With the help of all-elemental affinity, Li Wei's cultivation changed completely.
It wasn't explosive.
It wasn't flashy.
It was terrifyingly efficient.
For ten straight days, he remained inside his room, rarely stepping outside. He cultivated cautiously, never allowing him go to surface, never letting his thoughts drift toward Zhao Yuan.
Qi flowed endlessly.
Metal refined his meridians.
Wood stabilized his foundation.
Water soothed backlash.
Fire strengthened circulation.
Earth anchored his dantian.
On the tenth day, Li Wei opened his eyes.
A faint ripple of qi spread outward.
Qi Gathering Level Five.
Li Wei let out a slow breath.
"In ten days…" he murmured. "This speed is already abnormal."
He clenched his fist.
Zhao Yuan was at Qi Gathering Level Six.
Only one level higher.
Under normal circumstances, Li Wei could already fight.
But normal didn't apply to him.
Strangely, Zhao Yuan did not come.
No ambush.
No beating.
No harassment.
The outer courtyard was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Li Wei frowned more as the days passed.
"Did he forget me…?"
That thought made him uneasy—but also, embarrassingly, a little smug.
Maybe he thinks I'm not worth killing anymore.
The moment that thought formed, Li Wei stiffened.
"…Arrogance is dangerous," he muttered.
Unfortunately, Heaven did not punish thoughts.
Only actions.
The day of the Azure Sect Outer Courtyard Competition arrived in the blink of an eye.
The courtyard was packed.
Stone stages rose from the ground, disciples crowding around them, voices loud with excitement.
Su Qing found Li Wei in the crowd.
"Li Wei!" she waved, then lowered her voice. "Let's stay together."
Before he could respond, a cold voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Stage One. First match."
Li Wei felt a chill.
"Li Wei versus—Chen Mo."
His luck.
Was terrible.
As he stepped onto the stage, Li Wei felt it.
A gaze.
Sharp. Heavy. Filled with malice.
Zhao Yuan.
Standing among the inner circle of spectators, arms crossed, smiling faintly.
The moment their eyes met—
Zhao Yuan's smile widened.
Killing intent erupted.
[Alert]
Extreme Hostility Detected
Target: Zhao Yuan
Distance: Within perception range
Judgment:
Target cannot be killed within one second.
Li Wei's heart dropped.
[Heavenly One-Second Law Activated]
Penalty:
• Cultivation sealed
• Duration: until this battle end
"Noooo—!"
Too late.
His qi vanished instantly.
"Begin!" the elder shouted.
Chen Mo didn't hesitate.
He was only Qi Gathering Level Four, but against Li Wei right now, that didn't matter.
A simple palm strike.
No techniques. No killing intent.
Just raw force.
Bang!
Li Wei was sent flying like a rag doll.
He smashed into the edge of the stage, blood spraying from his mouth.
The crowd gasped.
"So weak?"
"He collapsed in one move?"
"Wasn't he Level Five?"
Laughter spread.
From the stands—
Zhao Yuan laughed the loudest.
"Trash will always be trash!" he mocked openly. "Even Heaven doesn't bother helping you anymore!"
His gaze slid.
And landed on Su Qing.
The smile on his face slowly turned ugly.
"Senior Sister, why follow garbage like that?" Zhao Yuan said lazily. "Come with me instead."
Su Qing's face went pale.
She ignored him and ran onto the stage.
"Li Wei!"
She knelt beside him, trembling hands supporting his head.
"Don't move… please don't move…"
Zhao Yuan chuckled. "Careful, Junior Sister. Touching trash might stain you."
Li Wei heard everything.
Every word.
And he remembered it.
A chubby disciple suddenly pushed through the crowd.
"Move, move! Let me through!"
It was Wang Hao—a fatty from the outer courtyard, always smiling, always unnoticed.
"Why are you all staring?" Wang Hao snapped. "Help him!"
With Su Qing's help, Wang Hao carried Li Wei off the stage.
Zhao Yuan didn't stop them.
He was enjoying himself too much.
Back in the room, Wang Hao placed Li Wei down and pulled out a pill.
"Eat this," he said quickly. "Low-grade healing pill. I'll come back later."
Then he left without waiting for thanks.
Su Qing stayed.
She cleaned the blood. Changed the cloth. Carefully fed Li Wei water.
Her hands shook.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "If I were stronger…"
Li Wei stared at the ceiling.
For the first time since coming to this world, his thoughts were perfectly clear.
This won't do.
Avoiding enemies wouldn't save him.
Being cautious wasn't enough.
As long as Zhao Yuan lived, hostility would return.
And next time, Imight die a horrible death.
Or someone stronger would strike.
The Heavenly One-Second Law was cruel—but it was absolute.
"If I don't kill them," Li Wei thought coldly,
"they will kill me."
That night, pain burning through his body, Li Wei made a decision.
After he recovered—
He would go to the sect library.
Elemental techniques.
Long-range.
Guaranteed.
If Heaven demanded one second—
Then he would master the second itself.