novelraw Chapter 34 : The Duel Platform
Chapter 34 : The Duel Platform
Chapter 34: The Duel Platform
Li Tianwei stood silently, allowing the spell to flow into his body.
He could feel the power and aura within him being completely concealed beneath its influence.
Bai Muxu swept his Divine Sense across him and gave a faint nod.
“This is the Divine Concealment and Breath-Stilling Technique. Cultivating it allows one to hide their aura and calm their mind, making it difficult for others’ Divine Sense to probe your presence.”
Then, Bai Muxu took out a book from his storage ring and handed it over.
“Many thanks, Master.”
Li Tianwei bowed deeply.
“Very well. For now, rest and recover within the cave residence. Three days later, you will engage in a duel against a disciple of the Sacred Land of Baiyuan.”
Bai Muxu spoke calmly.
Soon after, he left the cave residence.
Li Tianwei watched Bai Muxu’s retreating figure, then flipped through the manual in his hands.
The Divine Concealment and Breath-Stilling Technique… Yet another spell to study. Returning deeper into the cave residence, Li Tianwei resumed his comprehension.
——
Three days later.
With the arrival of the Sacred Land of Baiyuan, the duel between the disciples of the two Sacred Lands had drawn a large crowd.
Everyone knew that the highlight of this day’s duels would be the clash between two disciples who had achieved the Hundred-Day Foundation.
Especially the disciple named Li Tianwei — ever since he entered the Sacred Land of Lingxu, there had been no further news of him.
If not for the word spreading that he had successfully completed the Hundred-Day Foundation, many disciples might have already forgotten about his existence.
No one knew how strong Li Tianwei truly was.
On the other hand, Yuan Xixiao from the Sacred Land of Baiyuan had, in just three days, challenged many Foundation Establishment disciples of the Sacred Land of Lingxu.
Those were cultivators who had trained for years, yet Yuan Xixiao fought ten battles and won ten times.
Whether his opponents were at the peak of Foundation Establishment or not, he crushed them all with the power of his early Foundation Establishment stage.
Many could not help but sigh at his near-invincible bearing.
A Foundation cultivator with such might — within the Sacred Land of Lingxu — there had not been another like him since Yuan Shaoqing ten years ago.
Back then, Yuan Shaoqing had also battled disciples of the other three Sacred Lands during his Foundation stage and remained undefeated.
Unfortunately, he was now already in the Golden Core Realm.
And ever since his Hundred-Day Foundation, Li Tianwei had not shown himself again, not even a trace of news.
In many hearts, it was already believed that Li Tianwei could not possibly defeat Yuan Xixiao.
At this moment, thousands of disciples had already gathered around the Duel Platform.
The disciples of the Sacred Land of Baiyuan seemed intent on creating momentum for Yuan Xixiao, sending many of their own disciples to duel the Sacred Land of Lingxu’s disciples beforehand.
To stir up the atmosphere, both Sacred Lands also promised rewards for disciples who won their duels.
Soon, several figures appeared above the Duel Platform, standing suspended in midair.
Their terrifying auras descended like a flood, and the surrounding spiritual energy surged violently.
At once, every disciple around the platform looked up to see several elders from both the Sacred Land of Baiyuan and the Sacred Land of Lingxu descending.
“Greetings to the Elders!”
Following one person’s call, countless disciples bowed in unison, their voices rising in perfect order.
Daoist Master Lan Yu, hovering above, stroked his beard in satisfaction at the disciples’ display of discipline.
“Elder Xiao, please take your seat.”
Lan Yu gestured lightly.
“Very well.”
Xiao E nodded, and in an instant, descended to his seat below.
Soon, the elders of the Sacred Land of Lingxu also took their seats, and only then did the overwhelming aura and pressure begin to disperse.
Li Tianwei stood quietly behind Bai Muxu, by his side.
On the opposite side, beside Xiao E, Yuan Xixiao stole a few glances at Li Tianwei, sensing his aura.
“Early Foundation Establishment…”
Yuan Xixiao silently estimated.
“This is the genius of our Sacred Land of Baiyuan — Yuan Xixiao. I trust that everyone has heard his name quite often these past few days.”
Elder Xiao spoke with a smile, while secretly observing the expressions of the Lingxu elders.
“Greetings, Elders and Seniors.”
Yuan Xixiao stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed, his manner calm yet imposing.
Upon hearing this, Daoist Master Lan Yu frowned slightly.
Over the past three days, Yuan Xixiao’s terrifying streak of ten consecutive victories already bore a resemblance to Bai Muxu’s style in his younger years.
Especially with the Sacred Land of Baiyuan’s disciples humiliating his own within their own domain — who could possibly feel pleased?
Thinking of this, Lan Yu glanced at Bai Muxu, though it was clear he had little confidence in Li Tianwei.
After all, disciples who completed the Hundred-Day Foundation generally spent their days stabilizing their cultivation, leaving little time to practice techniques that could improve their combat strength.
Yuan Xixiao, however, had come prepared. Possessing the Myriad Arts Physique, he could instantly comprehend most spells and perform them with greater power than ordinary cultivators.
It was precisely this that allowed him to suppress even those at the peak of Foundation Establishment.
Bai Muxu noticed Lan Yu’s look and slightly turned his head, signaling him to relax.
He, too, had once worried that Li Tianwei would be no match for Yuan Xixiao — but after learning that Li Tianwei had comprehended three kinds of Dao Intents, that concern vanished completely.
Now, he was simply waiting to see the Sacred Land of Baiyuan’s expressions when they lost face.
Lan Yu sensed Bai Muxu’s confidence and exhaled softly. If Bai Muxu was certain, then he had no reason to doubt.
“The Hundred-Day Foundation itself marks a genius. Fame means little; only true strength in combat determines the Dao.”
Since this was his own territory, Lan Yu spoke with confidence.
“Hahaha, well said! True strength beneath one’s hands is the Dao indeed.”
Xiao E laughed heartily in agreement, though inwardly he sneered — true strength? What he really wanted to see was the Sacred Land of Lingxu’s newly raised prodigy crippled just a hundred days after his rise.
“Did you hear Daoist Master Lan Yu’s words? Fame is worthless — true power lies in one’s hands. But once on the Duel Platform, do mind the decorum.”
After finishing his laugh, Xiao E turned to Yuan Xixiao, his tone meaningful. Yuan Xixiao gave a faint nod in response.
“Since Elder Xiao has said as much, let us begin right away. Li Tianwei.”
Lan Yu glanced at Li Tianwei as he spoke.
Li Tianwei slowly stepped out from behind Bai Muxu, raised his head to acknowledge the elders seated above — yet did not so much as glance at Yuan Xixiao, as if he were a completely irrelevant person.
“Let’s begin.”
With a wave of Lan Yu’s hand, the entire Duel Platform suddenly expanded.
A massive barrier array unfolded as spiritual energy surged and whirled.
Under his power, both Yuan Xixiao and Li Tianwei were lifted onto the Duel Platform.
The moment the two landed, a chorus of cheers erupted from the western stands, countless disciples shouting with excitement.
The atmosphere of the duel instantly reached its climax.
“Senior Brother Li, beat that brat from the Sacred Land of Baiyuan!”
“Show him the power of our Sacred Land of Lingxu!”
Compared to the Sacred Land of Lingxu’s thunderous voices, the Baiyuan disciples’ cheers — numbering only a few dozen — were completely drowned out.
Listening to the cheers surrounding him, Li Tianwei spread his arms, closed his eyes slightly, and savored the feeling.
Yuan Xixiao, on the other hand, watched Li Tianwei — who hadn’t spared him even a single glance — and though a calm smile remained on his face, the urge to kill him had already begun to surge uncontrollably.
Let’s see how long you can keep pretending…
Thinking of the plan arranged by the Sacred Land of Baiyuan, Yuan Xixiao smiled inwardly.