Unexpected Arena Encounter

Lin Mo quickly calmed down, though for some unknown reason, his emotions settled with unusual speed. The burning heat of embarrassment that had flushed his cheeks swiftly dissipated under the influence of the Bright Jade Profound Yin.

While undeniably practical, Lin Mo found himself disliking this aspect.

It felt as though a part of his very being was being abruptly stripped away.

He drew a deep breath.

Then, turning, he set off to run an errand for Ji Xue.

The path to the refectory led directly through the plaza before the main hall.

Upon reaching it, Lin Mo noticed a combat arena had been erected in the center of the plaza, seemingly out of nowhere.

The arena was constructed from stacked bluestone.

Array flags were planted at its four corners.

A discernible, translucent film completely enveloped the disciples within.

Though the two disciples on the stage had yet to commence their bout, their piercing gazes already vibrated fiercely in the air.

The palpable tension was evident to all.

Given its prominent location, a considerable crowd had already gathered below, eager to witness the spectacle.

A flicker of curiosity stirred within Lin Mo.

He found himself drawn to join the onlookers, intent on observing the excitement.

He was also keen to observe how cultivators of the same Qi Condensation stage engaged in combat.

His own two previous battles had, in truth, relied heavily on surprise.

The first, against Ji Xue, hadn’t been a true test, given her peculiar nature.

The second, constrained by narrow terrain, saw his opponent underestimate him, leading to a swift subjugation by Lin Mo.

He had learned little of true combat strategy from either.

His teachers—novels, anime, movies, and TV shows—had all conveyed a similar lesson: observing one’s opponent was the crucial first step to victory.

Though these were works of fiction, he had to admit that many of their underlying theories held universal truth.

Possessing a considerable height, he found he could easily view the two figures on the stage without needing to push his way to the front.

He then pricked up his ears, listening intently to the incessant chatter among the crowd, hoping to glean some insight into the unfolding event.

“What’s going on here?” A young woman beside him whispered to her companion.

“Oh, how should I know? I just arrived, same as you.”

“You don’t know? That’s Lu Ping’an standing up there. She’s made quite a name for herself in the Cultivation Transmission Hall! Her mastery of Qi Manipulation from the Basic Qi Condensation Art is truly exceptional! Though her spiritual roots are somewhat lacking, her comprehension is outstanding! In just a month, she’s become proficient in manipulating objects, achieving a level of pure skill! With her ‘person and dart as one’ technique, she’s practically unrivaled.”

“Cultivation Transmission Hall? Why haven’t I heard of it? I’ve never seen this person during the Elder’s lectures.”

“Silly girl, you don’t know? The Cultivation Transmission Hall is—”

From the ensuing conversation, Lin Mo, listening nearby, began to grasp the situation.

The disciples of the Xuan Nv Sect were categorized into three types: Personal Disciples, ordinary disciples, and menial disciples.

The Cultivation Transmission Hall primarily served to systematically instruct all ordinary Qi Condensation disciples, those not yet apprenticed to an Elder, in the sect’s designated foundational cultivation methods and Qi Condensation techniques.

It also taught common knowledge of the cultivation world, basic spells, herb identification, mineral recognition, and more.

The first month was mainly dedicated to teaching introductory cultivation methods and Qi Condensation techniques, specifically to prepare disciples for the trials of the Hall of Clarity.

Only afterward would they be taught general knowledge of the cultivation world, as well as specialized branches and auxiliary professions like alchemy and artifact forging.

Given the vast number of disciples, the Xuan Nv Sect conducted its lessons in batches.

This system was akin to class divisions in schools on Blue Star.

If Personal Disciples were the elite class, then ordinary disciples constituted the regular classes.

And Lu Ping’an, currently on the stage, was clearly a promising talent with the highest potential to ascend to the elite ranks.

As for Lu Ping’an’s opponent, hardly anyone in the surrounding crowd seemed to recognize them.

They didn’t even know how the arena had appeared; it was simply there when they awoke.

A nearby notice board stated that the arena had been established to prevent private duels among disciples and to resolve their disputes.

Lin Mo listened in silence, his gaze fixed on Lu Ping’an on the stage.

As cultivators of the Qi Condensation stage, their spiritual energy lacked specific attributes, typically appearing semi-transparent.

Only the faint distortion of light in the air subtly hinted at its presence.

The same held true for Lu Ping’an’s opponent.

Both had enveloped their bodies in spiritual energy, forming a translucent protective membrane.

“I wonder if that person’s protective Qi shield can withstand Lu Ping’an’s Gold-Severing Darts.”

A murmur of doubt rippled through the crowd.

No sooner had the words faded than three streaks of silver light suddenly shot forth from Lu Ping’an’s sleeve!

Her opponent hastily retreated, conjuring a longsword to parry the attack!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The longsword continuously blocked the projectiles, sending sparks scattering through the air.

Yet, these were silver darts controlled by Qi Manipulation.

Even if struck away, they could regroup, though their power would naturally be diminished.

However, it now became clear that the three darts were merely a diversion.

Seizing the moment her opponent was flustered, Lu Ping’an tapped her toe, her form blurring into a phantom as she charged directly for her opponent’s face!

The opponent gritted their teeth and, gathering their resolve, swept their sword, knocking all the silver darts away.

Instead of retreating, they advanced, having seemingly realized that any further retreat would guarantee defeat.

Thus, they cast aside all caution!

Astonishingly, they reversed their longsword, aiming the pommel directly at the temple of the charging Lu Ping’an!

It was a truly brilliant move!

However, Lu Ping’an’s capabilities clearly extended far beyond what she had shown.

Just then, all the silver darts that had been knocked far away now possessed ample distance!

As Lu Ping’an formed a hand seal, the silver darts, drawn by spiritual energy, streaked directly towards her opponent’s back!

“Isn’t that foolish? They’re about to hit her head-on; what good are those darts now?”

Someone voiced the question, and others around them murmured in agreement.

Yet, Lin Mo understood that Lu Ping’an’s combat strategy was truly something to behold.

While her opponent possessed a protective Qi shield, didn’t Lu Ping’an have one herself?

The counter-attack aimed at her temple contained no spiritual energy whatsoever, meaning, unless her opponent possessed innate divine strength, it would be utterly incapable of breaking through her defenses.

Furthermore, the three silver darts weren’t under continuous control but had merely been launched with spiritual energy.

Her rush towards her opponent was solely to lure them into believing victory was within their grasp!

After all, a Qi Condensation cultivator maintaining control over three silver darts would surely have no excess spiritual energy!

Misdirection.

Strategy.

Audacity.

These laid the foundation for her victory.

Without the slightest surprise, the pommel’s impact against the rippling protective Qi shield heralded Lu Ping’an’s triumph.

“Wh—”

The protective Qi shield instantly dispersed!

Spiritual energy once again guided the three silver darts.

The three darts struck the same spot in rapid succession!

The seemingly robust protective Qi shield instantly shattered under the relentless assault of the three consecutive darts!

The moment it fractured, Lu Ping’an delivered a swift palm strike to her opponent’s abdomen.

With a muffled groan, Lu Ping’an’s opponent was sent flying backward, like a kite with a severed string.

Strangely, the translucent film did not impede the flying opponent; instead, they fell directly outside the arena.

Immediately!

Cheers erupted from all sides!

“Hmph! So much for you Jia-grade disciples! Such insulting words are best swallowed back before they cause more trouble!”

Lu Ping’an now surveyed the crowd below with an air of pride, relishing in her victor’s stance and the fervent cheers.

Lin Mo only learned upon inquiring that the duel had originated from a Jia-grade disciple publicly insulting a Yi-grade disciple, prompting Lu Ping’an to intervene out of indignation.

For a moment, the cheers were almost exclusively from the Yi-zone disciples.

This explained both the large gathering of spectators and the intensity of the acclamations.

“Mere Yi-grades, daring to speak such insolent words!” Suddenly, someone leaped from the crowd and onto the arena!

“Ha, so you can insult us, but we can’t insult you? What kind of tyranny is that?! We may have started from a lower point, but that doesn’t mean we’re truly inferior to you!”

“Silence, you noisy wretch! It was merely due to that incompetent fool’s lack of skill that you succeeded! How dare you boast so brazenly?!”

The newcomer, having just leaped onto the stage, delivered a sudden, unprepared palm strike!

Though their words were grand, Lu Ping’an was, after all, only at the Qi Condensation stage.

Her previous battle seemed to have expended a significant amount of spiritual energy, leaving her drenched in sweat.

This sudden palm strike proved too much for her to parry, and she was sent flying directly off the arena!

“Hmph! You merely got lucky defeating one person, and now you’re spouting such nonsense here! There’s a reason we were able to become Jia-grade disciples. A reason you’ll never understand in your lifetime. Just remain a second-rate disciple!”

At these words, the Yi-zone disciples were all consumed by a furious rage!

Young and hot-blooded, how could they remain silent after such a blatant humiliation?

But what could they do?

Who among them could defeat this opponent?

For a moment, a silent fury spread through the crowd, yet no sound escaped them.

Until—

“Lin… Personal Disciple Lin?! Aren’t you Personal Disciple Lin?!”

“The inheritor of Bright Jade Profound Yin has arrived!”

The sudden shouts drew everyone’s attention.

All eyes swiftly darted towards Lin Mo.

‘This is bad!’

Lin Mo instantly felt a sense of foreboding!

‘They’re… they’re trying to put him on the spot!’

Lu Ping’an, having just risen and wiped a trace of blood from her lip, bowed to Lin Mo.

“Please… please, Personal Disciple Lin, restore our reputation!”

“Please, Personal Disciple Lin, restore our reputation!”

At that moment, all their hopes, all their expectations, rested squarely on Lin Mo’s shoulders.