C19 Eldest Senior Brother of the Net Sect
"You think you're worthy to challenge me?" The man in black approached, his gaze fixed on the palm print marking his clothes, his temper flaring dangerously.
He had been preoccupied with the Second Prince, never anticipating an ambush from above. The palm print struck him squarely, leaving him no time to evade. Unscathed, he had dismissed Bai Yu as inconsequential, likening him to a decorative spear without substance.
The Dust Taoist watched Bai Yu from below, his anxiety mounting. While the Net Sect might have been unaware, their ranks were rife with tension. The golden Root signified a once-in-a-century talent, warranting the Grand Upper Elder to emerge from his seclusion.
"Quick, fetch the Grand Upper Elder. This is of the utmost importance," a disciple urged, darting toward the secluded back mountain to summon the revered figure.
Their initial reluctance to dispatch anyone had gone unnoticed. But now, as they sought the Grand Upper Elder's presence, the significance of Bai Yu became clear.
The man in black, upon realizing Bai Yu's importance, grinned malevolently and advanced a few steps. "Bow before me, and I might spare you. Otherwise..."
Bai Yu paid him no heed, instead pointing past him. "You don't qualify as my adversary. You there... step forward."
Since his arrival, Bai Yu had been fixated on the individual behind the man in black. Following Bai Yu's gesture, the crowd's eyes landed on the Net Sect's Eldest Senior Brother.
"You're not worthy to face our Eldest Senior Brother. I'm more than capable of handling you myself," he declared before vanishing from sight.
In an instant, an arm thrust forward, aiming to impale Bai Yu. But as it passed through only a shadow, the man's eyes bulged in shock. "An illusion?"
Before he could process the deception, a kick landed squarely on his head. The man in black crumpled to the ground, unconscious from the blow. He had shown no mercy to the Second Prince, and Bai Yu saw no need to extend any to him.
Eldest Senior Brother watched his junior brother plummet, his fate hanging in the balance, and couldn't help feeling a twinge of anxiety.
"You actually possess such skill. You've certainly forced us to see you in a new light."
Tian Juezi had assumed they would exchange at least a few moves. Yet, to his surprise, not a single move was made.
Net Sect was eerily silent, in stark contrast to the ceaseless cheering from Star Cloud Sect.
"Bai Yu didn't resort to any of our sect's techniques. He clearly bested him with his agility alone."
Defeating him with sheer agility alone was a testament to Bai Yu's superior strength.
Tian Juezi glanced at the fallen figure and nodded at Eldest Senior Brother.
"You've got some fierce talent in your younger ranks. Looks like we'll have to take you under our wing."
Eldest Senior Brother's presence was different, a subtle white ripple constantly surrounding him.
Bai Yu made several attempts but couldn't break through, a clear sign of Eldest Senior Brother's self-defensive capabilities.
Standing face to face, they exchanged a derisive laugh. "It's not too late to walk away now, but soon... it will be."
Eldest Senior Brother threw down the gauntlet, hoping Bai Yu would back off on his own.
Bai Yu scoffed, clearly unbothered by Eldest Senior Brother's tough talk.
"Enough, stop your prattling. Let's get on with it."
He could afford to be casual with the man in black, but Eldest Senior Brother was a different story.
Having practiced much of the Secret Scripture given to him by the Grand Upper Elder, Bai Yu saw this as the perfect opportunity for a trial.
An Elder close to Dust Taoist leaned in and asked, "Dust Taoist, can he... win?"
Bai Yu was the strongest among the younger generation. If he were to fail, it would likely be a lost cause.
And in the clashes among the Elders, almost no one could stand against Tian Juezi.
Clearly, Net Sect had arrived with an agenda.
Whether their goal was to annihilate their sect or merely to humiliate them, the details remained a mystery.
As the discussion unfolded, Eldest Senior Brother sprang into action, his body blurring into an afterimage.
Just like before, Bai Yu vanished from sight, leaving no clue as to his whereabouts.
Tian Juezi watched the pair and let out a light chuckle, "He has mastered the third level of the Phantom Shadow technique."
The ranking of one's movement skill could be discerned by the number of afterimages they left behind, indicating their prowess.
The man in black could only produce a single afterimage, but the Eldest Senior Brother before us was capable of creating three.
In an instant, the Eldest Senior Brother conjured two afterimages.
One remained stationary, while the other materialized beside Bai Yu.
"There's some flavor to this. Looks like I need to tap into my real power."
Yet another afterimage lingered; Bai Yu kept up his attack stance, though his form had become an afterimage.
The Dust Taoist gazed at the lingering figure in the sky, uncertain of Bai Yu's actual location.
In his memory, he hadn't imparted any of his teachings to Bai Yu.
Whether the Grand Upper Elder had passed on his skills was a mystery to all.
With three afterimages of Bai Yu appearing in the air, Tian Juezi realized that Bai Yu was the true threat.
The Second Prince had only managed a single afterimage, the pinnacle of their abilities.
"This young man must not be spared."
Tian Juezi had devised a plan; he couldn't allow Bai Yu to leave unharmed, for that would spell danger for their Net Sect.
As the crowd anticipated Bai Yu's defeat, the Eldest Senior Brother unleashed a powerful palm strike.
In terms of inner strength, the Eldest Senior Brother was undeniably more formidable.
Regardless, Bai Yu had only been at the sect for a short while and had no chance to build up his energy reserves.
The Dust Taoist, watching the direction of the Eldest Senior Brother's attack, shielded his eyes with his hand.
He couldn't bear to watch, convinced of Bai Yu's defeat.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar filled the arena.
The Dust Taoist quickly removed his hand and saw that the Eldest Senior Brother's fist had gone right through Bai Yu's body.
"Four... Four afterimages?"
Before the Eldest Senior Brother could snap out of his astonishment, Bai Yu's fist connected with his torso.
Bai Yu was ruthless, striking while the iron was hot, showing no mercy to his opponent.
Two powerful punches struck his vulnerable abdomen, sending him plummeting from a great height. Unable to muster any Qi within his body, he was defenseless.
"Bang..."
His body hurtled downward, crashing onto a massive boulder. Dust scattered everywhere as the Eldest Senior Brother pleaded for mercy, knowing full well that without it, his life was forfeit.
Tian Juezi, for the sake of Net Sect's reputation, would never stoop to begging over such an incident.
Survival hinged solely on his own efforts.
Casting a glance at the Star Cloud Sect disciples nearby, he rose to his feet.
With a forceful kick to the Eldest Senior Brother, he snarled, "Get lost! If I ever see you again, you won't be so lucky." Hearing the chance for escape, the Eldest Senior Brother scrambled away, fleeing Bai Yu's reach.
