The city lord's hand paused in mid-air for a moment, as hundreds of eyes below the stage fixed intently on him.
There was the He family's eagerness, the Lu family's resentment, and even more so, the scrutinizing gaze of the Yong'an City residents watching the spectacle.
He knew in his heart that Xiao Chen's seemingly casual block just now contained a deeper meaning.
If this isn't announced now and the matter isn't ended, my prestige as the city lord will vanish in Yong'an City.
"cough!"
The city lord cleared his throat, his voice carrying throughout the arena through his true energy, "In the first round, He Qiang forced his opponent to the edge of the arena first. According to the rules, He Qiang wins!"
As soon as he finished speaking, cheers erupted from the He family camp. He Qiang clutched his wrist, which was numb from the shock.
A smile of relief spread across her face; while the Lu family remained silent, Lu Xue's fingers, gripping her skirt, turned white.
The image of Xiao Chen shielding her from the attack was still vivid in her mind, but now she could only watch as the He family took the lead.
At the highest point of the stands, Zhao Lie lightly tapped the armrest with his fingertips, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
As the only half-step Tai Xu Realm expert in Yong'an City, when Xiao Chen blocked He Qiang's punch...
The wisp of profound energy emanating from his fingertips could not be hidden from him at all. It was a force that no ordinary cultivator should possess, and it even carried traces of the "transformation energy" that only a strong person could have.
"This Xiao Chen... he's hiding his true intentions quite well."
Zhao Lie's lips curled into a cold smile as he rubbed the sword at his waist. "However, the gap between half a step into the Void Realm cannot be bridged by clever tricks."
"In the second round, He Qun will face Lu Duxian. Take the stage!"
The city lord's voice rang out again, interrupting the discussion below the stage.
Two figures leaped onto the platform simultaneously: He Qun gripped an iron ruler, his expression tense.
He had just witnessed Lu Xue nearly being seriously injured, so he naturally understood Lu Duxian's anger at that moment.
Lu Duxian, on the other hand, was bare-handed, his sleeves billowing with his inner energy, and the crimson in his eyes was almost overflowing. When his gaze swept over He Qun, it was like a knife chilled to the bone.
"start!"
Before the city lord could finish speaking, Lu Duxian had already shot off like an arrow!
He didn't use any fancy moves; his punch, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed into He Qun's face.
The fist was covered with pale golden true energy, which was the Lu family's unique "Blazing Sun Force", more than 30% stronger than the strength of an ordinary peak Qi Creation Realm cultivator.
He Qun hurriedly raised his iron ruler to block, and with a crisp "clang," the ruler was bent into a curve by the impact.
He staggered back three steps, his hand split open, blood dripping from between his fingers.
He wanted to retaliate, but Lu Duxian gave him no chance. He took a series of rapid steps and his fists rained down like a storm, each punch aimed at He Qun's vitals.
His sister had just narrowly escaped death, and now he had only one thought in his mind: to bring the He family down!
"He Qun, your brother hurt my sister, and you dare to stand in my way?"
Lu Duxian let out a low roar and slapped He Qun in the chest with a palm, his pale golden true energy instantly surging into He Qun's body.
He Qun let out a muffled groan, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his body crashing towards the edge of the arena like a kite with a broken string.
He slid several feet across the ground before stopping. He struggled to get up, only to find that several of his ribs were broken. He could only lie on the ground, panting heavily.
Lu Duxian stood in front of him, looking down at him with his fists clenched. If the city lord hadn't been watching, he would have liked to throw another punch.
"Lu Duxian wins the second round!"
The city lord hurriedly announced the results, fearing that Lu Duxian would lose control and take drastic measures.
The Lu family cheered instantly. Lu Xue looked at her brother's retreating figure, her eyes slightly reddening, while the He family's side remained solemn.
He Qiang helped the injured He Qun off the stage, his eyes filled with worry.
In the final match, we can only rely on Zhao Lie.
"The third and decisive match! Xiao Chen versus Zhao Lie!"
The city lord's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of tension.
"The winner of this round will be the ultimate victor in this contest between the He and Lu families, and the Yunlan Mountain Range will belong to the victor!"
The moment these words were spoken, the entire arena fell silent, and all eyes turned to the sides of the ring.
Zhao Lie slowly stood up, and in a flash, landed on the arena, instantly spreading the pressure of a half-step Tai Xu Realm expert.
The air around the arena seemed to freeze, and even the commoners with lower cultivation levels couldn't help but take two steps back.
He looked at Xiao Chen as he slowly walked onto the stage, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips: "Xiao Chen, it was quite interesting that you blocked He Qiang's punch for Lu Xue just now."
"However, you're still far from being able to fight me."
Xiao Chen stood in the center of the arena, his expression calm, as if he did not feel Zhao Lie's oppressive aura.
He looked at Zhao Lie and said calmly, "We'll only know the outcome after we've fought."
"What an arrogant brat!"
Zhao Lie's eyes turned cold. He gripped the sword hilt with his right hand, a wisp of silver true energy swirling around the blade. "I'll show you just how much difference there is between a half-step Void Realm cultivator and a Nirvana Realm cultivator!"
Offstage, Lu Duxian walked to Lu Xue's side and whispered, "Sister, can Xiao Chen... win?"
"Zhao Lie is a half-step Tai Xu."
Lu Xue clenched her fists, but her eyes were resolute: "Brother Xiao will not lose."
Meanwhile, on the He family's side, He Qiang and the others watched Zhao Lie's retreating figure and breathed a sigh of relief: "With Mr. Zhao here, Xiao Chen is bound to lose. The mountain range will ultimately belong to our He family."
The city lord looked at the two facing off on the arena and thought to himself: Xiao Chen's strength is unfathomable, and Zhao Lie is confident of victory. This round will probably be more intense than the previous two.
He cleared his throat and raised his hand: "Round three, begin!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Zhao Lie moved swiftly, his sword following his movements, and silver sword energy shot towards Xiao Chen like lightning.
He wanted to finish the battle quickly, show everyone his strength as a half-step Tai Xu, and let everyone in Yong'an City know that behind the He family stood Zhao Lie!
Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed, his footwork shifted, and his figure dodged the sword energy like a ghost, while his right hand formed a spear-like gesture.
A wisp of pale blue spear intent gathered at his fingertips and pointed towards Zhao Lie's wrist.
"Oh? You can even solidify gun intent?"
A hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Lie's eyes. He twisted his wrist, changing his sword move from a thrust to a slash, forcing Xiao Chen to take two steps back.
The two exchanged blows, one attacking and the other defending, for dozens of rounds in an instant, their silver sword energy clashing with their pale blue true energy on the arena.
A series of loud bangs were emitted, and the bluestone at the edge of the arena was even cracked by the force of the true energy.
The audience below was stunned, and Lu Xue gripped her skirt so tightly that she forgot to breathe.
She had never seen Xiao Chen go all out, and Zhao Lie's strength was even greater than she had imagined.
Zhao Lie grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. He had initially thought he could defeat Xiao Chen within three moves, but now, after dozens of rounds...
Not only did they fail to harm Xiao Chen, but the opponent's true energy seemed inexhaustible, and they could even find opportunities to counterattack while defending.
"Just who is this kid?"
Zhao Lie felt a pang of doubt, but he increased the force in his hands, making his swordplay even more ferocious.
He couldn't afford to lose. If he lost to an unknown Xiao Chen, he would lose all face as a half-step Taixu cultivator!
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