'If he can destroy a Training Puppet whilst being two whole levels below me in cultivation, not to mention with a Mortal-rank technique, there's no reason why I, Min Li, cannot destroy one too!' Min Li thought to herself with a resolute look on her face, feeling as though she'd been challenged by Yuan after seeing his dazzling display.
Every single disciple in the practice area including Yuan stopped whatever they were doing to watch Min Li, who stood before a Training Puppet with an ordinary sword in her hands and a serious but still beautiful look on her face.
'Since he'd used an ordinary weapon and a Mortal-rank technique, I shall do the same!' Min Li thought to herself as she prepared her mind and sword.
After taking a deep breath, Min Li moved.
She took a step forward with the sword in her hand raised and trembling.
"Haa!"
Min Li shouted out loud as she swung the sword in her hands.
Boom!
The Training Puppet flew many meters away from the impact.
"Wow! As expected of Fairy Min! To think she could display such strength with a Mortal-rank technique!"
"That's true, but… compared to that other disciple… it felt a little bit lacking… I think..." One of the disciples there suddenly mumbled.
"You idiot! Don't say that out loud! What if Fairy Min hears you?!" Another whispered.
"..."
Min Li's eyebrows twitched a little bit when she heard those disciples talk, but she pretended as though she didn't hear it and focused on the Training Puppet.
A moment later, the Training Puppet returned, and as she'd expected, there wasn't any damage on the puppet despite such a powerful blow.
Min Li stared at the Training Puppet with a frown on her face, but she wasn't discouraged, as the previous attack was only a warmup.
After taking another breath, Min Li displayed her second strike, and the sword in her hand emitted an even more powerful aura than previously.
Boom!
The Training Puppet was sent flying once again by the strike.
"Wow! That strike was at least twice as powerful as the last one! And it surpassed even the other disciple's attacks at first!"
"As expected of Fairy Min! I knew her first strike was only a warmup!"
However, despite the disciples' praises, Min Li did not feel happy even in the slightest, as she knew very well that it wasn't enough to destroy the Training Puppet.
The Training Puppet returned to her side a moment later, and there was a slight crack on its body, but it was nothing significant and could only be considered as superficial damage.
'How is this possible?' Min Li pondered to herself. 'Although I am only using an ordinary weapon, my mastery with this Mortal-rank technique has long reached its peak after training with it for over ten years, yet it cannot compare to his Flying Daggers technique that he'd just learned not long ago! This doesn't make any sense! Unless...'
Min Li turned to look at the beautiful weapon in Yuan's grasp.
'Unless that's not an ordinary weapon at all! I'd been fooled by its lack of aura! That weapon is definitely a powerful treasure! There's no way someone from the Ancient Family will carry around an ordinary weapon! Since that's the case, I will also use my personal weapon!'
After convincing herself that Yuan's Starry Abyss was actually a treasure and not an ordinary weapon at all, Min Li stowed away her ordinary sword and retrieved another sword— a beautiful blue sword that emitted a sharp and profound aura that sent chills down the disciples' back when they saw it.
"There it is! Fairy Min's Heaven-grade treasure, the Eternal Fairy Needle!"
"Wow, the blade of that sword is incredibly thin! I have never seen anything like that before! But won't it affect its durability?"
"Are you stupid? That's a Heaven-grade treasure! You cannot judge treasures by their appearance! Even though it has an incredibly thin blade, it's actually more durable than even broadswords— at least that's what I heard."
Whilst the disciples mumbled to each other, Min Li prepared herself for the third strike.
Sometime later, Min Li stepped forward while shouting in a loud voice.
"Haaaa!"
The eternal Fairy Needle in her grasp flew forward, striking the Training Puppet directly on the chest.
BOOM!
The Training Puppet was sent flying like it'd been launched by a rocket launcher and landed in the third practice area many meters in the distance.
"Heavens… what a powerful strike! I don't think I have seen even Earth-grade techniques display such power!"
"Do you think Fairy Min managed to destroy the Training Puppet with that strike just now?"
"Of course! There's simply no way the Training Puppet could've survived that!"
However, to everybody's surprise, the Training Puppet returned a few moments later with only a large crack in its chest.
"What the heck? Are the Training Puppets really that durable? To the point where it can withstand even a Heaven-grade treasure?!"
"If that's the case, then how powerful is that disciple who'd destroyed it completely?!"
The disciples were shocked beyond belief when they realized just how difficult it was to destroy a Training Puppet, and they all turned to look at Yuan who had been standing there with an innocent face with shocked gazes.
Meanwhile, Min Li stared at the Training Puppet with a slightly angry look on her face, feeling irritated for the first time in many years. As a genius who is often praised by her surroundings and with very few rivals in her life, she cannot help but feel angry when she suddenly meets another individual who she cannot even begin to compare to, not to mention she was being watched by hundreds of other disciples.
'I know I'd dug this hole myself when I decided to challenge him, but I have vastly underestimated him! If I don't destroy the Training Puppet, my face will be in jeopardy!' Min Li thought to herself.
'Since it has come to this, I must go all out even if I am cheating a little!'