After an hour of rest, the tournament resumed. The spectators once again grew noisy, divided between supporters of Wu Tian and Song Tianmo.
"I believe in Wu Tian. I'm sure he's just hiding his strength. Someone who can conceal their power and still remain humble is usually the one who wins in the end."
"Are you stupid? From any angle, he clearly looks weak. If he weren't, wouldn't he be able to defeat his opponents easily while still hiding his trump cards?"
BOOM—!
Suddenly, an explosion shook the arena. Amid the swirling dust, Song Tianmo stood proudly at the center of the stage.
The entire crowd fell silent, staring at Song Tianmo, who had appeared so abruptly.
"Wu Tian! Get down here now! I don't have time to waste on trash like you!" Song Tianmo shouted arrogantly.
The announcer was momentarily startled, but he quickly regained his composure and spoke professionally.
"Very well. Song Tianmo has already appeared in the arena. Meanwhile, Wu Tian is reported to have disappeared from the treatment room. Wu Tian, if you can hear me, please head to the arena immediately before we are forced to disqualify you."
At those words, the crowd erupted again.
"Did I hear that right? The number one genius ran away?"
"Hahaha! I think we should change his title from number one genius to number one loser. Or better yet… number one coward!"
The arena filled with mockery and laughter aimed at Wu Tian. Even some of his former supporters joined in.
Wu Tian witnessed all of this while casually buying a few skewers of grilled meat among the spectators. After paying, he removed his disguise and began walking down the steps of the stadium.
"I'm here. Don't I still have five minutes before the match starts?"
Everyone was stunned to see Wu Tian emerge from the crowd, skewers still in his hand. Contrary to what they expected, his expression was relaxed, showing not a trace of fear as he slowly descended toward the arena.
Song Tianmo stared at Wu Tian with displeasure. He hadn't expected Wu Tian to dare show himself.
Wu Tian jumped into the arena without sparing Song Tianmo a glance. He didn't draw a weapon, didn't assume a fighting stance, and was completely absorbed in eating his meat—making Song Tianmo even more irritated.
"Alright! Since Wu Tian is now in the arena, the match will begin!"
Yet after the announcement, no clash occurred. Wu Tian remained indifferent, focused on his food, while Song Tianmo crossed his arms and stared at him.
"I advise you to surrender. You don't stand a chance against me," Song Tianmo said arrogantly.
For a long time, his fame had been overshadowed by Wu Tian's talent, something that deeply annoyed him. This time, his goal wasn't merely to defeat Wu Tian, but to humiliate him so thoroughly that it would never be forgotten.
At first, he thought branding Wu Tian a coward would be enough. But who would have thought this so-called loser would actually dare appear—and even look down on him?
Wu Tian ignored Song Tianmo's words and glanced toward the food stalls, where people were still lining up.
'This bastard is really impatient. Good thing he didn't show up earlier. Looks like I need to teach him a lesson.'
With that thought, Wu Tian pointed at Song Tianmo.
"What's that on your back?" Wu Tian asked, chewing on his meat.
Song Tianmo realized Wu Tian was pointing at his spear and replied proudly,"This is my family's ancestral spear. Don't worry—I won't use it against someone as weak as you."
An arrogant, prideful smile spread across Song Tianmo's face.
"Oh? Your family must be pretty miserable, then, if you treat a toothpick as an ancestral treasure." Wu Tian sighed. "Forget it. There's some meat stuck in my teeth. Mind lending me your family's toothpick to clean it out?"
Song Tianmo exploded in rage. In an instant, he drew his spear and lunged at Wu Tian, his body enveloped in fiery qi shaped like a dragon.
Casually, Wu Tian caught the spearhead just before it struck him.
The entire arena was stunned. Even Song Tianmo himself was shocked, immediately releasing the spear and leaping backward.
Though Wu Tian appeared calm on the surface, his heart burned with anger.
'Damn it. Why didn't this spear shatter? I didn't expect this brat to be using an Origin Spirit–grade artifact while still in the Qi Condensation stage.'
After devouring an Origin Spirit soul, Wu Tian's strength had increased dramatically—comparable to an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. Although his body hadn't been fully tempered and lacked the regeneration of a true Golden Core, his raw power alone was terrifying. Even his qi could easily injure a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.
Annoyed, Wu Tian threw the spear back toward Song Tianmo.
"I'll give you one chance."Calmly, Wu Tian raised the skewer in his hand."If you can withstand my weakest attack, I'll admit defeat. But you should know—despite being my weakest strike, you might still die. So, what do you say?"
The spectators held their breath. At this moment, they truly understood that Wu Tian was not someone to be underestimated.
"Don't be arrogant! I wasn't serious just now—I only used a fraction of my strength!" Song Tianmo roared angrily.
"Alright. I'll take that as a yes."
With a bored expression, Wu Tian flicked the skewer forward. Qi Reaver and the Life Essence Sword technique enveloped the attack.
Song Tianmo immediately gathered all his strength at the tip of his spear, intending to block the attack and counterstrike at the same time.
BOOM—!
The collision of energy shook the surrounding area. In an instant, Song Tianmo's power collapsed. The skewer pierced through his defenses and drilled straight through his forehead.
Song Tianmo fell to the ground, dead on the spot.
The crowd froze for a brief moment before erupting in shock.
"Am I dreaming? Song Tianmo died that easily?!"
"Did you feel that? That was sword intent! I can't even imagine how terrifying Wu Tian would be if he actually drew his sword!"
Suddenly, someone shouted, "My money! Damn you, Song Tianmo! I don't care about you—give me my money back!"
That shout snapped many people back to reality. Some immediately broke down in tears.
Seeing this, Wu Tian smiled in satisfaction. This time, the spoils were enormous. All along, he had deliberately pretended to be weak to profit from betting. He had even changed disguises multiple times to split his wagers and hired people to pretend to support him—luring others into betting on Song Tianmo instead.
The announcer looked shocked. According to the rules, killing an opponent was forbidden. However, Wu Tian had clearly issued a warning beforehand, and Wu Tian himself was one of the sect's most favored disciples.
After announcing Wu Tian's victory, ten figures clad in red robes appeared in the sky—each someone Wu Tian had encountered before.
"Since the elders are busy with important matters, we've been tasked with guiding you around the sect first. After that, you may choose which peak you wish to join."
Upon hearing this, Wu Tian immediately flew toward Xu Lingyue. The other participants noticed and flew toward the remaining seniors.
Xu Lingyue smiled. "I didn't expect you to realize it so quickly and fly straight to me."
Wu Tian returned the smile. "Nothing special. I'm just more comfortable traveling with someone I know."
From his perspective, the number of seniors and Qi Condensation disciples was too evenly matched. He had already guessed that each senior represented a peak and was responsible for recruiting new disciples to their side.
They flew together through various areas of the sect. Xu Lingyue explained the sect's rules and common knowledge, while Wu Tian listened attentively.
"I really didn't expect you to defeat Song Tianmo so easily," Xu Lingyue sighed in frustration. "Don't tell me you planned this from the very beginning."
"Don't tell me Senior lost a bet and now wants to blame me," Wu Tian joked.
Xu Lingyue looked slightly annoyed despite her smile, prompting Wu Tian to stop and quickly change the subject.
"By the way, Senior, aren't you an alchemist? What kinds of pills can you make, and at what level?"
"I can refine quite a variety of pills. As for the level… some fifth-grade pills."
Wu Tian was stunned, then showered Xu Lingyue with praise until she smiled happily.
"Senior, you must have a high status in the sect. And you come from an influential family, right?"
"That's right. I'm from the Xu Family. Though we're not as powerful as the Wu Family, we're still well known as a second-tier family." Xu Lingyue smiled brightly—an intensity Wu Tian had never seen from her before.
"You look really happy when you talk about your family. Do you love them very much?" Wu Tian asked.
Xu Lingyue smiled gently. "I cherish them deeply. Ever since I was young, I've resolved to repay their kindness many times over."
Wu Tian felt a faint sense of disappointment. People like this were often blind when it came to family—a good trait, but dangerous for those outside it.
"One last question, Senior. Do you have any advice for me?"Wu Tian abandoned any intention of getting closer to her and decided to keep his distance as much as possible.
Xu Lingyue fell silent for a moment, her expression turning slightly gloomy."Perhaps… don't trust people too easily. Sometimes, those you think are kind will end up stabbing you in the back."
"Is that advice born from experience?" Wu Tian asked.
Xu Lingyue looked at him and smiled faintly. "You could say so."