C8 Fighting to the Death Without a Fight

The leaves rustled as the Second Prince emerged from the underbrush, fortunate to have evaded detection. With no one else nearby to overhear, he saw an opportunity to confront Bai Yu without interference.

Bai Yu caught a glimpse of the Second Prince and his face twisted into a mocking sneer. Despite the element of surprise, the Second Prince approached with a slow, deliberate pace.

Bai Yu kept a watchful eye on the Second Prince while remaining focused on the pond. Abruptly, a whooshing sound sliced through the air. The Second Prince's punch was swift, but Bai Yu tilted his head and nimbly dodged the blow.

Transforming his right hand into a claw, Bai Yu seized the Second Prince's fist. With precise footwork, he dragged the Second Prince out of the thicket.

The attempted ambush had failed, and as the Second Prince tried to counterattack, Bai Yu landed a firm palm strike on his chest. Bai Yu's innate Root power surged, effectively suppressing the Second Prince's purple Root energy.

Reeling from the impact, the Second Prince stumbled backward until his feet hit the pond's edge. A forceful stomp steadied him, but not before he had to wipe the sweat from his brow.

In a flash, Bai Yu appeared before the Second Prince, unleashing a gust of palm wind that, while not making contact, threw off the prince's balance, sending him toppling backward.

With a loud splash, the Second Prince hit the water, prompting onlookers to rush toward the pond. Unskilled in swimming, he began to cry out desperately, "Help, I can't swim! Somebody save me!"

The elders, occupied with meetings elsewhere, were oblivious to the skirmish by the pond. Other disciples hesitated to intervene, wary of Bai Yu's presence. Recognizing him as the Grand Upper Elder's man, they knew that taking action against Bai Yu would be seen as a direct affront.

It was clear to the astute observers that Bai Yu and the Second Prince were adversaries. Without clear knowledge of who held the upper hand, none of the disciples dared to pick sides.

"There's only one way for you to get out of this," Bai Yu called down to the struggling Second Prince. "You'll have to beg me." His gaze was as cold as ice as he watched the prince flounder in the water below.

The disciples perceived a shift in Bai Yu and were too intimidated to utter a word.

The Second Prince, relying on sheer luck to remain buoyant, feared plummeting to the bottom of the pond.

"Bai Yu, if my master, the Dust Taoist, knew you were handling me this way..."

"Don't worry about the Dust Taoist finding out. Even if the Grand Upper Elder knew, it wouldn't faze me."

He possessed the strongest Root, and the Star Cloud Sect was grooming him to be their next leader.

Should he accept the offer to become the Grand Upper Elder's disciple, he might very well become the future Sect Master of the Star Cloud Sect.

Regrettably, Bai Yu's aspirations lay elsewhere; his heart was set on returning to the place he knew best.

As his energy waned, the Second Prince's time in the pond was running short.

"Pull me out first. If I truly perish here, you'll regret it."

Even now, the Second Prince continued to issue threats.

Bai Yu returned to the bench and dusted it off.

"I've got all the time in the world to entertain this."

The disciples watched Bai Yu settle back on the bench, a deep chill settling in their souls.

They couldn't imagine standing by while someone died, much less raising a hand against their own sect brothers.

"Come over here, let's talk."

The Second Prince's voice, tinged with frustrated anger, echoed from the pond, prompting Bai Yu to approach the water's edge.

"I've laid out my terms. Beg for mercy, call me 'grandpa,' and I'll let you out."

With half the sect's disciples nearby, the Second Prince's reputation would be tarnished if he publicly humiliated himself by addressing Bai Yu as 'grandpa.'

Hearing no reply from the Second Prince, Bai Yu let out a derisive snort.

"Sorry, but you've just squandered your opportunity."

He made his way through the crowd back to the bench and took a seat.

Regardless of the Second Prince's cries, Bai Yu acted as if he heard nothing.

A disciple approached Bai Yu, anxiety etched on his face.

"Senior Brother Bai Yu, he can't last much longer."

They understood the stark difference between themselves and the elders; the elders could create an underwater passage.

They, on the other hand, could only rescue someone from the surface—a significant disparity.

If the Second Prince were to sink, they would be forced to watch helplessly as he drowned.

Bai Yu observed the crowd beseeching on behalf of the Second Prince and once again approached the pond's edge.

"You should be grateful to your fellow disciples. It's because of them that you've been granted this opportunity."

The Second Prince was well aware that Bai Yu was a man of his word and realized he couldn't endure much longer.

"Grandfather."

His voice was faint, yet it resonated clearly with everyone gathered.

With a simple flick, Bai Yu lifted the Second Prince out of the pond.

The disciples gathered around the Second Prince, circling him with concern.

Once they confirmed he was unharmed, they breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"I'm relieved there's no issue. I feared he might not make it out alive."

After regaining his composure on the ground for a while, the Second Prince, seething with rage, charged at Bai Yu.

He had already failed in a surprise attack; a frontal assault was even less likely to succeed.

Bai Yu's palms had become lethal weapons, yet he opted not to meet the charge directly.

Seizing a moment of the Second Prince's inattention, Bai Yu landed a kick to his chest, sending him crashing into a large tree.

The tree's trunk shook violently, shedding its leaves in a flurry.

It was fortunate that Bai Yu had held back; otherwise, the Second Prince's fate would have involved more than just a shower of leaves.

"Wait, who said you could leave?"

Bai Yu, listening to the Second Prince's continued threats, turned with a mocking smile. "What's the matter? Your current state doesn't seem conducive to another dip, does it?"

His words struck a nerve, and the Second Prince lost all semblance of rational thought.

"I hereby formally challenge you. Are you brave enough to accept?"

In the Star Cloud Sect, martial prowess was highly esteemed, and issuing a challenge was a grave affair.

Unable to tolerate the insult, the Second Prince sought to redeem himself by defeating Bai Yu in the ring.

Several disciples approached the Second Prince, attempting to dissuade him.

If he couldn't best Bai Yu in an impromptu fight, the formal arena would prove no different.

There was no point in further embarrassment in the ring, especially since they recognized the Second Prince's need for respect.

"Are you certain?"

Bai Yu countered, offering the Second Prince an opportunity to retract his challenge.

Another disciple stepped forward, interjecting, "He's just jesting. Let's go back and rest."

He positioned himself between them, hoping to prevent any engagement in the so-called contest.

The Second Prince escorted the group before him away, his expression stern.

"No, I mean it. Are you brave enough to fight me fair and square, without resorting to any tricks?"

He suspected Bai Yu had taken a Pill to enhance his strength; how else could he have detected his presence from behind?

Just after Bai Yu had accepted the Second Prince's challenge, several elders began to materialize in the sky.

"Have you both made up your minds? We can't afford to wait around for you."

The arena was ready. If they were intent on competing, they could step up to the platform immediately.

"I'm certain. I'll fight you until you're searching for your teeth on the ground!"

The Second Prince issued his threat, his figure a blur as he vanished from the edge of the pond.