(MC POV)
"Does Master have any favourites in the Showcase?" Lian Li asked while standing beside me.
"Hmm… Not really, I'm only here just to show my face and watch the newcomers, actually," I admitted.
I mean… I would have said Xun Guan but none of them knew who that was so there wasn't a point for me telling them about her.
Even then, I'm not actually sure how well Xun Guan measures up against the other Practitioners either. For all I know, there might be hidden talents in the other Sects that were stronger than her.
For the Showcase part of the Festival, most of the young Practitioners from each Sect would be going up to show off their talents. And when I say 'young' I mean the people who have newly joined those Sects, not that they're young in age.
Which meant that people like Luna could also participate too and she's definitely not someone who just started her cultivation.
Some of them had chosen to simply do a demonstration of their skills through a performance while most of them opted to have a spar with their own Sect members or issued challenges to other Sect members to showcase their talents.
All of this was still within expectations so there wasn't anything crazy going on.
That was when a Practitioner from the country of Han went up on the stage.
Instead of showing off his skills however, he took his time to look at everyone gathered around the stage before turning up his chin at us.
"When I heard that this event was blessed by some Divine Being, I expected there to be strong Practitioners attending this event. Yet all I see are some third and fourth rates coming up here to do some party tricks. How disappointing."
Everyone was looking at him in shock and a few of the young Practitioners let out cries of outrage and began hurling insults at the Han Practitioner.
He scoffed at them, "Is that all that you're good for? Yelling at your betters down there instead of coming up here to prove your worth? I expected no less from third and fourth rates like you all."
I turned to look at my disciples and it seemed like they weren't bothered by that young man's attitude. I'm guessing it's because none of his insults were directed towards us so they didn't really care.
That's good, I would be disappointed if they let something this stupid rile them up.
Someone from another Sect leapt onto the stage following his provocation and cupped his hands together.
"This one is student Ming from the Soul Sect. Please allow me to exchange pointers with you, fellow student."
The Han Practitioner scoffed at him, "Exchange pointers with me? I'm afraid you won't even be able to keep up. I suggest you go back down before you embarrass yourself."
Student Ming furrowed his brow, "I respectfully insist that we exchange pointers."
"A fourth rate is trying to waste my time… What's new?"
Student Ming let out a roar and charged forward, aiming a palm strike towards the Han Practitioner's abdomen.
He only managed to take one step forward before the Han Practitioner's punched the air, causing an air bullet to blast into Student Ming's face and sending him flying off the stage.
The Han Practitioner scoffed, "Can someone else better try next?"
An older looking Practitioner leapt onto the stage and cupped his hands, "Student Yan of the Sky Sword Sect! Here to seek pointers!"
"Are you sure you should even be standing here, old man? You look a little too old to be starting out, don't you think?"
Student Yan ignored his taunts and pulled out his sword to point at the Han Practitioner, "Skyward Slash!!"
Oh wow, it's been a long while since I heard someone shout out their Techniques… This guy really must be an amateur.
The Han Practitioner rolled his eyes at the attack and easily sidestepped the sword wave that had been heading towards him. He then flicked his wrist in Student Yan's direction and the older man was blasted out of the stage just like the first one.
I have to give credit though, this Han Practitioner certainly does have some skills.
The next one to jump on the stage was a young woman of the Heaven Sect branch Sect, though I don't believe I've spoken to her before.
"Student Piao of Heaven Sect! Please allow me to receive guidance!"
The Han Practitioner didn't even acknowledge her before he sent an invisible blast of air that shot her off the stage without letting her do anything, truly the height of disrespect.
"Should we put him down a peg or two?" Eris asked.
I shook my head, "That would be too much of an overkill. You can't expect a mortal like that to face off goddesses like yourselves right?"
Eris made a face at me but did not protest.
Right then, a familiar face jumped up onto the stage.
"Student Lunamaeniera of Heaven Sect! Here to show you some pointers!"
Ah… Well… I did say she was technically allowed to join the Showcase too despite her experience as a Practitioner. Although I have to admit, I thought Xun Guan would be the one to jump in instead.
The Han Practitioner turned up his chin at Luna, "You? Show me some pointers? Who do you think you are?"
"Oh? You sure like to talk a lot! First pointer, talk with your skills instead!"
Luna spun her wrist in a circle and shot out a blast of water at him.
The Han Practitioner sidestepped the attack to raise his hand to point at Luna, only to be flung forward when the blast of water he had initially avoided spun around to hit him from the back.
"Fufufu~ Second point~ Take advantage of your opponent's blind spots!"
The Han Practitioner stood back up and glared at Luna, "You think you're good just because of a lucky hit?"
Luna responded by flicking her wrist at him, causing the puddle of water underneath the Han Practitioner to blast him from under his chin and sending him airborne.
"Third point, set traps at places where your opponent least expects them~"
He crashed back down onto the stage, completely drenched from head to toe.
"Arrrghhh!! How dare you!!" He screamed, creating a gale of wind to encircle him.
Luna barely batted an eye at the wind and simply teleported herself right in front of him to punch him under the chin.
The Han Practitioner's eyes rolled to the back of his head before collapsing on the ground, unconscious.
"Point four, flashy attacks with no substance is useless~"
That's the former Matriarch of the Spiritual Plane for you.
Also… Why does it feel like I've seen such a scene before?
