"Second in the ranking, but the strongest in the region?" Bai Qi voicelessly murmured, as he found such words weird to call it somehow.

He expected someone to say something about that or to call it odd. After all, not everyone in the arena was a local. Yet, what appeared to be bootlicking went unchallenged, and Bai Qi could only attribute it to either being true or entirely ignored.

Thus, broken out from his inner observation of Yi Bingweng's words, Bai Qi's now open eyes landed on the one who solicited such comment, Yi Lei.

Slightly taller and slightly more muscular than Bai Qi. Long black hair behind him as if walking against the forceful wind, Yi Lei walked onto the stage with the airs of a king. Not the assumed, faked ones of the first noble pair but the authentic presence of a ruler. His dress, a simple but elaborate martial robe, was made to look simple but was constructed by the best craftsmen and from the best materials. And while not carrying a weapon, the austere, unadorned fan in Yi Lei's left hand released spirituality not lower than a top-tier Spirit weapon.

As if in instinct, Bai Qi's usually relaxed manner changed. Bai Qi's gaze, poise, pose, even his aura. All of him transformed in a single instant. Probably provoked by Yi Lei's genuine sovereign's presence, Bai Qi's one reverted to the one he had disguised until now, to the shape of [Ruler of Nothing] how he had appeared to his companions after the [Lightning Baptism].

Bai Qi's thoughts also turned slightly more arrogant than usual, but he didn't stop his mind or the other changes. In fact, he found that his current self was the one that suited the moment best. Bai Qi inwardly laughed as he remembered the arrogance of most Arena Masters he had fought until now.

The sudden, nearly invisible, but sense-witnessed change of Bai Qi surprised everyone but two beings. Bai Ze and Bai Rui had already felt such a Bai Qi, so while everyone discussed, commented, doubted, or even gasped at the two ruler-like pressures coming from the stage, the two [White Tiger] sisters merely acknowledged it.

*

{So, he chose to reveal his new, proper self?}

{He was even accepted by the Sacred Forefather. How could he bow or feel intimidated by some random human?}

{You are right. Bai Qi has proved himself qualified, so it's only logical for his ambition to be far above the average man.}

{Proved? Hah! We both know he does not need that.} Bai Ze concluded the brief exchange with her elder sister. Since she had decided that Bai Qi was worthy, Bai Ze never doubted the fact.

*

"Now, that's something unexpected, don't you think?" Lord Yi half-turned towards his entourage. His initial plan had been to start the event and then leave for a bit as the City matters and issues didn't pause when he desired them to, yet after speaking with the young Warrior Lord and observing the first combats, Yi Lao had decided to stay here until the end.

Yi Min, like any mother, was partial to her son. And with Yi Lei being truly the strongest of his level, something he proved once and over again, she had all the right to be so. Yet, during the nine battles she had observed, Bai Qi had shown the same, if not, even more, prowess, skill, ability, and experience. Thus, to a direct question of her liege, she could only nod. After all, Bai Qi's ruler's presence wasn't lower. No, it was even more impressive than her son's!

"Whatever power got him if they develop him to the full..." One of Yi Lei's advisors shook his head before continuing, "I can only shake at the thought."

"Develop? Hah! Give that boy enough to reach our level, and I am close to thinking he will meet us as if we were his equals." Yi Qigang, being called out by his Lord before, had dropped all pretenses and observed the last four duels in earnest. And what he found from that observation could be resumed as a single statement - Bai Qi deserved the position of Conqueror as well as any other.

"Mmm, I will have to agree with both of you. Although, Qigang, meeting, and winning are different things, in this case, the fears of Gong are far scarier indeed." Yi Lei lightly laughed as he nodded to the two members of his entourage that were about to start bickering.

"...I fear to ask, but should I assume that Lord thinks my son will lose?" Yi Min had to go far over the limits of her resolve to ask, but even if struggling, she did.

"Frankly? I am unsure. Bai Qi isn't in his peak state, and while his presence overshadows Lei's, he may lose in the clash." Yi Lao responded after brief thought. But before Yi Min or the others could ask, he added, "But in a direct clash, both being in the same starting state, I am sorry, but Bai Qi has shown himself to be slightly superior, especially in experience."

"Experience that I have no way to explain." Yi Lao muttered right away. But no one would hear him, as the combat start made the crowd roar enough to hide his voice even from his Warrior King subordinates.

*

"Are you feeling well? I can grab the youngster and move you two back to the channeling room if you need it." Xu Wen turned towards the pale, heavily breathing Cai Zhenkang.

"It's not so bad as it seems. The idiot overspent himself, and as you know, it affects me several times more, but he didn't get himself injured enough for me to suffer any damage. Well, except to my honor as his master." Cai Zhenkang forced himself to smile and chuckle as he replied.

Spirit transfer was a rare method that allowed an experienced, nearing his life's end cultivator to transfer most of his strength to a member of the youngest generation, but it carried a lot of risks and problems.

Problems ranged from finding a suitable host, one that was close to one's inner self, up to suffering every injury.

Injuries, both flesh and internal, would transfer several times over to the master, or infuser, getting worse as the cultivation level differed more, as in the case of a Beginner Warrior Lord and a 1st level Warrior Emperor.

"Or you are forcing yourself, as he is doing, to witness how Bai Qi's fights end." Xu Wen wryly smiled as he observed the pale Gao - [Xinhuai]. The latter stood, clearly forcing himself, and while clinging to one of the walls, didn't separate his gaze from the stage.

"You know, an idiot attracts another idiot." Cai Zhenkang weakly laughed, before adding in a feeble but clearly jesting fashion, "That's a truth, isn't it?"

"Idiots, huh? I now feel somewhat offended." Xu Wen laughed back, resolving to go with the whims of the one he considered his life-long friend, no matter the differences, issues, or afflictions that have struck them.

As the bell sounded, both parties stood silently, looking at each other. Yi Lei, a tall, muscular, handsome cultivator with black hair, pristine robes, and the airs of a ruler, faced Bai Qi. Someone who was slightly lower but still tall, with a lean, trained body barely smaller than his opponent, not less handsome, with a crown of black but intermixed with white, in bloodied and ragged robes but the same, if not even superior airs.

If not for the presence of both, Bai Qi's one sometimes feeling even heavier than his opponent - it would be called a battle between a king and a stray. But as anyone could say, there were no buts, and so, no one could have described it with anything but the words a battle between kings.

"You are worthy, but this battle... It will be my win." Yi Lei's voice was deep and powerful, containing the impossible-to-measure charisma of someone born to lead.

"Rags, wounds, feelings, or one's circumstances, do that makes a ruler of someone?" Bai Qi responded with a question with words far from his usual. Even his voice was different - deeper and less casual than the one he used with anyone, even superiors.

"No, they don't. You are right." Yi Lei nodded as in understanding, one unique to him as no one except someone with the true self of a ruler would.

"It will be a fight, and I will win." Bai Qi continued, his eyes obscured by blotches of qi that took the form of black clouds with crimson and purple specks.

"It will be a fight, and I will win." Yi Lei terminated their brief interaction, his aura, inner qi, and even his intangible presence flaring up.

***

Words were followed by a battle of aura, following all of the canons for an authentic Earth realm fight.

Yi Lei's aura was barely weaker than Bai Qi's peak one, showing a prowess of a 7th level Warrior Lord, just a hairbreadth from being at its peak. It was far above the average, but a rested, prepared, and not injured Bai Qi wouldn't meet trouble facing Yi Lei's aura. But Bai Qi wasn't at his peak state, and neither was he free from the dozens of small, affecting his overall prowess, injuries, and damages.

*Crash* *Crash* *Crash*

Affected even further by the wear and tear from his last fight, Bai Qi's aura barely managed to face Yi Lei's. Yet, the clash ended in a stalemate, with Bai Qi resorting to keen movements, good planning, and surrendering enough stage width to get a full-strength area for himself.

The next part of the fight was the barehanded clash. And again, Bai Qi felt himself capable of besting Yi Lei, except that his spent, tired, wounded self of the moment was merely holding in the crazed, speedy exchange of weaponless attacks. He still managed to get a draw, but Bai Qi didn't consider the result acceptable

Feeling that he wouldn't get anywhere barehanded, Yi Lei accepted the draw, whatever feelings he maintained concealed from his opponent, and without words, offered to switch to the next part of the canon duel, weapons.

Seeing his opponent break distance, Bai Qi was half-grateful as he was half-angry, With Bai Qi's usual role of being slightly superior to anyone he fought taken by his opponent, there was no doubt anger started dwelling deep inside him. And no matter what others thought of Yi Lei's backing out first or how Bai Qi was showing himself as an equal to the so-lauded strongest of the beginner Warrior Lords,

It would be later, when recollecting all of the experiences of this day, that Bai Qi would notice the discrepancy between his usual self and the one he showed against Yi Lei. And only during that moment of quiet meditation, part of the healing and rest that followed the crazed fighting, would Bai Qi realize that his cultivation method wasn't only one of cultivation but also of the cultivator himself. As the [Master of Everything, Ruler of Nothing] changed one's perceptions and manners to advance on the path of cultivation, it would also transform its user, or should one say... its host?

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

Yi Lei used a truthfully rare weapon, if the latter could even be called one, a bench. A utility object turned so deadly by the martial arts, skills, and path it utilized that even Bai Qi found himself dumbfounded. And while Bai Qi managed to block the Earth-tier wood sitting implement with the same sabers from before, he felt himself barely able to bring it to a deadlock. Even more, for the first time in nearly all of his current life, Bai Qi felt himself actually closer to losing this part of the exchange with each hard block he had to do!