By the time Li Lang made it back to his companions, they were still in the midst of arguing with Bai Yuchen.

“Count yourself lucky you won’t have to face me for your next match, shorty. I’ll show you those despicable tricks you employ won’t get you far in life! Though, I guess you are already ashamed of yourself if you’re always wearing that mask,” he spat out toward Wei Ping.

In response, Long Yi stepped forward and pointed a finger at his face.

“Are you sure you should be barking so loud without your bodyguard covering for you? He won’t be here to bring you back home this time, you know?”

“The ones who should be worrying are you guys! Let me hear it. Which one of the unfortunate masters within The Orchid Covenant had taken you guys in?”

“Unlike you, we don’t need a powerful expert to watch over our backs.”

“Oh? You don’t even have a master? You guys are more worthless than I had thought. No wonder you employed such barbaric tactics the last time. Someone will need to discipline you people, and I’ll gladly take on that role.”

Li Lang quietly arrived at the scene and whispered toward Wei Ping instead of getting involved.

“Is it almost your turn yet?”

“N-no, I a-already fought while y-you were gone. I fought an i-inexperienced opponent and e-ended it quickly,” Wei Ping whispered back.

“Oh, good for you, then. So how did you guys end up arguing with Bai Yuchen here?”

“Long Yi s-spotted him strolling o-over here t-to spectate you a-and moved to block h-his way.”

“...”

The two watched Bai Yuchen and Long Yi argue for a while longer before they decided to watch the other fights instead, as it was more interesting.

Numerous displays of martial arts and Qi arts were taking place, opening their eyes to new possibilities and the mastery level of each practitioner.

After several more minutes, the two that had been arguing finally noticed Li Lang’s return.

“You!” he yelled while pointing at Li Lang. “You better not get scared and forfeit now. You’ll be the first I’ll be teaching a lesson to.”

Li Lang simply smiled and nodded back before turning his gaze back to the other competitors. He was too absorbed in studying how others fought to be bothered with unproductive arguments.

“Hey, you! I’m talking to you! How dare you ignore someone from the Bai Clan—”

Before Bai Yuchen could finish, the entire stadium burst out into cheering. Everyone’s attention was soon drawn to one of the stages where a white-haired boy was.

“Go, Liang Po! Beat him in a single move, please! I’ve got my entire fortune riding on you!”

“Feng Xu, you better last at least five breaths of time, or I’ll haunt you for life!”

The crowd descended into an uproar as they were all excited for the match to come. Some were excited to witness a genuine good fight, while others worried about the massive sums of money they had bet. Either way, it was unmistakable that the entire stadium’s attention was focused on this particular match.

“What do you think, Wei Ping? Did you hear anything about this Feng Xu that Liang Po is up against?”

“Just a l-little. They s-say he’s a t-talented Brushweaver.”

“Hm…Doesn’t sound like that’ll help him in this fight, then. If only they allowed talismans in these duels.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Then that would just become a war of wealth, where the juniors from big organizations would just be throwing talismans around instead of fighting.” Long Yi quipped.

“That would be a sight to behold…but you’re right. We wouldn’t stand a chance if that was the case.”

The match soon got on its way. Liang Po lazily picked his ear while the referee talked, and he continued to do so even after the match started. In response, his opponent, Feng Xu, formed several hand signs and then slapped both palms onto the ground.

Immediately, the arena trembled as walls of earth shot up to surround Liang Po.

“That guy is a Formation Master, too?” Li Lang glanced over at his friend in the mask.

“I didn’t h-hear anything about t-that…”

“Interesting. I think I would like to take a look at it sometime soon along with the other crafts. However, formation mastery in particular can be used in combat…at least if your opponents don’t pressure you.”

Over the past few months, Li Lang had been absorbed in his training and observing the effects of the Cleansing Drug on enabling progressive overload. While he still desired to research all the various pills available, like the Ascension Pill, looking into other crafts became one level higher on his priority list.

From what he knew, a Formation Master’s main calling was to create structures like houses and walls. When they simplified such a task to just an earthen wall, one could even utilize those techniques in combat.

The other crafts, Brushweaver, Woodsmith, and Artificer, each had their own advantages as well. It was enough to make Li Lang desire to be able to split his consciousness into five to pursue all five crafts at once.

As Li Lang fell into thought, the battle between Liang Po and Feng Xu raged on. Liang Po still showed no movement yet, allowing his opponent to trap him within the earthen walls. Feng Xu didn’t waste this opportunity and began channeling a powerful Qi art attack.

His sword grew in luminosity every second as he channeled more Qi into it. It was only when it became so bright that one had to squint their eyes that Liang Po finally moved.

A slow clapping sound could be heard from within the earthen dome that grew louder with each clap. By the third clap, the walls cracked, and the fourth one made it crumble. Coming into view was the white-haired boy, who sauntered toward his opponent while he continued to clap at a slow cadence.

“Very good. It seems like you have some combat experience. However, the results will be the same. Thank you for putting on such a good show for everyone, but it’s time to end it.”

With those words, Liang Po drew his sword and raised it above him. Just the action of doing so was able to stifle his opponent. In fact, Feng Xu found himself frozen, unable to move. The only action he could do was to speak.

“This…martial intent is… a little too unfair, isn’t it?” Feng Xu closed his eyes for a moment before sighing. “I... resign.”

“Winner, Liang Po!” the referee rushed to declare.

The crowd was immediately in an uproar. As a match with a colossal amount of wealth behind it, numerous people had a stake in it in one way or another. As the cries of joy and lamentation mixed together, Li Lang was wearing a frown.

“What in the world is he doing to make his opponents freeze up like that?”

“T-they say it’s h-his martial intent that h-he honed from the w-way of the sword,” Wei Ping replied, having heard Li Lang’s muttering.

“Yeah, but what does that even mean?”

Both Wei Ping and Long Yi shrugged.

“I h-haven’t heard any d-details about it. Just that i-it normally is a s-skill only those in F-Foundation Establishment realm and above will usually learn.”

Whatever it is, it seems no one knows how to deal with it…

The other soon started, but Li Lang didn’t have the mind to pay close attention to any of them. His mind was distracted with the so-called martial intent. Before he knew it, the first round ended, and it was his turn again.

It may only be the second round, but the atmosphere in the air intensified among the competitors. That was because winning the second round meant they guaranteed themselves a spot to The Great Trial of Water Crest pocket realm. It was a once-in-a-decade opportunity that could accelerate the progress of young cultivators rapidly. It went without saying that everyone drooled at this opportunity.

Walking up to the stage, Li Lang spotted his opponent, Bai Yuchen.

Having learned he would be facing him when the brackets were first announced, Wei Ping made sure to acquire intel about this opponent as well. After all, half a year had passed since their encounter with him, and he could have improved dramatically during that time.

It was only through this inquiring that the trio finally learned the background of this nemesis of theirs. Bai Yuchen was from the famed Bai Clan. They were famed for their talisman business throughout the Luminescent Domain, and their family was a middle-tier organization by itself. Some of their descendants were even influential members of other organizations like the Bloodwave Conclave.

However, the most surprising part of their findings wasn’t the background, but the demonic cultivation technique the Bai Clan was known for.

Li Lang couldn’t help but look at Bai Yuchen differently now that he had learned about his technique.

Wei Ping got lucky to have defeated him last time before he could show off anything. I won’t have such luck.

Before Li Lang could contemplate further, the referee stepped forth.

“You both know the rules. Let the match begin!”