9. The Duel Begins
A Morning of Anticipation
The Ling Clan's dueling arena was packed.
Elders, disciples, and servants—all had gathered to witness today's spectacle.
The once-disgraced Ling Tian was about to fight Ling Tao, the clan's golden child.
One was a cripple reborn.
The other was desperate to hold onto his status.
The tension was palpable.
And at the center of it all…
Ling Tian stood, his hands behind his back, bored.
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Ling Tao's Confidence
On the opposite side, Ling Tao smirked.
"I hope you're ready, Ling Tian," he sneered. "I'll make sure you regret ever stepping into this arena."
Ling Tian yawned.
"Talk less. Fight more."
Ling Tao's vein bulged in anger.
This arrogant bastard…!
Fine.
He would teach Ling Tian his place.
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The Battle Begins!
"BEGIN!"
The referee's voice rang out.
Ling Tao exploded forward with terrifying speed.
His fist glowed with fiery energy, a technique he had spent years perfecting.
"Crimson Fang Strike!"
The attack roared toward Ling Tian's chest—fast, precise, deadly.
The crowd held its breath.
Would Ling Tian dodge? Block? Counter?
But—
He did nothing.
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Unshaken
The flaming fist collided with Ling Tian's body.
A powerful shockwave erupted.
Dust flew everywhere.
Some disciples cheered. Others gasped.
But when the dust settled…
Ling Tian stood unmoved.
Not a scratch.
Not a single step backward.
He sighed.
"That was it?"
Ling Tao's face went pale.
No… that wasn't possible!
---
A Display of True Power
Ling Tian finally moved.
A flick of his wrist.
A gust of terrifying force erupted, sending Ling Tao stumbling back.
Ling Tian vanished.
And then—
BAM!
Ling Tao's world spun.
A single palm strike had sent him crashing into the ground, coughing blood.
The crowd erupted in shock.
"What… just happened?!"
"He struck once, and Ling Tao is already down?!"
Ling Tian tilted his head.
"Get up," he said, his voice mocking. "Surely that wasn't all?"
Ling Tao gritted his teeth, his body trembling.
He wouldn't lose.
Not to him.
---
A Desperate Gamble
"I won't lose!" Ling Tao roared, his aura bursting.
His hand reached into his robes—pulling out a small pill.
A forbidden power-enhancing pill.
The elders frowned.
"That's dangerous," one murmured.
But they did not interfere.
A duel was a duel.
Ling Tao swallowed the pill, and his aura exploded.
His wounds healed. His muscles bulged.
He lunged forward.
Faster. Stronger. More ferocious than before.
This time—he would win.
---
Ling Tian's Verdict
Ling Tian watched, unimpressed.
"So that's your last resort?"
Ling Tao's punch flew toward his face.
Ling Tian raised a single finger.
BOOM!
The entire arena shook.
Ling Tao's enhanced strike… stopped.
Blocked by a single finger.
The crowd fell silent.
Ling Tao's eyes widened in horror.
No… No!
Ling Tian sighed.
And then—
He flicked his finger.
CRACK!
Ling Tao's entire arm snapped backward.
He screamed.
But Ling Tian wasn't finished.
A single palm to the chest.
BANG!
Ling Tao was sent flying, crashing into the ground, completely unconscious.
A single strike.
And it was over.
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A New King Rises
Silence.
The arena was dead quiet.
The once-proud Ling Tao… defeated in a mere two moves.
Ling Tian turned to the elders.
"Are we done here?" he asked casually.
The Great Elder stood, his expression unreadable.
"Ling Tian is victorious."
The announcement shook the clan.
Today, a new force had emerged.
Ling Tian was no longer just a clan member.
He was a monster.
And nobody could deny it.
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