Chapter 370: Challenge (2)

First, I want to thank everyone for their opinions and thoughts on how we should overhaul completed novels. We've reviewed nearly 2000 comments across multiple platforms and forum, and while we haven't responded to everything I can promise I HAVE read it all. First, I'm going to briefly go into some of the things which were discussed which may or may not work, because I don't want people to think I ignored anything. I'm putting those in 'spoiler' tags so people who don't care can skip it. Then, we'll talk...

Chapter 370: Challenge (2)

“What’s so funny? I only wished to not injure you out of kindness!” When this cultivator saw that Han Li didn’t seem to care, he couldn’t help but become angry and increasingly flaunt his status as a ‘superior’.

Han Li tapped the floor with the tip of his foot, indifferently saying, “It’s nothing! I only feel that this competition is going to be easier than I had imagined.”

“What? You dare to look down on me?!” The middle aged cultivator’s face completely reddened. He raised his hand and revealed many glistening items. But before he could act, he suddenly saw the person in front of him blur. His vision then blackened, and he fell to the floor not knowing what had happened.

……

A short moment later, Han Li carried the unconscious middle-aged man off the stage with an indifferent expression.

When the other cultivators saw this, they were stunned.

There was a clear difference in their cultivation, but the victor was Han Li. This was far beyond their expectations.

Even the old man, who had appeared moody from the very beginning, revealed an odd expression.

He took a deep look at Han Li. Although he didn’t say anything, he seemed to know how Han Li had taken action.

Han Li chuckled and calmly handed the two bamboo sticks to the old man. He then dropped his unconscious opponent to the floor and went over to the group of victorious cultivators.

The old man saw that the middle-aged cultivator was still unconscious and lightly shook his head, revealing a mysterious smile.

“Number eight!”

……

When the final victor was decided, the old man looked at the ten cultivators that hadn’t gone on the platform and lightly coughed. He then spoke with an indifferent tone, “We will now start the challenges in order of number. If you feel that your magic power is severely exhausted, you may take a moment to rest before facing your next challenge. However, these challenges must finish by today; it will count as a forfeit otherwise. Also, challengers are forbidden from challenging those who have already fought. As for the extra eleventh challenger, they will be allowed to challenge any one of the winning incumbents after the ten winners have been decided.”

“Now, let’s start!”

The first challenger selected the incumbent with the lowest cultivation and entered the stage with him.

As his opponent’s cultivation was only of the sixth layer and his cultivation was of the seventh, it appeared that he had high odds of winning.

But after the time it took to make a cup of tea, the sixth layer cultivator left the stage first. As for the first challenger, he reappeared in a miserable state.

He was ashamed and quickly left the hall without a word.

The remaining challengers revealed changed expressions. As for the victor, he returned to the other ten without the slightest of care.

“Next!” The old man shouted. He didn’t reveal the slightest surprise as if he had expected that cultivator to win!

“Senior, my magic power is deficient. I wish to rest for a moment!” The second chosen cultivator spoke with a slight blush.

“Number three!” The old man didn’t care whether his magic power truly hadn’t recovered and shouted the next number.

The following cultivator lightly creased his brow and also avoided the next fight.

As for the fourth challenger, he appeared to be unwilling to lose face and summoned the courage to choose an opponent, entering the stage.

In the end, the same result occurred. The fourth challenger was heavily injured, causing the remaining challengers to all be shaken.

Having seen this, the following two challengers took the opportunity to delay their fights. They thought that they would be able to make a better choice after seeing how it ended up for the others.

The old man’s face stirred for a moment, before slowly calling out Han Li’s number, “Number Seven!”

Han Li silently walked forward and pointed to an opponent with a sixth layer cultivation.

The opponent was a burly man. Having seen Han Li fearlessly select him, he suddenly revealed a malicious smile and walked toward the stage in large strides.

In contrast, Han Li walked forward with slow steps as if he was deliberating about the coming match.

Soon, Han Li and the burly man disappeared into the white light. Everyone looked in the direction of the stage with interest.

The old man then closed his eyes as if he had extended his spiritual sense.

But after a short moment, his cheeks slightly moved. He then opened his eyes and revealed a trace of astonishment.

With a flash of white light, a person appeared on the platform.

The many cultivators hurriedly turned their gaze. The light faded away to reveal Han Li. He didn’t have the slightest injury, but he was dragging his opponent who had his entire body scorched. He leisurely walked off the platform as if he hadn’t spent the slightest effort.

Not only were the challengers stupefied, even the incumbent opponents also had looks of disbelief on their faces.

As for Wen Qiang who stood behind the old man, his mouth was gaping. He didn’t close it until some time later.

Han Li dragged his still-breathing opponent towards the old man and left him there, before returning to his original position with a leisurely stride.

When the other challengers saw this, they couldn’t help but turn their gaze and reveal a trace of reverence.

Han Li coldly smiled in his heart.

It seemed that regardless of where he went, strength was the most effective method of speech.

Perhaps it was because Han Li’s unexpected triumph inspired confidence in the remaining challengers, the following challengers didn’t avoid their fight and immediately chose an opponent.

However, this only resulted in defeat and heavy injuries.

The challengers who had delayed their fights were appalled. With their competitive spirits completely extinguished, each one of them had eventually decided to forfeit.

After all, they knew that they were no match. Only an idiot would decide to fight regardless!

As such, the old man declared that only Han Li, on behalf of the Gu Clan, had acquired the qualifications for main island trade.

Afterwards, the old man handed a blue jade slip to Han Li and told him it would be settled once he gave that to the Gu Clan.

The old man then unceremoniously dismissed the cultivators, chasing them out of the hall with his voice.

……

Han Li handed the blue jade slip to Master Gu in the corridor.

His expressions were quite marvelous. He appeared incredulous, astonished, and finally ecstatic with joy.

“Immortal Han, I am grateful beyond words. Please feel at ease, the Gu Clan will definitely fulfill their promise with you.”

By the time he said these words, Han Li, Master Gu, and Wang Changqing were already sitting in the carriage and were on their way back to the Gu Clan Estate.

As he was speaking these grateful words, his hands were tightly grasping the jade slip as if he was afraid that it would fly away. It made for quite a funny scene.

Leaning against the back of the carriage, Han Li said with a slight smile, “I believe Mister Gu isn’t someone who would abandon their benefactor upon achieving their goals, especially when the benefactor in question is a cultivator.”

With the warning laced in Han Li’s words, Master Gu and Wang Changqing paled and repeatedly said that they didn’t dare.

Not long after that, Han Li returned to his wooden house on the hill. Crooked Soul was still obediently on guard.

Han Li only managed to refine Qi for three days before Wang Changqing went to find him.

He had come to inform Han Li that Han Li could now go the Immortal Mountain’s Immortal Records Pavilion and acquire permanent residence at Stalwart Star Island. They would also provide him with a cultivation area.

After all, the cultivators of the island all had their own Immortal’s cave.

Since he hadn’t participated in the Great Spirit Land Contest, his area was certain to have thinner Spiritual Qi, but it would still have enough to be considered an area of cultivation.

Han Li pocketed the guarantor’s document that the Gu Clan had given him and flew towards the center of Stalwart Star Island. Crooked Soul was naturally left behind to guard his small house.

On his way, Han Li flew past seven cities and several tens of small towns before finally catching view of the Immortal Mountain that Wang Changqing had mentioned.

It was a huge, azure, tri-peaked mountain that penetrated through the clouds. The sight was truly majestic and beyond lofty.

Innumerable smaller peaks surrounded the huge mountain.

Han Li was unable to tell how expansive the mountain was from a glance.

He blankly stared at this “Immortal Mountain” while lost in thought.

“Hm? Aren’t you Fellow Daoist Han?” Han Li suddenly heard someone call out to him from behind.

Han Li was slightly alarmed and hastily turned around. The voice sounded familiar.

Not far behind him, the gentle and frail Wen Qiang was looking at him with a smile, flying on his wheel magic tool.

After staring blankly for a moment, Han Li responded with a chuckle, “So it was Fellow Daoist Wen! What a coincidence!”

“Hehe! I didn’t expect to see you! Fellow Daoist Han was actually able to defeat a cultivator from the protector squad. I really admire you!”

“Protector squad?” Han Li was startled to hear this!

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