Upon seeing Gu Yifeng take the stage, the surrounding noise intensified.
The civil and military officials were cautious, only cheering on Gu Ran and Gu Cheng without daring to make any sarcastic remarks. However, the behavior of the royal family and relatives was quite different.
The royal relatives were mostly people of Prince Cheng and Gu Ran, and only Gu Yifeng was related to these two princes. Because his mother was the daughter of the Sword Immortal Ruoxu, he had almost no connection with the royal family and therefore had no one to support him.
"Oh, this Crown Prince actually dares to come? Your Highness Prince Cheng, you must win the throne! You are the strongest of the three, the Great War God is none other than you!"
"That's right, that's right. Compared to our Prince Gu Ran, who is born with the appearance of an emperor, His Highness the Crown Prince has absolutely no redeeming qualities. He's really tarnishing the reputation of a sword immortal."
"Go for it, Gu Ran! I've already set up a betting pool in an underground bank. If you win today, I'll split the winnings fifty-fifty with you!"
...
Such sarcastic remarks were endless. On one hand, they praised Gu Ran and Prince Cheng, while on the other hand, they frantically belittled Gu Yifeng. Such behavior made the cabinet elders furious, but they were helpless.
Since they were members of the royal family, apart from the emperor, these ministers could only submit memorials to rebuke them, and could not retaliate verbally. If they were not careful, they would be bitten back and accused of disrespecting the dignity of the royal family.
"Enough. Now that all three princes have arrived, let's prepare to begin the competition. The first round will be a draw to see who gets a bye."
The emperor slowly arrived at the scene, let out a cold snort, and his aged voice, amplified by his cultivation, resounded throughout the arena, instantly silencing everyone.
Steward Changfu came to the three men and handed them three wooden plaques. The three men took them in turn, flipped them over, and saw that the first match was quite interesting: Gu Ran versus Gu Cheng, with Gu Yifeng receiving a bye in this round.
"Oh my! How lucky this kid is!"
A murmur of dismay rippled through the audience, filled with sighs of regret. It was a pity that Gu Yifeng had been eliminated in the first round. However, things would be easier afterward, since there were only three people. Apart from the first round, he would have to play two more matches in a row.
Seeing this, the old emperor didn't say much. With a wave of his hand, a light shield rose up on the dueling platform, and Gu Yifeng followed Chang Fu to the bottom of the platform to await the battle.
...
On the martial arts arena.
"Second brother, please enlighten me."
Gu Chengchao and Gu Ran clasped their hands in a fist salute, smiled slightly, and then their spiritual power erupted instantly. A layer of pale golden light appeared on their bodies, transforming into a layer of armor covering their skin.
Gu Ran, on the other hand, was not modest either. He also unleashed his spiritual power, and three thousand sword shadows appeared behind him.
The two's first move was to unleash a top-tier martial art from the royal family, used by Gu Cheng, called the Battle Golden Technique. Once clad in golden armor, one could not only unleash numerous secret techniques but also increase one's defense and power. As long as one's spiritual energy was sufficient, one would become stronger the longer the battle went on.
Gu Ran used the Azure Lotus Sword Technique, which could summon three thousand sword shadows to fight. The sword shadows only consumed a little spiritual power, but had extremely fast speed and were specifically designed to break through protective qi.
The two paused only briefly before engaging in combat. Sword shadows flew all around, and Gu Cheng was protected by the phantom of the God of War as he unleashed wave after wave of golden fist shadows.
In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two exchanged over a hundred blows, back and forth, making for quite a lively exchange.
This scene shocked everyone. They never expected Gu Ran to be so powerful, able to fight Gu Cheng, who was known for his combat prowess, to a standstill.
After another incense stick's time, the two each retreated a hundred steps, then their eyes met, and the illusory image of the God of War and the three thousand sword shadows behind them all dissipated.
"Good second brother, you've been hiding it well! It seems you're forcing me to reveal my hand."
Gu Cheng laughed twice, then gathered spiritual energy within his body, clearly preparing a killing move.
"The third brother's strength is far greater than it was a month ago. It seems he has been covering up the truth all along, creating a false impression."
Gu Ran also laughed heartily, then his hands kept forming hand seals, and the power within his body grew stronger and stronger.
The two paused for about ten breaths, smiled at each other, and then two beams of light burst forth from the field. On Gu Cheng's side, a thick golden light appeared, and a golden-armored general emerged behind him, wielding a giant sword and unleashing a sword light.
Gu Ran was surrounded by purple aura. He showed no fear in the face of the golden sword light. However, purple mist rose behind him and slowly opened a vortex. From within the vortex, a giant hand reached out and collided with the sword light.
A violent storm spread out, stirring up dust and smoke, plunging the area into absolute silence, which lasted for three breaths before erupting into an even louder explosion.
After the smoke cleared, Gu Ran knelt on the ground, barely managing to keep from collapsing with her hands, while Gu Cheng remained motionless, though blood seeped from his forehead, he at least did not fall.
This decisive move immediately revealed the difference in skill level.
"First round, Cheng Wang wins!"
Chang Fu's voice rang out at the right moment, followed by enthusiastic applause from the entire audience, offering warm encouragement to both the victorious Cheng Wang and the defeated Gu Ran.
Clearly, the strength of these two princes instilled unparalleled confidence in everyone present.
Next, the two princes were given a rest period. According to the old emperor's rules, the rest period was one hour, after which the next round would begin.
With the old emperor's approval, Gu Yifeng's first match was against Gu Ran, and after winning, he would fight Gu Cheng. However, in the eyes of the people below the table, this was just a formality.
One hour later.
Gu Ran exited his cultivation state, opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them, and immediately jumped onto the dueling platform. Gu Yifeng did the same, his face calm and composed.
Almost the instant he stepped onto the stage, the audience erupted in a clamor, with most of the voices demanding that he, with only the aura of the Dingyuan Realm, surrender and admit defeat.
"I can tolerate your criticisms of me, but since then, some of you have been speaking rudely and disrespectfully to my mother. From today onwards, none of you need to stay."
Gu Yifeng sneered, then spoke with a cold expression. His Hidden Eyes flashed, and his aura suddenly surged. He was no longer a Dingyuan Realm cultivator, but clearly a Kaifu Realm cultivator in the middle stage!
As the pressure from the mid-stage Opening Mansion Realm spread out, Gu Ran instantly felt a sense of suffocation. This pressure and sense of oppression were undeniable, yet the crowd below the stage continued to shout accusations of cheating.
"Second brother, do you think I cheated?"
Gu Yifeng asked Gu Ran, his face seemingly full of smiles, but his overwhelming pressure burst forth, crushing down on him relentlessly.
"Your Majesty is truly skilled!"
Gu Ran couldn't help but grit her teeth and speak, her heart already cursing. Her spiritual power erupted instantly, and three thousand sword shadows appeared behind her, barely managing to offset the Crown Prince's oppressive aura.
"You've taken three moves. I concede defeat."
Gu Yifeng spoke slowly.
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