Chapter 501: 454. Chapter 453: This Is Unfair

454. Chapter 453: This Is Unfair

Many evolutionists from the Golden Academy were unfamiliar with Li Yi, for he joined the academy late and his strength was weak; the only two incidents that caused major uproar were his battles with the judge Bai Zhi, forcing Bai Zhi's soul to cross realms and flee, and another time when he killed a Foundation Establishment female cultivator on the Dueling Platform, prompting several Jin Dan cultivators to intervene publicly.

But since he ultimately fled across realms, the matter was quietly dropped.

"Li Yi came back across realms and confronted a Nascent Soul cultivator? How is that possible? Last time his strength was only Soul Realm—even if he broke through to Spiritual Power Realm, fighting a single Jin Dan cultivator was already a stretch; how could he suddenly become so fierce as to dare challenge a Nascent Soul?"

Wu Wu Zuohua, as a security officer, was stunned—not by Li Yi's return across realms, but by the speed of his power progression.

How much time has passed?

Less than two months.

How could his advancement be so explosive? Even if he went to a flourishing cultivation realm, two months wouldn't yield much; reaching Spiritual Power Realm would already be impressive. Even if he practiced the new method, at best he could defeat one Jin Dan cultivator—how could he possibly fight a Nascent Soul?

It's utterly unrealistic.

"Is Li Yi still alive? That's great."

The former instructor, Zhou Yu, was thrilled upon hearing of Li Yi's return; he had nearly been killed after losing a duel, and it was Li Yi who used the Life Restoration Chamber to save him. He had been furious when Li Yi was hunted across realms, but powerless to act.

Now that he heard Li Yi was safe, his mood instantly lifted, and he immediately headed for the Dueling Platform to see what changes had occurred—how could Li Yi now dare fight a Nascent Soul?

"Li Yi." Zhu Yue, Sun Wei, Xia Xia Xiaozhong, and several other Golden Academy students who had interacted with Li Yi also left their cultivation chambers upon hearing he had fought a Nascent Soul.

They too wanted to see just how strong Li Yi had become—could he really fight a Nascent Soul after returning across realms?

This incident didn't just stir the Soul Realm students of the Golden Academy—it also drew the attention of Vice Dean Sun Sun Boxiu.

"That Li Yi came back across realms?"

Sun Sun Boxiu's face lit up; he knew well that when Li Yi was chased across realms by a Jin Dan cultivator, survival was nearly impossible—yet here he was, returned to the Golden Academy.

The Tai Xian Weng must be furious now.

"But lately, good news keeps coming—recently, several high-level cultivators have crossed back to support Earth. The people of the Xian Immortal Continent will soon realize that Earth's people are not to be trifled with. So many crossed out to cultivate across realms, yet some still couldn't abandon their homeland and returned to turn the tide." Sun Sun Boxiu now felt anticipation rising, and immediately set off for the Dueling Platform to investigate.

Soon.

Whether evolutionists from the Golden Academy or cultivators from the Xian Immortal Continent, their nerves were taut once more.

A man who should be dead had returned across realms—and now fought above his level against a Nascent Soul?

Such an outrageous event could not fail to draw attention.

Ten minutes passed quickly.

Li Yi stood on the Dueling Platform, his aura reined in, unmoving as a mountain, awaiting the arrival of Daoist Chong Xu; internally, he was eager—his multi-path cultivation had left him without rivals at Jin Dan, and if he could now kill a Nascent Soul, it would prove his current path was correct.

From now on, he only needed to follow this path steadily.

"Daoist Chong Xu has arrived." At that moment, a Jin Dan cultivator from the Xian Immortal Continent shouted loudly.

"Daoist Chong Xu, avenge my sect's disciple—kill this demon Li Yi!"

"Daoist Chong Xu, show no mercy—use thunderous force to obliterate him immediately. This demon is cunning; Lin Lin Caiyi was a warning."

Facing these warnings, Daoist Chong Xu remained silent, his expression calm as he flew in on a teleportation light and landed on the Dueling Platform; this time, he was fully prepared—even against a Spiritual Power Realm Li Yi, he would show no carelessness.

"Directly initiate a life-or-death duel? You've got guts." Daoist Chong Xu glanced around and saw half the array already activated; he sneered.

"If you're afraid, kneel down and bow three times, then surrender—I won't kill you," Li Yi said.

Daoist Chong Xu replied: "Don't provoke me. You want a life-or-death duel? I'll oblige—but how will we fight this time?"

"Any method allowed," Li Yi said.

"Any method allowed? How arrogant. It seems receiving the Tai Xian Weng 's Liusu Golden Light Mirror has given you some confidence. Very well—I'll grant your wish. No restrictions. Let's see what strength a Spiritual Power Realm evolutionist, after gaining some fortune, can muster to challenge a Nascent Soul." Daoist Chong Xu said.

If he didn't kill this Li Yi today, the Xian Immortal Continent would lose all face.

With that, he flicked his finger, and a drop of blood flew out, landing in a corner of the Dueling Platform.

The next instant.

The other half of the array activated.

The entire Dueling Platform was instantly shrouded—only when one side died could the array be dissolved; neither could escape otherwise.

Li Yi had already been on the Dueling Platform once—he understood the rules.

Seeing the array activated, he smiled. A crimson auspicious cloud appeared beneath his feet, gently lifting him into the air.

"What's so funny?" Daoist Chong Xu frowned.

"When something joyful comes to mind, one naturally smiles." Li Yi's smile vanished instantly, then he extended one finger—brilliant light coalesced at its tip.

Daoist Chong Xu felt the magical power surge and his expression changed slightly: "Where did you learn such demonic arts?"

"Demonic arts? If you have no discernment, don't spout nonsense. This is orthodox Daoist art." Li Yi had no interest in further talk; with magical power fully gathered, he pointed without hesitation at Daoist Chong Xu.

A beam of radiant light shot forth—not sharp, yet capable of severing all things, shredding all matter.

This was the supreme Daoist art passed down by the Tian Dao Sect: Split Rivers into Land.

"Child's play."

Daoist Chong Xu shouted, his face calm but his heart in turmoil—this technique, if struck, would kill even a Nascent Soul.

Hard to believe such power came from a Spiritual Power Realm evolutionist—where did this man get such vast spiritual power?

Instantly, he revealed his magic treasure.

A brilliant light erupted from his body; within the clear radiance, an ancient, simple bell emerged, its golden runes pulsing, unbreakable, blocking the path ahead.

It was a low-grade magic treasure: the Tian Yuan Bell.

"Dong!"

The supreme Daoist art struck the Tian Yuan Bell—a deafening bell tone spread instantly, its powerful residual force radiating outward; in that instant, Daoist Chong Xu's pupils shrank—he saw the bell's light torn open by a grotesque gash. Though it held, the force of the blow was terrifying.

Had he been arrogant and tried to resist with his own spiritual power, his body would already be severed in two.

If I had been arrogant just now and tried to resist with my own magic power, my body would already be cut in half.

Daoist Chong Xu was immensely relieved—he had foreseen this, borrowing the treasure from his sect's Soul Transformation elder.

"This demon has truly come into his own—he now possesses Nascent Soul-level power. Fortunately, his realm is still low; if he advanced one more step, no one in the Nascent Soul realm would be his match. This threat must be eliminated today." After this strike, he snapped back to clarity and dropped all restraint.

With spiritual power poured into it, the Tian Yuan Bell shot skyward, hovering above his head.

With magic power infused, the Tianyuan Bell shot straight into the sky and hung above his head.

The Tian Yuan Bell rang—vast, majestic, shaking the entire Dueling Platform; even the array surrounding it rippled as if about to shatter.

Those on the platform had nowhere to flee—all were within the bell's attack range.

"Good! Daoist Chong Xu is indeed cautious—he immediately uses the low-grade magic treasure Tian Yuan Bell for area-of-effect attacks, shaking Li Yi to death, leaving him no escape—even if he pulls out the Tai Xian Weng 's Liusu Golden Light Mirror, it won't help—it's an offensive treasure, useless for defense."

A Nascent Soul cultivator saw this and his eyes lit up—he knew the outcome was decided.

In a true life-or-death duel, wealthy cultivators kill with magic treasures—they avoid wasting internal spiritual power on techniques, for magic treasures are far more powerful than spells.

Yet Yuan Ye and Li Li Chengyu, the two Nascent Soul cultivators beside him, frowned.

Because under the low-grade magic treasure's assault, Li Yi stood still, unmoved, calm.

"I knew your cultivator tricks—you won't duel me, you just want to crush me with magic treasures? Too naive. You think only you have treasures?" Li Yi held a magic seal in his palm, its color dark yellow, inscribed with talismans.

This was the Dao artifact of the Seven Immortal Maidens lineage of the Tian Dao Sect: the Xuan Huang Seal.

After days of cosmic energy nourishment, the artifact had regained some of its former glory; though still far from its peak, he believed it could handle a low-grade magic treasure.

The Xuan Huang Seal had already been spirit-attuned by Li Yi—he and it were in perfect sync.

As the talismans on the Xuan Huang Seal flashed, a dark yellow light instantly enveloped Li Yi; the terrifying bell tones echoed but did not harm him at all—not even a single strand of the dark yellow light trembled.

"What kind of treasure is that?" Daoist Chong Xu froze, then his face darkened.

Something that could block a low-grade magic treasure must be at least a mid-grade magic treasure.

Where did this Li Yi get so many fortunes?

No wonder he dared duel me—his confidence wasn't from the Tai Xian Weng 's Liusu Golden Light Mirror, but this Xuan Huang Seal.

No wonder he dared to duel me—his confidence wasn't from Master Taixian's Liusu Golden Light Mirror, but from this Elder Xuan Yang Seal.

Daoist Chong Xu could no longer remain calm—this was a life-or-death duel, only one side could survive. He roared, and a flying sword shot skyward.

"How can a Spiritual Power Realm cultivator wield such a treasure's power? I'll cut you down."

He immediately directed the flying sword toward Li Yi.

The sword was no ordinary weapon—its blade gleamed fiercely, dazzlingly bright; merely its aura tore a fine rift in the Dueling Platform.

Clearly, this sword was also a low-grade magic treasure—and extremely lethal.

"Still the same old routine—comparing wealth. That's all Xian Immortal World cultivators can do. Fine, I'm done playing with you. Let me send you on your way." Li Yi found this boring, flicked his hand, and the Xuan Huang Seal flew out—its true marvel now revealed.

The Xuan Huang Seal erupted with boundless light; countless talismans descended from the heavens like celestial gates spanning the void, suppressing all directions, blocking everything.

Daoist Chong Xu, riding his sword, rushed forward—but the moment the Xuan Huang Seal's boundless light exploded, he screamed in agony, his body instantly plummeted from midair, crashing onto the Dueling Platform, crushed under immense pressure, unable to move a muscle.

The sword in his hand vibrated, trying to rise and kill, yet couldn't budge from the ground.

Even the Tian Yuan Bell above his head crashed down with a thunderous crash.

"This is unfair!" Daoist Chong Xu, eyes bulging, roared.

He understood—this wasn't a mid-grade magic treasure; it was definitely a high-grade magic treasure. Otherwise, how could it suppress a Nascent Soul cultivator with a single strike?

He understood: this wasn't a mid-grade magic treasure at all—it was definitely a high-grade magic treasure; otherwise, how could it suppress him, a Nascent Soul cultivator, with a single strike?

Li Yi sneered, walking forward, unaffected by the boundless light: "You've already pulled out two magic treasures—and you still dare speak of fairness? Now that you've lost the treasure contest, you want to whine? Where in this world is there such a thing as easy justice?"

Suddenly, he stopped, extended his finger, and again, brilliant light coalesced.

Daoist Chong Xu's pupils shrank.

If he took another hit now, he would die.

Daoist Chong Xu instinctively tried to counterattack—but above his head, the talismans loomed like towering mountains, pinning him in place; he even tried to let his Nascent Soul escape, to kill Li Yi—but his Nascent Soul was locked in his dantian, motionless, unresponsive.

The Daoist Chongxu Daoist instinctively wanted to counterattack, but countless talismans above his head loomed like towering mountains, pinning him utterly in place. He even tried to let his Nascent Soul exit his body to kill Li Yi, but his Nascent Soul was locked within his dantian, also lying there utterly unresponsive.

Why is this happening?

Why is this happening?

"Divide the river into land." But Li Yi's response was direct—he pointed a finger, and that terrifying strike capable of splitting rivers and severing seas struck again.

"Ah."

At this moment, Daoist Daoist Chongxu screamed in terror, sensing the threat of death.

Yet just at this critical moment,

the combat platform suddenly trembled.

The formation instantly dissolved, and Daoist Daoist Chongxu's body rapidly sank into the combat platform, as if enveloped by it; then, a living man vanished before their eyes in a bizarre manner.

The "Divide the River into Land" strike missed its target, slashing the combat platform but failing to kill the opponent.

Li Yi's expression darkened instantly.

The only person capable of interfering in the match under such circumstances was the master of the combat platform—the Soul Transformation powerhouse, Tai Tai Xianweng.

"Young friend, show mercy when you can. You barely won against Daoist Daoist Chongxu thanks to your magic treasure—why must you press to the point of annihilation?" Suddenly, a gentle old man's voice rang out.

There, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, an elderly Daoist with flowing white hair hovered in the air nearby, his eyes half-lidded as he smiled.