79 Not soTranquil

The first step of the Selection Contest was checking the strength.

A total of 572 of the disciples, from various regions around the Pine Leaf Town, participated in the Selection Contest. In the arena, there were 900 stone slabs.

Those who came for the Selection Contest included youth who were over 10 years old and seniors who were already 20 something. There were tall and short contestants. However, seniors formed the majority, those who were 17-18 years old had already grown up. There were only two people who looked like Juniors, both only 10 years old.

Those two people should be the youngest in this year's Selection Contest!

On the platform, Wang pointed at the young contestant and said, "It's so unexpected that such young disciples should attend the Selection Contest this year. I wonder how their abilities are!"

"I'm afraid they're just here to please the crowd!" The Elder beside Wang said sarcastically, "It's difficult for a ten-year-old child to have greater strength than an adult, talented as they are. In regards to refining the body, talent alone is also unlikely to refine a decent body in such an age!"

"Right, right, these guys are just eager for quick success and instant benefits!" other Elders echoed. They knew what Wang was thinking about.

Rudra listened to the elders discussing the matter of age of the contestants, they had been too critical of the young competitors below 12 as they hardly produced any significant results in all of the events so far.

Nevertheless. the competition started after the referees entered into the center of the field and started judging the strength produced by the contestants who would hit the stone slab with all their force.

The multitude of cracks on the slab would give a general idea of the average strength of the group.

As the slabs were continuously being hit, one of the younger competitors started striking the slab.

As if he was wholeheartedly trying to show off himself, every time he smashes, the sound was much louder than others. The smashing sound occurred across the whole parade square, arousing the attention of people. Similarly, this also affected the state of mind of everyone else.

On this parade square, everyone was hitting stone slab beneath them. One by one began to hit their slabs louder and louder. They were all tough men, how could they be satisfied that their limelight was stolen by a small kid? Hence, they all uncontrollably smashed their fists harder and harder. In a moment, there were loud noises from all across the parade square. It was so loud that the spectators, as well as those sitting on the platform, began furrowing their eyebrows.

Rudra nodded his head in the appreciation of the kid who could contend with children far older than him in terms of strength.

The first round was over only 100 people were selected rest were disqualified as the referee named the competitors who would progress to the next stage calling them one by one separating them into groups that would fight in the rings.

Rudra activated his Omniscient Eye and started pointing at the disciples he wanted from the 400 or so disqualified competitors. His actions caused no reaction in other elders who were used to his behavior in these past months.

Some of them had even formed a good relation with Rudra, after letting go of their prejudice.

One of them was the elder Wang he was the most friendly of the elders present here, being from a blacksmith sect he had joined this group in the middle of their journey.

When he had joined the group, Rudra had immediately remembered Wang as the red-robed elder who had flown up to declare the change in Sect competition, the previous time when he was a competitor which lead him to enter Spirit River Sect with Kai.

As Wang was one of the renowned Spiritual Blacksmith he was highly regarded by other elders, who wanted to get hold of a spiritual weapon, after all, making spiritual artifacts and weapons, was no easy task.

As Rudra was finished picking out the disciples, and the 100 disciples who had passed the first stage were divided into groups. The elders suddenly became restless as they started whispering amongst themselves, causing Rudra to pay attention to their conversation.

Rudra was vexed to find all the elders being disturbed, something might have happened, he thought inside his head as he listened quietly to their conversation which looked more like them freaking out about something.

"It can't be true.." another elder screamed.

"Is it true?" one elder his face scrunched in horror as his hands started to shake and his voice quivered.

"I don't know how could there be one in the Tranquil forest!" another elder commented equally terrified.

Rudra saw the shadow elder following Iclyn, whispering something to her causing her to be shocked as her mouth dropped open. Rudra was now really intrigued by the sudden change in the mood of the field.

Rudra turned to look at Elder Wang who was currently talking in low voice to the Prince.

After a while, the prince had his brows raised as he whispered something to his steward and then proceeded to stand up.

"Cancel the event," the prince said as he waved his fingers at his servants, as he stood up from his seat stunning the whole cheerful crowd into silence.

Rudra was stunned at the current development hoping to get some answers he turned to the elder from the Valley of Swords.

"Elder, What is happening?" Rudra asked, staring at the commotion going on below the stage as the town guards escorted the crowd out.

The grey-robed old man with a white long beard stared at Rudra as he sighed and said the words slowly,

"Demons, the whole tranquil forest has been covered in a Demonic Aura."

"Demon?" Rudra asked perplexed, wasn't tranquil forest the home of the Giri clan who had lived there for many years, the Dim Pearl Lake was also present inside the Tranquil forest.

"Yes, it was always a puzzle, the calmness of the tranquil forest. Why no Magical beasts ever inhabited the forests. But now we know that it was the calm before the storm."

"Let us pray it is not a gate to another Demonic Realm, the continent is not ready for another bloody war." the grey-robed elder said as if he was reminiscing of the past.