Fight Begins

It was almost noon. Inside the Albedo clan, a major event was about to begin. Rumors had spread rapidly among all the members intentionally. A battle to decide the future Patriarch would take place today.

Within the imposing clan's battle arena, all the major cultivators were present. Some curious ones wished to witness firsthand who would lead the clan in the future, but the overwhelming majority was there to support Wunu Albedo. After all, they had received generous resources from Wunu's father, an influential advisor in the clan. With determination, they rallied in support of Wunu, ready to employ all their strength for the young leader.

The more experienced cultivators displayed looks full of nostalgia. They carried vivid memories of the previous Patriarch, fighting skillfully in this very arena, defeating all the candidates present. Some of these older cultivators had been bested by him, but instead of harboring resentment, they dedicated their lives to the clan, standing alongside the Patriarch. They looked at the new generation, reminiscing about past achievements and nurturing the hope that a new leader could tread a path as grand as that of their predecessor.

Today, Lian Albedo, the grandson of the former Patriarch, would fight to the death to decide the future of the clan.

Lian walked calmly towards the arena with Riria by his side. Although she was visibly nervous, she firmly held the sheath containing her new weapon at her waist. An aura of power emanated from him, filling the air with a sense of impending strength.

"Don't be afraid. Today, I will settle all my accounts with the clan. After this day, you will be able to live in peace by my mother's side. Just follow the plan we agreed upon, and everything will be fine," Lian said calmly, conveying confidence to Riria. He held her hands firmly, and they continued to walk serenely toward the arena.

Riria felt enveloped by a sense of security and protection, and she blushed instantly, her insecurities dissipating quickly. She could no longer see any trace of the old Lian in him. Before, she was filled with worries, but now she felt her heart tighten and a lump in her throat every time she was near him. Although these new feelings caused distress, she longed to be closer to him with each passing day.

The two made their way to the entrance of the arena, where Lemir Albedo awaited them with a worried expression on his face. Lian felt at ease with him, as he had personally confirmed with the former leader of the merchant guild that Lemir had no involvement in the events that affected his family.

"Young Lian, please be careful. I have faith that your mother will wake up one day, and your safety should be the priority. If you feel like you're about to lose, I will personally intervene in the fight, don't worry," Lemir said, demonstrating genuine confidence in his status.

Lian was aware that even if Lemir wished to intervene, the other clan advisors would prevent him. Lemir was the only one supporting him, as he had been unable to have children despite his efforts and expenses with expensive pills. He probably saw Lian as a son he needed to care for and protect.

The Albedo clan was steeped in the corruption of power, secretly involving themselves in assassinations and thefts against members of other clans. Lian was fully aware of the laws of karma and knew that the inevitable consequences were approaching. The fate of the Albedo clan was sealed, inexorably marching towards its own destruction.

"Lord Lemir, you can rest assured. My mother will wake up soon. I will be by your side at that moment," Lian said calmly as he pulled out a piece of leather with a strange inscription.

"Hold onto this during the fight, please. You will understand its purpose later." Confused, Lemir observed the inscription with curiosity. He had never seen such a symbol before.

The three entered the arena together while Wunu impatiently awaited in its center. Riria remained a few meters away, attentively watching the unfolding events. At that moment, she saw two other clan advisors enter the center of the arena. One of them was Wunu's own father.

Soon after, three other advisors politely approached Lemir and led him to a private room, claiming to have important matters to discuss. The atmosphere was charged with tension and secrets, leaving Riria intrigued about what was about to happen.

"This fight was agreed upon by the two competitors," declared a clan advisor, positioned next to Wunu's father. "According to the clan's rules, a battle in the arena can only be interrupted when one of the fighters surrenders. Everyone here is aware that both wish to fight to the end. Therefore, I will be the referee and ensure that no one breaks the rules or resorts to dirty tricks."

"If both are ready, you may begin," he spoke authoritatively.

Lian almost burst out laughing at the supposed judge's performance. He had already sensed the presence of all the advisors in the arena. Even the Patriarch was watching from a distance.

A sense of satisfaction engulfed him as he realized everyone's determination to end it all that day. Now he would have the opportunity to resolve everything at once without leaving loose ends.

After the "judge" left, a contemptuous smile spread across Wunu's face. He even received his father's weapon for the battle, recognizing the importance of overwhelming victory against Lian and showcasing his power to those present. Success in this fight was crucial to secure his future as the Patriarch of the family. Wunu was determined to leave an indelible mark in this battle, establishing his position and ensuring his dominance over the clan.

Wunu pulled out a golden spear from his spatial ring and looked at Lian confidently. He spoke with controlled arrogance, "I'll let you attack first. I don't want to intimidate a mere clan member in the Viscera Training Realm. By the way, congratulations on your breakthrough. Two years of hard work, and you finally advanced to a higher realm." Mocking laughter echoed through the audience, fueling the atmosphere of provocation and disdain.

It was an easy task for Lian to deceive others about his real cultivation realm. He was already at the late stage of the Muscle Transformation Realm. Although he could easily break through to a higher realm, he wished to achieve a perfect advancement, not conceding anything to the cultivators of the Divine Plane.

In the face of Wunu's provocations, Lian remained motionless, showing no expression. He simply put his hands behind his back and looked at Wunu with a disdainful gaze, conveying his indifference to his opponent's arrogant words.

"A humble little dog that only knows how to bark because it feels safe under its father's wings. I've given you two days to enjoy and say your goodbyes before you die. Stop wasting my time and attack already."

Wunu's eyes turned red, overflowing with anger and frustration. Throughout his life, he has always been treated with respect and admiration, never being questioned or reprimanded. This experience shaped an arrogant and scornful personality that looked down on everyone around him, including his own father, in his innermost thoughts. Wunu harbored sinister plans to elevate his status and power in the capital, envisioning the day he would become the Patriarch and achieve his dubious objectives.

Roaring with anger, Wunu raised his golden spear and infused his Qi into it as whispers of admiration echoed in the audience. The Qi emanating from his spear proved to be incredibly refined and dense for his age. Lian smiled scornfully at that sight, though.

This bastard has sucked up an overwhelming amount of clan resources. Even though he's at the late stage of the Viscera Training Realm, his realm is still unstable with all that. Now, Lian desires to kill him and recover everything he has drained and even more.

Wunu charged forward, his spear shining brightly as it cut through the air like a golden bolt. However, with a quick movement of his hands, Lian easily dodged the spear, which pierced through empty space without finding its target.

From there on, things only became worse for Wunu. A mix of fury and shame engulfed him, driving him to attack fiercely with all he had. It was all for nothing. Dozens of cuts and punctures were inflicted within a few minutes, leaving Wunu drenched in sweat.

With each attempted attack, the unarmed opponent responded with a gentle touch, destabilizing the spear-wielding combatant. It was a remarkable display of skill and body control as the weaponless adversary easily dominated the fight.

The audience was completely silent. Wunu had seemed extremely powerful for his age before, but it appeared impossible for him to resist Lian. Despite Wunu refusing to back down and swinging his spear fiercely, he couldn't even force Lian to take a step back.

Wunu seemed to dance and swing his spear in empty space, while the gazes of the cultivators in the audience began to transform. Gradually, a sense of change spread among them.

It was as if he was fighting against sticky mud and an infinitely deep swamp. The battle took on an aura of challenge and complexity, eliciting a mix of admiration and perplexity from the onlookers.

While it seemed like Lian's hands merely dodged Wunu's attacks, at the same time, they also clung to his strikes like mud. As if the force of his attack was being sucked into a swamp, Lian dragged Wunu's spear where he didn't want it to go.

Then, the mud and swamp transformed into a sea, and a massive wave of Qi shook the spear's strength, redirecting its attacks away and causing them to explode in the air.

There was no plausible explanation for Wunu's sudden fatigue; however, his breathing became rough, and he could hear the accelerated rhythm of his heart. An overwhelming feeling of humiliation took hold of him as he realized the vast difference in their abilities.

Lian's eyes narrowed, his gaze cold and merciless. He had been holding back, intentionally toying with Wunu, but now it was time to end this farce.

With a lightning-fast movement, Lian closed the distance between them, his hands moving like a blur. In an instant, Wunu found himself disarmed and defenseless, his body immobilized by Lian's control.

Whispers of shock filled the arena as Lian's true strength was revealed. The once-confident Wunu now trembled before him, his arrogance shattered.

"You thought you could mock me, belittle me," Lian's voice was low and filled with contempt. "But you were wrong. Today, I will show you the true power of the Albedo bloodline."

Without hesitation, Lian struck, his palm crashing into Wunu's chest with a force that sent him flying backward, crashing into the ground.

Silence enveloped the arena as the spectators processed what they had just witnessed. Lian stood tall and composed, his eyes cold and determined. The battle had only just begun, but the outcome seemed inevitable.