The Golden Beast (Part 1)

He swung his right fist in the air as he charged toward Jian Li.

Jian Li simply pushed it aside, avoiding his attack as if she was swatting away a mosquito before stepping back once again.

The two fighters stared at each other for a while as Jian Li's hair swayed from side to side in the wind and Zhang Yi's golden hair flowed in time with his movements.

Zhang Yi launched himself forward in an instant, launching a punch toward Jian Li as he did so. Jian Li swiftly dodged it with ease, her movements swift and smooth as she made distance once again. Zhang Yi's punch had been powerful, but she was able to dodge it with ease.

He continued to launch more attacks at her as she moved backwards with each attack, evading them all with ease.

Zhang Yi was getting frustrated as he watched her move backwards, dodging his attacks as she did so.

"Come on! Give me a fight!", he roared angrily at her as his eyes flashed with anger, his fists still clenched as he waited for her to summon her sword.

"What kind of fight is it if I keep dodging all your attacks right?"

Jian Li's words made him stop and become weary for a second. He opened his mouth to speak, but a wooden sword was slashed at him at the same moment he opened it.

The force of the blow sent Zhang Yi flying backwards, landing hard on the ground with a thud. He rolled across the ground a few times before getting up unsteadily and dusting himself off.

Oddly enough, the stage seemed to extend even though Zhang Yi should have gone off the edge.

He was now facing Jian Li who was looking at him with a serious expression. She had a wooden sword in her hand that glistened in the afternoon light, almost blinding him.

"Show me what you were capable of earlier.", Jian Li said calmly as she pointed the tip of her blade toward Zhang Yi.

"Fine.", Zhang Yi grinned.

A howl of rage rose from within him, making his entire body tremble violently.

As a golden glow surrounded him, a violent golden aura erupted, turning his blonde hair silver.

His eyes flashed brightly, giving off a sinister and frightening glow that was visible even to those who weren't cultivators. The muscles on his arms bulged and expanded as his body turned golden.

Jian Li let off a satisfied smile as she now looked at a much stronger Zhang Yi. Her eyes showed a fierce determination that matched her previous words.

Unknown to Jian Li and Zhang Yi, the arena echoed loudly as everyone cheered and jeered.

The excitement and nervousness in the air were tangible, making people hold their breaths as they waited for the two fighters to make their next moves.

Jian Li's hair was fluttering gently with the breeze. Her clothes clung tightly to her form as the sunlight shined down on her, causing her clothes to shimmer beautifully in its brilliance. Her lips slightly curved upward in a faint smile.

Zhang Yi's golden body glimmered as it shone under the afternoon sun, making his features look sharper and harder. He glared intensely at Jian Li.

He didn't look scared or confident. Rather, he appeared cold and merciless, his silver hair flowing wildly around him like flames of war.

Like an eruption from a volcano, Zhang Yi rushed forward at a speed previously unseen by the crowd.

Rather than dodging as she had done earlier, Jian Li charged forward as well, her sword meeting his fist.

They met with a thunderous roar as they clashed with one another, sending sparks of light scattering across the ground between them.

Unexpectedly for Zhang Yi, Jian Li's sword felt like it held an unnatural amount of force behind it. As a result, he could feel a slight shock through his entire body.

Jian Li winced in pain, a pained look appearing on her face as the two forces crashed together, leaving the spectators stunned as the impact of the strike echoed around the arena.

"He's definitely stronger than me by a long shot.", Jian Li thought to herself.

She wasn't surprised, but rather relieved that she could stand her ground against a serious Zhang Yi. After seeing him in battle with the spirit beasts, she already knew he was incredibly strong.

Jian Li took a deep breath and calmed her heart, ready to face her opponent again.

She suddenly launched forwards as Zhang Yi stood motionless, still reeling from her strike.

No unnecessary movements were made as her sword thrust forward with all the strength Jian Li could muster.

The force of the blow was so powerful that Zhang Yi's entire body flew back and slammed hard onto the ground, his golden figure flashing before fading away as his skin and hair changed back into their original colours.

He was completely dishevelled after the hit and was unable to move properly for a moment.

"Hell, that girl really packs a punch!", Zhang Yi muttered.

Jian Li smiled at him, the expression not seeming particularly pleased but more of a tired expression.

His mind raced, thinking about the best way to deal with the situation as his golden hair danced with the winter wind.

He couldn't believe he was going to lose, and it would probably end with a defeat at this rate.

Zhang Yi gritted his teeth, feeling a bit of despair rise inside him. His eyes were burning red, the blood vessels popping out along his eyelids. His breathing became heavy and laboured as his chest expanded.

His entire body trembled with anger, and the pressure of the situation began to overwhelm him.

His vision grew hazy, making his world turn into streaks of white and grey. His pupils shrank and turned crimson as he clenched his hands tightly into fists.

The muscles on his arms rippled and swelled rapidly again as a ferocious howl filled the stadium.