Li Yuan stepped onto the stone platform, his opponent, Sun Yi, already waiting for him. Sun Yi was a lean young man with sharp features, his expression calm but his eyes filled with determination. Unlike the other disciples who flaunted their power, he carried himself with a quiet confidence, making Li Yuan cautious.
The crowd watched intently, murmuring among themselves. While Li Yuan's previous victory had earned him attention, Sun Yi was not an unknown name. He had consistently ranked among the top outer disciples, though he rarely sought the spotlight.
"Li Yuan versus Sun Yi. Begin!" the elder announced.
The instant the words left his mouth, Sun Yi's figure flickered. He moved like a shadow, his body blurring as he closed the distance between them in an instant. His palm shot forward, a precise strike aimed at Li Yuan's ribs.
Li Yuan reacted instinctively. He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the strike, but Sun Yi's other hand was already coming at him, fingers glowing with a faint green energy.
Wind Palm!
A burst of wind exploded from Sun Yi's attack, sending Li Yuan skidding backward. He felt a stinging sensation on his chest—despite dodging, the residual force had still grazed him.
"So he uses wind-based techniques," Li Yuan mused, steadying himself.
Sun Yi didn't give him time to think. He rushed forward again, his movements swift and fluid. Li Yuan focused, his instincts sharpening. He dodged another strike, countering with a sweeping kick aimed at Sun Yi's legs.
But Sun Yi leaped, flipping over him with ease. He landed behind Li Yuan, thrusting his palm forward once more.
Li Yuan reacted at the last second, spinning around and meeting Sun Yi's attack head-on. Their palms collided, sending a shockwave through the air. The force of the impact pushed both of them back, dust swirling around the platform.
Sun Yi's expression didn't change. He simply readjusted his stance. "You're better than I expected."
Li Yuan smirked. "I get that a lot."
The battle resumed with even greater intensity. Sun Yi's speed made him difficult to track, but Li Yuan had already started adapting. He watched Sun Yi's footwork, predicting his movements, and countering with well-timed strikes.
The clash between them became a blur of motion, the sound of fists meeting flesh echoing through the arena. The spectators watched in awe—this was no one-sided fight.
Sun Yi's wind-based techniques gave him an advantage in speed, but Li Yuan's reflexes and adaptability kept him in the fight. With each exchange, he grew more accustomed to Sun Yi's attacks, dodging them by the smallest margins and landing counters that gradually slowed his opponent down.
Finally, an opening presented itself.
As Sun Yi lunged forward with another Wind Palm, Li Yuan feinted to the left before sidestepping at the last moment. Sun Yi's momentum carried him forward—and that was when Li Yuan struck.
His fist connected with Sun Yi's stomach, driving the air out of his lungs. Sun Yi staggered, his eyes widening in surprise. Before he could recover, Li Yuan followed up with a sweeping kick, knocking him off his feet.
Sun Yi hit the ground, groaning. He tried to stand, but his body refused to obey.
The elder raised his hand. "Winner—Li Yuan!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and murmurs.
Li Yuan extended a hand toward Sun Yi, who hesitated for a moment before accepting the gesture and pulling himself up.
"You're strong," Sun Yi admitted, his tone carrying no resentment. "I underestimated you."
Li Yuan nodded. "You weren't an easy opponent either."
Sun Yi let out a small chuckle before stepping off the platform. Li Yuan followed, but as he did, he once again felt that piercing gaze on him.
Jiang Hao.
The older disciple stood with his arms crossed, smirking slightly. He had been watching the fight closely, and from the look in his eyes, he wasn't disappointed.
Li Yuan exhaled. He had won another round, but he knew that the real challenge was still ahead.
And something told him that Jiang Hao was going to make sure of that.