In the dimly lit cave, Xiao Ming opened his eyes, the faint golden glow of his qi dissipating.
"Sure enough, even with the cultivation speed of a top King-level technique, breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm will take considerable time," he muttered, sighing lightly.
If any other disciples were to hear his lament, they would likely erupt in outrage. For most cultivators, breaking through from the peak Golden Core stage to Nascent Soul took at least two to three years—and even then, success was not guaranteed. Yet here was Xiao Ming, dissatisfied with the progress of a few days.
Just as he was musing over his next steps, a sudden explosive sound reverberated through the cave.
BOOM!
"Xiao Ming, come out and die!" a furious voice bellowed from outside, accompanied by an overwhelming pressure that rippled through the air, attempting to suppress him.
Xiao Ming's lips curled into a faint smile. "I was just troubled about how to increase my strength quickly. Who would have thought the opportunity would come knocking at my door?"
Without further hesitation, he stepped out of the cave, his figure ascending into the sky. Outside, a group of disciples hovered in the air, led by a young man in a snow-white robe. This was Chen Yuan, his aura brimming with hostility.
"Xiao Ming!" Chen Yuan shouted, his eyes cold. "You killed my brother. Follow me to the Life-and-Death Arena if you don't want your end to be miserable."
To Chen Yuan's surprise, Xiao Ming didn't resist. Instead, he responded with a calm, "Good."
Chen Yuan was momentarily taken aback but quickly sneered. "It seems you still have some sense of self-awareness. At least you know your place."
In truth, Xiao Ming's agreement had nothing to do with fear. He vividly remembered how Chen Yuan's arrogant nature led to his death at the hands of Ye Chen in the original storyline. This conflict sparked enmity between Ye Chen and the Divine Blue Sect, providing Ye Chen with numerous opportunities to grow stronger. By eliminating Chen Yuan himself, Xiao Ming intended to change the plot and cut off those opportunities by himself.
The life-and-death arena was a sprawling structure at the heart of the inner gate, a place where disciples settled disputes with their lives on the line. Every day, large crowds gathered here, drawn by the thrill of battle and the allure of witnessing life-and-death struggles.
As Xiao Ming and Chen Yuan arrived, a wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Hey, isn't that Xiao Ming? And the one opposite him… Chen Yuan?"
"Seriously? Xiao Ming is challenging Chen Yuan? He's courting death!"
"Yeah, Chen Yuan is a peak Golden Core cultivator and an experienced inner disciple. Xiao Ming may have gotten stronger recently, but he's just entered the inner courtyard."
"It's that sudden surge in strength getting to his head. He probably thinks he's invincible now."
Despite the varying opinions, the crowd was abuzz with excitement, eager to witness the clash.
An elder presiding over the arena—a stern-looking man with graying hair—stepped forward. "Are both parties sure they wish to proceed? Once the Life-and-Death Arena's formation is activated, there will be no retreat."
Xiao Ming and Chen Yuan both nodded firmly. Without another word, the elder activated the array, a translucent barrier enclosing the ring to prevent any interference.
"The match begins now!"
Chen Yuan smirked as he faced Xiao Ming. "I'll admit, I didn't expect you to have the courage to fight me. Normally, I would grant you a quick death, but since you killed my brother, I'll make sure you suffer."
Xiao Ming's calm gaze met Chen Yuan's sneer. "You and your brother really are alike. He said something similar before he died."
Chen Yuan's face twisted with rage. "You're courting death!" He unleashed his aura, the oppressive might of a peak Golden Core cultivator crashing down like a tidal wave.
The crowd outside the barrier gasped.
"Hiss! Such power! Is this the strength of a peak Golden Core cultivator?"
"So strong! Is this Chen Yuan's true strength?"
"His aura alone is suffocating, and we're outside the formation! Xiao Ming must be crushed inside."
But to their shock, Xiao Ming stood unaffected. Instead, he released a pressure even more terrifying, his aura surging to life. A dark scarlet-gold energy radiated from his body, silencing the crowd.
"What… What is this?"
"This pressure… Xiao Ming is also at the peak Golden Core stage. How is that possible? Wasn't he just at the fifth stage recently?"
Chen Yuan's smirk faltered, replaced by a serious expression. "Peak Golden Core cultivation, huh? No wonder you dared to accept my challenge. But don't think being on the same level as me will save you. You're still no match for me!"
With a roar, Chen Yuan charged forward, dark green energy Converging around his fist. His punch, imbued with immense force, caused the void to tremble a little.
The audience buzzed with mixed reactions.
"Chen Yuan is taking action!"
"Even if Xiao Ming is in the same realm, Chen Yuan has years of experience with his techniques. There's no way Xiao Ming can compete."
"Exactly! King-level techniques take months or even years to master. Xiao Ming barely has two weeks to practice"
However, as Chen Yuan's attack closed in, Xiao Ming retaliated. Scarlet-golden energy enveloped his body, and with a flick of his wrist, he deflected the attack effortlessly.
"That… That's the Celestial Veil Technique! A top King-level cultivation technique!"
"How could he master it in just two weeks?"
The crowd's disbelief grew as Xiao Ming countered Chen Yuan's moves with precision and overwhelming power. Despite Chen Yuan's best efforts, he found himself on the defensive.
Seeing his disadvantage, Chen Yuan roared in fury.
"So what if you've mastered a top King-level technique?" Chen Yuan growled. "You'll still die by my hands!" Forming seals with incredible speed, he unleashed his ultimate move.
"Poison Tide Seal!"
Violent green energy surged around him, forming a massive handprint radiating enough toxic energy to corrode the void. The audience watched in awe.
"That's a top King-level martial art!"
"Xiao Ming can't possibly withstand that!"
Yet Xiao Ming remained unfazed. Forming seals with astonishing speed, he unleashed his counterattack.
A massive scarlet-gold palmprint, several times larger than Chen Yuan's, materialized above the arena. The two attacks collided with a deafening boom, but it was Xiao Ming's technique that dominated, obliterating Chen Yuan's Poison Tide Seal and slamming him into the ground. The impact shook the arena, the energy barrier trembling under the force.
When the dust settled, Chen Yuan lay on the ground, battered and trembling. Fear clouded his eyes as he struggled to speak.
"Xiao Ming… I… It was a misunderstanding…"
Xiao Ming's gaze was cold as he descended. Before Chen Yuan could finish what he was saying, he delivered the final blow, crushing Chen Yuan completely.
Ding!
The host has killed Chen Yuan, altering the plot. The protagonist Ye Chen will miss numerous fated encounters.
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a chance to draw a lottery
Xiao Ming hovered in the air, his aura regal and unyielding. The disciples below stared in stunned silence, their awe and fear palpable.
"In just weeks, he's mastered techniques that take years. He's not far from the core disciples…"
Even the elder overseeing the match couldn't hide his shock. "Xiao Ming's he has potential… He may surpass even some core disciples of the sect ."