Nie Shiyun took his medicinal pills and consumed some of the spiritual food Qi Xuan’er had prepared with the rest of the Yunqing Pavilion group. Soon, the spiritual energy within his body was fully restored. Starting from this round of the competition, cultivators were permitted to use a single spirit pet in battle. However, when to release it and when to withdraw it was entirely up to the cultivators themselves. If one chose not to use one, that was also perfectly acceptable. Nie Shiyun had looked into Xu Yehua’s spirit pets earlier and learned that he had several. His favorite, and the one most frequently mentioned in the original novel, was a Fire Lion. It had a mane of literal flames and left nothing but scorched earth in its wake.
Although Nie Shiyun had not gone out of his way to raise ordinary spirit beasts, since they could be lent to others, Nie Li had lent his beloved Spirit Tortoise to Nie Shiyun for the occasion. Although Nie Shiyun was not its contracted master—meaning their coordination and the beast's output would be significantly diminished—the tortoise had been raised by Nie Li, a Nascent Soul cultivator, for a long time. As the saying went, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse.
Nie Shiyun hadn't quite made up his mind whether to send it out, ultimately deciding to wait and see how things developed.
In the afternoon, the first match was between Duan Mingyu and a fellow disciple from the Yingyue Sect. Nie Shiyun already knew the outcome, so he didn't go to watch, choosing instead to rest for a while longer.
By the time Nie Shiyun arrived at the arena, the first match had already concluded. The result was exactly as expected. The Yingyue Sect disciple was quite talented, with a cultivation level only slightly lower than Duan Mingyu’s. However, facing the sect’s "beloved star," his movements were hesitant and full of reservations. With one lapse in concentration, he was defeated. When Duan Mingyu emerged victorious, a loud cheer erupted from the spectator stands. Though the fellow disciple felt some regret, he also seemed to have finally shed a great burden, letting out a sigh of relief.
After stepping off the stage, Duan Mingyu was congratulated by many male cultivators, some familiar and some complete strangers. He thanked them with a sweet smile before walking straight toward his group of lovers. The crowd instinctively carved out a space for them, casting glances filled with both envy and jealousy.
"You're here," Qi Miaohan said. She and the others from Yunqing Pavilion had arrived early to watch the first match. The fight itself hadn't been particularly exciting; the crowd's reaction to Duan Mingyu’s every gesture was far more intense than the actual combat. At this point, her eyes were practically rolling into the back of her head.
If the previous rounds had spectators that could be counted on two hands, the area around the stage now was packed so tightly that not even a drop of water could trickle through. Nie Shiyun knew they weren't here for him, but since the "main characters" who drew everyone's gaze were gathered here, he had no choice but to share in this unwanted "glory."
"Just do your best," Nie Xing’an whispered. As the eldest, he was usually steady, but seeing this scene made his palms sweat with nervousness. Not only were there many people, but almost all of them were rallying around Duan Mingyu and those favored geniuses. There was a suffocating feeling of the solitary Yunqing Pavilion standing against the four great sects.
The cultivators on the opposite side suddenly became restless. Before the crowd could even fully clear a path, Xu Yehua leaped over their heads and landed firmly at one end of the stage.
"Could it be that my opponent is too afraid to show up and intends to let me win by default?" Xu Yehua laughed, brazenly throwing out a provocation. However, in contrast to his relaxed smile, his gaze was fixed coldly on Nie Shiyun below the stage.
Nie Shiyun had long known he was being targeted, but being stared down like this brought back the same oppressive feeling he had experienced in the Misty Secret Realm. There was a full stage of difference between his cultivation and Xu Yehua’s, but Nie Shiyun knew this feeling didn't stem solely from that.
In the original path of this world, Nie Shiyun was destined to die at Xu Yehua’s hands.
Nie Shiyun calmed his mind and flew onto the stage.
*But this story has already been changed significantly by me,* he thought. Compared to the suffocating sensation in the Misty Secret Realm, he felt slightly better now. Perhaps this was a sign that he was gradually breaking free from the control of the Heavenly Dao. Since a confrontation was inevitable, it was better to test the waters now in front of a large audience. It would leave him better prepared than a sudden, unexpected encounter in the future.
"Senior Xu must be joking," Nie Shiyun addressed him according to their seniority in cultivation, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.
Despite Nie Shiyun’s proper attitude, Xu Yehua found him inexplicably loathsome as he stared at him.
With the signal to begin, Xu Yehua raised his hand almost instantly. Dozens of sharp spiritual beams shot toward Nie Shiyun with immense momentum. With nowhere to retreat, Nie Shiyun immediately summoned several defensive treasures to counter. Without pausing his assault, Xu Yehua drew the Crimson Yin Double-Bladed Halberd from his storage ring, thrusting it forward amidst the continuous stream of sword qi.
Nie Shiyun dared not be careless. Seeing his shields shatter, he immediately summoned new defensive treasures while shifting to the side. With a wave of Xu Yehua’s arm, the Crimson Yin Double-Bladed Halberd—taller than a man—swept toward him, radiating a chilling, ghostly light.
The Cinnabar Pen was flexible, but blocking such a long weapon was quite taxing. Nie Shiyun decisively summoned another weapon, the Black Iron Flowing Light Staff, barely managing to intercept the attack. However, the full force of Xu Yehua’s spiritual sense shook him, leaving his entire body momentarily numb.
"Eh? Nie Shiyun didn't take back the Cinnabar Pen," a spectator noticed.
Someone nearby sneered. "He's already struggling this much, yet he wants to manipulate two treasures at once for a pincer attack? Talk about greedy delusions."
While the voices around the stage couldn't reach those on it, if the other cultivators could see it, there was no way Xu Yehua wouldn't.
"Paltry tricks!" Xu Yehua didn't even pull back his halberd. Without looking back, he blasted out a burst of fire, striking the Cinnabar Pen as it tried to sneak up behind him.
The Cinnabar Pen was only a low-grade, second-tier treasure; it naturally couldn't withstand such a powerful blast from a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. Just as everyone thought Nie Shiyun would immediately retract the treasure or let it be destroyed, the fire behind Xu Yehua was suddenly overtaken by a blinding flash of lightning. Startled, Xu Yehua was half a beat too slow to defend. Who would have thought that Nie Shiyun had rolled up a Thunderclap Talisman and stuffed it inside the hollow barrel of the Cinnabar Pen? A talisman required a cultivator to input spiritual energy to activate, but it didn't specify *which* cultivator. The moment Xu Yehua’s flames blew apart the pen’s barrel, the talisman was triggered. Xu Yehua took the full force of the blast; the fabric on his back was scorched black, and blood began to seep from his shoulder.
"Nie Shiyun..." Xu Yehua muttered, glaring at him. He recalled the Nie Shiyun he had seen in the Misty Secret Realm. Back then, the man had no presence at all, no different from any other ant—clearly just a stepping stone on the cultivation path of geniuses like himself.
But this time, everything had changed! A nobody from a small sect... such a person was never... never supposed to be worthy of standing on the same stage as him. And now, he had actually made him look like a fool in front of everyone?
Nie Shiyun didn't let the success get to his head; he immediately rushed forward to follow up. However, Xu Yehua didn't give him the chance. With a wave of his hand, he tapped into his Golden Core True Origin. Suddenly, the stage was almost entirely engulfed in raging flames. Although Nie Shiyun also possessed a fire root, he also had a metal root. He immediately felt the pressure, his breathing becoming labored. Not to mention, Xu Yehua followed up like a madman, flicking his sleeves to send out dozens of spiritual beams that nearly surrounded Nie Shiyun. Nie Shiyun barely held his ground, giving up on protecting his whole body to break through in one direction. After a few exchanges, one of his arms was covered in blood.
"Has Xu Yehua gone mad?" Qi Miaohan cried out. She had completely forgotten why she had ever admired this man, though it was likely due to that unique arrogance and confidence he displayed among young cultivators. Putting aside personal grudges, did Xu Yehua’s current expression look anything like his usual self? To her, he no longer looked like a sane person.
"This isn't good," Nie Xing’an said, his fists clenched in anxiety.
After Nie Shiyun’s initial successful strike, the momentum on the field had become completely one-sided. Everyone on the Yunqing Pavilion side was on edge, but even Duan Mingyu felt something was off. "Brother Rong Lü, Senior Brother... don't you think Yehua is being a bit too aggressive today?"
Rong Lü also felt that Xu Yehua was taking things a bit too seriously. After thinking it over, he figured it might be because of what happened a few days ago. "He finds that man eyesore. Besides, you made him jealous earlier."
"Is it really because of me...?" Duan Mingyu murmured.
Xu Yehua often joked about being jealous and wanting to punish him, but most of it was just playful banter. Xu Yehua didn't even acknowledge those bystanders.
Even if he really was jealous, was this necessary? Duan Mingyu thought with uncertainty. It was as if... he wanted to kill the other man.
He felt it was strange and kept his eyes glued to the battle, so he didn't notice that Zhai Bairong hadn't answered him at all.
Zhai Bairong’s heart was in his throat. The onlookers might just think the fight was intense, but those who were somewhat familiar with Xu Yehua could see it clearly. At this moment, his hand hidden beneath his sleeve trembled slightly. He clenched his fingers, forcing himself to stay calm.
He knew that in this situation, no cultivator would ever want to back down. But the circumstances were too perilous. Selfishly, Zhai Bairong hoped Nie Shiyun would just take the initiative to surrender and stop fighting.
On the stage, Nie Shiyun knew the situation was grim. He hadn't expected that merely wounding Xu Yehua once would make the man see red, attacking with murderous intent as if some bottom line had been crossed. Nie Shiyun was even more reluctant to reveal the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover here. He decided to retreat while he still could, but every time he tried to move toward the edge of the arena, Xu Yehua blocked his path.
*Dammit.* Nie Shiyun felt a surge of irritation. He knew that losing his cool was the worst thing he could do right now, so he forced himself to stay calm and look for an opening.
Sensing Nie Shiyun’s intent to withdraw, Xu Yehua’s offensive grew even more ferocious. His mind was occupied by a murderous urge that seemed to come from nowhere. Some premonition told him that now was the best time to act. If he missed this chance, the next time he had an opportunity, the opponent would surely be worlds apart from who he was now.
A late-stage Golden Core cultivation was, in the end, much stronger than a mid-stage one. After a period of attrition, neither side had the gap to consume recovery pills. If this continued, Nie Shiyun would be the first to run out of spiritual energy. He wanted to concede the match, but Xu Yehua wouldn't let him go. Nie Shiyun held out for a while longer. Though he felt a bit unwilling, he decided to speak up and admit defeat. With so many people watching, Xu Yehua would have no reason to continue attacking an opponent who had surrendered.
Just then, as if knowing what Nie Shiyun intended, Xu Yehua suddenly summoned a spirit pet. It wasn't his usual Fire Lion, but a deep purple spirit scorpion that had barely appeared in the original novel. Caught off guard, Nie Shiyun’s exhausted body faltered for a moment, and he felt a sharp sting on his ankle.
In that instant, alarm bells rang in his mind. Immediately following the sting, his entire body went numb. He could neither move nor speak. The paralyzing effect of the scorpion’s venom wouldn't last more than a few seconds, but at this moment, even the slightest slip-up was enough to lead to dire consequences. Sure enough, Xu Yehua was already charging toward Nie Shiyun’s vital points with his glowing Crimson Yin Double-Bladed Halberd.
The audience finally cried out in shock. It was obvious that Xu Yehua was using lethal force in a match that shouldn't have required it. However, the Great Cultivation Assembly didn't strictly forbid death matches, and since Xu Yehua was a disciple of a prestigious sect, it likely wouldn't result in any consequences. The crowd simply felt a bit of pity; it was rare for a cultivator not from the four great sects to break into the top eight, and now it seemed it would only be a flash in the pan.
For the first time since coming to this world, Nie Shiyun felt the brush of death. His heart pounded wildly.
He still had one final move. If there was truly no way out at the last second, he could enter the jade pendant and reappear quickly before Xu Yehua could react. But exposing the jade pendant now was the absolute worst-case scenario. Not only were there so many onlookers, but there were also many hidden seniors watching. The aftermath would be incredibly troublesome and might even invite an even greater disaster.
Logically, Xu Yehua felt victory was within his grasp, yet the agitation in his heart hadn't subsided at all. He couldn't help but grit his teeth ferociously.
"Senior Brother!"
"Senior Nie—!"
The people from Yunqing Pavilion cried out in fear. Qi Miaohan also panicked, shouting to no one in particular, "Wait, he was already trying to—"
Because his concentration was so intense, Zhai Bairong’s face was devoid of emotion. Since everyone’s focus was on the stage, no one noticed that he was poised to leap forward at any moment.
*One more second.*
The thread of logic in Zhai Bairong’s mind was about to snap. One more second, and he would step in to kill Xu Yehua. He didn't care what happened after that...
"Awoo—!"
A black figure appeared out of nowhere. Not only Xu Yehua and the audience, but even Nie Shiyun himself was startled.
The crowd saw a large, pitch-black crow appear between Nie Shiyun and Xu Yehua, conjuring a fiery red protective shield. However, the shield didn't look very advanced; it was smashed to pieces the moment the Crimson Yin Double-Bladed Halberd touched it. The spirit beast let out a harsh, ungraceful screech and was sent flying by the impact, tumbling right into Nie Shiyun’s chest. Man and bird fell off the stage together.
"..."
"..."
Everything happened too fast, and the scene fell into a temporary silence. It took a long time for the crowd to recover. Since Nie Shiyun had left the boundaries of the match, Xu Yehua was the winner.
The onlookers gave a polite round of applause. But on the stage, Xu Yehua showed no joy. He seemed trapped in his resentment for a long time before finally snapping out of it. Without a word, he turned and left the stage. The murderous look he had earlier was terrifying; although his expression had returned to normal, the people nearby still backed away in fear.
Recalling the situation just now, Xu Yehua felt not a shred of superiority. Why was Nie Shiyun still able to release a spirit pet after being stung by the scorpion? And even at that final moment, there hadn't been a trace of panic on Nie Shiyun’s face. He didn't know what other trump cards the man had, but even when faced with Xu Yehua’s full-strength killing blow, Nie Shiyun had seemed confident that his life wasn't in danger.
"Are you going back? Are you okay? Aren't you going to watch Brother Rong Lü and Senior Brother’s matches?" Duan Mingyu ran to Xu Yehua’s side and grabbed his arm, asking with concern.
"I'm not watching!"
Xu Yehua instinctively shook him off. He froze for a moment when he realized what he had done. Duan Mingyu’s hand was frozen in mid-air, his face full of shock. Xu Yehua quickly grabbed his hand again. "Sorry, sorry. My tone was too harsh. I'm just in a bad mood."
"Oh... it's okay." Duan Mingyu shook his head and smiled.
Seeing Duan Mingyu’s familiar smile, Xu Yehua finally felt his mood relax significantly.
***
