Starting as a Talisman Master

From the high platform, Master Yan observed the entire exchange. His expression remained stern as he offered his commentary indifferently:

"Zhao Ya, you have been stuck at the eighth level of Qi Refining for many years. Your combat skills seem sophisticated, but in reality, you rely too much on suppressing your cultivation level."

"The wooden method traps the enemy, making them rigid in their movements. Once they get close and suffer setbacks, they lose their composure and become full of weaknesses. When you return, you need to work hard on your mental state."

Zhao Ya trembled slightly, his face showing shame, and he responded in a low voice.

Master Yan's gaze then fell on Lu Chi, pausing briefly:

"Your magical power is steady, your actions in battle are decisive, and you have also made some progress in physical cultivation. The fact that you can wield two high-grade magic weapons with ease at the seventh level of Qi Refining shows that your soul is stable and you can withstand pressure very well."

"However, the water magic you practice is incompatible with that fire-attribute longsword. Even with your powerful magic force, you still wasted 20% of your magic power. If you can find a suitable water-attribute magic weapon in the future, you will be able to advance to the next level."

Lu Chi bowed calmly: "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Uncle Yan."

"Everyone, step back."

Master Yan waved his sleeve, his cold gaze sweeping past the two men and directly to the next row of seats: "Continue the test, next one."

Zhao Ya picked up the Green Nether Spear and retreated into the crowd without saying a word.

Lu Chi walked steadily back to his seat, flicked his sleeves, and sat down cross-legged on the prayer mat again.

As soon as he sat down, Tao Feng hurriedly leaned over, trying his best to keep his voice down, but the shock in his eyes was impossible to hide:

"Junior Brother Lu, you've been hiding this too well! Two top-grade magic weapons... and the strength of that close-quarters combat. I think Zhao Ya's arm was almost crippled by that palm strike you just delivered."

The other disciples, whom he knew well, also cast complex glances at him, some in amazement, others with a hint of unfamiliar awe.

Lu Chi shook his head slightly, "Senior Brother Tao, you flatter me. This battle was only possible because I took advantage of the magic weapon and was caught off guard. In addition, Senior Brother Zhao tied his own hands and deliberately gave up 10% of his magic power, which allowed me to gain an advantage by chance. If it were based on my own cultivation of Dao techniques, how could I be a match for Senior Brother Zhao?"

Tao Feng pursed his lips, clearly not believing a word of this "lucky" explanation.

However, he knew the principle of not flaunting wealth and not easily revealing one's trump cards in the cultivation world, so he tacitly stopped investigating.

He pulled his sleeves tighter and lowered his voice, thankfully saying, "Anyway, you've finally established yourself today. Luckily, Uncle-Master Yan didn't pick me just now, otherwise, fighting with someone in this snowy weather would have been too much for my old bones."

Just then, Lu Chi's brow twitched almost imperceptibly as he keenly sensed a powerful, invisible wave sweeping across the area from the high platform, like a gentle breeze.

Just then, another pair of disciples on the stage finished their match and retreated in disgrace.

Master Yan lowered his gaze slightly, about to select the next group of people.

Because of Lu Chi's amazing performance in the battle against opponents of higher levels, Master Yan naturally paid more attention to this corner. With a sweep of his powerful divine sense, he clearly heard Tao Feng's gloating mutter.

Master Yan's cold, hard face remained expressionless as he spoke calmly, his voice clearly resounding throughout the dojo: "Tao Feng, and Chen Ping beside you, you two, come up on stage and practice."

Chen Ping, who was mentioned, is also an old disciple at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Tao Feng's relieved smile froze instantly, as if he had been struck by lightning.

He wanted nothing more than to slap himself on the spot. With a bitter expression, he shuffled to his feet, letting out a lament as if heading to his execution: "Well, just what I feared most has come to pass..."

Several disciples nearby suppressed their laughter and cast sympathetic glances at him.

A barely perceptible smile flashed in Lu Chi's eyes as he slightly raised his hand in a "please" gesture.

Both were at the eighth level of Qi Refining, so their fighting skills were evenly matched.

Although Tao Feng complained, he didn't hold back with his actions. He mainly cultivated wood-based techniques, and as soon as he made a move, several thick green vines broke through the snow, protecting his body like green pythons. He also used his wood spike techniques with considerable skill.

The two exchanged blows on the stage, taking up most of the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. In the end, Tao Feng was slightly slow in circulating his magic power when casting a high-level vine technique, which Chen Ping seized upon, shattering his protective aura with a single blow, leaving him defeated and covered in dust.

On the high platform, Master Yan had witnessed the entire event and commented coldly, "Chen Ping, your eyesight is decent, and you're good at seizing weaknesses. But if you keep attacking relentlessly and fail to achieve a decisive victory in one strike, you'll inevitably run out of steam later. Go back and practice your Qi recovery techniques more."

Then his gaze turned to Tao Feng: "Tao Feng, your wood-type magic emphasizes continuous life, but you use it too rigidly. Although the vines are strong, they have lost the flexibility and adaptability that wood should have. By simply defending, you will lose the whole game as soon as a flaw is exposed."

"Your disciple has learned much." The two men responded repeatedly and respectfully withdrew.

Tao Feng patted his snow-covered robe back onto the prayer mat.

He had expected to be severely scolded by his senior uncle for his public defeat, but to his surprise, today's comments only focused on the gains and losses of the techniques. Compared to his usual reprimands of "a piece of rotten wood that cannot be carved," the comments were much gentler.

After a moment's thought, his bitter face brightened, and he winked at Lu Chi with a low voice, "Junior Brother Lu, did you hear that? Uncle Yan didn't scold anyone today! It seems that my years of studying day and night have finally made progress in this vine technique."

After saying that, he looked at Lu Chi again and chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Of course, I can't compare to a fighting freak like you."

As time passed, the sun gradually set in the west. Master Yan summarized a few common problems in spiritual practice, then waved his sleeve and announced the end of today's sermon.

Everyone rose to see him off. After Master Yan transformed into a rainbow and departed, the solemn atmosphere in the temple instantly relaxed.

Lu Chi and Tao Feng walked out side by side. Unlike the deserted entrance they had entered, this time, many outer sect disciples who were previously only vaguely familiar with them stopped and greeted them with beaming smiles and clasped hands.

"Junior Brother Lu, what skillful methods!" "Senior Brother Lu, please come visit my courtyard sometime in the future." and so on.

In the cultivation world, strength reigns supreme. The methods Lu Chi displayed today have completely won the awe of these lower-level cultivators. Lu Chi responded calmly to these deliberate attempts to curry favor, neither overly enthusiastic nor impolite, nodding in response to each one.

Just as the two reached the edge of the dojo, a slightly tall figure blocked their way.

Although the newcomer's face was still somewhat pale, his expression had returned to calm. He was none other than Zhao Ya, who had previously been defeated by Lu Chi.

Seeing him blocking his way, Tao Feng immediately stepped forward warily. Zhao Ya, however, ignored Tao Feng and looked calmly at Lu Chi, bowing deeply with his hands clasped: "Junior Brother Lu, in today's contest, I was outmatched. I have offended you in the past, and I hope you will not take it to heart."

Lu Chi calmly observed his opponent. In the battle on the stage just now, Zhao Ya was clearly driven to the brink of despair at the last moment, with half of his body paralyzed by lightning, yet he still gritted his teeth and persevered, not breaking his promise to release the one-tenth of his suppressed magic power.

Although he acts somewhat arrogantly, he is a decent person who follows the rules and accepts his losses.

Since the other party had offered him a way out, he didn't want to make an enemy out of thin air, so he returned the gesture with a bow and spoke in a gentle tone:

"Senior Brother Zhao, you flatter me. It's just a friendly exchange between fellow disciples, nothing more. There's no question of offending anyone. We'll both be cultivating on Hundred Herbs Peak from now on. If I have any questions about spiritual plants, I might need your guidance."

Seeing that Lu Chi was so accommodating and showed no arrogance of a victor, a complex mix of emotions and relief flashed in Zhao Ya's eyes. He nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Chapter 106, "Establishing a Foothold" (Third Update), is now available! Read it now!