C46 Defeated

Not far from the Hunting Ground, Tuan Jiuhuan was overwhelmed and had closed his eyes, bracing for the end.

Following a thunderous noise, Tuan Jiuhuan was surprised to find that the steel blade hadn't struck him. Opening his eyes, he saw Wei Lulin standing before him, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Nearby, a deep pit more than half a meter deep had formed in the ground, prompting Tuan Jiuhuan to wipe the sweat from his brow.

Observing Wei Lulin's trembling steel blade and the fresh blood at the edge of his mouth, Tuan Jiuhuan realized that Wei Lulin had suffered a backlash from forcibly altering his attack's trajectory.

Relieved to have narrowly escaped death, Tuan Jiuhuan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly steadied his emotions before thanking Wei Lulin with a gesture of clasped fists.

"Wei Lulin, I owe you my life for your mercy!"

Given the ferocity of Wei Lulin's blade work and the intensity of his presence, Tuan Jiuhuan was aware that not even a master at the Qi Refining Stage Level Eight Peak could have survived such an onslaught. He knew his survival was due to Wei Lulin's restraint.

"There's no need for thanks," Wei Lulin responded, casually waving his hand and feigning nonchalance.

Deep down, Wei Lulin was filled with regret for having impulsively changed his attack. He was no cold-blooded killer, but neither was he the type to show undue mercy.

Tuan Jiuhuan had provoked Wei Lulin, igniting his desire to kill. Throughout their duel, Wei Lulin's lethal moves had only solidified his intent. If not for Tuan Jiuhuan's sudden outburst just as Wei Lulin was about to make a breakthrough, he would have used his newfound power and blade technique to decisively end Tuan Jiuhuan.

Luckily, Wei Lulin's grasp of his post-breakthrough aura was still unrefined, which meant the backlash he experienced was not severe. With some time to regulate his breathing, he would fully recover.

"Tuan Jiuhuan, spare me the gratitude. I just want to know, what exactly did you mean by 'force' earlier?"

A year ago, Wei Lulin suffered damage to his meridians. In an effort to heal them, he consulted a vast majority of the texts within the Wei Family's Book Pavilion. His grasp of knowledge had far exceeded that of his peers, yet not a single volume within the pavilion mentioned this mysterious force. He had never encountered any reference to it before, leading him to suspect that such information might not even exist within Yao Country. This doubt was the very reason he chose to spare Tuan Jiuhuan's life.

Upon being questioned by Wei Lulin about the nature of Force, Tuan Jiuhuan regarded him with a complex gaze. After a lengthy contemplation, as if finally resolving himself, he spoke with a hint of envy, "Wei Lulin, in gratitude for sparing my life, I will reveal to you the essence of Force."

It seemed that the prospect of sharing a secret known only to him invigorated Tuan Jiuhuan, lifting his spirits from their previous dejection. "Wei Lulin, it's likely that no one else in Yao Country has this knowledge. Now, I alone can enlighten you."

"Force is, in essence, a state of mind—a breakthrough to a superior level of power. Only those rare, once-in-a-millennium prodigies, true anomalies of nature, can wield such force."

"As to how one might utilize or amplify the power of Force, I must apologize, for I do not know," Tuan Jiuhuan admitted, shrugging his shoulders in a display of ignorance.

Tuan Jiuhuan's awareness of Force didn't stem from his own mastery but from his encounters with it, having witnessed and experienced its power firsthand. While others remained oblivious, Tuan Jiuhuan understood all too well. It wasn't just in Yao Country; even within his own Tuan Country, few were privy to the concept of Force.

Had it not been for Tuan Jiuhuan's allegiance to a master who was also a peerless genius in command of Force, he likely would have remained ignorant and unable to recognize the power Wei Lulin harnessed post-breakthrough.

"Enough, you may leave," Wei Lulin said, his brow furrowing upon hearing Tuan Jiuhuan's explanation.

Wei Lulin had refrained from killing Tuan Jiuhuan because he sought a deeper understanding of the newfound power he wielded. Yet, Tuan Jiuhuan's account left him unsatisfied.

However, since Tuan Jiuhuan had divulged what he knew, Wei Lulin was no longer in a position to eliminate him and could only let him walk away, albeit reluctantly.

"Wei Lulin, the championship of this Hunting Competition is undoubtedly yours!" Tuan Jiuhuan declared before he departed, leaving behind five Jade Plates.

Wei Lulin pondered for a moment before grasping Tuan Jiuhuan's implication.

Given that Tuan Jiuhuan was not affiliated with the Yao Country Royal family, the other individual who had previously unnerved Wei Lulin was certainly Tuan Jiuhuan's accomplice.

Wei Lulin had spared Tuan Jiuhuan this time because he recognized the importance of power. Thus, in their next encounter, Wei Lulin would not be so lenient. To prevent his companion from being mistakenly killed, Tuan Jiuhuan would surely reveal the truth to Wei Lulin, meaning his companion would not pose a threat to Wei Lulin.

Among the remaining experts in Yao Country, only Xie Jutong could challenge Wei Lulin, while Yao Yafeng and Jiaang Que stood no chance against him.

Wei Lulin's morale soared after his breakthrough in aura and his victory over Tuan Jiuhuan, a Qi Refining Stage Level Seven Peak master. He was now completely confident in his claim to the championship.

Wei Lulin collected the five Jade Plates. Together with his existing collection, he now possessed nineteen plates, nearly one-fifth of the total distributed, which was sufficient to secure him a spot in the top five.

Yet, nineteen Jade Plates did not ensure Wei Lulin's ultimate triumph.

Wei Lulin, however, was not concerned, as nearly two days remained before the competition's conclusion. Furthermore, he was drawing ever closer to the central area, where he could acquire additional Jade Plates from other competitors.

"Are you Wei Lulin?" After Tuan Jiuhuan's departure, Wei Junyu, who had been observing from behind, gathered his courage and approached Wei Lulin, his voice quivering slightly.

"Mr. Fanzhou, has it really been a year? You don't recognize me anymore?" Wei Lulin, noticing Wei Junyu's intense anxiety, greeted him with a warm smile, seeking to put him at ease.

Wei Lulin fully grasped Wei Junyu's anxiety. It was understandable, considering that just a year prior, he had been unable to cultivate, labeled as worthless. Now, his strength had not only surged remarkably, but he had also managed to defeat a peak expert like Tuan Jiuhuan. It was enough to make anyone feel on edge.

"Incredible!" Once Wei Junyu had his realization confirmed, he saw that Wei Lulin remained the same kind-hearted individual he had always known. His tension quickly dissipated, yet the memory of Wei Lulin's commanding defeat of Tuan Jiuhuan struck him as utterly astounding.

Wei Lulin was aware that his extraordinary display might be overwhelming, and that Wei Junyu would need some time to come to terms with it. As such, he felt no rush to depart.

Moreover, having forcefully altered the course of his attack earlier, Wei Lulin had suffered a recoil from the exerted power. He, too, required a moment to regulate his breathing and was seizing the chance to do just that.