There was no doubt that the stick was completely ordinary, but in the hands of Jie Fu Lian, even a normal stick could become a sword.
The man immediately lost consciousness as his head hit the ground and caused a huge dent.
The audience took a minute to react and the sect elder who seemed to be the man's teacher, couldn't help but look at Jie Fu Lian with a hint of embarrassment on his face.
"Now," Jie Fu Lian grinned widely as he looked around at the rest of the competitors, "Who dares to challenge me?"
After how the last match had ended, one would think that the rest of the competitors would at least be a little hesitant to challenge the man, but in reality, the reaction was quite the opposite.
The audience roared with excitement as a number of disciples raised their hands and challenged the boy.
Jie Fu Lian didn't look to be intimidated by the mere number of competitors who were willing to challenge him. On the contrary, his smile deepened as he felt a sense of excitement.
Shi XiuYing who was still sitting in the guest audience seat couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at his junior martial brother Ming who seemed to be enjoying himself a bit too much.
A sword competition was really the best!
Normally, there was no way Jie Fu Lian could get away with beating a bunch of HuiXue sect disciples, but now that it was through a sword competition, he could beat them all up to his heart's content and still nobody would be able to say anything.
All of them doubted him and his skill. They were the ones who came up with nicknames for him and accused him of being an idiot with only luck.
He would be lying if he said it didn't feel good to beat them up.
Xian Huan rolled his eyes as he commented, "Would this really be okay? We came here to offer friendship, but at this rate, he might just end up with a bunch of enemies."
Xue Liang laughed at these words and replied, "If he makes enemies, then let him make enemies. Isn't it fine as long as he is having fun and we have something to talk and laugh about?"
"..." Xian Huan wanted to be a good brother who stops Jie Fu Lian from creating trouble for himself but when he heard these words, he couldn't help but agree.
The sword competition held that year was quite sensational.
There were almost a hundred HuiXue disciples that had challenged Jie Fu Lian but none were able to beat the boy.
Eventually, the sky started to darken and it was time to conclude the competition.
Everyone got ready to leave but suddenly, Jie Fu Lian pointed the wooden stick at somebody from the audience and spoke, "Hua Tianshu. How about you? Why don't you challenge me?"
Everybody immediately turned to look at Hua Tianshu with expectant gazes but the boy's reaction was rather boring to the anticipating crowd.
"I don't want to," Hua Tianshu simply sighed as he replied. His voice sounded so indifferent that Jie Fu Lian was almost left to wonder whether this boy was the same age as him or not... Why did he sound like an old grandpa...?!
Shi XiuYing couldn't help but chuckle as he heard this response, 'These two... There is definitely something between them.'
Jie Fu Lian was left stunned by the boy's words and it took him a whole minute to finally react properly.
He gritted his teeth and glared at the boy as he tried to save some face, "If brother Hua Tianshu doesn't dare, then why don't I challenge you? There is no reason for you to refuse, is there? Unless of course, you are afraid of losing."
Jie Fu Lian smirked as he looked at the boy.
His words had certainly been inciting. Since Hua Tianshu was such a proud person, he would definitely agree, wouldn't he...?
"Brother...?" Hua Tianshu repeated in almost a whisper before he sighed and spoke loudly with a small mocking smirk, "There is no glory in defeating a show-off with no supporting bone."
"..."
Everyone fell silent and Jie Fu Lian repeated the boy's words in his head just to make sure whether he had heard it right or not.
Shi XiuYing broke out laughing and tears could almost be seen on the corners of his eyes from laughing too hard.
Hua Tianshu stood up and left without saying anything more and slowly, people from the audience also started leaving.
Jie Fu Lian was the only one who had been left frozen on the stage.
Xian Huan and Xue Liang approached the boy with a straight face, as they tried their best not to laugh at their friend's face.
"Brother Ming, I think you should give up," Xian Huan spoke as he patted the boy on his back.
"It looks like he has no interest in you," Xue Liang added with a small laugh that he failed to hold back.
Jie Fu Lian's eyes were still stuck at the spot where Hua Tianshu had been sitting and it seemed that he was unable to hear anything that the two had said.
His mind had completely gone blank and the same words echoed in his ear on repeat.
There is no glory in defeating a show-off with no supporting bone...
A show-off with no supporting bone...
A show-off...
With no supporting bone...
For the first time in his life, Jie Fu Lian had the taste of pure humiliation.
"Junior martial brother Ming, don't give up yet," Shi XiuYing spoke as he approached the group with a gentle smile, "From how I see it, he isn't completely uninterested in you."
Of course, the frozen Jie Fu Lian wasn't able to hear these encouraging words either.
"Brother Ming...?" Xian Huan waved his hand in front of the boy's eyes as he called out to him but there was no reaction.
"Is he dead?" Xue Liang questioned with a frown.
"Not dead, but..." Shi XiuYing looked at the boy as he commented in all seriousness, "Certainly a bit heartbroken. We might have to carry him back."
Although it was said as a joke, in the end, Jie Fu Lian simply could not recover from the shock and they really did end up carrying him back to the guest house where they were staying at.
The next day, the results of the sword competition were announced and as expected, It was Jie Fu Lian who had won, however, the boy left the sect before dawn and hence, he did not claim any of the rewards.
Unexpectedly, not only did he not claim any rewards but he also left behind something to be remembered by.
On his way out, he attacked the innocent tree standing on the right side of the HuiXue sect's main gate.
He had heard that the tree was planted by Hua Tianshu and hence, he made sure that he left a deep impression on it as a warning to Hua Tianshu.
"I never knew Brother Ming could be so childish," Xian Huan commented with a small laugh.
"I agree," Xue Liang nodded his head and laughed.
Shi XiuYing only smiled silently without saying much.
When they came to the HuiXue sect, they were filled with excitement and their faces were decorated with smiles, but now that they were leaving, they all shared very different feelings.
"Just you wait and see!" Jie Fu Lian glared at the innocent tree that he had slashed and exclaimed, "Hua Tianshu, from this day onwards, we are enemies! You cold selfish bastard, I'll make you regret being born!"
His words were naturally never delivered to Hua Tianshu and hence, his rivalry ended up being one-sided.
Hua Tianshu who was currently sitting in his sister's room, reading a book, felt his ear itch but didn't think too much about it.
Just like that, Jie Fu Lian had finally met the famous Hua Tianshu for the first time in his life.
However, the meeting was certainly not something that he had expected nor was it a meeting that he was happy with.
Originally, he planned on thanking the boy for saving him an year ago, but now, he simply didn't want to bother thanking such a bastard who publicly humiliated him without any hesitation.
After that day, whenever someone mentioned Hua Tianshu's name, Jie Fu Lian no longer showed a flustered expression. As soon as he heard the name, his heart felt cold and his expression turned sour.
He finally brought Hua Tianshu down from the pedestal that he had placed him on.
Hua Tianshu might have innate talent but he isn't great!
He might be better than me right now but that won't last forever!
"Father, I'm entering seclusion for the next three years!" Jie Fu Lian exclaimed as soon as he got back home.
His father, who had no idea what was going on, naturally didn't think too much about it and let the boy do whatever he wanted to do. At the end of the day, there were simply no expectations he held for his son.
Who could have known that the embarrassed boy that entered a three-year seclusion would return as one of the greatest talents under the heavens...?!