I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

Chapter 338: Chapter 339: The Invincible Mindset You Don't Understand

Li Xiaobai withdrew the Hellfire, having invested too many cultivation resources overnight.

A preliminary estimate suggested that, if these resources were auctioned at the Treasure Pavilion, they would fetch several million top-grade Spirit Stones, and if advertised in the Immortal Spirit Daily, maybe even breaking ten million with a little hype.

This Hellfire is too costly; it might as well be called a bankruptcy flame.

However, the overnight gains could still be considered a minor victory.

[Hellfire (Divine Level Skill): Current coverage range: ninety-nine meters.]

A coverage range of nearly one hundred meters from the start was quite impressive, as the larger the initial coverage area of the flame, the faster the burning speed would be later on.

But the thought of pouring millions of top-grade Spirit Stones into it just to increase the coverage by several tens of meters made Li Xiaobai's heart ache.

It's damn painful.

From now on, it's better to burn cultivators instead.

Not just Li Xiaobai felt the pinch—Ji Wuqing felt it even more. It wanted to snatch the resources but was too afraid of the Hellfire's power, and has been forced to watch precious medicinal herbs and Heaven and Earth Treasures being thrown into the flames and burned all night long.

Its eyeballs were red, and now, full of bloodshot eyes, it weakly said to Li Xiaobai.

"Hehe, kid, you've wasted so many Heaven and Earth Treasures on this stupid fire!"

"Do you have any idea how much agony is in my heart!"

Li Xiaobai chuckled: "Everything is for the sake of strength; I can bear this small sacrifice."

It was necessary to increase the initial range of the fire. This time, the Hellfire was able to spread across the entire wasteland mainly due to luck, as the periphery of the No-Man's Land border did not encounter any powerful cultivators, and the enemies were all slow-moving Flesh Mountains without any self-awareness.

The most crucial factor was that this area provided enough space for the fire to burn.

Only under the perfect combination of time, place, and people could the Hellfire achieve such a feat.

If it were a different location, one wouldn't be lucky each time, waiting for the fire to complete a vast coverage area.

Therefore, it's still best to increase the initial coverage range of the fire as soon as possible; ideally, the kind that stretches for thousands of miles as soon as it is unleashed. Just thinking about it is exciting.

But that can only remain a thought, for, as one advances, the resources required become even more precious. Just increasing the coverage by a few tens of meters consumed several million top-grade Spirit Stones, making the ultimate goal of stretching for thousands of miles seem far out of reach.

Moreover, this flame was of great use to himself, and he didn't wish to expose it too much in front of others for the time being.

"Bang bang bang!"

There came a knock on the door from outside.

"Boss, it's almost noon, we should set off."

The voice of Yang Huan came through.

Li Xiaobai nodded slightly: "Got it, let's go."

Picking up Ji Wuqing, Li Xiaobai pushed open the door and walked out slowly.

"Lead the way ahead."

...

Inside the Holy City and the four city forts, any form of private brawling is prohibited—arenas are the only place where one could resolve issues with force.

Each city has an arena, usually for when cultivators dispute the unequal distribution of battle credits and want to speak with their abilities.

There are also cultivators who simply want to prove what they've learned, challenging a certain genius—such occurrences are not uncommon.

But today, the area around the arena was packed with people, as Li Xiaobai's fame was just too great, and unexpectedly, he made an appearance in the borderland, directly in the Holy City no less.

Wu De is one of the top talents from Central Province, powerfully strong, having already reached the Spirit Realm Great Perfection. They all wanted to see just how much weight the much-hyped Demon Sword Li Xiaobai really carried.

By the time Li Xiaobai arrived, the surroundings of the arena were already swarming with people. Sitting on the high platform were the City Lord of Holy City, Yang Guang, along with the City Lords of the third and fourth battlefields as judges.

The crowd below was buzzing with speculation.

"How come Li Xiaobai hasn't arrived yet?"

"Yeah, he's making quite an entrance. Wu De has been here for ages."

"Who do you think is stronger, Li Xiaobai or Wu De?"

"Do we even have to say, of course, it's Wu De. Just two days ago he slaughtered a massive Flesh Mountain on the third battlefield—saw it with my own eyes!"

"Yeah, Li Xiaobai may have a big name, but it's all just a reputation built on making trouble and hype. The Immortal Spirit Daily has never recorded a single instance of him defeating a talented young cultivator fair and square."

"But, for the ancestors of all tribes in Central Province to issue a joint bounty, this man must hold some significant secrets. Given he's appeared at the border, I'm afraid he won't be able to get out."

"True, it's not just us, tens of millions of top-grade Spirit Stones would probably tempt even the City Lords."

The cultivators exchanged glances and words, and none seemed to have a high opinion of Li Xiaobai.

Some even started a betting pool, wagering on who would win.

"Big or small, place your bets, everyone! A swell of wealth awaits, don't miss out!"

Li Xiaobai glanced at the odds, one to a hundred, hardly anyone betting on him.

He shook his head with a chuckle, waved his hand, and gestured for Yang Huan to come closer.

"Fancy making a quick buck?"

"Your wish is my command!"

Yang Huan replied.

"Go and bet on that guy, bet on me to win, wager as much as you like."

Li Xiaobai said with a light smile.

"Got it, boss!"

A glint appeared in Yang Huan's eyes. This was indeed a great opportunity to make money. With odds like one to a hundred, it was a sure-fire way to wealth!

"Make way, I'm coming through."

Li Xiaobai moved through the crowd, showing strong defensive power, but not enough strength. He was pushed and shoved in the sea of people, resulting in the surrounding cultivators laughing loudly.

"Is that it?"

"Are you really a chosen one? You can't even part a crowd. Are you serious?"

"No way, could it really be that someone can't even push their way onto the stage?"

The onlookers were full of mockery. It was forbidden to fly within the city, so no one could levitate.

But the real talents bifurcated the crowd and walked calmly onto the stage. Here was Li Xiaobai, being squeezed this way and that in the crowd, looking just like a bumpkin who had never seen the world, nothing like a talent at all.

A hint of mockery flashed across Wu De's eyes as well.

"Young Master Li, can't make it up? How about I give you a hand?"

Watching the laughing crowd around him, Li Xiaobai really wanted to unleash Hellfire and burn them all, but in the end, he restrained himself. Lack of patience could mess up the bigger plan. He had a strategy and shouldn't lower himself to their level.

After some pushing and shoving, he finally made it onto the stage.

"The true essence lies in simplicity, cultivators should seek enlightenment of the universe's truths from the ordinary. You don't understand, only thinking of showing off and slapping faces. You're still too young."

"That includes all of you below, too impetuous."

"You don't understand the mindset of the unbeatable path."

Li Xiaobai said calmly.

"Pah!"

"Where did this dude pop up from? He's genuinely shameless!"

"Forget the false modesty. Brother Wu, don't waste words, just finish him off!"

"If it weren't for my kind gesture just now, you wouldn't even have made it onto the stage. Who do you think you are, acting so full of yourself!"

The crowd below erupted in anger; Li Xiaobai's demeanor was too arrogant. They couldn't stand it.

On the high platform, Yang Guang's expression was somewhat odd. Li Xiaobai was as consistently... confident?