Public Challenge

Time flew by, and only eighteen days remained until the Inner Sect Tournament.

Shen Yuan immersed himself in arduous cultivation every day.

During the day, he practiced at the training grounds, alternating between the True Subduing Tiger Fist and the First Seven Forms of Azure Cloud Thirteen Swords. Again and again, he pondered the point where fierce fist force could meld with flowing sword momentum. At night, his consciousness sank into the Martial Arts Simulation Space, where he spent the Martial Dao Points he had painstakingly accumulated to simulate combat scenarios in which the two martial arts worked in tandem.

Martial Dao Points were especially difficult to accumulate. After more than ten days and nights of comprehending all kinds of sword arts and fist principles, he had only saved up 7 points.

[Simulating a coordinated fist-and-sword combat technique. Consuming 3 Martial Dao Points.]

Within the void of the simulation, his phantom avatar formed a fist with one hand and held a virtual longsword in the other, constantly attempting alternating fist-and-sword attacks.

Either the fist force was too fierce, disrupting the sword techniques' flowing rhythm, or the swordsmanship was too soft, losing the explosive killing power of the True Subduing Tiger Fist. Failure after failure, the phantom was continuously shattered by its virtual opponent, while his soul endured the stabbing pain brought by the simulated battles.

In the outside world, fine beads of cold sweat often seeped from Shen Yuan's forehead.

Of the 7 Martial Dao Points, 3 had been spent on the simulation, leaving 4.

That was still far from enough to completely simulate and form an entire Peerless Fist-and-Sword martial art. For now, he could only accumulate a vast amount of combat data, wait until he gained more Martial Dao Points through future real battles, and then conduct a complete simulation.

That afternoon, the Grand Martial Arts Plaza of the inner sect's main peak was packed with people.

Inner sect disciples gathered there in droves. With the Minor Tournament approaching, many disciples came to the martial arts plaza to spar and hone their real combat skills.

Shen Yuan intended to observe the inner sect disciples' combat styles firsthand and gather more battle samples for the Heavenly Stele's future simulations. Thus, he too came to the martial arts plaza.

Arena after arena stood across the plaza, while the sounds of fists, feet, and weapons clashing rang out without end.

"Look, that's Shen Yuan, the newly promoted inner sect disciple who broke through the sword formation as a menial disciple."

"I heard he's even cultivating a crippled set of Azure Cloud Thirteen Swords. I wonder how powerful it is in actual combat."

Quite a few disciples turned their gazes toward Shen Yuan and whispered among themselves.

Ignoring the discussions around him, Shen Yuan stood at the edge of the spectator stands and quietly watched the matches on the arenas, silently recording the techniques and styles of the various martial arts.

Just then, the crowd at the plaza entrance parted to form a path.

Xiao Wuji wore a moon-white fitted outfit, a silver-white longsword hanging at his waist. His aura was deep and vast, and faint Profound Qi slowly circulated around his body.

The aura of the Profound Communion Realm spread outward without the slightest concealment.

He had already finished his period of closed-door reflection.

A group of disciples affiliated with Xiao Wuji followed close behind, surrounding him as he entered the martial arts plaza.

Xiao Wuji swept his gaze across the plaza and quickly spotted Shen Yuan in a corner of the stands.

His steps paused, and he headed directly toward the stands.

In an instant, every disciple in the plaza focused on the two of them.

Everyone remembered the old grudge over the Azure Cloud Sword Formation. The two were like fire and water, utterly incompatible. Many sensed that trouble was about to erupt.

Xiao Wuji stopped several steps before Shen Yuan, and the clamor across the plaza quieted by several degrees.

"Junior Brother Shen Yuan, you came to watch the sparring as well?" Xiao Wuji's voice was loud enough for a large crowd nearby to hear. "I heard you intend to participate in the Inner Sect Tournament twenty-five days from now."

"That's right," Shen Yuan answered calmly.

"Heh." Xiao Wuji gave a cold laugh. His gaze swept over the numerous inner sect disciples watching nearby, and he deliberately raised his voice. "I heard that Junior Brother came from the menial ranks and happened to break through an out-of-control sword formation by chance, so now you think highly of yourself. But with such shallow foundations, how far can a menial disciple truly go, even if he luckily obtains inner sect status?"

His words made no attempt to conceal their contempt, publicly belittling Shen Yuan's origins.

An uproar broke out all around them, and the watching disciples began talking heatedly.

"Senior Brother Xiao is openly making trouble for Shen Yuan."

"Senior Brother Xiao has already broken through to the Profound Communion Realm, while Shen Yuan is only at the Early Meridian Opening Stage. The gap between their realms is far too great."

Xiao Wuji continued, his voice carrying in every direction. "You even treat that crippled, worthless Azure Cloud Thirteen Swords as some precious treasure. A menial disciple dreaming of dazzling everyone in the Inner Sect Tournament with half a tattered manual? What a wild fantasy."

The successive taunts were clearly meant to crush Shen Yuan's reputation before so many fellow disciples.

Shen Yuan's gaze chilled slightly, yet he did not fly into an impulsive rage. Surrounded by so many onlookers, if he struck first, even a justified cause would become unjustified.

"Senior Brother Xiao, the strength of a martial art does not lie in one's origins, nor in whether the manual is complete. On the arena, the truth will reveal itself." Shen Yuan's voice was equally loud as he answered for all around him to hear.

"Pretty words." A provocative curve rose at the corner of Xiao Wuji's mouth. "Since you have such confidence in your own strength, I'll wait for you on the tournament arena. I hope that when the time comes, you won't surrender the moment you meet me."

As he spoke, he raised a hand and gripped the hilt at his waist. The longsword slid half an inch from its sheath, cold light flashing.

"If your luck is good enough for us to meet on the tournament arena, I will properly experience just how much weight that crippled sword art you simulated truly carries."

It was a naked, public challenge.

The entire plaza erupted.

The disciples around them whispered among themselves. Everyone began anticipating this clash between someone in the Meridian Opening Realm and someone in the Profound Communion Realm at the Minor Tournament.

After speaking, Xiao Wuji did not linger. With a cold laugh, he turned and departed with his followers.

The crowd of onlookers still surrounded Shen Yuan. Quite a few approached him to probe for information, asking what he thought about facing Xiao Wuji in the Minor Tournament.

Shen Yuan had no desire to waste words in dispute. After giving a few simple replies, he turned and left the martial arts plaza, returning to his small courtyard.

After returning to the courtyard, he closed its gate.

Wang Dong happened to be waiting inside already. He had heard news of what had happened at the martial arts plaza, and his face was full of anxiety.

"Xiao Wuji has gone too far! He humiliated you in public and even openly challenged you! He's now in the Profound Communion Realm. He clearly wants to crush you before everyone on the tournament arena and disgrace your name!"

Shen Yuan stood in the training yard, gazing toward the mountains and forests beyond the courtyard. His expression remained calm.

"The more high-profile he acts, the less likely it is to be entirely bad for me."

"Huh?" Wang Dong looked utterly confused.

"By challenging me in public, he has effectively placed everyone's attention on this match in the Minor Tournament." Shen Yuan spoke slowly. "If I can truly find an opportunity to force a draw with him, or even defeat him, I can shake the entire inner sect in one stroke. Even if I cannot win, as long as I can contend with a Profound Communion Realm cultivator like him for a long time, it will be enough to prove my strength. More importantly, arena combat is my best opportunity to obtain a large number of Martial Dao Points."

Yet the danger was equally like a sword hanging overhead.

The Profound Communion Realm could project true qi outward and wield Profound Qi Protection. If Xiao Wuji showed no mercy on the arena, Shen Yuan could very likely be severely injured or even perish there.

"But the risk is just as deadly." Wang Dong furrowed his brow tightly. "On the arena, it is difficult for the referee to completely prevent someone from 'accidentally injuring another.'"

"I understand." Shen Yuan nodded. "That is why, in the days ahead, I must cultivate twice as hard. I will strive to accumulate as many Martial Dao Points as possible, simulate a Peerless Fist-and-Sword combat technique, and at the same time polish the First Seven Forms of Azure Cloud Thirteen Swords to their utmost limit."

Night slowly descended.

Shen Yuan entered the quiet chamber, closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness into the Martial Arts Simulation Space.

Xiao Wuji's figure was simulated and replicated within the Martial Arts Simulation Space. His Profound Communion Realm strength and Mountain-Splitting Palm martial art were fully replicated.

The simulated battle officially began.

Again and again, he exchanged blows; again and again, he was crushed by the Profound Qi Protection of the Profound Communion Realm.

Within the simulation void, Shen Yuan experienced the terror of Profound Communion Realm power over and over, searching for that minuscule chance to break the deadlock.