Like throwing a stone into water, stirring up a thousand waves.

With a roar of voices, everyone turned around in unison.

They saw a tiny figure in a gaudy robe, bathed in sunlight, leaping onto a blue stone ornamental mountain in the middle of the courtyard, vigorously waving the manual in his hand and laughing as he shouted: “Idiots, you’ve all been deceived by this old turtle! Look what this is!”

Martial artists had excellent eyesight and had already clearly seen the black leather cover with four ancient golden seal characters: “Langhuan Secret Manual,” which indeed looked like the legendary manual.

That child waved the manual as if he wanted to dance a rumba, jumping and scrambling around on the ornamental mountain. His movements were exaggerated like a vegetable vendor as he flipped through the pages with a rustling sound, vaguely revealing drawings of figures practicing martial arts.

With a sharp intake of breath, those with hunting instincts could no longer think about why the manual would be in this child’s hands. Their eyes gleamed as they prepared to pounce.

A black shadow flashed—Mu Huaiyu darted out, extending his hand to block them: “Everyone please remain calm, don’t fall for this child’s trick. How could the ‘Langhuan Secret Manual,’ such a precious treasure, fall into a young child’s hands?”

Everyone also thought this made sense. Those who had already rushed halfway sheepishly stopped. That child wasn’t anxious either, striking a carefree wind-blown pose with legs spread wide, standing heroically at the highest point of the ornamental mountain, saying proudly: “Old turtle, ambition isn’t about age, and treasure hunting doesn’t depend on youth. If your sect founder could rob dead people’s graves, why can’t I? Your sect founder was too late and got the fake one. What I dug up is the real thing.”

“Nonsense!” Mu Huaiyu angrily scolded. “No one in the world knows where Langhuan Sacred Hand’s tomb is. It’s said to be deep underwater where no one can enter. How could you, a small ignorant child, retrieve the manual?”

“Huh?” On the ornamental mountain was naturally Crown Prince shopkeeper Xiao Rong, staring with big bright black eyes, striking the classic loyalty dance pose, saying in bewilderment: “Old turtle, you speak so strangely. You say no one knows where the tomb is, yet you say it’s deep underwater where no one can enter—if you don’t know where it is now, how do you know it’s underwater? How did your sect founder go there? Can’t enter?”

With a thunderous roar, everyone had already heard something strange in these words. Now that Baozi pointed it out, they immediately understood, casting strange looks at Mu Huaiyu—martial world people respected upright heroes, and tomb robbing was utterly despicable.

Being stared at like this, Mu Huaiyu’s old face immediately flushed red, secretly hating how he kept losing his composure today, making such elementary mistakes and being caught by a child. Now he had completely lost face. If he couldn’t get the Langhuan Secret Manual, this trip would be a total loss.

Secretly gritting his teeth, he swore that no matter what, he must obtain the “Langhuan Secret Manual.” At worst, after his martial arts improved, he’d kill all these people.

Besides, that person had said the manual was indeed in Su Xuan’s hands…

“Your sect founder couldn’t enter, but my Fish-Dragon family can,” Baozi continued feeling good about himself as he boasted under everyone’s gaze. “Ever heard of the Fish-Dragon family? Have you? Haven’t? If you haven’t heard of it, why are you still alive?”

“This child is just long-winded,” Qin Chang Ge frowned at her son. “Wasting saliva.”

She had earlier seen Baozi exchange several gestures with Chu Feihuan, estimating these two had reached some agreement. She didn’t want to stop the little show-off—as her son, it would be abnormal if he didn’t do anything extraordinary.

Xiao Jue wasn’t worried either, smiling as he watched his son perform. The Imperial Guard Battalion was hidden not far outside the manor. What was there to fear? If the sky fell, dad would fix it for you!

At this moment, exclamations also arose in the arena. The Fish-Dragon family—all the masters above a certain level in the field had heard of it. It was said to be a branch descendant of Li Kingdom’s royal family, exiled due to political upheaval and wandering throughout the Inner River continent. People of this family were all skilled in water, supposedly able to sleep on the ocean floor and move in water as agilely and fiercely as dragons. From eighty-year-old elders to three-year-old children in the family, all could walk on the sea as if on flat ground. But this family had always been mysterious, with no one ever seeing them.

Precisely because it was also a legendary family, everyone believed it a bit more—this child was only five or six years old and looked quite ordinary. If he weren’t from that family, how would he know about this mysterious clan?

Baozi struck while the iron was hot, waving the manual and saying proudly: “We can’t stand you framing innocent people. What Gang Leader Su stealing the manual? Would he even want your trashy manual? It was clearly something I picked up while playing underwater. Don’t believe me? I’ll recite a passage for you to hear. Stand steady, don’t fall over… At the four cardinal hours of zi, wu, mao, and you, return qi to the dantian and push palms forward. Face north, back south toward the heavenly disk, let intention follow both palms moving center. Focus intention on dantian as one yang moves, left and right withdraw toward both acupoints. Buddha’s salutation at chest center, true qi rotating through it. Qi travels the small heavenly circuit of Ren and Du meridians, warming the dantian for one incense stick…”

Whoosh!

Bang!

Ah!

Three sudden sounds rang out in an instant.

Several figures in mid-air rose and separated.

Then, several figures crashed heavily onto the stone platform among the crowd. The crowd thunderously retreated in panic, faintly hearing someone hiss: “You… so ruthless…”

Shortly after, from between people’s legs, streams of bright red blood slowly flowed, gradually twisting into strange patterns on the ground like the branches of old trees, slowly gathering into pools of blood, crimson reflections of blue sky and ancient trees, white clouds and ornamental mountains, along with the cold, mocking gazes of Yu Zixi, Su Xuan, and others.

Chaos erupted below the platform.

Someone rushed up, crying out: “Master!”

Someone angrily cursed: “Mu Huaiyu, you treacherous old villain!”

More people looked terrified and retreated from the stone platform.

Qin Chang Ge looked toward Chu Feihuan, retreating from the stone platform.

And Xiao Baozi, holding his belly on the ornamental mountain, silently threw back his head and laughed.

Just now, that passage of supreme martial arts from the “Langhuan Secret Manual” had finally stimulated the desire-filled masters to fight for it.

The ten great sects had different interests to begin with. Seven sects usually stood together, while several other sects operated independently. This time Mu Huaiyu, to strengthen his position, used profit as bait to achieve the ten great sects’ united advance and retreat, but their minds differed, giving others an opportunity to exploit.

This created Chu Feihuan’s chance to fight poison with poison.

You use profit as bait to form an alliance; I use profit as bait to break your alliance.

So Baozi’s performance immediately made everyone compete to act.

Among them, the leaders of Zixiao, Jiuhua, and Wansha sects, who had always been at odds with Mu Huaiyu and only joined due to greed for the supreme martial arts, saw the treasure before them. With a chance to monopolize it, how could they let it pass? Before Baozi finished speaking, several figures shot up into the sky like eagles, diving straight toward the ornamental mountain.

However, the mantis hunts the cicada while the sparrow waits behind. Mu Huaiyu, already wary, along with Jingxuan Zi, leader of Tianji Sect who always breathed through the same nostril as him, immediately rose up close behind, their palm power silent and invisible, heavily striking their companions’ backs.

The three sect leaders, unprepared for their companions’ sudden deadly attack, had their entire backs completely exposed. With miserable cries, they all tumbled down.

Mu Huaiyu and Jingxuan Zi, successful in their sneak attack, no longer hesitated and both pounced toward Baozi like hawks.

But they were intercepted by Qi Fan and Rong Xiaotian, who had been waiting behind the ornamental mountain. Qi Fan laughed: “You two, famous in the martial world for thirty years, today in front of the world’s heroes, attacking a child with hair in buns—aren’t you ashamed?”

In his laughter, he extended his hand. His golden mace flashed with blue light, clearly poisoned.

Rong Xiaotian said nothing, single-handedly wielding something with tiger-like wind sounds—actually a heavy weapon, a Weituo pestle, which had been even more viciously modified with a three-edged spike covered in small barbs. He swung his arm horizontally, creating a heavy wall of silver light mixed with sharp whistling sounds, firmly protecting Baozi and making it impossible for anyone to approach.

Those two, rushing to sneak attack, hadn’t had time to draw their weapons. Their aerial pouncing posture left them completely exposed, so how dare they engage such deadly weapons? Resentfully twisting their bodies, they flipped back with a whoosh, returning empty-handed.

This sequence of rising, falling, attacking, assassinating, and confronting happened in just an instant. Those with slightly lower martial arts couldn’t see the beginning and end clearly, only knowing three sect leaders pounced up and fell down, and simultaneously Mu Huaiyu and Jingxuan Zi also returned disappointedly.

The three sect leaders were already seriously injured.

Disciples of Zixiao, Jiuhua, and Wansha sects, seeing their leaders ambushed and severely wounded, angrily rushed forward to seek justice from Mu Huaiyu and Jingxuan Zi. Naturally, the subordinates of Mount Song and Tianji weren’t idlers either. Drawing swords and unsheathing blades, they fiercely engaged, and for a time there was banging and clanging as they fought among themselves.

Miserable cries continuously rang out. People were constantly stabbed in the chest by sharp weapons, pulled out, bringing spurting fountains of blood. People were constantly creating others’ deaths or having their deaths created by others.

Fresh blood soaked the white stone platform surface. More and more corpses accumulated on the ground—some from the seven great sects, but more from those three sects.

Mu Huaiyu’s face was iron-blue as he stared deadly at Baozi, his gaze like a snake’s. Baozi was completely unafraid, calmly appreciating this battle with countless casualties that he had instigated. Seeing the three sects weakening, being killed and retreating step by step, unable to maintain the balanced confrontation with the other sects, he shook his head somewhat regretfully and called out loudly: “I’ll recite a poem for everyone to hear… very nice—Heaven gave me a pair of feet, taught me how to stand tall and not fall, but I only learned to—run away; Heaven gave me a straight back, taught me how to never yield, but I only learned to show off! Heaven gave me nimble hands, taught me how to work hard and farm, but I only learned—whether enemy or friend, kill them all!”

He smiled as he looked at Mu Huaiyu, whose face was black as a pot bottom, continuing to add fuel to the fire: “There’s another one, written especially for you, sect leader—Oh sea, you’re all water; oh horse, you have four legs; oh sect leader, this young master makes your mouth crooked with anger!”

In the clear, bright laughter of a child’s voice, Baozi leisurely took out the manual he had tucked away, opened the cover, and displayed the inner page contents toward Mu Huaiyu.

“Langhuan First Style: Eighteen Cooking Techniques.”

“Langhuan Second Style: Floating on Kitchen Waters.”

“Langhuan Third Style: Great Vegetable Cutting Divine Power.”

…

The sounds of cursing, fighting, clashing weapons, and weeping stopped abruptly.

Everyone stared blankly at what Baozi held—behind the practice diagrams in the manual, originally blocked by his fingers, were stoves, kitchen knives, steamers, and other cooking implements.

It was this thing the child had made up that led to three sect leaders being severely wounded and near death, caused the ten great sects to fight among themselves before even facing their enemies, led to the decline of three great sects’ disciples, and would be forever erased from martial arts history?

Ahhh!!!

Zixiao Sword Sect was mainly composed of women. The sect leader’s junior sister, Qiu Zicen, a girl who looked only seven or eight years old, suddenly drew her sword toward the sky amid the blood, releasing a desperately fierce roar.

The fierce roar shot up to the clouds. Everyone listened silently, feeling infinite coldness arise from their hearts, feeling vaguely melancholy.

The heart of greed kills without form.

Before achieving success, already suffering losses.

What was this?

After her fierce roar, Qiu Zicen regained calm, resentfully wiping blood from her lips, staring deadly at Mu Huaiyu, then turning her head: “Let’s go!”

Some still felt unwilling, crying: “Sect leader, she…”

“Now I am the sect leader!” Qiu Zicen decisively shouted, turning to look coldly at Mu Huaiyu. “Surnamed Mu, today if you have the guts, exterminate all of Zixiao before the world’s heroes. Otherwise, as long as Zixiao Sword Sect has one breath left, we will take your life, Mu Huaiyu. No death, no rest!”

Her tone was firm and full of killing intent. Though covered in blood, she showed no embarrassment, standing alone upright among the mess of corpses and blood. The wind was fierce, blowing up the girl’s long hair, sticking to the blood on her forehead. She paid no attention, drawing her sword from its sheath and cutting horizontally—a bloody, mangled little finger fell to the ground!

Without even a cold snort, she declared fiercely: “I swear by this!”

Mu Huaiyu’s gaze flickered as he said nothing. Though this girl was young, her fierce nature was extraordinary. Keeping her would indeed be trouble, but how could he exterminate her entire sect before the world’s heroes and under the watchful eyes of Blazing Flame members?

Today… everything was discordant…

Seeing he had nothing to say, Qiu Zicen didn’t even look at her severed finger, turned and left. The three sects’ disciples lifted their sect leaders and silently followed behind her. Everyone silently made way for them to leave.

Walking in front of Baozi, Qiu Zicen suddenly stopped. Rong Xiaotian’s gaze flashed as he was about to step forward, but Qi Fan held him back.

With complex eyes gazing at Baozi for a long time, Qiu Zicen surprisingly said nothing. Baozi looked down at her from his high position on the ornamental mountain. Unexpectedly, he gave her a thumbs up: “You’re very good. If you want to seek revenge on me in the future, remember to find me at Number One Zhengyang Gate in the capital.”

Rarely showing a serious smile, Baozi added: “I’ll spare your life three times.”

Slightly trembling, Qiu Zicen looked at Baozi with some confusion, finally leaving silently.

Qin Chang Ge looked up at the sky, muttering: “Number One Zhengyang Gate? Why don’t you say Number One Imperial Palace? And what’s this called? Flirting? You’re only five years old… What’s even more inexplicable is me—I’m only eighteen and haven’t even dated yet. Why do I instinctively evaluate future daughters-in-law when I see my son glance at a girl?”

Beside her, Xiao Jue’s face was full of black lines, silent to the point of speechlessness.

Over there, Chu Feihuan stared intently at Qiu Zicen’s retreating figure, gently shaking his head after a long moment. Qin Chang Ge saw this and found it amusing, couldn’t help smiling slightly at him.

Startled, Chu Feihuan also found it amusing and showed a smile in his eyes.

This moment’s warmth and understanding in this corner flowed silently.

…

Now on the stone platform, only seven great sects remained.

The other martial artists who had originally come to help, after this turn of events, had seen through Mu Huaiyu’s wolf-like heart. How could such a person possibly share martial techniques after obtaining the manual? He’d probably give it to you then kill your entire sect to take it back—weighing the pros and cons, they all felt it completely unnecessary to wade through this muddy water. They all retreated from the stone platform, adopting a neutral spectator stance.

Thus Blazing Flame’s pressure suddenly decreased.

On the vast stone platform, now only occupied by the seven sects’ disciples, it suddenly seemed somewhat lonely.

Mu Huaiyu’s plan to rely on superior numbers to force Su Xuan to obediently hand over the manual had already failed. Now leading seven sects in a siege wasn’t advantageous either—although they had taken advantage of the opportunity when most of Blazing Flame’s masters were away, Blazing Flame disciples were known for their ferocity. If they really fought desperately, even if they could win, their own side would be severely damaged, not to mention there was Su Xuan, called the world’s number one.

So… they had to use that person’s second plan…

“Gang Leader Su,” Mu Huaiyu stepped forward, “what a fine strategy—using a yellow-mouthed child to kill my three sects’ masters. Mu admires you!”

“I don’t know this young brother, but I admire him. Whatever he has done recently, everyone can blame me, Su Xuan. It has nothing to do with him,” Su Xuan sat casually, treating everyone as nothing, on his purple sandalwood tiger-skin chair carved with soaring eagles, making him appear majestic as a deity. He said coldly: “I also admire you. I’ve decided to give you the title of ‘World’s Number One.'”

Huh?

Everyone was bewildered. Even Mu Huaiyu looked surprised. In literature there is no first, in martial arts there is no second—”World’s Number One” was such a glorious title. Was he publicly yielding it? Was he afraid? Was that possible?

Amid whispered discussions, Su Xuan said unhurriedly: “Of course, we need to add a few words in front.”

“Black-hearted and shameless, world’s number one!”

Yu Zixi immediately added with a smile.

Looking up at Yu Zixi with a smile, Su Xuan’s expression showed complete agreement.

Anyone could see that today’s events—the martial world’s most significant battle in over ten years—and all that had occurred would immediately spread throughout the land. This evaluation that Su Xuan, the famous world’s number one, gave to Mu Huaiyu would definitely be known by everyone and follow him for life. With words reaching this level, Su Xuan had truly become angry, and Mu Huaiyu absolutely couldn’t tolerate such humiliation. A battle between the two was inevitable.

For a moment everyone held their breath, waiting for these two great masters of north and south to duel.

In the extreme silence, only long breathing sounds could be heard at strange frequencies—Mu Huaiyu adjusting his breath.

However, after a long while, he was heard to slowly laugh: “Gang Leader Su, today is not just Mu’s affair. The brothers of the seven great sects all want to settle accounts with you. How could Mu dare to take precedence over everyone?”

“You’re not worthy to speak of justice—hearing it affects my appetite,” Su Xuan still smiled without warmth, leaning casually back in his chair and saying slowly: “I’m very lazy. I didn’t sleep enough during my afternoon nap and want to make up for it. I don’t have patience to come one by one—all of you, attack together.”

“Insolent youngster!” Among the seven great sects, the most hot-tempered, Xi Qianfan of Chongxuan Sword Sect, even had his beard flying: “This old man will be the first to teach you a lesson!”

This was really planning a wheel battle. The crowd below, though expecting this, couldn’t hide their mocking expressions—Old Xi, at your age, practicing shameless inner skills to such a poker-faced level is truly impressive.

Unexpectedly, Mu Huaiyu extended his hand to block, saying with a sinister smile: “Gang Leader Su looks down on the world’s heroes, but we need not look down on ourselves. Why wheel battle? Even if you lose, you should lose with conviction.”

Everyone was bewildered again—had Mu Huaiyu changed his nature? Was he this honorable and straightforward?

But Qin Chang Ge smiled at Xiao Jue, saying quietly: “Hey, business is coming.”

Xiao Jue looked at those seven people with bright eyes, laughing quietly: “Excellent, excellent—”

Sure enough, they heard Mu Huaiyu on the platform say: “We seven challenge Blazing Flame Gang today. Each will fight one match, sparring only, stopping at first touch. The side with more victories wins, and the winner may make one request of the loser. How about it?”

With a thunderous roar, this time everyone again prostrated themselves before Mu Huaiyu’s despicable calculation.

Everyone knew that now Blazing Flame’s masters were mostly away. Only the Left and Right Protectors and Xuanmu Hall Master remained who could fight the seven sect leaders, and obviously the Xuanmu Hall Master wouldn’t be a match for any of them. With proper arrangement, except for the inevitable loss against Su Xuan, the seven great sects were certain to win.

This was better than a wheel battle against Su Xuan—Su Xuan was world-famous, and his earlier display of controlling bells with his voice was truly shocking. Seven consecutive challengers might lose half their number, and if Su Xuan went for kills, the consequences would be unthinkable. Now Su Xuan could only fight one match and only until first touch, equivalent to restraining this peerless master. How could the current Blazing Flame find seven masters capable of fighting these seven people?

Mu Huaiyu looked sinisterly at Su Xuan. This calculation was impossible for him not to see through. If he didn’t agree—

Su Xuan raised his head, his gaze sweeping past Mu Huaiyu across the arena, and laughed heartily: “Good!”

Now even Mu Huaiyu was stunned.

But Su Xuan only looked at him coldly with glass-like luminous and transparent eyes: “Sect Leader Mu, since it’s martial competition, it should naturally be fair. You can select masters from your side to participate, and so can I, right?”

“Naturally!” Mu Huaiyu was overjoyed and immediately responded: “Gang Leader Su naturally can select masters to participate.”

“Good,” Su Xuan said: “Please begin.”

=======================================

On the thirteenth day of the seventh month in the fourth year of Qianyuan, in the eastern suburbs of the capital, the vast Blazing Flame Gang welcomed the most malicious enemies since its establishment. Martial arts history welcomed its most treacherous and blood-soaked legendary scene with participants of the highest level.

This battle began when the sun was directly overhead and ended after the blood moon hid behind clouds. Seven matches total, with the last four especially famous throughout the world, becoming classic battles in martial arts challenge history, sung through generations.

Several mysterious figures who emerged in this battle became eternal topics that martial world people would constantly mention and enthusiastically speculate about their origins in the long years to come.

After this battle, those figures disappeared without a trace, never appearing in the martial world again, as if they had only appeared for this challenge and then became untraceable like idle clouds and wild cranes. Their mystery made everyone more interested, with everyone saying those figures must have been long-famous martial world personalities, otherwise how could they have such cunning martial arts and fierce killing intent? However, everyone exhausted the martial arts records and counted their fingers to breaking, listing all people with similar appearances and personalities, but couldn’t accurately identify their true identities.

Finally, they could only conclude they were hermit masters, perhaps some were Su Xuan’s sect brothers—after all, no one knew Su Xuan’s sect background, right?

No one knew.

Wind and clouds rise, the sea rages, all for one woman’s song that spans the world.

Blazing Flame’s main headquarters, crowded but suddenly silent.

So quiet you could hear the sound of leaves falling on distant mountains. In those layered peaks, there were faint sounds of singing, with clear and bright rhythm. Heard from afar, it sounded like a war song for the duel about to begin.

First match: Zhongnan Sect Leader Hu Bingyi versus Blazing Flame Left Protector Han Ping.

The two were evenly matched, each fighting hard. On the seven hundredth move, Hu Bingyi’s hammer struck Han Ping’s left shoulder, shattering his shoulder blade, while Han Ping’s long whip forcibly broke Hu Bingyi’s lower leg.

Both temporarily lost the ability to continue fighting. The match ended in a draw.

Second match: Chongxuan Sect Leader Xi Qianfan versus Xuanmu Hall Master Song Beichen.

Song Beichen was originally a second-tier master in Blazing Flame, the weakest of the four hall masters. Against Xi Qianfan, who was profound in internal energy and skilled in external martial arts, he absolutely couldn’t have any chance of winning. Everyone knew this, and Su Xuan had already said from his seat early on: “Beichen, just do your best. Don’t risk your life.”

Bowing slightly to Su Xuan, Song Beichen said solemnly: “Gang Leader, you’ve been insulted by villains and suffered this unjust grievance. This is also Blazing Flame’s humiliation. When has our gang, dominating the world, ever suffered such bullying? Now we can only spare nothing, repaying blood with blood!”

He spoke with murderous intent through gritted teeth. Everyone listening felt a chill, thinking they had truly offended Blazing Flame completely. How could they handle Blazing Flame’s future revenge?

Looking at the straightforward and impulsive Song Beichen, Su Xuan said gently: “Beichen, I know your feelings, but grievances have their source and debts have their owner. Someone with ulterior motives incited martial world colleagues to oppose me. This account, I will eventually settle with him. Don’t worry.”

These words clearly indicated he wouldn’t hold today’s blind followers accountable. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Su Xuan was flawless, elegant and graceful, with an imposing manner that was heart-moving, truly worthy of being the number one person to control the world’s greatest gang at such a young age.

Xi Qianfan was already impatient waiting, sneering on the platform: “Hey, boy, why so much nonsense? You’ll be quiet once you’re dead!”

Song Beichen stepped forward with an iron-blue face, not bothering with ceremonial greetings. Without a word, his long sword unfolded like scattered stars and overflowing light, howling down toward Xi Qianfan’s head—immediately using the killing move “Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens”!

Xi Qianfan, looking down on him, was careless. How could he expect this boy to use deadly moves right from the start? Losing the initiative and being pressed by Song Beichen’s desperate attacks, he was momentarily flustered and actually seemed about to lose.

Exclamations arose from the crowd. Though they knew Song Beichen had broken sparring rules, since Mu Huaiyu and others had come with dark hearts to insult the gang leader, his subordinate’s desperate fight was also loyalty and righteousness. Martial world people respected good men, so they temporarily forgot their awkward position and couldn’t help cheering.

But amid the cheering, Song Beichen’s knee suddenly softened.

Just that momentary tilt in the blink of an eye.

When masters fight, a tiny error leads to huge mistakes. An instant can let the opponent win ten times over.

Xi Qianfan immediately recovered from his disadvantage.

Su Xuan’s black eyes briefly glanced at the arena, showing a thoughtful expression.

Song Beichen, losing his seized initiative, immediately fell into great disadvantage. Xi Qianfan, deeply resenting how this boy had forced him into embarrassment and lost face before everyone, no longer cared about “stopping at first touch” rules. Every move aimed at Song Beichen’s vital points—all extremely cruel killing moves.

On the five hundred seventeenth move, Xi Qianfan made a feint attacking Song Beichen’s chest and abdomen. Song Beichen fell for it and dodged sideways, not expecting Xi Qianfan’s palm force to actually curve around and whoosh toward Song Beichen’s back!

However, Xi Qianfan’s right knee also suddenly softened.

Also just that momentary tilt in an instant.

His palm force went askew and missed, only hitting Song Beichen’s left arm. With a muffled grunt, Song Beichen’s left arm immediately hung limp. He still refused to give up, gritting his teeth to continue.

“Enough.”

Su Xuan spoke lightly from his seat, flicking his sleeve. Energy like a wall prevented Song Beichen from advancing another step. Su Xuan turned to look at Mu Huaiyu: “We concede this match.”

Mu Huaiyu’s gaze flickered. He naturally knew both sides had played tricks in this match—one side purely seeking victory, the other purely preserving life. Scanning the arena, he couldn’t immediately determine who was secretly helping his side. In any case, anyone who could interfere before Su Xuan must have unimaginably high martial arts. Thinking his side had such a supreme master secretly helping, he felt much more at ease.

Stroking his beard with a slight smile, he said: “Gang Leader Su is direct and forthright. Admirable.”

Third match: Taishan Sect Leader Song Zhichen versus Blazing Flame Right Protector Liang Fen.

Both were skilled in light martial arts. Song Zhichen’s “Flying Swan Crossing Water” movement technique and Liang Fen’s “Azure Cloud Leap” were both famous light skills in the martial world. The two moved high and low continuously around the arena, their movement skills truly beautiful to watch, making spectators dizzy.

Unfortunately, Liang Fen was somewhat younger and his internal energy couldn’t match Song Zhichen, who had cultivated for many years. He finally lost by one move on the eight hundredth exchange.

Thus, three matches: one draw, two losses. Blazing Flame was at a disadvantage.

If they won one more match, the seven great sects would be close to victory. In other words, Blazing Flame couldn’t afford another loss.

However, Blazing Flame’s masters, especially Grand Protector Yi Tianqing who was famous throughout the martial world for his internal and external cultivation, were all away from headquarters.

For a moment, the gazes toward Su Xuan seemed like a funeral watch.

Fourth match: Mu Huaiyu smiled sinisterly and gestured. Tianji Sect Leader Jingxuan Zi stepped forward with fierce eyes.

Jingxuan Zi, called the South’s number one swordsman, had vicious and ruthless sword techniques, swift beyond compare, called “Startling Feather.” It was said that when he danced his sword, any bird passing by, no matter how far away, would inevitably have its feathers cut by sword energy and die wailing.

He was an extremely difficult opponent.

He laughed coldly, his voice also owl-like: “Who comes to die?”

Su Xuan’s gaze fell distantly on the arena.

One person stepped out, also laughing coldly: “You.”