38. Disfigurement

The flame appeared as fragile as a candle in the wind, seemingly ready to extinguish at any moment, yet the power contained within it was several times more concentrated than the fiery fist from before.

Li Miao’s gaze sharpened as he sensed the immense heat radiating from the flame. Not daring to underestimate it, he summoned his primal energy to envelop his entire body and pushed his palm forward.

The force in his palm struck the flame, instantly detonating it into a scorching wave of fire that engulfed him completely.

Seeing Li Miao attempt to withstand his signature move, the Celestial Flame Curse, with nothing but his bare hand, Situ Zhong sneered, “Courting death, daring to meet my attack head-on—”

His mocking words were cut short as his pupils contracted in shock. Li Miao strode forth from the blaze, completely unharmed.

“This is impossible!” Situ Zhong exclaimed.

The other cultivators from the Fire Refining Hall were equally incredulous.

They understood better than anyone the might of the Celestial Flame Curse; even a late-stage True Condensation cultivator would need considerable means to resolve it.

Yet Li Miao had deflected it with nothing but protective true energy—a feat they found utterly unimaginable.

What they did not know was that Li Miao’s genetic primal energy was a force far superior to true energy, making it easy to withstand spells from cultivators of the same realm.

Even if some residual heat struck his flesh after the primal energy dissipated the fiery wave, his physique was robust enough to simply ignore it.

Without giving them time to process, Li Miao burst from the heatwave and landed before Situ Zhong, grinning. “Your ultimate move is spent. Now, try my basic attack.”

Bang.

A fist filled Situ Zhong’s field of vision, Li Miao’s iron fist landing unceremoniously on his face. The force sent Situ Zhong flying dozens of yards, trailing a long streak of blood in the air before crashing into the ranks of the Fire Refining Hall.

“Junior Brother!”

“Situ!”

His comrades rushed to catch him, only to find Situ Zhong unconscious, his cheekbone sunken inward, half his face battered beyond recognition, as if struck by a mighty hammer.

Though his life was spared, his appearance was utterly ruined; without a top-grade elixir, recovery would be difficult.

A shudder ran through the crowd.

This was far more humiliating than being seriously injured.

For the Fire Refining Hall, it was as if the punch had landed on all their faces. The ones boasting about disciplining Li Miao now found themselves receiving the lesson.

“You’ve gone too far, Li!” Lu Yan flared with anger, his eyes burning with fiery light as he glared at Li Miao, ready for battle.

Li Miao chuckled mockingly, “You lacked the strength but insisted on boasting. Now that your faces are bruised, you want to blame me?”

His words were a double-edged taunt—scolding Situ Zhong for his lack of self-awareness, while provoking Lu Yan. The Fire Refining Hall members all glared at him, itching to rush forward and beat him.

“You—” Lu Yan was furious, his fists cracking. Were it not for the hundreds of cultivators watching, he would have struck immediately.

Li Miao observed his dilemma—wanting to fight but constrained by propriety, unable to bully a junior True Condensation cultivator. Amused, he said, “If anyone still doubts my strength, feel free to challenge me. If nothing else, I excel at endurance; fighting day and night is no problem. Fairness is guaranteed.”

Of all the duelists present, aside from Lu Yan, he regarded no one else.

Since the opponent was reluctant to act, he offered a convenient excuse for them.

His words drew silence.

Most of those who had doubted him had been intimidated by his effortless defense against the Celestial Flame Curse and his casual blow that sent Situ Zhong flying. None dared step forward as a challenger now.

Aside from Lu Yan, no one could claim certain victory over him.

But could Lu Yan act?

Clearly not.

Anything else might be negotiable, but the outcome of this duel mattered greatly to the Fire Refining Hall; they could not afford a misstep.

Lu Yan had to swallow his anger, gritting out, “You’re bold, boy. I hope you last until the final battle, so I can show you whether the Fire Refining Hall is hard or soft.”

Seeing his bravado thinly masking his uncertainty, Li Miao sighed. “You people aren’t much in a fight, but you’ve mastered the art of talking tough. If you won’t fight, so be it. I’ll go rest.”

“Brat!” Lu Yan’s veins bulged with fury, his breath unsteady.

Li Miao withdrew from the arena, returning to the side of Liu Xuanfeng and Lady Qi.

Those nearby instinctively stepped back, fearing he might deliver a fist to their face as well.

Liu Xuanfeng wore a wry smile.

Li Miao’s display was exceptional, but his actions had now offended the Fire Refining Hall. Representing the Lesser Yin Sect in the tournament, this outcome was not ideal for the sect.

Lady Qi, however, thought little of such concerns. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she smiled at Li Miao. “Young Master Li, you are truly formidable. From your performance, you seem invincible among mid-stage True Condensation cultivators. I suspect even Lu Yan, reputed as the strongest below the Return to Origin, may not be a match for you.”

Li Miao replied, “Against Lu Yan, my chances are not small—but not great, either.”

He disliked exaggeration and avoided false humility.

He knew his own strength well. Against ordinary late-stage True Condensation cultivators, he had an eighty-percent chance of victory. But even within the same realm, cultivators varied in strength; against the stronger ones, he could not guarantee success.

Lady Qi’s face lit up with delight. “That’s good! At least you have hope for the top two.” Her tone was filled with unabashed admiration and joy.

Those nearby listened with mixed feelings.

No one had expected such a powerful early-stage True Condensation cultivator to emerge in the midst of the tournament. The Lesser Yin Sect, once obscure, suddenly became the talk of the town.

And Li Miao’s name was etched into many memories.

On the high platform, Daoist Songshi saw no one dared challenge Li Miao further and proceeded to arrange the next matches.

Soon, the seventh match of the first round began.

All attention returned to the arena.

The subsequent battles were all ordinary, lacking the dazzling display of Li Miao. Every competitor was a familiar expert, and their victories and defeats were largely as expected.

The seventh, eighth, and ninth matches passed one after another.

By midday, all fifteen duels of the first round were complete.

The tournament aimed to select the top eight. With sixteen contenders remaining, another round would be held in the afternoon.

Without pause for rest, Daoist Songshi began drawing lots for the sixteen-to-eight round.

There were no groupings; every round was randomized.

Soon, Songshi announced the new matchups.

“The order for the second round is as follows.”

“First match: Li Miao of the Lesser Yin Sect versus Lu Yan of the Fire Refining Hall.”

At his words, the arena fell silent.

Both named individuals were stunned; even Daoist Songshi himself paused, double-checking the names before repeating, “Li Miao versus Lu Yan—yes, that’s correct.”

After the confirmation, the crowd erupted.

“Haha, now we’ll see a real show!”

“Li Miao just ruined Situ Zhong’s face, and now he faces Lu Yan next—what bad luck!”

“With the Fire Refining Hall’s vengeful nature, Li Miao is in trouble!”

“If he faced Luo Jing or Wang Ruhu, maybe he’d have a chance, but against Lu Yan—heh.”

In an instant, the looks of awe directed at Li Miao shifted to sympathy.

Feeling the waves of pity, Li Miao chuckled inwardly, muttering, “Enemies meet on narrow roads.” Yet he felt no fear, only amusement.

The winner would advance to the top eight, while the loser would lose the chance to compete for the Sun Mansion’s inheritance.

If he could defeat Lu Yan, subsequent duels would be much easier, and he could claim first place. If he lost, he’d have failed the Lesser Yin Sect, and merely gained the enmity of the Fire Refining Hall.

Thus, he must win this battle.

“Second match: Kai Ze Zhenren of Qingyun Temple versus Ji Ning of the Black Mountain Sect.”

“Third match: Luo Jing of the Fire Refining Hall versus Zhou Li of Dragon Shadow Mountain.”

“Fourth match—”

Daoist Songshi read out the rest of the list.

Except for those named, everyone else’s focus was solely on urging the first match to begin.

Sensing the enthusiasm of hundreds of cultivators and thousands of commoners, Daoist Songshi smiled, “Let us not waste words. Hall Master Lu, Young Hero Li, please step forward.”

“The show begins,” the crowd murmured.

Liu Xuanfeng’s expression was grave. “Brother Li, be careful.”

Lady Qi said, “Young Master Li, if the situation turns dire, don’t force yourself.”

Li Miao replied, “Don’t worry. Even if I can’t win, I’ll have no trouble keeping myself safe,” and strode confidently into the arena.

On the Fire Refining Hall’s side, Lu Yan’s face was full of pleasure as he addressed his comrades, “Just watch how I discipline that snot-nosed brat.”

Lu Yingshuang waved her tiny fists, growling, “Daddy, you must cripple him! And drag out that wild girl who stole my necklace and make her kneel before me and admit her mistake.”

“Very well, as you wish, Shuang’er.” Lu Yan laughed heartily and strode out from the ranks.

The dueling ground was two hundred yards wide. The two walked slowly to the center, sizing each other up.

Li Miao specialized in the body and primal energy, his aura tightly restrained, impossible to gauge. Lu Yan, on the other hand, wielded his Flame Dragon True Energy with masterful skill; his steps distorted the air, and grass withered wherever he passed.

They stopped in the center, separated by three yards, able to sense the fluctuations of each other’s aura.

Lu Yan, in a lecturing tone, said, “Young man, your skills are commendable, but you lack manners—arrogant and disrespectful. Today, I will teach you how to honor your elders.”

Li Miao maintained his usual relaxed posture, beckoning him, “Come, then.”

“Hmph, ignorant of your limits.”

Lu Yan’s expression chilled; at once, he attacked, sending a roaring dragon of blazing flames from his raised hand.

The air instantly grew scorching.

Li Miao reached out, and a battle blade materialized in his grasp. He met the fire dragon with a slash.

Boom.

The Devouring Source Blade Art instantly extinguished much of the flames, dispersing the dragon mid-air.

He advanced swiftly, blade glowing blue as he cleaved diagonally.

Lu Yan anticipated this, flicking his sleeve. The ground beneath him became a sea of fire, and a crimson sword appeared in his hand, blazing with light. He slashed, sending a searing sword aura.

Sss—

Sword energy and blade light clashed at the fire’s edge. The late-stage True Condensation power forced Li Miao back two steps, breaking his momentum.

Lu Yan, meanwhile, stood calmly at the heart of the fire, sword in hand, flames swirling around him, unmoved.

“Hall Master Lu is truly formidable. Li Miao doesn’t seem to be his match.”

“With the infernal sea, he can’t approach and can only take hits. Defeat is inevitable.”

Many voiced their opinions.

Li Miao frowned slightly.

The temperature of the fire sea wasn’t fatal to him, but it was the opponent’s domain; charging in would put him at a great disadvantage.

If he didn’t enter, as a primal energy martial artist specializing in physical prowess, he would be unable to handle a cultivator.

Lu Yan gave him no time to think. His crimson sword spun, and with a gesture, streams of fire separated from the sea, darting toward Li Miao like moths to a flame.

Though not powerful individually, their sheer number was overwhelming.

Li Miao’s blade danced, the Devouring Source Blade Art scattering most of the flames, but a few slipped through, hitting him and causing minor injuries.

The crowd sighed, convinced the gap in strength was vast; the two were not on the same level.

“Boy, now do you see the difference?” Lu Yan pressed his advantage, mocking him.

Li Miao brushed off a singed patch on his clothing, replying calmly, “The battle has just begun. Don’t celebrate too soon.”

“Hmph, let’s see how long you can keep boasting.”

Lu Yan’s crimson sword pointed askew, his aura surging. The fire sea’s temperature rose by thirty percent, and seven or eight fire serpents sprang out, attacking from three directions.

Each serpent carried terrifying heat; a single touch could cause serious harm.

This approach would not work.

Li Miao’s mind raced. Seeing Lu Yan standing in the fire sea, he made his decision.

The longer the fight dragged on, the worse it would be for him. Speed was of the essence.

“Stellar Saint Physique.”

With a thought, the star pattern emerged from his chest, spreading across his body in an instant.

The ancient secret technique elevated his strength to another level.

Power surged through him. Li Miao ignored the attacking fire serpents, activated the Void-Splitting Armguard, and darted into the sea of fire.

“Hm?”

Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed, sensing Li Miao’s sudden increase in strength. Alarm bells rang in his mind.

The battle blade swung down with tremendous force.

The mighty blow carved a path through the inferno, the sheer power making the crowd gasp.

Facing this overwhelming strike, Lu Yan did not retreat. Instead, he raised a black wooden talisman, placing it before him.