C15 I Admire You!

"Has Zhao Yu regained his cultivation level?"

"It must be back; no way a sick man could wield such power otherwise."

"Plus, he seems even more formidable than before."

The disciples around them buzzed with speculation.

Zhao Yu's execution of the Ten Shadow Palms grew increasingly fluid. Tian Feng was utterly trapped by the barrage of Palm Shadows, struggling to defend himself with no opportunity to strike back.

Over time, Tian Feng's technique unraveled into disarray.

"You've lost, Tian Feng!" Zhao Yu declared, his voice booming. With a flick of his right hand, he unleashed three Palm Shadows.

Tian Feng fought on, attempting to parry with his fists. But to his surprise, the attack was a feint. His fists met only air.

"This is bad," he realized too late.

In a swift motion, Zhao Yu leapt up, his right leg carving a half-moon arc through the air before slamming down with ferocious force.

He had executed the Mountain-splitting Leg!

Tian Feng was caught off guard, unable to mount a defense. He could only watch as the kick crashed into his chest.

With a pained cry, Tian Feng was sent flying, blood spewing from his mouth, landing seven or eight meters away.

Zhao Yu stood his ground, breathing evenly, and remarked coolly, "I can handle you without even resorting to a Spirit Weapon."

Tian Feng, sprawled on the ground, coughed up another mouthful of blood, his complexion deathly pale.

He had barely recovered from his previous injuries, confident that vengeance would be his. Yet, he found himself soundly defeated, even more so than before.

This time, Zhao Yu had bested him squarely, without resorting to any underhanded tactics. Tian Feng couldn't even muster an excuse for his defeat.

Witnessing Tian Feng's ignominious retreat, the disciples were stunned. Regaining their composure, they regarded Zhao Yu with a mix of awe and complexity.

"Senior Brother Zhao, has your cultivation truly returned?" A disciple eventually pierced the silence with the question.

Zhao Yu nodded in confirmation, "Yes, it has."

The crowd internalized the revelation, thinking, "It all makes sense now. That's why he could overpower Tian Feng."

Off to the side, Liu Guang's face darkened.

He hadn't anticipated Zhao Yu's full recovery, let alone that he would appear stronger than even a year prior.

Seizing the moment of distraction, Liu Guang silently edged backward, seeking to slip away unnoticed.

Zhao Yu spotted him immediately and chuckled lightly, "Senior Brother Liu, where might you be off to?"

Caught red-handed, Liu Guang was engulfed in embarrassment, unable to utter a single word.

Zhao Yu pressed on, "Senior Brother Liu, weren't you just challenging me to a one-on-one duel? As it turns out, I wasn't quite satisfied with our last bout. How about another round of sparring?"

Liu Guang was petrified. Despite being an inner sect disciple, his abilities paled in comparison to Tian Feng's.

And since Tian Feng had been bested by Zhao Yu, Liu Guang naturally shrank from the idea of sparring with him.

Witnessing Zhao Yu's eagerness to battle, Liu Guang had no choice but to swallow his pride and concede. "Junior Brother Zhao, I concede that you're out of my league. There's no need for another spar."

The onlooking disciples sneered at him in contempt.

They thought to themselves, "He was so full of bluster just moments ago, and now he's cowering. What a disgrace!"

Zhao Yu let out a soft laugh and prodded, "What about our wager? You've lost, yet you refuse to acknowledge it?"

Tian Feng wavered, but upon seeing Zhao Yu's expression grow stern, he hastily replied, "I concede. I'll transfer the 1,000 Tao points to you immediately. Junior Brother Zhao, I was only teasing earlier. Don't take it the wrong way, please."

After speaking, he produced his identity jade plate with a heavy heart and transferred the 1,000 Tao points to Zhao Yu before swiftly departing.

At that moment, the Appraisal Elder approached with a warm smile and offered his congratulations, "Zhao Yu, well done! You've recovered, and your strength is restored. Your future is bound to be bright."

Zhao Yu responded with heartfelt gratitude, "Elder Qian, I'm deeply thankful for your unwavering support. I will never forget your kindness."

Once the Sky Profound Sect's most brilliant prodigy, Zhao Yu had been surrounded by adulation.

But as his powers waned, many turned their backs on him.

Elder Qian from the Merit Hall, however, remained a steadfast mentor throughout.

Just then, a crisp female voice called out from a distance, "Zhao Yu, are you healed from your illness?"

Zhao Yu looked over to see a young woman dressed in white standing some meters away, her gaze fixed on him with a mix of emotions.

This young woman was none other than Zhang Xuemeng, his fiancée in name only!

Standing beside Zhang Xuemeng was a strikingly handsome young man clad in white, his brow marked with an air of arrogance.

"The Sky Profound Sect's princess has arrived."

"That's the Pill Sect's top inner sect disciple. I believe his name is Hsiao Fengyun."

The disciples buzzed with conversation.

Zhao Yu was taken aback; he hadn't expected to encounter Zhang Xuemeng here. Influenced by the remnants of consciousness, a surge of hatred welled up in his heart.

But he quickly quelled the emotion.

Having taken over this body, he was bound to seek vengeance for its former inhabitant. But not at this moment.

Revenge, without the strength to back it up, was not courage—it was folly!

Hsiao Fengyun gave Zhao Yu a cold once-over and his brow furrowed. "Xuemeng, is this the man you were once betrothed to? Didn't you tell me he was gravely ill and close to death?"

Zhang Xuemeng hesitated before shaking her head. "I'm not sure what's happening."

She was astounded. Zhao Yu had been deeply poisoned, beyond the help of any deity.

Yet, moments ago, she had witnessed Zhao Yu defeat Tian Feng, showing no signs of his supposed affliction. What was really going on?

"The truth doesn't interest me," Hsiao Fengyun declared, his gaze fixed on Zhao Yu. "You're Xuemeng's betrothed, correct? Well, from this moment on, Xuemeng is mine and mine alone. She has no further ties to you. Understand?"

Zhao Yu furrowed his brow. "And who might you be?"

Hsiao Fengyun shot Zhao Yu a look of contempt. "You're not worthy of knowing my identity. If it weren't for Xuemeng's sake, I wouldn't even waste a glance on you. Don't bother Xuemeng again."

His tone was unabashedly impolite, suggesting that speaking to Zhao Yu was a privilege he was generously bestowing. His arrogance was palpable.

The faces of the disciples around them darkened.

This was Sky Profound Sect territory, and here was an outsider, brazenly insolent, acting as if he didn't have a care for anyone present. It was a slight they could not ignore.

After all, this was a private affair among the three of them, and it wasn't their place to intervene.

Zhang Xuemeng stood silently next to Hsiao Fengyun, clearly showing her allegiance to him.

Zhao Yu let out a sigh and spoke up, "Senior Brother, I actually get where you're coming from."

Those around them were taken aback, puzzled by his words.

Hsiao Fengyun let out a cold laugh, his expression filled with even more contempt, thinking Zhao Yu was conceding to him.

"Young people have a lot of energy. It's natural to act impulsively when you see someone of the opposite sex. That's understandable."

Zhao Yu cracked a smile before shifting the conversation, "But there's no need to be so indiscriminate. If you really can't control yourself, there are brothels for that. Why go after someone else's fiancée?"

He scoffed, "Besides, you're a disciple of the Pill Sect. Even if you don't consider your own reputation, you should at least consider the Sect's. The Pill Sect is a respected martial arts faction; it's disgraceful for them to have someone like you in their ranks."

The crowd finally grasped Zhao Yu's earlier insinuations and felt a wave of satisfaction.

"Shut your mouth!" Hsiao Fengyun bellowed in rage.

He had never been subjected to such humiliation and his face turned a furious shade of blue.

"Zhao Yu, what kind of rubbish are you spouting?"

Zhang Xuemeng's face flushed with anger as she retorted, "Do you even know who Senior Brother Hsiao is? He's the most exceptional inner sect disciple of the Pill Sect, a hundred times more capable than you. How dare you insult him?"

Zhao Yu replied heatedly, "Oh, so you're that impressive. My fiancée turned against me because of you. I'd say you're at least a thousand times better than me. I'm in awe. Could you possibly teach me how to lure away someone else's fiancée? If I master your techniques, maybe I could rise to be the most formidable inner sect disciple of the Sky Profound Sect."

The laughter of the disciples echoed around them, unable to contain their amusement.