I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 3

“Since you all have such leisure and enthusiasm, why not step onto the arena for a one-on-one duel?”

Before the words had fully faded, Li Baiying grabbed the tall disciple by the collar and flung him directly onto the nearest platform. Instantly, a wave of exclamations rippled through the crowd.

“Who do you think you are?!” The disciple, caught off guard, landed hard on his rear, the pain contorting his face. As soon as he regained his senses, a fierce punch struck his right cheek, sending him tumbling to the ground once more.

“I thought you had some skill, but it turns out you’re nothing special.” Li Baiying snorted coldly, her energy surging and gathering in her palm, a faint red glow enveloping her hand like a flickering flame. In the next moment, it transformed into countless crimson afterimages, all crashing down upon the disciple.

“Help! I-I surrender!” The tall disciple curled into a ball. Despite being a third-level Apprentice Martial Artist, he now cowered like a frightened dog.

“Hmph, I thought the Qin family had sent their elite disciples. Who knew they’d only send bullies who prey on the weak.” Disgusted by the sight of him, Li Baiying kicked him off the platform. After her lightning-fast strikes, she was slightly sweaty, but more than that, she felt the heat of her awakened muscles and bones.

“Does anyone else dare to challenge me?” Not wanting to drag this out, she crossed her arms and issued her challenge with an air of arrogance.

“How dare a mere second-level Apprentice Martial Artist boast so arrogantly?” Do you think the Qin family has no one left?”

Before the words had fully dissipated, a young woman in a pink robe parted the crowd and landed gracefully on the platform with a light tap of her toes.

“It’s Qin Zhili!” Some disciples in the crowd recognized her, and whispers immediately broke out.

“They say she’s the next heir of the Qin family. At just eighteen, she’s already broken through the Apprentice stage and stepped into the Innate realm. Her future is limitless…The martial artist realms are divided into Apprentice and Innate, which are considered the Mortal realms. Beyond that lie Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Refinement, and Dao Union. Once one reaches these stages, they transcend their mortal shell and truly cultivate immortal abilities. To advance further, one must break through to a higher immortal realm, though no one has been known to succeed thus far.

“What now? There’s a whole major realm between them!” Disciples below the stage could see Li Baiying’s aura being suppressed in just one encounter, and they shook their heads in doubt.

“Ying’er, stop this nonsense.” Li Anqing abruptly stood up from the elders’ seats, about to intervene, but was stopped by an old man with a white beard using his horsetail whisk:

“Elder Li, let the younger generation settle their own disputes. There’s no need for us to interfere. Besides, this is part of the arena’s rules.”

Hearing the words “arena rules,” the anxiety in Li Anqing’s eyes cleared, and she sat back down with a stern expression, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the armrest. Suddenly, her lips moved slightly.

“If you can’t win, remember not to push yourself too hard!”

The transmitted message reached Li Baiying’s ears, but her expression remained unchanged as she calmly rolled up her sleeves, revealing her well-defined forearms.

Though she was only just over thirteen years old, her height matched Qin Zhili’s. Despite being at a lower realm, she showed no trace of fear, nimbly moving along the edge of the arena.

“In my opinion, you should just step down now. If I accidentally injure you, I’d have a hard time explaining it to Aunt Li.” Qin Zhili sneered, her every gesture dripping with condescension.

It was no wonder she held such an attitude. No matter how great one’s talent, when faced with an absolute gap in cultivation, one would inevitably be at a disadvantage, especially since her own innate aptitude was only slightly inferior to Red Flame, being of the Silver Sand grade.

“The match hasn’t even begun yet, it’s too early to say who will emerge victorious!” Li Baiying knew her opponent was trying to provoke her, hoping to seize the opportunity to win the match decisively. With a light, effortless remark, she deflected the provocation while taking out a pill bottle and tipping its contents into her mouth, as if resolved to endure until the end.

Naturally, this action did not escape the notice of some sharp-eyed disciples below the stage, many of whom began speculating about the nature of the pill she had taken.

“Hey, isn’t that the young mistress of your Li family?”

Below the arena, Li Ruoruo, who had just been promoted to a direct-line disciple, was surrounded by a crowd. Beside her, disciples from the Qin and Wu families sneered with ulterior motives, “Rash bravery is nothing to fear.”

The girl bit her lip, her face flushing with embarrassment, and remained silent. Only when pressed further did she murmur softly, “That’s my cousin. I suppose she must have plenty of Heart-Protecting Pills at her disposal. Please, say no more…”

“No wonder! I was wondering how she had the courage to step onto the stage, turns out she’s relying on Heart-Protecting Pills.” Someone immediately chimed in, “I heard these pills can make one immune to pain for the duration of an incense stick. Could it be she plans to tough it out with this?”

“Ah, it must be nice to be a direct-line descendant, always having someone to back you up no matter what. I wish I could be reborn into a direct line in my next life.”

“The match hasn’t even started, and you’re already here gossiping and stirring up trouble. If you have the courage, why not step onto the stage yourselves?” A cool, detached voice cut through their mocking laughter.

Qin Yixiao remained expressionless, her gaze never leaving the arena, as though she weren’t speaking up for Li Baiying at all.

“Hey, what do you mean by that?!”

Someone flared up, ready to pick a fight, but their anger was drowned out by exclamations from the crowd. “It’s starting! The match is starting!”

At that moment, two figures darted across the center of the arena, moving so swiftly that only blurred afterimages could be seen.

Li Baiying did not channel her energy into her legs but relied purely on physical strength, weaving along the edge of the stage. Behind her, gusts of palm force sharpened into blades, grazing the hem of her robes.

Qin Zhili, after all, was a first-level innate martial artist. With a single light step, she could leap ten zhang forward. A faint pink mist coalesced in her palm, materializing into a serpent with a gaping maw that lunged fiercely at her opponent.

Boom!

The shockwave surged forward. Li Baiying dropped and rolled, narrowly and clumsily evading the attack.

“Is dodging all you’re capable of? Who was it that said they’d step onto the stage to settle the outcome?” Seeing her attacks repeatedly miss their mark, Qin Zhili grew increasingly irritated and did not hold back her taunts.

She was only five years older than her opponent, her face still bearing traces of childishness. Now, seeing that the situation wasn’t unfolding as she had anticipated, she couldn’t help but grow anxious.

Li Baiying did not respond, continuing to sprint along the edge of the arena. Since stepping onto the stage, aside from using her internal energy to deal with a third-level apprentice martial artist earlier, she had relied solely on her physical body to evade Qin Zhili’s assaults. Yet, each time, she managed to escape by the narrowest of margins.

All of this was thanks to the Lightbody Pill she had taken earlier.

Soon, the situation on the stage appeared one-sided. However, those with a discerning eye would notice that Qin Zhili did not hold an absolute advantage. On the contrary, her inability to swiftly overpower Li Baiying and knock her off the stage had already sparked a wave of doubt among the disciples.

“Isn’t there a whole major realm difference between them? Why is this dragging on so long without a conclusion?”

“Exactly! In theory, a Probationary Martial Artist against an Innate Martial Artist should be decided in a single exchange!”

The murmurs spread, reaching the ears of the two on the stage.

Seeing Qin Zhili’s flushed face and her barely suppressed anger, Li Baiying began to form a plan. With a light push of her foot, she instantly put dozens of feet between them.

The match had to end eventually, and it seemed her opponent was about to unleash her ultimate move.

“Take this!” Li Baiying shouted abruptly, forming her hand into a fist. A faint red energy flickered briefly before sluggishly drifting toward Qin Zhili’s position.

“Hmph, a mere trifling trick!” Qin Zhili appeared thoroughly provoked by this seemingly deliberate holding back. A cold glint flashed in her eyes. “Out of respect for your status as the young mistress of the Li family, I intended to show mercy and wait for you to step down voluntarily. What a pity, you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! Once I unleash my technique, don’t expect to leave this stage unscathed.”

As she spoke, she planted herself firmly at the center of the stage. With her palms facing each other, pink patterns, spider-like in appearance, spread from her forehead down both arms. Gradually, a pink mist surged like a roaring storm at the heart of the stage, sweeping outward in all directions.

“What a brilliant Sun-Shattering Art!” From the elders’ seats, Wu Ling raised an eyebrow slightly, shifting from her detached posture to leaning forward with interest as she praised, “The Qin family truly produces outstanding talents one after another.”

In contrast, Li Anqing’s face had turned pale. She was well aware of Li Baiying’s capabilities. Even knowing her daughter was exceptionally gifted, facing an opponent a full realm higher meant there was no way to withstand this move if executed successfully. Forcing a defense would surely result in internal injuries.

With the situation critical, she could no longer abide by the match rules and sent a voice transmission:

“Admit defeat quickly! If you must, take a Heart-Protecting Pill!”

By now, Li Baiying was enveloped in the dense mist. Contrary to outsiders’ expectations that she would concede, she had no such intention. Holding her breath, a faint red glow appeared between her eyebrows, radiating a startling brilliance.

Breath-Concealing Art!

She employed the most fundamental technique all Probationary Martial Artists learn, completely hiding her aura.

Then, without holding back, she channeled all her energy, shaping it into a fiery red human figure. To ensure it appeared convincing, she even reluctantly handed over a full pill bottle.

Tap, tap, tap… hurried footsteps echoed near the edge of the stage as the figure staggered away, pouring pills into its mouth as it fled. In a moment of carelessness, it tumbled off the stage with a “thud,” landing on the ground.

“I’ve won!” Blinded by the pink mist, Qin Zhili could only rely on her vague spiritual sense. Detecting no one else on the stage besides herself, a look of triumph surfaced between her brows. The mist swirling around her faltered slightly, and the nearly formed Sun-Shattering Art began to dissipate faintly.

Lost in the joy of victory and bringing honor to her family, she failed to notice that the referee had yet to announce the match’s outcome.

Suddenly, caught off guard, she was shoved from the edge of the stage and sent tumbling down.

“Taking a whole bottle of Lightbody Pills really did the trick. Seems like I should stock up more in the future.” Li Baiying clapped her hands, a genuine smile spreading across her face. “Miss Qin, I’m completely drained. If you had just taken two steps to the side, I wouldn’t have been able to push you down so easily.”

“You… you won by foul means!” Qin Zhili’s face flushed red with anger, her energy crackling in the air. She glared fiercely at the young woman standing on the platform, wishing she could skin her alive.

“A bet is a bet!” Li Baiying had no interest in arguing further. She tucked away the empty pill bottle and leisurely descended from the platform.

Her calves tingled faintly from overexertion, each step feeling as though she were walking on blades. If she hadn’t been so conscious of her image, she might have grimaced and cried out in pain.

Though she had narrowly won in the end, only she knew the true struggle behind it.

Whether it was pushing her body to its limits with the Lightbody Pills, creating a convincing energy clone of herself, or repeatedly applying psychological pressure on Qin Zhili, if any one of these steps had failed, she would have been thrown off the platform.

“An apprentice martial artist is still too weak.” Settling into the spectator seats, she closed her eyes resentfully and began regulating her breathing.

She wanted to grow stronger quickly, to be free from all constraints!

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the slender shadow quietly falling behind her.