Chapter 241

Gu Xuyang looked at the frail, injured woman on the stage. There was no humiliation in his heart from this unexpected loss; instead, his eyes held considerable respect. "Sect Master Shen is truly remarkable," he said.

Shen Tang smiled slightly. "I merely used a stratagem," she replied.

Gu Xuyang shook his head. "My fighting was too conservative, and I lacked adaptability. Rules are rules; you won," he conceded. He then switched to a voice transmission: "The Emperor's Ultimate World-Shocking Scripture, truly worthy of its super-grade divine art status. I now understand why His Majesty issued such a peculiar decree, hah..."

Shen Tang simply cupped her hands in acknowledgment. "Thank you for the concession," she said. The Emperor's Ultimate World-Shocking Scripture couldn't be concealed forever; anyone with expertise would eventually recognize it once she engaged in combat. Gu Xuyang's unusual attitude, opting for voice transmission instead of public announcement, made Shen Tang wonder if he was trying to leverage this knowledge.

Gu Xuyang paid no mind to her thoughts, didn't bid farewell to Shi Tielong, and simply ascended on a cloud, departing immediately. *Damn it, losing and still trying to save face was exhausting. With his natal magic weapon shattered, he needed to find a place to repair it immediately, or he'd be in serious trouble if he ran into an enemy.*

Seeing that the combatants had acknowledged the outcome, Lu Xingzhou swiftly rushed onto the stage. He immediately tended to Shen Tang's wounds, stopping the bleeding and giving her medicine. He then summoned a wheelchair and helped her sit comfortably.

Shen Tang's face was pale. She turned to look at Lu Xingzhou's stern expression, her beautiful eyes seemingly inadvertently sweeping over Ye Tinglan in the stands. "That last sword..." she whispered, "I wasn't confident."

Ye Tinglan understood what she meant. With that final sword, had she not opted for a palm push, she would have had an opportunity to genuinely defeat her opponent, rather than relying on a technicality of the rules as she did. However, the certainty of that outcome would have been significantly lower. Her opponent had only sustained backlash injuries and was not completely incapacitated; the final result would have been uncertain. Since this was a contest of skill on a stage, not a battle to the death, Shen Tang ultimately chose the more secure option of pushing her opponent out of the ring, prioritizing the victory. But despite the win, Shen Tang still harbored a sense of regret, feeling she hadn't truly achieved what the Great Ye Tinglan had.

*This girl probably recognized me... And she still tore into me, even after recognizing me!* Ye Tinglan gazed at Shen Tang's pale face, lost in thought. *The Heavenly Sword Sect's sword arts perfectly align with the Qian trigram, and also with the Emperor's Ultimate World-Shocking Scripture,* she mused. *Considering the trigram's implications, Shen Tang truly exemplified a gentleman's self-improvement by fighting and winning against a first-rank opponent without needing my assistance.*

*The Qian trigram... Undoubtedly the trigram of emperors.*

*This observation seemed to have yielded a definitive result.*

What Shen Tang thought inwardly didn't matter; at this moment, in the hearts of all the spectators, she had unequivocally won. Even if she was battered, bloody, and had used a technicality to win, a win was still a win. At this moment, Shen Tang appeared as a celestial being in the eyes of the crowd.

Lu Xingzhou remained silent, focusing solely on stemming the bleeding and treating her injuries. Shen Tang whispered, "Are you perhaps faulting me for pushing myself so hard unnecessarily?"

"No," Lu Xingzhou finally replied. "I'm just worried, but I'm incredibly proud of you."

Shen Tang smiled brilliantly.

After completing his examination, Lu Xingzhou whispered, "You look covered in blood, but these are all external injuries and easily treated. Internally, you're just depleted; a few medicinal pills and a short rest will set you right. In fact, Gu Xuyang's injuries are more severe than yours. The backlash from his shattered natal magic weapon is far more problematic than your wounds. From that perspective, you won too."

"Who compares things like that..." Shen Tang chided playfully.

From the stage, Zhang Rongzhi's voice carried over: "Given Sect Master Shen's condition, she should rest first... Guild Master Shi, have you selected your third combatant yet?"

Shi Tielong let out a long sigh of relief. Besides Shen Tang, the Heavenly Sword Sect's most capable fighter was Zhang Shaoyou, and Shi Tielong felt he stood a chance against him. So he stood and stepped onto the stage. "Then I shall engage with the esteemed techniques of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Who will represent your sect, Hall Master Zhang?"

Before Zhang Shaoyou could even open his mouth, Lu Xingzhou, still on the stage, interjected, "Guild Master Shi, you're quite amusing; can't you see someone is already on the stage?"

Shi Tielong stared blankly. "You?"

"Indeed, humble me," Lu Xingzhou said, straightening his stance with a faint smile. "Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken? Guild Master Shi, you are only fit to spar with me."

A commotion erupted among the spectators. Lu Xingzhou's cultivation was merely at the mid-fourth rank, while Shi Tielong was at the mid-third rank. While it appeared to be only a single rank difference, the gap between them was the immense hurdle of the upper three ranks—a distance as vast as a heavenly tribulation! Their very fundamental realms were different; Shi Tielong could fly, but Lu Xingzhou could not. It was like a grown man fighting a child. How dared he be so presumptuous?

Lu Xingzhou thought to himself that a lack of experience simply bred provincialism. *Is third rank really that impressive? I've even fought one before, and it sounds good when declared. Little White Hair had even defeated a third-rank opponent in the Demon Subduing Realm without taking a scratch. He could only conclude that after witnessing so many exceptional individuals, his own expectations of himself had grown equally extreme. Otherwise, he would constantly question whether he was truly worthy of them. He had already accumulated so many advantages; his immortal bones alone were beyond Shi Tielong's reach, and he practiced a super-grade cultivation method. If he didn't dare to fight a match, how could he consider himself worthy of Shen Tang's nearly celestial performance just now?*

Ignoring the fuming Shi Tielong on stage, Lu Xingzhou first wheeled Shen Tang to the spectator stands and whispered, "I'll be right back."

Shen Tang didn't utter any words about him being reckless; she understood what the man was thinking. She merely gave a soft "Mm," and added, "Be careful."

Lu Xingzhou returned to the stage, bowed slightly, and said, "Guild Master Shi, please begin."

Shi Tielong's expression was laced with disdain. With a light push of his foot, he shot into the air, hovering high above the stage. Looking down, he sneered, "Can... can you even hit me?"

Lu Xingzhou was speechless.

Many in the audience laughed. Someone whispered, "Guild Master Shi isn't playing fair. I thought he would directly confront his opponent, showing some proper sportsmanship. Instead, he's resorting to such humiliating tactics."

Another person countered, "Shi Tielong's morale is broken; he cannot afford another loss." Those who overheard nodded in agreement; it was indeed the case. Shen Tang's consecutive victories against a second-rank and a first-rank opponent had created a surging momentum, thrilling every spectator. If Shi Tielong were to be defeated by a lower-ranked fighter again, even winning all seven remaining matches would likely be meaningless; the Heavenly Sword Sect would remain the undisputed champion in the public's eyes. Shi Tielong had to use the most humiliating method possible to crush his opponent's momentum and reclaim control of the arena.

Lu Xingzhou looked up and sighed. "Must you really play like this?"

"More than that," Shi Tielong said, conjuring his flying sword. "Because you can't hit me, but I can hit you."

Lu Xingzhou chuckled. "Old Shi, if you'd been this delightfully sneaky from the start, I might have actually liked you quite a bit."

"Then I have no need for your affection," Shi Tielong retorted with a grin, waving his hand dismissively. "You can keep your fondness for your own Sect Master."

The sword light gleamed brilliantly as it plunged directly towards Lu Xingzhou. It must be said, Shi Tielong's flying sword was indeed powerful, renowned for its might and dazzling with its brilliant light. However, the audience had just witnessed Shen Tang's spectacular performance, and this sword light, though impressive, felt somewhat underwhelming in comparison.

"Boom!" The sword light plunged into the floor beside Lu Xingzhou. The arena, reinforced by formations, still shattered and sent stone fragments flying, raising a cloud of dust.

"Huh... why did it pierce the floor? I didn't see Lu Xingzhou move, did I?"

"Did Guild Master Shi hold back?"

"Idiots, Lu Xingzhou moved; you just didn't see it."

The discerning observers had already noticed: Lu Xingzhou's footwork was subtly off-kilter, making him appear almost motionless. The sword light grazed past him, his casual demeanor revealing extraordinary confidence and judgment. Shi Tielong wanted to humiliate him, so naturally, Lu Xingzhou had to show off.

From within the rising dust, Lu Xingzhou's left foot stomped violently. Countless spectators stared in stunned silence as fire erupted from Lu Xingzhou's feet, propelling him skyward like a firework. Though it more resembled an undignified skyrocket, his posture was inexplicably graceful...

He launched himself into the sky. In reality, martial cultivators at the fourth rank could achieve this, but it was unsustainable and offered no aerial control, utterly incomparable to the true cloud-riding flight of those at third rank and above. Logically, such an uncontrolled ascent against a genuinely airborne opponent was simply asking for a beating.

Shi Tielong also smiled. With a beckoning hand, his flying sword shot back from the ground, aiming directly for Lu Xingzhou's lower body. Simultaneously, he slapped towards Lu Xingzhou's head. "Get down," he commanded.

Lu Xingzhou struck like lightning, chopping his palm onto Shi Tielong's wrist. Logically, such an obstruction should have sent him plummeting. Yet, everyone watched as he not only remained airborne but gracefully drifted sideways, perfectly evading the flying sword rushing up from below, as if he possessed true flight.

"How is that possible!" a commotion erupted below. "He hasn't reached the third rank; how did he do that?"

"It's a Floating Talisman!" a keen-eyed spectator exclaimed. "He has one attached to his back!"

"But Floating Talismans only provide buoyancy; they don't absorb force," another argued. "How can it withstand Guild Master Shi's attacks?"

"I don't know, it's just bizarre..."

Only Ye Tinglan knew that a mere Floating Talisman wouldn't suffice. However, combine that with his fully integrated immortal bones and the power of his water-fire spirals, and it was just enough. Shedding one's mortal coil was, by definition, a prelude to transcendence; such bones, imbued with immortal essence, were inherently light and pure. The immortal bones combined with the Floating Talisman enabled him to fly, while the water-fire spirals provided support against force and allowed for directional adjustments. With his solid mid-fourth rank cultivation, he was forcefully performing a feat typically reserved for third-rank practitioners. *However, it required immense concentration to control, and he couldn't kick, which might not be advantageous for the fight... but for the sake of showing off, he was undeniably successful.*

Even the discussions and reactions provoked by Shen Tang didn't seem as fervent as those he'd just inspired. Ye Tinglan truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. *But just showing off isn't enough; he still had to win!*

As the lively discussions raged below, Shi Tielong paid them no mind. He reached out, recalled his flying sword, and unleashed a direct horizontal slash. *Let's see you "fake-fly" now!*

Lu Xingzhou blocked Shi Tielong's arm with one hand, delivered an elbow strike with the other, and then drove his entire body into Shi Tielong's chest. Shi Tielong sneered, chopping his left hand onto Lu Xingzhou's elbow. The first official energy clash erupted with a loud bang in the air. To everyone's utter astonishment, the one who was repelled was... Shi Tielong! A third-rank cultivator, fighting a fourth-rank, was repelled head-on!

Shi Tielong had a bitter taste in his mouth, unable to articulate his surprise. It wasn't that Lu Xingzhou's raw strength was superior. Instead, an unknown black flame had silently clung to Lu Xingzhou's elbow. Upon contact, it had nearly incinerated Shi Tielong's palm. Fortunately, his formidable cultivation allowed him to unleash a sudden burst of vital energy, scattering the black flame. But Lu Xingzhou, like a shadow, had already followed, twisting his body to deliver a direct punch to Shi Tielong's midsection.

Shi Tielong condensed vital energy to protect his fist, meeting the blow with his own punch. With a resounding "bang," the two fists collided. An incredibly ferocious burst of Taiji Heavenly Vital Energy erupted. Shi Tielong had assumed Lu Xingzhou was merely using Daoist cultivation techniques to gain an unfair advantage, with his actual strength being mediocre. Encountering such a ferocious burst so abruptly, he was caught completely off guard and was once again thrown backward.

Spectators craned their necks, almost dumbfounded by the sight. How was it that Lu Xingzhou appeared to be utterly dominating Shi Tielong? Only the two combatants knew the truth: Lu Xingzhou's fists were slightly trembling, and Shi Tielong's actual power was indeed greater than his own. But the good news was that it wasn't significantly stronger than the explosive power of his Taiji Heavenly Vital Energy. *Not only was his 'health bar' showing, but it wasn't very full!*

Lu Xingzhou's usually calm and refined gaze turned savage.

Shi Tielong's expression grew grim. "This... what kind of cultivation method is this?"

"The cultivation method is nothing special, and I only have a couple of skills," Lu Xingzhou said with a smile, holding his hands as if embracing a sphere, forming a Taiji symbol. "After reaching the fourth rank, I can just about use a new move. I've never used it on anyone else before... Guild Master Shi, please give your appraisal."

Within his cupped hands, a Taiji symbol of swirling red and blue energies clearly materialized. Simultaneously, the water-fire spirals beneath his feet also transformed into a remarkably distinct Taiji shape. It was as if he stood upon yin and yang, holding life and death in his grasp.

A potent sense of crisis surged into Shi Tielong's heart. He no longer dared to be overconfident. With a sharp roar, sword light burst forth, and a tsunami-like surge of intent, eerily similar to his uncle Shi Chong's, erupted from him. It was Canglan's Fury, the ultimate flying sword technique of the Canglan Sect. He had unleashed his trump card.

Against the tsunami-like sword energy, Lu Xingzhou pulled his fist back to his waist, then violently thrust it forward. The sword light pierced into his red and and blue spirals. A look of triumph flickered across Shi Tielong's face, only to quickly freeze in astonished disbelief. Lu Xingzhou's punch, though appearing violent, was surprisingly devoid of any offensive power... The spirals were not aggressive as before; instead, they behaved like a sea vortex, devouring everything. His sword light plunged into the vortex, vanishing as if a clay ox had entered the sea, completely absorbed without a trace.

A pained expression flickered across Lu Xingzhou's face. This was the advanced version of the Yin-Yang Mill, the Grand Void Rotation. The Yin-Yang Mill was merely a prerequisite for mastering the Grand Void Rotation, designed to familiarize him with the sensation of allowing an opponent's vital energy to enter his body. All power within his internal universe fell into the Grand Void Vortex, absorbing and circulating energy as if harvesting it, and then...

"Boom!"

As if a delayed explosion, after a single breath, Shi Tielong's sword energy, combined with Lu Xingzhou's Yin-Yang spirals, was forcefully expelled from his body. Shi Tielong didn't react in time; the vital energy that had just vanished into the void now burst forth, doubled in intensity.

With a "bang," Shi Tielong plummeted from the air like a kite with a broken string. He couldn't comprehend how this was achieved.

From above, Lu Xingzhou flipped and spun a full 360 degrees, bringing down a vicious side whip kick. The Grand Void Rotation had completely drained his energy reserves. His Dantian and meridians were utterly empty at this moment; this kick was every ounce of power he could still muster.

Shi Tielong, falling through the air, struggled to raise a hand to block.

With a resounding "clang," Shi Tielong plunged into the arena like a cannonball, carving a massive, deep crater and sending shattered stones scattering wildly.

All seated spectators rose to their feet in shocked disbelief.

Lu Xingzhou landed on the ground, staggering two steps and nearly collapsing.

Shi Tielong lay in the pit like a crumpled rag, blood trickling from his mouth, still mumbling incredulously, "What kind of art..."

Lu Xingzhou took a few ragged breaths, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his lips. "The Grand Void Rotation... though I suppose calling it the Undying Seal Technique wouldn't be incorrect either."