Gentle and Considerate Junior Brother Lu

Qi Feiyu looked at the arena and asked, "Grand Elder, do you think Lu Yi can win?"

Dugu Fang smiled faintly. "If Lu Yi reveals White Cloud Footwork at the Returning to Purity Realm, he should be able to win. However, Mo Lingxi is no weakling either. I'm afraid it won't be an easy victory."

Hearing this, the elders nodded slightly as well.

"Mo Lingxi cultivates Spirit Snake Swordplay and Spirit Snake Footwork, both of which have reached the Transformation Realm. On top of that, his cultivation has already reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. He truly isn't weak."

"If Lu Yi can defeat Mo Lingxi, then a place in the top ten will be secure. Entering the inner sect at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer... looking across the history of our White Cloud Sect, there haven't been many like that, have there?"

"Excluding those geniuses brought back from outside, a genius like this hasn't appeared in several hundred years."

"The last one was Hall Master Wu Yong of the inner sect's Enforcement Hall, wasn't he? He now possesses Nascent Soul strength."

As they looked at Lu Yi, the crowd became even more satisfied.

Not far away, Lu Gaoyang, Wang Siqi, and the group of deacons were also watching Lu Yi's arena.

Lu Gaoyang and Wang Siqi were both somewhat nervous. If Lu Yi won, he would rank among the outer sect's top ten and be able to enter the inner sect. This would have a tremendous impact on Lu Yi's future. As his parents, how could they not be nervous?

Li Mang and the others beside them watched with curious anticipation.

"Brother Lu, this is the most crucial match. Do you think he can win?"

Hearing this, Lu Gaoyang shook his head. "I don't know either. Of course, I hope Yi'er can win."

"That little Mo Lingxi isn't weak... Lu Yi's cultivation is still a bit too low. If Lu Yi had reached the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, he would definitely win."

"That's right. Even if he can't win this time, it's no great matter. In another year, when Lu Yi reaches the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, he'll certainly become one of the inner sect's top ten. It would only cost him one extra year."

"..."

As they spoke, the match on the arena had already begun.

Mo Lingxi's expression was icy. Spiritual Qi at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer erupted from him, and he went all out from the very start.

Spirit Snake Footwork and Spirit Snake Swordplay both drew upon the nimble, uncanny essence of the spirit snake. Mo Lingxi's footwork was bizarre, and his speed was astonishing. In almost an instant, he appeared at Lu Yi's side. His longsword struck like a spirit snake flicking its tongue, stabbing toward Lu Yi's chest.

Spiritual Qi coiled around the longsword, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek.

Lu Yi's expression did not change. His feet shifted slightly, and his body drifted like floating white clouds, retreating along the sword wind with an air of effortless freedom.

Seeing Lu Yi retreat, Mo Lingxi pressed forward. His longsword carried an eerie momentum as he launched attack after attack at Lu Yi. The sword winds howled, and even the disciples below the arena could feel their sharpness. Their hearts tightened involuntarily. If it were them, they certainly would not be able to withstand such an unbroken barrage.

Yet amid attacks like a raging storm, Lu Yi remained perfectly at ease. His figure flickered and drifted as he dodged each strike again and again.

While evading, Lu Yi could not help but sigh inwardly. Senior Brother Mo Lingxi truly deserved to be the gatekeeper of the top ten. His strength surpassed Senior Brother Wang Wulian and Senior Sister Gu Mingxi by more than a single level.

Still, while this strength was exceedingly formidable for an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator, to Lu Yi, it was merely that.

After all, when Lu Yi had faced Senior Brother Wang Wulian and the others before, he had held back tremendously. He had not even fully unleashed White Cloud Swordplay at the Returning to Purity Realm.

Now, Lu Yi felt that he could add a little more force.

Strands of cloud qi drifted out from Lu Yi's longsword. This time, the cloud qi was far denser and heavier than before, spreading over a range of more than a meter.

Lu Yi stopped dodging, then swung his sword. In the next instant, the seemingly weightless Sword Cloud slashed toward Mo Lingxi at blinding speed.

Mo Lingxi's pupils contracted as he sensed an immense threat. "What?!"

Mo Lingxi immediately abandoned his offensive. Spirit Snake Footwork circulated as he retreated again and again, trying to evade the Sword Cloud.

The Sword Cloud swept past Mo Lingxi's side and landed on the arena, leaving smooth cloud patterns carved into its stone slabs.

The deacon nearby had his pupils shrink, unable to suppress his shock. Was White Cloud Swordplay really this powerful?

The stone of this arena was Blue Steel Stone, and it had even undergone special treatment, making it extremely difficult to damage. Yet with a single strike, Lu Yi had directly carved patterns into the arena.

This kid was a bit incredible.

The disciples below cried out in alarm one after another.

"The power of that strike... I couldn't block it!"

"Only senior brothers and sisters at the Qi Refining Tenth Layer could probably block that strike, right?"

"Junior Brother Lu Yi's White Cloud Swordplay has actually reached such a level of power?! When he competed against those other senior brothers and sisters before, he hadn't even used his full strength?!"

Wang Wulian was not competing at the moment. As he watched Lu Yi on the arena, he was utterly stunned. "So this is the true power of Returning to Purity Swordplay?!"

Gu Mingxi and the other two Qi Refining Ninth Layer disciples who had competed against Lu Yi before all widened their eyes, their faces full of disbelief.

One of the senior brothers gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I originally thought the gap between Junior Brother Lu Yi and me wasn't particularly large. Now it seems... it's simply the difference between heaven and earth."

The other senior brother beside him wore an equally bitter expression, while Gu Mingxi's eyes shone even more brightly as she looked at Lu Yi.

Standing face-to-face with Lu Yi, Mo Lingxi could feel the pressure coming from Lu Yi's sword even more keenly. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead as he stared wide-eyed at Lu Yi. "You were actually holding back before?!"

Lu Yi smiled somewhat embarrassedly. "After all, several senior brothers and sisters have not had it easy in their cultivation. If I struck them too harshly and damaged their Dao hearts, that would be bad. If Senior Brother Mo Lingxi's strength were not so great, Junior Brother would not have used such power either."

He could hardly say that he had pretended to be weak so that people would still come challenge him in the future, could he? If he instantly defeated everyone, who would come spar with him? If nobody came to spar with him, how could he complete his tasks and obtain Perfect Qi Condensation Pills?

Hearing this, Wang Wulian and the others shuddered, staring at Lu Yi in disbelief.

Wang Wulian said emotionally, "Junior Brother Lu Yi... actually considered me so deeply! Junior Brother truly is a good man!"

Gu Mingxi's eyes practically sparkled with hearts. "Junior Brother is so gentle and considerate!"

"Junior Brother Lu Yi... has truly gone to great lengths for our sake."

Even the other disciples looked at Lu Yi with admiration.

"Senior Brother Lu Yi is righteous!"

"Senior Brother Lu Yi is the role model of our generation. Fellow disciples ought to look after one another in the first place."

Even Jiang Fan beside them nodded slightly. There was an extra trace of approval in his expression as he looked at Lu Yi, and he smiled. "Junior Brother Lu Yi truly has a kind heart. He is worth befriending."

Hearing Lu Yi's words, Mo Lingxi also fell somewhat silent.

Then he took a deep breath, looked at Lu Yi, and said solemnly, "Junior Brother Lu Yi is righteous. Under normal circumstances, I would surely drink and make merry with Junior Brother, but this grand competition concerns a place in the inner sect. Senior Brother can only say sorry."

Lu Yi smiled. "Senior Brother need not bear any burden in your heart. The Immortal Path stretches vast and boundless; you and I are both striving to cross its waters. When one's future is at stake, one need only do one's utmost and leave no regrets behind."

The longsword in Lu Yi's hand rang sharply, cloud qi swirling around it as he wore a gentle smile.