The Tang family estate was bustling with energy. The family gathering had always drawn attention, and today was no exception. The younger generation had gathered in the main courtyard, preparing to prove their strength and secure their standing among the family. The arena at the center buzzed with anticipation, the crowd murmuring with excitement.
Xian Di stood at the edge, unnoticed as usual, his eyes scanning the activity without reaction. He had spent years as a shadow in these gatherings, his lack of progress leaving him invisible to the others. But today, he was different, and though no one knew it yet, that was about to change.
The opening duels set the tone for the day, each fighter showcasing their strength and skill. Fierce clashes of Qi filled the arena, the sound of heavy strikes and the crack of energy echoing through the courtyard. The crowd roared with approval as the strongest participants battled for dominance, each hoping to impress the elders.
But Xian Di remained still, his expression cold and focused. He was not here to impress. He was here to win.
As another match ended, a ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. The elder at the far end of the courtyard raised his hand, signaling the next contestant.
"Xian Di, step forward."
There was a moment of stunned silence, then the crowd erupted in whispers and snickers.
"Xian Di?" someone called out mockingly.
"He's still trying?" another voice jeered.
"He'll be flattened in seconds. He's no match for his opponent."
Laughter followed, a chorus of derision from the onlookers. For years, Xian Di had been the object of scorn among his peers, a cultivator who never seemed to improve. His lack of progress had made him an easy target for ridicule, and today, they expected nothing more than another failure.
"I give him a minute before he's on the ground," someone shouted from the crowd, earning more laughter.
His opponent, a tall figure well into Qi Refinement Stage 2 (Peak), stood across the arena, smirking as the insults filled the air. The older boy looked confident, perhaps even amused by the idea of fighting someone like Xian Di.
But Xian Di didn't react. His face remained impassive, his body calm. The words of the crowd meant nothing to him. They always had.
Without a word, he stepped into the arena.
The crowd continued to snicker as Xian Di took his place. His opponent rolled his shoulders, clearly expecting an easy win.
"Let's make this quick," the older boy sneered, his Qi already radiating with power.
But Xian Di remained silent, his spear steady in his hand. There was no need to speak, no reason to delay. As the elder raised his hand to signal the start of the duel, Xian Di's body tensed, ready to move.
"Begin!" the elder called out.
Before the word had fully left the elder's mouth, Xian Di was already in motion. His spear cut through the air with lethal precision, aimed directly at his opponent's chest. The attack was swift—too swift. The crowd barely had time to register the movement before the spear was inches away from making contact.
The older boy stumbled back, barely raising his arms to block the strike, shock flashing across his face. But Xian Di was already gone, his body moving fluidly to the side, slipping through space with effortless grace. His opponent's counterattack missed completely, cutting through nothing but air.
Gasps erupted from the crowd as Xian Di reappeared behind his opponent, his spear already swinging for another strike. His opponent managed to deflect the blow, but the force of it sent him staggering. There was no smirk now, no trace of amusement.
Xian Di pressed forward. His strikes were clean, each one delivered with a precision that left no room for error. His body moved with an eerie calm, his footwork flawless as he slipped through the opponent's defenses. Every movement was calculated, every step perfectly placed. It was as if he had seen the entire fight before it even began.
The older boy gritted his teeth, his Qi surging as he attempted a desperate counterattack. But Xian Di moved before the blow could land, his spear already poised for the final strike. With a single, swift motion, he thrust the spear forward, the tip stopping just inches from his opponent's throat.
The duel was over.
For a moment, there was only silence. The crowd, which had moments earlier been filled with jeers and laughter, now stood in stunned disbelief. Xian Di lowered his spear, his face as cold and expressionless as it had been before the fight began. His opponent, still breathing heavily from the effort, took a step back, his eyes wide with shock.
No one spoke. The ease with which Xian Di had dismantled his opponent was impossible to ignore. The boy who had been mocked, insulted, and ridiculed was now standing at the center of the arena, victorious without so much as a single word.
Xian Di turned away from his defeated opponent, his movements as calm and deliberate as before. The crowd's whispers followed him as he stepped out of the arena, their mocking tones replaced by something else—uncertainty.
The elders exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. Whatever they had expected from Xian Di today, this wasn't it.
He walked away, unaffected by the change in the crowd's tone, his mind already focused on the next fight.