On the platform, Yunxiao stood proudly, sword in hand. Facing Bai Yu, another outstanding disciple among the recruits, his face remained expressionless. There was no hint of emotion, only boundless confidence.
"Surrender now; you don't stand a chance," Yunxiao said calmly, as though stating an obvious fact. His tranquil eyes showed not the slightest ripple of emotion.
Yunxiao was an exceedingly arrogant person, but he had the talent to back it up, along with a background others envied. However, Bai Yu had his talents as well. Though his family and aptitude didn't quite match Yunxiao's, Bai Yu understood that he had little chance of winning this fight. But still, he wanted to try, to test the gap in their strength.
Bai Yu didn't want to surrender easily. He wanted to face Yunxiao head-on in a fair fight.
"Brother Yun, there's no need to say more. I won't surrender. If you respect me, then fight me with all your strength. Let's have a proper duel!"
"As you wish," Yunxiao replied, nodding slightly. He gestured with his hand, signaling Bai Yu to attack first.
Seeing Yunxiao's calmness, Bai Yu didn't hesitate any longer. He slapped his storage pouch, summoning his sword. With incredible speed, he dashed forward, leaving an afterimage in his wake.
"This Bai Yu is no slouch. Compared to Wu Zhanheng, who fought you earlier, he might even be stronger," Li Muchen remarked, impressed by Bai Yu's display of speed.
On the other hand, Chen An remained expressionless, not responding to Li Muchen's comment. His eyes were fixed on Yunxiao, eager to see how Yunxiao would respond to Bai Yu's aggressive attack.
The answer: Yunxiao did nothing.
That's right. Faced with Bai Yu's potentially strongest attack, Yunxiao didn't move an inch. Instead, he calmly placed one hand behind his back.
This behavior caused Chen An to frown slightly, sensing a trace of murderous intent.
"Bai Yu is going to die," Chen An suddenly said. Li Muchen, shocked by this statement, was about to ask why when the prediction came true.
*Splat!*
In an instant, blood sprayed everywhere. Bai Yu was split in two, cleaved down the middle by Yunxiao's sword, dying on the spot.
*Thud!*
Bai Yu's lifeless body fell to the ground in two halves. A gust of wind blew past, rustling Yunxiao's robes, which remained pristine and untouched by the blood. He stood there, unmoved, his white robes as clean as ever.
The sight caused everyone to gasp. The crowd was instantly filled with murmurs and shocked discussions. No one had seen Yunxiao move, nor had anyone noticed when he drew his sword to kill Bai Yu. It was as if, in the moment Bai Yu prepared to attack, he was already effortlessly split in half.
The skill was terrifying. Even some of the older inner disciples concluded that Yunxiao's strength was far beyond his cultivation stage. Bai Yu had also been in the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, yet Yunxiao killed him with a single strike.
This meant Yunxiao's true strength was likely close to the late stage of Qi Condensation, a level where few in the inner sect could compete with him.
It was clear that Yunxiao had already secured the top spot in the disciple tournament, far ahead of any competition. Anyone who dared to challenge him would meet the same fate as Bai Yu.
"Has there ever been such a blatant killing in previous tournaments?" Chen An finally shifted his gaze away from Yunxiao and asked Li Muchen.
Li Muchen, having regained his composure, explained quietly, "In both the disciple tournaments and sect trials, there's never been any restriction against killing. In the world of cultivators, it's always life or death."
"However, even so, it's rare for anyone to kill so mercilessly in such situations. This Yunxiao… he's ruthless."
"You're only half right," Chen An said, casting one last glance at Yunxiao before withdrawing his gaze. "The reason Yunxiao killed Bai Yu so decisively is that he doesn't want to waste time. He's using this as a warning to all future opponents—anyone who faces him had better surrender immediately, or they'll meet the same fate as Bai Yu."
Perhaps it was Chen An's natural insight or a kindred recognition between rivals, but he understood Yunxiao's intentions all too well. He also knew that, given his current strength, defeating Yunxiao was virtually impossible.
"We should go. Today's fights are over," Chen An said. He and Li Muchen left the arena together. As they walked back, Chen An remained calm, showing no signs of dejection.
At first, Li Muchen thought Chen An was hiding his emotions, so he tried to comfort him. "The only difference between you and Yunxiao is family background. I believe, with time, you'll surpass him. Don't let it bother you."
"I'm not bothered."
Chen An's response caught Li Muchen by surprise. "You're not? After seeing how powerful Yunxiao is, you don't care? Then what were you thinking about earlier, when you were silent?"
"I was thinking about how I'd deal with him if we ever fought."
Chen An's answer was calm and straightforward. He didn't know it, but this reply shook Li Muchen to his core.
Despite knowing the immense gap in strength between himself and Yunxiao—despite knowing that fighting Yunxiao could result in the same fate as Bai Yu's—Chen An was still contemplating battle strategies.
This realization deeply impressed Li Muchen. For the first time, he looked at Chen An not just as a talented but disadvantaged friend, but as a genuine cultivator.
"Can you tell me why you're so determined to win the tournament, even if it means going up against Yunxiao?" Li Muchen asked sincerely, hoping to finally understand his friend's motivation. Chen An's resolve had always seemed a bit too intense and out of character.
This time, Chen An paused for a moment but didn't dodge the question. "I've offended someone. If I don't win the tournament, I'll die."
"But based on what we've seen today, wouldn't fighting Yunxiao also mean certain death?"
"No." Chen An shook his head, his face still calm. His eyes gleamed with wisdom. "Though fighting Yunxiao is extremely dangerous, it's not certain death. Compared to the cost of not securing the top spot, taking the risk is well worth it."