The violent and terrifying aura only dissipated after a moment, and everything gradually returned to normal. At this time, the entire stone platform was in disarray, presenting a rough and uneven appearance to everyone. Almost the entire platform, two hundred meters wide and two meters high, had collapsed and shattered, turning into pieces of rubble.
Amidst the rubble, the white-browed elder appeared, protecting Wang Guang, who was bleeding from the mouth and pale with shock, under a protective circle.
Moments later, to the astonishment of the crowd, Li Lin slowly stood up from a pile of rubble, his face pale and his demeanor listless, his appearance utterly disheveled.
Everyone watching this scene was shocked beyond measure. The heads of various families and the three Yunyang Sect officials on the judges' seat all stood up. The spectacle just witnessed had completely exceeded their expectations. The martial technique deployed by Li Lin was too powerful, a strike not within the capabilities of a warrior-level practitioner.
The audience was dumbfounded by this terrifying display, their eyes opened to a spectacle they had never imagined.
"Well done, young man, you've won this match," the white-browed elder of Yunyang Sect said, looking at Li Lin with surprise in his eyes, then retracted the protective circle. Having been in the midst of that explosive force, he was acutely aware of its power. Even an ordinary first-level Martial Master encountering it would be lucky to survive without severe injuries. Had he not protected Wang Guang, Wang Guang would now be nothing more than a corpse.
"Great job, young master, you've won!" shouted Li Xiaobai from the audience.
The patriarch of the Wang family's expression darkened; his son had been so close to victory, only to lose in the end. Li Dong was also somewhat incredulous; the mysterious martial technique Li Lin had used at the end was actually powerful enough to defeat a ninth-level warrior.
The judges' panel could clearly see that without the white-browed elder's protection, Wang Guang's fate would have been easily guessed.
"A Yellow-tier martial technique, at least a high-level one, or perhaps even an early Xuan-tier technique," murmured the maid named Cuiyu from the audience.
Li Lin looked at the white-browed elder and asked softly, "Did I win?"
"Indeed, you've won. Truly surprising," the white-browed elder replied lightly.
"I've finally won." A faint smile appeared on Li Lin's lips as he felt his vision darken and his body collapse to the ground, completely drained of true qi after deploying the Vermilion Bird Art.
"Lin'er!" Li Dong and Li Wushuang rushed to the platform.
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"He's fine, just exhausted. A good rest will see him recover," the white-browed elder said after checking on Li Lin.
A day later, in the Li family courtyard, looking at Li Lin lying on the bed, Mrs. Luo was filled with worry.
"Wushuang, Lin'er is alright, isn't he? Why hasn't he woken up?" Mrs. Luo asked anxiously.
"Auntie, don't worry. Lin'er is just overly exhausted. He'll be fine," Li Wushuang reassured her, her eyes fixed on Li Lin lying on the bed. This was the young man who had made a grand display in the square yesterday, leaving an indelible mark in the hearts of countless young women.
"Is the young master really alright? Why hasn't he woken up yet?" Li Xiaobai was also worried.
"Yes." Just then, Li Lin's eyebrows twitched, and he opened his eyes to see his mother, Li Wushuang, and Li Xiaobai all before him.
"Lin'er, how do you feel, are you alright?" Mrs. Luo immediately asked.
Li Lin felt exhausted all over but managed to sit up halfway and said, "Mother, I'm fine, don't worry."
Gently circulating his true qi, Li Lin checked his internal condition. Apart from some serious injuries, there was nothing major, and he estimated that a day or two of rest would suffice for recovery.
"Lin'er, it's good that you're awake. Here are three Return-to-True Pills, take them and rest for a while," Li Wushuang handed Li Lin three Return-to-True Pills.
"Okay." Li Lin took the three pills, knowing he indeed needed to rest, or else the injuries could have adverse effects.
"As long as you're alright, mother is relieved," Mrs. Luo said, finally easing her worries after seeing her son was fine.
Then the three of them left the room, and Li Lin sat cross-legged, swallowing a Return-to-True Pill to slowly start his recovery.
During Li Lin's recovery period, the outcomes of the family contests in Qingyun Town became the talk of the town, especially the last match between Li Lin of the Li family and Wang Guang of the Wang family, which was sensationalized.
A fourth-level warrior defeating a ninth-level warrior was a result that surprised everyone. The mysterious martial technique Li Lin deployed in the end was an eye-opener for all present, due to its sheer terror.
"I can't believe that brat had such an ace up his sleeve," Zhao Hui's expression was dark in a courtyard, displeased with the outcome of yesterday's contest.
"Now that the boy has entered the top five, he'll soon join Yunyang Sect, making him even harder to deal with," Zhao Er said.
"Hmph, I'll be in Yunyang Sect too, and with my cousin there, it will be even more convenient to deal with him," Li Shaohu coldly stated.
"Shaohu, that brat must not be left alive. Once he's gone, the Li family and its treasure will be yours. So, you must find a way to kill that brat inside Yunyang Sect," Zhao Hui coldly instructed.
"Mother, what exactly is the Li family's treasure? I've never heard of it before," Li Shaohu inquired.
"I don't know either, but the treasure is definitely extraordinary. Your grandfather made it clear that this treasure must not fall into anyone else's hands," Zhao Hui replied.
A day and night passed. The next morning, in Li Lin's room, a dazzling glow enveloped him. Amidst the spreading radiance, Li Lin's complexion had regained some rosiness.
"Phew!" After exhaling a breath of turbid air, Li Lin opened his eyes, his gaze deep. A day and night of rest, along with a Return-to-True Pill, had restored him to about seventy percent of his strength. Considering he was completely drained and had been seriously injured beforehand, recovering this quickly was miraculous.
"The Vermilion Bird Art is really powerful," Li Lin reminisced about the devastating power of the Vermilion Bird Art he had deployed last, still amazed by its destructive force.
"I'll have to be careful using it in the future," Li Lin thought to himself. The power of the Vermilion Bird Art was immense, but the true qi it consumed was more than he could afford. If he couldn't kill his opponent with one move, he would be in danger.