Mutual Respect Between Monsters

A deafening boom echoed through the air. The spirit stone floor beneath their feet collapsed across dozens of yards, instantly cratering into a massive pit. Xu Junlin's face flushed slightly as the muscles of his left arm gorged with blood and swelled. Yet his opponent stood unyielding as a great mountain, feet rooted to the spot without budging an inch. From the corner of his eye, Xu Junlin suddenly noticed that Li Guanqi's entire right arm was coated in a dense layer of fine purple dragon scales! Without warning, Li Guanqi slowly raised his left hand. The gesture instantly wound Xu Junlin's nerves tight, setting him on high alert as if facing a mortal foe. Under his guarded gaze, the corner of Li Guanqi's mouth curved into a curious smile, and he said softly, "Did you know?" Xu Junlin frowned, having no idea what Li Guanqi was about to say. "What?" Li Guanqi held his left hand aloft, his voice completely calm as he spoke. "Actually... I'm left-handed." *Boom!* Li Guanqi spread his fingers wide and slammed his palm toward Xu Junlin with ferocious power! Xu Junlin's pupils shrank, his expression hardening as fury flashed in the depths of his eyes. This was the first time anyone had ever provoked him like this! Spreading his right hand, Xu Junlin struck back without hesitation. Their palms collided, fingers instantly locking together. A terrifying force erupted outward from the two of them, tearing wildly in every direction. The formations within the neighboring walls were obliterated in an instant. Stone walls crumbled, and shockwaves of detonating power tore through the surroundings. The floor cracked apart, and the entire Yunding Auction House shuddered violently. Left with no other choice, the auction was forced to a temporary halt. Behind them, Qin Wushang looked grim. He summoned formidable spatial power to suppress the area, barely keeping the entire floor from collapsing. The two men were locked in a pure contest of strength. Li Guanqi's robes tore apart, baring a lean, muscular torso etched with hideous scars. Dragon scales surged across both his arms as dragonization took hold, tiny arcs of lightning crackling ceaselessly across their surface. In just a single breath, Li Guanqi's face also flushed crimson. Xu Junlin uttered not a word, his own face turning the color of pig liver from the strain. Their sheer physical strength surpassed even that of pure martial cultivators at the peak of the Body Integration Realm. The knuckles of their locked fingers had already begun to twist and deform, yet as if bound by mutual understanding, neither of them employed any other techniques, pitting only their physical might against one another. Watching this unfold, Qin Wushang's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard with great difficulty. This was the first time he had ever seen anyone match Xu Junlin in a direct contest of physical power. His face crimson, Li Guanqi was the first to speak. Forcing down the pain coursing through flesh and bone, he said calmly, "Bidding is fine, but crashing the market is going a bit too far." Xu Junlin stared fixedly at the man before him. He knew that Li Guanqi was Xiao Chen's elder brother! And the reason he had been injured in the first place was Xiao Chen. The mere thought of that fellow made the scar on his cheek throb with faint pain. Worse still, his soul had suffered damage during their last trial contest. If not for that, he never would have left the Ethereal Immortal Domain to attend this auction. "Xiao Chen is your brother?" Li Guanqi froze slightly, and the force behind his grip eased considerably. *Crack!* Xu Junlin frowned slightly. The moment he snapped Li Guanqi's fingers, he abruptly reined in his power as well. Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes at Xu Junlin. "You've seen him?" Hearing that, Xu Junlin's fury flared anew. Struggling to suppress the fire within him, his chest heaved as he breathed heavily. "What do you mean, have I seen him?! I see him every damn day!" Pointing at the hideous scar on his cheek, he said coldly, "Your good brother gave me this." Qin Wushang frowned. He knew full well the strength of Li Guanqi's sworn brothers. He distinctly remembered that during that great battle three years ago, those fellows had barely broken through to the Body Integration realm. This was Xu Junlin—the Xu Junlin! How could an unheralded fellow like Xiao Chen have possibly wounded him? "Wait..." Qin Wushang could not help but ask, "Are you certain it was Xiao Chen who injured you?" Xu Junlin looked at Qin Wushang as though looking at a fool, his gaze indifferent. An aura unique to the truly powerful emanated from him—the unshakeable confidence of the strong. "If I say it was him, it was him. I, Xu Junlin, have no reason to feel ashamed or hide such a thing." The two separated and stood facing each other. Suddenly, Li Guanqi laughed. Hearty laughter echoed through the corridor. It seemed completely out of nowhere, yet it made everyone present sense that Li Guanqi was genuinely delighted. But Xu Junlin detected a subtle, peculiar nuance within it. There was no mockery or ridicule directed at him. It was more like... an acknowledgment of his strength, combined with sheer joy at his brother's growth. For some inexplicable reason, Xu Junlin felt a sudden pang of envy toward Xiao Chen. He envied him for having a sworn brother who cared so deeply for him. A flicker of dejection passed through Xu Junlin's eyes. Even with his monstrous talent and strength, he had no one by his side who would be so truly happy on his behalf. When his laughter subsided, Li Guanqi looked at Xu Junlin and cupped his hands. "Brother Xu, do not take offense. I meant no mockery toward you whatsoever." With that, Li Guanqi turned his hand and brought out a purple-gold jade box, offering it with both hands. Bowing slightly as he presented the box, he spoke in a gentle tone. "That brother of mine is a bit of a dandy, loud and brash and somewhat foolish. I hope Brother Xu won't harbor too much malice toward him; Xiao Chen's nature is not bad. As his elder brother, please accept this Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pill as a token of my goodwill." At this point, Li Guanqi looked up at Xu Junlin and grinned broadly. "It isn't an apology, mind you. If he managed to wound you, that's his own ability—hahahahahaha!" Standing behind Li Guanqi, Qin Wushang's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Li Guanqi had spoken entirely without restraint, but his words were undeniably sincere, voicing exactly what was on his mind. Had Li Guanqi claimed the Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pill was an apology, Qin Wushang thought Xu Junlin might have found it easier to accept. After all, being wounded by a previously unknown upstart, only to end up spending hundreds of millions of spirit stones at his elder brother's auction house to buy pills, would leave any proud expert bristling with resentment. Yet to Qin Wushang's astonishment, a faint smile actually appeared on the face of the Cold-Faced Spear King Xu Junlin—a man notoriously difficult to deal with among the candidates. Taking the jade box from Li Guanqi's hands, he showed none of the expected annoyance or hesitation, accepting Li Guanqi's goodwill with utter naturalness. Part of it stemmed from the sincerity of Li Guanqi's words, and the other part was his respect for Li Guanqi's strength. He could sense that Li Guanqi's aura was currently somewhat unsteady, a clear sign that he had yet to fully recover from serious injuries. Stepping aside from the shattered doorway, Xu Junlin asked softly, "How were you injured?" Li Guanqi nodded slightly. As he walked past Xu Junlin, his gaze swept casually past the old man seated in the corner. In a calm voice, he replied, "I crippled Gu Yong." *Boom!* Those five words detonated like a thunderclap in Xu Junlin's mind. Gu Yong, Pavilion Master of the Tianji Pavilion! A genuine cultivator of the Mahayana realm!