C3 Fight!

The crowd turned their attention to the source of the disturbance.

There stood the strikingly handsome Wang Yun, the young lord of the Wang Family, with a wine cup in hand, sauntering closer. His gaze held a teasing glint as he fixed his eyes on Chen Yue.

The sting of his words hit a raw nerve, and despite Chen Yue's typically amiable nature, her face soured at the jab.

Onlookers from the nearby tables were drawn in by the unfolding drama.

As Wood County City's most celebrated young prodigy, Wang Yun's every move was scrutinized. Now, as he approached Chen Yue, the majority of the room's attention followed. Many only recognized her upon his mention—the Chen family's Chen Yue.

Chen Yue's inability to cultivate was common knowledge in Wood County City, but her reclusive lifestyle meant few had met her. Now, with Wang Yun's revelation, the identity of the girl in the yellow dress became clear to all.

Disdain and scorn painted the faces of many. In a world ruled by cultivators, the inability to cultivate branded one as worthless. And for a prestigious cultivator family like the Chens, the stigma was even more pronounced.

The young members of the Chen family, sharing the same table, felt the weight of the stares. Their cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and they shot resentful glares at Chen Yue.

All because of this 'trash'—now they too were subjected to these demeaning gazes.

"Here's to you, freak," Wang Yun called out, his smirk directed at Chen Yue as he raised his cup.

Chen Yue's face had already drained of color under the scrutiny; the last thing she wanted was to engage in a toast with Wang Yun.

She wasn't naive. She knew his intentions were purely to humiliate her.

The Chen and Wang families were rivals, and although their younger members had rarely crossed paths, it didn't stop Wang Yun from seizing this opportunity.

More so, at the Chen family's celebratory banquet, to humiliate her was to disgrace her entire family.

The thought of bringing shame upon her family was unbearable for Chen Yue. She could live with her own flaws being exposed, but not with tarnishing her family's name. The guilt was suffocating, making even breathing seem laborious.

Her complexion grew ghostly, her body beginning to sway unsteadily.

Just then, a hand reached out, steadying her as if pulling her back from the brink of a precipice.

Looking up, she saw Chen Yi smiling down at her. "Yue, don't let the words of some cats and dogs bother you."

"Brother…" Chen Yue began, but a harsh voice cut her off.

"You're calling me a cat or a dog?"

"If you're the one barking, what do you think?" Chen Yi replied coolly, his gaze on Wang Yun.

Wang Yun's eyes narrowed, his voice icy. "Are you seeking death?"

"If you're looking for death, feel free to try," Chen Yi retorted, his eyes glinting with a chill that seemed to emanate from the underworld itself.

Wang Yun shivered, feeling as if he'd been plunged into an ice cellar, his face blanching.

But he quickly regained his composure. Embarrassed at being intimidated by Chen Yi, he barked, "Chen Yi, do you dare to face me in combat?"

Chen Yi responded with a dismissive tone, "While I find little sport in sparring with beasts, sometimes it's amusing to discipline one."

"You're asking for it!" Wang Yun exploded, his aura flaring.

Chen Yi didn't bother with further words, his own aura rising to meet the challenge.

Their standoff sent a tremor through the banquet hall, but before they could clash, a stern voice halted them. "Stop!"

Looking up, they saw Chen Shanheng on the balcony above, his gaze icy. "What is this spectacle?"

Chen Yi remained silent as Wang Yun spoke up first, "Patriarch Chen, I formally request a duel with Chen Yi!"

He glared at Chen Yi, though inwardly he had regained his composure.

His initial plan had been to provoke Chen Yi, but unexpectedly, he had been the one provoked.

Chen Yi gave him a fleeting glance, his past life's memories giving him insight into Wang Yun's motives.

Publicly exposing Chen Yue's flaw wasn't just about embarrassing her. The true aim was to incite her brother, who held her in high regard, and to challenge him to a duel as was happening now.

In his previous life, the hot-headed young Chen Yi would never have refused such a challenge.

But the duel's purpose was far from a simple defeat—it was to infect him with a Life Devouring Blood Insect during the fight.

The Blood Venomous Insect, a creature cultivated by only a select few Gu Masters, was a weapon the Wang Family had acquired through nefarious means, and now they intended to use it against him.

Once the Poisonous Insect infiltrates a person's body, it begins to feed on their blood. Initially, there are no significant symptoms since its appetite is small and it stops feeding once satiated. However, as it continues to feed, its appetite grows exponentially, eventually becoming too much for the body to bear.

In his past life, Chen Yi suffered immensely because of this insect, which ultimately led to the downfall of his entire family.

To survive the insect's insatiable hunger, one must continuously replenish their blood. There are numerous Spirit Herbs in the world known to do just that. Chen Shanheng, in his previous life, nearly bankrupted the Chen family in his desperate attempts to procure these herbs. Yet, the insect seemed like a bottomless pit, impossible to satisfy.

The Chen family's ruin in his previous life stemmed from this very curse.

Now, in this life, faced with the same dire circumstances, Chen Yi refuses to back down, determined to confront the challenge as he did before. He could not stand by and allow his sister to be humiliated, not in his past life and certainly not now.

Moreover, he is not the man he once was.

As the esteemed Blood Sovereign of the Holy Heaven Realm, why should he fear a mere Life Devouring Blood Insect? In fact, he's eager for Wang Yun to hasten the process, for this creature is key to unlocking the Blood Holy Bead.

Since awakening, Chen Yi has thoroughly assessed his current body, with the Blood Holy Bead being of utmost importance. This relic, which led to his being hunted by the Sword Abyss Monarch and his eventual self-destruction, has been reborn with him. However, it has reverted to its dormant state and must be unsealed anew.

The Life Devouring Blood Insect is essential for this process. It was with this insect that he unlocked the Blood Holy Bead in his past life, and it was the bead that neutralized the insect's lethal threat.

"A duel?" Chen Shanheng's brow furrowed upon hearing Wang Yun's proposition.

The arrival of Patriarch Wang had already set Chen Shanheng on edge, suspecting ill intentions. Now, witnessing the unfolding scene, his suspicions seemed confirmed.

He was about to decline when Chen Yi interjected, "Father, please allow me to fight him!"

Seeing the resolve on Chen Yi's face gave Chen Shanheng pause. While he was unsure of the Wang Family's motives, he recognized their cunning strategy. The fiery Chen Yi had been provoked, and though it seemed he was walking into a trap, as a father, Chen Shanheng knew he must offer his support. A young Cultivator's spirit is delicate; crushing his youthful fervor now could have lasting repercussions.

"Alright," he conceded after a moment's contemplation.

The intentions of the Wang Family were unclear, but this was Chen territory. If the duel turned vicious, he could intervene in time. At worst, Chen Yi might suffer a blow to his pride—an experience that could potentially fuel his competitive spirit and drive him to greater heights in his cultivation.

And it wasn't a given that Chen Yi would lose.

Wang Yun may be celebrated as Wood County City's premier young prodigy, but that's largely due to his ostentatious nature and victories over his peers. Chen Yi, by contrast, is unassuming with fewer known triumphs. Yet, they have never truly tested their skills against each other. The outcome of this duel is far from predetermined.

"The two Young Lords are going to duel? This will be quite the spectacle!"

"Who do you reckon is stronger?"

"Do we even need to ask? Surely it's Young Master Wang Yun, our city's top genius!"

"Can Chen Yi even hold a candle to Young Master Wang Yun? The real question is how many moves Chen Yi can withstand!"

Amidst the clamor and speculation of the onlookers, Chen Yi and Wang Yun prepared to face off.

"Brother..." Chen Yue's voice trembled with concern.

Chen Yi offered a reassuring pat on her shoulder, signaling there was no need for worry.

"Just wait and see," he said with a nonchalant confidence that irked Wang Yun.

The banquet was set in the Chen family's open-air martial arts square, with a platform at its center that now served as the impromptu stage for their duel.

"The duel begins!" declared an elder of the Chen family, assuming the role of referee. As the two combatants took their positions on the platform, he signaled the start of the duel with a decisive gesture.

"You fool, I'll soon show you who's the real nobody!" Wang Yun taunted, brimming with arrogance.

As Wang Yun's voice trailed off, his body trembled, and an aura burst forth, radiating in all directions.

"Level Eight of the Meditation Stage!?"

The aura was palpable, and the faces of those gathered shifted with surprise.

In the Blue Cloud Realm, cultivators were categorized into five major stages: the Qi Refining Stage, the Spirit Essence Stage, the Crystal Stage, the Platform Casting Stage, and the Spirit Platform Stage. Within these, the Qi Refining Stage was further subdivided into ten levels. A sixteen-year-old reaching Level Six was already considered a prodigy in Wood County City. Level Seven placed one among the elite. But Level Eight? That was enough to dominate peers of the same age within the city.

Wang Yun had reached Level Eight of the Meditation Stage!

The revelation sent a ripple of astonishment through the crowd.

Many had believed Wang Yun to be at Level Seven, but now he had clearly advanced to Level Eight of the Meditation Stage... It was evident he had achieved a breakthrough recently!

"I had some hope for the Chen family's eldest son... but now, it seems the outcome of this duel is a foregone conclusion!"

"Indeed. Meditation Stage Level Eight... Young Master Wang Yun is truly exceptional! To reach Level Eight at just seventeen years old is nothing short of extraordinary. He truly is the premier genius of Wood County City!"

Murmurs of admiration filled the air.

From the balcony, Chen Shanheng's gaze flickered with concern.

The Wang Family had come fully prepared!

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