Pi Fujie thought to himself: "How can you, Shen Xi, compare to me?"
"In the Shen Family and Pi Family, we hold equivalent positions, often compared to each other, both considered as the face of the Foundation Establishment and future hopes. But I possess innate talent, whereas you do not. Do you really think your future can rival mine?"
A life-and-death battle now? Pi Fujie felt he would be at a great disadvantage.
Why would he do this?
He couldn’t find a reason.
He could have cultivated to a later stage, showcasing the value of his talent and achieving overwhelming superiority before settling the score with Shen Xi!
Therefore, Pi Fujie had no desire to accept a duel to the death, but he didn’t want to miss this chance to compete.
This competition wasn’t just his personal thought; it was also the grudges between the two families.
The hatred between the Shen Family and Pi Family ran too deep, long since becoming mortal enemies!
Shen Xi and Pi Fujie were the representatives of their families, and each took their competition very seriously. It wasn’t just a fight between the two of them, but a contest between the Shen Family and Pi Family, filled with intense political implications.
Each victory or defeat in their contests significantly impacted Shen Xi and Pi Fujie, as each had the substantial backing of their respective families!
Pi Fujie didn’t want to duel Shen Xi to the death, but he absolutely couldn’t just retreat like this.
Retreating would mean conceding defeat out of fear. The Pi Family’s face would be lost, and as a family originally from the Demon Path, Pi Fujie would certainly face family retribution.
Seeing Pi Fujie hesitating, a gleam flashed in the depths of Shen Xi’s and Ning Zhuo’s eyes. Both were shrewd and immediately recognized Pi Fujie’s thoughts.
Shen Xi’s lips curled into a slight smile before calming down, seizing the opportunity to push: "Pi Fujie, could it be that you’re afraid? What, don’t dare to have a death match with me in the arena?"
Su Lingkou was extremely worried and couldn’t help but tug secretly at Shen Xi’s sleeve.
She feared Pi Fujie would indeed accept the martial arts challenge, putting her cousin’s life at risk.
"My cousin is too brave!"
"He forgets he’s of noble status, with a promising future ahead. Why resort to a life-and-death fight right away?"
Pi Fujie snorted coldly: "Such a shallow agitation, hmph! I am not a reckless brute, and this time I bear a heavy responsibility, representing my family in joining the Myriad Images Sect. Shen Xi, just wait! You and I will definitely have a life-and-death duel, but let’s store it for the future first."
Such a statement alone certainly wouldn’t suffice. But Pi Fujie already had a plan, and he directed his gaze towards Ning Zhuo.
"Is this the cultivator you’ve recruited this time?" Pi Fujie misinterpreted the relationship between Shen Xi and Ning Zhuo.
"Haha, this person is quite handsome, Shen Xi, is this your preference?" Pi Fujie attempted to slander Shen Xi’s reputation and divert trouble.
He couldn’t easily handle Shen Xi’s challenge, but Ning Zhuo by Shen Xi’s side, dressed simply with low mana aura, seemed easier to bully.
As for Su Lingkou, Pi Fujie knew her. If he were to deal with Shen Xi’s cousin, how could Shen Xi let it slide?
But the unfamiliar cultivator beside Shen Xi wasn’t reflected in the intelligence; he should be an outsider.
Bullying this outsider a bit, using this to withdraw from the conflict, and report back to the family was precisely Pi Fujie’s plan.
He was mistaken in his plan.
Upon hearing this, Ning Zhuo raised an eyebrow slightly, smiled faintly, and directly exuded a sharp killing intent.
He squinted, looking Pi Fujie up and down, and said leisurely: "Interesting. There’s actually a Foundation Establishment Cultivator daring to speak to me like that. Haha, it’s been a long time since someone did that."
Pi Fujie couldn’t help but be secretly surprised, a question arising in his mind: "Who is this person, and why such a big mouth?"
"His mana aura... is clearly only a Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage Cultivator."
Shen Xi heard Ning Zhuo’s response and was secretly amazed by the latter’s toughness but also somewhat delighted. This was the scene he hoped to see.
Su Lingkou smiled slightly; for a moment, she found Ning Zhuo much more pleasant to look at.
She suddenly thought of Ning Zhuo handling Yu Heye and Lin Jinglong earlier, which left her and her cousin guessing Ning Zhuo’s background: "Isn’t this a perfect chance to probe?"
She immediately goaded Ning Zhuo: "I see, it’s because Young Master Pi sees you, Daoist Fellow Ning, as a cultivator with low cultivation level, looking to pick an easy target."
What she said was the truth, but Shen Xi’s expression immediately changed slightly, thinking inwardly: "Oh no, how could Ning Zhuo, such a character, not see through my cousin’s mind?"
Shen Xi quickly salvaged the situation: "Brother Ning, Mr. Pi is blind; why bother with such a man? Besides, this is a long-standing grudge between the Shen Family and the Pi Family. The Pi Family is from the Demon Path, and years ago, they slaughtered the innocent to collect souls for cultivation..."
Pi Fujie couldn’t listen anymore and interrupted directly: "Nonsense! My Pi Family is a righteous path, officially recognized by the Flying Cloud Country! Even here in the Myriad Images Sect, which is also part of Flying Cloud Country, how can you, a mere underling, reverse black and white and slander our good name?"
Shen Xi sneered coldly.
Ning Zhuo’s gaze remained indifferent.
He was well aware of the issues between the Shen Family and Pi Family.
During the banquet hosted for Lin Jinglong, he had inquired about the Shen Family’s matters, knowing Shen Xi wasn’t wrong.
Before its foundation, the Pi Family was a gang of demon cultivators, extremely cruel and evil.
They roamed, committing crimes and slaughtering beings for their souls, using them as primary materials, inscribing talismans on their own skin, to enhance their power.
In these actions, the demon cultivator gang became enemies with the Shen Family. They frequently targeted villages within the Shen Family’s territory, prompting strong investigations and dispatches for retribution from the Shen Family.
As the attacks and defenses between both sides continued, gaining and losing each time, the conflicts further deepened.
Pi Family’s enemies weren’t only Shen Family, but the conflict with Shen Family was the deepest.
The Shen Family began to form alliances, and after prolonged fierce battles, realizing its predicament, the Pi Family spent enormous resources to "persuade" acceptance from the government of Flying Cloud Country, cleansing the family’s name to align with the righteous path.
However, due to this, the Pi Family could no longer engage in past massacres.
If they wished to acquire souls now, they could only set up Ghost Gate Pass to hunt from the Netherworld.
Ning Zhuo was displaying a tough stance deliberately.
Pi Fujie immediately restrained himself a bit, locking his gaze on Ning Zhuo: "May I ask, sir, your esteemed name and origins?"
Ning Zhuo chuckled coldly, raising his head slightly: "You aren’t worthy to ask. Come on, the Martial Arts Arena is right here, I’m accepting this life-and-death battle on behalf of Brother Shen. Are you afraid of Brother Shen, and also afraid of an unknown nobody like me?"
"Which unknown nobody dares to speak to me like this?" Pi Fujie was infuriated, almost rolling his eyes.
"Why is everyone here so ready to jump into life-and-death battles?"
"Aren’t you from noble families? Don’t you know a gentleman doesn’t stand under a collapsing wall? Is it fun to keep calling for fights and battles?"
"Shouldn’t such fighting and killing be left to henchmen and subordinates?"
Pi Fujie, though unaware of Ning Zhuo’s background, could infer from Shen Xi’s attitude of treating Ning Zhuo as an equal, that Ning Zhuo was certainly not simple.
Pi Fujie was even more reluctant to fight.
"Fighting him is much less than fighting Shen Xi."
"At least, I understand Shen Xi quite well. But this person, I simply can’t gauge."
Thinking of this, Pi Fujie gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Damn, couldn’t you at least be better dressed?"
Ning Zhuo’s humble attire was not as fine as Shen Xi’s or Su Lingkou’s, and seemed less intimidating, especially for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
"What, don’t dare? Can’t even accept a challenge from a mere Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage Cultivator like me?" Ning Zhuo retorted with a cold smile.
Since Pi Fujie showed a flaw earlier, Ning Zhuo decided to press the advantage.
Pi Fujie suppressed his anger, cupped his hands, and asked: "May I ask your honored name and background?"
Ning Zhuo leisurely fanned himself with the Five Elements Mechanism Fan and said, "Curious, are you? That’s fine."
"Let’s have a life-and-death match, and before I kill you, I’ll tell you."
"Rest assured, I’ll let you die knowing."
Ning Zhuo certainly wouldn’t reveal his identity or background. The Ning Family had fled North Wind Country and was currently stabilizing its position in Southern Bean Country with the help of the Zhu Family.
Ning Zhuo once again displayed a strong stance. Mainly because he truly didn’t see Pi Fujie as a threat.