15: Chapter 15: Seventh Level of Qi Refining

As soon as Wang Qingluan finished speaking, the entire martial arts arena fell silent.

Those who had been chattering about how miserably Zhao Han had lost all shut their mouths.

The people from the Zhao Family, Wang Family, and Chen Family all turned their heads in unison to look at Li Qingfeng.

Even on the Li Family's side, many young disciples widened their eyes, as if they didn't understand what she was saying.

"Hidden your cultivation?"

"What does that mean? Isn't Li Qingfeng at the Perfection of Qi Refining Stage 6?"

"Could it be that he has already..."

Li Chengyue turned his head sharply to look at Li Qingfeng, his expression a mix of shock and joy, and whispered, "You kid, you didn't actually have a Breakthrough, did you?"

Li Qingfeng didn't answer immediately.

He stood off the stage, his fingers subconsciously rubbing against the hilt of his sword, his mind racing.

The System had just reminded him that after his Breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage 7, he could choose to keep holding it back or reveal it directly.

Hiding it would certainly be safer, but now that Wang Qingluan had pointed it out in front of so many people, if he still stubbornly denied it, he would only appear guilty.

More importantly, this was the Qingshi Town Small Tournament, and all four major families were watching.

If the Li Family wanted to secure their share of the marketplace and straighten their backs in front of the Zhao Family, they couldn't rely solely on a branch Family member who seemed to have some ability.

They had to let outsiders know that among the younger generation of the Li Family, there was another Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator who could sit at the table!

Li Qingfeng breathed a sigh of relief.

One must hide when necessary, and one must never be cowardly when it's time to reveal oneself.

The world of cultivation isn't a place where you can just play the coward and expect to eat meat; sometimes, if you don't show your teeth, others will just treat you like a soft persimmon to be squeezed hard.

He lifted his foot and stepped onto the arena, looking at Wang Qingluan with a calm expression.

Opposite him, Wang Qingluan was clad in a tight-fitting light blue martial outfit that wrapped closely around her tall figure, her waist exceptionally slender, and her long legs straight and powerful. She was cold, like a freshly unsheathed water-attribute Dharma sword.

Her face was truly beautiful, but her eyes were so cold; when she wasn't smiling, she had an expression that screamed "Don't mess with me," yet it was precisely this attitude that made people want to look at her more.

Holding her sword, she said indifferently, "The aura you emitted for an instant just now was not that of Qi Refining Stage 6."

Li Qingfeng smiled and stopped hiding it.

The next second, the Evergreen Spirit Transformation Art inside his body circulated, and the spiritual power that had been held back in his Dantian was released all at once.

Hum—

A pale green Spiritual Pressure spread out from him; it wasn't explosive, but it was thick and enduring.

The aura of Qi Refining Stage 7 spread out steadily, like an old tree with deep roots. Even though he wasn't making a fuss, it pressed down so heavily that several Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivators nearby found it difficult to breathe.

The entire arena exploded!

"Qi Refining Stage 7!!!"

"It really is Qi Refining Stage 7!"

"How long has it been? Wasn't he just at Qi Refining Stage 3 a while ago?"

On the Zhao Family's side, Zhao Mingyue's face turned black on the spot.

He stared fixedly at Li Qingfeng, his eyes as cold as knives.

Zhao Han had just lost, and he had originally thought it was just because Li Qingfeng had a sharp eye and steady methods; he hadn't expected this guy to have already stepped into the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

This was not just a simple matter of a branch Family member rising up.

This was truly adding another person to the Li Family's younger generation who could sit at the table and arm-wrestle.

In the Li Family's seating area, the Grand Elder also straightened up, a flash of pleasant surprise in his eyes.

He didn't rush to ask Li Qingfeng why he had achieved a Breakthrough so quickly, nor did he show any suspicion; he just whispered to the clan Elder beside him, "This kid is worth increasing his tribute by another grade."

The clan Elder beside him was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

This statement carried significant weight.

Increasing the tribute by one grade meant that his Medicinal Pill, Spirit Stone, and technique permissions would all be raised by a level.

For Li Qingfeng now, these resources were not just for his own use; they were also related to Su Qingyue's health recovery and the growth environment for their future child.

Li Qingfeng couldn't hear the Elders' whispers, but he could feel that the atmosphere on the Li Family's side had changed.

It wasn't the alienation that follows shock, but a deeper level of acceptance.

He felt steady in his heart.

Revealing this Realm was worth it!

In the spectator seats, Su Qingyue gazed at Li Qingfeng on the stage, her fingers nearly deforming the sachet she was holding.

She was wearing a light cyan dress today, her waist impossibly slender, and the glimpse of her ankle beneath the skirt was dazzlingly white.

Her face was soft and moist, the corners of her eyes slightly red; although she looked incredibly gentle, that sense of pride could not be hidden.

But beyond the pride, there was also a twinge of worry in her heart.

She knew Li Qingfeng wasn't someone who loved to show off.

Choosing to reveal his Qi Refining Stage 7 at this moment must have been a calculation of pros and cons.

But with this edge exposed, the Zhao Family would watch him even more closely, and the Wang and Chen Families would also re-evaluate him.

She bit her lip and silently prayed: "You must hold steady..."

On the arena, Wang Qingluan finally drew her sword.

The blade was clear and bright, and water spiritual power flowed along the edge, as if covered by a thin layer of water light.

She said coldly, "I have no ill intent; I just want to test your foundation."

Li Qingfeng cupped his hands and said, "Please."

The referee raised his hand and shouted in a deep voice, "Begin!"

As soon as the words fell, Wang Qingluan's figure flashed, and her long sword thrust directly at him.

Her sword was not as impetuous as Zhao Han's, nor as fierce as Li Chengyue's.

Her sword technique was exceptionally smooth; once the Sword Qi emerged, the water-attribute spiritual power turned into layers of ripples, pressing toward Li Qingfeng from all sides.

Li Qingfeng's eyes narrowed.

This woman was not simple.

She didn't want to decide the victory with a single sword strike, but rather first use water-attribute Sword Qi to compress his space for movement.

The water curtains spread out one after another, forcing him so he couldn't retreat easily.

Li Qingfeng did not charge head-on.

He shifted his footsteps, drew his Dharma sword, infused it with Azure Wood Spiritual Power, and swept it horizontally.

Clang!

The green light and water light collided, emitting a crisp sound.

The water-attribute Sword Qi was very soft, but not weak.

It wasn't as explosive as the fire attribute, but it would coil around your sword, and if you weren't careful, your movements would be slowed down.

Li Qingfeng shook his wrist, and the wood-water spiritual power rippled along the sword, first dissipating the force, then deflecting the attack.

A flash of surprise crossed Wang Qingluan's eyes.

"Your control of spiritual power is very refined."

Li Qingfeng stepped back half a step and said indifferently, "It cannot compare to Miss Wang's dense Sword Qi."

This was not just being polite.

Wang Qingluan was at Qi Refining Stage 7, and her water-attribute sword art was clearly very solidly practiced.

She didn't waste any spiritual power with every strike; between chopping, sweeping, and thrusting, the water curtains kept stacking, forcing one to feel more and more stifled as the fight went on.

If it were any other ordinary Qi Refining Stage 7 Cultivator, they would likely have their rhythm suppressed by her within ten moves.

But Li Qingfeng was different.

He had Vitality Perception.

No matter how dense the water curtains were, they required the flow of spiritual power.

As long as there was flow, there would be weak points.

A green light flashed in his eyes, and he instantly caught a tiny gap as the water curtain on the left closed.

Li Qingfeng stomped his foot, his figure darting out with a whoosh. His Dharma sword flicked along the edge of the water curtain, and his Azure Wood Spiritual Power transformed into vine-like Sword Qi, slicing directly into the gap.

Ssh—

A corner of the water curtain was torn open.

A low murmur of surprise immediately sounded from below the stage.

Wang Qingluan, however, did not panic at all; instead, she turned her hand, pressed her blade down, and the water curtain closed again, taking the opportunity to seal off Li Qingfeng's retreat.

"Good reaction."

She said indifferently, but her eyes were much more serious than before.

Li Qingfeng cursed inwardly.

This cold beauty didn't look like she liked to talk, but her strikes were truly steady!

He had just torn open a gap, and she used that momentum to force him toward the edge of the arena.

If he retreated two more steps, he would fall into the thickest part of the water curtain.

He couldn't follow her rhythm anymore.

Li Qingfeng scanned the area and suddenly saw a few wooden stakes by the edge of the arena that had been cracked by the previous fight.

The wooden stakes were half-withered, but there was still a tiny bit of vitality left.

That was enough.

A green light flashed in his palm, and the Azure Wood Rejuvenation Art was activated directly, his spiritual power spreading along the ground.

Wang Qingluan sensed something was wrong, raised an eyebrow, and her long sword thrust rapidly. The sword light was as fast as a bolt of lightning, heading straight for Li Qingfeng's chest.

Li Qingfeng did not retreat but advanced instead. The light armor on his body emitted a layer of spiritual light, forcibly dissipating the aftermath of the Sword Qi.

Then he blocked horizontally with his Dharma sword, and with a clang, he blocked the blade.

The distance between the two closed instantly.

The faint, cold fragrance on Wang Qingluan's body wafted over.

Her eyes were very cold, but her skin was dazzlingly white. With her slender waist wrapped in the martial outfit and her firm long legs, the impact of her aloofness and beauty was even more obvious up close.

A thought flashed through Li Qingfeng's mind.

This female Cultivator of the Wang Family was indeed a Prodigy in the making.

But now was not the time to admire a beauty.

His wrist sank sharply, his Azure Wood Spiritual Power exploded, and the residual vitality in the wooden stakes under his feet was instantly stimulated.

Swish!

Three thin vines shot out from the cracks in the arena; they didn't entangle Wang Qingluan's body, but precisely coiled around her wrist holding the sword and the hilt.

Wang Qingluan's eyes finally changed.

She immediately activated her water spiritual power, and the water curtain rolled up, trying to shred the vines.

But the instant of opening was exactly what Li Qingfeng wanted!

He thrust his Dharma sword forward, the tip stopping three inches in front of her shoulder.

At the same time, Wang Qingluan's sword also shifted, the blade stopping three inches from Li Qingfeng's waist.

Both sides stopped simultaneously.

The referee looked at the two and said in a deep voice, "This battle is a draw."

The arena was quiet for a moment, then the sound of discussion suddenly exploded.

"A draw?"

"Wang Qingluan is the steadiest Sword Cultivator among the Wang Family's Qi Refining Stage 7!"

"Li Qingfeng just had a Breakthrough, and he can actually fight her to this extent?"

Wang Qingluan withdrew her sword, still looking cold, but she seriously cupped her hands and said, "The Li Family has produced a steady one."

Li Qingfeng also withdrew his sword and returned the salute, "Miss Wang's sword technique is very strong."

This was not just polite banter.

Wang Qingluan was indeed strong, and her strikes were measured, without that sinister edge of the Zhao Family.

Such an opponent was much more troublesome than Zhao Han, and also worthy of respect.

Below the stage, the eyes of the Li Family members looking at Li Qingfeng were completely different.

If winning against Zhao Han allowed them to vent their anger.

Then drawing with Wang Qingluan was what made outsiders truly acknowledge Li Qingfeng's weight.

When Li Qingfeng walked off the arena, the Grand Elder's gaze toward him was much gentler.

Li Chengyue grinned and said, "Qi Refining Stage 7, you kid hid it deep enough."

Li Qingfeng said casually, "Just had a Breakthrough, my aura wasn't stable, I didn't want to make a fuss."

Li Chengyue rolled his eyes, "You call this not wanting to make a fuss? You were holding it back to scare people on the spot."

Li Ruolan also glanced at him and said indifferently, "It was worth exposing. The Li Family has plenty of face today."

Li Qingfeng smiled, but his gaze swept toward the distance.

In a corner of the spectator seats, a grey-robed Cultivator was bowing his head, writing and drawing on a Jade Slip.

He was dressed quite ordinarily, but his aura was more steady than an average Loose Cultivator, and he had a servant following him.

Li Qingfeng's heart stirred.

This person didn't look like someone from the four major families.

The grey-robed Cultivator seemed to sense his gaze, looked up at him, and then circled the three characters "Li Qingfeng" separately on the Jade Slip.

Li Qingfeng narrowed his eyes.

External forces were also beginning to pay attention to him.

This might not be a bad thing, but he absolutely could not let his guard down.

Just at this moment, on the Zhao Family's seating area, Zhao Mingyue suddenly stood up.

His black and red Dharma robes moved with the wind, and the aura of the Peak of Qi Refining Stage 7 pressed out without any concealment.

That fire-attribute spiritual power was oppressively hot; even from far away, it made people's skin feel tight.

He stared coldly at Li Qingfeng, his voice spreading throughout the entire martial arts arena.

"Li Qingfeng, since you are already at Qi Refining Stage 7, do you dare to gamble a Family share with me?"