C12 I Won't Fight with Women!

Feng Yi's hands abruptly shifted, forming a circle that had been reaching towards the heavens and earth. A sound akin to thunder erupted from his palms, accompanied by a surge of violent Spiritual Force that barreled towards Lau Changkong.

In a flash, their attacks met with a cacophony of explosions.

Crackle!

Amidst the explosive sounds, a potent airwave swept outwards in all directions.

Thud, thud, thud!

Under the force of the airwave, Lau Changkong staggered back five steps before regaining his footing.

Feng Yi, too, was shaken, but he managed to regain his balance after retreating just three steps.

The onlooking disciples gasped in astonishment. If Feng Yi's previous victory over Feng Hua could be attributed to a surprise attack, this confrontation was an undeniable testament to his strength.

Before, no one expected much from Feng Yi, but now, with his composed demeanor and ample Spiritual Force, he was turning heads in disbelief.

The crowd had already formed their opinions on who was the stronger of the two, particularly Tian Yuzi, who beamed with delight from the high platform. "Hahaha, Junior Brother Qing Yuzi, it looks like that century-aged Huaihua wine will soon be ours!"

Qing Yuzi's brow furrowed, his eyes never straying from the arena. He replied with a hint of discontent, "Senior Brother Tian Yuzi, the battle isn't over yet. Besides, Changkong has only engaged in physical combat. If he employs his Dao Arts, the outcome is still anyone's guess."

At that moment, on the stage, Lau Changkong's frown gave way to a look of surprise.

"I must admit, I underestimated you, Junior Brother Feng Yi. Your Spiritual Force is impressively stable and robust."

No sooner had Lau Changkong finished speaking than he twisted his hands once more and bellowed at Feng Yi, "Junior Brother Feng Yi, brace yourself for my Azure Ocean Divine Slash!"

"Thunder and Wind Suppressing the Heavens!"

Feng Yi didn't hesitate, roaring back as he thrust his hands into the void. A maelstrom of wind and thunder erupted, hurtling towards Lau Changkong with ferocious intensity.

Boom!

Another ferocious explosion echoed through the air.

Lightning arcs danced wildly, and where their palms had met, a shockwave of air spread out in all directions.

Skidding back, Lau Changkong retreated three steps, yet his gaze sharpened as he locked onto Feng Yi.

"Impossible!"

Feng Yi's upper body merely swayed, while his stance remained as solid as a boulder, unshaken.

"Senior Brother Lau, shall we continue?" Feng Yi called out with a smile.

"Junior Brother Feng Yi, I concede in the realm of physical combat. Now, let us test our skills in Dao Arts!" Lau Changkong declared, unwilling to face defeat. It wasn't just a matter of his own pride; the honor of Clear Feather Peak was at stake.

Feng Yi's brow furrowed. His repertoire of Dao Arts was basic, consisting of techniques like Wind Blade and Fire Serpent, which lacked significant power due to his Five-element False Spirit Root.

"Junior Brother Feng Yi, brace yourself!"

As Lau Changkong's words ended, he executed a series of Magic Spells, and in a flash, a sword of earth materialized before him. With a surge of force, it cleaved towards Feng Yi's head.

Feng Yi let out a wry smile, dodging the earthen blade with a swift sidestep. He retaliated with a flick of his wrist, sending a fire serpent hurtling towards Lau Changkong.

Surprise flickered in Lau Changkong's eyes. With a swift pat, he shattered the fire serpent, and with another gesture, the earth sword swung back towards Feng Yi's head.

Onlookers saw Lau Changkong, feet planted firmly, alternating between controlling the earth sword and dissipating fire snakes and wind blades.

Meanwhile, Feng Yi was leaping about the arena, agile as a monkey.

Atop the high platform, Tian Yuzi and Qing Yuzi's faces underwent a drastic shift—one wore a frown, the other beamed with delight.

"Bad Boy, this is a contest. Why limit yourself to your weaker abilities? Can't you engage in close-quarters combat?"

Tian Yuzi felt a surge of irritation as he watched Feng Yi. Though the crowd was unsure who Tian Yuzi was calling out, Feng Yi, standing on the stage, had a sudden realization.

Indeed, why should I confront my opponent's strength with my own weakness?

"Senior Brother Lau, my apologies!"

With those words, Feng Yi's figure vanished from in front of Lau Changkong. Lau Changkong's face registered shock as he waved his hand, causing the Earth Sword to disappear, and fiercely executed the Gale Eight Trigram Palm to shield his entire body.

Moreover, enormous green woods materialized from thin air, hurtling towards Feng Yi. Meanwhile, Feng Yi had inexplicably moved to the edge of the arena, smiling as he watched Lau Changkong.

Lau Changkong, startled, glanced down at his ribcage to find a scorch mark, and a wry smile spread across his face.

"I've lost!"

Lau Changkong's response was swift, but sadly, not swift enough to outpace Feng Yi. While Lau Changkong was protecting himself with the Gale Eight Trigram Palm and launching a Wood Type Dao Arts attack, Feng Yi's Wind Lightning Palm had already struck his ribs.

Feng Yi, however, had exercised perfect restraint, leaving only a burn mark on the fabric covering Lau Changkong's ribs.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lau, for the lesson!"

Feng Yi bowed with his hands clasped, calling out to Lau Changkong. Lau Changkong, looking somewhat dejected, waved his hand and leapt down from the stage.

"Hahaha, well done, well done, well done!"

Tian Yuzi burst into laughter, repeating his praise thrice.

"Humph!"

At the side, Qing Yuzi snorted with a displeased look on his face.

"Junior Brother Qing Yuzi, once the tournament is over, I'll come over for a chat," Tian Yuzi said, laughing heartily. He had long been longing for the Hundred Year Old Poplar Blossom Wine, and today he would finally satisfy that craving.

However, Feng Yi stood on the stage with a somber expression.

"Senior Nine-spirit, am I truly unsuited for cultivating Dao Arts? Is the Five-element False Spirit Root that inferior?"

"This..."

Nine-spirit Taoist seemed somewhat troubled and did not respond to Feng Yi's question.

"Young man, why must you insist on practicing Dao Arts? Didn't you just defeat that fellow Lau Changkong? With thousands of major paths and countless minor ones, I would choose but a single ladle from the vast sea. Must you really tread the path of Dao Arts?"

Nine-spirit Taoist's words, while indirectly confirming that Feng Yi was not cut out for Dao Arts, managed to unlock the tightly closed doors of his mind.

"Indeed, why am I so fixated on Dao Arts? Isn't being a Body Cultivator just as valid?"

A sense of clarity washed over Feng Yi's previously troubled heart, and a smile spread across his face.

Body Cultivator, a concept he learned from Nine-spirit Taoist, focuses on enhancing one's physical body, turning it into something more powerful than any magical treasure. In essence, his body would become a treasure defying the heavens.

Yet, the path of a Body Cultivator is fraught with difficulty, not something achievable by mere contemplation.

Inside the pagoda, Nine-spirit Taoist shook his head with a sigh, seemingly caught in a mix of resignation and disappointment.

"Feng Yi claims his second victory in a row!"

Elder Xu announced loudly. Among the ten stages, Feng Yi's was the only one to host two bouts, and his prowess had taken the crowd by surprise.

"This Feng Yi is incredibly strong."

"Indeed, why hasn't such a formidable disciple been taken under the wing of the Fifth Peak's Chief Master, or at least become an Inner Sect Disciple?"

"Have you not noticed how weak Feng Yi's Dao Arts are?"

"What a shame, such a waste. However, possessing such skill is commendable in its own right."

"Who says we Outer Sect Disciples can't make a name for ourselves? Look at my brother, standing out like a phoenix among men."

Fatty Hong's voice boomed with excitement.

"Come on, come on, I'll take bets on Feng Yi's next match. Whatever you wager, I'll match it."

Sadly, no one seemed interested in taking Fatty Hong up on his offer, leaving him somewhat downcast.

Just then, a graceful figure leaped onto Feng Yi's stage.

"It's Senior Sister Jingyi, Senior Sister Jingyi herself."

As soon as the young woman stepped onto the stage, the disciples gathered below erupted in cheers. She was a disciple from Sunset Peak, having achieved the Great Perfection of the Qi Condensation Stage, and was the most likely candidate to make the breakthrough to the Foundation Stage.

"Junior Brother Feng Yi, I've come to challenge your skills!"

Jingyi didn't bother to introduce herself, as the crowd had already done so on her behalf.

Feng Yi, however, furrowed his brow and gave Jingyi a measured look before responding.

"I never engage in combat with women!"