The Zhou Family managed to persuade the Wen Family to join the combined magic duel and martial contest because the Wen Family urgently needed the Fragrant Musk Deer musk, a spiritual object.
Zhou Chun had previously made an agreement with the Wen Family's Purple Mansion Phase Cultivator that as long as the Wen Family could secure first place, not only would the promised three taels of Fragrant Musk Deer musk be awarded to them, but they would also be allowed to exchange other spiritual objects for two additional taels of the musk.
Therefore, the Wen Family was determined to clinch the first place this time.
They sent a total of twenty-six clan members to participate in the event, with the least advanced among them being a late-stage Qi Refinement Cultivator.
At this point, as the cultivators from the Wen Family entered the field, they indeed quickly achieved the fastest progress since the start of the event.
With only twenty-three participants entering the stage, they had already reached the twenty-seventh barrier defended by Zhou Xinlan.
However, the barrier that Zhou Xinlan defended was like an impregnable wall of bronze and iron, blocking everyone who wished to pass.
From the twenty-third to the twenty-fifth, four consecutively from the Wen Family fell at this stage.
Until the twenty-sixth Wen Family Cultivator took the stage.
"Wen Liangyu of the Wen Family, I look forward to seeing Taoist Friend Zhou's skillful moves," he announced.
On the fighting stage, the last cultivator of the Wen Family, a middle-aged man with hints of white hair already visible on his head, approached solemnly.
He carried the Wen Family's last hope on his shoulders—all he could afford was victory, not defeat!
After the two men exchanged courtesies, the combat erupted swiftly following the sound of Zhou Jiarui's voice, the referee.
Unexpectedly, Wen Liangyu too had tamed a first-grade superior Demon Beast.
It was a robust Steel Armor Rock Pig, three zhang in body length and seven chi in height, which, in terms of size, dwarfed the Redflame Vajra Ape.
Under the restraint of the Steel Armor Rock Pig, the Redflame Vajra Ape was completely unable to provide any further assistance to Zhou Xinlan.
Without the help of his Spirit Pet, Zhou Xinlan found himself at a disadvantage alone against Wen Liangyu's assault.
But he was a tenacious individual, unwilling to succumb to defeat just yet.
So, after laboriously enduring a wave of his opponent's assault, he gritted his teeth and launched a counterattack.
He reached out to pat his Storage Pouch and took out two identical Talismans to activate on the spot.
In an instant, two Fire Serpents appeared before him.
However, instead of sending the two Fire Serpents towards his adversary, he rapidly moved his hands in a spellcasting gesture, hitting the Fire Serpents with a series of Mana, preparing to forcefully combine the power of the two first-grade superior Talismans by relying on his own Fire Control Technique.
Sitting in the stands, Zhou Chun's facial expression changed slightly, never expecting Zhou Xinlan to take such a risk.
True, the Fire Control Technique could indeed merge the powers of several Fire Element Spells into one, yielding greater force.
But if the fire power of the merged spells was too strong, there was also a risk of playing with fire and getting burnt.
Typically, a "Fireball Talisman" or a "Firebird Talisman" paired with a "Fireball Talisman" would be used for combining.
Zhou Xinlan was only at the twelfth level of Qi Refinement Realm, and now he was trying to merge the strength of two first-grade superior "Fire Serpent Talismans." Wasn't that madness?
Instantly, Zhou Chun wanted to intervene forcibly in the duel to stop Zhou Xinlan's risky behavior.
But just at that moment, Zhou Zhengyong, who was also in the stands, suddenly spoke up, "Clan Leader, don't panic just yet. If Xinlan has the courage to do this, he must be confident!"
"Brother Yong, you..."
Zhou Chun looked at Zhou Zhengyong with surprise and disbelief, not expecting him to say such a thing.