THE REAL PROTEGE-Chapter 500: VERY FEW WILL LEAVE WHOLE

Discussion of Participants

Ling Li unrolled the scroll further, her eyes sweeping across the council.

"Shi Min, El Padre, El Capitan, the Seven Shah, Butler Oda, I, and the other elders are precluded from participating. Pharsa is excused due to her pregnancy. As for the rest, we must designate participants deliberately and extend invitations to those qualified and prepared for the trials ahead."

After a lengthy debate, weighing strengths against risks, the designations crystallised.

Beginners & Resonance Categories

Ren – Golden Needle Sutra, precision, resilience despite injury.

Lily – Wind Attribute, Voice of Resonant Truth, clarity, harmony.

Fatty – Stone Resilience, endurance, stability.

Jack – Swift Gale Reflex, speed, adaptability.

Chatty – Beast Bond Communication, summoner, Enfield beast.

Main Combatants — chosen for the Devouring Rite, Crucible War, Elemental Dominion, Four Pillars, and Beast Dominion — were selected for distinct strengths tailored to each event's demands.

Four Eyes – Shield of the Loyal Heart, Silent Ink Dao, Dark Aura - defence and shadow mastery.

Shun – Fire Attribute, Phoenix Command Sutra - flame, and rebirth.

Nicu – Fire Attribute, Guardian's Ember - protective flame.

Ailun – Iron Oath Sentinel - sword and oath-bound resilience.

Mushu – Nascent Soul Realm, Fire Attribute. Suggested technique name: "Infernal Sovereign Sutra" - a cultivation art that channels fire into sovereign dominance, burning both body and spirit of enemies.

Reginald – Nine Yin Manual - qi cultivation, cold precision.

Rockie – Titan Body Refinement - physical dominance.

Leeroy – Ocean's Ember - water-fire hybrid.

Goldie – Heavenly Piercing Sword Art - sword mastery.

Wushing – Light and Darkness Attribute - balance of duality.

Dr Norman, now known as Joonwoo – Alchemist - Crucible War specialist.

Additional Inner & Outer Disciples

From Li Mansion: several qi cultivators, elemental adepts, and weapon specialists.

From Ling Li's Camps: disciplined outer disciples trained in formations and support techniques.

From Verdant Bamboo Pavilion: Li Tianyuan's disciples, skilled in bamboo resonance arts and defensive qi harmonisation.

Exhausted yet resolute after hours of deliberation, the council exchanged solemn glances. Each name carried weight, each designation a gamble.

"They have invested much into this competition," El Padre muttered.

"It is the Valley's most dangerous competition; they truly made so much effort trying to annihilate us," Li Tianyuan said with a snort.

Ling Li nodded. "Then we endure. The crucible awaits — the Li Clan will not falter."

"We shall not falter," the other Elder declared.

The lantern flame flared. The chosen participants faced the Valley's most brutal trials ahead.

The Next Morning – Rehearsals Begin

The dawn mist clung to the Hidden Valley like a veil, the air heavy with anticipation. Within the Li Clan mansion's fortified practice grounds, the chosen participants assembled. Their faces were taut with focus, their breaths steady, each one aware that every movement today could decide their fate in the competitions to come.

Ling Li stood at the edge of the courtyard, her gaze sharp, watching as her disciples began rehearsing their designated categories.

Beginner & Resonance Categories

Ren moved with precision, her Golden Needle Sutra flickering. Each strike combined elegance and defiance; her trembling, bandaged fingers never faltered.

Lily summoned gusts of wind, her Voice of Resonant Truth harmonizing with the air. Her movements were graceful, yet her eyes burned with determination to prove herself.

Fatty braced himself, his Stone Resilience aura thickening around him like rock. Sweat poured down his face, but his stance never wavered.

Jack darted across the courtyard, his Swift Gale Reflex making him a blur of motion. His speed forced others to adjust their rhythm.

Chatty knelt beside his Enfield beast, whispering commands through Beast Bond Communication. The creature snarled and lunged in perfect synchronization, its eyes glowing with loyalty.

Main Combatants

Four Eyes stood center, his Shield of the Loyal Heart faintly shimmering, Silent Ink Dao bleeding shadows: his dark aura pulsed, unsettling allies.

Shun roared as flames erupted, Phoenix Command Sutra blazing. His sweat sizzled as it hit the ground.

Nicu fought to stabilize Guardian's Ember, his shield flickering before forming a disciplined barrier.

Ailun swung his blade with oath-bound precision, his Iron Oath Sentinel strikes echoing like thunder.

Mushu, now Nascent Soul, unleashed the Infernal Sovereign Sutra. Flames coiled around him, his aura pressing the courtyard with dominance.

Reginald channeled the Nine Yin Manual. His qi turned cold; frost formed on the stones.

Rockie flexed Titan Body Refinement. His muscles bulged, strikes shook the ground.

Leeroy summoned steam waves with Ocean's Ember, blending fire and water into destructive bursts.

Goldie practiced the Heavenly Piercing Sword Art, his blade slicing through the air with divine clarity.

Wushing shifted between light and shadow, weaving illusions and clarity.

Joonwoo (Dr. Norman) prepared alchemical formulas, his hands steady as he tested transmutations for the Crucible War.

Spies in the Shadows

Unseen by the disciples, cloaked figures lingered at the edges of the Valley. Rival clans had dispatched spies to observe the Li Clan's rehearsals, seeking any opportunity to uncover weaknesses to exploit. Their eyes gleamed with envy and malice, each calculation a step toward improving their own chances in the coming battles.

A Hyun Clan emissary whispered, "Their fire cultivators are strong… but too many flames. We will focus efforts on suppressing fire, believing this will cripple their overall strength and give us the upper hand."

A Crimson Lotus spy smirked, "That girl with the needles… her hands tremble. If we exploit that weakness in battle, we can shatter her composure and remove a significant threat to our clan."

A Moonshade mystic murmured, "Ling Li's husband's aura… it is unstable. If we push him in combat, perhaps his strength will collapse and take some of his allies with him, further weakening the Li Clan."

The spies scribbled notes, their whispered assessments and tactical plans carried back to their masters for immediate integration into rival strategies.

Other Clans' Reactions

Across the Valley, rival sects and families gathered in their own halls, carefully analyzing the brutality of the competition as they prepared countermeasures to outmaneuver the Li Clan.

Iron Fang Clan: "This year's competitions are bloodier than ever. The Devouring Rite alone will erase half the Hidden Valley's names."

Crimson Lotus Sect: "The Crucible War will break souls. We must prepare forbidden alchemy, or we will be consumed."

Moonshade Pavilion: "The Elemental Dominion will reshape the land itself. If fire wins, harvests will burn. If water wins, floods will drown villages."

Beast Summoner Families: "The Beast Dominion War is madness. Four years of forced servitude for beasts will devastate our bloodlines, but we must find ways to minimize losses and preserve our lineage through cunning strategies."

Neutral Observers: "This is the most dangerous competition in the Valley's history. Too much effort has been poured into the Li Clan's destruction. But, they didn't think of the other Clans. Very few will leave whole."