Duō Líng sensed victory within his grasp and pressed his advantage. KA-BOOM! A crushing kick sent Duō Kūn crashing to the stone platform. The crowd gasped, anticipating the finishing blow. Duō Líng raised his fist, poised for the decisive strike. But Duō Kūn refused to yield. With a feral roar, he launched himself upward. Their bodies collided in mid-air. BOOM! The impact sent shockwaves through the platform. The outcome hung precariously.
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Dú Huà Liàn Tǐ
For the next month, the courtyard of the Body Refinement Division became a crucible of extremes.There was no rhythm to their torment. Some days, they were roasted until their skin blistered, drenched in boiling oil, or pressed against stones hot enough to burn flesh from bone. On others, the world froze around them, their lungs clawed by air so cold that every breath felt like swallowing knives. Dawn to dusk, the trials never ceased, and never once could they predict what awaited them when the instructors arrived.The disciples called it hell. Yet even in hell, seeds began to sprout.Their bodies, once frail and mortal, had begun to change. Muscles grew denser, bones heavier, skin tougher. One by one, the fruits of their suffering revealed themselves.It was Tian Yīn who first broke through.The bald-headed youth had always carried himself with unshakable confidence, his once-flowing silver locks long gone to the flames. On the twelfth morning, as the heat bore down upon them, he sud
Tempered by Frost
The days blurred into weeks, each one seared into memory by fire.Boiling oil, smoldering coals, blazing stones, steam so hot it clawed at the lungs—such had been the disciples’ reality since the moment they first stepped into the Body Refinement Division. The trial was merciless. By the end of each day, some stumbled away half-conscious, others were carried, their bodies red and blistered. And yet, they always returned.For the young cultivators, survival itself was proof of progress. To last a single week of the Division’s training was already enough to mark them as different from ordinary mortals. To last three? Their bodies bore the beginnings of change.Today, once more, they assembled on the stone courtyard. Familiar faces were fewer now—several had already been removed, deemed unfit, their paths cut short. Those who remained stood in thin training robes, their bodies scarred by heat, their hair singed or gone entirely. Among them, Tian Yīn was now bald, the proud silver locks t
Baptism of Fire
Loud voices echoed across the mountainside, a chorus of anguish that rolled like thunder. Some were sharp with panic, others low and guttural with despair. Wails bled into hoarse cries, the sound carrying far enough that even disciples outside the peak cast wary glances at the crimson-lit skies above the Body Refinement Division.On the peak itself, the scene was a vision of torment. The stone courtyard had been transformed into a furnace. Heat shimmered from the ground, distorting the air like waves rising from molten rock. Dozens of new disciples, those who had passed the trial of the steps were scattered across the ground. Some lay unconscious, their bodies twitching with spasms; others knelt trembling, sweat pouring from them in rivulets as they fought to remain upright.The source of this suffering was not hard to find. A massive basin-like formation carved into the peak glowed with furious light. Within, hot stones burned bright orange, veins of magma-like qi running through the
New Faces
The sun hung low in the horizon, painting the mountains in hues of amber and crimson. Shafts of dying light filtered through the bamboo fence, streaking across the courtyard stones where Duō Yī sat in silent meditation. The world was hushed, save for the steady rhythm of his breathing and the distant cry of cranes retreating to their nests.Slowly, his eyes opened. The glow of the setting sun reflected faintly in his blue pupils, a reminder that time had moved on while he had remained still. Drawing in one final breath, he exhaled the remnants of scattered thought, rose to his feet, and brushed the dust from his grey disciple robes.It's time.The promise of the meeting earlier lingered in his mind, Hú Lì's cheerful voice from earlier in the Mission Hall, the pat on his shoulder, the glint of excitement in his eyes. With unhurried steps, Duō Yī left the courtyard behind and walked down the stone path that wound toward the eastern square.The sect at sundown had a rhythm all its own. L
A Path Split in Two
The night was quiet, the kind of quiet that carried more weight than comfort. The courtyard lay bathed in a pale silver glow as the wind brushed softly against the bamboo fence, carrying with it the faint scent of pine from the mountain slopes. A lone crane's cry echoed in the distance before fading into the silence once more.Duō Yī sat cross-legged on the cold stone mat, white hair falling across his shoulders like threads of moonlight. His expression was calm on the surface, but the stillness of his body betrayed the turbulence behind his eyes. He had been cultivating earlier, drawing threads of qi into his meridians, yet now his attention shifted inward, not on qi but on thought.His eyes opened slowly, and with the faintest ripple of intent, a translucent status board appeared before him, floating in the night air.[Name: Duō Yī][Race: Human][Status: Damaged Soul (X)][Realm: Qi Gathering Realm (3rd Stage)] [Mortal Flesh I][Life Span: 13/60][Abilities: HIVE][Skills: {Fundame
The Path of Flesh
Several days had passed since the grueling climb up the trial stairs. The pain in their legs had faded into dull aches, the bruises had begun to heal, and yet the memory of that endless climb remained etched into the minds of the surviving disciples.The group was gathered once again at the foot of the trial cliff, their numbers far fewer than when they had begun. Whispers spread among them as shadows swept across the earth.A massive white crane descended from the skies, its wings blotting out the sun for a brief instant. It alighted upon the cliff's edge, each feather glimmering like forged jade. Upon its back stood a man.Unlike the elder they had seen before, this one did not exude ancient age or unfathomable mystery. No, this man looked young—barely in his twenties at most. But despite his youth, the pressure that emanated from him made the very air feel heavy. His skin was pale as carved jade, flawless and unmarred by blemishes. His hair, long and black, flowed behind him like a
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