บท 11: Chapter 11 Money Can Be Taken, But The Job Can't Be Done
The person outside seemed quite certain there was someone inside the house and spoke up directly.
"Brother Li, I'm an outer sect disciple, Yang Huan, and I want to talk to you about something."
The speaker was a woman. Li Xiaobai perked up—was a girl actually seeking him out at Misty Peak? Could it be that she was attracted to his otherworldly demeanor?
"Junior Sister, please come in. What brings you to me?"
Welcoming the female disciple into the house, Li Xiaobai said with a smile—she was quite pretty, with a nice figure, and a beauty mark on her forehead that added to her dignified elegance.
"Brother, I'm here to discuss a deal with you."
The female disciple looked at Li Xiaobai somewhat warily, as the intel suggested he was not a lecher.
"Please, go on."
"I know that with your skills, the next two matches will be no challenge for you, but for the fifth match, I would like you to lose on purpose. If you agree, I'm willing to offer a price that will satisfy you."
The female disciple spoke of a task given to her by a True Disciple. If she completed it successfully, she would be rewarded with a Foundation Establishment Pill, allowing her a chance to become a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage in one fell swoop.
Li Xiaobai pondered. The fifth match was one to enter the top ten of the finals; it seemed someone was afraid he would take one of the top ten spots and wanted to buy his cooperation.
But these Spirit Stones being offered on a platter were not to be ignored.
"A price that will satisfy me?"
"It's up to how sincere you are, Brother. How much are you willing to offer?"
Li Xiaobai's eyes lit up as he probed.
"Fifty Lower Grade Spirit Stones," the female disciple said.
"You think you can buy my loss with just fifty? You're thinking too small; it's not enough," Li Xiaobai stated flatly, for he already had over a thousand Spirit Stones in his pocket and was not tempted by such a small sum.
"Brother, I know that you have no cultivation level, and that you have won your matches so far relying solely on your poison pills and a defensive magic treasure. Although the Elders turn a blind eye, if I were to make a big fuss about this, you wouldn't even have the qualification to step onto the stage."
"What's more, fifty Spirit Stones is half a year's salary for an ordinary disciple—not a small amount at all," the female disciple continued, still smiling confidently with the leverage she had, not worried that Li Xiaobai would refuse.
"What's your relation to my opponent in the third match? Was it him who sent you?"
Li Xiaobai frowned; he found this deal unpleasant.
"That's irrelevant to you, Brother. You just need to do as told," the female disciple replied.
"The longsword at your waist is quite nice; looks like a Divine Sword," Li Xiaobai remarked.
"If Brother likes it, I will give it to you," she said.
"And that thing you're wearing around your neck, it's a Jade Pendant, isn't it?"
"If Brother likes it, I will give them both to you," she said.
"Those earrings of yours are quite unique..."
"They're for Brother..."
"Those aren't ordinary shoes you're wearing, are they?"
"They're all for Brother..."
Minutes later,
the female disciple left barefoot with a crestfallen face.
Some little trinkets and fifty Lower Grade Spirit Stones were now in his possession. Ants may be small, but all are meat, and Li Xiaobai understood very well the principle that small gains accumulate. Precious items in the store were still waiting for him to unlock, and he couldn't miss any opportunity to earn Spirit Stones.
Having sent the female disciple away, Li Xiaobai's expression grew serious—he had to teach her a harsh lesson for attempting to blackmail him.
The Spirit Stones could be taken, but the task could not be done!
He swallowed the rest of the discarded elixirs in one gulp, and the System panel kept flickering.
[Attribute Point +1…]
[Defensive Power: Copper Skin, Iron Bone (0/5000)]
A faint coppery pattern spread over his skin, and Li Xiaobai felt a warm and indescribable sense of comfort engulf his body.
"With my defensive power advancing again, that bunch won't be able to touch me anymore!"
...
The following two matches posed no difficulty, as both opponents were mere lucky ones who had managed to survive the first two matches without facing any formidable adversaries.
Under a barrage of taunts and the effect of Muscle Flaccidity, Li Xiaobai won easily, adding another hundred to his Attribute Points.
With the defensive power of my Copper Skin, Iron Bone, these disciples hitting me now is practically like tickling. I'm afraid even if a few senior brothers and sisters came, they wouldn't be able to move me.
The third round of the competition started quickly. The number of remaining disciples grew sparser, and the pace of the matches sped up considerably, with three to four rounds a day being quite normal.
My third opponent was a true disciple, Hao Jian.
Unthinkably, even true disciples had to participate in rigged matches. Li Xiaobai, seething with murderous intent, stepped onto the stage, ready to crush his opponent to vent his frustrations.
"True Disciple Hao Jian, I am eager to experience your superior skills," he said.
Hao Jian's expression remained calm and unfazed, exemplifying the demeanor of a master.
Before stepping onto the stage, that female disciple had already told him that the deal was done and that Li Xiaobai would intentionally lose the match, securing his position in the top ten.
"Weaklings are not worthy of knowing the name of this genius."
Li Xiaobai got into character in a second, his hostility maxed out.
"Misty Peak's Li Xiaobai, no personal attacks," the referee interjected, unable to stand by and announced Li Xiaobai's name.
"So it's a disciple of Misty Peak... no wonder..." Hao Jian frowned, instinctively feeling that something was not quite right, but the trash talk had to continue.
"But I've never heard of this Li Xiaobai before."
Li Xiaobai understood that the opponent, confident in his own strength and status, was trying to unsettle him with words before the fight began.
However, this played right into his hands; after all, how could he draw hostility without a good dose of trash talking?
"Defeated Chen Tao in a single glance."
"Defeated Lin Feng with a single finger."
"Made Lin Mang obediently hand over Spirit Stones with just a word. That is who I am, the genius cultivator Li Xiaobai."
Li Xiaobai, with hands behind his back, remained calm and unfazed as well, as if he was merely discussing a trivial matter.
"Brother Hao, do not listen to his nonsense. This guy only wins by resorting to dirty tricks!"
"That's right, he relies on his Magic Treasure for protection. Brother Hao, teach him a lesson!"
"It's infuriating; he must be punished severely!"
"..."
The disciples below the stage were incensed, their clamor rising and falling. Having witnessed Li Xiaobai's devious tactics, they did not believe he possessed genuine skill.
Feng Wuxie was also hidden among the disciples. After observing the previous matches, he was utterly convinced that Li Xiaobai definitely had a protective Magic Treasure of no low grade. If he could get his hands on this treasure, his position as the eldest disciple would be solidified, and the path to becoming the Sect Leader in the future seemed possible.
"Defeating the likes of Chen Tao and Lin Feng is nothing remarkable."
"Without standing at my level, how could you understand the view I see?"
Li Xiaobai shook his head with a sigh, full of pretended grievance.
"What excellent rhetoric, junior brother. Since I can't out-talk you, let's see the truth in our actions," Hao Jian said, his complexion turning a bit dark, as he seemed to sense something was amiss. He drew the longsword at his waist and thrust vigorously towards Li Xiaobai in an attempt to probe him.
He wielded a Mid-Grade Spirit Sword, which was bound to penetrate even if the opponent had a protective Magic Treasure.
The Sword Qi was restrained; before the sword tip arrived, the force of the thrust had already torn Li Xiaobai's sleeve.
[Attribute Points +20…]
My skin felt a bit itchy.
Not bad in terms of strength, stronger than Lin Mang, but still no match for me, Li Xiaobai instantly assessed, activating Muscle Flaccidity.
Hao Jian's body trembled, and he retreated explosively, collapsing over a dozen meters away, soaked in sweat.
Just now, he had felt an inexplicable weakness in his body; had he not retreated swiftly, he likely would have lost the match on the spot.
Damn, this guy took the money but didn't hold up his end of the bargain!
No wonder the disciples below said he was sneaky; despite taking his Spirit Stones, he had gone back on his word, truly despicable!
Moreover, this poison had made him go limp in an instant, leaving him without the strength even to lift his hand; it was exceedingly strange.
"You've used poison!"
Struggling to speak these few words, Hao Jian swallowed several Detoxification Pills.
He was both shocked and angry to find himself in such a state after a mere exchange of blows with this unknown opponent. The poison was incredibly unusual, so potent that his cultivation at the tenth layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage couldn't resist it; it was utterly humiliating!
After consuming a few Revitalizing Pills, Hao Jian felt much recovered and his eyes hardened with malice. Since the opponent wasn't playing by the rules, he wouldn't be blamed for what came next.
He immediately bowed to the Elders in the distance, "Li Xiaobai has resorted to underhanded tactics during the match, seriously tarnishing the reputation of our Immortal Feather Sect. I implore the elders to see through his deception!"
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