Chapter Fifteen: The Sect’s Power Revealed

Xiao Yi’s previously indifferent gaze suddenly turned icy cold, and the spiritual energy of the first level Golden Core around him erupted without reservation!

“First level Golden Core?!” The lead disciple’s face instantly drained of color, his earlier arrogance extinguished in an instant as he instinctively took two steps back.

The disciples of the Bi Luo Sect around them gasped in shock.

It was said that Xiao Yi was only at the ninth level of Qi Refinement three months ago, and now he had reached the first level Golden Core? Such cultivation speed was nothing short of defying the heavens!

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” one disciple screamed in disbelief, as if seeing a ghost.

The other disciples were equally stunned.

Most of them were still in the Qi Refinement stage, struggling to breathe under the overwhelming pressure, their previous arrogance utterly crushed.

At that moment, a figure darted from the crowd and landed steadily in front of Xiao Yi.

The newcomer wore the outer sect disciple’s robe of the Bi Luo Sect, eyes sharp as an eagle’s, exuding the aura of a first level Golden Core cultivator.

This was Zhao Lei.

“You’re the Xiao Yi who forced Sister Liu to set the three-month challenge?” Zhao Lei’s gaze was as piercing as lightning as he looked at Xiao Yi.

Zhao Lei clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened.

He had been by Liu Ningxia’s side for three years, the most persistent among many suitors.

Everyone in the Bi Luo Sect knew that Liu Ningxia was the beloved of his heart.

Even her occasional smiles used to brighten his days.

But since she returned from Wuwei City three months ago, she seemed like a different person.

She began to seclude herself obsessively, practicing day and night, never attending sect banquets or gatherings, not even stepping foot in the spiritual plant garden she loved.

The smile that had once often graced her face had vanished completely, replaced by a cold expression, her eyes layered with an unmelting frost.

Later, Zhao Lei learned that three months ago, Liu Ningxia had gone to Wuwei City with Elder Wang Qing to break off her engagement with Xiao Yi. What infuriated him even more was that not only did she fail to annul the betrothal, but Elder Wang Qing died in Wuwei City.

Elder Wang Qing was a great master at the third level Golden Core, highly respected in the sect, and personally guided many disciples in swordsmanship.

Yet such a venerable elder was killed in a single move by Xiao Yi’s mysterious master, Ye Chentian, who appeared out of nowhere, leaving no corpse behind!

Moreover, Liu Ningxia was forced to agree to a three-month duel with Xiao Yi.

If she lost the duel in the Bi Luo Sect’s martial arena three months later, she would have to kowtow a thousand times in the Xiao family’s ancestral hall!

This was no duel—it was Xiao Yi’s humiliation of the Bi Luo Sect!

More so, it was an insult to Sister Liu!

In these days, Sister Liu’s sword strikes had grown increasingly fierce and desperate during practice, often gasping for breath with blood at the corner of her mouth but refusing to stop.

Zhao Lei knew she had been driven to the brink.

And now, this very culprit Xiao Yi dared to show up openly?

The rage in Zhao Lei’s chest exploded like a bomb, spiritual energy surging uncontrollably, causing fine cracks to spiderweb across the bluestone beneath his feet.

He would not let this brat disturb Sister Liu any further!

He wanted Xiao Yi dead!

“Since you dare come today, don’t expect to leave alive! I will avenge Elder Wang Qing and make you understand the consequences of provoking the Bi Luo Sect!”

“Brother Zhao is ready to kill!”

“If it were me, I couldn’t stand it either. Sister Liu should have broken this engagement long ago!”

Finally, Xiao Yi lifted his eyes, a glint of icy sharpness passing through his pupils: “You want to kill me? You don’t have the strength!”

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Lei shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

His sword suddenly surged with a three-foot-long azure glow, the spiritual energy of a first level Golden Core bursting forth like a dam breaking, aimed straight at Xiao Yi’s face.

“Flowing Wind Sword Technique—Startling Swan!”

The azure glow was like a meteor shooting from the sky, carrying an unstoppable force.

The surrounding disciples held their breath, one exclaiming, “My heavens! Brother Zhao started with his strongest move! This is a killing strike that can contend with a fourth level Foundation Establishment!”

Another nodded, “At the sect’s minor competition years ago, Brother Zhao used this move to send flying Brother Li, a first level Golden Core cultivator. Xiao Yi will be seriously injured if not killed!”

Xiao Yi didn’t even blink until the sword’s tip was pressed against his nose, then leisurely raised his right hand.

A half-foot-high dark red flame suddenly leapt from his fingertips—this was the “Burning Sky Finger” technique from the Burning Heaven Fire Scripture.

“Ding!”

His fingertip pressed precisely on the sword’s spine, the clash of metal and fire ringing painfully in the ears of nearby disciples.

Zhao Lei felt a wave of heat explode along his sword. Before he could react, a sharp “crack” sounded—the Azure Mist Sword shattered!

The shattered iron fragments scattered like powder with sparks flying everywhere; a few slashed past Zhao Lei’s cheek, leaving scorched marks on his face.

“Impossible!” Zhao Lei’s eyes nearly popped out.

This Azure Mist Sword was forged from deep-sea cold iron, able to withstand temperatures of a thousand degrees; ordinary flames couldn’t harm it in the slightest. How could it be shattered by a single finger from Xiao Yi?

“How is this possible?! That’s deep-sea cold iron! It can’t be melted even at a thousand degrees!”

“To shatter a cold iron sword with a finger? Are his fingers made of diamonds?” someone nearby said, face pale as death.

Xiao Yi flicked the flame from his fingertip, a fiery streak shooting like a meteor toward Zhao Lei’s chest.

“Pfft!”

Zhao Lei was struck like a heavy hammer blow, spitting blood as he flew backward, crashing violently against a stone pillar at the mountain gate.

The pillar cracked with a roar. When he slid to the ground, he had already lost consciousness, black smoke still rising from his chest.

The entire mountain gate fell into deadly silence.

The disciples who had been shouting moments ago were now frozen as if paralyzed, their mouths agape wide enough to fit a fist. A Qi Refinement disciple’s legs gave way, and he knelt trembling on the ground, teeth chattering: “O-One finger just crippled Brother Zhao and his sword? Is Xiao Yi human or ghost?”

“Brother Zhao was one of our sect’s best Foundation Establishment cultivators... I never expected he couldn’t withstand a single move from Xiao Yi!” another’s voice trembled with fear, hands gripping the sword hilt shaking.

Xiao Yi didn’t even glance at the fallen Zhao Lei, lifting his foot and walking into the sect.

As he passed the disciples, the scorching pressure of his spiritual energy forced them all to kneel in unison, none daring to raise their heads.

“Tell Liu Ningxia, if she’s not at the martial arena within half an hour, I’ll tear down the mountain gate of the Bi Luo Sect.”

Xiao Yi’s voice was low but struck each heart like a heavy hammer.

With that, he slowly strode toward the martial arena.

By now, the Bi Luo Sect’s martial arena was already packed.

Among the crowd, two newly recruited outer sect disciples clutched the railing, pressing forward. One round-faced disciple nudged his companion’s arm and whispered, “Hey, did you know? Today’s duel isn’t just a simple spar.”

The taller, thinner disciple’s eyes widened: “What do you mean? I heard from the seniors that Sister Liu is going to compete against a cultivator named Xiao Yi.”

“You don’t know?” The round-faced disciple glanced around cautiously and lowered his voice further.

“Three months ago, Sister Liu took Elder Wang Qing to the Xiao family to break off the engagement. Guess who Xiao Yi is? Her former fiancé back then!”