The elderly man left the ring and appeared before Wu Li with his striking white eyebrows and long hair, exclaiming, "You've angered your grandpa to death, you mischievous brat! Why can't you be more discreet in your fights? Now everyone's attention is on you."
Wu Li clenched his fists, his face twisted with anger, "Senior, you don't understand. Wu Kang has been tormenting me for years! He not only stole my childhood sweetheart, but he also mocked me every day. How can I let him get away with this? I must teach him a lesson he'll never forget!"
The old man furrowed his brows, "I see that you're furious, Wu Li. But don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. Remember, you're already on your way to condensing your sixth pillar and returning to the middle stage of Foundation Building. Don't let your desire for revenge harm your cultivation progress."
"Your Divine Lightning Physique is truly remarkable. In the Blue Sky Mortal Realm, it's unrivaled unless you come across one of the top ten physiques of the Thousand Mortal Physiques. And with no bottlenecks until the Great Ocean Realm, you have no need to worry,"
The old man scratched his chin in confusion and continued, "But what puzzles me more is why there have been no repercussions for your recent actions. You killed one of your own clansmen in a friendly competition, yet nothing has been done about it."
Wu Li shared the old man's bewilderment. He had expected the Eighth Elder, Wu Kang's grandfather, to take action against him. However, the only response he received was a threat from Wu Kang.
It left Wu Li wondering if the two were conspiring against him. They had a perfect opportunity to denounce him, yet they did nothing. Wu Li couldn't make sense of their intentions.
In another room, belonging to Wu Kang, the young man sat in the company of the Eighth Elder, Wu Quanyan. The atmosphere was tense, and the elder seethed with anger. He had just received a message from the Third and First Elders warning him not to punish Wu Li, or face the consequences.
Despite their superior strength, their arrogance had infuriated the Eighth Elder.
"That Wu Li brat is somehow favored by the two disciples of the Extreme Jade Sword Sect! You can't openly go against him,"
"Then… grandpa, what should I do? The feud is irreconcilable, and me and Wu Li can't share the same sky!"
"That's why I said that you can't openly go against him. Listen to me, Wu Kang. Your underling, Wu Jian, is scheduled to fight against him," Wu Quanyan said.
Wu Quanyan pointed at a pill from a bottle and said, "You can't let him eat this pill before the match, or it will be obvious that someone is manipulating him to go crazy and hurt Wu Li."
"However, it's a different matter if they've been fighting for a while and then he swallows the pill. That way, he will be the only one responsible for his actions and no one will look into the incident," Wu Quanyan continued.
"What does this pill do?" Wu Kang asked.
"It's called the Heart Igniting Strengthening Pill. It can enhance the fighting abilities of a middle stage Foundation Building Realm cultivator to the level of a late stage Foundation Building Realm cultivator," the elder explained. "Given that Wu Jian has already condensed his eleventh pillar, he should be strong enough to defeat even those who have condensed fifteen pillars after swallowing the pill."
Wu Kang felt that his grandfather was being too overly cautious. "But why are we so worried about this brat? Wu Jian is more than capable of handling him," he protested.
Wu Quanyan looked at his grandson with disappointment. "Don't underestimate Wu Li. He has the battle prowess of a Foundation Building Realm cultivator who has already condensed twelve pillars. The fact that he killed Wu Gao so effortlessly shows that he has battle prowess beyond his cultivation level," he explained.
"Grandpa, you are wise! Your teachings have enlightened me," Wu Kang's eyes flashed with a murderous gaze. He knew that it was finally time to take his revenge on Wu Li.
Wu Quanyan nodded in approval. His grandson was finally willing to listen to his teachings. He believed that with his guidance, Wu Kang would be able to excel in life.
Despite his grandson's occasional lack of intelligence, his talent made up for any shortcomings.
As the sun rose high in the sky, Wu Yang emerged from his room after a long night of cultivation. Today was the day of the second round, and he knew that Wu Li was scheduled to fight against Wu Jian.
After Li Xuefeng's announcement the previous day, Wu Yang suspected that Wu Kang and his grandfather would try to scheme against Wu Li. To protect him from any harm, Wu Yang had informed the First Elder and the Third Elder about the importance of Wu Li, hoping that they would pass on the message to Wu Quanyan.
As he made his way towards the Jade Room, Wu Yang caught sight of a striking figure approaching. Wu Li's sharp features, chiseled jawline, and piercing yellow eyes exuded confidence and a commanding presence.
Wu Li respectfully greeted Wu Yang, a smile playing on his lips, "Greetings, Young Master!"
Wu Yang shook his head, his expression softening with sincerity, "No need for formalities, Brother Li. Please just call me Brother Yang."
He placed a hand on Wu Li's shoulder, a brotherly gesture, "And please, Brother Li, be careful today. I had to convince the First Elder and Third Elder to intervene yesterday, so let's not give them any more reason to doubt you."
Wu Yang's tone was sincere, and he truly wished for Wu Li to consider him a brother and not just a young master.
Wu Li was pleasantly surprised. He had thought that Wu Yang was only helping him out of a sense of obligation, but it turned out that he was wrong. Wu Yang was not only kind, but he was also genuine in their friendship and not seeking any benefits, since he didn't have anything to offer. After his recent troubles, Wu Li had begun to doubt whether there were still people from his past who respected him. He felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Wu Yang.
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"You're a good brother, Wu Yang," he said, smiling. "I won't hold back anymore with you."
"Yes, yes! I gained his trust. Now, I can pretend to be his ally and use him to my advantage," Wu Yang thought while considering the endless opportunities he could gain by manipulating Wu Li.
It's easy to gain a main character's trust in the early stages, and even in later stages, if you support them blindly and from the shadows, they will repay your loyalty tenfold or more.
Wu Li smiled warmly at Wu Yang's concern and responded, "Thank you for your worry, Brother Yang. I'll do my best to make sure Wu Jian is not too badly hurt today."
Wu Yang's curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't help but ask, "May I know what your cultivation level is, Brother Li?"
Wu Li's face lit up at Wu Yang's inquiry, "Of course, I don't mind sharing. I've just recently condensed my fifth pillar, and I'm hoping to enter the middle stage of Foundation Building soon."
Satisfied with Wu Li's response, Wu Yang nodded with a smile and made an offer, "If you win today's fight, I'll reward you with a bottle of Qi Rejuvenation Pills. With your cultivation progress, you'll be able to build your sixth pillar and enter the middle stage of Foundation Building without any issues by tomorrow."
Wu Li's face lit up with happiness even more at the generous offer.
As the incense stick burned down to ashes, in the arena...
The gathering crowd seemed to be larger today, eagerly waiting for the tournament to begin. The sun was shining brightly, casting its warm rays over the arena, and the beautiful Li Xuefeng, brimming with excitement, declared that everything was ready to start.
"The first match of the day is between Wu Bailian and Wu Fei," she announced.
The two cultivators faced each other in the arena, their eyes locking in a fierce gaze. The crowd watched with bated breath as the two exchanged powerful blows. The fight was intense, and the spectators cheered as Wu Bailian emerged victorious, having defeated her opponent in a matter of minutes.
The next fights followed the same pattern, each one filled with drama and excitement.
And then, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. The air was thick with anticipation as the announcement of the next match echoed through the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the main event of the day: the match between Wu Li and Wu Jian!"
Li Xuefeng's voice was slightly tinged with sadness as she spoke, "Last time, Wu Li used only one strike to kill Wu Gao. Will Wu Li be able to defeat his opponent in one strike again?"
As Wu Li arrived at the arena, everyone wondered whether he had regained his cultivation.
The truth was soon revealed - he was at the peak of the early stage of Foundation Building, which meant that he had indeed lost his cultivation before and was now in the process of rebuilding it.
The crowd was left stunned, processing this unexpected turn of events.
"Are both fighters ready?" Li Xuefeng asked, her eyes fixed on Wu Li and Wu Jian.
"Yes, I am," Wu Li replied confidently.
Wu Jian snickered, "Of course, I am."
After a while, Li Xuefeng nodded and raised her sword and with a swift movement, signaled the beginning of the fight.
Wu Li and Wu Jian faced each other, their eyes locked in a tense stare as they waited for the other to make the first move.
"Lightning Cloud Steps!" Wu Jian's movements were quick and light, almost as if he was stepping on clouds. His speed was matched only by his impatience as he charged towards Wu Li, aiming to strike.
But Wu Li was more composed, his movements fluid and graceful, like that of a dragon. With a fierce cry, he countered with his own technique, the "Dragon Travelling Through Heaven!"
Wu Li has confidence in his sword techniques, and his confidence was apparent in the way he wielded his sword, striking with precision and power. As the two clashed, sparks flew from their swords, and the air was filled with the sound of clashing steel.
Clang! Clang!
Wu Jian sneered, "Hmph, seems like you're not so useless after all."
He had already discussed the match with Wu Kang, and he appreciated Wu Kang's concern for him. Wu Jian hoped that if he won, he could accompany Wu Kang in the sect. Wu Kang had even given him a pill that could help him defeat Wu Li if he was too strong. With the pill, Wu Jian would be able to automatically break through to the late stage of Foundation Building.
Wu Jian sighed, thinking about how great of a boss Wu Kang was. If he didn't win this fight, he would disappoint Wu Kang.
The old grandpa's words echoed in Wu Li's mind, "Brat, if you had mastered this lesser Earth Grade movement technique to Minor Success, you would've defeated this ant easily."
Wu Li made a mental note to train harder in that technique.
As Wu Jian charged towards him, Wu Li was confident that his Dragon Traveling Through Heaven technique would help him dodge Wu Jian's attacks and put him on the offensive.
Wu Li shouted, "Flowing Water Sword Style!" and drew his sword.
The sword style was a sight to behold, with each move fluid and graceful, as if the sword was a natural extension of Wu Li's body. The technique was a supreme Yellow Grade technique, and even some of the onlookers who were more experienced in martial arts were impressed by the precision and elegance of Wu Li's swordsmanship.
"Just a mere Yellow Grade technique and you also dare to be arrogant? The fearless are clueless!" Wu Jian looked down on Wu Li's sword technique.
Wu Jian tried to intimidate Wu Li with his boastful words, "Hundred Swords Controlling Technique! Let me show you the power of a real technique."
The Hundred Swords Controlling Technique was indeed an impressive supreme Black Grade sword technique. It was known to be among the best, almost reaching the realm of Earth Grade sword techniques with its precision and speed.
As the fierce battle between Wu Li and Wu Jian raged on in the arena, the discussion continued in the Jade Room.
Liu Shizi watched in awe as Wu Jian displayed his impressive sword technique. "This Wu Jian's mastery is almost as good as Wu Kang's. It's a pity, though," he commented.
Chen Yu, who was also present in the room, agreed with Liu Shizi's assessment. "Yes, while Wu Jian's sword technique is a grade higher than Wu Li's, Wu Li has mastered the Flowing Water Sword Style to Profound Success. Its might shouldn't be worse than Wu Jian's sword technique," he added.
Chen Yu confidently predicted, "I believe that in about fifty moves, Wu Jian will start to struggle against Wu Li."
Liu Shizi nodded in agreement, but his thoughts were elsewhere. "I'm really curious about where Wu Li obtained a lesser Earth Grade movement technique. The gap between Earth Grade and Black Grade is much greater than the difference between Black Grade and Yellow Grade," he mused.
Back in the arena, the battle was reaching its climax. Wu Jian was on the verge of defeat, and desperation was etched on his face. His stance had shifted from offensive to defensive, but it was clear that he was struggling to keep up with Wu Li's skill.
Wu Li saw the desperation in Wu Jian's eyes as he struggled to keep up with his attacks. "What's wrong, Wu Jian? Are you losing your nerve?" he taunted.
Wu Jian gritted his teeth in anger as he struggled to deflect Wu Li's attacks.
With a fierce determination, he yelled back at Wu Li, "Fine, if that's how it's going to be, then I have no choice!"
Suddenly, Wu Jian's hand darted to his waist, and he retrieved a pill. With trembling hands, he popped it into his mouth and swallowed it. The crowd gasped in disbelief. What kind of pill was that?
As the effects of the pill kicked in, Wu Jian's eyes bulged with a fierce red glow, and his skin turned black like the shadows of the abyss. He felt a surge of power coursing through his veins. Wu Li was taken aback by this sudden transformation, but Wu Jian only saw him as a puny opponent that needed to be crushed.
Wu Jian looked at Wu Li with a twisted grin on his face. "You forced me to do this, Wu Li! We are incompatible like water and fire, only death can end our conflict!" he declared arrogantly. His appearance had changed, making him look more like a brute than a warrior.
"Brat, it's now or never! Use your strongest move!" the old man urged Wu Li urgently. "Wu Jian has swallowed a Heart Igniting Strengthening Pill. If you don't finish him off now, his berserk state will make him even more dangerous."
With a determined nod, Wu Li gripped his sword tightly and charged at Wu Jian, ready to strike.