A rainbow burst into the sky — azure light surging from the horizon.
Both fighters' auras climbed relentlessly. It was clear they intended to settle the outcome with this single strike.
Everyone's eyes turned toward them, anticipation building over who would emerge victorious.
Would it be Li Yingling, with her superior cultivation and deeper foundations? Or Li Xingtian, who grew stronger the longer he fought?
But just as everyone watched with bated breath, Yan Yun suddenly rose to her feet. Spiritual power surged around her as she moved toward the practice ground's barrier.
Wang Lin's gaze snapped over — and he realized that even before the two fighters had collided, the mere pressure radiating from them was causing the barrier to tremble visibly.
If they actually struck each other... this barrier wouldn't hold for more than a few moments.
He was stunned. The Tianyan Sect's practice ground barriers were designed to withstand the Soul Formation realm.
And this wasn't the Soul Formation realm as defined by wandering cultivators outside — this was the Tianyan Sect's own standard for Soul Formation.
The Confinement Peak practice ground was old and poorly maintained, unlike the others that received regular upkeep. Its protective capabilities had certainly degraded.
But for two Nascent Soul cultivators to be capable of shattering it...
That alone was enough to make it hard to believe.
Wang Lin quickly recovered and stood up, preparing to add his support.
His Nascent Soul cultivation might mean nothing in front of Yan Yun, but Wang Lin understood one thing well.
In front of the higher-ups, even if you were just putting on a show, you had to look like you had initiative.
Looking busy was always better than standing around uselessly.
As Wang Lin moved to help, his team members quickly followed suit.
Chu Xingchen glanced at the highly proactive Wang Lin and his team, then also extended his hand toward the barrier.
Chen Baiqing watched everything with calm eyes and reached out to stop Yun Li, who had also shown good situational awareness.
Their situation was different from Wang Lin's group.
Their own sect had so few people that you could count them on one hand. There was almost no internal competition — the only real rivalry was whether the eldest senior sister was worried about her second junior brother catching up and halving her authority.
Wang Lin's group was entirely different. Within the Tianyan Sect, they were more or less forgettable.
By not acting, they at least made Wang Lin's team look better by comparison.
Cui Hao was a sharp one. He didn't even need a reminder — he sat there with a smile still plastered on his face, seemingly eager for his second junior brother to defeat the eldest senior sister so he could win some bets.
Soon, the two uncompromising forces crashed into each other.
The barrier, which had been on the verge of collapsing, held firm under the combined support of Chu Xingchen and Yan Yun.
Brilliant light flared. Spiritual power was battered back and forth within the barrier, and a nearly pure-white radiance erupted from Confinement Peak.
Yan Yun's expression remained serene, but the force transmitted back through her spiritual power told her just how absurdly powerful the collision truly was.
Was this the strength of... a genius forged in the Great Calamity?
Her bearing was no less impressive than Yan Yun's own.
Chu Xingchen withdrew his spiritual power and let out a quiet sigh.
Cui Hao reacted instantly. If his master was sighing, it probably meant the second junior brother had won and his master was dreading paying out spirit stones.
He quickly asked, "Did Second Brother win?"
"Merely Cui Hao — do you really think so little of your eldest senior sister?!"
The blazing light dissipated rapidly. Li Yingling's breathing was slightly heavy, her clothes somewhat torn. The spirit treasure sword in her hand had practically become a blade of pure azure light, spiritual power rippling across it like the tide.
A sharp gleam filled Li Yingling's eyes. Her sword intent surged without end, and an aura of heroic valor radiated from her — she looked magnificent.
It was the first time Cui Hao had seen his eldest senior sister wear such an expression. Even he was momentarily stunned.
His eldest senior sister usually maintained an imposing dignity, but when interacting with them, her care always carried a warmth that reminded him of the big sister next door.
But at this moment...
Cui Hao began to understand: this "big sister next door" was a genuine once-in-a-generation prodigy.
Li Xingtian slowly pushed himself up. A fresh bloodstain had appeared on his left shoulder. He looked at his eldest senior sister with a hint of melancholy and cupped his hands.
"Eldest senior sister wins."
Though he had fallen short by half a move, if the battlefield hadn't been confined to this small practice ground, the outcome might still have been uncertain. But a loss was a loss.
His eldest senior sister hadn't had prior Nascent Soul combat experience like he had — he'd already had the advantage.
Li Xingtian was someone who could accept defeat gracefully. His eldest senior sister's talent... was truly staggering.
Li Yingling recalled her spirit treasure sword and rested her hand on the dejected Li Xingtian's shoulder. A smile spread across her face.
"Not bad at all. I underestimated you before, eldest senior sister admits that. In all this time, you've been the toughest opponent I've faced."
A smile also appeared on Li Xingtian's face.
"Next time, I don't think eldest senior sister can claim she'll definitely beat me."
Li Yingling raised an eyebrow and wagged her index finger, refusing to concede an inch.
"Merely my second junior brother — I could handle you with ease."
Yan Yun watched the harmonious exchange between the two senior siblings and spoke in her usual calm tone.
"Next time you want to spar, go to Zhengwu Peak. The barriers there are higher quality, and it'll give the disciples there a chance to learn from watching you."
Chu Xingchen wore a faint smile.
Wang Lin, meanwhile, cast a grateful look toward Chen Baiqing.
Chen Baiqing simply shook her head and continued brewing tea.
Chu Xingchen turned and strolled out without so much as a farewell.
———
Central Continent, Xiping Region.
"Monk, when I said I wanted to die, I was just expressing how stressed I was — I wasn't telling you to actually send me to my death!"
Donggua glared murderously at the bald head in front of her, her voice a low, furious hiss.
"You and that damned Xigua both want to die so badly — fine, but you don't have to drag me down with you! I can find you a way to die with dignity. Properly, even!"
Regret and rage churned endlessly in Donggua's mind.
She regretted ever mentioning to this wretched monk, back when she'd been at her most desperate, that the clue was at the Tianyan Sect — on someone called Cui Hao.
The rage came from the fact that she had no idea whether this monk was truly stupid or just genuinely despicable. His entire response had been: "You have a lead and didn't say anything sooner? We leave immediately to investigate!"
And just like that, she'd been dragged onto this suicide mission.
Under normal circumstances, Donggua would never have entertained the monk's death wish.
But her superiors had issued a kill order: she was to follow this monk and assist him in his tasks.
Going meant an eighty percent chance of death. Not going meant certain death — and a death that would be far more memorable than she'd like.
Donggua's only remaining option was to convince this wretched, idiotic monk who was hell-bent on dragging her to her grave to stop trying to get himself killed!
Seeing that Wukong was completely unresponsive, she pressed on again.
"Monk!"
"If you insist on investigating, at least have a plan! Cui Hao has seen my face — that means whoever we're investigating knows who I am. Charging in like this is pure suicide."
Wukong's tone was perfectly calm.
"I am of the Buddhist sect — one of the Eighteen Immortal Sects, no less. And I am a Buddha Son."
"...?" Donggua blinked. "But I'm not."
Wukong nodded in solemn agreement.
"Exactly. Which means if someone has to die, it'll be you — not me."
Donggua inhaled sharply.
This monk... was a real piece of work.
[
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