C31 I'm Not Here to Listen to Your Nonsense

Below the martial practicing platform, Woo Zhengyang stood tall, looking over at Yue Liqing and his group. He heard the various whispers among the crowd but remained unfazed. Since Yue Liqing was so confident, Woo Zhengyang believed he must have something up his sleeve, but that was no reason for Woo to back down.

With Woo Zhengyang's current mindset, the moment Yue Liqing set the stakes, it was clear that this was a fight to the end. Even if Yue Liqing was incredibly powerful, even if he had a mentor who could easily crush Woo Zhengyang, he wouldn't retreat. Woo knew that if he backed down now, there would be a second time, a third, and soon his path as a warrior would be over, blending into obscurity.

The pride of a true warrior cannot be challenged. Woo Zhengyang's goal was not to avoid the confrontation but to face each challenge with all his might.

The martial practicing platform was about 100 feet square, forged from solid iron, its surface a deep black. On the east and west sides, staircases adorned with twin dragon carvings led up to the platform. As one approached, a faint scent of blood lingered in the air, a testament to the countless life-and-death battles it had witnessed over the years.

"Yue, do you think this kid might have something up his sleeve?" a fellow disciple asked Yue Liqing with some concern from the western staircase of the platform.

Before the person even spoke, Yue Liqing's face already showed a hint of unease. He was confident in his preparations, which is why he set such a high stake. If Woo Zhengyang agreed, great. If not, Yue could humiliate him a bit, maybe even win without a fight.

Of course, Yue Liqing had no intention of backing down. He had gone through great lengths to challenge Woo Zhengyang, seeking revenge. He needed to repay the hurt and humiliation he suffered that day, many times over.

Who would have thought Woo Zhengyang would propose a life-or-death duel on the martial platform? Yue Liqing's once unwavering confidence began to waver. Woo Zhengyang seemed different, almost like a changed man, and this thought made Yue Liqing nervous.

But since Yue had proposed the high stakes in front of so many people, backing out would mean losing face. As he hesitated, Liu Tianli approached, whispering a few words in his ear, which finally brought a smile to Yue Liqing's uncertain face.

"Let me see what the so-called worst disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect can do!" Yue Liqing, now full of spirit, declared as he stepped onto the dragon-carved steps. As soon as he did, the previously dull steps lit up like lanterns, radiating brilliance.

First step, second step, third step.

With each step Yue Liqing took, a stair would light up, dimming only after the fourth step.

"What... Am I seeing this right?"

"Is this... Did he really just awaken his Origin Genuine Qi a few days ago?"

"No wonder he's so confident. The power of someone from a noble family is beyond what we can imagine."

The crowd was abuzz with envy as they watched. These seemingly ordinary stairs were actually a test of one's cultivation level. Each step represented a level, and the three bright and one dim light indicated that Yue Liqing had reached the level of a Four-star Martial Disciple. Even though he had just entered this level, it was enough to astonish everyone.

The history between Woo Zhengyang and Yue Liqing was well-known. Just a few days ago, Yue Liqing certainly didn't have this level of cultivation; otherwise, he wouldn't have been injured by Woo Zhengyang, who had just awakened his Origin Genuine Qi.

In just a few days, Yue Liqing had advanced from a One-star to a Four-star Martial Disciple, a speed that exceeded everyone's expectations. Many outer disciples couldn't reach the Four-star level even after a year of training.

Yue Liqing's rapid progress wasn't solely due to hard work; he must have used some special methods. Yet, despite this, all anyone could do was envy him. In this world where strength is everything, how one gains power is of little concern.

Woo Zhengyang was quite surprised. He had expected that Yue Liqing, eager for revenge, would have advanced beyond a One-star Martial Disciple, but he hadn't anticipated Yue Liqing reaching the level of a Four-star Martial Disciple. Even so, Woo Zhengyang remained untroubled. After all, he had defeated Five-star Martial Disciples before; a Four-star wouldn't intimidate him.

With a faint smile, Woo Zhengyang stepped onto the Twin Dragon Steps.

As Woo Zhengyang moved, all eyes turned toward him. After witnessing the shock Yue Liqing brought, everyone was curious about the skills of this last-ranked outer disciple who dared to step onto the life-and-death platform.

With his first step, the initial step emitted a faint glow.

Everyone's attention sharpened.

"This..."

Unlike the earlier shock, this time there was no envy in the crowd's reaction.

Under Woo Zhengyang's feet, only one step lit up, and it was just a dim glow. This indicated that Woo Zhengyang was not only a One-star Martial Disciple but also a particularly weak one.

"He really is just a One-star Martial Disciple!"

"I heard he chose the Body Tempering Technique. Maybe he's achieved something in physical training. After all, the Twin Dragon Steps only measure the power of genuine energy, not physical strength."

"Training in the Body Tempering Technique isn't as easy as eating or drinking; it's a painstaking process. While there are natural treasures to boost genuine energy, have you ever heard of any that enhance physical strength? I sure haven't."

"Well, to be honest, focusing on physical training isn't impressive. Even if his blood energy is equivalent to 300 pounds, or even 400 pounds like a Four-star Martial Disciple, it doesn't make him a match for opponents of the same level. Could he possibly reach 500 pounds? I think he's in for a tough time..."

"Getting beaten up by me actually triggered your Origin Genuine Qi. I thought you went down the mountain to find a fight to boost your skills, but you're still just a One-star Martial Disciple. What a waste of a top-grade pill," Yue Liqing chuckled.

Seeing Woo Zhengyang light up only one step, Yue Liqing, who was initially a bit uneasy, felt reassured. As everyone said, even if Woo Zhengyang's physical training advanced quickly, it couldn't possibly outpace the speed at which Yue consumed pills. Besides, Yue had thoroughly investigated Woo Zhengyang and was well aware of his choice to focus on Body Tempering Techniques, even making some preparations for it.

"Let's get started!" Woo Zhengyang wasn't interested in wasting words. His mind was focused on more important matters.

"If you're in such a hurry to meet your end, I won't hold back!" Yue Liqing said, pulling out a finely toothed sword from his Hidden Heaven Bag. As the sword appeared, the surrounding Vital Energy seemed to tremble.

The sword sang, and everyone was astonished.

Pills and magical artifacts are categorized into six ranks and four grades: Treasure, Spirit, King, Emperor, Imperial, and Sacred.

Even the finest weapons can't produce a sword's hum on their own, which means Yue Liqing's sword is at least a spiritual weapon, possibly even a king's weapon. Everyone suddenly realized that this was Yue Liqing's trump card. No matter how advanced Woo Zhengyang's body tempering skills were, with this sword, Yue Liqing could take on even a Five-star or Six-star Martial Disciple.

Yue Liqing basked in the astonished gazes of the crowd and then turned his attention to Woo Zhengyang. He understood the true essence of revenge wasn't just about defeating an enemy. If they're gone, there's no anger or regret to witness, no chance to see them wish they'd made different choices.

So, Yue Liqing wasn't in a hurry to strike. Instead, he wanted to watch Woo Zhengyang's courage slowly crumble until it completely shattered. "This sword is called the Phoenix Feather Sword, and it's..." Just as the crowd was eager to hear the story behind the Phoenix Feather Sword, Yue Liqing suddenly flew backward, blood spurting from his nose.

As he flew back in shock, a clear boot print was visible on his face. Opposite him, Woo Zhengyang lowered his foot, looking quite impatient. "I'm not here to listen to your nonsense!"

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