The atmosphere in the arena was thick with tension. Duan Li's stunning display of power reverberated through the crowd, leaving a lingering sense of awe. But now, as all eyes shifted toward the Gui family's camp, the air was thick with pity, schadenfreude, and a grim sense of anticipation.
Gui Lan stood at the forefront, his fists clenched at his sides. His usually confident demeanor had crumbled. He had been the pride of the Gui family for so long, the shining star they had all looked to for hope. But now, facing Duan Li's overwhelming strength, Gui Lan felt a weight pressing down on him—an invisible force he couldn't shake. It wasn't just doubt; it was fear. The very thing that had always been beneath his prideful exterior was now at the forefront of his mind.
Duan Li, standing in the center of the arena, turned his gaze toward the Gui family's side with an almost mocking sneer, the arrogance in his expression palpable. He let his voice ring out with deliberate provocation.
"What? You want me to invite you up?" His words dripped with condescension.
Gui Lan's body tensed at the challenge. Half a year ago, he would have stepped onto the stage without hesitation. He had always been confident in his abilities—his rise had been swift, his strength unchallenged. But now, with Duan Li's power still echoing in his mind, Gui Lan hesitated. For the first time in his life, doubt gnawed at him, and he felt his resolve falter. The truth was undeniable—he was no longer Duan Li's match.
The whispers in the crowd grew louder, the anticipation building as the seconds ticked by. Everyone waited for Gui Lan's response, but before he could move, a clear, elegant voice cut through the murmurs.
"To defeat you... why would Cousin Gui Lan need to take action?"
The crowd froze, then collectively gasped as a graceful figure stepped lightly onto the stage. It was Gui Yiyi.
Her sudden appearance caused an immediate uproar, the spectators' eyes widening in disbelief. Gui Yiyi was known in Half Moon City, but her fame had little to do with her strength. She was celebrated for her unparalleled beauty, her grace, and her charm. Yet here she stood, a delicate figure stepping onto the battlefield, a challenge to Duan Li himself.
"One strike to defeat you is all it would take," she continued, her voice serene but filled with unshakable confidence.
The arena erupted into shocked gasps. The crowd had expected someone from the Gui family to challenge Duan Li, but not her. Gui Yiyi was not known for her martial prowess; in fact, most considered her far beneath Duan Li's level, let alone someone who could take him on. To claim she could defeat him with a single strike was unthinkable.
Even Duan Li paused, his gaze shifting to her with an expression of disbelief. He blinked, as if he couldn't quite process what he had just heard.
"One sword strike to defeat me?" Duan Li scoffed, his laughter dripping with contempt.
But before he could dismiss her further, something extraordinary happened.
In the blink of an eye, a silver sword materialized in Gui Yiyi's hand. It was not a sword of simple craftsmanship, but one infused with a presence that made the air hum with power.
At first, Duan Li barely reacted, his mind treating her move like an ill-conceived joke. But as the sword glided through the air with almost terrifying speed, his confident demeanor faltered. A sudden chill ran down his spine.
His body locked in place, as if an invisible force held him captive. Panic seized his heart. There was no time to dodge. The sword was too close, its lethal intent unmistakable. He couldn't move.
"Move! Move!!" His mind screamed in desperation, but his limbs refused to respond. The terrifying reality hit him—this was not just an ordinary strike. This... could kill him.
The crowd was silent, frozen in shock. A few sharp-eyed cultivators caught the gleam of a deeper energy at play, one that hinted at something far beyond mere swordsmanship. They watched in awe and fear, knowing that if this attack connected, Duan Li's life would be forfeit.
From the Duan family's camp, the black-robed elder's expression shifted drastically. His eyes widened, a look of recognition flashing across his face.
"This is... the embryonic form of sword intent!" His voice was rough with disbelief, his breath shallow.
Even within the Witherwood Gate, only a select few could grasp even the faintest trace of sword intent—an ability so rare and dangerous that it was considered the hallmark of a true martial genius. And here, in front of them, Gui Yiyi, with her youth and unassuming appearance, had manifested it. Her skill was no longer just formidable—it was deadly.
If that sword landed, Duan Li wouldn't just be defeated—he would die.
The black-robed elder's expression twisted with fury. He could not let this happen.
"Impudent!" His voice cracked like thunder as he surged into the air, his body a blur of motion. With a flick of his wrist, he gathered an immense amount of spiritual power into his palm. A massive, destructive force shot toward Gui Yiyi, intent on obliterating the strike before it could reach Duan Li.
But just as the massive force hurtled toward her, the very air around them trembled.
Boom!
An even more terrifying force erupted, a wave of power so overwhelming that it seemed to shatter the very foundations of the arena. The black-robed elder's massive palm, aimed directly at Gui Yiyi, disintegrated into nothingness. It was as if it had never existed at all.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the arena shook with the force of the attack.
Gui Yiyi's gaze remained calm, her expression serene as ever. She knew what had just occurred—the weight of the attack that had just been neutralized. It was her master's intervention.
From beside her, a calm, cold voice cut through the stunned silence:
"Teach my disciple a lesson? Are you worthy?"
The voice was unmistakable. It was Xuan Yi.
Boom!
The sheer force of his aura slammed into the arena, crushing the last vestiges of tension in the air. It was a pressure so overwhelming that weaker cultivators collapsed to their knees in an instant, gasping for air.
Compared to the black-robed elder's power, which had been like a small, contained pond, Xuan Yi's presence was an ocean—a vast, infinite force that swallowed everything in its wake.
On the stage, the black-robed elder's face turned ashen. He trembled violently, unable to move, the cold sweat pouring down his back. His mind reeled, his thoughts a jumble of disbelief and fear.
The pressure he felt—it was something he had only encountered once before, and that was when he had met the sect master of the Witherwood Gate.
Nascent Soul Realm.
Xuan Yi was a Nascent Soul expert.
The black-robed elder's breath hitched, and his eyes widened in horror. They had unknowingly provoked a Nascent Soul expert.
His thoughts turned frantic, and he glanced toward Duan Li, his eyes filled with hatred and reproach.
'You fool! You've dragged us into this mess!'
With his heart pounding in fear, the black-robed elder tried to salvage the situation.
"Senior, this... this is a misunderstanding," he stammered, his voice trembling as he sought to appease the overwhelming presence before him.
But Xuan Yi didn't even spare him a second glance.
Boom!
With a single, effortless punch, the black-robed elder was obliterated. His body shattered into a fine mist of blood, vanishing from existence.
Silence descended on the arena, a deadly silence that stretched on like a suffocating blanket. The crowd remained frozen, unable to process the sheer brutality of what they had just witnessed.
Xuan Yi's voice, cold and unfeeling, echoed across the arena, carrying the weight of his final statement:
"Xuan Yi of the Profound Sword Sect killed you. If the Witherwood Gate is dissatisfied, your Sect Master is welcome to come find me."
The words rippled through the crowd like a shockwave, leaving them stunned and in awe. The Profound Sword Sect—a force more terrifying than even the Witherwood Gate.
In an instant, everything had shifted. The Gui family, once on the verge of ruin, now seemed untouchable, shielded by the might of a Nascent Soul expert.
The crowd was too stunned to speak. In their hearts, however, one thought echoed in unison:
The Gui family's era had truly arrived.