Liangyuan's brow tightened. With a deafening roar, he flicked his Long Sword upward, activating his Sword Formulas!
The six streams of Sword Qi that had flown past suddenly reversed course, trapping their target in a pincer attack with the Sword Qi from the front. Li Tianyi, however, had held his arrogant pose for too long. It was too late for him to switch techniques.
A smirk touched Liangyuan's lips. 'This is the price for looking down on others!'
'This is the true Endless Sea!'
Surrounded by the Sword Qi, Li Tianyi looked like he had been stunned into a stupor. Then, suddenly... A ROAR!
BANG...
Wang Meng and Zhang Xiaopang were completely dumbfounded. It was as if a Fire Dragon had just soared into the heavens. Zhang Xiaopang prided himself on his keen eyesight, but all he saw was a flicker, and the Sword Qi assailing from all directions was instantly swept away.
The move was like a hidden dragon leaping from the abyss—unstoppable!
Li Tianyi's sword was already pressed against Liangyuan's neck. He smiled faintly. "Senior Brother Liang, I'm truly not interested in your Immortal Origin Hall. Don't come bothering me again."
Liangyuan's face was ashen, his pupils dilated. 'One Sword Slash...'
He, who believed himself exceptionally talented, who had cultivated with immense diligence. His Qianshui Sword Technique, honed over ten bitter years of practice, had been completely seen through in a single glance.
Liangyuan felt as if his entire being was collapsing. A genius's path is paved with confidence and pride. To suddenly discover that everything you hold dear is nothing but a joke to your opponent... it was enough to make anyone break down.
"I've lost."
Liangyuan said through gritted teeth. Challenging someone at the Fifteenth Layer of Life Mark as someone at the Eighteenth Layer of Life Mark was already shameless enough, but to lose so miserably on top of that... All he could do was cling to the last shred of his dignity, though his entire body was hunched in defeat.
Li Tianyi waved a hand dismissively, and Liangyuan staggered away.
'This is why the old man forbids me from dueling anyone.' His very existence wasn't an encouragement to the younger generation of Cultivators, nor a goal to strive for. It was simply devastating.
'The problem is, I rarely go looking for trouble. It's always others who come looking for me.'
"Why even bother?" Li Tianyi shrugged helplessly. He'd been saying that a lot lately.
"The show is over, friends. No need to be so sneaky," Li Tianyi said nonchalantly.
Zhang Xiaopang jumped, his heart hammering against his ribs. 'Crap, have we been discovered?' Spying on someone else's duel wasn't exactly an honorable thing to do, even if they had just stumbled upon it by chance.
"Are you going to come out on your own, or do I have to 'invite' you out?" Li Tianyi's gaze fixed on their hiding spot.
Wang Meng and Zhang Xiaopang had no choice but to stand up. "Ahem, Brother Li, we didn't mean to intrude. We just happened to be taking a crap here."
Zhang Xiaopang explained hastily. It was a wonder he could even get the words out.
Li Tianyi was stunned for a moment. 'Two of them? I only sensed one.' He glanced at their attire and felt their faint auras, then couldn't help but shake his head. 'Two pieces of trash. How boring. I thought I might finally find something fun out here, but it's just more trash.'
"I can't be bothered to deal with you. Scram," Li Tianyi said, waving his hand dismissively, his gaze filled with impatience.
Zhang Xiaopang heaved a huge sigh of relief and grabbed Wang Meng to leave... but he couldn't budge him.
Wang Meng couldn't help but smile. '"Scram," huh? How interesting.'
"My friend," Wang Meng began with a smile, "no need for such a temper. There are always mountains beyond the mountains. It's better to be a little more humble when you're out in the world!"
Wang Meng chuckled.
Li Tianyi glanced at Wang Meng and nearly laughed out loud. 'Someone even better at posturing than me has finally shown up.' "Kid, posturing without the power to back it up is suicidal."
Chewing on a blade of grass, he sauntered off. 'I've flattened the Immortal Origin Hall. The old man is going to be furious again.'
Zhang Xiaopang was still trying to drag Wang Meng away. 'What is Brother Meng thinking? This isn't some back alley in the mortal world! Why provoke a monster like that?'
"Your Nine Heavens Separation Fire Sword is still unrefined," Wang Meng continued. "Just now, if Liangyuan's sword had thrust three inches higher, you might not have been so lucky. If a flaw like that solidifies, it'll be difficult to correct in the future!"
"Brother Meng! Brother Meng! Stop spouting nonsense! Let's go, let's go!" Zhang Xiaopang yanked at Wang Meng with all his might.
But Li Tianyi's body suddenly went rigid, as if turned to stone. He turned around slowly, his eyes erupting with a heaven-shattering aura. He was like a completely different person.
Zhang Xiaopang was terrified. 'Damn it, that monster wasn't even going all out before! Has Brother Meng lost his mind, offending someone like this?'
"Interesting. I've searched high and low, and now what I'm looking for has fallen right into my lap. Since you can see the flaw, you must know how to break it. Excellent! Let's have a duel!"
Li Tianyi's expression had completely changed, his entire demeanor shifting as if he were burning with intensity. It was true that his Nine Heavens Separation Fire Sword had a slight imperfection because his Life Mark Level was insufficient. But so far, the only one who had ever been able to see it was his old man—not even his own master had noticed.
Zhang Xiaopang was dumbstruck. He waved his hands frantically. "Brother Li, you must be joking! The two of us haven't even been initiated yet! Our cultivation is barely at the Fifth Layer, how could we possibly be a match for you?"
"I wasn't talking to you," Li Tianyi said, his gaze fixed on Wang Meng. "This gentleman here is clearly a master. Or could it be... you're looking down on me?"
Li Tianyi was a completely different person, his desire for a true battle burning like a wildfire. It seemed his so-called "rules" were flexible, depending on who he was dealing with.
"Brother Li, you're kidding! We really are below the Fifth Layer, it's as true as a Spirit Stone is real!" Zhang Xiaopang wished he could just rip his own heart out to prove it. 'What kind of joke is this? This could get us killed!'
"No problem. I'll suppress my power to below the Fifth Layer. That way, no one will get hurt. Sounds good, sounds good," Li Tianyi said with a grin. 'Suppressing my power is an even greater test of my comprehension of the Sword Technique. The difficulty is much higher. The elders at home often practice with me this way.'
Zhang Xiaopang opened his mouth to protest again, but Wang Meng had already stepped forward. 'Since fate brought us together, what's the harm in offering a little guidance?'
Zhang Xiaopang's mouth hung open. 'What rotten luck is this? Second Layer of Life Mark against the Seventeenth Layer of Life Mark! Crap! Even if he suppresses his power, we don't stand a snowball's chance in hell! Did Brother Meng damage his brain earlier or something?'
'Whoever said "surviving a great catastrophe brings good fortune" can go to hell! Fortune my ass!'
Wang Meng had already drawn his sword. Across from him, Li Tianyi drew his as well. For someone like him, lowering his control over his Life Mark to suppress his power was an effortless task.
This was the gap in their power—a gap that would drive most people to despair.
Wang Meng tightened his grip on his sword. 'It's a fake,' he thought, 'but it should be able to handle the Elemental Power of my Second Layer.'
Li Tianyi was surprised by his opponent's casual demeanor. It was the first time he had ever seen someone so relaxed in his presence. "Since you're unwilling to make the first move, I won't be polite. Take this!"
Even with his power suppressed, his level of skill remained. The gap in technique and realm mastery available to someone at the Seventeenth Layer of Life Mark was simply too vast.
With steps as fluid as flowing water, Li Tianyi unleashed a Sword Slash. In Zhang Xiaopang's eyes, the attack was utterly flawless. There was no way to dodge it, no way to evade it. To meet it head-on... would be suicide.
Li Tianyi's attack was like a work of art; at least, to Zhang Xiaopang, it seemed completely unstoppable.
Wang Meng took a single, light step back, dodging the ferocious strike. But a second slash was already upon him, streaking straight for his throat. Zhang Xiaopang's heart leaped into his mouth. The blade skimmed across Wang Meng's neck, his head moving in perfect sync with the sword's path. If it had been a fraction of a second faster, his head would have bid farewell to his body. And yet, he had dodged this strike as well.