The question he asked was also what a group of surrounding contestants wanted to ask. Even Yu Qing found it somewhat inconceivable, suspecting whether this person had something wrong with their brain.
Xiang Zhen, however, glanced at Zhong Ruochen. “I did not expect her to go up at the same time.”
Kui Kui widened his eyes and said, “So what if she went up at the same time? You have not hung your challenge tag yet. You can still step back and reconsider.”
Seeing everyone looking at him as if he were a monster, Xiang Zhen retorted, “Why should I step back?”
Long Xingyun, who was listening nearby, could not help but chuckle. “What do you mean why? Did this bumpkin not just say that you refused to fight one match and insisted on fighting two?”
After saying this, he deliberately made eye contact with Yu Qing, emphasising this point specifically to let Yu Qing know that this was the reason he was not going up to challenge him.
Kui Kui scoffed at Long Xingyun with extreme disdain, deeming him unworthy of attention, and continued to explain to Xiang Zhen, “Fighting two matches is a compliment to you. You have to get past her first, and you may not necessarily be her match.”
Xiang Zhen still repeated the same sentence, “I did not expect her to go up at the same time.”
Kui Kui glared again. “Is your brain flat? I said you can step down.”
“Step back out of fear?” Xiang Zhen questioned, his gaze immediately becoming calm and resolute. “I will not step back!”
“Hmph, blockhead.” Kui Kui waved his hand and walked away. It was pointless to reason with such a person. He would ignore him, as it was none of his business and there was no need to anger himself.
Seeing this, the others naturally had nothing more to say.
The problem was that it was useless to say anything now. The challenge tag had already been hung and confirmed. According to the rules, going back on it at this point would only be considered a forfeit.
Thus, the 25 contestants once again waited calmly below the stage.
Qin Fujun on the stage waited for quite a while. Seeing no reaction from the crowd, she called out again, “If anyone has any further questions about the rules, you may ask me at any time.”
As a result, no one made a sound. Except for the three who had already hung their tags, the rest appeared to have heard nothing, or rather, they were all waiting and watching.
Regarding this, Qin Fujun had no temper to lose and simply maintained a smile, having been mentally prepared for this situation.
This kind of situation was not new in previous Chaoyang Assemblies. Once the challenge matches began, most participants would remain in a state of waiting and watching.
Unlike drawn lots for matches where no one had a choice, here, given even a slight choice, everyone wanted to find ways to exploit the rules to seek the most advantageous opportunities for themselves.
Someone like Xiang Zhen, who squeezed his way up regardless, was absolutely rare.
In the surrounding stands, noisy disturbances gradually emerged, with many voices of teasing and mockery, especially from those who had been eliminated earlier and were now taking the opportunity to express their anger.
In the VIP seats, some drank tea while others chatted, and Sect Leader Zhao invited the honoured guests to taste fresh spiritual fruits.
Princess Chaoyang could no longer sit still. She left her seat, placed her hands on her hips, and paced back and forth in front of the stage. If her mother, the Empress, were not there to keep her in check, she might have jumped down.
Hearing the discussions from the stands on both sides and having wandered around for quite a while, she finally could not hold back and started chattering at the group of contestants, “What outstanding heroes of the world? You are all a bunch of indecisive rats.”
Empress Yan Yi, holding a tea cup, raised her eyelids. “Shut up and come back to sit down!”
Princess Chaoyang returned sullenly and plonked herself down, still speaking with resentment, “Except for that Zhang Zhichen, none of the others act like men. In my opinion, only Zhang Zhichen is any good.”
Hearing this, Xiang Lanxuan, who was standing by the stage, glanced at her, then quickly turned her head to look outward, the corners of her mouth revealing a suppressed smile.
Yan Yi also smiled gently. “You do not even know whether he is handsome or ugly, yet you already know he is good?”
At these words, the smile on Xiang Lanxuan’s face instantly froze. A hint of horror even flashed in her eyes. She abruptly turned her head to look at the mother and daughter, seemingly sensing that something was wrong. Her eyes showed uncertainty and suspicion, and then she slowly turned her head back to look in Yu Qing’s direction.
Princess Chaoyang tapped her feet and pouted. “If we keep waiting like this, who knows how long it will take.”
Yan Yi took a sip of tea and gave Zhao Dengzi a glance. “We are spectators and do not understand the rules of the competition. You must ask Sect Leader Zhao about this.”
Princess Chaoyang immediately asked, “Sect Leader Zhao, how much longer do we have to wait?”
Zhao Dengzi paused for a moment, checked the Empress’s reaction, and then looked at Li Chenghu, who seemed to have heard nothing yet wore a faint smile. He replied immediately, “Soon, very soon.”
He then turned around and beckoned Zhan Yunqi over, instructing him, “Go to the host stage and let them know. There is no need to keep dragging this out. If no one else hangs a tag after one incense stick of time has passed, those who have already hung their tags will begin first.”
“Yes.” Zhan Yunqi understood and left.
Yan Yi put down her tea cup and said, “Sect Leader Zhao, is there anything inappropriate about rushing the competition like this?”
Zhao Dengzi said, “No, not at all. Matters within the rules cannot be waited on indefinitely.”
Yan Yi nodded. “Sect Leader Zhao is right. It is we who do not understand the rules.”
“Your Majesty speaks too heavily,” Zhao Dengzi replied politely.
Li Chenghu smiled faintly, leaned his body towards Tie Miaoqing, and pointed at the spiritual fruits on the table. “What is the matter? Do they not suit your taste?”
Tie Miaoqing shook her head, picked up a spiritual fruit, and began to nibble on it slowly.
Over at the main stage, after Zhan Yunqi gave his instructions, someone quickly walked over to stand guard in front of the large incense burner.
After the time of one incense stick had passed, Qin Fujun walked to the front of the stage again and announced with a smile, “We have already waited for one incense stick of time. Since no one else is coming up to hang a tag for now, we will continue according to the rules. For the first place contention, Zhang Zhichen will defend the arena first, and Shang Yue and Xiang Zhen will initiate the challenge. According to the competition rules, the arena defender has the advantage. Shang Yue must duel Xiang Zhen first, and only the winner may challenge the arena defender, Zhang Zhichen.”
She then looked down at the stage. “Shang Yue, Xiang Zhen, as you are both challengers, according to the rules, you must duel immediately without delay. Anyone who refuses to duel will be considered to have failed the challenge. Do you understand?”
“Understood.” Zhong Ruochen nodded.
Xiang Zhen also replied, “Understood.”
“Good, please enter the arena to duel.” After Qin Fujun made the invitation, she waved her hand to give a signal, and the rumbling sound of drums immediately rang out.
As soon as the drumming started, the people in the stands finally perked up.
Two figures flew into the arena one after the other, and the 23 contestants below the stage all turned to watch.
Inside the competition arena, the two confronted each other from a distance of several zhang.
Zhong Ruochen, in a white dress and veiled face, was calm and composed, seemingly not taking her opponent seriously.
Xiang Zhen, carrying a large sword on his back, stared at his opponent with a resolute gaze. The broadsword behind his shoulder faintly emitted a humming sound, and the hilt slowly drew itself out bit by bit, gradually revealing the sharp edge of the blade.
Zhong Ruochen keenly noticed the movement of the sword behind him. Her gaze suddenly swept quickly around, and she saw that the sand and dust on the ground had vaguely begun to float, with the floating area slowly expanding.
Before the drumming stopped and before the two competitors had officially begun fighting, a wave of aura had already overflowed from Xiang Zhen in all directions.
He seemed unable to wait to fight.
A hint of surprise flashed in Zhong Ruochen’s eyes. She could feel that her opponent’s aura was pure and immensely strong, seemingly without any impurities. It was her first time seeing someone with such pure aura. Not only was it pure, but it was also aggressive and cold, as if the aura itself had a sharp edge capable of causing harm.
As soon as the rumbling drums stopped, officially declaring the start of the match, the dust on the ground explosively erupted in an instant. It was like a waterfall flowing backwards, instantly engulfing both competitors. A cold light flashed behind Xiang Zhen, and his sword was unsheathed at the same time.
The bursting sandstorm instantly blocked the view of all spectators, and the loud clashing sounds of combat rang out continuously.
“Such powerful qi manipulation.”
Similar exclamations came from the surrounding stands.
As someone from the Dingyin District, Yu Qing knew that Xiang Zhen had only used this move in the first match of the district, when he had no idea of his opponent’s capabilities, and had not used it since. Its reappearance now showed that he considered that Shang Yue to be a formidable enemy.
In the VIP seats, staring at the suddenly erupting sand and dust, Li Chenghu also offered a word of praise. “With this level of cultivation, being able to reach this realm of qi manipulation is already very strong.”
Yan Yi casually remarked, “What is the use of making a loud commotion? Against the Thousand Hand Cloud Turning Art, he will be perfectly countered. He is probably just asking for trouble.”
Before her words had even settled, the sand and dust that was about to diffuse suddenly began to churn eerily, like boiling water. A vortex seemed to form rapidly, quickly drawing the exploded sandstorm back in. It was as if a tornado was forming, making the surrounding audience feel a pulling force.
Boom!
Amidst the fierce sounds of combat, a loud shock suddenly rang out. Xiang Zhen, who had been pushing his sword horizontally in front of him with both hands, was blasted out of the rapidly shrinking sandstorm. While in mid air, he spat out a mouthful of visible blood and crashed straight down towards the outside of the arena.
The hazy figure that had blasted Xiang Zhen away also rushed out of the sand and dust. Inside was the faintly visible Zhong Ruochen, seeming to fly out rapidly while holding up a curtain of sand. The trailing tail of the sand curtain dragged the entire mass of dust, and the whole massive cloud of sand actually began to dance along with her.
“Wow!”
The people in the surrounding stands let out a gasp of astonishment, looking at the scene before them in disbelief.
It was a phoenix. The sand and dust, swirling in vortices of various sizes, together formed the pattern of a giant bird. It looked like a phoenix dancing gracefully, which was visually stunning.
Many people looked as if they were dumbfounded. The group of contestants below the stage was even more deeply moved, and Yu Qing’s expression was also grave.
Meanwhile, Xiang Zhen’s figure was already crashing towards the boundary line.
Just when everyone thought the outcome was decided, a chanting voice echoed throughout the arena, drowning out the whooshing sound of the winged “phoenix”. “The stars and moon are far away, but my sword has wings!”
Just as he was about to crash to the ground, he suddenly drew an arc and soared into the sky.
Everyone looked closely and saw that he had already flipped in mid air, stepped onto his sword, and risen, rapidly flying around the arena and spiralling upwards all the way.
“Sword flight!”
“It is sword flight!”
Waves of astonishment erupted within the arena.
Including the 23 contestants below the stage, who could not be surprised? Flying freely through heaven and earth was the dream of many cultivators, something that could almost only be achieved at the High Profound realm.
Who would have known that in the next moment, wind whooshed through the entire arena. Zhong Ruochen, at the head of the “phoenix”, waved her arms continuously to cast her spell. The vortices of all sizes covering the “phoenix” seemed to spin faster. As Zhong Ruochen pointed with a wave of her hand, the “phoenix” immediately spread its wings and soared, flapping and flying, chasing after the sword rider in the sky.
That momentum, that spectacle, stunned countless people. In all the fights of the Chaoyang Assembly so far, this was the first time such a heart shaking combat scene had appeared.
Princess Chaoyang could not sit still. She jumped down from her seat, ran to the edge of the stage, opened her mouth wide, and looked up at the sky.
Ordinary people like Wen Xin and Xiao Hong, upon seeing such a scene, naturally looked as if their jaws had dropped to the floor.
With blood at the corner of his mouth, Xiang Zhen flew through the air, the wind whipping around him. Regardless of whether the “phoenix” below was chasing him, or what was happening down there, he continued forward. His gaze was deep, cold, and resolute. In his eyes, there was only the blue sky above his head, as he flew continuously towards the high altitude without stopping.