Who the Hell Do You Think You Are?

There was no question of suppressing anyone's cultivation to put them on equal footing.

This was not about selecting talented elites. It was a contest of pure strength.

There were hardly so many places where one could show their mettle in fair competition.

After all, the White Household wanted the thirty strongest guards, not promising guest retainers.

"Young friend, this bridal escort mission is extraordinarily dangerous. Perhaps you should sit this one out," the head of the White Household kindly advised.

He could hardly fail to notice Li Yang.

After all, as a Qi Refining cultivator at the great perfection stage, Li Yang stood out conspicuously among a crowd of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Didn't the recruitment notice say late-stage Qi Refining and above?" Li Yang asked.

"Indeed, but that was posted earlier. We must adjust to the actual circumstances."

"No need." Li Yang shook his head.

The head of the White Household did not press him further.

No one mocked Li Yang for overestimating himself.

In the cultivation world, examples of pigs in disguise devouring tigers were too numerous to count.

"Junior brother, would you like to borrow a Magic Treasure?" Ning Xinyao asked.

Li Yang shook his head.

After refining the soldier piece, he transferred his Spirit Sword onto it.

The next moment, a bronze sword appeared in the piece's hand, its shape identical to his Spirit Sword.

Some participants had plenty of Magic Treasures and loaded their soldiers from head to toe.

Ning Xinyao went so far as to put a storage ring on her soldier.

As the soldier pieces returned to the Asura Battleboard, everyone's consciousness fully merged into the battlefield world within.

After a moment of disorientation, Li Yang opened his eyes.

The sky was gray and murky. Bloodstains had dried across the battlefield, and broken halberds and shattered swords lay everywhere.

He had become a Bronze Soldier, his appearance identical to his real body except for his bluish skin.

"Hah!"

With a fierce shout, the spell cultivator nearest him activated a Magic Treasure and attacked.

Clearly, the man had taken him for a soft persimmon ripe for squeezing.

After all, outside, it was possible to conceal one's cultivation.

But Li Yang's aura was still at the great perfection of Qi Refining here, leaving the man with no further concerns.

The man's Magic Treasure was a horsetail whisk.

With a sweep, it unleashed swathes of wind and lightning that came surging over like a net covering heaven and earth.

Sword in hand, Li Yang advanced instead of retreating.

Clang!

Sword Qi erupted, gleaming scarlet as it cleaved through the wind and lightning, its sharpness unstoppable.

His opponent froze.

He clearly had not expected this sword cultivator at the great perfection of Qi Refining to possess such powerful attacks.

By the time he reacted, Li Yang had already closed in.

He snorted coldly, formed seals with both hands, and spat a fierce beam of white light from his mouth.

Boom!

A bolt of blazing white lightning thundered out, striking head-on at the charging Li Yang.

He was very confident.

This secret art was particularly effective against enemies trying to close in on spell cultivators. As a disciple of a major spell-cultivation sect, he was one of its favored prodigies.

He had always been the one defeating opponents above his level. He did not believe for a moment that Li Yang, at the great perfection of Qi Refining, could defeat him, a fourth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator.

As he saw it, Li Yang would have to dodge or retreat once this lightning strike locked onto him.

The moment Li Yang evaded, he would play right into his hands.

This Thunderclap Shout locked onto its target through the soul. Once unleashed, it would not stop until it struck.

And at such close range, Li Yang could not possibly dodge faster than it could move.

Yet-

Boom!

Without dodging or flinching, Li Yang hacked his sword straight into the blazing white lightning!

He's mad!

That was the spell cultivator's first thought.

But then he saw the lightning actually split in two, and his eyes widened.

"How is that possible?!"

An incomparably fierce surge of Sword Qi was already bearing down on him, its sharpness making his face sting.

Only then did he finally recognize just how terrifying his opponent's offensive power was.

Everyone said sword cultivators were unmatched in offense, but no one had said they were this terrifying!

How many people had he killed to temper his killing intent into something so fearsome?

The man immediately activated a Magic Treasure on his body, conjuring a suit of illusory chain mail around himself.

Clink!

Li Yang thrust with all his strength. His sword tip struck the illusory chain mail with the ring of clashing metal.

But then scarlet light blazed along the entire blade, and the sword's power erupted a second time.

With a crack, it pierced the illusory chain mail, opening a small breach.

The blade drove straight through, piercing the man between the brows.

First kill!

The man's real body abruptly opened its eyes, drenched in cold sweat.

Although it had not been his real body, the sensation of death had felt all too real.

He looked at Li Yang, terror still lingering in his eyes.

Who exactly is this man?! His cultivation is only at the great perfection of Qi Refining, but his attacks are terrifyingly sharp!

Carelessness had played a part, but even if he tried again, he still had no confidence he could win.

Meanwhile-

A chaotic melee had erupted on the battlefield within the Asura Battleboard.

Li Yang did not seek out his next opponent.

Combat with neither life-and-death stakes nor rewards held no appeal for him.

After witnessing Li Yang's strength, those around him no longer dared underestimate this sword cultivator at the great perfection of Qi Refining. One glance was enough to tell that he must have come from some sword-cultivation lineage.

The number of participants quickly plummeted from nearly a hundred to fewer than fifty.

Nearly all were experts at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage or above, making Li Yang, a lone Qi Refining cultivator, especially conspicuous.

"There's something strange about this sword cultivator. Let's join forces and eliminate him."

Three Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivators banded together, intending to eliminate the weakest. Otherwise, they would be the ones eliminated.

But just then-

Xuan Shi, the Demon Scion of the Heaven-Devouring Devil Palace, suddenly roared, a terrifying wave of sound bursting from his mouth:

"Scram!"

Devilish energy infused the sound wave, whipping up an energy storm that drove the three men back.

No one had dared provoke him, and he could have advanced without trouble. Yet he took the initiative to walk toward Li Yang.

"You're good. Would you be willing to become my follower?"

He stopped before Li Yang, admiration in his eyes.

Li Yang held his sword in one hand, its tip resting on the ground.

"You're not worthy."

Xuan Shi did not grow angry. "I understand your refusal to submit. I'll suppress my cultivation and fight you. If you lose, you'll follow me."

But his answer was a slash of Sword Qi from Li Yang.

Clang!

Xuan Shi froze, instinctively raising his arm to block.

Hiss!

The flesh he took such pride in was sliced open by that Sword Qi, the cut reaching all the way to his arm bone!

"Looks like you agree."

Rather than growing angry, Xuan Shi was delighted.

The stronger Li Yang was, the more qualified he would be to become his follower.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Li Yang spoke, undisguised contempt in his eyes. "A mere devil cultivator like you should have come here with your tail between your legs, like a rat scurrying across the street for everyone to beat. Just because those shameless female cultivators fawn over you, you really think you're someone important?

"Laughable!

"In my eyes, Demon Cultivators like you are fine so long as you cultivate and behave yourselves.

"But step out of line in any way, and I'll cut you down!"

How could anyone have guts like this?!

Hearing Li Yang's words, the surrounding cultivators could not help marveling.

His opponent was the Demon Scion of the Heaven-Devouring Devil Palace!

He had even insulted every female cultivator who had approached Xuan Shi earlier. Was he not afraid of drawing their hatred?

The smile gradually vanished from Xuan Shi's face.

"I've changed my mind," he said, his voice icy. "I'll kill you! And not just in this battlefield world!"