Chapter 458: 419. Chapter 418: Duel and Compensation

419. Chapter 418: Duel and Compensation

Seeing the formation dissolve, Li Yi finally exhaled slightly—he now believed Lin Lin Caiyi, the cultivator from the Mystic Immortal Continent, was truly dead, not feigning death to ambush him; after all, people from this continent were far too cunning, with too many hidden cards, impossible to guard against, utterly despicable.

Fortunately, he wasn't some upright gentleman, and they probably never imagined a warrior from the Four Seas and Eight Continents would resort to poison when fighting an enemy.

"Lin Lin Caiyi."

As soon as the formation lifted, the cultivators from the Mystic Immortal Continent erupted in emotion.

"Damn it! Miss Lin died of poison—this poison is terrifying, even corroding spiritual sense! This guy cheated!"

"This duel was unfair! That divine needle shattered a top-grade spirit artifact, the Black Tortoise Armor—this is outright cheating! How could a mere Earth native, a Soul Realm cultivator, possess a method to break a top-grade defensive spirit artifact? Someone must have secretly aided him."

"Even a Thunder Talisman couldn't kill him—he's far more than just Soul Realm. He's deeply hidden, carrying a powerful bloodline, immune to thunder arts. I believe his true opponent should've been a Jin Dan cultivator, not a Foundation Establishment one."

Waves of spiritual sense swept across the battlefield.

They quickly understood the full sequence of events—and were stunned by the divine needle beside Li Yi.

But their spiritual sense was pierced the moment it brushed the needle, searingly painful; without this artifact, a top-grade spirit artifact alone would've left Li Yi utterly hopeless, for by then Lin Lin Caiyi had already swallowed her elixir, restored her magic power, and passed the most perilous moment.

Faced with the cultivators' resentment, the Golden Academy students grew angry too.

"You cultivators spew nothing but filth, sons of bitches with no assholes! If anyone cheated, it was you—how could a Foundation Establishment cultivator land a blow rivaling a Jin Dan's? And that top-grade spirit artifact? Isn't that reserved only for Jin Dan cultivators?"

"Exactly! How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator have so many survival tricks? If you Jin Dan bastards hadn't secretly helped him, I'd never believe it."

"Life-or-death duels have no rules. If you can't handle it, go back to the Mystic Immortal Continent."

Though they couldn't defeat their opponents, they wouldn't be out-insulted—vile curses about ancestors and lineage poured out freely.

Li Yi, watching the chaotic scene outside, immediately understood—he'd killed Lin Lin Caiyi, shaming these cultivators, and they couldn't accept the outcome, seeking any excuse to stir trouble.

But fundamentally, it was still bullying by power—if both sides were evenly matched, how would these cultivators dare speak such words?

Li Yi said nothing, merely strode forward to claim all of Lin Lin Caiyi's belongings; she too possessed a storage artifact, and since he'd won the duel, these items rightfully belonged to him.

But at that moment—

A flash of cold light descended from the sky, forming a flying sword that hovered midair, its tip aimed directly at Li Yi, blocking his path.

"If you dare move another step, I'll make you feel the edge of a top-grade flying sword," a Jin Dan cultivator landed on the duel platform, expression cold, voice brimming with threat.

"Lost and refuse to pay? My blade isn't dull either," Li Yi replied without fear; the Fei Mu Needle glowed brilliantly, striking like a flying sword toward the opponent's blade.

The Jin Dan cultivator instantly flew into rage: "Audacious!"

He immediately maneuvered his sword to dodge the needle's strike, then slashed toward Li Yi's wrist.

With the flying sword's sharpness, if it connected, Li Yi's hand would be severed.

"Reckless!" Li Yi roared in fury, undaunted—he reached for the Golden Coffin to unleash the supernatural, trapping the Jin Dan cultivator in a ghost realm, even if it meant mutual destruction.

But just then—

A terrifying pressure surged from the duel platform.

Instantly—

The top-grade flying sword lost control and clattered to the ground; even the Jin Dan cultivator couldn't stand, tumbling from the air and crashing hard, his entire body pressed flat, bones snapping audibly, blood spurting from his mouth.

"Grand Immortal Tai, spare me!" the Jin Dan cultivator cried in terror.

A Soul Transformation expert could easily crush a Nascent Soul cultivator—let alone him, a mere Jin Dan.

Grand Immortal Tai?

Hearing this, all cultivators fell silent, immediately bowing their heads, standing respectfully beside the platform, not daring to move.

Such pressure immobilized the Jin Dan cultivator, yet Li Yi, standing nearby, felt no effect whatsoever—clear proof of Grand Immortal Tai's exquisite control over spiritual power.

At this moment—

Everyone noticed an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, eyes half-closed, surveying the surroundings from above.

A death on the duel platform, as the artifact's owner, Grand Immortal Tai naturally sensed it.

Through the duel platform's recorded footage, he instantly grasped the entire sequence; though Lin Lin Caiyi's death was indeed humiliating, life-or-death duels were always like this—both sides held hidden cards, lethal techniques; if you lost, you had no grounds to complain.

And what time was it now? During the Golden Academy's visit, investigating Earth and divine information.

Normally, duel outcomes didn't matter—even if someone died, as long as the duel was fair, the Golden Academy had no complaint.

But if this… if Grand Immortal Tai showed favoritism, the entire purpose of this visit would be ruined.

"Hmph!" Grand Immortal Tai snorted in displeasure.

Instantly, cultivators near the platform were struck hard in spirit, spitting blood and flying backward.

Yet none dared show resentment—they scrambled to their feet, standing again with utmost reverence.

Seeing their attitude was still respectful, Grand Immortal Tai slowly descended from the air, then spoke kindly: "I apologize—my discipline has been lax, causing trouble for all the students. Here, I offer my sincere apologies."

He bowed, expressing his regret.

"I've witnessed the entire duel. Lin Lin Caiyi lost through inferior skill—she has no grounds to complain. Congratulations, young Li Yi, you've won this duel. Truly, the Golden Academy produces talent at every turn; given time, young Li Yi will surely have an illustrious future."

He glanced at Li Yi, then smiled.

Though Grand Immortal Tai was exceedingly kind, Li Yi felt as if needles pricked his back—his soul screamed warning.

He didn't believe this Soul Transformation master was a benevolent old man; a single snort had silenced the entire arena—clearly, he wore a Bodhisattva's face but possessed a Vajra's heart, capable of sudden, brutal action at the slightest provocation.

"I dare not. I merely won by luck," Li Yi bowed respectfully.

Grand Immortal Tai waved his hand—Lin Lin Caiyi's corpse vanished, leaving behind several artifacts: "As the soul returns to the soul soil and the body to the earth, I must return Lin Lin Caiyi's remains to the Mystic Immortal Continent for proper burial. Her remaining spirit artifacts, naturally, belong to you, young man. Please accept them."

A storage artifact, the Xuan Guang Shield, the top-grade spirit artifact Black Tortoise Armor, a set of formations, and a mid-grade flying sword shattered into two pieces.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, this wealth was astonishing.

But Li Yi's eyes flickered, and he immediately said: "Grand Immortal Tai, earlier, several Jin Dan cultivators boasted they'd wager their entire fortunes. Now that I've won, these items left by Lin Lin Caiyi are insufficient as compensation."

"Oh? There was such a wager?" Grand Immortal Tai's gaze swept over the other Jin Dan cultivators outside the platform.

Seeing all fall silent, he understood immediately.

This matter was real.

Grand Immortal Tai smiled: "No matter. Since I've intervened, I'll ensure fairness—I won't let you be shortchanged. Reveal your full worth; if it's insufficient, I'll make up the difference."

At these words—

The other Jin Dan cultivators sneered inwardly.

To dare extort Grand Immortal Tai? You must think your life's too long—do you even believe you'll live long enough to use what you take?

Li Yi knew this well—but he'd already killed her. Why fear angering the Mystic Immortal Continent's cultivators? Moreover, he was desperate for resources to cross realms and cultivate; today he'd risked his life—why not risk offending Grand Immortal Tai?

"With your word, Grand Immortal, I'm at ease."

He activated his storage artifact.

Instantly, over two hundred corpses of transcendent creatures appeared on the duel platform.

Most were Soul Realm, many even Spirit Power Realm.

Not particularly rare items, but their sheer quantity was staggering.

"So many transcendent creature corpses? Did Li Yi clear the entire Danger Zone?" nearby Di Zhu'an gasped in shock.

"The Tianchang City Investigation Bureau said Li Yi recently wiped out all transcendent creatures within a hundred kilometers of the Danger Zone. I thought it was rumor—turns out it's true," Daoist Pi said, impressed.

This single act had indirectly saved countless lives.

"Earlier, Li Yi was punished—he had to hunt a hundred transcendent creatures to return to the academy. He actually did it," Security Officer Wu Wu Zuohua appeared beside the platform, surprised.

"These corpses number at least two or three hundred—truly immense."

At this moment—

Grand Immortal Tai smiled slightly: "Transcendent beast corpses? Easy."

He swept his sleeve—blazing fire erupted, engulfing every corpse.

Within the flames, the bodies dissolved rapidly, vanishing in moments.

Li Yi froze.

But soon he realized something was wrong—

The corpses weren't burned; their blood essence and vital energy had been refined out, leaving only useless medicinal dregs.

"I'll refine these beast corpses into Spirit Blood Pills on your behalf—as compensation," Grand Immortal Tai said, then glanced at the Jin Dan cultivators.

They shuddered, immediately pulling out various spirit herbs from their storage artifacts.

The herbs flew toward the refined blood essence, merging into hundreds of pills glowing like crimson jade.

Exactly three hundred pills.

"Young man, catch," Grand Immortal Tai waved again—the Spirit Blood Pills flew toward Li Yi.

Li Yi immediately felt a torrent of medicinal qi surge toward him; his blood surged violently.

Clearly, these Spirit Blood Pills were no ordinary elixir.

He didn't hesitate—collected them all.

But Li Yi didn't stop—he opened his palm, revealing half a coin: "I have one incomplete extraordinary artifact."

"Understood."

Grand Immortal Tai glanced at the broken coin, silently lamenting its loss, then signaled a Jin Dan cultivator.

The cultivator grimaced, producing a fragment of strange bone—unknown origin, yet radiating an energy field, clearly another extraordinary artifact; but since it was only half, its value was greatly diminished.

"That's the incomplete artifact I lost," Di Zhu'an felt his heart bleed.

But thinking it now belonged to Li Yi, he felt slightly better.

Better in Li Yi's hands than in an enemy's.

Li Yi accepted the fragment without ceremony, then pointed to Shan Yi outside the platform: "That's my mount."

Another Jin Dan cultivator understood instantly, gritting his teeth as he tossed out a jade tablet: "This is a Spirit Beast Token—it contains a self-contained space to carry and nurture spirit beasts."

Others watched Li Yi closely,

That's enough—know when to stop, don't push your luck.

Li Yi ignored the murderous glares directed at him; he had already offended them, so why not offend them completely?

Finally.

He took out the seven-colored stone, risking his life.

The seven-colored stone, comparable to a complete wonder, immediately emitted a staggering energy field, just like the dragon scale before.

The moment this item appeared, the Jin Dan cultivators were stunned.

They were even more astonished than when they had seen the Fei Mu Needle.

"What is the value of this item?" Li Yi fixed his gaze on Tai Tai Xianweng.

He understood the danger of possessing something valuable; logically, he should not have exposed these items, or he would invite death—but he had already prepared to cross realms immediately after this battle, cultivate in hiding, and avoid the storm.

As for the future, he no longer cared.

Tai Tai Xianweng also paused, seemingly surprised that Li Yi possessed such a treasure; though he had never seen a seven-colored stone, his Soul Transformation cultivator's intuition told him this was surely material for forging top-tier magic treasures—no, even immortal artifacts—just like the dragon scale.

"Young friend, you've had quite a bit of fortune," he praised.

Li Yi said, "I risked my life to get something good—nothing compared to those from the Xuan Immortal Continent, who fly through the skies and vanish at will, living as free immortals."

Tai Tai Xianweng did not look at the Jin Dan cultivators; they could not afford the value of this seven-colored stone—he alone must pay.

Either return the dragon scale, or—

"I've been tricked."

Tai Tai Xianweng still wore his kind and benevolent expression; by now he knew full well that this student of the Golden Academy had come prepared, staking his treasures and Lin Lin Caiyi's fortune, and the Jin Dan cultivators had paid for their arrogance—now, having come this far, they could only grit their teeth and keep paying.

Otherwise, all previous efforts would be wasted.

"Impressive courage—did you never consider losing?" Tai Tai Xianweng asked softly.

Li Yi smiled. "I'm just a warrior. If I lose, I die. Without the resolve to face annihilation, how could I possibly win this fight?"

"Good," Tai Tai Xianweng nodded approvingly, then swept his wide sleeve—and the previous magic mirror appeared before them.

"This is my personal lower-grade magic treasure, the Luli Jin Guang Mirror. Its value is roughly equal to your seven-colored stone—I hereby compensate you with it."

Though he felt a pang of pain, he could never return the dragon scale.

"Thank you, Immortal Weng, for this gift," Li Yi bowed and immediately took it.

After this duel, he had come away with a full purse and overflowing coffers.