Chapter 38: Fierce Battle

The fact that the elders of the Return to the Void Sect had sent protectors to guard him was unknown to Bai Feiyu. At this moment, he was locked in a fierce battle with Li Zikun.

It had to be said, Li Zikun was actually weaker than he had anticipated… Even though Bai Feiyu still had to exert all his strength to fight him, he had previously estimated that, even with a significant breakthrough fueled by a large number of spirit stones, it would still take immense effort to defeat Li Zikun. He suspected the struggle might drag on for a considerable time.

But now, things were not unfolding as he had imagined.

On Li Zikun's side, he too was sensing how troublesome this young opponent was. This youth, relying only on the third layer of the Haoqi Realm, was able to fight him to such an extent. He had to admit, such a feat was unique in the world. Li Zikun even had a premonition: this youth’s future achievements would surely not be beneath his own.

"To think that the Return to the Void Sect would produce such a prodigy," Li Zikun mused, his tone mixed with resignation and admiration. "Heh, you found me—I'll acknowledge that. But do you think you can win? You are far too naive. Today, before I die, to be able to slay the peerless genius of the Return to the Void Sect—what an honor for me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Zikun’s aura suddenly surged. In an instant, he seemed to age dramatically, his entire being exuding a bloodthirsty glow.

"Not good! Li Zikun is desperate—he’s seeking mutual destruction!" the surrounding elders exclaimed in horror. "He’s burning the cultivation he gained through forbidden arts and has forcibly stepped into the Half-Step Shackles Realm! Why didn’t he use this ability before?"

On the stage, the sect master watched the arena with growing anxiety, his eyes fixed on the dueling platform, terrified that something would happen to Bai Feiyu.

No one could understand why, if Li Zikun had the power to burn his cultivation and boost his strength, he hadn’t used it back when the Return to the Void Sect descended the mountain to eliminate him.

What they didn’t know was that, at that time, Li Zikun had faced adversaries far beyond his reach. Even burning his life would have been futile, nothing more than a tickle to those powerhouses—so he refrained.

This oversight led everyone to ignore the possibility that Li Zikun still had a trump card, plunging Bai Feiyu into grave danger.

"Die!" Li Zikun’s figure flashed like a specter, appearing behind Bai Feiyu in an instant, his fist crashing down toward Bai Feiyu’s head with lethal force.

Clearly, Li Zikun had prepared meticulously for this moment, intent on delivering a fatal blow and ending Bai Feiyu’s life on the spot.

The elders around the arena panicked, desperately trying to intervene, but Li Zikun’s sudden surge in power made him far too swift—they would not make it in time.

The entire arena erupted in chaos.

The disciples, seeing the sect master and elders so distraught, understood in their hearts—Bai Feiyu was finished. Today’s events would ultimately become a farce. Bai Feiyu, for all his defiance of fate, would still fall at Li Zikun’s hands.

In the audience, Qian Shuang’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. She could never have imagined that Li Zikun had a hidden ace. The once-confident Bai Feiyu now faced annihilation.

That junior brother, who had always radiated self-assurance—who seemed capable of holding up the sky itself—was now on the verge of defeat?

Qian Shuang closed her eyes, praying for Bai Feiyu’s safety, though she knew the odds were slim. The panic of the elders made that all too clear.

Chen Xuan and the three senior brothers whom Bai Feiyu had defeated previously brightened at the sight of his impending doom. At last, this arrogant youth would pay for his insolence.

Truth be told, no one wished for Bai Feiyu's death more than they did. Only they bore a grudge against him—most of the other disciples cared only for their wagers and the chance to earn a little extra money.

In the distance, among the outer disciples, Bai Feiyu’s dormitory brothers had turned pale, trembling with anxiety. The entire hall mirrored their despair, for the sect master and elders wore grim expressions—it was clear their “Big Brother Yu” was at the end of his strength.

A shadow hung over the dormitory. They knew, if Bai Feiyu fell, they would be doomed as well. Recently, emboldened by Bai Feiyu’s rise, they had antagonized nearly all the surrounding outer disciples. Now, everyone was saying that Big Brother Yu was finished.

Still, they had clung to hope. Hadn’t Bai Feiyu made a name for himself among the inner disciples? He could never be so reckless, they reasoned.

Who could have guessed that he would be so after all? They tried to comfort themselves—surely he had some hidden card to play. Hadn’t he, as a mere Qi Refining cultivator, once captured an Haoqi Realm disciple from a minor sect? He definitely had his own plans and methods.

But now, it seemed Bai Feiyu’s luck had run out. He had capsized in the shallowest of waters.

"Heh, you were all so arrogant before," sneered some nearby disciples. "Now that your backer is finished, let’s see how you carry on. Once Bai Feiyu is dead, your days are numbered. The arrogance you’ve shown these days—we’ll pay you back for every slight!"

At that moment, on the competition platform, Bai Feiyu suddenly spun around with a sharp, fluid movement. In the next instant, his figure vanished from sight, leaving Li Zikun’s attack to strike nothing but empty air.

The arena erupted in astonishment.

Everyone was stunned—Bai Feiyu had evaded the attack! However, they all knew that Li Zikun would not give up so easily. He was determined to kill, prepared to die if necessary—how could Bai Feiyu hope to survive against someone whose cultivation far surpassed his own? Perhaps his only chance lay in fleeing to the elders for protection.

But to everyone’s shock, after narrowly evading Li Zikun’s blow, Bai Feiyu did not run toward the elders. Instead, he unleashed a fierce technique and charged straight at Li Zikun.

Gasps swept through the crowd.

Even Li Zikun was taken aback, then burst into wild laughter. "Ha! Boy, you refuse the road to heaven and insist on barging into hell!"

The elders were frantic. At a time like this, why was he still trying to act tough? There was still a sliver of hope for survival, yet he insisted on courting death.

But it was too late for words. They could only watch as Bai Feiyu charged at Li Zikun, who had already turned to meet him.

The elders all knew in their hearts—Bai Feiyu was truly finished this time.

At that moment, a subtle, upward curve appeared at the corner of Bai Feiyu's lips. This time, he was ready to deliver the killing blow.