'Here we go...'

Cain quickly pushed through the crowd and made it to the stage. His opponent was already waiting there.

They were a young and vigorous teen with bulging muscles and a huge axe, connecting with the ground and still standing taller than its wielder.

As Cain walked onto the stage, the eyes from the crowd surrounded him like they were trying to pierce his back.

The judge looked at both of them. "Are both opponents ready?"

"Yes!"

Cain nodded. "Yes."

"Good. Fight!" The judge started the fight. 

Grinning, the large behemoth picked up his axe and slammed it into the stage, causing it to shake and crack. Giving no time for his opponent to rush him. 

Cain had long jumped in the air to avoid this, but this was something his opponent also wanted. Pulling his axe from the rock, he threw the giant axe at Cain!

In the air, dodging was almost impossible; Cain would surely get hit!

Narrowing his eyes, Cain quickly pointed his Fire Sword and fired a few fireballs, using the momentum to barely avoid the axe.

Cain's opponent didn't seem too upset about this; his hand remained stretched out as if he were waiting for the axe to magically return to him.

But it did! It was being drawn, the axe stopped propelling clockwise and began to do the opposite as it returned, moving faster than before!

Eyes wide like a deer in headlights, Cain's feet touched the ground as he scampered to his enemy with blistering speed.

He slowly raised his sword, flames gushing like magma from its burning steel.

With a quick cut, a vertical gash was seared into the side of the behemoth's arm. They screamed in pain as the axe connected with their hand, causing a shockwave to burst and force Cain away.

The two stared at each other, both burning with determination to win.

'Think, Cain! His axe has something to do with gravity. It must be something like a gravity spirit. How can I counter gravity?'

In his current situation, Cain had no means to counter the gravity axe that his opponent wielded. Any conventional means were impossible; gravity was a rare and powerful element, and it didn't have many weaknesses. Of course, except for removing the axe out of the equation altogether!

Cain jumped in the air and copied the attack of his last opponent; the fire sword broke into fragments as a new blade began to form from the hilt, magma gushing, and hardening once more.

The fragments, meanwhile, were already upon the behemoth. The grizzly giant roared as gravity rebounded the shards, causing them to go haywire.

The judge quickly used their harnessed spirit to protect everyone. They were in the Founding Stage, and even if they couldn't do anything to stop the attack, there were other judges in the Founding section; all the judges there were at the beginning of the Growth Stage!

With the fragments deflected, the axe was thrown once more. This time, Cain didn't do anything to dodge. Instead, he continued to grow his sword until it was almost as thick as a wall.

The axe crashed against the sword and crushed it to bits, but it reduced the force enough for Cain to grab it!

As his pale hands touched the cold steel, Cain could feel the weapon was still connected to its master.

'They're using an array to attract the weapon back! There are two parts, one on the axe and the other on the palm!'

Finding out the secret of how the axe could return, Cain swiftly found the array on the axe and broke it with ease, using the slight leak in his status and simple force, his spiritual qi invaded the array and destroyed it from the inside.

The look on the behemoth's face when he realized his weapon wasn't returning was priceless.

Cain smashed into the stage with a giant axe in hand. His opponent got weak knees and fell backward.

"I-I surrender!"

"Number 1286 wins!"

'How cowardly; he lost his weapon and gave up. Or is he smart for knowing when to give way?'

Cain stepped down from the broken stage and entered the crowd. This time he couldn't hide; there was an axe twice his height telling everyone where he was.

After his match, there were a few more rounds before all the fights stopped.

'What's going on? Don't we still have a few more rounds left? Don't I need to go one more time?'

All the judges looked up, prompting the Disciples to do the same. From the clouds, four figures descended from the sky. Cain already knew one of them, Dai Tian.

"It's Grand Elder Moon! Wait....is that her Disciple!"

"It's the Heartless Princess! It's her!"

Hearing the astonished cries, Cain especially focused on the Grand Elder; he also saw her apprentice.

'Is that...Zoe?! What the hell, how did she get in the good graces of one of the Grand Elders? Is she really that talented?'

Cain then focused on the last person; they were the most mysterious in Cain's eyes.

Wearing the standard white robes given to all disciples and holding a sword close to their chest, this person especially made alarm bells ring in Cain's head. He felt this person was especially dangerous.

Strangely, they looked to be a native, but their hair was golden! Their eyes were also closed, shut tight.

'Who is he? Another Elder?'

Grand Elder Moon's voice echoed, "For the final test, those that wish can fight my apprentice. If you win, you will immediately become an inner disciple."

No one dared to utter a noise, even after the Grand Elder's exciting announcement.

Lady Moon then pointed at Cain.

"You. You will fight my Disciple first."

Cain froze within the crowd. 'You got to be kidding me.'

Everyone began to whisper; those with information knew Cain and Zoe came to the sect together, and those who had even more information knew Zoe hated Cain, she made it known well enough on Snow Peak.

Grumbling to himself, Cain made his way onto the stage where Zoe already was. He could already tell she was nervous; she had seen Cain's handiwork.

'I'll end this quickly. I can't let her get any ideas.'

As soon as Cain got on stage, Zoe rushed towards him. She wielded a large icy scythe, and her every step created frost.

Dai Tian quickly commented, revealing his thoughts and what Cain was going to do, "He has to use that secret technique on the gravity axe. I'm curious how it works. Does he expend the spirit inside or unleash its potential? Either way, the weapon is destroyed as a result, and the spirit disappears."

The truth was, Cain indeed forced out the weapon's potential; it was similar to a strong man forcing all the water out of a rag. It should have been impossible to get all the moisture out, but Cain was like a man beyond strength; in the end, even the rag was destroyed and every drop was collected.

Cracks already appeared all over the axe; some pieces fell and gravity began to make errors, keeping the fragments from touching the ground and instead floating up.

"You have courage, little girl... but... it's far from enough to win against me!"

Cain roared as the axe turned to dust, and all the fragments gathered, creating twelve misshapen swords.

"Go!"

The twelve swords listened to their master's command and beelined it to Zoe. Gravity seemed to force down everything in their presence. The frost around Zoe cracked, and her scythe began to fracture as the swords neared her.

She had no time to react as the pressure brought her to her knees. The pressure was much stronger than that of the array in the attacked city.

Zoe quickly found herself unable to move, stuck in place.

Her heart then froze as she heard rhythmic calm steps approach. Forcing herself to look, seeing Cain approach; he had a cold expression... far colder than her own.

Nearing his opponent, Cain waved his hand upward. It took no time for the rubble beside him to form into a sword with rocks.

"H-He harnessed the gravity spirit?!"

Hearing the scared statement from the crowd, Zoe's face froze. She was at the Peak of the Harnessing Stage; she was still waiting for her master to find an optimal soul for her technique and had yet to advance to the Founding Stage.

Even Lady Moon was confused, "Elder Dai, is what they say true?"

Instead of Dai Tian answering, Fang Yuan interrupted.

"No, Grand Elder. It seems... it seems his trump card allows him to temporarily gain control over the spirit in the object... but... he's also resonating with the Sword Dao!"

"What?!"

Both the Grand Elder and Dai Tian almost couldn't help but have their eyes pop out.

Below, the judge quickly announced the winner as the sword Cain created softly landed on Zoe's neck.

"The winner is number 1286!"

The crowd cheered.

Cain sighed as the swords created through gravity crumbled one by one.

Fang Yuan at some point appeared behind Cain. "Do you wish to be my apprentice?"

"It's Elder Fang Yuan of Origin Peak!"

The people in the crowd gave Cain the identity of this dangerous man.

'He wants me to be his Disciple... he also uses a sword... but I get this weird feeling from him.' 

"Boy, you better say yes!" From above, Dai Tian slowly descended onto the stage as well.

Cain sneered. 'Looks like this Old Geezer is still messing with me!'

With no choice, Cain turned to Fang Yuan and bowed.

"I am humbled and honored to be your Disciple, Master."

Fang Yuan smiled, "Great! Now come, we must go to Origin Peak to get everything settled."

Cain's Master took no formal actions and immediately took Cain away.

"Heh, that guy is excited. He found a talent just as good as him... but he also seems cautious. What the Grand Elder said is concerning. But it's not my problem!"

Elder Dai Tian laughed and began to whistle as he left.

The only Elder left was the Grand Elder, along with her Disciple. That and the still giant crowd.

Zoe looked up in the sky, her eyes pleading, "Master..."

"Don't complain, child. You still have many more matches to fight in!"

Grand Elder Moon didn't even give Zoe a chance to escape her fate.