Being defeated by Zhao Yixin was something Zhao Wuji had anticipated, but what brought him shame and annoyance was the fact that he never expected to be defeated so miserably. Not only did he spit out blood, but he even knelt down in public. For him, as the Head of the Zhao Family, this was nothing less than a monumental humiliation.
"This grudge, I, Zhao Wuji, swear to avenge as long as I live." Zhao Wuji clenched his teeth and silently vowed. At present, his strength was inferior to Zhao Yixin's, and it was not wise to engage in direct conflict with Zhao Yixin, especially in front of such a large audience. If he started a fight with Zhao Yixin without a suitable reason, even if Patriarch Zhao himself came, he would not be able to help him. Therefore, the extremely calculating Zhao Wuji decided to bide his time and endure in silence.
Meanwhile, upon witnessing Zhao Wuji's woeful defeat and the blood he spat, the crowd around them couldn't help but reveal a teasing smile. Although they came to the Zhao Family mainly to see Zhao Letian and his mother being humiliated, they were equally pleased to witness the Head of Zhao Family being ridiculed, especially Liu Sire and Sun Sire, whose cold smiles curled ever more splendidly at the moment.
Conversely, the expressions on the faces of the Zhao Family members were quite unsightly. With their Clan Leader being made into a laughingstock, they, as members of the Zhao Family, naturally felt a loss of face as well.
"Father!" On the stage, Zhao Lingshan clenched her fists tightly, frowning as she watched her father, Zhao Wuji, half-kneeling on the ground. Then angrily, she turned her gaze towards Zhao Yixin, but her look was completely ignored by Zhao Yixin, who evidently didn't regard her, the precious daughter of the Clan Leader's household, as anything worth acknowledging.
Additionally, Zhao Er Ye (Second Uncle Zhao), Zhao San Ye (Third Uncle Zhao), Zhao Zihao, Zhao Hongyu, Zhao Shijie, Zhao Kang and others, all displayed expressions of shock. Their relations with Zhao Letian and his mother were not good, and upon seeing Zhao Wuji's miserable state, they could not help but empathetically imagine themselves in his position. If they had been the ones who had received Zhao Yixin's furious palm instead of Zhao Wuji, their situation would likely be much worse than just kneeling and coughing up blood.
"Sister really lives up to her reputation as the Zhao Family's once-prodigal daughter; her strength is truly unmatched and formidable. I, as your brother, am thoroughly convinced by my defeat. I have taken this palm strike; I wonder if that satisfies you?" Zhao Wuji knelt for a moment before wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, forcibly suppressing his internal injuries, and smiled generously as if he wasn't annoyed at all.
"Satisfied? Hmph! This matter is not over yet. If my son comes to any harm, your daughter won't be able to leave this place unscathed either!" Zhao Wuji's show of weakness did not soften Zhao Yixin's heart in the slightest, and with those words, she swiftly appeared in the Martial Arts Arena below.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji's eyebrows furrowed and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly returned to his usual composure.
"Tian'er, are you alright?" Zhao Yixin came to her son, Zhao Letian, who was meditating and healing, and asked with a worried face.
"Mother, don't worry, I'm not in serious trouble." Zhao Letian forced a smile and shook his head while holding the two Mid-Grade Essence Stones he hadn't used up the night before, replenishing his Primordial Energy while using it to heal himself through the circulation within his meridians.
"Still acting tough, have you seen how awful your complexion is right now? How can you say you're fine? Here, take this bottle of Healing Pills and swallow them quickly." Zhao Yixin frowned as she spoke, taking out a palm-sized white porcelain bottle and handing it to Zhao Letian. At this moment, Zhao Letian's face was extremely pale, almost devoid of any color, clearly having suffered a serious blow. He needed to heal his injuries as soon as possible; otherwise, there might be lasting consequences. Enjoy the story by reading on *.
"Healing Pills?" Zhao Letian's eyes brightened as he immediately opened the white porcelain bottle and poured out a few pearl-sized red pills. Instantly, a rich medicinal fragrance spread out, invigorating the spirit with just a sniff, indicating the rarity and preciousness of the pills.
Since it was his mother's kind intention, Zhao Letian didn't refuse. He swallowed the pills in one gulp, and soon after, their power spread through his body, transforming into a warm current that rapidly repaired his injuries along his meridians, gradually restoring the color to his face.
Seeing this, Zhao Yixin finally relaxed, knowing her son's injuries, although severe, were not beyond healing, and thus she decided not to delve further into the matter.
However, what Zhao Yixin didn't know was that if Zhao Letian hadn't awakened his second Martial Soul and practiced the "Nine Layers of Mysterious Armor Art," with a physical resilience far surpassing his peers, Zhao Wuji's seemingly casual palm strike could have easily shattered Zhao Letian's Dantian and utterly crippled his cultivation.
"Zhao Wuji may not be talkative, but his actions are vicious and decisive. To think he was prepared to cripple my cultivation right in front of my mother... Indeed, the most silent people can be the most ruthless." Under his mother's care, while continuing to meditate and heal, Zhao Letian thought to himself.
The ruthlessness of Zhao Wuji exceeded his expectations. The power of that palm strike could have easily crippled him if not for the desperate moment where he exerted the Second Armor Power, solidifying two layers of extremely hard Black Scale Armor around his body, absorbing most of the force of the blow. Nonetheless, after shattering the two layers of Black Scale Armor, the residual force still nearly ruptured his Qi Sea, robbing him of his combat capabilities instantly.
And yet, he did not reveal the truth to his mother, Zhao Yixin, because he was well aware that since Zhao Wuji dared to attempt to cripple his cultivation in front of his mother, whose strength he knew was superior, it meant that Zhao Wuji had strong backing and was not afraid of her. If a true conflict ensued, escalating to a life-and-death struggle, it would likely be his mother and him who would suffer.
As for Zhao Wuji's backing, if he wasn't mistaken, it was probably the Patriarch Zhao of the Zhao Family.
"That old creature's cultivation, whether it has broken through the True Martial Realm or not, I do not know. If it has, then not even mother would be his match. Now is not the time to turn against them." Zhao Letian remained composed as he pondered inwardly.
Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji, seated on the main platform, had been watching Zhao Letian. He had thought that Zhao Letian would tell Zhao Yixin straight away about his attempt to cripple Zhao Letian's cultivation but to his surprise, Zhao Letian did not divulge the reality of the situation. This not only furrowed his brow in confusion but also left him baffled—why his palm strike failed to cripple Zhao Letian's cultivation. Was the power of his palm insufficient, or was Zhao Letian's strength beyond what he had estimated?
However, he didn't realize that he had not only underestimated Zhao Letian's strength but also his resolve. Thinking that Zhao Letian was an impulsive youth, he was unaware that Zhao Letian, having experienced life twice, was not just capable of forbearance but actually outmatched him in that regard.