Zhao Kang really felt that Tian Mo was playing a trick on him. While it was not impossible for one to defeat an opponent at a higher level of cultivation, that required genius talent and pinnacle martial arts taught by masters. Tian Mo's, a young teenager, could never have such abilities.
But considering his easy beginning into cultivation, he actually thought he could win? Could it be that he been told that he more stronger than usual?
The crowd murmured around him, their voices a mix of mockery and disbelief.
"Does he really think he can win against Zhao Kang? The Kang family won't let this slide, even if by some miracle he does."
Tian Mo ignored them, but their words hit deeper than he cared to admit. He hadn't fully thought about the consequences of this fight. He was too focused on proving himself, too caught up in the idea that if he could just land a single blow if he could just stand his ground then maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't feel so small anymore. But he refused to let it show.
Zhao Kang asked with a smirk. "What do you want?"
Tian Mo head dropped for a sec befor saying. "If I win... I want all the resources on you, also three hundred silver oris."
All his resources and Three Hundred Silver Oris! The people around were all rendered speechless, all his resources where understanable because coming from rhe kang family there sure alot, howover three hundred silver oris. This is no small number, even for the Kang family, still one needs to be alive in order to take it.
"Three hundred silver oris?" Zhao Kang coldly snorted. "You think you qualify? Your soul worth that much?"
Within his city, the lives of nobles and commoners are not equal. Even if Zhao Kang were to kill someone, he would only end up being confined as punishment. After that, all he had to do was pay a compensation.
'All soul cultivators need to consume souls no matter how weak or strong it is there a benefit' he thought, then slowly replied. "Yes! My soul is if there no soul I can't live nor practice. If you are unwilling, then I understand. All you need to do is find another weapon for your senior brother."
He didn't fully know where the words came from. They sounded braver than he felt, but that was fine. Maybe if he repeated them enough, he'd believe them, too.
"Screw you! You think that my senior brother is so easy!" Zhao Kang furiously roared out, his fist glowed of purple qi.
Tian Mo face remained expressionless as he spoke. "You have yet to answer my question." He never full on fought with anyone before, so to say he was not nervous would be wrong. Still he couldn't show his worry.
"Heng! A mere three hundred silver ris? I can give you double! However, do you think you can live to take it? This senior will have your soul before can use it."
"Flame Fist"
Zhao Kang moved first, his figure blurring as he closed the distance with shocking speed. His fist, wreathed in dark flames, aiming straight for Tian Mo's chest.
Tian Mo stumbuly stepped to the side twiisting his body to above the blow. The flames scorched the air where he had stood, the heat brushing past his cheek. He was shocked by being able to control elements. But he didn't have time to dwell on it. Zhao Kang was already closing in again.
Still he countered immediately, his fist strike was a wild punch aimed at Zhao Kang ribs missed as Zhao Kang moved out the way. But Zhao Kang sidestepped effortlessly, his eyes calculating, and countered with a quick jab to Tian Mo's ribs. The impact sent a sharp jolt of pain through his body, but he bit back the agony and retaliated with punch.
"You're finished, junior," Zhao Kang declared,
At which he caught Tian Mo's fist mid-air, slamming him into the ground with a bone-rattling thud. The arena floor cracked beneath the force, and dust billowed around them. Before Tian Mo could recover, Zhao Kang leaped into the air, his fist descending like a hammer.
Tian Mo rolled away just in time, Zhao Kang strike shattering the ground where he had been moments before. Fragments of obsidian scattered across the arena as Tian Mo pushed himself to his feet. He staggered but quickly steadied himself, eyes locked on his Zhao Kang.
He blinked hard, trying to focus. I shouldn't have come. I'm not ready for this.
His mind was a blur, each thought crashing into the next. Why did I think I could beat him? He's been training for years. I've barely started.
His gaze flicked over Zhao Kang, looking for any weaknesses, but nothing stood out. Every movement was calculated, every strike measured. He's too strong…
But wait. What if I'm missing something? Every cultivator had a technique, a flaw, a vulnerability. There has to be one.
All the dispcles around him were cheering in excitement to see Tian Mo get beat up more, on the other hand the elder felt a little sympathy about it, he shouldn't have agreed to this fight also he made it worst asking fo that much oris.
"You are dare challenge me when that all you can do." Zhao Kang moved forward. His mocking laughter echoed around them, spurring the disciples to join in.
"I won't go down so easily!" Tian Mo growled, his fist clenched. Because he had this hesitant thought.
Kang might teach me something valuable if I surprise him.
So drawing out his qi, Zhao Kang dashed up at that moment, closing the distance between them,ducking under his sweeping punch, With a burst of sudden speed, Tian Mo drove his elbow into Zhao Kang's ribs, following up with an uppercut infused with his qi. The blow connected, snapping Zhao Kang's head back slightly.
The crowd gasped then erupted into murmurs. A junior landing a hit on a senior? Unthinkable.
Yet, Zhao Kang barely flinched. Instead, his qi flared, tendrils of dark energy coiling around his arms like serpents. He thrust his palm forward, releasing a pulse of raw power that struck Tian Mo square in the chest.
The force sent Tian Mo flying backward, his body skidding across the grounds floor.
"No way! When Xun Min became this strong?! His opponent is the young master of the Kang family!" Some discples rubbed there eye in disbelief.
"He is Xun Min? Thanks to Elder Pan Hai…the piece of trash?" A elder was shocked. He opened his mouth, but forgot to breath.
Elder Pan Hai was one of the highest elders in the outer courtyard, so when he announced that, he accepted a recruit despite that recruiting day has gone. They all never questioned him.
However they still wondered what benefits could it be that he accepted a new recruit so sudden, it now started to become apparent why.
"Incredible…" Another elder named Xin stood there, frozen.
"You manged to strike me, I will make this fight more painful." Zhao Kang's voice was a low growl, his aura exploding outward. The sheer pressure brought Tian Mo to his knees.
Why does he keep pushing forward? Zhao Kang wondered. Is he really that naïve, or does he see something I don't?
Blood spattered from his lips as he struggled to rise. His arms trembled under the weight of his own exhaustion, yet he refused to stay down.
That was painful was this all cultivators had to experience just to survive?
"Still standing?" Zhao Kang sneered. "Let's see how long that lasts!"
Zhao Kang closed the distance in a flash, his leg sweeping low. Tian Mo jumped to avoid it, only to be met with a crushing fist to his abdomen. The air was knocked from his lungs, and he fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
Zhao Kang's assault didn't pause. He unleashed a flurry of strikes each punch, kick, and palm strike precise and relentless. Tian Mo blocked some, evaded others, but for every one he dodged, two more found their mark. His body ached, his vision blurred.
In a desperate gambit, Tian Mo feigned a stumble. Zhao Kang lunged, his fist aimed for his temple. At the last second, Tian Mo twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the blow, and countered with a palm strike to Zhao Kang's chest. The attack was weak but well-placed, forcing Zhao Kang to take a single step back.
Enraged, Tian Mo aura erupted like a black storm, the sheer force pushing Tian Mo to the edge of the arena. With a flick of his wrist, his hand form a orb, it hummed with destructive potential he dashed at Tian Mo.
Tian Mo didn't what to know he couldn't keep fighting so blindly with Zhao Kang he to strong and his qi is already running low. That when he an idea seeing how close Zhao Kang was he picked up a ball of dirt on the ground and dashed it into his eyes.
"Ahh!"
Zhao Kang stopped, screaming in pain, while the crowd was all in shock.
Dirty fighting!
They werre all shocked by the style of fighting he just did, while some other understand because he was about to die you will so anything to survive it was still wrong to some martial artist.
I'm here for a reason. I'm not going to back down, not like this.
Tian Mo saw he had a opportunity he channeled all his remaining qi, dashed up to Zhao Kang started hitting him with some rapid punches the fastest he ever did.
Zhao Kang slowly crumpled to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth, he struggled to move. His hand converd his body, his body refusing to give up even as his strength waned.
They all couldn't belived that Zhao Kang was about to lose but then it happened, Zhao Kang's body collapsed his body battered and bruised.
He won! How? What going to happen now?
The a couple disciple shocked muttered, "How can this be… when did Xun Min became so strong… he is clearly only at the First Stage."
An elder touched his head and muttered, "This is an illusion. I must be hallucinating! How can there be an illusion in broad daylight? Is this a junior."
There were some elder who looked at Xun Min deeply as they knew cultivation was the most important factor in a martial artist's combat prowess, but it was not the only factor. Martial skills, fighting instincts, combat skills, field experience, the degree of true essence thickness, all of these could affect one's combat ability, therefore one could fight one above their cultivation stage and realm.
In fact the way Tian Mo was able to adapt to the fight find ways to slip out of situations and use his surroundings was one fighting instincts just not the ethical way still they wondered. How good will is fighting instincts become?
Tian Mo hand pressed against the dirt as he pushed himself upright, blood dripping from his lip, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. He was happy the opposite of Zhao Kang.
Who was in rage because he thought that he had been careless earlier. How could a mere First stage kid beat him?
The realization struck him like a punch to the gut. Zhao Kang had spent his entire life proving his worth to others, hiding his fears behind a facade of his family strengths. But Tian Mo he wasn't like that. He fought not for the recognition of others, but because he had something to prove to himself.
And that thought was enough to unsettle Zhao Kang in a way he hadn't expected.