Dawn swept the city of Celestial Crossing in gold and scarlet, every temple and pagoda gleaming beneath the banners of a hundred sects. The arena itself—a colossal ring of jade and blackstone—rose like a dragon's crown above the festival streets. Bells tolled across the city, calling all disciples and elders to the opening ceremony of the Gods' Tournament.
Kai Jin walked among the Dawning Blades procession, his dark robes unadorned, nearly lost amid the gleaming silks of his sectmates. Yet the space around him remained strangely clear, as if even strangers sensed something coiled and silent within him. Ahead, Yue walked at Sect Master Xuan Yu's right hand—her white-and-gold robes radiant, her eyes calm but fierce.
They filed through the city's main avenue, where crowds pressed against the guardrails, tossing flower petals and shouts of encouragement. Kai's heart thudded with anticipation and memory—never before had he stood before so many eyes.
In the shadow of the arena's gates, rival sects assembled. The Heaven-Splitting Faction's disciples clustered like wolves; the Radiant Moon Sect's core members glimmered in their silver threads; and a score of minor sects glared, hungry to seize what glory they could.
As each sect's name was called, their disciples ascended the arena steps. The Dawning Blades entered last. Their banner—a stylized sword wreathed in sunrise fire—caught the wind. The crowd erupted.
Kai followed in the procession, his eyes sweeping the stands. Nobles, traveling merchants, and hidden powerhouses watched from private boxes. Among them, a shadowed figure met his gaze: the same man from the memory garden, eyes sharp beneath the brim of his hat. Kai felt a jolt of unease, but kept moving.
The opening ceremony began with ritual oaths, offerings of incense, and a dazzling sword dance performed by the Radiant Moon Sect's lead disciple, Lin Su. Blades shimmered like rivers of light, reflecting in the city's thousand windows. Cheers and applause thundered across the stands.
A commentator's voice, amplified by spiritual arrays, boomed: "This year, the Dawning Blades enter as underdogs—yet rumors swirl of a silent shadow among their ranks. Will Kai Jin remain unseen, or will he step into legend?"
Kai stood quietly behind his team, feeling the eyes of thousands. The World Eye murmured: *"Shall we make them remember, boy?"*
He closed his eyes, steadying himself.
The bracket draw began—flames of blue and red danced across the tournament board, pairing sect against sect. Kai's name appeared beside a formidable opponent: Wu Jian, the Iron Tiger of the Black Iron Sect, known for his brutal, overwhelming style.
Yue slipped to his side during the final blessing. Her hand brushed his for the briefest instant, hidden by their sleeves.
"Don't hold back," she whispered. "Not anymore."
He met her gaze. "For you, I won't."
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The ceremony closed with a chorus of spiritual bells and a shower of golden talismans drifting over the arena like blessings from the heavens. Kai lingered at the edge of the field, watching the crowd disperse. The scent of incense and hope clung to the air.
He felt the weight of his own legend beginning to stir—not yet born, but impossible to ignore. Across the sands, Wu Jian stretched and cracked his knuckles, already staring Kai's way with a predator's smile.
*World Eye:* "Hungry, isn't he?"
Kai let a slow breath slip between his teeth, feeling a cold, steady joy settle in his chest.
Tomorrow, the fighting would begin for real.
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