Mira's group continued to defeat their opponents quickly, with each of them getting a turn to step up and show off.
Surprisingly, more beings had made it this far than they initially thought. When they were climbing the mountain, they seldom ran across other disciples or beasts that came in from the outside. Most of their opponents were natives of this Realm.
After around 10 battles, or 70 opponents, they finally faced their first real challenge.
On the other side of the arena walked another 7 people, but the aura they carried was different than the rest. Although they were still in the 9th Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, the stability, density, and intensity of their Qi were unlike the others before them.
Leading the charge were two middle-aged women who gave off the strongest impression and wore Battle Maiden Sect robes. They surveyed the area cautiously, looking for any traps or hidden mechanisms before their gaze finally landed on Mira and the others.
Their eyes widened when they noticed the group, and they couldn't help but feel bitter inside.
'Just our luck. We have to fight against them.' They thought but steeled their resolve, ready for an intense battle.
Aelina smiled and chuckled, but she was inwardly glad that they didn't immediately give up. "Oh? Sandra and Irene? What a surprise~!"
"Master! You're here!" Nova exclaimed upon seeing Elder Irene, feeling a little conflicted. She wanted to win, but she didn't want to see her master get hurt.
"Hahaha! It's good to see you, Sect Master, Nova." Elder Irene burst out laughing, greeting the two of them. Even though they were about to enter a battle to the death, she remained carefree. If anything, she was excited.
'I wonder how much everyone's improved.' Elder Irene thought with expectation.
Meanwhile, Elder Sandra focused on Mira, memories of their first meeting flashing through her mind. Years ago, Mira was just a Core Formation Realm weakling.
Now, she was at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, and her strength was almost unbelievable. Her rate of progression, accomplishments, talent, and mindset left her in awe over the years.
Elder Sandra couldn't help feeling proud of Mira, not just for surviving until now but for thriving.
'She reminds me of the Sect Master back when she was a mere disciple. Though, Mira is probably more amazing in regards to talent, while the Sect Master had more achievements.' She reminisced.
A sense of electric anticipation thrummed through the air as both groups squared off across the arena, the atmosphere tense with the expectancy of the impending clash.
The ancient voice remained silent this time as if understanding that words were redundant amidst the silent communication flowing through the glances and postures of the combatants on the field.
A breathless hush fell over the arena, the silence amplifying the subtle shift of feet and the inaudible inhalations of breath.
Mira locked eyes with Sandra, the air between them thick with unspoken understanding and respect. The former actually quite liked Elder Sandra, as she has been there ever since she joined the Battle Maiden Sect. When she was in trouble, it was Sandra who was the first to arrive, and she had always been relatively helpful without Mira even needing to ask her for anything.
Best of all, she didn't mince words.
"Ready to have a go, Elder?" Mira's lips curved into a faint, challenging smile, her eyes sparkling with the light of battle.
Elder Sandra returned the smile with a quiet nod, her gaze steady and unyielding. "It's an honor to cross paths with you in battle, Mira."
The arena remained still for a heartbeat longer before exploding into action. The space between the combatants blurred with the swift onslaught of movements.
Sandra and Irene moved fluidly, their experience evident in the ease with which they navigated the battlefield, meeting each attack with practiced defense. Yet, for all their expertise, the vigor and audacity of Mira's group were not to be underestimated.
Nova engaged Irene with a flash of fiery brilliance, their exchanges lighting up the arena with bursts of energy. Each strike, each maneuver, was executed with a precision born from years of training and sparring together, making their battle almost choreographed, a dance of flame and power.
Aelina observed quietly, her eyes flickering between the fights. It would be useless for her to intervene now. Though everyone was on an even playing field when it came to cultivation, she was superior in almost every aspect. Perhaps Mira could put up a good fight, but at the end of the day, she was still one of the strongest beings on the continent.
She fully believed Mira didn't stand a chance.
'Maybe if we were both at the Divine Sea Realm, I could finally let loose.' She thought with a small smile, imagining a scene where Mira and her fought for days on end, destroying the land around them.
Shaking her head, she focused back on the fights, but that image remained.
It was then that Mira and Sandra clashed in the center, their energies colliding with a shockwave that rippled across the arena. Their eyes met amidst the chaos, acknowledging the inevitable confrontation. With a burst of speed, they engaged, their movements sharp and decisive.
As their silhouettes flickered amidst the skirmish, Mira and Sandra painted a captivating picture of combat.
Sandra, with her veteran poise, parried Mira's aggressive strikes, their exchange seamlessly alternating between offensive and defensive maneuvers. Meanwhile, Mira's scythe moved so fast that it didn't even look like a polearm variant and more of a circle.
She would occasionally use her ice affinity as an auxiliary to help her take down the Elder, but their battle was almost purely weapon-based. Elemental Affinities, physical strength, Qi quality, none of that mattered. Only pure technique and mastery over one's weapon were what mattered.
This was the most Mira could offer the woman, as, without that handicap, this wouldn't be much of a battle.
The air sizzled with their unleashed energy, creating transient ripples across the arena as the shockwaves from their clashes were too strong. For a moment, the surrounding arena and its occupants faded away, leaving only the two formidable women locked in their duel.
Yet, even amidst the intense battle, Mira could perceive Sandra's subtle pride, a quiet acknowledgment that mirrored her own sentiments towards the elder.
She had to admit that her mastery of the sword was exceptional—one of the best she'd ever seen.
'It seems Elder Sandra likes to hide under the radar. I never knew she was so skilled.' Thinking of skilled weapon practitioners, her mind drifted toward thoughts of Celaine.
'I wonder how she's doing. Hopefully, not dead. I still need to reach the next realm of mastery with my scythe!' As her mind drifted, she was quickly brought back to reality when Elder Sandra made a sudden move, catching her off-guard and almost taking her head in the process.
However, the two paid no mind and continued.
With each passing second, their exchange accelerated, blurring into a series of swift movements and flashing lights. To the onlookers, it seemed as if the two were engaged in a fierce dance, their steps perfectly synchronized with their heartbeats and breaths.
However, as the battle reached its climax, it was Mira's indomitable spirit and unyielding determination that gradually tipped the scale in her favor. With a dazzling flurry of strikes, she managed to corner Sandra, her weapon aiming straight for the elder's heart.
Then, without hesitation, she jammed it into the woman's chest, splitting her heart-
*Dink!*
-until she didn't and was stopped by a barrier.
"Th-That was a good fight, Mira." Elder Sandra sputtered with a smile, blood leaking out of her lips.
"Mmhm. No wonder you're an Elder."
"..."
Sandra didn't get to retort before she was thrown out of the arena, making it a 7 vs 6.
'Oh? I guess that number dropped to five.' Mira thought while watching Nova skewer her Master with dozens of black flaming spears. A second later, Elder Irene disappeared from the arena.
'Now, all that's left is the fodder.' However, she couldn't be bothered to deal with the rest, so she just walked over to Aelina's side.
"Your scythe skills looked a bit rusty~" Aelina teased, but Mira shrugged.
"It's been a while since I had to fight someone decent."
"...You always have to say something back, huh."
Aelina clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned her attention away from Mira.
The two watched on as Nova joined the fray, making it a 5 vs. 5 since neither Mira nor Aelina were participating.
However, the battle ended up taking much longer than they initially thought, forcing the two to question themselves if they really should join.
The problem was that the other side just turtled, focusing all their attention on defense instead of offense. They knew they were going to lose, but they'd be damned if they didn't make their opponents suffer for it in the next round!
Eventually, Aelina got bored and opened a void portal near one of them before collapsing it on them. In an instant, they were thrown out of the arena, and the girls soon claimed victory.
