15 Guan Baichi

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... dodged it, you scoundrel," sounded a cold and rough voice filled with murderous intent. Xie Qing couldn't help but narrow his eyes; his face turned cold, and his aura became as sharp as a sword. He knew this person's voice very well.

"You..."

Xie Qing narrowed his eyes, feeling the cold grasp on every cell in his heart. Nervousness made his eyes tremble.

"It seems you've recognized me. Hehehe, I guess such a sweet life hasn't rotted your brain," the man in front of him said, emerging from the shadows, and revealing himself in all his glory.

"Guan Baichi..."

The man before him looked extremely hideous - Guan Baichi was tall, with a shining bald head and gray eyes that sparkled with cunning and malice. A scar ran from his forehead to his chin, as if someone had attempted to split him in two but unfortunately failed.

Guan Baichi was towering at two meters in height, only eight centimeters taller than Xie Qing, yet his muscular appearance alone made Xie Qing wary.

What's more...

"Ugh... he's as hairy as a monkey," Xie Qing thought, his face contorting with disgust.

Nevertheless, no matter how repulsed he felt, Xie Qing had to be cautious. After all, this grotesque figure was... subordinate to his elder brother, XieHui!

Guan Baichi, in the past, was a murderer and criminal wanted in several cities and villages. His list of crimes was filled with all sorts of atrocities, causing Xie Qing extreme aversion to this man.

However, his elder brother, Xie Hui, helped this monster hide under his protection, and even the head of the Xie family showed no reaction, silently giving consent.

The cultivation of this man was at the peak Foundation Building stage, just one step away from Qi Condensation. Hence, Xie Qing was on guard.

"What do you want?" Xie Qing asked, pretending to be indifferent.

"Hehehe... young Master Qing has grown up; now he can talk to this servant without fear," Guan Baichi said, smirking. His voice carried undisguised mockery and disdain as he continued, "I've been standing here for two years, waiting for you to stick your head out of the sect, but little did I think you were so cowardly."

"Hm?"

Xie Qing frowned. This tone made him wary. Over twenty different thoughts crossed his mind, ultimately forming one word: "Assassination!"

Raising an eyebrow, Xie Qing finally grasped what had happened. Soon, there would be elections for the next family leader, or more precisely, the heir. Although unofficially it was Xie Hui, according to the laws of the Xie family, one had to show and prove their suitability for this task.

Anything goes, from personal strength to connections and wealth. If your advantages surpass those of your opponent, chances of victory are likely, and you'll become the official heir.

"Hmm... the last son of the Xie family will turn eighteen in a year, activating the competition. This means... Xie Xui has taken action!"

Xie Qing's face darkened; he understood his elder brother's thoughts very well. It would be much easier to eliminate competitors than to diligently and honestly fight in the battle. This greatly disappointed him.

"Fratricide is not the most surprising thing in families like the Xie family. I was prepared for this from day one and planned to stay in the sect until they forget about me," thought Xie Qing, then clenched his fists, his gaze filled with determination. "But hell, I won't give up without a fight. Acquiring talent, I must use it to seize influence in the Xie family. That way, I'll get rid of the label of insignificance."

Xie Qing gradually calmed down, and spiritual energy with a slightly golden hue emanated from his body.

"Oh? Do you want to fight? Sure about that?" sneered Guan Baichi, pulling out a sledgehammer from his belt and striking the ground.

Boom! A roar echoed, and the Qi released from the sledgehammer penetrated the earth, causing it to shake as if in an earthquake. New cracks appeared, and Xie Qing had to exert himself to avoid falling from the sudden tremor.

By the time he recovered, the sledgehammer was already two meters from his face.

"!!!" Widening his eyes, Xie Qing directed Qi to his legs and then used reinforcement to retreat.

Boom! Boom!

Where Xie Qing stood moments ago, a pit formed from Guan Baichi's powerful strike. The man looked at Xie Qing with slight surprise.

"I admit, you've indeed improved. I no longer see fear in your movements, and your strength has undergone pleasant changes," praised Guan Baichi but then grinned. "But that's not enough, boy. I'm much stronger than you, and most importantly, more experienced."

"Hmph..." Xie Qing frowned when his weak point was pointed out. The downsides of his lifestyle were evident, as he had gained no combat experience during this time, a significant disadvantage for a cultivator that could only be remedied through prolonged training. After Guan Baichi said nothing more, he directed his power to the next strike.

Boom!

"Stop dodging!"

Boom!

"Fight like a man!"

Boom!

"Ugh... annoying worm! Stop squirming!"

Guan Baichi's successive strikes missed their target – Xie Qing evaded them, though it was incredibly challenging. At this moment, the young man had the advantage in speed, but this advantage could disappear if the battle dragged on.

"I'm starting to get tired, and my Qi is depleting... besides, the 'Heavenly Sword' technique is weakening," thought Xie Qing, frowning.

What terrified him was that he knew no techniques beyond the basics, which could only be useful at the Enlightenment stage. Yet, this was a battle of cultivators at the Foundation Building stage!

"Darn!"

Xie Qing felt irritation and fear simultaneously. The sledgehammer passed five centimeters from his face, and the power he felt from it made Xie Qing alert – if he had been even a second late, he would have been scattered into pieces!

"You're so irritating," grumbled Guan Baichi, displaying impatience, affecting the precision of his strikes.

"Hehehe... boy, you'll have to try hard if you want to catch this uncle. Although what can I say, your name speaks for itself," smirked Xie Qing, mocking his opponent.

"You..."

Offended, Guan Baichi frowned, then shook his head and jumped back, creating a distance of ten meters.

"Fine, then I won't hold back. Who would have thought that such a weakling like you could pose any threat to me," said Guan Baichi, then clapped his hands loudly, shouting, "Tiger's Battle Mastery!"

Xie Qing felt something amiss, and his sixth sense screamed of danger. So, he turned around and started running, ignoring Guan Baichi's mockery.

However, in the next second, Xie Qing shockingly discovered that he was running in place and couldn't escape! Moreover, his Qi was in disarray; something was blocking it!

Looking back at Guan Baichi, Xie Qing saw a smirk on his face, and even more – a malicious grin.

"You won't escape from here. Tiger's Battle Mastery is a restricting technique that consumes Qi and blood, making it very powerful... it can only be broken when your level surpasses mine, which is impossible for you... hahaha!"

Xie Qing was left speechless.

"Why are you even telling me about the weakness of your technique? Are you an idiot?"

===

*The name Baichi means idiot.