Chapter 23: Battle!

"Ha, don't think that just because you are in the Foundation Establishment stage, I’m afraid of you! My father is the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qi Kingdom. If you don't surrender, don't blame the magical treasure I carry for being blind!"

"Silent? Ignoring me, are you? Fine, then I’ll let you taste the price of your arrogance!"

"Seventh-grade magical treasure: Earth-Shattering Meteor Sword!"

The woman of the brothel sighed.

"Dust Wind Art."

"Ah!"

The son of the Grand Preceptor was down, unable to rise again.

With a casual wave of her hand, the woman sent the man on the ground flying through the window, tossed away like a piece of trash.

The Grand Preceptor’s son landed on a pile of people; he was the thirty-second challenger to fall into a coma today.

It wasn't that the seventh-grade magical treasure wasn't powerful, but the user was simply too pathetic. These individuals, who hadn't even achieved the feat of drawing Qi into their bodies, were merely wielding sharper swords even if they held powerful treasures, lacking the spiritual energy to drive them.

For the past two days, many had challenged her directly, but no matter what treasures they used, the vast disparity in rank made the outcome of these battles inevitable.

Counting carefully, those who had fallen to her in the last two days numbered at least eighty, if not a hundred.

"Little Dust, they seem to know you're from the Daqian Sect. Was it that cheeky little brat who leaked your identity?" the madam asked.

"I saw him setting up a stall a few days ago, selling exactly that information."

"Oh? Does the Daqian Sect allow such things to be sold?"

"The rules didn't explicitly forbid it, so it's allowed... but at the end of the day, it was my seal on those documents. These people who want to rely on petty cleverness to pass? None of them are getting past me!" The woman scoffed.

These guys thought buying the answers was a shortcut, but in the woman's eyes, this behavior was a deduction. She would never allow anyone to pass using a shortcut.

In the path of cultivation, how could there be shortcuts?

"By the way, Little Dust, are you getting used to being here?" The madam was slightly worried that she might not adapt well to the Hehuan Sect.

"I signed up for this willingly. To be honest, it's quite comfortable—just like being home. I’ve even considered switching jobs permanently." The woman’s comment was perfectly consistent with her moniker.

Well, it seemed it was all for the love of the craft.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

A knock at the door.

"Examinee Qin Xi requests an audience with Senior Dust Wind."

"Hm? It’s that boy." The madam turned her head and smiled at the woman. "He’s probably not brewing anything good this time. Will you see him?"

"See him? Of course, I must. What kind of examiner refuses to see an examinee?" The woman stood up from her chair and pointed a finger. A gust of wind rose in the room, blowing open the doors of the Bliss Tower.

Qin Xi shielded his eyes from the dust and wind, then smiled and bowed to everyone in the Bliss Tower. "Greetings to the seniors of the Hehuan Sect, and greetings to Senior Dust Wind."

"What? You’ve thought it over? Want to try the soft approach?" The woman asked with interest. "But let me tell you, you’ve already given me the impression that you like to cut corners. It won't be easy to turn that around."

"Ah... Senior might have misunderstood something. I didn't come here to try the soft approach..."

"Oh? Don't tell me you intend to force your way through?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Qin Xi replied, "That is indeed the case."

"..."

The woman’s expression turned solemn. "Did you not see those who were thrown out just now? Whether they relied on treasures, formations, or sheer numbers, they were all beaten like dying dogs. Do you really wish to become one of them?"

"Ah... Senior, don't be so certain. I might not necessarily lose."

"Ha! Very well. Call your companions, and let us go to the top floor for a duel." The woman felt a wave of disappointment. She had thought that the boy’s silence over the past few days meant he was re-evaluating his opportunistic approach; she hadn't expected him to be just like the mediocre, blind fools who had challenged her before.

She had hoped this youth would be special.

"Companions? Wouldn't that be too unfair?"

"What? I am in the Foundation Establishment stage, and you haven't even achieved Qi Condensation. You are mere mortals. Even if a thousand of you came at me together, you wouldn't be able to scratch me... It is only you who should feel it is unfair."

"No, I am alone," Qin Xi said, standing with his hands behind his back, full of confidence. "A one-on-one duel—that is the true style of a cultivator!"

?

"I will warn you once more. I will only spare your life; I take no responsibility for how badly you are beaten," the woman warned him.

"That is fine. But, Senior Dust Wind, I also have a small condition."

"Oh? So you do want to impose restrictions on me after all? It seems you aren't that foolish." The woman sneered; the boy had finally chickened out.

"No, Senior, what I mean is..." Qin Xi’s expression remained perfectly calm, "If you happen to get injured, please don't hold it against me. I am quite poor, so I must have the sect reimburse the costs."

The moment these words were spoken, the room fell into shock.

The members of the Hehuan Sect looked at each other in bewilderment. Among the previous challengers, there had been no shortage of arrogant people, but this was the first time they had seen such audacity.

Moreover, the previous arrogant youths had all carried high-grade protective treasures, which was why they dared to challenge the woman.

But the youth before them clearly had no aura of magical treasures about him; he was merely a common mortal.

Indeed, in the history of the Eastern Chen Continent, there were countless legends of people defeating opponents of higher ranks. Those geniuses relied on the inheritances of great sects, miraculous encounters in secret realms, their opponents' underestimation, perfect preparation, and the alignment of time, place, and people to achieve those rare victories.

But the prerequisite for crossing ranks was that the person doing the crossing had to be a cultivator.

Had there ever been a record of someone at the Qi Condensation stage defeating one in the Foundation Establishment stage? Yes.

But a mortal defeating someone in the Foundation Establishment stage?

It was unheard of.

The woman tried to find a hint of a joke in Qin Xi’s expression, but she failed.

This mad boy was serious!

"Do you know what you are saying?!"

"I do, perfectly clearly." Qin Xi gestured with his hand. "Shall we head to the top floor?"

"Good, good, good!"

The woman repeated the word three times. She flicked her sleeves, turned around, and began walking toward the stairs leading to the top floor.

Qin Xi followed closely behind.

"I never thought I would meet someone as ignorant of what's good for them as you in this trial," the woman said, her face cold. "I advise you: because this is a test, I will spare your life. But if you encounter a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future and act this arrogantly... you will truly die."

"I will keep that in mind," Qin Xi nodded.

Seeing that the boy was impervious to her words, the woman stopped arguing and walked all the way to the top floor.

Before them lay an open space, the floor paved with clean, neat bluestone.

Aside from the stone floor, the only things in the room were rows of neat weapon racks, filled with all kinds of armaments.

For those below the Qi Condensation stage, this was more than enough for martial practice.

"Senior, inside this building, will you be hindered by the fear of causing damage?" Qin Xi asked.

"You need not worry about that. Dealing with a child who hasn't even begun to practice Qi is not enough to cause any destruction." The woman pulled her hands from her sleeves and made a gesture of invitation.

"Come, child. I shall let you have a few strikes."

"Letting me have strikes... that is unnecessary. Senior should feel free to strike whenever you are ready."

"…Very well."

Both sides took their stances, less than three meters apart.