“That’s Junior Martial Brother Xun! He just entered the sect a few years ago!”

“It’s said that this Junior Martial Brother possesses Heavenly Yangfire Veins. Is it true?”

“Isn’t the Xun Clan a cultivation clan of great renown in our State of Xu? Surely he must possess mighty magic tools!”

“Who is this Junior Martial Brother Han? I don’t think I’ve seen him before. Did he just enter the sect?”

“I got to say that Han Li is sure out of luck. He came across a fearsome opponent!”

Before the battle even started, Han Li could clearly hear a lively discussion coming from outside the stage’s light barrier.

‘Heavenly Yangfire Veins?’ Han Li’s expression slightly stirred upon hearing this and examined his opponent with interest. In addition to his handsome appearance and tall figure, his cultivation was quite decent at the twelfth layer of Qi Condensation.

Seeing that Han Li had an ordinary appearance and only possessed a cultivation at the tenth layer, a trace of disdain appeared on the white-clothed youth’s face, but he still saluted him nevertheless.

When Han Li saw this, he inwardly sneered and indifferently returned the salute with a faint smile. The white-clothed youth revealed a trace of anger at his casual response.

At that moment, the lanky cultivator up above indifferently said, “Start the battle!”

As soon as this was said, the white-clothed youth wore a harsh expression and immediately formed an incantation seal with his hands. A flash of fiery light suddenly pulsed from his body, enveloping him in a barrier of scorching light. He then waved his hand and opened his fingers, revealing an egg-sized red ball that floated from his grasp. The white-clothed youth then started to mutter an incantation in preparation of attacking Han Li with the magic tool.

When Han Li saw this, he felt a faint sense of familiarity with this method and couldn’t help but feel surprised.

At that moment, many yelps of astonishment came from the outside.

“Quickly look, Junior Martial Brother Xun instantly enveloped himself in a fire attribute barrier without a talisman. He really does have Heavenly Yangfire Veins!”

“What’s that? That bead in his hand seems to be his clan’s famed Firewave Bead. That youngster facing him is certain to lose! Perhaps the match will be decided in an instant!”

Han Li inwardly sneered and calmly waved his hand, taking out a stack of about forty talismans from his storage pouch.

He raised his head to look at the white-clothed youth only to discover that the youth was completely focused on using his magic tool and was oblivious to Han Li’s actions. It appeared he held absolute confidence in his barrier.

Since this was the case, Han Li decided to cease any pleasantries and slapped his hands together. In a burst of red light, forty fist-sized fireballs shot out from his hands in a dense barrage towards his opponent. The scene caused the spectators to shout in surprise.

At that same moment, the Firewave Bead floating above the white-clothed cultivator’s hand was set ablaze and was now ready to attack. But just as he was basking in his delight, he heard the spectators cry in surprise and couldn’t help but raise his head in confusion. As a result, he caught sight of several tens of fireballs simultaneously striking his barrier.

With a series of loud explosions and flashes of glaring red light, the youth’s senses were overwhelmed. As for the light barrier surrounding him, it shattered in a pitiful display, lasting for only a moment.

The roasting flames rushed towards him before his eyes and were one step away from completely enveloping him. Although this young talent was gifted with the Heavenly Yangfire Veins and had been meticulously nurtured by his sect elders, he now found himself on the verge of death. He cried out with a pale face and lost himself to fear, wanting to turn around and flee. But during this moment of peril, the youth felt his collar tighten and his body became lighter. He was immediately lifted in the air and the wave of flames completely passed him by.

Still in a panic, the white-clothed cultivator turned around to see the lanky judge grasping him by the collar. He indifferently muttered, “Dayspring Mountain’s Han Li is victorious.”

At that moment, the white-clothed youth realized that he had already lost. His face then turned deathly pale after realizing that he had been easily defeated by talismans of the lowest grade.

As for the many cultivators spectating, after recovering from their shock, they all looked at each other in dismay. They all knew that while the fireball talisman was the simplest low grade elementary talisman, they each cost a spirit stone to purchase. 

However, Han Li had used forty of these talismans in a single breath, equating to forty spirit stones that had been thrown away in the fight. That was the price of a good low-grade magic tool. This wasn’t merely being loose with money; he was completely squandering it. Could it be that he planned on sparing none of his wealth in order to prevail in the selection?

Underneath the peculiar gazes of the Drifting Cloud Sect, Han Li saluted the lanky Foundation Establishment cultivator and walked out of the light barrier with an unchanged expression.

As for the white-clothed youth, he resentfully glared at Han Li as he departed, but underneath the cold watch of the lanky cultivator, he could only helplessly depart.

With his first battle concluded, Han Li had no thoughts of observing other’s battles and returned to his cave residence.

Two days later, the first round of the competition came to a close. There were many marvelous battles during the contest that were being enthusiastically discussed by the spectators. 

While Han Li’s use of tens of fireball talismans had left many speechless, it had aroused much admiration as well. Many of the spectators believed Han Li to be a disciple of a large clan for him to be able to spend so many spirit stones.

This had led to Han Li developing somewhat of a reputation among some of the spectating disciples.

In the second round of the competition, Han Li was selected to fight in the afternoon of the first day. He arrived at the center of the stage with a calm expression. A few of the disciples that had watched Han Li’s last battle were currently muttering to each other.

“It’s that guy from Dayspring Mountain. Two days ago, he defeated his opponent in a single blow by using several tens of talismans.”

“Is that the truth? He appears completely unremarkable. Could he be feeling a hole in his pocket?”

“Yi! There doesn’t seem to be a cultivation clan with the name of Han in our State of Xu. Could he have come from a different country?”

Han Li listened to all of their words with a calm expression. He was currently examining his opponent with a calm expression.

He was a male disciple in his mid twenties who possessed a refined appearance. He had well-fitted azure robes, and apart from the storage pouch at his waist, there was nothing about him that seemed out of place. He was watching Han Li with a solemn expression. It seemed their discussions had reached his ear as he soon frowned. 

“Start.” As soon as that was said, the young disciple reached for his storage pouch and rushed to raise his hands. In a flash of white light, two sparkling icicles shot in Han Li’s direction. His body then flickered with azure light before directly pouncing towards Han Li in a gale.

It seemed this person had heard of Han Li. He thought to forcefully interrupt Han Li by using the two ice spike talismans and charged towards Han Li with a body lightening technique.

After some brief surprise, Han Li couldn’t help but smile. His body then blurred, having the two icicles brush past his body.

Then seeing that his opponent was excitedly charging towards him with an outreached hand glowing with yellow light, Han Li grew indistinct before disappearing by using his Shifting Smoke Steps.

The young disciple’s pounce had completely missed, much to his shock. The yellow radiance in his hand dimmed as well. It was actually a net-type magic tool.

But before the young disciple could search for Han Li, he suddenly felt a sharp pain from the back of his neck. The world around him became black and he fell to the ground, oblivious to what had happened.

A trace of astonishment flickered across the lanky cultivator’s face, but he calmly declared, “Dayspring Mountain’s Han Li is victorious!”

A moment ago, Han Li had appeared behind his opponent and chopped at the back of his opponents neck, knocking him out.

Several cultivators had rushed onto the stage and examined the unconscious disciple. After nodding to the lanky cultivator, signifying that there was nothing wrong, they dragged him off the stage.

Of course, an uproar was raised from the spectators outside.

“Did you see that? What magic technique did he use to appear behind his opponent in the blink of an eye? That’s inconceivable!”

“Fool, that isn’t a magic technique! That was clearly a movement technique from the mortal world’s martial arts, but I’ve never seen one used with such high skill!” A few of the more experienced disciples managed to recognize the source of Han Li’s movements.