Chapter 228: Strength

It seemed that in just half a year, this young man had been through quite a lot.

Yang Yan looked at the young man’s face, which had been etched with traces of hardship by time, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Though less than a year had passed since they entered the Azure Mystic Sect, the experiences they had endured within that short span far surpassed anything they had faced before. Yang Yan himself had transformed from a failure to a prodigy, and it was from his father, Zhang Tai, that he learned of his true lineage—a revelation that had since weighed heavily on his heart, suffocating him.

His son, Liu Zhengqing, harbored his own burdens and ambitions. Perhaps once considered a standout among the younger generation of Jinhuan City, Liu knew deep down that this halo meant little to him. Compared to the so-called geniuses of the Liu clan, his reputation was insignificant, even laughable.

This was why, at the beginning of the clan martial arts tournament, Liu Zhengqing felt no affinity towards anyone else; he regarded them as immature and not of his kind.

The burdens he bore at such a tender age were beyond the comprehension of his peers.

Since he became aware, harsh training had accompanied him daily. His grandfather once cruelly abandoned him for three days on the outskirts of the Broken Cloud Mountain Range. During those brief three days, the young Liu Zhengqing—still only at the peak of the Body Refining Realm—faced life-and-death trials repeatedly, crossing the gates of death time and again. While many younger fighters in Jinhuan City envied and praised him, it was never enough for Liu.

Today, after decades of suffering and the scorn his grandfather endured from the so-called Liu clan, Liu Zhengqing was determined to personally reclaim their honor.

“See that? That guy is the most promising contestant from the branch families. I heard he comes from a small branch of Jinhuan City and was once a disciple of the Azure Mystic Sect!”

“The Azure Mystic Sect? I’ve heard they’re quite formidable. To stand up to the powerful Liu clan, they must have Spirit Sea Realm experts guarding them!”

“No wonder this guy has reached such a level at a young age. His cultivation is impressive. Looks like this competition won’t be as dull as before.”

“I also heard that Liu Zhengqing’s grandfather is Liu Zhenlong. He originally belonged to the Liu clan’s main family during its early days. His parents were strong cultivators who died in a great battle, leaving him an orphan. Unfortunately, Liu Zhenlong was born with blocked meridians and couldn’t absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Despite years of painstaking cultivation, he remained stuck at the pinnacle of the Body Refining Realm.”

“Such strength might be respectable in the secular world, but among immortal cultivation sects, it is at the very bottom.”

“Because of this, the Liu clan expelled him and left him to fend for himself.”

A man beside Yang Yan lowered his voice with regretful words.

“That’s ruthless of the Liu clan. Though he couldn’t cultivate, his parents contributed greatly to the clan and gave their lives for it. The Liu clan has truly gone too far.”

“Keep your voice down; this matter is highly secret. I only know because a friend of mine is inside the Liu clan. These powerful sects all appear pure on the surface, but their dealings behind the scenes are very dark. This kind of betrayal is not the first time.”

“But it’s understandable. These big powers never lack talent, but they have little tolerance for the useless. Since Liu Zhenlong couldn’t cultivate, it was impossible for him to remain in the clan living off others.”

The whispers around them were clearly heard by Yang Yan’s keen spiritual senses. He had never expected such a history between Liu Zhengqing’s grandfather and the Liu clan. The clan’s treatment was truly despicable.

Such a family was better left behind.

“Now, I declare the match officially begins.”

At that moment, the referee atop the stone platform announced loudly.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhengqing’s opponent, a young man named Liu Bai, smiled at him with a hint of arrogance and disdain. He beckoned with a curl of his finger, a gesture that sparked uproar among the spectators.

Yet, Liu Zhengqing ignored the provocation, his expression unchanging. Without hesitation, his spiritual energy surged violently, enveloping his entire body. With a fierce stomp, he launched himself like a cannonball toward the distant young man.

“What… that is the aura of the peak Spirit Perception Realm. How can someone from a branch family possibly reach that level?”

Liu Bai’s expression changed drastically as Liu Zhengqing’s overwhelming presence emerged. No one could have anticipated that a lowly branch family youth, with scarce cultivation resources, could reach the peak of the Spirit Perception Realm at such a young age.

The scene was shocking.

Not only Liu Bai but also Liu Zong, the clan head watching from the stands, rose abruptly in astonishment. He never expected the discarded failure to have cultivated such an outstanding grandson.

The crowd below erupted in murmurs, their eyes filled with disbelief as they watched the young figure charge forward. Liu Zhengqing appeared no older than eighteen or nineteen, yet possessed strength that surpassed many peak young talents within the clan. That such a miracle came from a forsaken branch family descendant was beyond comprehension.

Whoosh!

As Liu Zhengqing’s fist slammed down, a sharp wind howled through the arena. His metal-attribute spiritual energy revealed its ferocity, and before his fist even reached Liu Bai, the latter’s face suddenly paled.

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Liu Bai was cornered, forced to grit his teeth and summon his earth-attribute spiritual energy to form a defensive shield by crossing his arms before him.

Boom!

Liu Zhengqing’s punch struck the spiritual shield with a crackling shatter. The crowd’s gaze fixed on the shield as fine cracks spread like a spiderweb, rapidly expanding until the barrier exploded into countless dissipating spiritual energy fragments.

With a single blow, Liu Zhengqing shattered Liu Bai’s defense, his momentum undiminished as he struck Liu Bai’s crossed arms fiercely.

A heavy thud echoed through the arena, and Liu Bai was sent flying backward like a broken kite, landing harshly on the stone platform. Pale, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Just one move, and the young pride of the Liu clan was decisively defeated by a mere branch family youth from Jinhuan City.

Silence fell, as the audience was stunned. Liu Bai’s strength was around Spirit Perception Realm level six—already high among young cultivators. Yet, under Liu Zhengqing’s single punch, he collapsed without resistance.

Given the earlier overwhelming victories by the Liu clan, this defeat was the polar opposite, highlighting Liu Zhengqing’s formidable power.

“Reinforcements! I need reinforcements!” Liu Bai shouted angrily, recovering from his shock.

As a member of the Liu clan, losing in the second match so quickly was humiliating. Raised on praise and flattery, he had never suffered such insult—especially at the hands of a lowly branch family youth from Jinhuan City. His fury made him forget the gap in their abilities.

Yet, his roar was met with silence and disdainful looks from the crowd below. After a moment, Liu Bai noticed that the reinforcements he had called for had vanished without a trace.

Facing the indifferent gaze of Liu Zhengqing, a chill ran down his spine.

Even if his reinforcements had matched his own Spirit Perception Realm level six, given how he had been defeated in one move, no one could guarantee victory—even two reinforcements would be insufficient.

His reinforcements had abandoned him as soon as they heard he intended to continue.

Laughter erupted from the spectators, and Liu Bai’s pale face flushed with shame. He realized victory was impossible today. Rather than remain a laughingstock, he had better leave quickly.

With this realization, Liu Bai scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his wounds, and fled awkwardly toward the stands.

Clap! Clap!

With Liu Bai’s retreat, the outcome was clear. Sparse applause began among the crowd, growing into a thunderous ovation.

“The winner of the second match: Liu Zhengqing from the Jinhuan City branch family.”

The referee announced the result loudly and clearly, showing no bias against a branch family contestant.

Upon hearing his victory declared, Liu Zhengqing showed no excitement. Without pause, he calmly descended from the platform and retreated to the waiting area.

“That guy’s pretty capable,” Yang Yan smiled beneath the stone platform. But he had no intention of revealing himself to Liu Zhengqing just yet; it was better to wait until after the competition for a more dramatic moment.

Following the second match, the subsequent fights grew dull. Though there were some battles between main and branch families, miracles like Liu Zhengqing’s were rare. Without such surprises, the atmosphere became somewhat flat and boring.

Several matches between main family members followed. These young cultivators had strong talent, and when two fighters reached a stalemate, they summoned reinforcements. Given the Liu clan’s status, it was easy for them to call upon allies from their own or other factions, turning duels into chaotic four-person skirmishes—adding some excitement compared to previous fights.

As noon approached, the first round concluded, ushering in the second-round eliminations.

After the final first-round match, all winners gathered on the stone platform to redraw lots for their next opponents. From nearly 40 participants, only half remained.

The second round proved more thrilling. The saying “the tides sift the sand” held true—only the best survived. The sharp clashes drew Yang Yan’s interest. After so long fighting himself, he enjoyed playing the role of a spectator.

As matches concluded one by one, Liu Zhengqing appeared again in the third round. His opponent was from the main family—two twin brothers, both at Spirit Perception Realm level seven. Although their strength still surpassed Liu Zhengqing’s, the twins had grown up together, their techniques complementing each other. Together, they posed some threat.

However, that was all. Though initially flustered, Liu Zhengqing soon adapted, discerning their attack patterns. Gradually, he turned the tide in his favor.

Yang Yan had already guessed the outcome. Liu Zhengqing’s adaptability was formidable; he quickly found the twins’ weaknesses and exploited them.

The life-and-death struggles Liu Zhengqing had endured far exceeded those of these sheltered clan prodigies. If not for tournament rules forbidding lethal force, Liu Zhengqing would have long since ended the fight decisively.

About ten minutes into the battle, Liu Zhengqing seized an opportunity and launched a soaring kick to one twin’s chest. The heavy blow sent him flying backward, coughing blood and temporarily incapacitated.

“We surrender!”

With one twin down, the other could no longer withstand Liu Zhengqing’s assault, so the brothers conceded.

Liu Zhengqing’s victory over two formidable cultivators earned him cheers from the audience.

He paid no mind to the applause, wiping sweat from his forehead as he left the platform to rest and cultivate. Though victorious, the match had been hard-fought. With the second round thinning the field, battles were shorter, and the third round awaited. He needed to restore his spiritual energy fully for the next fight.

As the referee announced Liu Zhengqing’s win, the Liu clan elders exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes betraying shock. They had never imagined such potential from a humble branch family youth. It was truly astonishing.

At the same time, their faces showed embarrassment. After all the effort and resources invested in their young talents, they had been defeated by one of the clan’s outcasts.

The second round finished in less than an hour due to fewer participants. Fewer than ten remained for the third round, all now the focus of attention. Every match promised to be intense.

“The first match: Liu Yuebai of the Liu clan versus Liu Zhengqing of the Jinhuan City branch family.”

As the referee’s voice fell, Liu Zhengqing stepped onto the platform. But when he saw the opponents, his expression changed.

Two figures stood before him.

“That guy’s shameless—already calling reinforcements at the start,” whispered voices spread through the crowd, some angry.

“Well, the rules allow reinforcements,” another replied. “It’s not against regulations.”

“Liu Zhengqing, will you use reinforcements?” the referee asked.

“No,” came the calm reply from Liu Zhengqing.

“That’s arrogant. Does he think he can fight two against one?” someone scoffed.

“Liu Yuebai is already at the peak Spirit Perception Realm, and his reinforcements won’t be weak. It’s nearly impossible for one to defeat two of equal level.”

“That young man is reckless. Once he’s injured by their combined assault, he’ll be in trouble.”

The crowd below expressed frustration at Liu Zhengqing’s choice, deeming it unwise.

What no one realized was the bitter smile on Liu Zhengqing’s lips. It wasn’t pride that kept him from calling reinforcements—it was that none were available.

From a young age, he had devoted himself entirely to cultivation, which had made him reclusive. Added to his harsh environment, he had few friends, let alone talented ones.

After joining the Azure Mystic Sect, he befriended Yang Yan and Sun Zhixin, but one had since left to apprentice under an alchemist in one of the empire’s three great powers, and the other...

Thinking of this, a shadow of melancholy crossed Liu Zhengqing’s face as his mind wandered to a boy who appeared young yet was unyieldingly strong and stubborn.

“Watch out!”

Just as Liu Zhengqing momentarily distracted, a shout rang out from the crowd. He hadn’t even heard the referee’s announcement to start the match. Liu Yuebai and his reinforcements shamelessly launched a joint attack simultaneously upon Liu Zhengqing!

(End of chapter)