C78 Victory and Accident!

Though the light screen obscured his view of the outside world, Qing Yuan could sense the audience was likely in shock.

As a Fifth Grade cultivator, failing to handle a Sixth Grade opponent was embarrassing. This incident would echo through the Qing's for a long time, but not for reasons to be proud of.

His glare was predatory, fixed on Lee Yu.

"If stares could kill, you'd have won. Too bad they can't," Lee Yu said with a shrug.

He might not have as many martial arts secrets as Qing Yuan, but he had mastered each one he knew. From fist and foot techniques to Body Tempering, he'd practiced them all. He didn't hoard his experience points or double experience; he used them as needed. His arsenal was limited but refined—essentially, he was a master of efficiency.

Lee Yu wiped the sweat from his cheek and faced Qing Yuan. "Just give it up and take a beating!"

"Nonsense!" Qing Yuan snapped back, his exterior calm belying his inner tension. He was falling behind. How could this be happening?

"Stop dreaming!" Qing Yuan clenched his teeth, manipulating the wood spiritual energy within the Spiritual Domain to lift himself, floating slowly above the arena.

"This single move will stump you," Qing Yuan sneered, the flash of humiliation in his eyes fleeting.

He felt diminished, resorting to aerial tactics to 'bully' a Sixth Grade cultivator. Never had he imagined a Fifth Grade needing to exert full effort against a Sixth Grade.

"Good heavens, Qing Yuan has taken to the skies!"

"Focus, folks! Is Lee Yu really that powerful? No wonder he's earned the seed title."

"Did Qing Yuan just fail to overpower Lee Yu, or is it just me?"

Lee Yu scoffed, "So you've taken to the skies? I thought you'd tough it out without resorting to that move."

"Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?" Qing Yuan frowned, now soaring over two hundred meters high, a distance most Sixth Grade cultivators couldn't reach.

Is Lee Yu just an average Sixth Grade cultivator?

Lee Yu nodded, "Interestingly enough, I do have a technique up my sleeve. I've refrained from using it, though, to avoid discouraging Anqi."

"Playing coy, are we?" Qing Yuan, having already resorted to flight, felt no hesitation in prolonging the conversation. He had lost so much face already; there was nothing left to lose.

Lee Yu had previously overpowered him, and Qing Yuan had since caught on.

Absorbing spiritual energy rejuvenates the body. Perhaps that's why the thunder attribute spiritual energy harnessed by Lee Yu's Thunder Bloodline had a more potent effect, giving him a physical edge over Qing Yuan.

Now, the contest was about spiritual energy, about the dominance of their realms. Qing Yuan couldn't fathom that Lee Yu had any means left to suppress, let alone defeat him.

Yet, seeing Lee Yu's self-assured demeanor, Qing Yuan's certainty wavered.

"It can't be. Does he really have another trick?"

Lee Yu glanced at Qing Yuan, while also keeping an eye on Qing Heng. The curiosity in Qing Heng's gaze was palpable; he was eager to discover Lee Yu's solution to the predicament.

After a moment of contemplation, Lee Yu slowly closed his eyes. It was time to show the Qing clan the extent of his extraordinary talent.

"What's he up to now?"

Qing Heng was puzzled, and Qing Yuan, hovering above, grew restless.

Thunder emanated from Lee Yu, with arcs of lightning crackling and leaping around him. His eyes snapped open, and the surrounding thunderclaps burst forth as he soared into the air.

"What in the world? That's over two hundred meters, isn't it? Is he trying to leap up and strike Qing Yuan's knee?"

"He should just concede. Continuing will only lead to further humiliation."

The crowd around the ring buzzed with speculation, some perceptive enough to spot the anomaly.

"Holy smokes, he's suspended mid-air!"

"I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but it's true! Lee Yu is at the Fifth Grade?"

"That can't be right. The records clearly show he's Sixth Grade!"

A spectator swallowed hard, his voice shaking, "Tell me, is it even possible for a Sixth Grade to fly?"

His pupils narrowed.

As Lee Yu approached, Qing Yuan couldn't contain his disbelief. "There's no way you're Fifth Grade. How could you possibly ascend to the heavens?"

He was close now, and the unusual aura emanating from Lee Yu was unmistakable.

Qing Yuan was absolutely certain Lee Yu lacked a Spiritual Realm. If Lee Yu were truly a Fifth Grade cultivator, Qing Yuan was convinced he couldn't have been deceived.

But if that were true... it would be astounding for a Sixth Grade cultivator to possess the skills of the Fifth Grade!

He preferred to think that Lee Yu had mastered some technique of concealment, giving the impression of a Sixth Grade cultivation level.

Lee Yu didn't respond. Instead, he seized upon Qing Yuan's wavering mental state, unleashing a torrent of Thunder Spiritual Force that yanked him back into the arena.

"You put up quite the fight just now!"

"Is this how you treated Anqi?"

Lee Yu's strikes were merciless yet restrained, inflicting pain without causing serious injury.

He remembered Qing Heng's words: "Keep it measured," "Stay within the arena's rules."

It was a clear indication: operate within the rules, and there would be no trouble.

Qing Yuan's cries of pain echoed through the arena.

Yet, he offered no other response, just a continuous murmur: "How did you do it? How?"

How indeed?

Lee Yu smirked.

With an abundance of spiritual energy, simulating a Fifth Grade Spiritual Domain with his internal reserves was child's play.

His body housed thousands of acupoints, each brimming with energy. With such a vast reserve, maintaining the facade of a Spiritual Realm for an hour or two was no challenge at all!

Lee Yu pounded Qing Yuan relentlessly, finally exhaling a long breath of satisfaction.

"That felt good!"

He had not only avenged Qing Anqi but also proved his potential to Qing Heng. Now, with the Hundred Clans Assembly on the horizon, should any issues arise, he was far from being expendable.

To the Qing family, Lee Yu had been merely an outsider with potential worth cultivating. But now, his exceptional performance would undoubtedly enhance his standing even further.

With a final, forceful punch, Lee Yu struck Qing Yuan squarely in the face, rendering him unconscious. He then turned his attention to Qing Heng.

Qing Heng gazed intently at Lee Yu, taking a while to come to his senses. After examining Qing Yuan's condition, he declared, "Lee Yu wins!"

As the light curtains around the arena gradually descended, the uproar from the spectators filled the stage, a mix of disbelief and astonishment echoing in the air.

Lee Yu remained silent, his eyes scanning the entire arena before settling on the medical room off to the side.

"Lee Yu..." Qing Heng began, approaching him, but before he could finish, Lee Yu had already leapt from the platform and dashed to the side.

Qing Heng's brow furrowed at the sight of Cui collapsed outside the medical room, with several Qingshan Army soldiers strewn nearby.

"Trouble!" Qing Heng realized immediately. His spiritual energy surged, and in an instant, he was by Lee Yu's side outside the medical room.

"He's just been knocked out..." Lee Yu noted the bruises on Cui's neck and made his assessment. He carefully parted the curtains to peer inside.

"Is everything alright?"

Inside, Qing Anqi lay on the bed, her breathing even and calm.

Without hesitation, Qing Heng strode in, his eyes filled with urgent concern.