Chapter 5 — Battle Season: 2
Inside the Zhuo Sect Cosmic Academy, the massive arena roared with noise. Spiritual barriers shimmered around the battlefield as teams clashed one after another.
Yan Zhuo sat in the audience beside Yue Xiya, watching three teams exchange violent blows.
"That's iconic," Yan Zhuo said, eyes shining. "I really want to go down there and fight again."
Yue Xiya glanced at him and rolled her eyes lightly.
"Don't get too excited, kiddo," she said with a teasing smile.
Yan Zhuo tilted his head. "There are eight cultivator tag teams already selected for the Ren Sect Senior Academy. If we're already selected, why do we still need to fight?"
Yue Xiya smiled patiently.
"Because only four powerful tag teams will advance. These battles decide our ranking in the senior academy. Every rank gets a different class… and every class has its own benefits."
She leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"So focus. We need the highest rank."
The first round ended. The teacher stepped forward, his voice echoing across the arena.
"The second round begins now. The two teams who pass will enter the final round. The team that wins the third round will receive the highest rank in the senior academy."
Yan Zhuo and Yue Xiya stepped onto the battlefield, facing two boys radiating strong cosmic pressure.
"They look tough," Yan Zhuo muttered.
Yue Xiya smiled calmly.
"Don't worry. They didn't get enough time to recover from the previous battle. That gives us the advantage."
Her cosmic energy flared as she vanished forward in a blur, fist aimed at one boy's chest—
—but he caught her punch effortlessly.
"You really think you can hit me, girl?" he sneered.
On the other side, the second boy exploded into motion, striking Yan Zhuo with blinding speed. Yan Zhuo barely managed to dodge, forced backward again and again.
"He's fast," Yan Zhuo panted.
Inside the ring domain, Astra Omnion smiled calmly.
"He's using cosmic energy purely to boost speed. Don't try to match him. Focus your energy into your strike. One clean hit — stop him completely."
Yan Zhuo clenched his teeth. Purple cosmic flames surged around his body.
"You really think you can touch me?" the boy mocked, circling at extreme speed.
He leapt, aiming a kick at Yan Zhuo's head—
—but Yan Zhuo turned sharply and caught his leg mid-air.
"You're out," Yan Zhuo said coldly.
He drove all his cosmic energy into a single punch.
BOOM.
The boy was launched across the battlefield, crashing hard into the barrier. He collapsed, unable to stand.
"H–How did you stop me…?" the boy groaned.
Yan Zhuo dropped to his knees, breathing heavily.
"My cosmic energy… it's completely drained… I can barely move," he thought, sweat pouring down.
Nearby, Yue Xiya continued attacking, but the first boy's defense absorbed everything.
"You can block attacks," Yue Xiya said calmly, "but you can't actually fight."
That sentence snapped something inside him.
"You're nothing in front of me!" he roared, charging forward.
"As expected," Yue Xiya smirked. "Slow… big tortoise."
She vanished.
"What—? Where did she go?!" the boy shouted.
The entire arena gasped.
"Did she disappear?"
"How is that possible?!"
Suddenly—BAM!
Yue Xiya reappeared and kicked his head, then vanished again before he could react.
"Stop disappearing and fight me!" he screamed wildly.
She struck again. And again. Every hit precise. Every movement unreadable.
From the ring domain, Astra nodded in approval.
"She's perfectly hiding her presence inside her cosmic energy. Intelligent and deadly."
He glanced at Yan Zhuo.
"…Are you even alive?"
Yan Zhuo gasped weakly. "Y–Yeah… still breathing."
"You have frightening physical power," Astra said calmly.
Moments later, Yue Xiya landed her final strike. The boy collapsed unconscious.
"Big body," she said, appearing before him, smiling confidently.
"Small mind."
The arena erupted.
"YUE XIYA!!"
"YUE XIYA!!"
She waved proudly.
"Yes, yes — the amazing beauty of the Han-Huo Empire."
Then her expression changed when she saw Yan Zhuo.
"Hey, Zhuo… are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he said softly. "Just need time to recover."
Suddenly, the second boy staggered back onto the battlefield, killing intent pouring from him.
"I'll kill both of you," he snarled.
The air itself trembled.
Astra stepped forward, half-emerging from the ring domain.
"I didn't know the Eleventh Universe's cosmic energy was this weak."
Yue Xiya stepped in front of Yan Zhuo protectively.
"You won't touch him."
Astra spoke calmly.
"This is your moment. Meditate. Increase your grade."
Yan Zhuo shook his head.
"I can't. She needs me."
"If you grow stronger," Astra replied, "you'll protect her better than like this. She can handle him until you finish."
Yan Zhuo hesitated—then sat down.
Cosmic energy surged wildly toward him, purple flames intensifying as his aura refined.
"Good," Astra said proudly. "Keep refining."
Meanwhile, Yue Xiya fought fiercely, but her vanishing no longer worked. The boy predicted her moves, countering her attacks.
"You can't use the same trick twice," he sneered.
He grabbed her leg mid-air and slammed her aside.
She stood up shakily.
"You're strong… but not enough."
She lunged—
—but he caught her punch.
"I'll crush you," he said dangerously.
She struck his chest with her other hand, throwing him back, but her vision blurred.
The crowd began cheering for the opposing team.
The boy vanished—then appeared behind her, leg raised—
—but suddenly his kick stopped mid-air.
CRACK.
An invisible force tore his leg apart.
"AAAAHHH!" he screamed.
Before his punch could land—
Yan Zhuo appeared.
He caught the fist and hurled the boy out of the battlefield with overwhelming force.
Silence.
Astra sighed.
"I know that was cheating… but a man attacking a girl from behind goes against my pride."
Yan Zhuo rushed to Yue Xiya and caught her as she collapsed.
"Are you okay?!"
She smiled weakly.
"I'm just tired… keep holding me… I'll recover."
The teacher stepped forward.
"This battle is over. The winners are Yue Xiya and Yan Zhuo Fujimaro."
He glanced at Yan Zhuo.
"Take her to rest."
Later, inside the recovery room, Yue Xiya slept peacefully on a long sofa.
"She really saved me…" Yan Zhuo whispered.
Astra appeared in human form, smiling.
"And I saved her."
Yan Zhuo rolled his eyes.
"You literally ripped a boy's leg off."
Astra shrugged.
"Being off by even one atom would've destroyed the universe."
Yan Zhuo ignored him and smiled.
"But we won… and I reached Grade 2."
Astra nodded confidently.
"Not just Grade 2. You're already close to Grade 3. Win the final battle… and you'll shock everyone."
How it is for primordial overlord