### Chapter 50: Even Posturing Has Its Limits
The crowd fell silent, the weight of Elder Guan's words crashing over them. *Seventh Level of Qi Refinement.*
Steward Zhang's face drained of color. He stumbled back, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Seventh Level? That's… that's impossible.焚虚丹 (Burning Void Pill) can't boost someone that much!"
Steward Qiao's jaw tightened. His hope—his bet on Lin Yi—crumbled to dust. A Fifth Level vs. a Seventh Level? It wasn't a fight. It was a slaughter.
Mu Rongfeng closed his eyes, savoring the surge of power in his veins. Every breath felt like fire, every movement crackled with spiritual energy. He'd burned a decade of potential for this moment, but it was worth it. He opened his eyes, grinning at Lin Yi. "Feel that? This is what true strength tastes like. You thought your little 'Five Level' trick made you untouchable? How naive."
Lin Yi's expression remained calm, his hands still clasped behind his back. "Seventh Level. Impressive. For a pill-popper."
"Still running that mouth?" Mu Rongfeng laughed. "Enjoy it. It's the last thing you'll ever say."
He lunged, faster than the eye could follow. Spiritual energy erupted from him, swirling into a vortex of flame—*烈焰狂涛 (Blazing Torrent)*, a Seventh Level technique that turned air into fire. Waves of heat rolled off the spell, singeing the grass at Lin Yi's feet.
The crowd screamed. "Run, Lin Yi!"
"He's gonna die!"
Steward Zhang buried his face in his hands. "Idiot… why didn't you run?"
But Lin Yi didn't run. He didn't even flinch.
As the firestorm hurtled toward him, he activated the *Breezing Wind Boots*. His body blurred, moving not just with speed, but with a precision that defied logic—like water flowing around rocks. He darted sideways, the flames roaring past him, singeing the edge of his robe but leaving him unscathed.
Gasps echoed. *How?* A Fifth Level shouldn't outpace a Seventh Level's spell!
Mu Rongfeng's smile froze. "Luck. That's all it was." He unleashed another spell, this time a shower of ice shards—*冰棱刺 (Ice Shard Barrage)*, a technique that should pin Lin Yi in place.
Again, Lin Yi moved. He weaved through the shards, his movements fluid, almost dance-like. Not a single ice fragment touched him.
"Enough of this!" Mu Rongfeng roared. He poured more spiritual energy into his attacks, unleashing a storm of fire and ice, wind blades and earth spikes. The arena shook, smoke billowing, debris flying. He was a force of nature, a Seventh Level juggernaut crushing everything in his path.
But Lin Yi was a ghost.
He dodged, ducked, spun—always one step ahead. His breathing stayed steady, his gaze locked on Mu Rongfeng, as if studying a flawed technique rather than fighting for his life.
"What's wrong, Mu Rongfeng?" Lin Yi called, his voice calm over the roar of spells. "All that power, and you can't even hit me?"
Mu Rongfeng's face flushed. Rage coiled in his chest, hot and venomous. He'd expected to crush Lin Yi instantly, to watch him beg for mercy. This wasn't just a fight—it was an insult.
"I'll *kill* you!" he screamed, gathering every ounce of his stolen power. His body glowed red, the air around him rippling with heat. "焚天怒焰 (Burning Sky Wrath)!"
A pillar of fire erupted, taller than the surrounding trees, searing the sky as it crashed toward Lin Yi. This was his strongest spell, fueled by the last dregs of the Burning Void Pill. It would incinerate flesh, bone, even spiritual energy—nothing could survive it.
The crowd screamed, some turning away, unable to watch. Steward Zhang buried his face, tears stinging his eyes. "Foolish boy…"
But Lin Yi didn't move.
He stood his ground, his hands finally leaving his back. He flexed his fingers, and for a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then—*crack!*
A shockwave erupted from his fists, not of spiritual energy, but of raw, physical power. It was the *Five Spirits Body Tempering Technique*, unleashed at last—his meridians, bones, and flesh forged into a weapon deadlier than any sword.
He didn't dodge the fire pillar. He *punched* it.
His fist collided with the flames, and something impossible happened. The fire *shattered*. It burst into a million sparks, extinguished as if doused by a bucket of cold water.
Mu Rongfeng's eyes widened. "No… that's not possible. How—"
Lin Yi was already moving.
He crossed the distance between them in a single blink, his boot slamming into Mu Rongfeng's chest before the man could react. Mu Rongfeng flew backward, spitting blood, but Lin Yi was on him before he hit the ground.
A fist to the jaw. A knee to the ribs. Mu Rongfeng's defenses—his spiritual energy, his pride—crumbled like glass. He'd relied on the Burning Void Pill for so long, he'd forgotten what true combat felt like.
"You… you're not just Fifth Level," Mu Rongfeng gasped, blood bubbling from his lips. "What are you?"
Lin Yi grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. "I'm the man who's going to end you."
He drove his fist into Mu Rongfeng's heart.
*Crack!*
Mu Rongfeng's eyes went wide. His body went limp, the last of his stolen power fading like embers.
Lin Yi dropped him, stepping back as the life drained from Mu Rongfeng's eyes.
Silence.
Then, slowly, the crowd began to stir. Whispers, then gasps, then a roar that shook the clearing.
"He did it!"
"Seventh Level! He killed a Seventh Level!"
"Lin Yi! Lin Yi! Lin Yi!"
Steward Zhang stared, mouth hanging open. He rubbed his eyes, as if waking from a dream. "He… he won? How?"
Steward Qiao smiled, a slow, disbelieving thing. "I think we underestimated him. By a lot."
Elder Guan sat back down, his expression unreadable. "Remarkable," he muttered. "Truly remarkable."
Lin Yi wiped the blood from his knuckles, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. They cheered, they stared, they whispered—but he barely noticed.
He looked down at Mu Rongfeng's body, and for a moment, he thought of the hunchbacked man, of the poison needles, of the secrets Mu Rongfeng had died protecting.
This wasn't over.
But for now, he stood in the sun, the crowd roaring his name. He'd won.
And as for posturing?
Lin Yi smiled faintly. *Sometimes, it's not posturing. It's just the truth.*
He turned, walking off the arena, leaving the chaos behind. The outer sect tournament was over.
Now, it was time to challenge the core disciples.