Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

"You want to make me regret joining this competition?" Ling Fei’s gaze hardened. "Then we’ll have to see if you have what it takes."

Xu Zitao’s aura was powerful, giving off a sense of unfathomable depth. It was even more domineering than Lian Shuang’s.

But Ling Fei had no intention of backing down.

’So what if we end up fighting? Why would I be afraid?’

’If worst comes to worst, I’ll just fight with everything I have.’

"I hope you can last long enough to face me," Xu Zitao said coldly.

"Don’t worry, I won’t disappoint you." Seeing how eager Xu Zitao was to get his revenge through Martial Arts, Ling Fei’s gaze sharpened abruptly. ’Since he’s so desperate for revenge, I’d like to see what this Xu Zitao is truly capable of.’

"Hmph." Xu Zitao snorted. Ling Fei’s fearless demeanor greatly annoyed him. "Arrogant bastard. A mere Celestial Pill Realm cultivator thinks he can fight me? If we meet, I’ll turn you into a cripple." With a sinister glare, Xu Zitao walked to the center of the Waiting Battle Platform.

Ling Fei simply ignored Xu Zitao’s glare.

"Ling the Pill Master, this Xu Zitao seems incredibly strong!" He Tianming said, a hint of worry in his voice.

If Ling Fei were to face Xu Zitao and get seriously injured, it would be a huge problem.

"What if... when you run into Xu Zitao later, you just forfeit?" Fang Yuan suggested. "You’d only lose one Inscription Pattern by forfeiting. Besides, after you’ve fought once, you won’t face the same opponent again in the same elimination round. That way, you’ll still have a chance to make it to the finals."

You can always win the lost Inscription Pattern back by defeating other people.

So, Ling Fei could simply forfeit right when he met Xu Zitao.

Once he forfeited, Xu Zitao wouldn’t be allowed to attack. Doing so would be a violation of the rules, and he would be disqualified from the competition.

"Forfeit?" Ling Fei rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "Does everyone really think I’m going to lose?" he asked, feeling indignant.

"You will," Zhao Fan said, nodding seriously. "I can sense an aura from Xu Zitao that’s even more terrifying than Senior Sister Lian Shuang’s."

"Me too," Fang Yuan agreed with a very serious nod.

They were all geniuses in the Celestial Pill Realm, and their Perception Power was very strong.

That was precisely why they were worried about Ling Fei.

Ling Fei was speechless. "And what, I’m not dangerous?" he retorted.

"Well... you’re terrifying too, Ling the Pill Master, but... it feels like you’re still lacking something!" Zhao Fan said, scratching his head.

"Hey kid, don’t look down on me like that. I was even planning on giving you a Spirit Awakening Pill," Ling Fei said scornfully.

"A Spirit Awakening Pill?" Zhao Fan froze, then quickly exclaimed, "Ling the Pill Master, wait! You’re the greatest in the world! You’re the number one genius in the Southern Wilderness!"

"So how about that Spirit Awakening Pill?" Zhao Fan added with a shameless grin.

’He’d been drooling over the thought of a Spirit Awakening Pill for ages!’

’He was just too embarrassed to ask for one directly.’

’After all, Zhao Fan felt his friendship with Ling Fei hadn’t reached that point yet.’

"That’s more like it." Ling Fei nodded slightly at Zhao Fan’s antics.

"Hee hee, could you give me a Spirit Awakening Pill too, Ling the Pill Master?" Fang Yuan chimed in with a smile. "Er, on second thought, you really are the number one Martial Arts genius in the Southern Wilderness. That Xu Zitao guy is nothing special. You can definitely beat him." She added this last part after a moment of thought.

"Have you people no shame?" Ling Fei was rendered speechless. ’Do these guys really all think I’m going to lose?’

Although he was exasperated, Ling Fei didn’t look at Xu Zitao with any contempt.

In fact, he could sense Xu Zitao’s power far more clearly than Zhao Fan and the others.

It was as if an Ancient Fierce Beast lay dormant within Xu Zitao’s body. Once that Power erupted, it would be utterly terrifying.

But Ling Fei, who had always been fearless, would never back down.

"What’s shame? Is it more important than a Spirit Awakening Pill?" Fang Yuan said with a playful grin, lightening the atmosphere considerably.

"Oh, get outta here!" Ling Fei was at a loss for words.

Nearby, Lian Shuang remained calm. She glanced at Ling Fei out of the corner of her eye, and seeing his composed demeanor, a flicker of anticipation would occasionally surface in her expression.

Everyone gathered on the battle platform.

"Infuse your Essence Qi into the Plaque in your hand. It will then select an opponent for you," Vice Sect Leader Jiang announced from another high platform.

At his command, everyone flipped their hands over, and a Plaque appeared in each of their palms.

Every person participating in this competition had been issued one.

Ling Fei had one as well.

The Plaque was engraved with profound markings, around which three Inscription Patterns were entwined.

When Ling Fei activated it with his Essence Qi, it immediately began to glow with Light Patterns that enveloped his body.

At the same time, all the other Cultivators on the platform activated their Plaques.

VMM!

With a flash of light, Ling Fei was drawn down to one of the battle platforms below.

Soon after, a Celestial Pill Realm expert appeared opposite him.

"I am Zhu Wei, a disciple of Ten Thousand Swords Cliff. Greetings, Ling the Pill Master." As the young man landed, he immediately clasped his hands and bowed to Ling Fei.

"Greetings, Brother Zhu," Ling Fei returned the salute.

"Hehe, Ling the Pill Master, I am already a cultivator at the Celestial Pill Perfection Realm. If you would be willing to gift me one Spirit Awakening Pill, I am willing to forfeit this match right now."

Zhu Wei said with a sly chuckle, getting straight to the point.

Profound Spirit Treasures were forbidden in this competition. At most, one could use Top Level Spiritual Artifacts. Therefore, in his eyes, Ling Fei didn’t have much of an advantage.

From Zhu Wei’s perspective, forfeiting one match in exchange for a Spirit Awakening Pill was no big deal. He could just win back his standing later.

Hearing this, Ling Fei was once again speechless. ’Do I really look like such a pushover?’ At this point, he felt truly wronged.

In the eyes of outsiders, it seemed he had always relied on his Profound Spirit Supreme Treasure to fight opponents in higher realms.

Without this Profound Spirit Treasure, he would be a total pushover.

It was no wonder everyone thought this way.

After all, even for fellow geniuses, fighting above one’s realm was incredibly difficult.

What’s more, Ling Fei had only joined the sect a year ago.

"Hehe, so what do you say, Ling the Pill Master?" Zhu Wei asked with a grin.

"If you want a Spirit Awakening Pill, you can have it after you beat me," Ling Fei said, his face darkening. He felt his honor had been insulted.

"Talk after I beat you?" Zhu Wei was taken aback, not understanding Ling Fei’s meaning for a moment.

"Heh, that Zhu Wei has a clever idea, trying to trade a forfeit for a Spirit Awakening Pill," Sect Leader Yuan remarked with a smile from the viewing stands.

"You must be amused, Fellow Daoist Yuan," the Sect Leader of Ten Thousand Swords Cliff said with an embarrassed expression. However, his eyes narrowed slightly, and as he looked toward the battle platform, he nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself, ’This Zhu Wei is a smart one. Trading a single loss for a Spirit Awakening Pill? That’s more than worth it! An Elixir like that is a rarity in this world!’

’Obtaining such a Pill would be a massive stroke of fortune.’

’That’s actually a good idea.’ It wasn’t just the Sect Leader of Ten Thousand Swords Cliff; the elders of the smaller sects nearby were all thinking the same thing.

They felt that Ling Fei’s participation in this Martial Arts Competition was an opportunity for all the sects.

Perhaps ordinary geniuses couldn’t hope to contend with Ling Fei.

However, the top geniuses from their own sects now had this chance.

After all, Ling Fei was only at the Celestial Pill Great Success stage and hadn’t been cultivating for long.

But the top geniuses from their sects had long since reached the Celestial Pill Perfection Realm and were on the verge of breaking through to the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm.

The chances of such geniuses defeating Ling Fei were still very high.

If Ling Fei was willing to make such a trade, it would naturally be a win-win situation.

Even the geniuses on the other battle platforms were stirred by the idea and began to look forward to facing Ling Fei themselves.

’Damn it, how did that Zhu Wei get so lucky? If only I had been matched with Ling the Pill Master!’ many of the Celestial Pill Perfection Realm cultivators thought to themselves.