Chapter 109: I Didn’t Mean to

Before the start of the trial, Li Sibai had already clearly assessed his own strengths and weaknesses.

He realized he might not match Zhao Kang’s speed, so he could not afford to let Zhao Kang get close enough to strike. The key to success lay in wielding his Xuantian Sword effectively, maintaining a controlled distance, and leveraging the power of his weapon to keep his opponent at bay. Simply put, whoever could best capitalize on their strengths while mitigating their weaknesses would seize the initiative in this duel.

Although Zhao Kang was extremely fast, Li Sibai’s own speed had been bolstered by his physical training in the Bamboo Cave, making him capable of keeping pace. However, Zhao Kang was short and agile, moving with such fluid unpredictability that Li Sibai found it difficult to land a solid blow. Zhao Kang, for his part, dared not engage in a direct clash of strength. Their exchange was filled with numerous feints—seemingly calm maneuvers that were, in reality, fraught with danger, where a single moment of carelessness could lead to defeat.

Zhao Kang felt a flicker of unease. He had underestimated this kid; Li Sibai was far more capable than he had imagined, managing to keep up with his speed without faltering. Zhao Kang knew that if this stalemate dragged on, he would eventually lose. Li Sibai possessed greater strength and stamina, while his own constant maneuvering consumed far more energy.

Realizing he was unlikely to win under these conditions, Zhao Kang retreated and made a gesture to pause, smiling as he said, "Not bad at all. But I only used sixty percent of my power just now. Let me show you my true speed."

"Oh?" Li Sibai chuckled. "I only used fifty percent. Come at me then, enough talk!"

"You...!" Zhao Kang ground his teeth in frustration. He was infuriated by the taunt and certainly did not believe Li Sibai had only used half his strength.

Channeling his inner energy, Zhao Kang’s true qi surged, and his overall presence expanded dramatically. Li Sibai remained vigilant, thinking this was the perfect opportunity to test the techniques he had learned in the bamboo forest. As Zhao Kang condensed his energy, his body became enveloped in flickering yellow light, and his aura climbed to a new level.

"Is this Zhao Kang’s secret technique?" someone in the audience asked.

"It must be," another whispered. "They say no opponent has ever survived seeing it. This is my first time witnessing it as well."

"I never expected this Li Sibai to be so strong. He’s actually keeping up with Zhao Kang and even forced him to use his secret technique."

Old He, standing nearby, felt his face flush with embarrassment, though he refused to concede. "Once Zhao Kang’s secret technique is unleashed, Li Sibai’s defeat is inevitable."

On the stage, Zhao Kang looked furious. "Kid, you forced me to use this. Don't blame me if you die; I won't be holding back. Watch yourself."

Li Sibai nodded. "Thanks for the warning. Let me experience your secret technique."

Zhao Kang sneered. Seeing that Li Sibai was not afraid, he felt encouraged by the boy's apparent arrogance, sensing his opportunity had arrived.

Suddenly, Zhao Kang seemed like a different person. His speed more than doubled, and he began moving low to the ground. Li Sibai found himself struggling to adapt; he couldn't even track Zhao Kang’s movements or discern from where the attacks were coming. Within moments, his short sword had opened several wounds on Li Sibai. Although Li Sibai’s internal energy helped his injuries heal quickly, he was still losing a significant amount of blood.

The audience was electrified, especially those who had bet on Zhao Kang, who were now cheering like madmen.

"Did you see that?"

"No," the man beside him shook his head. "I never thought Zhao Kang’s secret technique was this powerful. It’s best we don't provoke him in the future."

"It’s unheard of for a earth-attribute user to achieve such speed!"

In the crowd, Zhang Qiang was grinning from ear to ear. He had already used his identity token to report the situation to Guo Jian. Upon hearing that Li Sibai had returned and was dueling Zhao Kang, Guo Jian expressed satisfaction, praised Zhang Qiang for his initiative, and told him to report back once there was a result, claiming he was too busy to attend such a trivial matter.

Zhao Kang was feeling triumphant, convinced he had finally unleashed his true prowess and that Li Sibai, while skilled, had reached his limit.

Li Sibai gave a bitter smile. It seemed no one in the inner sect was to be taken lightly. This unassuming Zhao Kang certainly had some tricks up his sleeve, but the pain of his wounds only served to ignite his fighting spirit.

Zhao Kang frowned. "What are you smiling at? Can't you see you're about to lose? Beg for mercy now, and I might spare you."

Li Sibai snorted. "The outcome is yet to be decided. If you surrender now, I might spare you!"

Zhao Kang was so angry he felt his nose twitch. He realized there was no point in arguing with this sharp-tongued boy. Since he had offered a chance that was rejected, he would no longer show restraint.

Zhao Kang gathered all his strength for a fatal blow. His short sword flashed with a cold, yellow light. Before most of the audience could even process what had happened, a sharp *clatter* of colliding weapons rang out. A yellow figure was sent flying through the air, spitting blood, before crashing heavily to the ground.

The crowd was stunned into silence. The person who had been sent flying was none other than the previously arrogant Zhao Kang. He no longer possessed even a shred of his former pride; he lay curled in a ball, foaming at the mouth, his face deathly pale.

Zhang Qiang rushed over to feed him some healing pills and gave him water, which finally helped him show some signs of recovery.

Li Sibai stood there awkwardly, looking down at the man foaming at the mouth. "Um... Brother Zhao... I didn't mean to do that. I couldn't control my strength, so please don't take it to heart."

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

"What just happened? Did you see? Wasn't Zhao Kang in the lead? How did it turn into this in the blink of an eye?"

"I don't know. It happened so fast. Did that kid cheat? He was being beaten so badly just a second ago."

"Isn't it said he only entered the inner sect a few months ago? Are the new recruits this strong now?"

"And his mouth is just too much. I've never seen someone so cheeky."

As the crowd buzzed with speculation, Li Sibai stood on the stage, feeling increasingly awkward.