Li Yao stood facing Gu Hanming, her gaze steady despite the overwhelming odds. Though he towered before her as a Core Formation cultivator while she remained at Foundation Establishment, her concern wasn't for herself. Instead, her thoughts raced toward her senior brother who had vanished into the forest—her senior brother had just started his cultivation journey—barely at the first stage of Body Refining, and now he was being pursued by five disciples.

Three of those hunters had already reached the second stage of Body Refining, but even more alarming was the two had already advanced to the third. Not only did they outnumber him, but they also outmatched him in raw power.

"Why do your eyes keep darting there?" the dean spoke, his voice laced with mockery. "Worried about your senior brother?" A cruel smile spread across his face. "Don't worry, my men will be sure to take good care of him."

Anger flared within Li Yao, a burning sensation that threatened to cloud her judgment. She took a deep breath, forcing the emotion down as she steadied her sword. Her eyes hardened as she met the dean's gaze unflinchingly.

"I'll just have to kill you before they get to my senior brother," she declared, her voice carrying absolute conviction.

"Hahaha!" The dean erupted into laughter, his shoulders shaking with genuine amusement. "Take me down?" he asked incredulously. "You?" He gestured dismissively at her slender form. "Stop dreaming!"

With that final taunt, he charged toward her, his body becoming a blur of motion. "Today I'm going to kill you as tribute to my little brother," he roared as he closed the distance between them.

His fist, wrapped in swirling spiritual energy, cut through the air with frightening ease. Combined with his Core Formation cultivation, his speed was truly terrifying—far too fast for an average Foundation Establishment cultivator to even perceive, let alone counter. He had received information that Li Yao was hiding her cultivation level, though he had been shocked at first, this revelation didn't troubled him now. Whether she was concealing her true strength or not made little difference—she would die either way.

As he bore down upon her, his eyes lingered on her form, and a thought crossed his mind: what a pity for such a beautiful genius to perish so young. If she hadn't killed his brother, he might have spared her life and allowed her the honor of warming his bed. The thought brought a lecherous grin to his face as his fist hurtled toward its target.

In the next instant, his blow should have connected, should have ended her existence in a single devastating strike. Yet when his fist was mere inches from contact, Li Yao simply sidestepped, avoiding the attack entirely.

"Nani?" Shock replaced his confidence as he found himself carried forward by his own momentum, the energy of his blow dragging him forward as he lost his balance. Acting on instinct, he redirected his attack, channeling the force downward.

His fist crashed into the ground with catastrophic impact. The earth trembled, and dust exploded outward in a billowing cloud that temporarily obscured vision. When it finally settled, a massive crater had formed where his punch had landed. Gu Hanming stood at its center, slowly raising his gaze to find Li Yao standing calmly at the edge of the depression, looking down at him with unmistakable disdain.

"How is it possible?" he demanded, disbelief evident in every syllable. "There is no way someone who has just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage could dodge my attack."

Li Yao regarded him coldly, her expression unchanged. "Who said that I've just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Before the dean could process her words, her aura flared spectacularly. Her spiritual energy visibly intensified, rising from the first layer of Foundation Establishment to the second, then the third, the fourth, climbing steadily until it finally stabilized at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

The dean's eyes widened in shock as the realization hit him. When he had heard that the sect genius had concealed her true power and already advanced to Foundation Establishment, he'd been surprised but not alarmed. After all, she had previously been at the peak of Qi Gathering—perhaps she'd found some rare pills to help her breakthrough. But this? This was beyond comprehension.

She wasn't merely at Foundation Establishment—she had reached its absolute peak. This rate of advancement wasn't that of a genius anymore; it was something monstrous, something that defied explanation. How had she managed to advance so far without anyone detecting her true level?

For a moment, he considered retreat, the instinct for self-preservation briefly overwhelming his thirst for revenge. But pride quickly reasserted itself. Even at the peak of Foundation Establishment, she remained just that—a Foundation Establishment cultivator facing a Core Formation master. The gap between their realms was like the distance between heaven and earth.

While Foundation Establishment represented merely the beginning stages of laying one's cultivation foundation, Core Formation marked the point where true cultivation began in earnest. The difference wasn't just significant—it was insurmountable. No amount of talent could bridge such a fundamental disparity in power. She must have simply gotten lucky with her earlier dodge, he reasoned, berating himself for even considering retreat.

Steadying his stance, he looked at her with renewed confidence. "Hmph, even if you were hiding your strength, so what? You're just a Foundation Establishment kid," he scoffed, dismissing her achievement with a wave of his hand. "Don't think you can bridge the gap in power with just this."

Li Yao's lips curled into a dangerous smile as she shifted her weight, preparing to spring. "Well, we'll see about that," she replied simply, before launching herself from her position, her sword gleaming as she charged directly toward her opponent.

…

A/N - Hi, this is mkonic/mrkonic—the author, I just received a contract invitation for this novel and would like to take the time to thank you all who take the time to read it. It's my first time writing a cultivation novel (we don't talk about 'that' novel), I may be inexperienced and make mistakes, make sure to point them out when you see them. Thank you so much ❤️

PS: If you have time, leave a comment or even a review, I want to know your thoughts. Don't be like those people who read in silent and I cant tell whether they like it or think its trash