### Chapter 46: No Match at All
"If Zhang's being this generous, I can't be stingy either," Steward Qiao said with a laugh. He tapped his storage bag, and a pair of boots materialized in his hand—sleek, black, etched with faint cloud patterns. "These are the *Breezing Wind Boots*. I've had them over a decade. They boost speed by ten, maybe twenty percent. Take them—hope they help."
"Whoa, Qiao! You're actually parting with these?" Steward Zhang gaped, then snickered. "You got a crush on the kid or something?"
"Jealous you didn't think of it first?" Qiao shot back, rolling his eyes.
"Steward Qiao, these are too valuable," Lin Yi said, hesitating.
"Nonsense. A gift's a gift—no takebacks," Qiao said, feigning sternness.
Lin Yi sighed, accepting the boots. "Thank you, Steward."
…
Mu Rongfeng didn't return to his cottage. Instead, he raced down Lingwu Mountain, vanishing into the Xuanyin Mountains. At dawn, he reached a hidden valley, flashing a black token to a guard—who bowed and let him pass. He stayed there half a day, emerging with a grim set to his jaw.
…
Morning light spilled over the western clearing as the next round began. With Mu Rongfeng sitting out (thanks to his "Three" token), the crowd thinned, but excitement still hummed.
*Boom!*
A massive vine—summoned by a Vine Binding Talisman—slammed into an earthen wall, conjured from an Earth Wall Talisman. The vine shattered into motes of light; the wall crumbled into a yellow haze, drifting away like dust. Both talismans fizzled out, spent.
The two Third Level disciples didn't pause. They whipped out fresh talismans, pouring spiritual energy into them and flinging them at each other.
"Nice!" the crowd cheered, leaning forward.
Lin Yi watched impassively. It was just a talisman duel—whoever had more, or stronger ones, would win.
After half an hour, one disciple ran out of talismans, forced to draw his weapon and cast spells. The other kept hurling talismans. No surprise—he won.
Next: Lin Yi vs. Ren Xi.
Lin Yi stepped into the arena, *Breezing Wind Boots* on his feet, hands clasped behind his back. Ren Xi trudged in, his face tight with dread. Fifth Level vs. Third—odds so lopsided, it barely felt fair.
"Lin Yi! Win!"
"Crush him, Senior Brother Lin!"
"Ren Xi, just surrender! No shame in losing to the best!"
The crowd roared, voices狂热. This was what they'd come for—Lin Yi, the prodigy, in action.
Lin Yi had grown used to the adulation. Two years of摆摊 had thickened his skin; he'd learned to read the hunger in their eyes. In the cultivation world, strength was currency—scorn turned to awe faster than a talisman burned out.
"Senior Brother Lin, I'll do my best," Ren Xi said, bowing stiffly.
"Go ahead," Lin Yi said calmly. His composure only amped up the pressure on Ren Xi.
Ren Xi gritted his teeth, activating a shield that expanded to cover his body. Then he pulled out over thirty talismans, gripping them like lifelines.
He hurled two Fireball Talismans first. Flames erupted, roaring toward Lin Yi.
Lin Yi flicked his sleeve. A wave of spiritual energy surged from his arm, slamming into the fire. The flames sputtered, then winked out—*poof*—like someone had blown out a candle.
The crowd gasped.
What? Fireball Talismans, even weak ones, took at least Eighth or Ninth Level Qi Refinement to dispel with raw energy. And Lin Yi had done it *casually*.
*Is he really Fifth Level?* they wondered.
Lin Yi was as surprised as they were. He'd experimented, curious if his mutated spiritual energy—tinged with the *Five Spirits* technique's "nobility"—could counter talisman power. Turns out, yes. Talismans were just condensed spiritual energy; his could overwhelm them.
"Nice!"
"Senior Brother Lin's a beast!"
Ren Xi paled but hurled more talismans—Vine Binding, Explosive Flame. Lin Yi swatted them away, one after another, his sleeve a blur.
Then Lin Yi drew his sword—the mid-grade artifact he'd looted earlier.
"*Sky-Shattering Ninth Strike: First Form—Crescent Moon!*" Elder Guan murmured, recognizing the technique. He'd practiced it himself.
"Explains the power," Qiao said, grinning. "That sword art's no joke." Elder Guan nodded, pleased by the flattery.
Lin Yi's sword hummed, streaking toward Ren Xi's shield.
*Crack!*
The shield shattered, clattering to the ground, useless.
Ren Xi's lips trembled. Regret flooded him—he should've surrendered like Yu Wu.
"Continue?" Lin Yi asked.
"Just give up, Ren Xi!" someone shouted. "You're wasting time!"
Ren Xi bowed, voice hollow. "Senior Brother Lin is stronger. I concede."
"Coward! Should've fought!"
"Smart move—no point getting beaten up!"
Elder Guan declared Lin Yi the winner. The rest of the day would sort ranks four to ten; the top three—Lin Yi, Mu Rongfeng, and the winner of the first match—would duel tomorrow afternoon.
Lin Yi left, and half the crowd followed. The clearing emptied, leaving Stewards Zhang and Qiao squirming in their seats.
"Brat," Zhang muttered, though he couldn't hide his pride. "Even his shadow draws a crowd."
Qiao sighed. "At least tomorrow's final will be packed. Everyone's dying to see him vs. Mu Rongfeng."
Lin Yi,早已走远, smiled to himself. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.