Life or Death Challenge

"Du Fuwei, if you don't walk away right this instant, don't blame me for being rude to you later!" Xiao Mei said to him with narrowed eyes and a frown on her cute face.

"What are you going to do, beat me? Don't you know that disciples are prohibited from injuring each other unless they are on the Life or Death stage?! Even if you are a genius, you won't get away with ignoring the Sect's rules!" Du Fuwei said.

"That's a load of bullshit, you hypocrite! I know that you and your goons have been bullying Wu Tianyi for some time now!" Xiao Mei rebuked.

"Hmph! Who do you think I am?! My uncle is a Senior Elder for the Junior Disciples! Why do I have to abide by the same rule as you peasants?!"

Hearing his words, Xiao Mei fumed with anger, "I don't care if your uncle is a Senior Elder for the Junior Disciples or the Senior Disciples, I will still beat you up if you dare to touch Wu Tianyi today!"

"Hmph! I don't want to waste my precious time with you any longer. If you want to beat me, then do it. Just be ready for the consequences later!"

"As for you, Wu Tianyi, give me your allowance for this month! If you don't give me your spirit stones, I will make sure that you will never live another peaceful day while you are a disciple here!" Du Fuwei threatened him with an arrogant expression.

Wu Tianyi remained nonchalant and spoke, "It's been a very, very long time since I have experienced such a situation. However, out of the countless nonsense that leaves your mouth, I have to agree with you on one thing."

After a moment of silence, he continued to speak, "I also don't have the time to play childish games with you. Instead, why don't we settle this once and for all on the Life or Death stage?"

"..."

The place turned silent with everybody there staring at Wu Tianyi with shocked expressions.

"Hahahahaha!" Du Fuwei burst out laughing a moment later, laughing until his stomach hurt.

"You want to challenge me to a Life or Death challenge?! You are not worthy!"

"Are you afraid to lose to someone as useless as me?" Wu Tianyi narrowed his eyes with a mocking smile on his face. "Coward."

"...What did you just call me?" Du Fuwei looked at him with killing intent in his eyes.

"I will repeat it as many times as you want, you coward." Wu Tianyi calmly said.

"Good, good, good! If you really want to die that badly, then allow me to help you out! Your Life or Death challenge, I will accept it! I will meet you at the Life or Death stage in three days at the same time! Don't you dare run away now, Wu Tianyi!"

Du Fuwei shouted before stomping away with rage.

"B-Brother Tianyi, what have you done?! Why would you challenge Du Fuwei to a Life or Death?! He's someone who has already reached the fourth level in Qi Condensation! You won't be able to beat him with your second level!"

Xiao Mei showed deep concern for his seemingly rash actions.

"It's still not too late to back out on the challenge, as it has not yet been approved by a Sect Elder!"

"Don't worry. Someone at Du Fuwei's level, I can kill them with a single slap." Wu Tianyi said to her.

"You… you have gone crazy! As I had expected, your head must have been negatively affected after being beaten for so long! I'm sorry, Brother Tianyi, that I wasn't able to protect you fast enough…"

"..." Wu Tianyi was speechless. This shorty had zero faith in him.

"You just focus on reaching the seventh level and becoming a Senior Disciple. Let me worry about Du Fuwei."

"I won't be able to cultivate properly knowing that you will be fighting on the Life or Death stage! This is all your fault!"

Wu Tianyi sighed and suddenly grabbed Xiao Mei's hand, startling her greatly.

"W-What are you doing, Brother Tianyi?!" she immediately blushed.

A few seconds later, Wu Tianyi revealed some of his cultivation base to her.

"S-S-Seventh level Qi Condensation! How is this possible?! You were clearly only at the second level right before the summer vacation!"

"I told you that I was on a mission during the break, right? Well, I had a fortunate encounter with this divine medicine, and it helped my cultivation greatly."

Xiao Mei looked at him with her mouth wide open.

[What kind of divine medicine could possibly have such powerful effects?!] she cried inwardly.

"Now you understand why I'm not afraid of Du Fuwei," said Wu Tianyi, and he continued, "So hurry up and enter the seventh level, so that we can become Senior Disciples together."

"I-I-I understand! I will not disappoint you!" Xiao Mei said to him before hastily running back to her room to cultivate.

The following day, a Sect Elder appeared before Wu Tianyi to confirm his Life or Death challenge with Du Fuwei.

"Du Fuwei has challenged you to a Life or Death. Do you accept?" The Elder asked him.

"I do." He casually said.

"Very well. I have acknowledged your answer. The two of you will appear at the Life or Death stage in two days, and I will be there to oversee it."

The word of Wu Tianyi's Life or Death challenge with Du Fuwei spread within the Junior Disciples like wildfire, and by the end of the day, almost every Junior Disciple knew about their match.

The last time someone stood on the Life or Death stage was almost a year ago, and because of Du Fuwei's reputation within the sect, almost everybody became interested in the match.

One the day before the Life or Death challenge, Xiao Mei knocked on Wu Tianyi's door.

"Oh? Congratulations on your breakthrough." Wu Tianyi immediately realized that she had entered the seventh level Qi Condensation.

"So? What do you want?" He then asked her.

"I came here to return the rest of these."

Xiao Mei showed him the small pouch he handed her the other day.

Wu Tianyi looked at her with a puzzled face. "Why?"

"Because you need them more than me." Xiao Mei said with a serious expression. "You were only able to reach the seventh level due to a fortunate encounter with a divine medicine, but how many of those are you going to find in your lifetime? Although I am overwhelmed with happiness that you would give me so many spirit stones, I think you need them more than I do."

Wu Tianyi had given her 30 spirit stones, which is worth as much as a year's worth of allowance for Junior Disciples, but Xiao Mei only used what she needed for the breakthrough and wants to return the rest to him, as she believes that he needs them more than she does.

However, as one would have expected, Wu Tianyi shook his head and said, "I won't take back something that I have already given away. Furthermore, it's only 30 spirit stones."

"What do you mean it's 'only' 30 spirit stones?! A single spirit stone can support an average cultivator for three to four days before it runs out of spiritual energy and breaks, and we only get three a month! Without these spirit stones, your cultivation speed will decrease by at least ten-folds, and that's not including your lack of talent! I don't want you to fall behind me too much once we become Senior Disciples! I also don't want you to stop at a mere Senior Disciple! I want to see you become an Elite Disciple!"

Although she didn't want to be harsh on him, it is a known fact that Wu Tianyi has almost no talent in cultivation, hence why he remained in the second level for two years without any improvements whilst everyone else reached at least the third level.

"..." Wu Tianyi was speechless. He didn't think she cared so much about him.

And while she didn't mention it, she actually wanted him to become an Elite Disciple so nobody could bully him again.

[If you become an Elite Disciple, nobody would look down on you ever again, and… if we ever get together, nobody would have any complaints…] Xiao Mei thought to herself.

"You want me to become an Elite Disciple? Why?" He asked her.

"Because I want you to!" Xiao Mei firmly nodded.

Wu Tianyi showed a smile on his face and said, "As always, you're very selfish."

"So what?! As your Elder Sister, you have to listen to me, anyway!"

Wu Tianyi placed his hand on her head effortlessly and spoke in a sarcastic tone, "Yes, yes. I understand, Elder Sister."

"Don't call me short!" Xiao Mei instantly frowned.

"I didn't say that, though."

"I can hear it in your voice! Hmph! I hope you get your ass beat tomorrow!"

"..."

After a second of silence, she continued, "On a second thought, don't lose tomorrow so I can personally kick your ass for making me worried!"

"Whatever you say." Wu Tianyi shrugged.