There, a thin, plainly dressed young man stood awkwardly at the end of the line, utterly out of place among those around him.
It was Zhang Xiaofan.
Li Xiaoyu saw the other disciples from Big Bamboo Peak chatting and laughing, yet not one of them paid Zhang Xiaofan any attention.
Clearly, with his slow progress in cultivation, Zhang Xiaofan was having a hard time at Big Bamboo Peak.
Seeing this, Li Xiaoyu felt as if he were looking at his own past.
His heart stirred. Almost as if possessed, he wove through the crowd and headed toward the Big Bamboo Peak group.
His actions immediately drew everyone's attention.
"What's he up to? Going to pick a fight with Tian Ling'er?"
"There's going to be a show!"
Everyone thought a good show was about to begin.
But Li Xiaoyu walked past Tian Ling'er, whose expression was complicated, and went to the end of the line, stopping in front of Zhang Xiaofan.
When Zhang Xiaofan saw the senior brother from Morning Sun Peak come to him of his own accord, he was so nervous that he didn't know what to do with himself.
"L-Li Senior Brother." He stammered out a greeting.
Looking at Zhang Xiaofan's honest eyes, Li Xiaoyu smiled warmly.
"You're Zhang Xiaofan, Junior Brother, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes, I am."
"I've heard that although you joined the sect late, you're diligent, hardworking, and steadfast. You're truly a model for us all."
Li Xiaoyu's words made Zhang Xiaofan's eyes widen in disbelief.
This was the first time a senior brother from another peak had praised him so earnestly.
"Don't worry about what others think, and don't pay attention to what they say."
Li Xiaoyu patted him on the shoulder, encouraging him.
"Cultivation is about cultivating your own heart. As long as you stay true to yourself, one day everyone will look at you in a new light."
"Do your best in the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament. That's all that matters."
The words flowed into Zhang Xiaofan's lonely, self-conscious heart like a warm current.
His eyes reddened.
"Thank you, thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Li!"
Zhang Xiaofan bowed deeply to Li Xiaoyu.
At that moment, in Green Cloud Sect, where everyone except his master and mistress had treated him coldly, he felt the warmth of a fellow disciple for the first time.
Li Xiaoyu smiled, said nothing more, and returned to his own group.
Everyone nearby was stunned by what they had just seen.
The Big Bamboo Peak disciples especially exchanged puzzled glances, unable to figure out what Li Xiaoyu was up to.
Watching from the viewing platform, Tian Buyi furrowed his brows and thought, This Li Xiaoyu is growing more and more calculating. What is he after, getting close to Xiao Fan?
He had no idea that Li Xiaoyu had no ulterior motive.
He had simply seen his own past in Zhang Xiaofan, felt a moment of sympathy, and acted on impulse.
Yet that small act of kindness would earn him a steadfast friendship in the future.
Soon, the drawing of lots began.
The sixty-four competing disciples stepped forward one by one to draw their opponents.
Li Xiaoyu drew a disciple from Luoxia Peak, who was at the fourth layer of the Jade Purity Realm.
Zhang Xiaofan, meanwhile, was extremely lucky: he got a bye in the first round.
A wave of laughter and scorn rose around them.
"Hahaha, talk about dumb luck!"
"With his lousy skills, what else could you expect but a bye?"
Zhang Xiaofan lowered his head even further.
Only Li Xiaoyu looked at him, a thoughtful glimmer in his eyes.
He could sense that although the Spiritual Energy within Zhang Xiaofan was impure, it contained two completely different yet exceptionally pure energies.
There was no way to explain this with mere "luck."
At the Sect Leader, Daoist Daoxuan's command,
"The twentieth Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament of Green Cloud Sect begins now!"
On the eight platforms, swords and magical treasures of every color flashed together, while brilliant spells rose and fell.
The young disciples fought with everything they had, for the glory of their respective peaks and to prove their own worth.
Li Xiaoyu's first-round match was scheduled for platform three.
His opponent was Sun He of Luoxia Peak, a cultivator at the fourth layer of the Jade Purity Realm.
Sun He looked at Li Xiaoyu with a grave expression and a fierce fighting spirit.
He had naturally heard the rumors about Li Xiaoyu, but he didn't believe anyone could break through two levels overnight.
Sun He figured Li Xiaoyu must have used some secret technique to forcibly raise his cultivation, leaving his foundation unstable.
Today, he would shatter the myth of this genius with his own hands and win glory for himself and Luoxia Peak.
"Sun He of Luoxia Peak requests Senior Brother Li's guidance!"
Sun He clasped his hands in salute, then summoned a scarlet flying sword.
"Li Xiaoyu of Morning Sun Peak."
Li Xiaoyu returned the salute. The Autumn Water Sword remained in its scabbard; he didn't even seem inclined to draw it.
Seeing this, Sun He immediately felt anger rise in his heart.
What blatant contempt!
"Senior Brother Li, aren't you underestimating me?"
He shouted angrily and activated his spell.
"Red Snake Exits Cave!"
The scarlet flying sword in his hand instantly transformed into a several-zhang-long serpent of flames. It opened its cavernous jaws and lunged at Li Xiaoyu amid waves of scorching heat.
The move was imposing and powerful.
The spectators below let out a collective gasp.
Yet facing the surging fire serpent, Li Xiaoyu remained as calm as still water.
He didn't even move his feet.
Only when the serpent was about to reach him did Li Xiaoyu slowly raise his right hand, join his fingers like a sword, and lightly point at the serpent.
"Scatter."
There was no earth-shaking force, nor any dazzling light.
A golden gleam shone from his fingertip. The flaming serpent abruptly stopped a foot away from him.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, its body, formed from fire-element Spiritual Energy, began to crumble inch by inch.
Like a punctured balloon, it burst apart and vanished with a roar, scattering into countless red specks of light.
"Pfft!"
Sun He took a heavy blow and spat out a mouthful of blood. His face turned deathly pale.
His scarlet flying sword gave a mournful wail, its light dimming as it fell to the ground.
With his spell broken and his mind wounded, he no longer had the strength to fight.
Silence fell around the platform.
Everyone was so stunned by what they had seen that not a word passed their lips.
That was it?
One finger!
Just one finger!
He hadn't even used a magical treasure. He had broken his opponent's spell and severely wounded him with such casual ease.
This Li Xiaoyu—
How terrifying!
"You let me win."
Li Xiaoyu withdrew his finger and said a few words to Sun He, who lay on the ground.
Then, under the referee disciple's stunned gaze, he turned and walked off the platform.
Only after he disappeared into the crowd did the spectators below come to their senses, erupting in a wave of astonished shouts.
"My heavens! How did he do that?"
"He's too strong! Absurdly strong! Is he really only at the fourth layer of the Jade Purity Realm?"
"I feel like even Senior Brother Qi Hao wasn't this impressive when he was at the fourth layer!"
On the viewing platform, the Chief Seats of the various peaks wore a range of expressions.
Shang Zhengliang's face split into a broad grin, and even the hand stroking his beard trembled.
Tian Buyi of Big Bamboo Peak, by contrast, looked livid. The teacup in his hand was nearly crushed.
Looking at that figure calmly walking off the platform, he felt a deep pang of regret for the first time.
It seemed he really had misjudged him.
Daoist Cangsong of Dragon Head Peak watched with a sinister gaze, his thoughts inscrutable.
At the highest seat, the Sect Leader, Daoist Daoxuan, finally showed a keen interest in his warm eyes.
"This young man is extraordinary."
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