Outer Disciple Competition (2)

"The winner... Bai Yu!" the referee declared, his voice echoing through the arena. A flurry of excited shouts erupted from the crowd.

"Wow, I didn't even notice him move behind his opponent!""He's surprisingly strong!""Such impressive skill, and he is quite handsome too!" came a chorus of surprised cheers and whistles from the audience.

Returning to his designated area, Bai Yu assumed a meditative pose, his eyes closed as he focused on honing his mental state to peak condition.

two hours passed in this state before he finally opened his eyes.The first round of the competition had already concluded.The second round commenced, a collective gasp rippling through the crowd as the matchups were revealed. Wu Feng's face contorted in disbelief. "Seriously?!" he roared, "Bone Forging Stage? What kind of lousy luck is that?!"Bai Yu, watching Wu Feng's predicament with a wry smile, felt a similar cold hand of fate grip him. A glance at his own opponent confirmed his suspicion – another Bone Forging expert. He'd never faced someone of this Stage before. "Looks like we're in the same boat," he muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, his gaze drifted towards the third arena where Chu Yao stood, a picture of focused calm. Her opponent, a woman with a steely glint in her eyes, who was at the peak of the Blood Condensation Realm.

A glint of unexpected excitement flickered in Bai Yu's eyes as he ascended the arena steps. "This might be interesting," he murmured under his breath."The fight begins!" boomed the referee.

In a blur of motion, Bai Yu's opponent, a colossus of a man, charged. A series of metallic clangs echoed through the arena as their blades met in a whirlwind of ten strikes within seconds. Bai Yu ducked beneath a powerful downward swing. With a twist, he darted to the right, the tip of his sword finding its mark on his opponent's thigh. A spray of crimson erupted as a deep gash opened on the larger man's leg.

The Man groaned, the pain a stark contrast to his earlier ferocity. He retaliated with a wild swipe of his sword, aiming for Bai Yu who was still low to the ground. Bai Yu twisted away in a blur, the blade grazing his left shoulder with a searing sting. He gritted his teeth, the metallic tang of blood filling his mouth. "Not deep," he thought, pushing the pain aside as their swords clashed once more.

The fight continued for three minutes. Finally, Bai Yu spotted an opening. He used his swift strike to deliver a blow that cut across the opponent's chest. "Ugh, I yield," the man rasped, clutching his bleeding wound.