Immortal Paladin

014 Willpower

From what I had gathered, the participants had to be under fifty years old. Not that it mattered to me—I had no way of gauging anyone’s true strength beyond what my eyes could perceive, and even that had its limits.

I sighed, watching as the gambling attendants made their final rounds.

“The betting period has officially closed!” one of them announced, waving a scroll above his head.

A pity. I hadn’t even placed a bet.

Not that it would have made a difference. Without Qi Sense, I was like a blind man among tigers, unable to discern who stood at the peak and who was merely posturing. I could assess body language, movement efficiency, and surface-level martial techniques, but none of that revealed the depths of a cultivator’s strength. In this world, power was not just skill—it was Qi. And that was beyond my perception.

With over two hundred contestants, even relying on sheer intelligence stat wouldn’t be enough.

Shaking off the thought, I turned my focus back to the arena.

Liang Na stepped forward once more, raising a hand for silence.

“Honored guests, esteemed cultivators, and citizens of Yellow Dragon City,” she declared, her voice carrying across the vast space. “Before the trial begins, let us first hear from our sovereign—Lord Ren Jin.”

A hush fell over the crowd.

In the VIP box, a figure moved.

Dressed in elegant yet restrained robes embroidered with golden dragon scales, he carried himself with the ease of one accustomed to command. There was no need for ornamentation; his presence alone was enough.

Ren Jin. The sovereign of Yellow Dragon City.

He looked young—perhaps my age. That gave me pause. He was the ruler of this place?

Then he spoke.

His voice was calm, yet it resonated through the arena, carried as if by the wind itself.

“My people,” he began, his gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd, “this past decade has been one of trials and perseverance.”

Silence fell as all listened.

“We have endured hardship, yet we have emerged stronger. We have weathered storms, yet we have not fallen. Through it all, Yellow Dragon City stands unyielding.”

Murmurs rippled through the audience—some nodding in agreement, others listening with rapt attention.

A faint smile touched Ren Jin’s lips. “Today, we gather not only to witness a contest but to honor those who dare to rise above. The cultivators before you are the future. Strength shall determine the worthy, and from them, new legends will be born.”

He raised a hand, his voice ringing with finality.

“Let the Tournament of Yellow Dragon’s Heroes… begin!”

Thunderous applause erupted, shaking the arena.

The moment Lord Ren gave the signal, the battlefield erupted into motion.

Qi flared like invisible flames, distorting the air in waves. Though I couldn’t sense it directly, my heightened perception registered the shift—like standing in the heart of a storm, surrounded by unseen forces.

"Huh," I muttered. "So this is what it looks like when a group of cultivators gets serious."

"This?” Beside me, Gu Jie scoffed. “This is nothing. Just a bunch of posturing before the real battle begins. Master, just so you know… I’ve seen worse."

“Chill, it’s not a competition.” That caught my attention. "Speaking of which, you were at a higher realm before, right? Any idea what realm that Enforcer and City Governor are at?"

Gu Jie perked up, eager to prove herself useful. "Well, I don’t have the senses of a Second Realm cultivator anymore, but I still have my experience," she said, rubbing her chin. "For the Chief Enforcer to project her voice with such clarity, she should be at least Third Realm."

Chief Enforcer?

It seemed Liang Na was a bigger figure than I had assumed. I glanced back at the arena, taking another look at the woman standing proudly at the battlefield’s center.

As if in response to my thoughts, Liang Na exhaled and released a controlled pulse of energy.

"I am at the Will-Reinforcement Realm!" Her voice rang through the arena, carrying the weight of authority. "Chief Enforcer of the Yellow Dragon Armed Forces, Liang Na! In the name of my liege, I shall conduct this Elimination Round thoroughly and fairly, for the sake of honest competition!"

Gu Jie smirked. "See? Told you."

I chuckled. "Alright, you got one right. What about Lord Ren?"

Gu Jie’s expression turned contemplative. "That one’s harder to guess. The way he projected his voice, the way his presence filled the entire arena… That level of control isn’t something a Third Realm cultivator can pull off casually." She shook her head. "He’s definitely stronger. At least Fourth Realm, maybe higher."

I hummed in thought, shifting my attention back to Liang Na.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

She stood at the center of the arena, radiating authority. My Perception stat wasn’t my strongest, but compared to an ordinary person, it was nothing short of supernatural. And right now, it was letting me see something most others couldn’t.

A thin layer of energy coated Liang Na’s entire body, shimmering faintly with every movement. It pulsed in rhythm with her breath—subtle, but undeniable.

Interesting.

If I focused closely enough, I could kind of distinguish cultivation realms, even without Qi Sense.

That was good to know.

The moment Liang Na fully released her aura, the atmosphere shifted.

A crushing presence descended upon the arena like a storm cloud. The sheer weight of it sent ripples through the battlefield—cultivators staggered, their knees trembling under the invisible pressure. Some struggled to remain standing. Others weren’t as fortunate. One by one, participants crumpled to the ground, their bodies collapsing like puppets with cut strings.

Liang Na’s voice rang across the battlefield.

"I SHALL NOW BEGIN!"

Her words carried power—not just through sound, but through sheer intent. A heavier wave of Killing Intent surged forth, wrapping around the remaining cultivators like an unseen noose, tightening with every breath.

I frowned. That’s kinda overpowered.

This was just the Third Realm?

Beside me, Gu Jie shuddered, her face slightly pale.

"This is the gap between realms," she murmured, hugging herself. "What she’s doing isn’t just unleashing Qi—she’s manifesting her Willpower into the world. More specifically… her Killing Intent."

I raised an eyebrow. "She’s scaring them unconscious?"

Gu Jie nodded. "It’s like a blizzard of raw pressure. The stronger your will, the better you can withstand it. But for those beneath her level, it’s unbearable. Their minds collapse before their bodies do."

I glanced at the arena.

The few still standing were visibly struggling, their fists clenched, their foreheads drenched in sweat. Some swayed, knees trembling, but refused to fall.

"And what about normal people?" I asked.

Gu Jie exhaled. "They wouldn’t feel a thing."

I blinked. "Wait, really?"

She nodded. "Killing Intent is a weapon meant to suppress cultivators. Mortals don’t have the same battle instincts, so they don’t even register it. That’s why nobles and merchants can sit through these fights without fainting in their seats." A smirk tugged at her lips.

So suppression abilities scale based on the target’s cultivation...

That was useful to know.

But more importantly, this meant Liang Na wasn’t just strong—she had complete mastery over her will. To wield such pressure with precision, without harming bystanders, spoke volumes about her control.

This tournament was proving more interesting by the second.

One by one, the weaker cultivators collapsed, their bodies crumpling like puppets with severed strings. The arena floor became a graveyard of unconscious contestants, scattered like marbles. In mere moments, the battlefield had thinned.

Now, only those with unshakable wills remained.

I leaned forward, watching closely.

Some of them trembled but stayed upright through sheer determination. Others stood firm, unyielding, their gazes burning with defiance.

Interesting.

The true contenders had revealed themselves. Out of hundreds, only ten remained standing.

I turned to Gu Jie. "Has anyone ever died from this before?"

She shook her head. "None that I know of, Master. Theoretically, it should be impossible. Would you die just because someone imagined you dying?"

Her analogy was oddly fitting.

I nodded. "Fair point."

Before I could ask more, Liang Na’s voice rang out once again, clear and resolute.

"I will now increase the pressure."

The words weren’t just for the contestants—they were a declaration to the entire audience, nobles and commoners alike.

A show of strength.

A heartbeat later, her aura surged.

The air thickened, turning razor-sharp. The weight of her Killing Intent grew heavier—like an invisible guillotine pressing down, daring the remaining cultivators to falter.

Yet the ten stood firm.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Even among the commoners and lesser cultivators, murmurs of astonishment spread like wildfire.

I merely watched, fascinated.

This wasn’t just a test of cultivation.

It was a battle of will.

Gu Jie leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with recognition as she studied the cultivators who had withstood Liang Na’s Killing Intent.

"Look at them," she whispered. "I recognize a few. The remaining contenders are from the Seven Grand Clans and the Three Great Sects of the Riverfall Continent. I don’t know about the other guy though… but I might have heard his name."

I followed her gaze, scanning the arena.

One figure immediately stood out—Kang Shi of the Fighting Clan. He stood tall, his aura flaring with barely restrained aggression, as if eager for battle.

Gu Jie nudged me and gestured toward another contender. "That’s Lu Gao of the Road Clan," she said, lowering her voice as if the name itself carried weight. "See the emblem on his sleeve? The endless road symbol. His clan believes in expansion and ambition above all else."

I’d heard that before.

This ‘Lu Gao’ was that famous, then?

Gu Jie seemed impressed, so I let her have her moment.

Lu Gao stood with his arms crossed, completely unbothered, as if Liang Na’s pressure was nothing more than a passing breeze. His posture, his expression, everything about him radiated unshakable confidence—the kind of man who never considered losing an option.

Before I could examine the others, one of the ten contenders suddenly wobbled, his breath hitching—then collapsed. It was the cultivator Gu Jie identified as a member of the Seven Grand Clans.

“That’s one down,” Gu Jie sighed. "That’s Xun De of the Seeker Clan. See the single character for Seek stitched onto his robe?"

I nodded.

"His clan prides itself on unearthing ancient knowledge and lost techniques," she continued. "But I suppose his will wasn’t strong enough to stand with the rest."

Liang Na, unfazed by the loss, raised her voice once more.

"I will increase the pressure again!"

A fresh wave of Killing Intent surged forth.

The atmosphere grew heavier, oppressive. Yet—no one else fell. The nine remaining cultivators held firm, their postures resolute.

The crowd murmured in admiration.

Gu Jie, still unfazed, continued her commentary, pointing out three specific contestants. "See them? The ones with the cloud symbol, the sword character, and the isolation character?"

I nodded.

"They must be representatives from the Three Great Sects—the Cloud Mist Sect, the Sword Canopy Sect, and the Isolation Path Sect."

That made sense. Their presence alone spoke volumes about their sects’ standing.

Then, without warning, Liang Na spread her hands open.

Above her, nine faint orbs of energy flickered into existence, hovering in a perfect formation.

Then, in an instant, they shot forward—each one targeting a different contestant.

The reaction was immediate.

The contenders moved—some dodging, others bracing for impact—but one, in particular, caught my attention.

Kang Shi.

The moment the orb struck him, it twisted and coiled—morphing into a spectral snake that latched onto his shoulder.

His body locked up. His limbs stiffened.

Then—he collapsed, his expression frozen in shock.

Gu Jie let out a sharp breath. "Did you see that?"

I did.

More clearly than I expected.

I turned to her. "What was that?"

Gu Jie frowned, deep in thought. "A martial spell, perhaps… or a Qi-manifested technique." Then, as if realizing she was being tested, she quickly added, "Qi manifestation is invisible to Martial-Tempering Realm cultivators like me. We’re used to circulating Qi internally, not externalizing it like this."

I raised an eyebrow.

She hesitated. "...Was that right? Did I get it right, Master?"

I simply stared at her.

Gu Jie fidgeted under my gaze, clearly eager to prove herself.

After a long moment, I gave a slight nod. "Good to know."

She exhaled, looking relieved.

Yeah. This had been really educational.

The cheering grew louder as more of the orbs zoomed in the air.

Gu Jie added, “It seems a formation had been set up around the arena and the bleachers so that the mortal audience could see what happened… That way, those with lacking cultivation could still enjoy the spectacle.”