The other onlookers, seeing that the Purple Cloud Sect had sent out a disciple a minor realm lower, immediately entered a spectator mode.
The members of the Purple Cloud Sect closed their eyes in embarrassment, lamenting the disgraceful scene.
"Senior Brother Hei Mu, beat him!" the Qi Refining disciples of the Heavenly Green Sect shouted from the stands.
"The match begins!" the referee announced loudly.
Li Mingbai didn't dare to attack first, instead watching Hei Mu with caution.
In reality, he was contemplating how to feign defeat naturally so as not to arouse suspicion.
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you," the burly Hei Mu chuckled. "At most, you'll be bedridden for half a month!"
Although Hei Mu's cultivation wasn't high, he was extremely arrogant.
Furthermore, he seemed to have a peculiar twistedness, especially enjoying bullying the weak.
Especially when facing an opponent like Li Mingbai, who was a minor realm below him, Hei Mu couldn't even be bothered to use his true qi.
He enjoyed the feeling of pummeling his opponent with his fists.
Hei Mu's fist, accompanied by a fierce whistling sound, slammed heavily towards Li Mingbai's chest.
"Bang!" The fist landed on Li Mingbai without any surprise.
Li Mingbai was stunned.
Not from fear, but from confusion.
He couldn't understand why Hei Mu's punch was so slow and seemed so weak and powerless.
Could it be that Hei Mu had a sudden change of heart and was holding back?
That shouldn't be the case.
Hei Mu was also stunned.
Although he dared not be too vicious due to the rules, that punch alone should have been enough to knock this kid down.
Had he subconsciously held back too much for fear of accidentally crippling the opponent?
With this thought, Hei Mu raised his fist again and struck.
Seeing Hei Mu's fist still moving slowly and feebly as before, Li Mingbai felt utterly bewildered.
Was Hei Mu here to throw the match?
That made no sense.
This time, Hei Mu was completely shocked!
He was certain that the previous punch would have been enough to defeat a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining.
But what was going on with this kid?
Let alone being knocked down, he hadn't even taken a single step back!
The spectators in the stands were equally confused.
They knew Hei Mu's character very well and didn't believe he had suddenly changed.
Did this Li Mingbai have something special about him?
Or was his strength so great that he could withstand Hei Mu's attacks?
A whole minor realm difference, how was that possible?
The only ones who had confidence in Hei Mu were the disciples of the Heavenly Green Sect.
They figured Senior Brother Hei Mu was likely to give his opponent false hope before slowly torturing him.
Senior Brother Hei Mu was being playful again.
However, as they watched, everyone began to notice something was wrong!
Hei Mu's fists rained down on Li Mingbai like a storm, yet Li Mingbai hadn't retreated even half a step.
And from his appearance, he seemed completely unharmed.
On the arena.
Hei Mu was starting to panic.
Just now, not only his physical attacks but also his true qi attacks had been used, yet the opponent remained there, standing foolishly.
Completely unharmed.
Hei Mu knew he had probably stumbled upon a tough opponent.
Perhaps this kid was cultivating a defensive-focused technique, and a high-grade one at that!
"Senior Brother Hei Mu, while I appreciate you holding back, isn't this match-fixing a bit too obvious?" Li Mingbai whispered as Hei Mu closed in.
He wasn't complaining about Hei Mu holding back, but the problem was that Hei Mu's actions made it impossible for him to pretend to be defeated.
Moreover, this Hei Mu had psychological issues, and it wouldn't be surprising if he suddenly resorted to foul play later.
If he didn't find a way to feign defeat soon, he would be in serious trouble later!
Hearing this, Hei Mu almost choked.
Damn it!
I'm already exhausted, and who are you trying to provoke?
"What, are you from the Purple Cloud Sect only good at taking a beating?" Hei Mu questioned indignantly. "Dare you spar with me!"
In his view, if the opponent's technique was defense-focused, then it would have little offensive power. Combined with the realm difference, the opponent's attacks couldn't possibly harm him.
Furthermore, according to his understanding, such defensive-focused techniques in the cultivation world required one to remain stationary while defending.
Once they moved, their defensive capabilities would plummet.
This was why few people cultivated such techniques: what was the point of training hard just to take a beating?
As long as he could find a way to make this kid move, he could defeat him!
Li Mingbai thought for a second and found Hei Mu's words quite reasonable.
Regardless of Hei Mu's twisted motives for not going all out, he couldn't just keep taking hits like this.
Later, he would focus his attacks on Hei Mu's face. He didn't believe Hei Mu wouldn't seriously fight back after being slapped.
Once Hei Mu attacked, he could seize the opportunity to feign defeat and be carried off the stage!
It had to be said that Li Mingbai's thought process was indeed too simplistic.
He was only considering how to enrage Hei Mu, completely disregarding what would happen to him after a furious Hei Mu's attack.
Then, Li Mingbai moved.
In the blink of an eye, Li Mingbai was in front of Hei Mu.
Then, Li Mingbai swung his right hand, and a resounding slap landed on Hei Mu's face.
"Bang!"
Hei Mu's body flew out of the arena like a kite with a broken string, soaring over the spectator stands, and finally plunged headfirst into the ground behind the stands.
Li Mingbai was stunned.
He hadn't used too much strength, had he?
Even if Hei Mu was throwing the match, this was too much of a sacrifice.
As Li Mingbai pondered, he suddenly remembered something.
Hadn't his charging speed just now been a bit... too fast?
At least more than ten times his usual speed.
And when he exerted force just now, that newly opened meridian had felt a wave of heat.
Li Mingbai immediately understood!
It must be because of the Myriad Ancient Undying Art!
He had known that the technique bestowed by Senior Brother Ye would be extraordinary, but he hadn't expected it to be this powerful!
Before even reaching the initial stage, he had easily dealt with an opponent a minor realm higher. If he mastered it completely, wouldn't he be invincible under heaven?
With this thought, Li Mingbai suddenly felt a lightness in his step.
"Whoosh!"
The stands erupted in an uproar!
A fourth-level Qi Refining cultivator slapped away a fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator?
Am I still dreaming?
Their first reaction was that Li Mingbai had used some illegal means.
Such as forbidden artifacts or pills.
But then they considered it impossible, as there were inspections before the match, and people from other sects wouldn't help the Purple Cloud Sect cheat.
Soon, someone ran to check on Hei Mu's injuries: severe concussion, multiple lacerations, and wouldn't be out of bed for at least half a month!
True Lord Purple Cloud smiled.
A brilliant smile.
She finally understood!
So her precious disciple's absence from the arena was a ruse; Li Mingbai had been prepared as a backup.
Without a doubt, her precious disciple must have been secretly cultivating Li Mingbai for a long time, intending to bring him out now to save her face.
Being personally guided by her precious disciple, it wasn't surprising that Li Mingbai could win by surpassing a minor realm.
She hadn't expected her precious disciple to be such a tsundere, saying he wouldn't interfere but secretly protecting her reputation as a master.
Thinking about it...
He was just too considerate and adorable!