The second round of matches soon began.
This time, Li Xiaoyu faced a disciple from Wind Return Peak who had reached the fifth layer of the Jade Purity Realm.
Having learned from the previous match, the disciple dared not be careless. He immediately brought out his strongest defensive treasure: a Tortoise Shell Shield.
At the same time, the flying sword in his hand transformed into a sky full of sword shadows, closing in on Li Xiaoyu from every direction.
He had both offense and defense covered, without a single flaw.
Yet Li Xiaoyu's response was as simple as ever.
At last, he drew his Autumn Water Sword.
"Clang!"
The sword's gleam flowed like water, cool and clear.
Ignoring the sword shadows filling the air, he casually swung at the seemingly indestructible Tortoise Shell Shield.
He used no Geng Metal Sword Qi, merely channeling pure spiritual energy from the Taiji Profound Clarity Path into his strike.
"Crack!"
The sharp snap once again stunned the entire crowd.
The Tortoise Shell Shield, which could withstand a full-power attack from a cultivator of the same rank, was sliced in half by the Autumn Water Sword as easily as tofu.
The sword shadows halted abruptly.
The Wind Return Peak disciple stared blankly at his shattered magical treasure, then at the Autumn Water Sword pointed at his brow. His face was drained of all hope.
"I... I concede." He struggled to force out the words.
Another move.
One move again.
If some had thought his victory in the first round was luck, or that his opponent had simply been too weak, then this second match—where he had defeated an opponent an entire realm above him with a single move—proved everything.
Li Xiaoyu possessed terrifying strength far beyond his own cultivation level.
He was the biggest dark horse in this year's Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament.
On another, less conspicuous arena, a match was also being fought with great difficulty.
Zhang Xiaofan was up against another disciple from Wind Return Peak.
His opponent's cultivation was about the same as his own. Both were at the fourth layer of the Jade Purity Realm.
But the other disciple's techniques were clearly more polished, and his sword strikes more fierce.
As soon as the match began, Zhang Xiaofan fell behind. His opponent pressed him hard, leaving him able only to block, with no chance to strike back.
He looked clumsy and miserable.
Laughter rose from the spectators below.
"Hahaha, that fool from Big Bamboo Peak got a bye in the first round, and now he's about to be exposed for what he really is!"
"Look at that magical treasure of his. A blackened fire poker? What a joke!"
The Big Bamboo Peak disciples felt so humiliated they wished the ground would open up and swallow them.
Tian Ling'er furrowed her brows, her eyes full of disdain.
Only Tian Buyi and Su Ru watched the match with grave expressions, their attention fixed tensely on the unfolding fight.
Li Xiaoyu stood quietly below the arena, watching with a frown.
He could see that Zhang Xiaofan was indeed in danger.
But Li Xiaoyu also noticed something that no one else had.
Though Zhang Xiaofan looked miserable, his steps were unusually steady, and his breathing never strayed from its unique rhythm.
The strange force within him flowed slowly but steadily, supporting him and keeping him standing firm beneath the other disciple's storm of attacks.
Zhang Xiaofan was like a stubborn boulder.
Let the wind howl and the rain beat down; I will remain unmoved.
The "fire poker" in his hand was even more peculiar.
Every time it clashed with the other disciple's flying sword, it gave off a buzzing sound.
The aura was faint, yet it effectively disrupted the other disciple's flow of spiritual energy, greatly weakening his attacks.
What a strange magical treasure.
Li Xiaoyu mused to himself.
And the energy inside him is so complex, yet somehow it has formed a wondrous balance.
The battle on the arena grew more and more intense.
Zhang Xiaofan had been driven to the very edge. He looked on the verge of defeat.
His opponent had attacked for a long time without prevailing and was growing impatient. He decided to unleash his strongest attack and end the match.
"Take this! Wind Sweeping Scattered Clouds!"
With a shout, the flying sword in his hand became a green whirlwind, sweeping toward Zhang Xiaofan with a sharp, slicing force.
There was no avoiding this move.
Everyone thought Zhang Xiaofan was sure to lose.
At this critical moment, determination suddenly flashed in the eyes of Zhang Xiaofan, who had been on the defensive all along.
He did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward.
Gripping the fire poker with both hands, Zhang Xiaofan poured the two completely different forces in his body into it without holding anything back.
"Hum!"
Black energy surged from the fire poker, wreathed in blood-red light.
A fierce, overbearing aura erupted, as if it would devour everything.
He used no technique. He simply summoned all his strength and swung the fire poker hard at the green whirlwind.
"Boom!"
A deafening crash rang out.
The green whirlwind collided with the black-and-red shadow of the staff.
A violent shockwave swept outward.
Everyone's eyes widened.
The moment the fierce green whirlwind touched the fire poker, it melted away like snow and ice.
Zhang Xiaofan's opponent looked as if he had been struck head-on by a primeval beast.
His flying sword let out a mournful cry and flew from his grasp.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was hurled off the arena like a kite with its string cut. He slammed heavily into the ground and lay unconscious.
Had he won?
Once again, a deathly silence fell over the crowd.
Everyone stared at the boy standing breathlessly in the middle of the arena, fire poker in hand, as if he were some kind of monster.
If Li Xiaoyu's victory had come from overwhelming strength, then Zhang Xiaofan's had come from something utterly inexplicable and bizarre.
"What kind of demonic sorcery was that?"
"That fire poker is sinister!"
The mockery from below turned into uncertain, murmuring speculation.
On the viewing platform, Daoist Cangsong, Chief Seat of Dragon Head Peak, suddenly lit up with a gleam in his sinister eyes.
He stared fixedly at the fire poker in Zhang Xiaofan's hand, greed and suspicion flickering in his gaze.
"The aura of the Blood-Devouring Bead?"
His heart shook violently. How did one of the Demon Sect's most malevolent objects end up in that boy's hands?
A murderous intent quietly rose in his heart.
Below the arena, while the surrounding disciples pointed at Zhang Xiaofan and whispered among themselves, Li Xiaoyu was the first to step forward.
Amid the astonished gazes of the crowd, he patted Zhang Xiaofan on the shoulder and offered sincere praise. "Junior Brother, that was a good fight."
Li Xiaoyu did not ask where the magical treasure had come from, nor did he pry into the strangeness of Zhang Xiaofan's cultivation technique.
All he saw was a friend who, despite everyone doubting him, had won an impossible victory through sheer perseverance.
His praise was heartfelt.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at him and felt the sincerity and kindness in his words. The fear that had risen from exposing his magical treasure eased somewhat.
He gave Li Xiaoyu a simple, honest smile.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Li."
Li Xiaoyu turned around, his gaze casually passing over Daoist Cangsong on the viewing platform.
He keenly caught the murderous intent that flashed briefly in the other man's eyes.
Li Xiaoyu's heart tightened. Without drawing attention, he moved to shield Zhang Xiaofan behind him.
The entire square on Heaven-Reaching Peak fell silent for a moment, then was swallowed by a clamor of discussion.
"He won? He actually won?"
"What kind of magical treasure is that blackened fire poker? It can devour the other disciple's techniques!"
"That's downright sinister. Are all the Big Bamboo Peak disciples this strange?"
People's gazes shifted back and forth between Zhang Xiaofan and the unremarkable fire poker in his hand, as if they could see right through it.
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