The young man was taken aback by Siya's audacity, realizing that she had a significant advantage in terms of cultivation level. Nervously, he stood up and stammered, "Your cultivation is higher than mine. My friend here will fight you."
A man sitting beside him, also in the first stage of the Core Condensation realm like Siya, reluctantly rose to his feet. Siya and the man proceeded to the dueling stage, paying a few spirit stones to the worker in charge and climbing onto the stage. Once they were ready, the formation was activated, and they faced each other.
Aditya and his group continued to eat their dinner while attentively watching Siya's match. Aditya had complete confidence in her abilities. Thanks to the Immortal Yin-Yang cultivation manual and immortal fighting techniques, she could easily defeat cultivators at the Early or Middle Stage of Core Condensation realm.
Siya secured the end of her saree around her waist and unsheathed her 6-star sword, a long and slender blade with a double edge and a dark blue handle. She cherished the sword, a gift from Aditya. Poised for action, she awaited the referee's signal to begin the fight.
The opponent drew a long, single-edged sword with a black handle, gripping it with both hands. The referee announced, "Start," and lowered his right hand.
Siya stood her ground, intently observing her opponent and remaining ready to defend and counter his attacks.
Aditya, still dining with his group, proudly watched Siya's confident stance and felt delighted by her progress. The opponent launched a series of slashes from different angles, but Siya gracefully evaded each with the
Frustrated by his failed attacks, the opponent retreated, having exhausted his strength and spirit Qi in vain.
Aditya sipped his mango juice and smiled at Siya, who met his gaze. She reciprocated the smile and resumed her bout. This time, she moved and delivered swift slashes with the
Her adversary soon found himself covered in wounds, bleeding, and drained of energy. Facing the fierce lady before him, he shouted, "I admit defeat."
Siya promptly disengaged, and the referee declared, "I announce the lady as the winner." Siya descended from the stage, casting a haughty glance at the man who had previously mocked them. He averted his gaze, filled with embarrassment.
"Your supposedly most formidable companion just fell to me. The next time you ridicule someone, consider whether you can back up your words," Siya admonished, then took her seat at the dining table.
"Congratulations, Siya," Aditya cheered and offered her his hand.
She smiled at him, and Riya, Aditi, and Aakansha also extended their congratulations. They enjoyed their meal for another half an hour. While there were still ongoing duels on the stage, Aditya had no interest in participating, knowing he far outclassed the young cultivators there.
"Riya, Siya, would you like to go for a walk in the city?" Aditya inquired.
"Alright, let's go," Riya responded.
"I'm excited to explore the city, Adi," Siya added as she took his hand.
Aditya bade farewell to Aditi, the maids, and the guards. He held Riya's hand in his left and Siya's in his right as they left the Taj Inn.
Aditya had obtained a map from the inn's reception staff, which he consulted to determine their current location. They were situated in the fourth layer of the city, with five layers in total. The first outer layer housed the guards, the second featured residences, inns, restaurants, and affordable shopping options.
The third layer was home to the prominent clans of the city. The fourth layer, where Aditya and his group were located, contained restaurants, inns, and merchant shops. The central layer served as an exclusive area for the city's nobility, aristocrats, the city lord, and a reserved space for the Mystic Mountain sect.
While the Mystic Mountain sect was not situated within the city, it maintained areas for its disciples to reside and conduct business with the city. Additionally, there were several dueling stadiums in the fourth layer and a large stadium in the central layer.
Aditya guided Riya and Siya to the shopping area, which was only a few kilometers away. The girls delighted in his company and explored numerous merchant shops. They purchased new clothes, primarily embracing the Blue Sea city culture with traditional Chinese or Japanese attire. Riya and Siya donned Hanfu clothing and eagerly displayed their new looks to Aditya.
Aditya was impressed by their beauty and praised their choices. They also visited jewelry shops, acquiring lovely necklaces and rings. Although they contemplated further exploration, including visiting auction houses or artifact shops, it was already quite late.
Returning to the inn, they savored another enjoyable night. Aditya showered them with affection, sharing kisses and embraces. They drifted into a peaceful slumber, relishing their first day in the new city.