Zhao Huai lowered his head and looked at little Shuning. To encourage him, Zhao Shuning flashed a bright smile.
Zhao Huai instantly felt much more relaxed. Every time he saw his sister's smile, even the heaviest burden on his heart could be lifted.
The young boy stepped onto the stage and looked at Zhao Xiangxiang on the opposite side.
Both of them clenched their fists, saluted, and then entered meditation. Before long, a faint red light appeared at the tips of Zhao Xiangxiang's fingers.
In an instant, Zhao Xiangxiang suddenly opened her eyes and rushed violently towards Zhao Huai.
Zhao Huai's senses were also extremely sharp. He narrowly dodged the first attack.
The power of an elixir master was truly extraordinary.
That punch just grazed Zhao Huai's shoulder, but he still felt a burning sensation on his shoulder at the moment.
"Huai'er's spiritual power is not weak either. Otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted so quickly," Zhao Zheng was momentarily stunned by Zhao Huai's quick reaction and said proudly.
However, Zhao Shuning was very worried. Only she could tell that Zhao Huai had been on guard against Zhao Xiangxiang. He didn't relax even during meditation.
When collecting herbs on the mountain, one might encounter spiritual beasts guarding the herbs. Although their ranks were extremely low, they were still aggressive. Zhao Huai's ability to dodge this time was just a reaction developed over a long - time practice and had nothing to do with spiritual power.
Zhao Xiangxiang was powerful, but she had little actual combat experience. Zhao Huai was different. Although he couldn't cultivate spiritual power, his reaction was much quicker than that of ordinary people.
The person favored by the Eight - Phase Empress must not be an ordinary person.
Zhao Shuning had a premonition that Zhao Huai's future achievements would surely surpass any of the current elders of the four great families in the Eastern Ze Wilderness.
Failing to land a hit, Zhao Xiangxiang was furious. A novice elixir master could hardly withstand many of her attacks.
Sure enough, after Zhao Huai dodged the first attack, Zhao Xiangxiang suddenly stopped on the stage, then turned around. She grabbed Zhao Zheng's arm with one hand and turned her fist into a palm, striking hard at Zhao Huai's chest.
"Puff—"
A mouthful of fresh blood spurted out of Zhao Huai's mouth, shocking everyone present.
It seemed that the sickly boy of the Zhao family was still so vulnerable.
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Huai's body slowly fell backward like a drifting leaf.
Zhao Zheng and Lin Miner rushed onto the stage regardless and caught their son tenderly, checking his injuries.
But there was a smile on Zhao Huai's blood - stained lips. He had deceived everyone. Now he wouldn't be suspected, and his father's reputation wouldn't be damaged.
Zhao Zheng's eyes were red with anxiety. He shouted to the people below the stage, "Zhao Xue, you've gone too far!"
Lin Miner had never seen her husband so agitated in all these years. It was obvious how much he loved his son.
Zhao Zheng carried Zhao Huai off the stage. Fresh blood kept gushing out of Zhao Huai's mouth, staining his white robe red.
Those bloodstains on the white robe were like the red plum blossoms blooming in the cold snow on the day she died. Zhao Shuning was suddenly deeply touched.
Lin Miner knew a little about pharmacology and was in a hurry to treat Zhao Huai.
He was in such a bad state, but still forced a smile to comfort Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning's eyes were also a bit red. Fool, you're almost dying. What are you smiling for?
"Zhao Zheng, why are you yelling at me? Your child is just outmatched," Zhao Xue said.
Zhao Zheng argued with Zhao Xue to protect his son, "Huai'er is just a novice elixir master, while Xiangxiang is already a first - level elixir master. If you hadn't instigated your daughter, how could a child as young as her have the idea of a duel?"
But Zhao Xue was haughty, "Brother, your words don't make sense. When children practice martial arts with each other, they don't know their own strength. Besides, it's your Zhao Huai who is so weak that he can't even dodge such a simple palm strike."
Zhao Zheng clenched his fists tightly. Veins popped out on his forehead. He rushed over and grabbed Zhao Xue's collar.
Zhao Xue was a second - level elixir master, while Zhao Zheng was just a good - for - nothing. With a gentle push, Zhao Xue made Zhao Zheng take five or six steps back.
The difference in strength was too great. There was nothing he could do.
"Zhao Xue, it doesn't matter how you look down on me, but you shouldn't have targeted my child," Zhao Zheng said.
Zhao Zheng turned back and knelt heavily in front of the old master of the Zhao family on the high platform, "Father, you must seek justice for Huai'er."
He had never bowed his head even after such a big incident in the past, but now he was willing to kneel to seek justice for his son.
On the stage, Zhao Xiangxiang seemed a bit at a loss.
She had used all her strength in that palm strike. An ordinary adult would be seriously injured for half a month if hit, not to mention Zhao Huai, who looked so frail.
She thought he could dodge it. He clearly had spiritual power, or he wouldn't have passed the test. But when attacked, his spiritual power seemed to disappear.
Why was Zhao Huai so weak? It didn't make sense.