Screw It, Let's Do This!

Ye Xiao raised a hand and gently wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.

He looked down at the red on his fingers, then raised his head.

At last, a ripple stirred in his eyes, once still as an ancient well.

But what burst from them... was excitement.

Boundless excitement.

As though, after being invincible for so long, he had finally found an opponent.

"Interesting." Ye Xiao's lips curved. "Very interesting."

Li Yao saw his expression, and his heart skipped a beat.

Seriously? I made him bleed, and he's still this excited?

Don't tell me this guy's a masochist.

"We're the same age. I wasn't planning to crush you with an overwhelming advantage."

Ye Xiao had spoken.

Li Yao froze.

Damn, this guy's a real show-off.

So Ye Xiao's a championship-grade show-off?

Ten thousand alpacas stampeded through Li Yao's mind.

But his thoughts were quickly interrupted.

Across from him, Ye Xiao continued, "Li Yao, do you know why I'm in a league of my own at Imperial Capital University?"

He finished speaking and waited for Li Yao to ask.

Li Yao looked at him like he was an idiot.

Ask my ass. What the hell does your ranking have to do with me?

Ye Xiao didn't seem embarrassed when Li Yao failed to answer.

He simply went on, "Because the art I cultivate is also a Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique!"

At those words, the entire crowd fell silent.

"I can sense that you cultivate a Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique too. That's why you've remained undefeated."

Ye Xiao stared at Li Yao.

"But unfortunately for you, I have the very thing you're relying on!"

No sooner had he spoken than the Spiritual Power throughout the Martial Arts Arena began drifting toward him.

In an instant, thick mist gathered around Ye Xiao—the visible form Spiritual Power took when it became concentrated to the extreme.

"My god! A Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique! Do those really exist?"

"I always thought they were just a legend. I can't believe they actually exist!"

"Mom, I just witnessed history..."

The surrounding chatter instantly engulfed the Martial Arts Arena.

Li Yao looked at Ye Xiao with only one thought in mind.

Is this guy an idiot?

Doesn't he know an innocent man can be ruined just for carrying a treasure?

Is he shouting it out because he's in a hurry to die?

Li Yao looked up at the raised platform.

Sure enough, the eyes of the people there flickered.

In several of them, greed had almost taken on physical form.

It was obvious what they wanted.

A Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique!

With such a technique, advancing through cultivation realms would be as easy as drinking water!

Even Shi Jian's eyes had flashed with greed the instant Ye Xiao mentioned it.

But he quickly forced it down.

Watching this, Li Yao cursed inwardly.

What's wrong with this guy's head? How could he announce something so incredibly rare and valuable in public?

Right now, he genuinely wanted to kill Ye Xiao.

The guy was a championship-grade moron and show-off.

Forget it. If things get bad enough, I'll call my old man.

Li Yao made his plans in silence.

Ye Xiao clearly hadn't realized he was already being watched.

He was still frantically absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Qi.

The mist around him grew thicker and thicker, nearly swallowing him whole.

"Li Yao, I'll give you one chance."

Ye Xiao's voice came from within the mist. "Surrender now, and we can still be friends."

Li Yao laughed.

"Friends? Who do you think you are?"

"I, Li Yao, only win. I never lose!"

Within the mist, Ye Xiao shook his head.

"Then don't blame me for what happens next."

The moment he finished speaking, the mist exploded outward.

A powerful aura erupted from Ye Xiao.

The entire Arena shook.

Li Yao felt immense pressure bearing down on him.

"Damn, this guy..." Li Yao gritted his teeth. "His aura's more than twice as strong as before!"

"System, how much time is left on the Qi-Explosion Pill?"

"Ding! Qi-Explosion Pill duration remaining: 12 minutes. Host, please end the current battle as soon as possible."

"Fine. Then I'll show you just how strong I really am!"

Li Yao took a deep breath, and the Nine-Turn Profound Art began cycling furiously within him.

His aura climbed higher and higher.

"You want to use your Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique against me too?"

Ye Xiao's voice rang out. "Then let's see whose is stronger!"

Li Yao wasted no words and threw a punch.

"Heaven-Breaking Fist!"

His fist howled through the air, driving a razor-sharp gust straight toward Ye Xiao's face.

Ye Xiao answered with a punch of his own.

"Boom!"

Their fists collided with an explosive crack.

The entire Arena shook, and dust billowed up.

"Holy shit, these two are monsters!"

"That's way too much power!"

"Are they really Ninth-Rank Martial Masters?"

When the dust cleared, both men were still standing where they had been.

A trace of blood marked the corner of Li Yao's mouth.

A trace of blood marked Ye Xiao's mouth as well.

"You..." Ye Xiao looked at Li Yao, surprise flashing in his eyes. "You actually managed to hurt me?"

Li Yao grinned.

"That's nothing. I can knock you flat on your ass!"

Ye Xiao shook his head.

"You really are strong, but..."

His tone shifted.

"I haven't gone all out yet."

Li Yao's heart lurched.

He hasn't gone all out?

Just how strong is this guy?

"Watch closely, Li Yao."

With that, Ye Xiao formed a series of hand seals.

An even more immense aura erupted from him.

"Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique—Myriad Forms Return to Origin!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Spiritual Power from across the Martial Arts Arena surged wildly toward him.

His aura soared, quickly surpassing the limits of a Ninth-Rank Martial Master.

"Th-that's the aura of a Martial Venerable!"

"Is Ye Xiao about to break through to Martial Venerable?"

"No, he's holding it back! He doesn't want to break through!"

Li Yao stared at Ye Xiao, his eyes wide.

He really had been suppressing his cultivation?

He'd been fighting me with only the strength of an ordinary Ninth-Rank Martial Master?

Only one thought remained in Li Yao's mind.

This is fucking ridiculous!

Ye Xiao finished forming the seals, took a deep breath, and looked at Li Yao.

"Li Yao, you're impressive."

"But you're still not good enough."

"So let's end it with this move."

Ye Xiao raised his hand and struck with his palm.

The strike was impossibly fast.

Li Yao didn't even have time to react.

"Bang!"

The palm strike sent Li Yao flying. He crashed hard onto the Arena.

"Holy shit, Li Yao got sent flying!"

"It's over already?"

"Ye Xiao's still Ye Xiao. He's too strong!"

Li Yao struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

He looked at Ye Xiao, with only one thought in his mind.

This guy really is strong.

"System, do I still have any chance of winning?"

"Ding! Under the current circumstances, the host is certain to lose."

"However, this system has located the weak point of Myriad Forms Return to Origin. The host still has a chance."

At the system's answer, a fierce glint flashed in Li Yao's eyes.

Fuck it. I'm going all in!

If I die, I die. If I don't, I'll live for ten thousand years!

Today, I'm getting rid of that 'simp' label for good!

"System, where's the weak point? Quick!"

"The second joint of his left index finger. Strike it, and Myriad Forms Return to Origin can be broken."

Let's do this!