The crowd was dumbfounded. Li Hen, a known Lingwu expert, definitely had the right to threaten Li Wu. But now, Li Xiaoyao, who was supposed to be a nobody, was telling Li Wu to get lost too.

Anger and shame flared up in Li Wu. Being humiliated by Li Hen was already unbearable, but for Li Xiaoyao, a mere waste of space, to talk down to him like this? His pride was burning, his heart cold as ice.

"You're asking for it," Li Wu's voice dripped with malice, but before he could act, a heavy pressure came down on him. This wasn't as strong as Li Hen's, but it was still enough to make Li Wu feel suffocated. It was oppressive, dangerous.

"Three," Li Xiaoyao's calm voice cut through the tension as he stepped forward. With that step, the pressure around Li Wu increased, tightening around him like a vice. The anger in his eyes faded, replaced by shock and disbelief.

Li Wu, a warrior of the ninth level of Qiwu, was being crushed by the mere presence of someone he had considered a weakling.

The onlookers couldn't understand what was happening. All they saw was Li Wu, who had been filled with rage moments ago, now frozen in his tracks. Li Xiaoyao, usually calm and unassuming, had taken on an aura that was sharp, deadly, and undeniable. Even if they couldn't feel the pressure directed at Li Wu, it was clear something had shifted. Li Xiaoyao wasn't just standing there anymore; he belonged there, as though he was part of the very fabric of the world around him.

"Two." With another step forward, Li Xiaoyao spoke again. His voice wasn't loud, but it hit Li Wu like a hammer to the chest. Without thinking, Li Wu staggered back a step, his will to fight completely shattered.

It seemed ridiculous, but with just two steps, Li Xiaoyao had broken Li Wu's confidence.

"What's going on? Li Wu's backing off?" someone muttered.

"It's like Li Xiaoyao has changed. He's not a nobody anymore—he's like a blade out of its sheath, ready to cut down anyone in his way."

"One more step," Li Xiaoyao smiled at Li Wu, but to Li Wu, that smile felt like a mockery. Facing this "nobody," he didn't even have the courage to fight back anymore.

The spear in Li Wu's hand clattered to the ground. His eyes no longer held any of their previous arrogance or sharpness. If Li Hen's humiliation had cracked his pride, showing him his weaknesses, then Li Xiaoyao's dominance had utterly shattered his confidence. It wasn't just shame—Li Xiaoyao had crushed the very core of his beliefs, breaking his obsession with martial arts. This kind of blow ran far deeper than mere embarrassment; it could even affect his future training.

"I give up." Li Wu took a deep breath, his voice tinged with confusion. The strength and pride he once thought were unshakable now felt hollow and insignificant.

"Give up?" Li Xiaoyao sneered, "I told you to get lost."

After all the humiliation Li Wu had thrown at him, could two simple words—'I give up'—really settle things?

If Li Wu had beaten him, Li Xiaoyao knew for sure that he would've faced all kinds of torment and ridicule. Li Wu would never have let him off so easily. And now, just because Li Wu realized he wasn't as strong as Li Xiaoyao, he thought surrendering was enough? What about all the insults he had thrown around so casually before? Were they just forgotten?

Of course not. Li Xiaoyao wasn't some saint—he was just a regular guy, someone who loved and hated with intensity.

"So, just giving up is enough for you? You called me trash, a disgrace to my family. I didn't even argue back—I let you say whatever you wanted. Did you ever stop and think maybe that was enough? You got humiliated by others and decided to take it out on me, trying to shame me. Did you ever wonder if that was enough?" Li Xiaoyao chuckled coldly. "And now, because you've figured out you're not as good as me, just saying 'I give up' is supposed to fix everything? Don't you think that's a little funny?"

Li Wu's face went pale, then flushed red, looking about as bad as someone could get.

"Looks like time's up," Li Xiaoyao smirked. "I'll give you one last chance. Get lost, or deal with the consequences."

As he spoke, Li Xiaoyao took another step forward. Li Wu grunted in pain, collapsing to the ground, his face full of shame and helplessness.

A cold, murderous intent suddenly filled the air. The defeated Li Wu felt a chill run down his spine. No matter how much shame or frustration he felt, he couldn't shake the terror brought by that icy killing intent.

"I'll go." Li Wu laughed, but it was a hollow, bitter laugh. Then, he fell to the ground and slowly rolled off the stage, just as Li Xiaoyao had ordered.

"Trash, a disgrace to the family."

"Trash is still trash, using these low, despicable tactics."

"Just roll off yourself. Don't embarrass yourself any more than you already have."

As Li Wu rolled off the stage, he recalled all the insults he had hurled at Li Xiaoyao. Now, looking back on them, they seemed ridiculous. How had he, with his ninth-level Qiwu strength and supposed talent, ended up in such a humiliating position?

The crowd stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief as they watched Li Wu roll across the stage. None of them had actually expected this to happen. They thought Li Xiaoyao was crazy for even demanding it, but there he was, making Li Wu roll off the stage, just as he'd promised.

"Li Wu!" The Seventh Elder shot to his feet, his body trembling. How could this happen? His son was supposed to be the pride of the family, one of their most talented members, only slightly overshadowed by Li Xin. But now, in such a short span of time, Li Wu had been humiliated twice, and here he was—rolling on the ground.

"Damn it!" Rage and killing intent radiated from the Seventh Elder.

"Hmph."

Li Kai felt the murderous aura and snorted coldly. The air around them seemed to freeze over, a biting chill settling in the area.

"Calm down," Li Batian glanced at the Seventh Elder, his voice cold. "Don't worry, that waste won't stay cocky for long."

But the Seventh Elder's anger didn't fade. He glared at Li Kai, then grudgingly sat back down.

"Li Xiaoyao wins." The Sixth Elder announced, his gaze lingering on Li Xiaoyao for a moment.

Li Xiaoyao was different from most of the direct descendants of the Li family. While others inherited fiery or ice-based martial spirits, he was stuck with the shadow of a snake. Unlike the fierce and powerful beast spirits, this snake was weak, almost useless, earning him the reputation of a waste. His cultivation speed was painfully slow, too, making him the laughingstock of the family.

But now, this so-called waste had defeated Li Yan with a single strike and reduced the once-arrogant Li Wu to rolling in the dirt. Was Li Xiaoyao still the same waste everyone thought he was?

"Like father, like son," the Sixth Elder muttered, snapping out of his thoughts. "We'll rest for half an hour before the final match."

"No need for that, Elder," Li Xin's voice was calm but carried a note of pride. "None of us have really used much energy. Let's just get on with it."

"That's right, let's start." Li Yang chimed in, backing his sister. With the siblings taking two of the final four spots, today seemed like a victory for their father, Li Batian.

The Sixth Elder turned his gaze to Li Xiaoyao and asked, "What do you think?"

As for his own son, Li Hen, the Elder already had the authority to decide on his behalf.

"I'm good with that," Li Xiaoyao nodded. After all, he hadn't really had a proper fight yet.

"Alright then, if no one has any objections, let's move forward." The Sixth Elder decided quickly, "For the final matchups, Li Xiaoyao will face Li Yang, and Li Xin will face Li Hen. Li Xiaoyao and Li Yang will go first."

"The Sixth Elder is really putting Li Hen against Li Xin? Looks like he has a lot of faith in Li Hen."

"Of course. Li Hen's just as strong as Li Xin—they're both in the Spiritual Martial Realm. Li Yang's tough, but he's no match for them. As for Li Xiaoyao, there's no way he can beat Li Hen either. The real showdown is between Li Xin and Li Hen. The Sixth Elder probably arranged it that way to focus on strength over rank."

The crowd buzzed with speculation. Just then, Li Batian stood up and spoke in a booming voice, "Sixth Elder, if I may say a few words."

"Go ahead." The Sixth Elder nodded.

"These four are the best of our family's young generation. I think surrendering shouldn't be an option. The only way to win should be to completely knock your opponent down. This will force them to tap into their full potential, and we'll see their true power." As Li Batian spoke, his eyes flickered to Li Kai from time to time, as if provoking him.

"That's harsh. Looks like the patriarch wants Li Yang to go all out on Li Xiaoyao," many in the crowd murmured to themselves, catching on to Li Batian's intentions.

"Patriarch, what do you think of my proposal?" Li Batian asked, emphasizing the word "patriarch" with a sneer as he looked at Li Kai. If Li Kai agreed, Li Xiaoyao would be in real danger. But if he refused, his authority as the head of the family would be questioned, and Li Batian might use that to his advantage.