"Why is Senior Brother Huo going up there?"
"Even though Senior Brother Huo is only at the Intermediate Stage Purple Mansion Realm, he's someone who can take down peak Purple Mansion experts."
"Huo Qingming? What's he doing up there?"
Not far away, The Martial Hall Elder frowned slightly and said, "Isn't this just bullying the weak?"
He knew Huo Qingming's strength all too well.
In his opinion, Ye Qiubai had no chance of winning against Huo Qingming right now.
Lu Chang'sheng, on the other hand, looked completely unconcerned.
After all, someone would step in to save him if needed.
Besides, was it certain Ye Qiubai would lose?
Not necessarily…
Huo Qingming looked at Ye Qiubai and said in a deep voice, "I didn't intend to bully the weak, but I owe someone a favor. I hope you can understand."
Ye Qiubai was taken aback. Someone wanted to harm him?
"Who?"
Huo Qingming shook his head. "You'll have to beat me first. If you lose, knowing won't matter anyway."
After all, Ye Yan's request was to cripple Ye Qiubai.
Once crippled, he wouldn't have the ability to seek revenge.
Hearing this, Ye Qiubai didn't say more. He gently flicked up his wooden sword, stepped forward, and charged at Huo Qingming with astonishing sword qi!
Huo Qingming remained still, suddenly thrusting both hands forward.
From his palms burst a terrifying shockwave, distorting the air, with explosive booms surging toward Ye Qiubai!
Ye Qiubai didn't dare underestimate him—after all, his opponent could kill a peak Purple Mansion fighter.
Dark demonic energy instantly began seething over the wooden sword!
A dominating aura erupted forth, forcing all things to submit!
It spread outward madly in every direction!
"Oh? This is the Nine Heavenly Demon Sword? Sure enough, it's no ordinary technique."
Even he felt strands of that overwhelming pressure.
"First move!"
The wooden sword in his hand slashed down fiercely!
The black sword qi collided with the waves of energy pressure.
With a single strike, the clash was decided!
The pressure dissipated, but Ye Qiubai was also blasted backward.
"Not bad. You actually kept your wooden sword intact under my punch."
Huo Qingming glanced at the flawless wooden sword, a serious look in his eyes.
Even at his own peak Golden Core Pill Realm, he couldn't have done that.
This time, even the others atop the viewing platforms looked over.
"Oh? He actually withstood a punch from Huo Qingming? This kid's something else."
"Yeah, even for me, taking that punch would be tough. Still, isn't this flat-out bullying? Shameless."
"He must have some grudge with him. Huo Qingming isn't usually like this."
Ye Qiubai, meanwhile, didn't stay put for long. He stepped forward again, springing back into action.
"Second move."
This strike, the demonic qi surged even fiercer!
Huo Qingming snorted coldly, marching forward fearlessly and charging straight at Ye Qiubai.
The momentum was terrifying!
Boom!
The wooden sword landed cleanly on Huo Qingming's shoulder!
But Huo Qingming's body—honed through countless temperings—was as tough as refined iron, utterly unbreakable!
Even so, this sword strike still forced Huo Qingming back five steps!
"The power of the second move is dozens of times stronger than the first. If you could use the third move, I'd have to take it seriously."
"But... you've only comprehended the second move, right?"
Given so little time, even grasping the second move was genius-level stuff.
"Still, this is as far as you go."
As he finished, Huo Qingming's body suddenly began to swell.
His skin turned into the color of refined iron in an instant.
An utterly crushing aura burst out, weighing so hard that even disciples under the platform felt suffocated!
"Senior Brother Huo's body has been tempered countless times. Now, his body alone rivals a peak Purple Mansion Realm expert."
"If Ye Qiubai doesn't have something else up his sleeve, this is his limit."
"Even so, Ye Qiubai should feel proud."
Ye Yan watched, grinning viciously.
"That's right, crush Ye Qiubai! Then no one from the Ye family will compete with me!"
Clearly, no one thought Ye Qiubai would win.
On the other side, Ye Qiubai still held his wooden sword firmly, unfazed by his opponent's oppressive aura, his expression calm as still water.
Seeing this, Huo Qingming's face darkened. "Still pretending, huh…"
With that, he barreled toward Ye Qiubai like a charging mountain.
The force was truly overwhelming!
Ye Qiubai remained composed. Tendrils of demonic energy began coating his wooden sword, turning it pitch black.
At that moment, the Sword Hall Elder suddenly shot to his feet, his face full of disbelief.
Huo Qingming was stunned, too. Those almost tangible tendrils of demonic qi gave him an immense sense of danger!
His heart began to pound wildly!
His speed even faltered!
Then, a torrent of demonic qi soared straight to the sky!
Up on the high platforms, everyone's faces changed; they instinctively used their cultivation techniques to ward off the aura!
But the disciples below weren't so lucky. Those closest to the platform, with weaker cultivation, even dropped to their knees on the spot!
"Third move."
Ye Qiubai gently uttered the words, raising his wooden sword high as that surging demonic qi gathered along its blade.
That ordinary wooden sword became a heaven-shaking demon sword in that moment!
Then, as if nothing, he gently slashed toward Huo Qingming!
A massive black sword qi cut through space itself, slicing straight for Huo Qingming!
Huo Qingming's face twisted in shock; his charge halted instantly.
He roared, stomping both feet into the ground so hard his legs plunged into the earth!
He crossed his arms to shield his chest.
At the same time, that refined iron coloring began to cover every inch of his body!
The surrounding space even began to compress!
Clearly, he had to give everything he had just to defend against this strike!
On the sidelines, Qin Tiannan and The Martial Hall Elder tensed up, ready to leap in at any moment.
After all, it's easy for lives to be lost in a duel.
Especially when both sides were already using high-level martial techniques; any loss of control could end in tragedy!
Both were elite disciples of the Academy, so the elders couldn't let anything happen!
Even Lu Chang'sheng, usually nonchalant, narrowed his eyes, ready to step in himself.
The black sword qi slammed into the compressed air in front of Huo Qingming!
But without any resistance, it split open, slashing right for Huo Qingming!
Huo Qingming's expression changed. With a shout, golden chains suddenly appeared on his arms!
Mystic-Tier Treasure!
The sword qi slashed onto the chains with a loud, ringing clang!
Crack! Crack!
Yet in an instant, cracks spread across the golden chains!
They shattered completely a moment later!
Huo Qingming froze; not even a Mystic-Tier Treasure could stop it?
The sword qi, unimpeded, slashed directly onto Huo Qingming's arms!
Spurt!
That iron-hard body instantly split open, blood spurting everywhere!
At that moment, The Martial Hall Elder appeared on the field, flipping his palm and dispersing the black sword qi.
Ye Qiubai's complexion was a bit pale too, obviously the third move of the Nine Heavenly Demon Sword was a heavy load for him as well.
Looking at the blood-soaked Huo Qingming, Ye Qiubai said, "So, are you ready to talk?"