Chapter 32: Expectations
Chapter 32: Expectations
The second day of the Martial Display began.
Li Yi’s mana fluctuations naturally could not escape notice from the peak of the Star Radiance Tower.
“Half-step to the fifth layer? I was right! This boy isn’t taking the proper path. He must have used some method to force growth! Look for yourselves. After one night, his cultivation hasn’t risen; instead, it has fallen!”
You Qiushui laughed loudly, spraying specks of saliva that nearly hit Gu Yanran’s face. Her gloating voice echoed like a sharp, unpleasant bell.
Clearly, she saw Li Yi as part of Gu Yanran’s faction. Moreover, that slap from yesterday still stung fiercely. With her narrow mind, how could she let it go?
Elders Gu Yan and Qin Yue wore indifferent expressions, but in their hearts, they had completely written off that youth.
Gu Yanran’s willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly. Doubt stirred within her. She thought to herself, “Could this little fellow have truly gone astray?”
Even she, usually so steadfast, was nearly losing faith in Li Yi.
“The quarter-finals, that’s probably his limit,” You Qiushui declared with finality, as if passing judgment. “He will definitely lose in the quarter-final match!”
Gu Yanran couldn’t stand it and retorted, “Li Yi’s opponent in the quarter-finals is Xun Ye from the ‘Yellow’ platform. His strength is even below Gao Huanzhang’s. How could Li Yi possibly lose to him?”
“Oh? Since we each hold our own views,” You Qiushui lowered her head, a cunning glint flashing in her mostly-white eyes, “how about it, niece Gu, we make a bet?”
“A bet?” Gu Yanran’s eyes showed wariness. Bearing the “Heart of the Tranquil Night,” her mind was as calm as the night, so she wouldn’t easily fall for provocation. “What do you want to bet?”
“I heard you’ve always wanted a Terracotta Warrior. And I happen to have one in my possession.” You Qiushui smiled triumphantly, revealing her uneven, yellowish teeth, seeming confident Gu Yanran wouldn’t refuse.
“A Terracotta Warrior!” Gu Yanran exclaimed in shock. Her fingers unconsciously traced her brow, and she appeared restless. “Where did you get it? Even a Heavenly Decree Powerhouse would struggle to return unscathed from the First Emperor’s ancient tomb.”
Terracotta Warriors, also known as Hell Warriors, belonged to a very high level of Undead Creature, far surpassing Undead Creatures like mummies or Headless Knights! They were only slightly inferior to things like frostbone dragon corpses or Yellow Spring Dragons! The First Emperor Qin Shi Huang once boasted he would use this army after his death to slay the lord of the Netherworld!
Gu Yanran’s self-created secret technique—”Return of the Dead”—was currently only at the level of a Stitched Abomination. If she could dissect a Hell Warrior to perfect her undead theories, she could break through her bottleneck in one stroke!
“Never mind that. You just need to know I have it,” You Qiushui said dismissively, not wishing to discuss it further.
“And you? What do you want?” Faced with the object of her desire, Gu Yanran did not lose her rationality. Instead, she leaned back, her wariness growing heavier.
“Aside from you, I really don’t fancy anything on your person…” You Qiushui mocked lightly, but didn’t push further. She turned to Gu Yan. “Elder Gu, in the past, for the sake of ‘love,’ you flew into a rage for a beauty, entered the Icy Frost Deep Prison, and hunted a hundred thousand Demons, earning the title ‘Deep Prison Hunter.’ As I recall, you also obtained a Frost Demon’s Heart?”
“That’s absolutely impossible!” Gu Yanran stated firmly, refusing. “That is my uncle’s token of affection. How can it be used as a wager?”
“Fine, it’s a bet!” Gu Yan’s voice rang out simultaneously.
“Good, it’s settled!” You Qiushui seized the opening, not giving Gu Yanran any chance to whisper in his ear. A contract symbol was drawn in the Void. After both sent a thread of mana from their fingertips, a magical constraint was formed.
“Uncle, why did you bet with her?” Staring at that smug face, Gu Yanran acted petulantly, complaining, “That Frost Demon’s Heart holds many meanings.”
“I just think your betting luck has always been good. You won’t misjudge this,” Gu Yan said with a kind, loving smile.
Comparing luck with an astrologist?
Gu Yanran knew her uncle was doing this for her, but she couldn’t help feeling tangled with worry.
“Li Yi, you little brat, better make me proud…” She redirected her anger onto Li Yi, fuming inwardly.
…
Ah… Choo!
Li Yi sneezed.
“Who’s thinking of me?” he said lazily, shaking his head.
Standing on the Dragon Gate Platform, a strange light flickered intermittently in Li Yi’s eyes.
He felt changed.
His perception had become even more precise.
With a sweep of his gaze, he could capture the gathering and dispersing of the bloody mist. Occasionally, he could even see faint traces of Arcane Energy moving rapidly within the echo arrays.
His hearing was sharp too. The wind around him, the murmurs below the stage, even the shifting of clouds, nothing escaped him.
Of course, his opponent’s incessant chatter was extra grating.
What surprised him was that the youth before him actually wore a set of Runic Armament!
Runic Armament was the prototype of Dao Transformation Armament, but its effectiveness was discounted. Well, and then discounted again.
Verdant magical patterns extended from the shoulders down towards the waist, abdomen, and right arm, clearly imitating the Dao Transformation Armament—”Nature’s Sanctuary”!
This Runic Armament had the effects of “Spell Resistance” and “Nature’s Shield.” It was average, showing no particular strengths, but also no obvious weaknesses.
However, in Li Yi’s “professional” view, it was utterly mediocre.
If one utilized the “Echo Array” and “Bloody Will” characteristics of the Dragon Gate Platform with targeted intent, even a Runic Armament could weave multiple effects and should not be underestimated!
“Li Yi, today, you will definitely lose!”
“Looking at your magic fluctuations, the aftereffects of defeating Gao Huanzhang have already shown, right?”
“I studied your fighting style yesterday. Your weaknesses are completely clear to me!”
“And also, haven’t you noticed…”
…
“I just heard the presiding Mage announce your name. Your surname isn’t Yan. So, you are Yan He’s cousin?”
Li Yi interrupted him, hitting the nail on the head, and said calmly.
“How did you know?” Hearing this, the youth became flustered and lost his composure. “I never told anyone!”
Snap!
A crisp snap echoed, then faded.
The youth reacted, roaring in anger. “Nature’s Shield” and the Air Shield Technique condensed around his body—one green, one a pure color, shimmering and elusive, yet hiding countless undercurrents.
And at that moment, black cracks, like raging waves, surged wildly from all directions, overwhelming the sky!
Darkness pressed down!
The Air Shield shattered!
The Nature’s Shield flickered and then extinguished!
A series of popping and crackling sounds, like a long string of firecrackers, erupted. The Runic Armament on the youth’s body kept bursting with bright, dazzling sparks, a succession of small explosions flaring up!
The youth fell to the ground. The residual Arcane Energy made him twitch continuously, groaning and moaning.
“You two are equally long-winded.”
After uttering these words, Li Yi turned and left the platform.
“My mental power grew stronger again! Could it be that those two auras also affect mental power? Also, my biggest shortcoming, magic control, seems to have…”
Harboring many questions, he sat down cross-legged. He thought for a while but couldn’t make sense of it, so he simply continued operating the millstone, refining his mana.
Today’s battles would be simple. No battle couldn’t be solved with one snap.
If there really was one, then… two.
“Tonight will be a good night.”
Li Yi’s thoughts drifted; he was already considering tonight’s cultivation.
“Huh? I’m not even a Spell Apprentice yet. How could I have a feeling like Mage’s Intuition?”
He shook his head, thinking to himself it was probably just an illusion.
In reality, it was absolutely not Mage’s Intuition. It was the joy from deep within his body, on the verge of transformation, about to break its cocoon and become a butterfly.
Filled with expectation, this day passed with extra slowness.
Finally, the sun set in the west, casting slanting rays.
“Tomorrow, the main event—the quarter-finals—will be held!”
“The eight are as follows…”
“Heaven platform: Zhangsun Shenji.”
“Earth platform: Su Xuan’er.”
“Mysterious platform: Yu Qian.”
“Yellow platform: Xun Ye.”
“Cosmos platform: Li Yi.”
“Time platform: Wu Jing.”
“Vast platform: Yan Zhao.”
“Wild platform: Tong Xian.”
Li Yi nodded. As expected, Yan Zhao and Zhangsun Shenji also successfully made it into the quarter-finals.
“My opponent tomorrow is Xun Ye? This person is from the ‘Lingering Fragrance’ Xun clan. I haven’t dealt with him, but I heard he’s not that strong!” Rubbing his chin, he analyzed silently.
“So, tonight, time to really let loose, right!” A hand clapped his shoulder. Yan Zhao was still lazy and careless, speaking bluntly.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed? Still being careless? Your opponent tomorrow is Su Xuan’er!” Zhangsun Shenji was very displeased, scolding coldly.
“Same as tonight. Cultivation!”
Before the two could start arguing again, Li Yi said plainly.
“Why do I feel like he seems… happy?” Watching that retreating back, Yan Zhao narrowed his eyes. “Can cultivation actually bring pleasure?”
“It seems he has already dispelled his Inner Demon,” Zhangsun Shenji nodded.