"Hello, Everyone!"
Suddenly, Senior Sister Ye appeared levitating in the air, and her voice was loud enough to fill the entire arena.
"For today's match, this lovable Ye Fei is your commentator and referee!"
Ye Fei, with a bright smile, introduced herself to the crowd and gave them a playful wink.
Roar! Roar! Roar!
"Senior Sister Ye!"
"We Love You!"
The crowd responded with overwhelming cheers. Bai Shuying doubted where she was at the moment.
Am I at an idol concert?! So, Senior Sister Ye's name is Ye Fei.
Ye Fei is an inner disciple who has reached the late stages of the Foundation Establishment realm and is also one of the most beloved idols in the Yin-Yang Sect due to her extraordinary singing and dancing skills. In contrast, the underground ice idol Su Meilin is popular for her appearance and personality.
Ye Fei made a lap around the arena, waving her hand to the crowd, then she stopped in the center of the field and pointed her hand to the left side.
"On our left, the second disciple of Inner Elder Mo Xingyu, Peak Qi Condensation cultivator, Xiao! Wuji!"
The crowd cheered, but it was not as loud as people expected. Xiao Wuji only showed a smile while he snorted with displeasure on the inside. Ye Fei ignored this, then pointed her hand to the right side of the arena.
"On the right, the second disciple of our Sect Master Hua Xiran, Peak Qi Condensation cultivator, Bai! Shuying!"
A thunderous roar broke through the air, and the ground shook. Bai Shuying was stunned.
When did I become this popular?!
What Bai Shuying did not know was that Hua Xiran was quite popular in the sect. Why would she not? Her reforms benefited everyone! More resources, fewer deaths, security, and stability. Only the older disciples knew the fear of uncertainty in the past that weighed down on their chests, suffocating them. They did not want to return to such terrible times, but what can they do in the struggle between a soul transformation and a nascent soul cultivator?
But they found their own way to support this wonderful Sect Master through hard work and effort. Now, Hua Xiran's disciple is fighting that cheap woman's disciple; how could they not cheer loudly for her? And she was a beauty to top it off, too.
Bai Shuying was a crowd favorite, but they did not see her having a high chance at victory. After all, who was her opponent? A young man who has been cultivating since he was a child with the support of an inner elder. His cultivation realm was not high, but his foundation was deep.
"Now, then, let me tell you what's at stake!"
Ye Fei loudly announced, observing the reaction of the crowd.
"If Xiao Wuji wins, he can obtain a token to the secret realm!"
"Oh!"
Ye Fei paused and glanced at the crowd, building momentum.
"If Bai Shuying wins, she gets the secret realm token and a Yang Qi crystal from Elder Mo!"
"OH!"
The audience was shocked. To think a Yang Qi crystal was on the line. The women looked at Bai Shuying with envy since this could help a dual cultivator take a big leap in their cultivation.
Mo Xingyu felt upset; she never intended for her hard-earned Yang Qi crystal to be used like this. She was hoping to use it herself to reach the next major realm.
"Now, let the duel…"
Ye Fei raised her hand high up.
"BEGIN!"
Ye Fei loudly said. Bringing her hand down as the starting signal.
Bai Shuying readied herself, holding the sword vertically in front of her. Xiao Wuji raised his right leg forward and heavily stomped on the ground, creating a foot indent, then he lunged at Bai Shuying, swinging his sword horizontally, right to left.
Bai Shuying, gritting her teeth, blocked the sword with her blade, but due to the strength Xiao Wuji applied, she was forced to take four steps back to disperse the pressure.
Xiao Wuji did not let Bai Shuying catch her breath; he rapidly stabbed with his sword. Soon, a cut appeared on Bai Shuying's right cheek, and a small drop of blood flowed out, sending a stinging pain through her body, but Bai Shuying showed no expression of pain; internally, she was cursing.
Fuck, that stings!
Unsatisfied, Xiao Wuji applied more qi into his sword. More cuts appeared on Bai Shuying's body, especially her arms and legs. Seeing her like this, Xiao Wuji licked his lips.
The crowd was not surprised; they were also not thrilled, either, after all, this is a match between two Qi Condensation cultivators. Qi condensation cultivator battles were not entertaining since it is just two Qi-enhanced people hitting each other.
Among the seventeen inner elders, only Hua Qingyan, Su Moyan, Xue Ling, Qin Xuan, and Mo Xingyu watched the battle intently. Su Moyan frowned, Hua Qingyan felt concerned about the cuts on Bai Shuying's body, and the rest watched silently.
Soon, they noticed a shift in the battle.
Bai Shuying went from being passive to active. She dodged a few of the stabs, but mostly blocked them with her sword. Her sword moved faster and faster, matching Xiao Wuji's pace.
Bai Shuying felt her blood boil, her mind clear, and a thrill to fight sprouted in her heart. The corners of her lips raised into a smile. Bai Shuying focused her dense Qi into her blade and slashed out. Xiao Wuji's arm and sword were slammed back. Bai Shuying took this opportunity to slash Xiao Wuji's stomach.
"Ugh."
Xiao Wuji winced in pain and was tossed back, creating a large space between the two.
"Wonderful! Bai Shuying deflected and counterattacked Xiao Wuji, slicing his abdomen, but wait, what is this?! An inner armour?!"
"Oooh!"
Ye Fei exclaimed. The audience responded.
Xiao Wuji's sliced robe opened, revealing a shining metal armour with a white line from Bai Shuying's sword strike.
"Tch."
Bai Shuying clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Xiao Wuji's face turned red with anger.
"You bitch, I'll stab you with my sword!"
Xiao Wuji said with extreme fury in his voice. Bai Shuying smirked and said with a playful smile, narrowing her sky-blue eyes.
"I'm more afraid of being stabbed by that pointy nose of yours."
Bai Shuying taunted him, but neither of them realized their conversation was heard by everyone in the arena. When they heard what Bai Shuying said, the crowd started to laugh.
Hua Xiran smiled while Su Meilin, who was mixed in the crowd, smiled, shaking her head helplessly.
"Naughty Shuying."
Su Meilin said softly.
Xiao Yunxi covered her mouth, suppressing her laughter.
Xiao Wuji's face burned; he had never felt this humiliated before. He clenched his sword tightly, his Qi ran rapidly, and his cultivation fluctuated. Suddenly, all the elders became surprised. Mo Xingyu smiled, and Hua Xiran narrowed her eyes.
A gust of air flew through the arena, and Bai Shuying's sixth sense flickered.
"Oh, wait, what is happening to Xiao Wuji?!"
Ye Fei said in surprise.
Xiao Wuji's cultivation level increased, breaking through to the foundation establishment realm.
"Wha?! Xiao Wuji has reached the foundation establishment realm?! Did he break through right now?! Or was he suppressing his realm?!"
Ye Fei exclaimed with surprise.
Xiao Wuji did not stop there; his cultivation started to climb to the second stage.
Wow! Does he think he's some kind of protagonist?!
Bai Shuying thought. She knew this was dangerous and could not let it continue. She started to perform the Lotus steps, a blue lotus formed under her bare right foot, then she leaped, sending her speeding forward.
Xiao Wuji's cultivation climbed to the third stage, and the wind picked up faster and faster. Bai Shuying appeared in front of him, ignoring the wind pressure that weighed her body down, rattling her organs, ready to slice him in the abdomen again, but she was suddenly slammed by a wall of wind.
Xiao Wuji performed a low-tier wind spell, Wind Wall. Bai Shuying felt her world was rocked, her vision spun around, she was tossed back heavily falling to the ground, her insides screamed in pain, blood rushed up her throat threatening to escape her mouth, but she pressed her lips together tightly and slowly stood back up. Pain flashed through her body, and her legs were shaky.
Xiao Wuji smiled brightly, feeling refreshed as if his shackles were gone. Observing the beaten Bai Shuying sent pleasure down his spine, making him blush.
Foundation Establishment realm cultivator can harness the element their spiritual roots have affinity for. Xiao Wuji performed another low-tier wind spell, Wind Blade. Soon, green blades made of wind formed around him.
Everyone sat on the edge of their seats. Xiao Yunxi placed her hands together, praying for Bai Shuying's safety. Su Meilin clenched her hand into a fist. Most felt the duel was over at this moment.
Bai Shuying stood up; her regeneration trait started to work. It was not useful since, as a cultivator, external wounds could be healed easily, but it was useful for internal wounds. Her damaged organs started to heal. Her senses returned to normal.
Bai Shuying coldly looked at the smiling Xiao Wuji, turned her head slightly, and spat out the accumulated blood in her mouth onto the ground. Then, she grabbed the Yin Gourd on her waist and took a large gulp of cold wine to numb the pain on the inside.
"Uhh!"
Feeling the cold liquid flow down her body, she let out a satisfied sound. She wiped her mouth with her arm and placed the Yin Gourd back on her waist. Then flashed a bright smile, showing her white teeth.
Honestly, everyone was stunned, from the Inner Elders in the air, the crowd, the floating Ye Fei, and her opponent Xiao Wuji. They all had the same thought at this moment.
Damn, that was cool!
Bai Shuying held her sword up, performing her sword art Thousand Lotus Blooms. Blue lotus petals appeared around Bai Shuying's sword, fluttering in the air.
Seeing this scene, Su Moyan sighed.
To use an intent sword art without intent is foolish.
Xiao Wuji did not wait and launched his wind blades at Bai Shuying. Bai Shuying willed her lotus petals forward. The lotus petals followed her command like sharp swords; they sliced towards the wind blades, negating them.
Xiao Wuji used his wind steps, gliding through the air, while each step Bai Shuying took forward a lotus formed on the bottom of her feet, launching her faster towards Xiao Wuji.
The blue lotuses lingered after every step. Seeing this, Hua Qingyan was shocked, before she was embarrassed that Bai Shuying had learned her messy foot art, but now seeing her use it with such proficiency, made her doubt if the movement art she created was actually good.
Bai Shuying and Xiao Wuji turned into green and blue blurs, ramming into each other; only the sound of metal colliding echoed through the arena. Everyone watched in silence, holding their breaths. They never expected this to be a duel between two Qi condensation experts, more like a fight between Foundation Establishment realm cultivators.
Most were shocked by Bai Shuying, who kept up with Xiao Wuji, a third-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Bai Shuying's human cultivation was low, but she was a second-tier fox demon.
Su Moyan stood up from her chair in shock, finally noticing and said in a low voice.
"I-intent?!"
All the inner elders heard her words; their eyes trembled.
Bai Shuying focused her Yin Qi in her sword, and a cold air filled the arena, sending another wave of gasps from the audience. She swung the sword horizontally.
Xiao Wuji sweated from the pressure Bai Shuying exerted, and focused his Wind Qi into his sword, and lashed out.
Both blades collided.
Boom!
A shock wave spread out, the entire arena was filled with blue mist, and the duelists' conditions were unknown.