Beauty and Might: Heavenly Flames

Li Yan remained standing where he was. His gaze rested upon the enormous entrance. One year ago, he had stood before the White Pagoda as an unknown disciple.

Back then, very few people within the sect knew his name. This year was different.

His cultivation had advanced. His combat experience had grown significantly. His swordsmanship had reached an entirely new level. His Soul Cultivation and Body Cultivation had both progressed steadily. In many ways, he had become a completely different person.

Yet despite those changes, his mindset remained the same. One step at a time. One challenge after another. No arrogance. No complacency. Only steady progress.

A faint smile appeared on his face. More importantly, unlike last year, he already knew exactly what awaited him. After a brief moment, Li Yan stepped forward.

The instant he crossed the entrance, the surrounding world distorted.

Space twisted around him. The arena vanished. The sensation lasted only a heartbeat. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing atop a rocky hill.

A cool breeze brushed against his robes.

Stretching before him was a vast forest that extended beyond the limits of his sight. Ancient trees towered high into the sky, their enormous canopies casting long shadows across the land below.

Li Yan immediately examined his surroundings. A familiar chime sounded from his wrist.

Ding.

His gaze shifted toward the competition bracelet. Several lines of information appeared above its surface.

[Name: Li Yan Tian

Level: 1

Points: 0

Time Remaining: 1:59:58]

Li Yan nodded slightly. "So it begins."

His gaze drifted toward the distant forest. Then a faint smile appeared on his face. "Let's see what rewards the hidden level of this pagoda holds."

At that moment, a fluctuation entered the range of his Spiritual Sense. Five presences. Rapidly approaching. Li Yan immediately identified them.

Crimson Fang Wolves.

Tier-3 Fire-Attribute Magical Beasts.

Each possessed strength comparable to that of a cultivator in the Qi Channeling Realm.

Unlike ordinary wolf packs, these beasts were advancing from different directions simultaneously, attempting to surround him.

Li Yan remained calm.

Compared to the thousands of Magical Beasts he had hunted during the past year, such opponents posed little threat.

A sword appeared in his hand. The wolves closed the distance rapidly. The first lunged toward his throat.

A flash of steel appeared. The wolf's body dissolved into particles of light before it could even reach him.

Without stopping, Li Yan pivoted smoothly. His sword traced a clean arc through the air. The second wolf disappeared.

Then the third. The fourth. The fifth.

Every strike wasted the least possible movement.

The battle ended within only a few breaths.

Ding.

[+25 Points Added]

Before the last particles of light had fully faded, a familiar force descended upon him.

Space shifted. The forest vanished.

A moment later, Li Yan found himself standing upon a frozen plain. Snow drifted slowly from the gray sky above.

An endless field of ice stretched toward the horizon. Cold winds swept across the landscape.

His bracelet chimed again.

Ding.

[Level: 2

Points: 125

Time Remaining: 1:58:43]

Li Yan glanced at the updated information before lifting his gaze. Four figures had already appeared around thirty meters away.

Ice Bears.

Tier-3 Magical Beasts.

Their massive bodies towered over the frozen landscape as white mist escaped their mouths with every breath.

The moment they appeared, the beasts began advancing toward him. Li Yan adjusted his grip on his sword. His expression remained unchanged.

****

Outside, in the arena, the leaderboards suspended above pagodas flickered with each change.

One name after another appeared as participants earned points. The previously empty rankings quickly filled with golden characters as disciples advanced through the opening levels of their respective pagodas.

Within the Azure-Rank leaderboard, one familiar name quickly rose through the rankings.

Li Yan Tian.

His score climbed steadily as the first beasts fell.

On the highest viewing platform, Ji Hong sat calmly among the elders, his posture relaxed as he observed the changing rankings.

Beside him, Cao Lian leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on the Azure-Rank leaderboard.

"Husband," she said quietly, "do you think Li Yan can reach the hidden level again this year as he did last year?"

Ji Hong nodded without hesitation. "He will."

The certainty in his answer caused several nearby elders to glance toward him. Almost at the same moment, the leaderboard flickered again.

[Rank 1 — Li Yan Tian — Level 3 — 285 Points]

Cao Lian's eyes narrowed slightly. "He cleared the first two levels in only a few minutes."

A faint smile appeared on Ji Hong's face. "He has become much stronger than last year."

Around the arena, more spectators gradually noticed the rankings.

A Purple-Rank disciple frowned. "Li Yan is already first."

Another disciple shook his head. "It's still early. The real competition starts after the fifth level."

Several nearby disciples nodded in agreement.

The opening levels rarely determined the final rankings. The higher levels were where the true differences between disciples began to emerge.

****

Meanwhile, Li Yan arrived at the third level.

The frozen landscape disappeared.

Before him lay a vast grassland beneath a pale sky. Tall grass swayed in the wind, forming endless waves across the plains. The scent of wildflowers drifted through the air, mingling with something sharper.

Predators.

Ding.

Li Yan glanced at the bracelet.

[Level: 3

Points: 285

Time Remaining: 1:54:57]

Almost immediately, movement entered his Spiritual Sense. The beasts burst from the grass and charged directly toward him. Five Shadow Wolves.

Fire Qi flowed through Li Yan's sword, causing a layer of crimson flames to envelop the blade. As the wolves entered his attack range, he moved first.

Five sword strikes flashed through the air. Three wolves were killed instantly. The remaining two managed to react in time, but one received a deep wound along its abdomen while the other suffered a severe injury to its hind leg.

Before either beast could recover, Li Yan attacked again. Both wolves dissolved into particles of light.

Moments later, another pack appeared.

Then a third.

Then a fourth.

None survived for more than a few exchanges. The bracelet chimed repeatedly as points accumulated.

Not long afterward, a familiar spatial fluctuation descended.

The grassland disappeared.

Level Four.

A barren wasteland appeared around him.

The environment changed, but the challenge remained similar. More Tier-3 Magical Beasts emerged from different directions, attempting to overwhelm participants through numbers.

Li Yan advanced steadily.

His movements remained efficient. His attacks remained precise.

The countless battles he had experienced throughout the Hunting Grounds during the past year were gradually revealing their value. The beasts rarely survived long enough to force him into prolonged combat.

Before long, another spatial fluctuation appeared.

Level Five.

This time, Li Yan found himself within a rocky valley.

Towering cliffs surrounded the battlefield while numerous Magical Beasts emerged from hidden locations throughout the terrain.

For many disciples, the increasing numbers would become a significant obstacle. For Li Yan, however, the challenge remained manageable.

Rather than confronting every beast directly, he continuously used the terrain to his advantage. He forced enemies into unfavorable positions before eliminating them as efficiently as possible.

As a result, his progress never slowed.

****

Outside the pagoda, the rankings continued to update.

Names constantly shifted as disciples advanced, failed, or voluntarily withdrew from the competition.

Many participants had already begun exhausting their Qi reserves. Others had consumed valuable pills to maintain their momentum.

Meanwhile, the competition among the leading disciples gradually intensified.

Several names fought for positions within the top 64. Yet one name remained firmly among them.

Li Yan Tian.

Within the spectator stands, discussions gradually spread.

"He already reached the sixth level."

"Not surprising."

"He won last year's competition."

"That was the White-Rank Competition."

The disciple shrugged. "So what? He's still Li Yan Tian."

Several nearby spectators nodded.

Over the past year, his reputation had become firmly established throughout the sect.

Whether through the Hunting Grounds, the annual competition, or his various accomplishments, very few disciples still underestimated him.

****

Inside the pagoda, Li Yan appeared on the sixth level.

A cave tunnel stretched before him. Fire lamps embedded along the walls illuminated only a small portion of the passage, casting flickering shadows across the rough stone. Beyond that limited circle of light, darkness dominated everything.

Ordinary eyes could see little.

Li Yan's Spiritual Sense, however, had already expanded outward, covering a radius of seventy-five meters.

Ding.

His gaze shifted toward the bracelet.

[Level: 6

Points: 1,120

Time Remaining: 1:22:36]

The real competition had finally begun.

According to the information he had gathered from former Azure-Rank disciples, the sixth level was where the true challenge started. The number of Magical Beasts increased significantly. The pressure intensified. Qi consumption accelerated. This was the point where rankings truly began to separate.

A distant roar echoed through the tunnel.

Then another.

Then several more.

Li Yan's expression remained calm as he drew his sword.

Within his Spiritual Sense, numerous presences rapidly approached from different directions.

Fifteen Tier-3 Magical Beasts.

Snakes slithered along the cave floor. Massive spiders crawled across the walls and ceiling. Wolves sprinted through the darkness while armored scorpions advanced behind them.

Fire Qi flowed into his sword.

The blade immediately became enveloped in crimson flames.

Moments later, the first beasts entered the range of the fire lamps.

The battle began.

A wolf lunged first. Li Yan stepped sideways and swung his sword. A crimson arc flashed through the darkness. The wolf was cut apart before it could reach him.

Without stopping, Li Yan shifted his position again. A spider descended from above.

His sword rose. The beast split into two pieces before its fangs could reach him. At the same moment, a snake shot forward from the shadows.

Li Yan's footwork changed instantly. His body moved half a step to the side while his sword descended diagonally. The snake's head separated from its body. Three beasts fell within a single breath.

The remaining Magical Beasts surged forward. Li Yan's movements carried neither panic nor haste.

Each step was deliberate.

Each strike served a purpose.

Rather than allowing himself to become surrounded, he continuously repositioned himself throughout the tunnel. The narrow environment naturally restricted the beasts' movements, preventing large numbers from attacking simultaneously.

The advantage immediately became apparent. The wolves could not fully utilize their speed. The spiders could not attack from multiple directions. Even the scorpions found themselves blocked by their allies' bodies.

One beast after another fell beneath his sword. Several breaths later, the final scorpion dissolved into particles of light.

The first wave was cleared.

Li Yan had barely taken a few breaths before new presences entered his Spiritual Sense. The second wave had arrived.

This time, the beasts appeared faster. The moment they appeared in the tunnel, they charged directly toward him.

Li Yan met them head-on. His sword flashed repeatedly through the darkness. Fire Qi illuminated the cave like bursts of crimson lightning.

The battle became more intense. Yet the result remained unchanged.

One Magical Beast after another collapsed. The second wave was eliminated. The third wave followed almost immediately. Then the fourth.

The cave tunnel transformed into a continuous battlefield. Roars echoed endlessly through the darkness. Claws collided against stone. Flames illuminated the tunnel repeatedly.

Throughout it all, Li Yan maintained complete control of the battle.

His attacks became more efficient. His movements became cleaner. Even Qi consumption remained under control.

Time passed steadily. By the time the fourth wave ended, sixty Tier-3 Magical Beasts had fallen beneath his sword.

The final beast dissolved into particles of light, and Li Yan collected the flag. This was the second flag he found on level six.

Silence returned to the tunnel.

Only the faint glow of the fire lamps remained. Li Yan exhaled slowly. His robes carried several traces of dust, but otherwise, he remained completely unharmed.

Ding.

The bracelet emitted another soft chime.

His points surged upward once more.

At the same moment, a familiar spatial fluctuation descended upon the cave.

The sixth level had been cleared.