Old Shi inside the ring hesitated.
Seeing Lin Xiao draw nearer, Ye Chen appeared outwardly calm and aloof, but inwardly, he was terrified.
"But... that person was right. Your sword strike, if you hadn't fixated on his physical body and instead followed the Sword Intent, you might have struck him. Alas, his Sword Dao mastery is too terrifying. Compared to you, it's likely..."
"Enough! Old Shi! You're at it again!"
"Just tell me! How can I defeat him!"
"Right! Old Shi! This Princely Heir promised you that if I win the Five Branches Martial Arts Meet, I'll listen to you in everything from now on!" Ye Chen added.
The old man in the ring pondered for a moment, then said, "To be honest, it's not difficult for you to win against him, because..."
"This fellow, from start to finish, hasn't shown a shred of killing intent towards you. Even when he just activated his Sword Qi to parry, that Sword Intent was neutral and tranquil. In other words..."
"He never intended to defeat you at all!"
"Although I don't know the reason, Princely Heir, just give it your all, and you'll surely be able to take him down!"
Upon hearing the old man's words, Ye Chen was stunned for a moment, then a cold smile touched the corners of his mouth.
Lin Xiao, Lin Xiao, you are truly pathetic.
To have Xiao Hongling as your Master, yet you still can only grovel and plead for defeat...
Who else but I, the favored child of the Heavenly Path, the sole Son of Destiny in this world? HAHAHAHA!
Saying this, all doubts in his heart vanished. He regained his usual fearless and ruthless vigor, and with a leap, he slashed out with his sword once more!
Ye Chen, that fellow, has finally adjusted his mentality!
That old grandpa must have placated him quite a bit.
Watching the approaching black sword shadow, Lin Xiao sighed. Once again, following the original plot, he assumed a defensive stance, preparing for a repeat performance.
Another sharp, heaven-shaking sound reverberated!
The entire audience stared in astonishment.
They saw the Eldest Senior Brother of Divine Phoenix Peak, who had been leisurely and composed throughout, his aura ethereal and transcendent, once again gripping his sword with both hands. He was attempting to parry his opponent using the most rudimentary defensive sword stance!
"Lin Xiao, the Geng Gold Sword Manual couldn't finish you. This time, let's try something more intense!"
Ye Chen roared deeply. Mana at the peak of the Dharma Appearance realm surged forth, and under the powerful catalysis of his Fire Sword Intent, it transformed into a terrifying, boundless inferno!
He advanced step by step, his sword dragging an endless torrent of furious flames, as if he were a god of fire descending upon the mortal world. He slowly walked towards Lin Xiao, who was a hundred *zhang* away!
As he advanced, the terrifying, explosive flames swept out in a radius of ten *zhang*!
If not for the Scouring Demon Stone pillars surrounding the martial stage absorbing and blocking the conflagration, the entire area would likely have been reduced to scorched earth!
"Heavens! It's the Law of Fire, the one with the greatest destructive power among the Five Elements Laws!"
"I never imagined a Sword Cultivator from the lower realms could so perfectly integrate the Five Elements Laws into their Sword Intent! If this isn't a Heaven-Chosen One, then what is?"
"Just moments ago, Senior Brother Lin escaped using a wondrous movement technique. This time, he's been sealed off by the Raging Fire Sword Qi; it seems he has no way out!"
"Sigh, this Chief Ye often proclaims himself the Son of Destiny and views all other cultivators as beneath him. Looking at him now, it truly seems another peerless talent of the ages has emerged."
"Does Senior Brother Lin still have a chance to turn the situation around?"
"A comeback? That's highly unlikely!"
"However, he can still concede! Senior Brother Lin, a true hero knows when to yield; just admit defeat!"
At this moment, the entire arena was trembling. Everyone was shouting in excitement.
The group of female disciples from Divine Phoenix Peak were especially tearful, their voices hoarse from screaming.
Some of the more timid ones even turned their heads away, unable to bear the sight of the anticipated bloody scene.
「On the Coiling Dragon High Platform.」
Three beautiful young women, dressed in the robes of Divine Phoenix Peak, rushed onto the Elders' Platform. They prostrated themselves before that calm and beautiful figure, crying out:
"Master! Please save Eldest Senior Brother!"
"Eldest Senior Brother is unwilling to concede! Only you, as his Master, have the authority to call a halt to the match!"
"Please, Master! Wuwuwu..."
The three young women wept profusely, kneeling before their Master's knees.
In the script playing out in their minds, Eldest Senior Brother was never a match for Ye Chen!
Now, Ye Chen looked completely bloodthirsty. If something untoward happened to Eldest Senior Brother, they'd never forgive themselves!
The surrounding Chairmen, Elders, and even Su Mei, all joined in, earnestly trying to persuade her.
Daoist Yuan Yi also put on a pained expression and said, "Junior Sister Hongling, my disciple Ye Chen is a Sword Dao prodigy, the likes of which are seen only once in myriad eras. Not only did he comprehend the Five Elements Sword Intent on his own, but his cultivation level has also reached the peak of Dharma Appearance. His participation in this Five Branches Martial Arts Meet was with the explicit aim of taking first place!"
"It's no disgrace for Martial Nephew Lin to lose to him!"
What bullshit Sword Dao prodigy.
Under the watchful eyes of all the Elders and Chairmen, Fairy Hongling, who had astonished the Cultivation World with her ancient Sword Dao, lifted her phoenix-like eyes slightly. "Before my Xiao'er, even I might not be worthy of the title 'Sword Dao prodigy.'"
"As for Ye Chen... he's not even fit to carry my shoes."
The moment she spoke, a wave of shock went through the onlookers.
Even Daoist Yuan Yi, who always wore a smile, had a flicker of anger in his eyes.
Xiao Hongling couldn't be bothered with any of them. In her eyes, within the entire vast Qinglan Sect, apart from True Monarch Taiwu, the only one who could enter her sight was her own eldest apprentice.
Her long, slender legs, clad in black silk, moved as she stood up gracefully. She looked towards the motionless white-robed figure on the martial stage and said calmly:
"You three little girls, you don't truly understand your Eldest Senior Brother."