Yao Hui City —
Under the sunlight, its towering gates gleamed with golden brilliance.
A young man with pale-blue hair trudged toward the entrance, the fatigue of travel written on his face.
He lifted his head and murmured softly,
"Finally… here I am."
At that very moment, several sheets of paper fluttered down from the sky, carried by the wind. One happened to land right in his palm.
He looked down.
"The Nine Luminaries Tournament — Show your strength! Free meals and accommodation! Generous rewards await!"
"Free meals and a place to stay?"
The young man blinked. The next second, his stomach rumbled in protest.
He nodded solemnly, eyes firm with resolve.
"Alright. That's it, then!"
—And so, he set off to sign up.
The registration hall was a grand structure built of white stone inlaid with golden lines.
Nine banners hung above the gate, fluttering proudly in the wind — the emblems of the Nine Great Families.
Inside, the place buzzed with noise.
Burly men with gorilla-like builds shouted beside noble youths in ornate clothing, each holding their own weapons.
Tianlan squeezed his way through the crowd and stepped up to the counter.
"I'd like to register for the Nine Luminaries Tournament."
Behind the counter sat a woman with her hair neatly tied back, dressed in a gray-blue uniform and looking every bit the professional.
Without raising her head, she asked flatly, "Name. Age."
"Tianlan. Eighteen."
She glanced up at him briefly, then muttered under her breath,
"Another freeloader, huh? Probably out in the first round."
Tianlan: "..."
(Was it that obvious?!)
Trying to stay composed, he awkwardly wiped the sweat from his brow.
The woman handed him a black token and a small key.
"Your dorm's in the building next door. Room nine-one-eight. Show the token for entry. Meals are free at the cafeteria on the first floor."
"Thanks."
"And remember to wash up before eating," she added in that same routine, indifferent tone.
"The tournament begins in seven days at 8 a.m. Latecomers lose eligibility. Return your key and token if you're eliminated."
Tianlan nodded and left, silently calculating in his mind.
So I need to keep winning to keep eating and sleeping for free… Looks like I can't lose too early.
Two muscular guards stood at the dorm entrance — one with a sword at his waist, the other carrying a long spear.
Tianlan showed his token, and they nodded politely. "Go ahead."
Stepping inside, Tianlan's first thought was—
"Whoa… This is really for contestants?"
The hall was floored with polished white tiles, and crests of the Nine Families lined the walls — the place looked more like a noble's manor than a dormitory.
Remembering the clerk's reminder, Tianlan turned to the guards.
"Hey, big bro, where's the bathhouse?"
The sword-bearing guard smiled. "End of the left corridor on the third floor. There's a sign."
"Thanks! I'll go wash up first!"
—Of course, he wasn't the only contestant with that idea.
After a good bath, Tianlan headed to the cafeteria on the second floor.
The smell of freshly cooked food filled the air, and his eyes almost teared up.
"The Nine Families must be busy with preparations… Guess no one's gonna care about me until the tournament's over.
If I lose too soon, no more free food and no place to stay..." he muttered, looking worried.
"What should I do? Maybe… I'll just hang around until it's all over."
He took out the flyer again.
Stage 1: One in Ten (100 remain)
Stage 2: The Jungle (50 remain)
Stage 3: The Hunt (20 remain)
Final Stage: The Luminary (Champion decided)
"…Looks like I have to at least make it to Stage 3."
The next morning, Tianlan went to the training grounds behind the dorm.
It was packed — contestants everywhere, training fiercely.
Strangely, though, everyone kept a careful distance from one another.
Except for one youth in the corner, swinging his sword alone.
Around him was a wide, empty space — as if no one dared to get close.
Tianlan tilted his head.
Nice spot. Lots of space.
So he walked over and started mimicking the boy's movements at a polite distance.
The boy stopped mid-swing and said calmly,
"…You know it's rude to stare and copy someone, right?"
Tianlan blinked, scratching his head with an awkward grin. "Ah, sorry, sorry. Your moves were just too elegant — I got caught up watching."
The boy paused, then looked slightly embarrassed.
"I don't really mind, but… don't make it so obvious. Contestants get nervous when others watch their techniques."
"Got it, got it," Tianlan nodded earnestly.
After that, he started observing others instead — those who looked impressive enough to learn from.
Soon whispers spread around the field.
"That guy… is he insane? He's standing there?"
"Who is he? A newbie?"
"He's watching us now? What's he trying to do?"
Despite the murmurs, no one dared to stop him.
The next day, Tianlan showed up again — same spot.
But the sword-wielding boy never returned (perhaps realizing his presence was distracting others).
Tianlan, however, kept training and observing in the same place.
Oddly enough, even without that boy, no one dared to get near him.
And so, Tianlan spent the entire week quietly studying his future opponents.
On the seventh morning, sunlight poured over the grand tournament arena.
An elderly man stepped onto the high platform, his voice booming:
"—Brave young warriors!
The Nine Luminaries Tournament begins now!"