Chapter 11 Money Can Be Taken, But The Job Can't Be Done

The person outside seemed quite sure there was someone inside and spoke up directly.

"Brother Li, I'm an external disciple, Yang Huan, I'd like to discuss something with you."

The speaker was a woman. Li Xiaobai perked up—had a girl actually sought him out at Misty Peak of her own accord, perhaps attracted by his ethereal aura?

"Sister, please come in. What brings you to seek out your brother?"

He welcomed the female disciple into the house, Li Xiaobai said with a smile. The woman was quite attractive, with a nice figure, and the beauty mark between her eyebrows made her look dignified and graceful.

"Brother, I'm here to discuss a deal with you."

The female disciple looked at Li Xiaobai somewhat warily, the intelligence she had indicated that Li Xiaobai was presumably not a lecher.

"Go on."

"I know that with brother's abilities, the next two matches won't be a problem, but I hope you can lose the fifth match. If brother agrees, I can offer a price that will satisfy you."

The female disciple stated. This task was assigned to her by a true disciple; if she completed it successfully, she would receive a Foundation Establishment Pill and become a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Li Xiaobai pondered. The fifth match was one that determined the top ten finalists. It seemed someone was afraid he would take one of the top ten spots and wanted to buy a way through.

But such an opportunity to earn spirit stones was not to be missed.

"A price that will satisfy me?"

"That depends on your sincerity. How much can you offer?"

Li Xiaobai's eyes lit up, probing as he spoke.

"Fifty lower-grade spirit stones."

The female disciple said.

"Fifty stones to buy my loss? Your scope is too small, not enough."

Li Xiaobai spoke flatly, as he had thousands of spirit stones in his pocket, naturally he wouldn't be satisfied with so little.

"Brother, I know you have no cultivation, and you win matches relying only on your poison and defensive magic treasures. While the elders turn a blind eye, if I blow this matter up, you won't even have the qualifications to step onto the stage."

"Moreover, fifty spirit stones is half a year's allowance for an ordinary disciple, not a small amount."

The female disciple still wore a smiling face, holding the leverage in her hands and not worried at all about Li Xiaobai refusing.

"Who is your third match opponent to you? Did he send you?"

Li Xiaobai frowned, displeased with this transaction.

"That doesn't concern you, brother. You just need to follow through," the female disciple said.

"Your sword at the waist is nice, it looks like a Divine Sword."

"If brother wants it, I'll give it to you."

"And that thing hanging around your neck, is that called a jade pendant?"

"If brother likes it, I'll give it to you too."

"Those earrings you're wearing are quite unique..."

"Given to brother now..."

"Those aren't ordinary shoes on your feet, are they?"

"All given to brother..."

Minutes later,

The female disciple left with a mournful face and bare feet.

A few small accessories and fifty lower-grade spirit stones in hand, every little bit counted, Li Xiaobai was very clear on that, and he wasn't about to miss any chance to earn spirit stones with expensive items waiting to be unlocked in the store.

After seeing off the female disciple, Li Xiaobai's expression darkened; she had dared to blackmail him, he had to teach her a harsh lesson.

You could take the spirit stones, but the work couldn't be done!

He swallowed all the remaining discarded elixirs in one gulp, the system panel kept flashing.

[Attribute Point +1…]

[Defensive Power: Copper Skin, Iron Bone（0/5000）]

A thin layer of bronze patterns spread across his skin, and Li Xiaobai felt a warm, indescribable comfort.

"My defensive power has advanced again; those people won't be able to hurt me anymore!"

...

The next two matches were not difficult, his opponents were mere lucksters who hadn't faced any strong opponents in the previous rounds and had somehow survived.

Under a barrage of mockery and the effect of Muscle Flaccidity, Li Xiaobai easily secured victory, adding another hundred attribute points.

With his "Copper Skin, Iron Bone" defensive power, attacking him now felt like mere tickling for the disciples. Even if several senior brothers and sisters came, they probably couldn't shake him.

The third match started quickly, and the number of remaining disciples was dwindling. The pace of the competition also sped up a lot, conducting three to four rounds per day became quite normal.

His opponent in the third round was a True Disciple, Hao Jian.

It was unimaginable that a True Disciple also needed to rig the match. Li Xiaobai, fierce and tense, ascended the platform; this round, he intended to crush his opponent to vent his anger.

"True Disciple Hao Jian, let me witness your esteemed skills," Hao Jian said calmly, displaying the composure of a highly skilled cultivator.

Before going on stage, the female disciple had already told him the arrangements were complete. In this match, Li Xiaobai would intentionally lose, securing Hao Jian's position among the top ten of the tournament.

"The weak do not deserve to know the name of this genius."

Li Xiaobai slipped into character in a second, instantly maximizing his antagonism.

"Misty Peak, Li Xiaobai, refrain from personal attacks."

The referee could no longer stand by and directly announced Li Xiaobai's name for him.

"So he is a disciple from Misty Peak... no wonder..."

Hao Jian frowned instinctively, sensing something off in the situation, but trash talk was still necessary.

"But this name Li Xiaobai, I've never heard of before."

Li Xiaobai understood that this was because the opponent, relying on his superior strength and higher status, sought to belittle him with verbal attacks before the fight even started.

But this fit right into Li Xiaobai's plans; how could he provoke hatred without any trash talk?

"Defeated Chen Tao with a single glance."

"Defeated Lin Feng with a single finger."

"Made Lin Mang willingly offer up his Spirit Stone with just a sentence, this is the genius cultivator, Li Xiaobai."

Li Xiaobai, hands clasped behind his back, maintained a calm demeanor, showing indifference to honor or disgrace, as if narrating a trivial incident.

"Brother Hao, don't listen to his senseless babblings; this guy wins by using despicable means!"

"That's right, he relies on his Magic Treasure for protection. Brother Hao, teach him a harsh lesson!"

"It's infuriating, he must be severely punished!"

"..."

The disciples below the stage were in an uproar, their voices stirring up one after another. They had all witnessed Li Xiaobai's cunning before and didn't believe he possessed genuine skills.

Feng Wuxie was also hidden among the disciples. Through the earlier rounds of the competition, he had thoroughly confirmed that Li Xiaobai indeed possessed a powerful Magic Treasure for protection, which was of no low grade. If he could acquire this treasure, securing his position as the chief disciple would be assured, and succeeding the Sect Leader in the future wasn't out of the question.

"Defeating the likes of Chen Tao and Lin Feng is no surprise."

"Not standing at my height, how can you comprehend the view I see?"

Li Xiaobai shook his head and sighed, a look of infinite grievance on his face.

"Little brother truly has a way with words, your older brother can't argue with you. Let's see the truth in a hands-on confrontation."

The expression on Hao Jian's face darkened slightly as if he'd sensed something. He suddenly drew his Longsword from his waist, fiercely thrusting at Li Xiaobai, intending to test him.

He used a Medium-Grade Spirit Sword which supposedly could not be blocked even if the opponent had a Magic Treasure for protection.

The Sword Qi was subdued, and before the tip even arrived, the force from the thrust tore through Li Xiaobai's sleeve.

[Attribute Points +20…]

His skin felt a bit itchy.

The power was decent, stronger than Lin Mang, but still no match for him; Li Xiaobai instantly judged and activated Muscle Flaccidity.

Hao Jian shuddered, his body retreating explosively to land limp ten meters away, sweating profusely.

He had just felt an inexplicable weakness in his body; if he hadn't retreated quickly, he might have lost right then and there.

Damn, this guy took the money and didn't do the job!

No wonder the disciples below were calling this guy sinister; he had taken his Spirit Stones but went back on his word, which was utterly detestable!

Moreover, the poison had caused sudden weakness throughout his body, leaving him with no strength even to raise his hands, which was eerily strange.

"You used poison!"

Struggling to spit out a few words, Hao Jian consumed several Detoxification Pills.

His mind was both shocked and angry, just having clashed and already rendered so disheveled by this obscure man. The poison was bizarre; even his tenth level Foundation Establishment cultivation couldn't withstand it, which was utterly humiliating!

After swallowing a few Revitalizing Pills, Hao Jian felt much recovered. His gaze turned sinister; since the opponent wasn't playing by the rules, he couldn't be blamed for his next actions.

He immediately bowed to the elders sitting afar, "Li Xiaobai employed underhanded tactics during the competition, seriously harming the reputation of our Immortal Feather Sect. I plead with the elders to see the truth!"