Chan Kongzi, Defeated!

An outcome that defied everyone's expectations lay right before their eyes. Even though they had considered beforehand that Li Guanqi might be very strong, the Eight Generals had stood unchallenged to this day, which spoke volumes about their formidable power. In other words... Li Guanqi's strength was already enough to crush the vast majority of cultivators in the Fourth Domain! As for the result, no one believed Chan Kongzi had pulled his punches out of deference to Li Guanqi's status. On the contrary, the might and ferocious offense Chan Kongzi had displayed were something rarely witnessed even among the Eight Generals! The power of those final techniques was terrifying to the extreme. Judging by the severity of the wounds both combatants had suffered, both sides had fought with everything they had. Having flown down from the elevated platform, Chan Kongzi had a somewhat desolate look in his eyes. He had given it his absolute all—fighting with even greater earnestness than when he sparred against Xiang Huaizhi and the others! Yet when the moment of defeat truly arrived, the trepidation he had felt before stepping onto the stage was entirely gone. Or rather, the moment he lost, Chan Kongzi was thoroughly convinced and accepted it whole. The pride and petty calculations he had shown before suddenly seemed inconsequential. Now that the battle had ended, he realized there was much he could learn from Li Guanqi as well. Li Guanqi's combat rhythm, as well as his ability to maximize every single advantage he held—these were all things Chan Kongzi could learn from. Even Li Guanqi's consumption of primal energy had been managed with exquisite precision. Chan Kongzi's Dao age was far greater than Li Guanqi's, and his cultivation realm was half a tier higher. Yet by the end, he was shocked to discover that Li Guanqi had actually consumed less primal energy than he had! When Chan Kongzi walked back to the Eight Generals, both Xiang Huaizhi and Nangong Xuandu hesitated, words catching in their throats. Even Long Hou worried that Chan Kongzi might not handle the blow of this defeat well—especially losing to a junior whom they had watched grow with their own eyes. At this moment, the wound across Chan Kongzi's chest looked gruesome and terrifying. The slash was deep enough to expose bone, offering glimpses of his internal organs. Yet they saw little despondency on his face. Chan Kongzi produced a fresh set of robes and put them on. Suddenly! He looked up at the people beside him, hesitated for a moment, and said in a heavy voice, "Never underestimate him!" Silence fell. A few breaths later, Chan Kongzi lowered his head and began walking toward the mountain peak. His voice drifted back slowly from a distance. "I'm not saying this just because I lost." "It's because... he is truly strong!" As he spoke, Chan Kongzi looked back at the group, his eyes grave. With those words, he vanished on the spot with a soft whoosh. Long Hou drew a deep breath. With their strength and cultivation, they naturally recognized how terrifying Li Guanqi's prowess was. However... If this was all he had, Li Guanqi might still lack the qualification to challenge him. In fact... Li Guanqi might not even get past Nangong. The crowd slowly turned their gazes back to the figure on the Dao platform. Meng Wanshu and the others immediately leaped onto the platform, gathering around Li Guanqi with deep concern in their eyes. Li Guanqi raised a hand to stop them from supporting him. He turned toward Long Hou and the others, taking a deep breath. Long Hou made no attempt to conceal the admiration in his eyes. For someone in this dull Seventh Domain to dare challenge them—it had stirred a long-dormant fighting spirit in their hearts! Putting themselves in Li Guanqi's shoes, they might well have done the exact same thing! Only by holding fast to such an unyielding conviction as a warrior, constantly climbing upward and surmounting one towering mountain after another, was it possible to eventually stand atop the highest peak and look down upon all other mountains! And the seven of them were the seven tallest peaks beneath the Tribulation Transcendence Realm in this world! Now, Li Guanqi had conquered the first mountain through his own strength. From this point on, every remaining general would look upon him with full seriousness. And for the challenges to come, every single one of them would fight with absolute dedication! At this moment, when Li Guanqi looked up at them, none of the previous embarrassment or loss of face over being challenged by a junior remained. On the contrary, each of them was eager to fight! Each of them wanted to be the high mountain that blocked this wild beast of a youth! Li Guanqi's voice soon rang out from the Dao platform. He looked up, without the slightest hint of arrogance despite having just defeated one of the Eight Generals. Instead, his expression was filled with profound respect. Raising his head toward Long Hou and the others, he bowed solemnly with cupped fists! For in Li Guanqi's heart, he knew why the Eight Generals had agreed to his challenge. Deep down, they possessed that resolve and awareness... The duty of seniors to pave the way for a junior. Were it not for that, how could proud figures like the Eight Generals ever have agreed to his challenge? Just because he was the Realm Lord's grandson? Which of the Eight Generals hadn't been an unrivaled figure in their own era, dominating all the favored darlings of heaven? The pride in their hearts would have been more than enough to reject his request. Yet Chan Kongzi, the first to be challenged, had stepped forward nonetheless. Li Guanqi slowly straightened and looked at the Eight Generals, his voice resonant. "Thank you, seniors!!" Others might not understand the true meaning of these words, but the Eight Generals surely did! Li Guanqi was expressing his gratitude—thanking them for willingly serving as the peaks for him to scale! Long Hou and the others reached out in unison, releasing a gentle wave of spatial energy to lift him up. "You kid... you really are full of surprises." "Speak. Who do you want to challenge next?" The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth curved slightly, and his gaze shifted—landing straight on Nangong Xuandu! A slight twitch tugged at the corner of Nangong Xuandu's usually expressionless face. Lowering his gaze to meet Li Guanqi's, he couldn't help but say, "Heh, brat, you'd better watch out. I won't go easy on you!" Li Guanqi chuckled. Nangong Xuandu glanced at Li Guanqi's current condition and frowned. "When?" Li Guanqi pondered for a moment before replying firmly, "Seven days from now!" Nangong Xuandu turned away dashingly, waving a hand as a clear, hearty tone laced with anticipation rang out. "I look forward to our duel!" "I hope... you won't disappoint me!" The curve of Li Guanqi's lips deepened as he murmured softly, "I certainly won't disappoint you, Senior." As the exchange concluded, the watching cultivators erupted into murmurs of astonishment. "Did Nangong's voice... sound full of anticipation?" "Incredible, simply incredible. This young fellow is going to give everyone a massive shock." "Hmph, as expected of the Realm Lord's grandson. Truly powerful!" Just as that sour remark surfaced, Long Hou's razor-sharp gaze snapped toward the speaker. Narrowing his eyes, Long Hou sneered, "The Realm Lord's grandson?" "Li Guanqi reached where he stands today entirely through his own effort and willpower." "Even if he weren't the Realm Lord's grandson, he still would have reached this point!!" At these words, the man who had spoken shrank back, his eyes darting away in shame. The crowd gradually dispersed, and Li Guanqi, supported by his companions, returned to the White Jade Tower.