“The qualification match for Lan Yin Academy is not some girl you can just take advantage of, and everyone here isn’t blind.
Your reckless behavior today will be heavily criticized, no matter how much you try to suppress the news,” Mo Li said, flipping the small dagger in his hand as if to show the audience how inferior his weapon was compared to Barlow’s.
“Your deliberate actions will only bring shame to your family.”
“Shame? Nonsense.
Letting a bastard like you represent the Minster region in the Lan Yin Academy’s competition is the real shame!” Barlow spat, raising his rapier, eager to cut Mo Li into pieces right then and there.
“Hopeless,” Mo Li shook his head.
“Mo Li, you think too highly of yourself.
Look around, this is my home turf!” Barlow spread his arms, his gaze becoming increasingly fervent and manic.
“All the nobles here are under the Minster family’s banner, and those merchants won’t offend us for a little profit, let alone help you.”
“You think you’ve found a backer? Ha, do you believe I could dismember you on the field today and no one would dare intervene?”
“Don’t speak too soon, young master Minster.
Haven’t you heard the saying that villains die from talking too much? Be careful not to be crushed by your own words later,” Mo Li said, holding the dagger in reverse.
The prohibition on using personal weapons meant Mo Li couldn’t use his crossbow, hidden weapons, or sleeve sword in this match, significantly weakening his combat ability.
“Alright, quiet down,” the hook-nosed elder said coldly, glancing at Mo Li.
“Both sides return to your positions, the match is about to begin.”
Mo Li said nothing, turning to step outside the red line of the field.
He had no fondness for the hook-nosed elder, who was clearly bribed by Viscount Minster to target him at every turn.
Who knows what benefits the viscount had offered the old man.
The merchants in the stands whispered among themselves, but ultimately said nothing outright.
Mo Li felt someone’s gaze and looked towards the VIP seats, meeting Norma’s worried eyes.
I’m fine.
After conveying this to Norma, Mo Li turned his attention back to Barlow.
“The final match of the Minster region’s Lan Yin Academy qualification tournament now officially begins.”
The hook-nosed elder’s announcement coincided with Barlow’s first step.
He had been waiting impatiently to tear apart the lowly commoner who had repeatedly thwarted his plans.
Unsteady footing, chaotic swordsmanship—he was just a hack who treated a rapier like a machete.
He shouldn’t have made it this far, but thanks to his invincible father, he had managed to reach the finals.
Even in the finals, his father had opened the back door for him, a classic case of nepotism.
Full of flaws—that was Mo Li’s only impression of Barlow during their first clash.
But even though he easily dodged Barlow’s slashes, the enchanted effect on the blade still grazed his arm.
Wind element enchantment? Mo Li raised an eyebrow slightly.
Norma was right; although the Minster family had declined, they still had some foundation, able to produce one or two enchanted weapons, even if this wind-enchanted rapier wasn’t top-notch.
“What’s wrong? Where’s your earlier bravado? Why don’t you fight back?” Barlow, like a mad dog, pursued Mo Li, his anger mixed with satisfaction, especially after wounding Mo Li, feeling a sense of revenge.
Just a lowly commoner, with ancestors of eighteen generations of lowly stock, yet repeatedly riding over him, a legitimate noble.
Did he really think he was something? The more Barlow thought about it, the more his resentment grew, his anger burning like a flame, and he gained a great sense of revenge through his relentless attacks on Mo Li.
“Mo Li, do you think you’re worthy of standing against me? You’re just a bastard without parents, do you think you’re worthy?” Barlow laughed maniacally.
“Today, I’ll make you recognize your place!”
“Young master Minster, do you really think the only difference between us is that sword in your hand?” Mo Li said calmly, as a metallic clash rang out.
The inferior iron dagger clashed with the enchanted rapier, resulting in a large notch in the dagger.
Due to Barlow’s lack of practice, the rapier got stuck in the dagger, unable to be pulled out or cut further.
“Boom!” Taking advantage of this, Mo Li kicked Barlow hard in the chest.
Barlow, in pain, held onto his sword tightly.
Seeing this, Mo Li pulled the dagger towards himself and delivered a flying kick.
The kick was not light, using all of Mo Li’s strength, sending Barlow flying several meters, spitting blood, and naturally losing his grip on the rapier.
“Barlow!…” Viscount Minster almost stood up in the stands.
“What’s wrong, Viscount Minster?” Norma looked at him coldly.
“Are you going to use your so-called invincible power again? Remember, I’m watching.”
“…This Mo Li kid, he has no sense of honor!” Viscount Minster said, his face livid, after a long pause.
“No sense of honor? Viscount Minster, you’re joking.
On the field, it’s all about one’s own skills.
If you’re injured, it’s because you’re not skilled enough.
Who can you blame?” Norma shrugged.
“Heh, heh heh, yes, Lady Norma is right,” Viscount Minster took a deep breath, regaining his sly smile.
“Yes, if you’re injured on the field, it’s because you’re not skilled enough.
Who can you blame? I hope you remember your own words.”
“Of course,” Norma said calmly, though he was beginning to feel uneasy.
By rights, with his weapon lost, Barlow shouldn’t be a match for Mo Li in close combat.
Why wasn’t he panicking?
“Cough, cough, Mo Li, you!…” Barlow struggled to get up, coughing blood, glaring at Mo Li.
“How dare you touch me with your filthy foot?”
“Young master Minster, you’ve lost,” Mo Li said, discarding the broken dagger and taking Barlow’s dropped rapier.
For a noble young master like Barlow, whose body was hollowed out by indulgence, even holding a divine weapon was a waste.
They couldn’t wield it.
“Cheating and opening back doors, yet still losing, not even lasting five rounds, how embarrassing… It’s enough, you’ve embarrassed yourselves enough today, it’s time to cut your losses,” Mo Li said, his passive trait of sharp tongue fully activated.
“Mo Li!…” Barlow, filled with hatred for Mo Li, forced himself to stand again.
It wasn’t impotent rage; instead, he laughed maniacally.
“Good, very good! I thought you weren’t worth this, but it seems I underestimated you.”
“Mo Li, do you know why nobles are called nobles?” Barlow sneered, pointing at Mo Li.
“Because we possess power that you rabble can never resist!”
“Unfortunately, I initially only planned to cut off your limbs.
Now, I’m sorry, but I not only want to cut off your limbs, but also crush your pathetic life!”
With that, Barlow pulled out a bottle of orange-yellow potion from his pocket, uncorked it, and drank it down.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Barlow’s feet began to crack slightly.
“That is…” Limdis in the stands widened her beautiful eyes.
As someone with a bloodline, she could clearly sense the aura emanating from Barlow, from nothing to something.
“Today, I’ll show you the terror of nobles!” Amidst his laughter, Barlow’s muscles rapidly expanded, like inflated bubbles, reaching a size impossible for human muscles to achieve.
“That is…” Norma clenched his fists, feeling the same aura.
Bloodline awakening.
By rights, the Minster family’s bloodline power should have long been exhausted.
Why…
Was it that alchemical potion that awakened the dormant Minster bloodline within Barlow?
“Viscount Minster, you speak of fairness, but I ask you, allowing your son to use banned substances in the competition, is that fair?” Norma questioned.
“Huh? Banned substances, where? And, Lady Norma, look at the rules I set.
Is there a ‘no alchemical potions’ clause? No, you can’t find it.”
“Making things up isn’t the same as lying, and adapting isn’t the same as fabricating.
Lady Norma, if you want to find fault with me, at least use a better reason.
This one is hard to convince anyone,” Viscount Minster said smugly.
“If I remember correctly, you just said that if you’re injured or crippled in the competition, it’s because you’re not skilled enough, right?” Viscount Minster continued to mock.
“……”
“Hehe, don’t stay silent now.
You were quite happy when my Barlow was getting beaten up earlier.
Why are you denying it now?” Norma didn’t say anything, but her eyes signaled to Rocco beside her.
The meaning was clear: if the situation became urgent, forget the match and save Mo Li directly.
At this moment in the square, Barlow’s muscles were fully expanded, and his entire body was elevated by about a meter.
In contrast, Mo Li looked like a dwarf.
“This is the long-lost bloodline of our family, [Hardened Muscles].
Come on, try attacking me!” As his muscles swelled and hardened, Barlow’s voice became deep and resonant.
“…… What an aesthetically unpleasing bloodline.” Watching Barlow’s mutated height and twisted appearance, Mo Li shook his head.
“You can only talk tough for now!” Barlow’s eyes were filled with rage, and each step he took seemed to shake the ground.
The audience in the stands was terrified and fled in panic.
After all, Barlow’s current appearance was indeed intimidating; his suit was shattered, revealing his explosively muscular upper body.
“Prepare to die, Mo Li!” His arm, as thick as a beam, clenched into a fist and swung towards Mo Li.
Mo Li flipped to the side, but the gust of wind from the punch caught him, slamming him into the wall of the stands with a thud.
“You’re just an insect.” Barlow grinned with an ugly smile.
Mo Li wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, quickly got up, and charged with his sword.
Taking advantage of Barlow’s clumsiness, he swiftly circled behind him, slashing and stabbing wildly, but only managed to create sparks on Barlow’s body.
“Are you just tickling me?” Barlow chuckled as he turned around.
“Insect, where do you think you’re going!” His massive hand fell like a mountain, smashing the ground like a warhammer, while Mo Li dodged around like a mouse trying to survive in the cracks.
Barlow’s attacks were slow but powerful.
Even the wind from his palm could send Mo Li flying.
“Bang!” Mo Li crashed into the wall again.
“Ugh…” Mo Li got up, feeling a bit dizzy, and his vision was dim.
Did he hit his head on the wall? … He touched his forehead, finding it covered in red.
Well, he did hit his head, but it’s okay.
Thanks to this head injury, Mo Li remembered something he had long forgotten in the corner of his cloak.
The collision had jogged his memory about how to use it.
“If you have anything to say, you’d better say it now, Mo Li.
Soon, you won’t have the chance.” Barlow clenched his fist, looking at the staggering Mo Li, who had little fight left, with a heart full of victorious joy.
“…… I only have one thing to tell you, and that is… ‘Throw Thunder Old Mother!'” With that, Mo Li threw a vial filled with a colorless potion at Barlow.
This was the moment of truth!
“What is this?” Barlow carelessly smashed it with a punch, the foul-smelling liquid splattering all over him, making him very uncomfortable.
“Stupid little maggot, even at death’s door, you dare to disgust me.
Watch as I… huh?” Barlow paused, his mouth twitching, and then the muscles that had erupted all over his body deflated rapidly like a punctured balloon.
“Wha-what?!” The power drained from his body, and Barlow’s eyes widened in disbelief, not understanding what was happening.
“No, impossible, what’s happening?! My power… how?!” As his size shrank, his voice became increasingly shrill, until finally, he was reduced to a skin-and-bones figure.
“No, no, no! … How could this happen?!”
“What’s happening? The power you gain comes with a price, Young Master Barlow.” Looking at Barlow’s current miserable state, Mo Li spoke meaningfully.
“Activating the bloodline, what was the cost? … You should know by now, right?”
“…… Nonsense, nonsense, it’s you, it’s all because of you!” Barlow glared at Mo Li with hatred, dragging his skin-and-bones body like a frail old man, charging at Mo Li in a frenzy.
“Reaping what you sow with a speculative mindset, acting like a child throwing a tantrum at your age, it’s truly unsightly.” Mo Li’s voice turned completely cold.
He discarded his rapier and kicked Barlow’s twisted face, sending him flying off the square.
“Barlow!!” Viscount Minster in the stands glared with red eyes.
