Newcomers Should Have Their Edge Blunted?

On Green Bamboo Peak, nearly all of the remaining two thousand or so disciples from this cohort had stepped forward, gathering together to stand opposite these disciples. A group of eight, each radiating a powerful aura, were at least at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer by the feel of it. A single glance from a distance made it clear the atmosphere between the two sides was far from friendly.

"What do you lot mean by this? The sect only distributes a hundred Spirit Stone Coins per month—why are you forcibly taking twenty of them?" Led by Lu Yuling, the top disciples of this cohort stood at the forefront with hostile expressions, Ling Wufeng's face burning with indignation.

"This is an unwritten rule of the Asura Sect. New disciples ought to pay respects to their senior brothers and sisters. We all went through the same thing. Originally, you only had to hand over ten Spirit Stone Coins a month, but since your cohort is so small in number, we doubled it."

Though there were only eight of them, each was at least at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer. None of these disciples showed any sign of backing down. The one who spoke appeared refined and polite, his tone gentle, as if trying to reason peacefully.

"Hehehe, we've been handing over Spirit Stone Coins for a whole year, and finally, we've waited for the new batch to arrive. Now it's our turn to collect. Which of you doesn't accept? According to Asura Sect rules, anyone who refuses can settle it with a duel." Another disciple, looking about sixteen or seventeen, wielded a massive Wolf Fang Club. He slammed it into the ground, making it tremble slightly. His eyes blazed with battle intent, and a fierce Qi Energy emanated from him. He wore a thick suit of Silver Armor, clearly sturdy and extraordinary.

Looking at the eight before her, Lu Yuling's expression remained cold, but the others were seething with anger. A hundred Spirit Stone Coins a month, yet they had to forcibly hand over twenty to the senior disciples from the previous cohort—anyone would be furious.

But the Asura Sect's rules settled things through duels. These opponents were at least at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer, clearly geniuses from their own cohort. With more time to cultivate and a year spent at the headquarters, their combat strength was far beyond what these newcomers could match.

"I see that a few of you have reached the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer, and some even the Fourth Layer. Your talent is impressive. But this is the Asura Sect's unwritten rule. I hope you won't break it—after all, everyone has gone through this. Endure a year, and next time, it'll be your turn to collect Spirit Stone Coins," the disciple who had spoken earlier said, still maintaining a facade of harmony, though his words only stoked more anger.

"Hehe, Zhan Bing, why waste so much breath on these guys? I'm hoping they won't accept. It's been a while since we had new disciples to knock down a peg. My hands are itching." One played the good cop, the other the bad cop. The burly disciple swinging the Wolf Fang Club looked eager to throw down.

Zhuge Xiang, who had paused mid-step, overheard the conversation and his expression turned cold. He didn't care about so-called unwritten rules, but if anyone tried to take a single Spirit Stone Coin from him, he wouldn't allow it. Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer? What of it? What was his was his—no one could take it away.

Swish!!!

A dazzling arrow of light, carrying a sharp aura, embedded itself right between Lu Yuling's group and the eight senior disciples. The ground at the peak of Green Bamboo Peak was solid rock, yet the arrow sank more than three inches into the stone, its fletching quivering. The sudden arrow startled the eight senior disciples, who reflexively turned their heads, locking their eyes on Zhuge Xiang standing on the Rope Bridge.

Drawing the Hundred Refinements Bow to its full extent, Zhuge Xiang nocked a Wolf Fang Arrow and aimed it at the eight senior disciples, speaking coldly, "Let's do this by the Asura Sect's rules. Who's stepping up?"

An arrow that could pierce solid rock by three inches—this attack made the senior disciples' expressions turn serious. Regardless, the sheer force of that single arrow was no weaker than a Qi Cultivation Realm Fifth Layer disciple. Judging by his appearance, he should only be at the Fourth Layer, right? Such high attack power—was it the bow's doing? At least a Two-Star Artifact, wasn't it?

"Oh? So someone really doesn't accept? Fine, I'll beat you until you do." Though Zhuge Xiang's attack had put some pressure on these senior disciples, it was only a little. The disciple wielding the Wolf Fang Club grinned with fierce battle intent. They were geniuses from the previous cohort—a year of cultivation wasn't for nothing.

"Be careful. Don't capsize in a ditch," Zhan Bing, who had been all smiles, warned as this disciple moved out.

"Relax. Isn't it just a Two-Star Artifact? My armor is a Two-Star Artifact too." Waving his Wolf Fang Club, the disciple dismissed the concern. With that, he charged at Zhuge Xiang, momentum surging. An archer? Sure, they had ranged attacks, but up close, they were easy pickings.

"Two-Star Artifact?" The opponent's loud declaration was clearly meant for him to hear. Zhuge Xiang studied the charging disciple seriously. He knew the man was at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer and had at least five artifacts on him—a year at the Asura Sect headquarters wasn't wasted.

In terms of artifact count, Zhuge Xiang wouldn't fall short, but his cultivation was a full two layers lower. To win, he couldn't afford to drag things out. Making a snap decision, Zhuge Xiang drew his bow, aimed at the charging disciple, and activated the Piercing Arrow skill. At the same time, a bloody Qi Energy surged around him, ghostly faces flickering eerily.

"What?! Bloodthirsty Technique at the Proficient Level?!" Seeing the blood-red Qi Energy and the terrifying ghost faces on Zhuge Xiang, several senior disciples' expressions shifted dramatically.

They knew exactly what the Bloodthirsty Technique meant and how powerful it was at the Proficient Level. That earlier arrow had already matched a Qi Cultivation Realm Fifth Layer disciple's strength. Now, with the Proficient Level Bloodthirsty Technique boosting it, how strong would it be?

As Zhuge Xiang activated the Bloodthirsty Technique, Zhan Bing behind him shouted a warning. He didn't need to—the disciple swinging the Wolf Fang Club already sensed the danger. Without a second thought, he twisted his waist to dodge Zhuge Xiang's attack.

But did Zhuge Xiang intend to let him evade? He had waited to activate the Bloodthirsty Technique until the opponent was within twenty meters, ensuring he couldn't dodge in time. With the Hundred Refinements Bow's range of 120 meters, at a mere twenty meters, how fast would that arrow be?

Clang!!!

The metallic clash rang out sharply. Zhuge Xiang's Wolf Fang Arrow slammed into the disciple's armor. The Hundred Refinements Bow ignored 45 points of defense, the Wolf Fang Arrow ignored 5, and with Piercing Arrow's 10% boost, this shot could bypass 55 points of the opponent's defense.

Though the Two-Star Artifact armor was sturdy, how much defense could it have? At most, around 60 points, right? Even if the artifact's effect added to defense, this arrow would still ignore most of it.

Wearing a Two-Star defensive artifact was almost no different from wearing nothing. With a Qi Cultivation Realm Fourth Layer cultivation, the Bloodthirsty Technique's boost, and Piercing Arrow's effect, what would happen when it struck the opponent? Almost all of that terrifying attack power was absorbed directly by the opponent's body.

A Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer cultivation was indeed strong, but the Qi Cultivation Realm was typically high in attack and low in defense. Zhuge Xiang had slain a One-Star Mid-Grade Monster Beast without even using the Bloodthirsty Technique—just a Blood Refinement Saber was enough. This Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer disciple, even if stronger than a One-Star Mid-Grade beast, wasn't by much.

With a scream of pain, Zhuge Xiang's arrow shot out like a cannonball, blasting the charging disciple backward. He crashed to the ground, struggling to get up, clutching his chest. His face twisted in shock—where the Piercing Arrow had struck, the sturdy Two-Star armor bore a bowl-sized dent. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he looked at Zhuge Xiang with terror.

He had a Two-Star defensive artifact, and he had also cultivated the Golden Bell Shield, a defensive Martial Art from the Martial Arts Pavilion. His physical defense alone rivaled a One-Star Artifact, and he had two more artifacts adding a bit of defense. Among this cohort's disciples, his defense was among the best. Yet, under a single arrow from this guy, he was heavily injured? How strong was that arrow? If it hadn't been him, could someone else have been killed outright?

"Oh? Still able to move? Looks like his defense is indeed considerable." Zhuge Xiang's attack had negated at least seventy to eighty percent of the Two-Star Artifact's defense, yet the guy could still move. Even Zhuge Xiang was surprised by his defense. That arrow would have injured even a Two-Star Demonic Moth, right? Though he was at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer, his defense was truly impressive.

But though he could still move, he was clearly out of fighting strength. Zhuge Xiang reacted quickly, nocking another Wolf Fang Arrow and drawing the bow fully, locking onto the opponent with a sharp aura. This arrow lacked Piercing Arrow's effect, but the opponent was already combat-ineffective.

"W-Wait..." Locked onto by Zhuge Xiang's Wolf Fang Arrow, the disciple, still clutching his Wolf Fang Club, was terrified by the earlier arrow's might. He quickly called out, "Your strength is impressive. I surrender."

Surrendering should have been humiliating, but this disciple did so without any pressure, surprising Zhuge Xiang. He sneered inwardly. New disciples always got crushed by seniors to knock them down a peg. Judging by their demeanor, after a year of being suppressed, they had lost their edge, hadn't they? It made sense—after a year in the Asura Sect, a sect where strength reigned supreme, surrendering to a stronger opponent wasn't shameful.

Since he surrendered, Zhuge Xiang ignored him, turning his bow toward the remaining seven senior disciples. Under the Bloodthirsty Technique's effect, his blood-red eyes blazed with killing intent. "What about you? Anyone else want to keep collecting Spirit Stone Coins? Step forward."