The sun rose over Ember Pearl City like a blade drawn from flame—sharp, radiant, and full of promise. Its towers shimmered with spirit-forged glass, casting prismatic light across streets overflowing with banners, incense, and ambition. The city had always been grand. But today, it was something more.
Today, it was the heart of the continent.
From every corner of the Ruona Continent, cities and sects had sent their finest. Sect carriages lined the outer gates. Clan and sect banners fluttered from balconies. The very air buzzed with qi and expectation.
This was no ordinary gathering. This was the Ruona Continent International Tournament. And the world had come to watch.
At the center of it all stood the Ember Pearl royal family, flanked by the continent's three most powerful clans: the Stormveil Clan of the northern highlands, known for their lightning arts and sky dominion; the Verdant Fang Clan of the southern jungles, masters of beast taming and poison; and the Ironshore Clan of the western frontier, feared for their shadow-forged weapons and brutal cultivation methods. Their elders and leaders sat in the highest pavilion, robed in obsidian and gold. Their presence alone commanded silence—before a single match had even begun.
They were not merely respected. They were revered.
In the arena's upper tiers, power gathered like storm clouds. The Twelve Major Families of Ember Fall City—guests of honor despite the tournament being hosted in rival Ember Pearl—were seated in the central eastern pavilion, each bearing their legacy and pride.
The Flare Family, led by Simon and Jana Flare, sat with their elders and disciples in full attendance. The Erupt Family followed, their flame-marked disciples flanked by senior elders. Ten other major families, each with ten handpicked disciples, represented generations of cultivation heritage. Nearby sat the Shadow Sect, cloaked in silence, and the Ember Sect, led by their sect master Riven Lang and Elder Shia. Three other top-tier sects of Ember Fall—Ashwalk, Emberthorn, and EmberRage—each powerful enough to rival the Flare and Erupt families—watched with quiet intensity.
From beyond the continent, the Vernon delegation had arrived in full force. The Ten Great Families of Vernon were all present, each led by their patriarch:
Ronald Hewitt, Troy Wester, Tisa Leopold, Tash Sylvester, Ren Ainsworth, Rory Crowne, Lionel Talien, Benjamin Illume, Shane Danvers, and Dixon Santrell.
Accompanying them were their elite elders and disciples, each a cornerstone of their family's legacy:
Hewitt: Silver Hewitt, Elder Benson Hewitt, Munro Hewitt, Byron Hewitt.
Wester: Elmira Wester, Gareth Wester, Thorne Wester.
Leopold: Cassian Leopold, Elder Vani Leopold, Mira Leopold.
Sylvester: Lyssa Sylvester, Elder Cael Sylvester, Nereis Sylvester.
Ainsworth: Veen Ainsworth, Jorah Ainsworth, Selene Ainsworth.
Crowne: Roth Crowne, Vey Crowne, Dalen Crowne.
Illume: Dema Illume, Elder Willis Illume, Kael Illume.
Danvers: Veera Danvers, Riven Danvers, Lira Danvers.
Santrell: Talen Santrell, Elder Myra Santrell, and Coran Santrell.
Talien: Elder Harlin Talien, Elder Naima Talien
Though they ruled their own continent, here in Ember Pearl, they were outsiders—respected, but untested. They had not come to claim dominance. They had come to measure themselves against the wider world, to carve a path for their next generation.
All ten families had brought disciples to this grand event—but only ten would be allowed to compete. The Hewitt family alone secured four of those coveted positions: Delra, Sion, Kaelin, and Tian. Their dominance wasn't granted by favor or politics—they had earned it, sweeping the Vernon Continent League Tournament held just weeks prior. The remaining six tournament slots were claimed by one disciple from each of the other six families. As for the remaining three families, their disciples had come not to fight, but to observe—to witness the unfolding storm and prepare for the next.
Other continents had also sent representatives. The Iskar Dominion, the Veylan Confederacy, and the Southern Reach—some rivaled Vernon in strength, others were weaker but no less ambitious. The stands were a sea of color, power, and intent. Every seat was filled. Every breath held weight.
The announcer stepped into the center of the arena, his voice amplified by a formation that echoed across the city.
"Welcome, cultivators and honored guests, to the Ruona Continent International Tournament!" His voice rang with authority and pride. "This year, we welcome one hundred and fifty factions from across the Ruona Continent and beyond. Each has come to prove their worth—and to earn glory for their family, their sect, and their homeland. Each participating faction is allowed to register up to ten disciples, aged fourteen to seventeen."
"That means fifteen hundred cultivators will enter the arena in the first phase of the tournament. Over the next three days, they will face off in duels until only one hundred remain. If fewer than one hundred remain by the end of the third day, the final spots will go to those who lasted the longest before being eliminated. Killing is forbidden—but injuries are expected."
"Second, the Semi-Finals: the one hundred who survive the first round will return to the arena. By the end of that day, only twenty contestants should remain. The rules will be the same—duels, eliminations, and no room for hesitation."
"Third, the Final Duel: the last twenty will each fight nineteen matches. Whoever earns the most victories will be crowned champion."
"The winner will receive the Ember Pearl Flame—a rare spirit flame nurtured for over a century. They will be granted the title of Duke and land within Ember Pearl City by the royal family. They will receive one million top-grade spirit stones, hundreds of rare spirit herbs, and a chance to enter the Sacred Spirit Ground of Ember Pearl City—an ancient site that opens only once every ten years, for one week."
Murmurs swept through the stands—envy, ambition, and raw desire crackling beneath the silence.
High above the arena, cloaked in silence, Jalen stood. His qi was masked so tightly that even the Ember Pearl Clan's formation couldn't detect him. Arms folded, gaze steady, he watched the proceedings with a calm intensity.
He wasn't here to be seen. If he was being honest, he was here because Rana had asked him to show up—but he'd convinced himself he was only here to observe.
And below, the first round was about to begin.
Some would rise. Most would fall. And none would leave unchanged.