The Hall of Whispering Pines was thick with tension as the final eight stood facing each other. The early champions of Dongping—disciples once favored to win—had already fallen. Only three outsiders remained: Han Jue, Gu Tian Shen, and Li Yuan Tian. This stage marked the end of the Dongping regional trials. The victors of these battles would qualify for the Grand Tournament in the capital—a path none would take lightly.
One by one, numbers were drawn. Each disciple stepped forward to claim their match.
Li Yuan Tian stepped up and took his slip of paper, unfolding it with calm precision.
"Match Four: Fei Yuxin vs Li Yuan Tian."
A sharp silence followed. The crowd fell still as if time itself had stopped.
Fei Yuxin's pale lips curved ever so slightly. She stepped forward, her eyes cold and gleaming with an intensity that could freeze the blood of any lesser cultivator. "I had hoped to meet you," she said softly, her voice like the soft hiss of a blade being unsheathed.
He offered no reply—just a curt nod, his expression composed. The atmosphere between them thickened. He was a late-stage Body Tempering cultivator, barely able to withstand the pressure of a Blood Opening expert like Fei Yuxin. On paper, it wasn't even a fair match.
But Li Yuan Tian didn't fight on paper.
The Duel Begins
The arena was bathed in morning light, the spiritual arrays beneath the stage flickering with energy, as if the very air was alive with anticipation. The spectators sat silently in the upper tiers of the hall, their gazes locked onto the duel. The elders at the sides exchanged glances, each of them pondering the odds.
Fei Yuxin's first move was swift, an elegant flick of her wrist sending a flurry of silver needles whizzing through the air. Each needle glowed faintly with condensed spiritual energy, their tips sharp and deadly. They flew like shooting stars, and before Li Yuan Tian could react, one grazed his shoulder, sending a jolt of poison through his body.
He staggered slightly, feeling the chill spread through his muscles. His eyes narrowed. Poison.
But Fei Yuxin was already closing the gap, her movements a blur of elegance and speed. He dashed sideways, using his superior agility and footwork to dodge the incoming needles. His body moved with the precision of a well-honed blade, the training and battles of his years allowing him to anticipate and evade. Yet, despite his efforts, he could feel the poison creeping through his veins, weighing his limbs down.
Another needle sliced through his sleeve, grazing his arm. Blood seeped from the wound, and his wrist went numb. Another hit, and his legs began to feel heavy. His stamina, already stretched thin from the poison, began to dwindle.
Fei Yuxin's eyes glinted with cold amusement as she saw the effect her poison was having. She was toying with him, confident that her superior realm and technique would soon overwhelm him. "You should have conceded," she whispered from across the battlefield, her voice carrying on the wind.
But Li Yuan Tian's expression didn't change. There was no concession in his heart. Not while there was still breath in his body.
The Struggle Intensifies
He charged forward, gritting his teeth through the pain, his mind flashing through countless strategies, but none seemed effective. Fei Yuxin was faster, more refined, and the distance between them felt like an insurmountable chasm. Every move he made felt sluggish in comparison to her quicksilver strikes.
She darted in low, spinning on her heel to strike his side with a well-aimed kick. His vision blurred as pain exploded through his ribs. He stumbled, gasping for breath. His body was failing him, the poison sinking deeper, and his muscles growing stiffer by the moment. Another needle embedded itself in his thigh, and he winced as he felt the coldness crawl up his leg.
His heart raced in panic, but there was no turning back now. His body screamed for respite, but his mind was clear—he couldn't afford to hesitate.
Fei Yuxin closed in again, this time her movements a deadly dance as she weaved through his defenses. The grace of her strikes was unlike anything Li Yuan Tian had faced before—her needles, her feet, all of it was a blur of lethality.
With no other choice, he brought his fists up in a last-ditch effort to create some distance. But he was too slow.
A sharp pain exploded through his ribs as her foot struck him hard. He cried out, stumbling back.
The Turning Point
For a fleeting moment, everything seemed to slow. Pain lanced through his side. He coughed, blood spattering the floor. Yet, even as his body screamed in agony, a fire ignited within him. His mind sharpened with clarity, and a single thought thundered through his consciousness: I refuse to lose here.
Summoning the last of his strength, he threw himself forward, using every ounce of his momentum to close the distance between them. Fei Yuxin raised a hand to stop him, her fingers glowing with power, but it was too late.
Li Yuan Tian's fist slammed into her head, the force of the blow amplified by the desperation and fury that drove him. A dull crack echoed through the arena, and for a moment, the world held its breath.
Fei Yuxin crumpled to the ground, unconscious before she even hit the floor.
Li Yuan Tian stood for a heartbeat longer, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain. The world seemed to spin, and his vision blurred. Blood bubbled up from his mouth, and his body trembled from the toll the battle had taken. He staggered, his legs giving out beneath him.
Victory and Injury
The crowd remained silent, stunned into disbelief. It had been a brutal, bloody battle, and no one had expected such a turn of events. The air was thick with tension as the elder's voice rang out, almost as if to break the spell that had fallen over the arena.
"Winner: Li Yuan Tian," the elder declared, his voice carrying an air of finality.
Gu Tian Shen was the first to react. He rushed to Li Yuan Tian's side just as the latter collapsed to one knee. "You fool," he muttered, catching him before he could fall completely. "She shattered your ribs. You really gambled everything on one blow."
Li Yuan Tian's lips curled into a weak smile, though it was evident that he could barely remain conscious. "I didn't have a choice," he rasped, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.
Gu Tian Shen said nothing more, his gaze hardening as he helped Li Yuan Tian off the stage.
Aftermath
Hours later, in a quiet recovery chamber beneath the hall, Li Yuan Tian lay swathed in bandages, his breathing shallow but steady. Old Bai stood beside him, his expression grim as he surveyed the injuries. The pale light from the spiritual arrays outside cast eerie shadows over the room.
"You gambled everything for one blow," Old Bai said, his voice low. "If you'd missed…"
"I didn't," Li Yuan Tian interrupted, his voice hoarse but determined. "I knew I had one shot. If I didn't take it, I wouldn't survive another round."
Old Bai snorted, though there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Your body's in ruins, but your bones… they're realigning. You'll recover. And when you do…"
Li Yuan Tian's eyes gleamed. "I'll reach the peak of Body Tempering," he finished.
Old Bai nodded solemnly. "You've earned it—not through luck or tricks. Through pain, through effort. Remember that."
Li Yuan Tian closed his eyes, resting for the first time in hours, the pain still lingering but fading.