Chapter 93

“Junior Brother Zhou Hong, it’s been a while,” Li Jun greeted warmly as soon as he stepped onto the stage.

Ordinarily, such forced familiarity might be irritating. But when it came from someone as handsome and refined as Li Jun—smiling with that gentle demeanor—it instead drew gasps from the crowd. A wave of shrieks followed, not only from female disciples but also from a few overly enthusiastic male ones whose voices sharpened with excitement.

As the undisputed favorite of Luoxian Sect, Li Jun had his own brand of charm. He never quarreled, always offered a helping hand, and had a spotless record since joining the sect. Coupled with his exceptional looks and strength, he was practically flawless—everyone wanted to be his friend.

Well, almost everyone.

Zhou Hong was not among them.

Clutching a long staff in one hand, Zhou stood proud and silent. The tension between Xianding Peak and Qianren Peak had always been thick, with frequent clashes. Their disciples often fought, and this generation was no different.

Li Jun had always distanced himself from these feuds, maintaining his saint-like image and never retaliating, no matter how provoked. Zhou Hong, on the other hand, had always been at the forefront of the fighting—a de facto leader of Qianren Peak before Wu Dao showed up.

Now, standing face-to-face with the top dog of Xianding Peak, Zhou naturally felt the urge to go all out and smash Li Jun’s smug face. Whether he could win was another matter.

“Cut the crap, Li Jun. Everyone knows what kind of pretentious act you put on. I didn’t come here for small talk. If you want my respect, you’ll have to beat it out of me.”

With that, Zhou Hong twirled his staff. The wind it stirred was fierce and wild.

Li Jun merely smiled. “Junior Brother Zhou, your greatest flaw is your aggression. A cultivator should be elegant and composed. Harboring too much killing intent will only hinder your path.”

Despite the insult, Li Jun kept his tone soft, his expression calm. To many junior sisters, he was the embodiment of a gentle, virLuous man—they were swooning, ready to bear his children.

To the veterans, though? He was the epitome of "oily." That kind of phony gentleness might trick naive girls, but to seasoned fighters, he was just a slick talker.

Zhou Hong snorted in disdain and charged forward. His staff was wreathed in spiritual energy and burst forth like a dragon.

Li Jun didn’t dare to underestimate him. In a flash, he drew a second-grade spiritual sword—the Starfall Blade—and met the strike.

Clang!

The end of Zhou Hong’s staff collided with Li Jun’s sword, stopping just ten centimeters from Li Jun’s throat. It was a clear death blow—Zhou wasn’t holding back.

“If Junior Brother Zhou insists, then I shall not disappoint,” Li Jun said, gracefully deflecting the staff and twirling his fingers across the sword’s blade. The Starfall Blade shimmered, as if galaxies swirled within it.

“Falling Star!”

A flash erupted from the blade, unleashing a barrage of astral light toward Zhou Hong.

Zhou quickly shifted to avoid it, but the starlight changed direction midair under Li Jun’s control and chased him down again.

“Tch, just a few glowing pebbles. Watch me smash them.”

Zhou planted his feet, braced himself, and whipped his staff into a spinning arc, knocking aside the incoming astral bolts with loud metallic clangs.

“Starfall Formation versus the Mixed-Origin Staff Art!” said Han Luo from the stands, taking on the role of commentator.

Both techniques were clearly from the Foundation Establishment tier—even if only partially mastered, using them while still at the Qi Refinement stage was proof of exceptional talent. Zhou Hong’s strength wasn’t far behind Li Jun’s at all. This battle might turn out to be the most intense of the tournament.

Li Jun danced across the field in white robes, sword in hand, his figure refined and otherworldly. Girls screamed themselves hoarse just for a glance his way.

Seeing his initial strike blocked, Li Jun tapped the air with his sword. Ripples spread out like water, and from them, a silver star emerged—thumb-sized, but weighing over a hundred pounds.

“Careful, Junior Brother Zhou. This one packs a punch.”

The silver star shot forward.

“Perfect timing!” Zhou roared, his staff transforming into a spear as he pierced the star with precision.

Clang!

The impact cracked the arena floor beneath them. Zhou sneered. “So this is your best? Xianding Peak’s bigshot isn’t so great after all.”

He flicked his staff like a serpent, sending the silver star spinning away, then dove forward.

“Mixed-Origin Burst Strike!”

His staff howled as he slammed it down toward Li Jun’s head.

Li Jun didn’t panic. His fingers shifted in a quick incantation. Suddenly, Zhou’s instincts screamed at him—his spine went cold. He leapt aside just in time.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Four more silver stars slammed into the spot where he’d just been standing, leaving deep, smooth holes in the ground. Had he been slower, he would’ve been riddled through.

“You react quickly, Junior Brother Zhou.”

Li Jun stood calmly, his sword floating around him, the four silver stars orbiting like loyal pets. His appearance was nothing short of a textbook immortal.

“Hmph. That smug face won’t last. Even stars pale before the blazing sun.”

Zhou Hong’s eyes were sharp and focused.

“Whether ugly or virLuous, in this vast universe, we’re all just stars,” Li Jun replied. “And as stars, we live only to shine for others. What’s good or evil compared to that?”

“I was born human. I’ll fight for humanity, ascend to the heavens, and bring peace to our kind. I don’t want to be a star—I want to be the sun.”

Zhou Hong’s momentum built with every word.

He knew Li Jun was powerful. The Starfall Formation was nearly unbeatable. Still, he had his own pride.

“A sun that lights up the ages, huh?” Li Jun shook his head. “It’s just a childhood fantasy. People don’t kneel for dreams. They kneel for power.”

“Show me then, how bright your sun really shines.”

Li Jun’s hands flew through another set of signs.

“Four-Star Dragon Trap Formation!”

With a cold flash, four silver stars launched toward Zhou Hong.