The young man standing in the center of the arena was breathing heavily, exhaustion visible on his handsome face after the fierce tournament.
His name was Lin Yu, a young cultivator who had just participated in the Tournament of Young Geniuses.
The final match had finally come to an end.
The victor...
...was none other than Lin Yu.
As the crowd erupted into cheers, Lin Yu let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned toward the exit of the arena.
However, just as he took his first step—
"No... Impossible..." a voice muttered from behind him, filled with jealousy and hatred.
"I... can't lose to some nobody I've never even heard of!"
The defeated youth suddenly grabbed the sword lying at his feet. His eyes had long since lost their reason.
Without warning, he lunged at Lin Yu.
His sword flashed like a bolt of lightning, slicing straight toward Lin Yu's back. The attack was merciless. If it landed, it would be enough to cripple—or even kill him.
Lin Yu, who had only recently stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm, sensed the killing intent almost instantly.
His pupils shrank.
He instinctively turned around.
But it was too late.
The cold blade was already within arm's reach.
He never expected his opponent to be so shameless that he would launch a sneak attack after the tournament had already ended.
Gasps echoed throughout the arena.
The spectators, who had been celebrating the birth of a new genius only moments ago, froze in horror.
No one had expected such a disgraceful act.
Even the elders' expressions changed.
The elder presiding over the tournament shot to his feet, his face darkening with fury.
"Feng Huo! Stop this instant!"
His voice thundered across the arena like a clap of lightning, carrying immense pressure.
Yet Feng Huo did not stop.
Or rather...
He couldn't.
The momentum behind his sword had already reached its peak. Even if reason returned to him now, the strike could no longer be withdrawn.
What the crowd failed to notice was a lone man standing quietly among the spectators, his face concealed beneath the hood of his worn robe.
"What the hell...?" he muttered as the horrifying scene unfolded before his eyes.
Fortunately, cries of shock erupted throughout the arena. Everyone's attention was fixed on Lin Yu, leaving no one to notice the hooded man.
The moment Lin Yu's life was threatened, all thoughts disappeared from Lin Mo's mind.
Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his right arm and fixed his gaze on the sword in Lin Yu's hand.
He drew a slow breath.
His eyes sharpened.
With a swift sweep of his hand toward the left, his spiritual energy surged from his meridians.
On the arena, Lin Yu's sword suddenly trembled, letting out a sharp metallic hum as though an invisible force had seized it.
The entire action...
...took less than a single heartbeat.
"...Agh!"
But then, a sharp pain exploded throughout Lin Mo's body.
His face instantly turned pale as blood rushed violently through his damaged meridians. His vision blurred, his knees nearly gave out beneath him, and a violent cough escaped his lips.
"Cough... Cough..."
A translucent blue screen appeared before Lin Mo`s eyes.
[WARNING!]Host's meridians have suffered severe damage.Forcefully circulating spiritual energy may cause irreversible injuries.
Lin Mo didn't even look at it.
"Move! Move, you stupid metal window!" he growled, waving his hand through the screen in frustration.
"I can't see a thing! Did it work...? Damn it..."
Ignoring the burning pain tearing through every meridian in his body, he immediately looked back toward the arena.
His heart pounded.
For the first time in years...
He wasn't worried about himself.
He was only worried about whether he had managed to save the foolish disciple who trusted him more than anyone else.
No one paid any attention to Lin Mo's actions.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the arena.
Everything had happened in less than a heartbeat. Before anyone could understand what had just occurred, a cloud of dust engulfed the stage.
Silence fell.
As the dust slowly settled...
Everyone saw it.
Lin Yu's sword was suspended in midair, its blade locked against Feng Huo's strike as sparks flew from the violent clash.
For a brief moment, the entire arena fell silent.
Then—
"W-What...?"
"He blocked it!"
Cheers erupted throughout the arena.
"Lin Yu!"
"Lin Yu!"
Without wasting a single moment, Lin Yu stepped forward and firmly grasped the hilt of his sword, as though nothing unusual had happened.
Only a handful of people noticed that, for a brief instant...
The sword had moved on its own.
Most assumed Lin Yu had reacted at the last possible second.
Feng Huo, however, stood frozen in disbelief.
"T-That's impossible..."
He was certain his strike should have landed.
The tournament elder immediately descended onto the arena. His robes fluttered as a powerful aura spread throughout the stage.
"You insolent brat!" the elder roared, glaring at Feng Huo with undisguised fury. "Have you lost your mind? This is a tournament, not a battlefield! Were you trying to cripple him... or kill him?"
Feng Huo lowered his head, unable to utter a single word.
The elder snorted coldly before turning his gaze toward Lin Yu.
Seeing the young man standing there completely unharmed, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes.
This youngster...
His talent is truly extraordinary.
At that moment, another elder hurried over and cupped his fists apologetically.
"Please forgive Feng Huo. He acted recklessly, and our Huo Family will make sure to compensate for today's incident."
His tone then softened as he looked at Lin Yu.
"By the way, young friend... are you perhaps a loose cultivator?"
"If you are..."
"Our Huo Family would be honored to have someone of your talent join us."
Although he asked the question, he already knew the answer.
A genius capable of displaying such talent...
...must already have a master.
Knowing that Azure Maple City was under the Huo Family's control and that Feng Huo was one of its direct descendants, Lin Yu knew there was no point in pursuing the matter further.
He simply cupped his fists and smiled politely.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Elder. However, I already have a master."
"Alas..." The elder let out a disappointed sigh before shaking his head. "What a pity."
Although he had expected such an answer, he still couldn't hide his regret. A talent like Lin Yu was someone every family wished to recruit.
The elder stepped forward and looked around the arena before speaking in a loud, clear voice.
"Since there are no further disputes, I hereby declare the Tournament of the Huo Family's Younger Generation officially concluded!"
"The champion is Lin Yu, a cultivator at the Early Foundation Establishment Realm!"
"As promised, the winner shall receive a hundred-year-old ginseng!"
His voice echoed throughout the arena.
Immediately, the crowd burst into discussion.
"I was sure someone from the Huo Family would win..."
"So was I. Who would've thought an outsider would defeat all of their young geniuses?"
"At such a young age too... his future is boundless."
Before long, a servant respectfully presented a finely crafted wooden box to Lin Yu.
Inside rested a hundred-year-old ginseng, its rich spiritual aura spreading into the surroundings.
Many cultivators stared at it with unconcealed envy.
However, not a single person dared to make a move.
This was the territory of the Huo Family.
More importantly, the Huo Family had long been known for protecting the fairness of their tournaments. Anyone foolish enough to steal the champion's prize in front of everyone would be making an enemy of the entire family.
After carefully storing the precious ginseng inside his storage pouch, Lin Yu bowed once more to the elders before leaving the arena.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Master will be happy to see this.
Without wasting another moment, he headed toward the quiet forest where his master was waiting for him.