The two people were blocking him in front of him, and there were already many disciples behind him who were preparing to enter and comprehend the sword's meaning.
A group of monks gathered at the foot of the stone steps, watching from a distance, whispering in low voices, and discussing endlessly.
"Junior brother's identity is indeed remarkable this week. Are you planning to monopolize Sword Intent Pool today?!"
"Senior Brother Shouchi is right. I just realized it yesterday, and today I want to monopolize the most precious tide fortuitous opportunity. It is too greedy."
"Who says it's not the case? Then just because Zhou Qi is the direct descendant of Peak Master, he wants to occupy resources like this. He doesn't take the moral principles of his fellow disciples seriously!"
A series of small comments came and went, most of which were in agreement with the disciples of Shouchi. Everyone felt that Zhou Qi acted overbearingly and only cared about his own practice, crowding out the practice of the entire peak disciples fortuitous opportunity.
Everyone's eyes fell on Zhou Qi, all with dissatisfaction, and the invisible pressure of public opinion quietly enveloped the entrance to the secret realm.
Hearing the various criticisms around him, Zhou Qi's expression was not chaotic, but his heart was clear.
It seems that if you want to successfully enter Sword Intent Pool today, it is destined to not be smooth sailing.
He slowly raised his eyes and scanned the surrounding disciples who were pointing and following others' opinions. Deep in his eyes, a wisp of icy chill quietly burst out, and the cold aura faintly dispersed.
Before he could say anything more, a gentle yet somewhat proud voice suddenly came from behind the clouds and mist in the mountains, instantly silencing the small discussions in the audience.
"Well said! Sword Intent Tide is fortuitous opportunity that is owned by Heavenly Sword Peak. It should be shared by the same family, how can it be exclusive to one person?"
Before he finished speaking, three figures came through the mist, walking calmly, and landed steadily at the entrance of the secret realm.
The leader is dressed in white and has a handsome face, with a somewhat condescending indifference between his eyebrows. He is none other than Liu Ying.
Behind him were two core disciples, both with Nascent Soul Second Layer cultivation level. Their auras were calm, and their eyes were filled with scrutiny and hostility, locked firmly on Zhou Qi.
Liu Ying walked forward slowly, his eyes swept over the tense-looking disciple guarding the pond, and a hint of vague approval flashed in his eyes.
Then he turned to look at Zhou Qi, with an appropriately persuasive smile on his face. His tone seemed gentle, but in fact, every word contained oppression, and he once again made accusations in public:
"Junior Brother Zhou, yesterday you entered the pond to comprehend the tide of one day, fortuitous opportunity is already rich enough. Today the tide is at its peak, and many disciples in the whole peak are waiting to comprehend it, but you insist on occupying the secret realm one after another. It is too selfish and has chilled the hearts of all your fellow disciples."
Seeing the arrival of Liu Ying, the disciple guarding the pool felt instantly confident. He quickly bowed and saluted, and echoed, "What Senior Brother Liu said is absolutely true! The disciple also persuaded Junior Brother Zhou like this, but Junior Brother insisted on not listening and insisted on monopolizing fortuitous opportunity!"
When the onlookers saw this, they all echoed and there was an uproar.
"Sure enough, Senior Brother Liu is fair! He is willing to stand up for us ordinary disciples!"
"Yes, with Senior Brother Liu upholding justice, how can we allow newcomers to wantonly occupy the public fortuitous opportunity!"
"You are so righteous. You are worthy of being my top senior brother Heavenly Sword Peak!"
Amidst the noisy cheers, Zhou Qi's eyes were as cold as frost, looking directly at Liu Ying who was pretending to be righteous and hypocritical, and slowly spoke:
"Senior Brother Liu, you are so deliberately trying to make things difficult for me to enter and obstruct my practice fortuitous opportunity at every turn. Are you sure that Peak Master is concentrating on practice and won't interfere in the trivial disputes of us juniors?"
The smile on Liu Ying's face remained unchanged, and his tone was somewhat high-sounding hypocrisy. "Junior Brother Zhou misunderstood, I did not deliberately target you, I just want to seek fairness for all the disciples of the peak."
"I will never tolerate you wantonly occupying everyone's public fortuitous opportunity!"
"What's more, you are still young. You just comprehended the Sword Intent Pool tide yesterday, and your foundation is still superficial. Being so eager for success, greedy for more and quick, is not conducive to the stability of the Daoist heart, and it is definitely not the right way to practice."
This tone makes it sound like Liu Ying is an elder educating an ignorant child.
These words were spoken with impeccable accuracy, once again attracting applause from the onlookers.
Everyone thinks that Liu Ying is righteous and considerate of his fellow students, but this contrasts with Zhou Qi's arrogance, impatience, and quick success.
Zhou Qi glanced at him and suddenly chuckled.
"Senior Brother Liu is talking about whether the foundation is stable or not. It's really not just words!" He paused and continued:
"Senior brother, it's been almost two years since you Nascent Soul Third Layer, right?"
Liu Ying's smile froze on his face.
The discussion in the audience suddenly stopped. Everyone noticed that something was wrong in the atmosphere and watched with bated breath.
But Zhou Qi ignored him, his eyes were sharp, he pressed forward step by step, and his clear voice resounded throughout the stone steps in the mountain. "We haven't made any progress in two years, and we have been stagnant for so long. Senior brother's foundation must have been as solid as possible."
"That's good--!"
He stood tall and straight, raised his hands in public, clasped his fists solemnly at Liu Ying, and spoke loudly and loudly, "Junior brother, be bold and challenge Senior Brother Liu!"
"Please also ask Senior Brother Liu to give me some generous advice!!"
As soon as the words fell to the ground, the entire stone steps fell into a dead silence.
The wind stopped and the mist became quiet, and all the onlookers' eyes focused on Liu Ying's face, full of shock and astonishment.
No one expected that Zhou Qi, whose cultivation level was only Nascent Soul Second Layer, would dare to challenge Liu Ying, who had a higher cultivation level, in public!
Liu Ying's face darkened at a speed visible to the naked eye, his gentle mask completely shattered, and his eyes filled with intense gloom and hostility.
He also had no idea that Zhou Qi could break through this aspect and defeat him.
Agree to a duel?
I am a dignified Nascent Soul Third Layer, and my cultivation level is stable and can overwhelm the opponent.
Winning was just a matter of course, but he won without force and ended up with the reputation of bullying the young and newcomers.
But if you fail accidentally, you will lose all face and become the laughing stock of Heavenly Sword Peak from now on, with no place to stand.
But what if you don't agree?
Being challenged by the younger generation in front of many disciples in the whole peak, if he retreats and avoids the fight, the majesty and reputation he has accumulated over the years will be completely destroyed, and he will never be able to hold his head high again in Heavenly Sword Peak!
Dilemma, dilemma on both sides!
Zhou Qi looked at his livid and ugly face quietly, his eyes still cold, but the corner of his mouth slightly curved in a mocking arc, and he added lightly:
"Why, Senior Brother Liu claims to have a solid foundation and steady practice. Is he still afraid that I, a newcomer with an unstable foundation and eager for success, will fail?"
This rhetorical question completely forced Liu Ying into a desperate situation. He was so stubborn about his face that he had no room for concession.
After a moment of silence, Liu Ying showed a trace of anger and humiliation in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Okay! I promise you!"
He stared at Zhou Qi, the suppressed murderous intent in his eyes almost breaking through his restraint, and his voice was cold and bone-chilling:
"When? Where will the duel take place?"
When Zhou Qi saw this, he suddenly laughed loudly and his tone was unruly:
"When and where?!"
"Right now! Today, I will let my junior brother learn how solid his foundation is!"
Before he finished speaking, Zhou Qi suddenly thrust out his wrist, and the long knife from his waist came out of its sheath!
Zheng--!
The clear and sharp sound of the sword resounded through the mountains, Startling Rainbow Saber the cold light, Metal Element the sword energy swept across all directions, and the sky was filled with tiny pieces Sword Qi trembling and stirring!