“I am well aware of the gap between us, and this gap makes me feel fear and timid. But Lei Tang once told me that the best way to deal with fear is to face it and look at it directly!”

Jian Liuli gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, raising the spirit sword high above her head. Her gaze was firm and sharp, as if declaring her resolve and courage to the entire world. The spirit sword gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, as if demonstrating its sharpness and power to the world.

Jian Liuli leaned forward slightly, assuming an attack stance, as if ready to unleash her spiritual power and sword energy at any moment. A powerful aura emanated from her, causing the disciples below to tremble involuntarily.

Seeing this, Wenxin's expression turned serious. Someone had told her that she should know how to respect any opponent.

Wenxin's gray hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes were sharp and resolute, as if containing boundless sword intent. Her body trembled slightly, as if suppressing the surging power within her.

She gripped a longsword tightly in her hand, its hilt engraved with mysterious runes that shimmered with a faint light. Wenxin's fingers gently brushed across the blade, feeling its breath and pulse, as if the sword were a part of her own body.

Seeing the two locked in a fierce confrontation, the disciples below the arena held their breath in tension.

But for the peak masters, things got lively.

The Sword Peak Master was still gripping the Thousand Thunder Peak Master's shoulders tightly, and at this moment he wished he could shed two lines of clear tears as he cried out.

"It's all your fault, you brat! My precious disciple! You bastard! It was your disciple who instigated my disciple. I'm telling you, I've remembered this."

The eyes of the Thousand Thunder Peak Master were filled with helplessness and sorrow.

You wretched brat, you love stirring things up, don't you! You absolutely must learn the silencing spell! If you don't, you'll be expelled from the sect!

Lei Tang, of course, was completely unaware of this.

At this moment, Lei Tang stared intently at Die Fang, his eyes flashing with a fiery light, as if he wanted to burn her to ashes. He exuded an astonishing aura, and the surrounding air seemed to become heavy, making it hard to breathe.

Not to be outdone, Diefang straightened her back, placed her hands on her hips, and met Lei Tang's gaze with unwavering determination. She exuded a cool and aloof aura, a stark contrast to Lei Tang's fiery intensity.

The two faced each other in silence, neither uttering a word, yet the atmosphere between them was tense and confrontational. Their eyes met, as if engaged in a silent duel.

Time ticked by, but their momentum showed no signs of waning. Their eyes remained resolute, their bodies tense, as if a fierce battle was about to erupt at any moment.

An eerie silence has fallen over the arena, like the calm before a storm.

Wenxin stood quietly, her eyes calm and profound. The sword in her hand seemed to be one with her, as if ready to unleash astonishing power at any moment.

Almost simultaneously, Jian Liuli and Lei Tang both made their moves.

Jian Liuli transformed into a phantom in an instant, rushing towards Wenxin. Her swordsmanship was like a whirlwind, incredibly swift. However, Wenxin responded to her attacks with elegance and agility. Her steps were light, and her swordsmanship was like a butterfly in flight, easily dodging Jian Liuli's attacks.

Jian Liuli's attacks grew increasingly fierce, but Wenxin remained calm throughout. Her swordsmanship flowed like mercury, penetrating every crevice, each strike precise and deadly. Jian Liuli sensed Wenxin's power, but she did not back down.

Wenxin's swordsmanship had surpassed ordinary understanding. With a gentle swing of her sword, a sword aura shot out like lightning, piercing directly through Jian Liuli's defenses. Jian Liuli stared wide-eyed at Wenxin in disbelief.

Wenxin's sword stopped at Jian Liuli's throat, her eyes devoid of any pity. Jian Liuli had lost, and she accepted her defeat wholeheartedly. She couldn't understand that last sword strike.

At the same time, after Lei Tang made his first move, dark clouds gathered above the arena. Before the lightning could gather, it was directly dispersed by several imposing spirit swords, and one spirit sword even appeared directly at his neck.

The disciples below the arena were stunned. Although they had thought that even someone as strong as Jian Liuli or Lei Tang, the pinnacle of their talents, might be crushed, they never expected to be instantly killed.

The two couldn't even last three rounds.

Even the peak masters became solemn upon hearing this extraordinary talent, as such a talent was simply unheard of.

With the appearance of a true immortal, he is invincible in the same realm.

The peak masters once again began praising the palace master's decision. Indeed, they had participated in the competition, leaving the other disciples with no chance; they were completely outmatched in every aspect. Their pursuit of the Dao and their will to achieve it were also far superior to the others.

Groups of disciples began to whisper among themselves.

"Wow, wow, this Nascent Soul prodigy was actually defeated! This is simply unbelievable!"

"Didn't you see the group of people at Jianfeng? When they saw the sword strike from the great sword genius Wenxin, their eyes widened in disbelief."

"You know what, the Daoist genius Diefang's unpredictable and incredibly powerful aerial sword-condensing technique is so impressive, who wouldn't be confused by it?"

Xiao Feng stood below the stage, staring at the two of them in a daze for a long time.

Will I become as dazzling as them...?

Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, the once clear and sunny sky had turned orange. No one from the various peaks went up to challenge anymore. They already knew very well that this arena battle had ended the moment the three figures appeared. There were no dark horses, no infuriating figures, only absolute strength and talent that crushed them all.

When the gap in strength between them becomes too great, so great that they can't even see their backs, so great that there are insurmountable chasms between them, they are destined to no longer have the thought of catching up, nor will they envy or be jealous. Only a feeling of worship remains in their hearts.

Ultimately, they must return to their own lives, and they are nothing more than strangers in their eyes, whose names they don't even know. But undeniably, having witnessed such a brilliant talent, they will never forget this experience for the rest of their lives. To live in the same era as them is a tragedy.

This world is prosperous because of them, while many others don't even have the right to be their foil. For Diefang and the other two, the sect competition of Lingyuan Palace is over. But for Xiaofeng, hers has just begun.

Of course, Chu Xinqiao's rewards for the top three were not exaggerated at all; these wouldn't be announced before the competition ended. Chu Xinqiao also needed to carefully consider what to give them: resources, spirit stones, magic weapons, cultivation techniques, and supernatural abilities. Her Lingyuan Palace could be said to have gathered three-thirds of the world's rarest treasures and cultivation resources. However, finding the most suitable one for the three of them required some thought.