A Battle Before Parting

Shen Yi remained silent. Seeing this, Wu Liujian patted his shoulder and teased, "Don't let the beauty's kindness go to waste."

Then, Wu Liujian spoke of the others' situations: "Yuwen Yue, like Jiang Miaoyi, has returned to the Yuwen family to prepare for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Wang Teng, with Dean Feng Yang's permission, has left the Immortal Academy."

Although Shen Yi felt regret, he understood that paths diverged. "What about you? Are you also preparing to return to the Sword Pavilion?" He sensed Wu Liujian's steady aura, with a hint of impending breakthrough, and had a guess.

"That's right, someone from the family will be here to pick me up soon." A hint of apology appeared on Wu Liujian's face, which then vanished, replaced by a surge of fighting spirit. "How about it, dare we have another match?"

"Sure, the loser buys the drinks!"

"It's a deal!"

Ninghai Immortal Academy.

The plaza arena.

Shen Yi and Wu Liujian stood on the stage, facing each other.

Many disciples from the Immortal Academy had gathered around, eager to witness the prowess of these two heavenly talents.

"Is that Senior Brother Shen Yi? That battle halberd in his hand looks terrifying. Senior Brother Wu's mid-grade spirit sword is the same. As expected, treasure artifacts suit heroes."

"These two are both heavenly talents of the Immortal Academy. Senior Brother Wu is already at peak Qi Refining, so he likely has a greater chance of winning."

"Senior Brother Shen, despite only entering the Qi Condensation Realm, was able to overwhelm everyone. His aura today is even more formidable; he must be the one to win."

On the stage.

Shen Yi attacked first, dragging his battle halberd as he charged forward. His movements shifted, and he swung the halberd down heavily. Wu Liujian smiled slightly, flicked the Crimson Firmament Sword, and its edge struck the battle halberd, producing a series of metallic clangs.

Both appeared to be very relaxed, and their weapons had already clashed countless times without them realizing it. Sparks flew, and even the arena floor was pockmarked with craters from the impacts.

"Is this the peak duel between Qi Refining cultivators? I doubt I could last a moment against either of them."

"As expected of heavenly talents, truly terrifying!"

Their fight deeply shocked the onlookers, who exclaimed that the level of combat had surpassed the Qi Condensation Realm.

"Brother Shen, I won't hold back anymore!"

Wu Liujian stood firm, the Crimson Firmament Sword in his hand trembling slightly.

"Likewise. You're buying this round of drinks today, for sure!"

Shen Yi held his battle halberd horizontally across his chest, clearly preparing to unleash his full power.

"Is it coming?"

The spectators below tensed up, their eyes fixed on the stage, afraid to miss even a single moment, lest they regret it for life.

Wu Liujian let out a long roar towards the sky. His body seemed to ignite, covered in crimson spiritual energy that erupted from him, radiating a dazzling light that made it impossible to look directly at. The red aura, like a sacred flame, enveloped his body, making him appear incredibly divine.

The Crimson Firmament Sword in his hand emitted a blinding beam of light with a "whoosh," instantly expanding to over ten feet long, its brilliance dazzling and soul-stirring.

Shen Yi, on the other hand, was surrounded by black energy, burning like ghostly flames. The long halberd exuded a vast aura of death. At this moment, he was like an Asura demon king, displaying a desolate and melancholic dominance.

"This is what I gained later in the ruins," Shen Yi explained with a smile, seeing Wu Liujian's surprised expression. To be precise, it was something he had comprehended during his recovery a few days ago.

"Kill!"

As the two shouted in unison, the red and black figures charged at each other like bolts of lightning. The Crimson Firmament Sword, burning everything, and the Coiled Dragon Halberd, filled with deathly aura, tore through the arena and collided fiercely.

"Clang!"

A powerful metallic collision sound made the onlookers below dizzy.

Vast spiritual energy storms erupted from the red and black lights.

Heaven and earth on the stage trembled, and the ground shook.

"Who won?"

When the world returned to calm, everyone saw Shen Yi and Wu Liujian standing opposite each other, their right hands tightly clasped.

As for the victory or defeat, it no longer mattered to them.

That night, Shen Yi and Wu Liujian drank until dawn.

"If you need anything, crush this. No matter how far, I will come."

The next morning, Wu Liujian handed Shen Yi a jade slip and then disappeared into the sky with his clansmen.

"Take care!"

Shen Yi whispered a word of farewell in his heart and turned, disappearing into the depths of the Immortal Academy.

"There is Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment, and Human Dao Foundation Establishment. If I were to pursue Human Dao Foundation Establishment, my revenge would likely be hopeless in this life. Only Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment can allow me to grow in the shortest possible time," Shen Yi mused in the residence assigned to him by the Immortal Academy, contemplating his future path.

Wu Liujian, Jiang Miaoyi, and the others had all departed to attempt the Foundation Establishment Realm. Now, he was left alone, which made him feel somewhat lonely. What made him even more anxious was Wang Shangren; a Golden Core cultivator was eyeing him covetously. Although he had the protection of Dean Feng Yang, it was only a temporary measure.

"Deep within the Yunluo Mountain Range, I hope it won't disappoint me."

Shen Yi pondered for a long time, ultimately choosing to head to the Yunluo Mountain Range. It was plagued by demonic beasts and wasn't too far from the Immortal Academy, making it the most suitable place for cultivation he could think of at the moment.

The pressing sense of crisis left Shen Yi no time to delay. He bid farewell to Feng Yang that very day and, proceeding with caution, made his way towards the Yunluo Mountain Range.

"Ee-yah!"

Little Black, after many days of slumber, had also awakened. It was full of curiosity about the outside world, occasionally flying deep into the vegetation and startling flocks of birds and beasts, only to shrink back into a ball, which always made Shen Yi chuckle.

Along the way, people often saw a solitary figure wearing a bamboo hat, exuding an aura that warned others to keep their distance. A small black beast perched on his shoulder, sometimes darting into the roadside vegetation before scampering back with soft chirps.

"Fellow cultivator, your spirit beast is quite good. Would you be willing to part with it? Name your price!"

"Scram!"

Shen Yi unleashed an aura of death, making the man feel as if he had plunged into hell. His legs trembled like sieves, and he dared not speak.

Only after Shen Yi disappeared from view did the man react, letting out a startled cry and rolling back the way he came, weeping.

"Little Black, this form suits you!"

Apart from the occasional reckless cultivator who provoked him, the journey was uneventful. Little Black, however, continued to surprise him. Now, Little Black had transformed into the appearance of a small cat, looking incredibly cute. It reminded Shen Yi of petting cats in his previous life, so he immediately reached out and indulged himself.

"Ee-yah!"

Little Black bared its teeth and chirped at Shen Yi, seemingly protesting that he had disrupted its handsome and mighty appearance.

Suddenly, the ground trembled, startling Shen Yi. He brought Little Black to higher ground and saw hundreds of demonic beasts stampeding towards the depths of the mountain range, filling him with a sense of foreboding.

"It's dangerous ahead, don't run around."

"Ee-yah!"