C16 Victorious Liu Yun(1)

"Hey, kiddo, looks like you lost the match today," the elderly voice rang out, and Wu Shanbao's heart leaped with joy. He turned to see that the man supporting him was the same elder who had been sitting on the bench earlier.

"That's absurd," Liu Yun retorted without hesitation, even though he had no idea when the elder had shown up. "This guy was down on the ground, unable to even fight back. How could this poor kid ever match up to my peak Body Refining Realm strength?"

The elder shook his head. "No, you've lost. You've lost in spirit."

He then bent his arm to fully support Wu Shanbao, allowing him to lean on him completely before he continued, "You no longer dare to advance, yet he's still standing here. You haven't knocked him to the ground, so you've lost."

"The Dao values the energy and spirit. You may have won in strength, but you've lost your momentum and fighting spirit, and with that, you've lost the match."

"Impossible! I'm one of the most outstanding disciples of True Dao. I can't lose to this poor kid." Liu Yun's face turned white at the elder's words. Pain shot through the spot where Wu Shanbao had bitten him. He looked up, glaring at Wu Shanbao.

Wu Shanbao met his gaze unflinchingly, his eyes bloodshot and resolute, causing Liu Yun to feel a chill down his spine.

"Alright, young man, how about you do an old man a favor today and let this go? In future contests, I won't intervene, no matter how you choose to fight. What do you say?"

Liu Yun realized the elder was offering him an honorable exit. His eyes darted about as he pondered his response.

After a long pause, he finally nodded emphatically, "Fine, I'll spare you for now, but come the competition, I'll crush you completely!"

With a wave of his hand, he strode off with his entourage. Yet, to those watching, his departure seemed somewhat flustered.

As Liu Yun vanished from sight, it was unclear who started it, but a ripple of crisp applause began to resonate throughout the courtyard.

Most of the people here had suffered at the hands of Ye Lang's lackeys, too intimidated by their strength to fight back. But Wu Shanbao had managed to stand up to them. He had gone toe-to-toe with Liu Yun, and though he lost in strength, he won in pride and earned their respect in the process.

By now, Wu Shanbao was teetering on the edge of consciousness. Suddenly, he heard a voice brimming with admiration.

"Kid, listen up. All this applause is for you. Today, you're the winner."

Yes, I've won. I've defeated someone at the peak of the Body Refining Stage!

Pride swelled in Wu Shanbao's heart until darkness clouded his vision, and he could no longer stay conscious, slipping into a faint. Yet, in the final moment before succumbing, a faint smile graced his lips.

The elder propped up Wu Shanbao and walked away, murmuring to himself,

"True Dao has finally found a promising talent."

Liu Yun, not far off, heard the clapping and felt a surge of irritation. He turned back, glaring in Wu Shanbao's direction, his mind racing with thoughts.

"Should we just let it go? Second brother, shall we get our eldest brother to teach this pauper a lesson?"

"Just wait, I won't let him get away with this," Liu Yun said icily. "He might have been lucky this time with someone shielding him, but I doubt his luck will hold out forever. Hmph!"

Unaware of Liu Yun's thoughts, Wu Shanbao was roused from unconsciousness by excruciating pain. Every limb and joint ached, and any movement brought searing agony.

"Ugh..." Unable to suppress a groan, Wu Shanbao forced his eyes open, the thatched roof of the hut coming into blurry view.

With great effort, he turned his head to survey his surroundings, realizing he was back in the same hut he'd seen earlier.

The sky outside had darkened completely, leaving only the dim glow of an oil lamp to light the room.

Time passed indistinctly until the creaking of the door caught his attention. Wu Shanbao propped himself up to see the same elder slowly stepping inside.

"Old Senior!" Wu Shanbao tried to sit up and bow, but in doing so, he inadvertently tugged at his wound, grimacing comically in pain.

The elder nodded and helped Wu Shanbao sit up. "No need to rush with formalities. Stay still; we wouldn't want the wound to reopen and complicate things."

Though the elder's voice lacked emotion, Wu Shanbao found it exceptionally warm. "Thank you for saving my life, Senior. I am willing to go to great lengths to repay your kindness."

"You're an interesting one, young man." The elder's voice finally softened with a hint of mirth, shedding the previous coldness. "No thanks are necessary. Even if I hadn't intervened, those people wouldn't have dared to harm you further." He smiled enigmatically. "Do you realize, young man, you've disrupted Liu Yun's composure. Unless he can utterly defeat you and trample you beneath his feet, his cultivation journey will likely see no significant advancement."

Wu Shanbao paused, then quickly connected the dots that Liu Yun was the youth he had fixated on earlier. Reflecting on the afternoon's events, he swelled with pride.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

"Stop calling me Senior. Just follow the others in True Dao and call me Elder Moo," the old man instructed, waving his hand.

"Yes, Elder Moo." Wu Shanbao bowed without hesitation, disregarding the sharp pain in his body.

"You stand out from the other youths in True Dao, young man. You have spirit. Given time, you're bound to achieve greatness. I must say, I've taken quite a liking to you. Focus on your cultivation while you're here."

"Yes."

Elder Moo then produced the herbal medicine he had prepared for Wu Shanbao. He had Wu Shanbao lie down, carefully unwrapped the gauze, and gently applied the herbs to the wound.

"Ah— it's so painful!" Without the adrenaline of the afternoon's confrontation, Wu Shanbao couldn't help but exclaim as the herbs touched his skin.

"You took quite a beating this afternoon without a peep, and now you can't handle this bit of pain?" the elder chided.

A surge of defiance welled up in Wu Shanbao's chest. Clenching his teeth, he refused to utter another sound, silently bearing the pain.

As the night deepened, Wu Shanbao drifted into a fitful sleep, wracked with recurring pain. In a hazy dream, he thought he saw his deceased parents. His father, brimming with excitement, rushed forward to embrace him, praising him for his commendable actions that day and for upholding the family's honor. His mother watched him, her smile radiating love.

At some point during his slumber, Wu Shanbao's tears soaked his pillow, yet a contented smile played upon his lips.

Shen Hu!