Give him two slaps across the face to teach him a lesson he won't forget.

The grand competition concluded successfully.

As everyone expected, the ten true disciples lived up to their reputations, with not a single one suffering a defeat.

The most outstanding among them was undoubtedly Jiang Chuoran, claiming the top spot.

Following closely behind was Qi Xingyu.

What surprised many, however, were Qiu Zisheng and Wang Zhao. In terms of natural aptitude, they had previously ranked near the bottom among the true disciple tier, yet they had now caused a sensation by both breaking into the top five.

On the high platform, the top ten competitors of the tournament stood at the front, each radiating a distinct aura.

"The sect recently explored a minor secret realm known as the 'Hundred Flower Secret Realm.' As a reward, the top ten finishers of this grand competition may enter the realm to hunt for treasures..."

An elder was gently explaining the precautions and rules regarding the secret realm.

Li Wudao listened quietly, completely unsurprised.

She had already learned all of this from Jiang Chuoran beforehand, and in even greater detail than what the young girl had described.

"There are still half a month before the secret realm opens. Do not slack off during this time; prepare yourselves well."

After offering a few brief words of admonition, the high-ranking figures of the sect departed one after another.

Following the flow of the crowd, Li Wudao walked outward, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Just moments ago, through a message transmission with Deng Lin, she had already discovered the origins of those challengers.

It was inextricably linked to Ruan Fei!

On the streets of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion.

Li Wudao and Deng Lin walked over with brisk strides.

"Are you certain those two bitches are here?"

Li Wudao's tone was icy cold, resembling shards of ice.

Ruan Fei and Sun Qian had repeatedly provoked him, and now that his limit of patience had been reached, blood had to be shed.

"Certain. One of our junior martial brothers witnessed it with his own eyes just now."

Deng Lin shrank his neck, his heart tightening.

"Good. Have you found the few true disciples with strong backgrounds and high cultivation levels that I asked you to locate?"

Li Wudao nodded slightly.

"Meeting your criteria, Senior Brother, I have only managed to contact three of them so far."

"That's enough. Have them come straight over."

"Senior Brother Li, please don't do anything foolish. Although Ruan Fei is a good-for-nothing, his father is no ordinary figure—he is the third elder of the inner sect..."

Deng Lin carefully advised, feeling a sense of mounting panic.

At this moment, the aura Li Wudao gave off was terrifying, resembling a concealed cold blade waiting to be drawn; once unsheathed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Rest assured, it won't cost anyone their life."

Li Wudao said indifferently, the curve of his lips cold.

He was not foolish enough to openly slaughter an inner disciple within the sect.

"..."

Deng Lin stood in a daze, following bitterly behind him.

Inwardly, he prayed that Li Wudao would not do anything too outrageous.

Otherwise, even with his status as a true disciple, he would not escape severe punishment.

Meanwhile.

In front of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, a lively commotion had gathered a crowd of disciples watching the spectacle.

Sun Qian and Ruan Fei were currently arguing with Li Dabao and Li Xiaoyu.

"We clearly had our eyes on this spiritual herb first! For you to barge in and snatch it away is simply too much!"

"Exactly! Do you know nothing about the principle of first come, first served?"

Li Dabao and Li Xiaoyu looked indignant.

"Naturally, the spiritual stones go to the highest bidder. Is there a problem with that? If two penniless paupers can't afford it, get lost and stay out of the way!"

Ruan Fei sneered coldly.

He already possessed a foul temper, and coupled with the frustration and beatings he had just suffered, he was standing on the brink of an outburst.

How could he endure two lowly outer sect disciples presuming to cross him?

"Brother Fei, they are people belonging to Li Wudao. Shouldn't we... perhaps just let it go?"

Sun Qian wore a troubled expression.

While Ruan Fei was unfamiliar with the members of the Li family, she was well aware that both of these individuals shared a deep connection with Li Wudao.

By now, Li Wudao's status as a true disciple was firmly secured, and she had grown somewhat afraid.

It would have been better if the youth hadn't been mentioned at all.

The mere mention of Li Wudao was like a detonator for Ruan Fei; he instantly halted his steps, his expression turning dark.

"Li Wudao's people? How interesting..."

Ruan Fei turned back around.

Retrieving the spiritual herb, he patted Li Dabao's cheek tauntingly and tempted him:

"As long as you shout three times, 'Li Wudao is nothing more than a stray waste-dog,' I will graciously gift this Flame Grass to you. What do you say? Quite a bargain, isn't it?"

The Flame Grass was a grade-four spiritual herb, valued at three hundred low-grade spiritual stones—an amount far beyond what any outer sect disciple could afford.

"Impossible!"

Li Xiaoyu's pretty face shifted slightly as she flatly refused.

"I remember you now. You're the one who wreaked havoc at the Li residence that day and humiliated the heir. You're dreaming if you think you can use us to bring shame upon the young lord!"

Li Dabao stared fixedly at Ruan Fei, hatred flickering in his eyes.

"So it's you. You're Sun Qian's kept man, aren't you? Tsk tsk, what a match made in hell—no wonder the two of you ended up together."

Li Xiaoyu suddenly realized, her tone dripping with subtle sarcasm.

She hadn't been present at the scene back then, but she knew very well that the person who had wildly insulted the Li residence and the young heir hailed from the Profound Heaven Sect.

To think she would cross paths with them today—naturally, she had no intention of showing weakness.

"Watch your mouth! Senior Brother Ruan and I are deeply in love; what qualifications do you have to point fingers and make sarcastic remarks?"

Hearing the other party's disdainful tone, Sun Qian could no longer hold back, rebuking them in a chilling voice.

"I'd say a match made in hell—or rather, a match of two beasts—fits much better..."

Li Dabao curled his lip, holding Sun Qian in utter contempt.

"You... you..."

Sun Qian was choked for words by the retort, her delicate frame trembling.

"What 'you' this and 'you' that? A cheap bitch like you isn't even worthy of carrying the young lord's shoes; you can only put on airs in front of us."

Li Dabao grew bolder the more he retorted.

Sun Qian was so angry her nose was nearly crooked, her chest heaving violently.

When had any of these disciples from the Li family ever dared to show her such disrespect?

"Audacious! Who gave you the gall to insult my woman?!"

With a dark face and raging fury, Ruan Fei slapped Li Dabao twice across the face.

Being in the early stage of the True Essence Realm, even the raw physical strength of his strikes was something ordinary outer sect disciples could not withstand.

Caught off guard, Li Dabao took two heavy slaps, his cheeks instantly turning a mottled shade of blue and purple.

Swish—

The expressions of the watching disciples shifted. They hadn't expected him to actually resort to violence.

Seeing Li Dabao's tightly clenched fists, Ruan Fei sneered, "What? Are you unconvinced? Want to hit me?"

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. Come on... hit me right here."

With that, he tilted his head and patted his own cheek with an arrogant expression.

Li Xiaoyu was somewhat frightened, standing at a loss for what to do.

"You..."

Li Dabao wore an unsightly expression, fire burning in his eyes as he gritted his teeth.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his arms trembled, but in the end, he did not strike back.

According to the sect rules, a disciple assaulting a superior committed a grave offense, punishable by at least dozens of heavy staff blows, regardless of whether they lived or died.

"What... too scared to hit me? And here I thought Li Wudao's people all had backbone. Turns out you're all a bunch of spineless cowards."

Ruan Fei mocked without reservation.

He vented all the frustration and grievance he had suffered moments earlier onto Li Dabao and Li Xiaoyu.

Just at that moment.

The crowd parted to clear a path.

"What kind of barking are you doing? Who gave you the courage to lay a hand on my people?"

With a cold and indifferent expression, Li Wudao walked into the arena, closely followed by Deng Lin.

From far away on the sidelines, he had already heard the commotion within, and upon seeing the injuries on Li Dabao's face, he understood everything instantly.

The youth stood there casually, his eyes dark as ink, emitting an oppressive aura.

"You... what do you want?"

Ruan Fei's expression changed instantly, a sense of inexplicable panic gripping him as his breathing momentarily stalled.

At present, he could only bully outer sect disciples, but Li Wudao's wings had grown full, and even he no longer dared to provoke him carelessly.

"Dabao, who hit you?"

Ignoring the other party entirely, Li Wudao turned his gaze to the chubby youth, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Young Lord, it was him!"

Li Dabao's eyes were red-rimmed as he pointed at Ruan Fei, his expression a mix of grievance and rage.

Instantly, Li Wudao's icy gaze landed on Ruan Fei.

"Go on. Give him two slaps to help him remember this lesson."

"Understood."

Without hesitation, Li Dabao walked straight up to Ruan Fei.

Then, under the latter's incredulous gaze, he delivered two sharp slaps across Ruan Fei's face.

Silence descended upon the entire area.

The spectators were completely dumbfounded.

An outer sect disciple daring to strike an inner sect disciple—such a thing had not happened in a very long time.

"You... you bastard, you actually dare to hit me?! You're courting death!"

Ruan Fei was shocked and furious, never imagining that this fat wretch would act without the slightest hesitation and truly strike him.

"You're finished! Today, even if the heavenly king himself descends, he won't be able to protect you!"

At that moment, the anger pent up within his heart erupted completely, and the full aura of the early True Essence Realm burst forth without reservation.