'Stop!'
A loud voice echoed in Xu Kai's ears. Instantaneously, he tilted his fist, causing his punch to graze Cheng Yi's nose.
He borrowed the force of his fist, twisted his waist, and swung his leg. Bam—! His foot hit Cheng Yi's cheek with so much impact that the youths watching shuddered.
Cheng Yi's eyes rolled up and he fell to the ground.
Silence.
'Good. Had your anger controlled you and you executed that punch, the Cheng brat would have died and you would not have survived the Cheng's wrath. Bide your time.'
To Xu Kai, he felt like someone whispered into his eyes. His eyes veered toward Elder Feng and he gave a subtle nod.
He cupped one hand in the other and bowed deeply.
Seeing him bow, Elder Cheng and Elder Shui frowned. They both knew there was no way a sleeper could grow so powerful in such a short time without external aid.
A name naturally appeared in their minds.
Feng Shaofang!
"I chose to challenge Xu Kai." A soft, female voice fell into Xu Kai's ears and he turned toward his left.
His eyes met with a pair of beautiful, watery eyes flickering with unreadable intentions.
"Since you actually have the strength to retain the jade tag, I felt it would be a pleasure to spar with someone who is not my brother."
An enchanting smile graced her face.
While other youths felt envious, Xu Kai raised his guard.
"We'll allow it." Cheng Yi said, the corners of his lips curling up a bit.
"If that's what the Elders wish," Xu Kai folded his fists and faced Shui Mei Er with a solemn expression.
"Why so serious?" She chuckled. With a thought, water enveloped her, forming an octopus in a matter of moments.
Hiss—!
"Another high-grade skill! It's the Water Octopus that Elder Shui Ling is famous for." A youth shuddered.
"Even though Xu Kai was able to defeat brother Yi, it still doesn't change his status as a sleeper. Shui Mei Er is just too strong and she's also pursing the advanced realms of a mage. Her advantages are too big for Xu Kai to surpass."
Like the youth said, Xu Kai wasn't able to close the gap. The water tentacles whipped toward him with astonishing speed, causing him to focus on dodging.
Shui Mei Er stood inside a water blob that had eight tentacles moving at her command. Her eyes were fierce.
She bit her lower lip out of frustration after trying and trying but Xu Kai kept dodging.
"You short…!" Her outburst caused Spirit Qi to burst out, whipping around her with a cerulean glow.
Pushing her hand forward, the tentacles grew larger and three fell toward Xu Kai; their new size made them so massive that his escape routes were closed.
"You still do not amount to much." Shui Mei Er sneered.
Her condescending expression changed to shock as Xu Kai's feet shattered a tentacle! As the water splashed, Xu Kai's fist was before the water blob.
His fist hit the blob but rebounded. Shui Mei Er quickly recovered from her shock and a tentacle shot out, wrapping around Xu Kai.
It swiftly became ice.
Xu Kai lifted his arms up and swung them down. Boom—! The frozen tentacle became ice shards!
Shui Mei Er's eyes widened.
"What monstrous strength!" Cheng Yu's eyes narrowed.
"He has the strength and end-stage Foundation Building Realm practitioner!" Shui Long Yan felt even more excited.
Cheng Yi was good but Xu Kai was an even better training partner.
Panicked, Shui Mei Er launched the remaining tentacles but Xu Kai was similar to a bulldozer. He destroyed them!
As he arrived before the blob, she froze the external layer.
"There's still a difference between a mage and a knight." Shui Ling said softly, pleased by her granddaughter's great defense.
However, her pleased smile couldn't survive the brutal, relentless, and raging kicks that Xu Kai launched against the blob.
[Raging Kicks!]
"You…!" Trembling from anger and humiliation from being conered by a beggar, Shui Mei Er dissolved the cracking blob but secretly threw two ice spikes while somersaulting backward.
The blue spikes appeared vividly in Xu Kai's crimson eyes. He balanced his left leg and his right leg, which was lifted up, and struck out twice like a viper, shattering the ice spikes!
He brought down his leg and threw a spinning kick to the left. Although he was two meters away from Shui Mei Er, the wind blew her hair up!
By the time she opened her eyes, Xu Kai's fingers were before her face.
His eyes were akin to a Skylark's!
The moment she saw him so close, her heart skipped a beat.
"Boo." Xu Kai said and she fell on her buttocks. Her cheeks turned red when she realized what just transpired.
Seeing Xiu Kai smirk, hatred boiled inside her heart.
The atmosphere changed as Shui Mei Er's Spirit Qi began to go out of control.
"Shui Mei, control yourself. Learn from your defeat." Elder Feng's voice fell into her ears.
Reluctantly, she cupped one hand into the other, just like Xiu Kai.
'How does a sleeper possess such terrifying strength? I had a feeling I was against a beast when I fought him.' She secretly took glimpses at Xu Kai.
"Am I free to go? Or does anyone plan to challenge me?"
Silence.
"The competition is not yet over." Elder Cheng Wei tersely responded.
"Elder, I have a little sister to feed." Xu Kai turned to Elder Feng.
Elder Feng gave a soft nod. "Go."
Cheng Wei clenched his fists as he watched Xu Kai walk away. His glare traveled through with unnerving thoroughness, boring into Elder Feng but the silver-haired old man ignored the raging Cheng Wei.
"Continue the competition." Shui Ling hit her staff against the ground.
****
Hours later…
Inside the Elders Hall, Cheng Wei sat on his throne, with Shui Ling sitting on hers. Elder Feng was the only Elder missing.
"I've had it with that brat! He's clearly being nurtured by Feng Shaofang!" Cheng Wei slammed the armrest powerfully.
Shui Ling closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them and speaking.
"You think from only one angle. Why would Shaofang nurture a sleeper? Someone who is bound to be unable to enter the advanced realms no matter what?"
Cheng Wei's eyes narrowed. "You mean that there's something special about the boy?"
"Yes. I need to know what can make a sleeper grow stronger than my daughter, who has a desolate water talent. Are you not interested in what can cause such drastic change?"