One sword like a startled swan! It severed all the clamor in the stadium!
Gaze after gaze, filled with disbelief, was nailed to the white-robed youth whose brilliance and talent were fully revealed.
One sword!
Just one sword!
He swept aside Spirit Hall's Second Team!
What kind of terrifying strength was this?!
More chilling still—
Though the battle was over, the storm had not passed.
Above his head, a tempest of Sword Qi still churned.
That peerless sharpness thrust straight toward Shrek Academy and the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall.
That edge—too blazing, too fierce!
Openly provocative, crushing with sheer dominance!
In the preparation area, the atmosphere was as heavy as iron.
Aside from the Heaven Dou Empire's teams, the faces of more than a dozen other teams all showed fear and dread.
Who could have imagined—
Spirit Hall's Second Team would be swept aside in a single sword strike?!
Such power chilled the bones!
"You think I'll be afraid of you?!" Dai Mubai suddenly raised his head.
His evil eyes locked onto that cold, piercing gaze.
At first, he only felt that the gaze was cold enough to pierce the bone. Gradually, everything around him faded away. Only those jet-black, abyssal eyes remained.
Suddenly, the gaze turned into a sword, and a cold gleam tore through the air. The hairs on Dai Mubai's body instantly stood up.
He instinctively wanted to close his eyes and dodge, but the pride in his bones made him stare fixedly, unwilling to back down.
And yet—
In the very next instant—
A mortal premonition of death made him tremble.
No longer caring for pride, he flinched and tore his eyes away in fear.
Almost at that same moment—
Shhh—!
A blade of sword-gaze split through the air,
shooting directly toward him!
"Roar!" Dai Mubai let out a low growl, and his palm swelled several times in size, covered with interlaced black and white tiger hair.
With a whistling wind, he struck his palm fiercely toward that sword qi.
Boom—!
The sword qi scattered. A sharp wind rippled out. Blood spurted from Dai Mubai's tiger palm, and he staggered back. There was a deep wound in his palm, so deep that the bone could be seen.
"Boss Dai, there's no need to clash with him here.
On the arena, the truth will be decided."
Tang San's Purple Demon Eye had long been crippled.
Now he dared not even meet Li Zhexian's gaze.
Head bowed, he tugged at Dai Mubai's arm, urging him to turn away.
In Spirit Hall's preparation area.
"This guy is too arrogant…" Yan clenched his teeth.
He could feel Li Zhexian's gaze itself stabbing into his eyes like blades.
He had no doubt—
If he held that stare any longer,
he would end up humiliated.
"Let's go."
"A fleeting show of dominance means nothing."
"The stage will reveal the truth." Hu Liena's bewitching fox-eyes swept once more over the white-robed youth,
then she decisively turned away.
Though Yan and Xie Yue burned with unwillingness,
they could only grit their teeth and follow.
Thus—
Both Spirit Hall's Golden Generation and Shrek's core, Tang San,
chose to retreat before Li Zhexian's gaze.
This scene—
Burned into the eyes of the spectators.
The shock it brought was beyond compare.
The Spirit Masters of Heaven Dou trembled with excitement, almost unable to contain themselves.
Their Lord Sword Wine, from Heaven Dou City!
Still shining brilliantly here in Spirit City!
"Lord Sword Wine divine might!"
"Twin Martial Souls? Golden Generation? In this place, the one who dominates is none other than Lord Sword Wine!"
"Good! Good! I've recorded this scene in full—our storytellers will have a glorious new chapter to tell!"
The retreat of the Golden Generation,
coupled with the Heaven Dou Spirit Masters' feverish cries,
stoked flames of anger in the hearts of Spirit City's own Spirit Masters.
"What's he so arrogant for?! The Golden Generation will cut down Sword Wine!"
Unable to restrain themselves,
they cursed aloud.
The crowd, which had only just fallen silent,
erupted again into chaos, voices colliding like thunder.
...
"Is everyone alright?"
On the arena,
Li Zhexian gave a light twist of his wrist, sheathing the Qinglian Sword, his gaze sweeping across his teammates.
"We're fine." In Dugu Yan's and Ye Lingling's beautiful eyes, worship appeared. "Zhexian, you're too amazing!"
Yu Tianheng clutched his chest, but his expression carried pure respect.
Li Zhexian smiled faintly, then with his six companions, cupped his fists toward the four directions of the stands before stepping calmly down from the stage.
...
Back in the preparation area—
Bai Baoshan and Osler hurried forward, excitement plain on their faces.
Even before he was close,
Osler shouted:
"Yu Feng, with Zhexian carrying us like this, is it my turn to have a good time in the next match?!"
Yu Feng shook his head rapidly. "No way! I'm fighting side by side with my idol!"
The Emperial Battle Team had triumphed in their first match.
And their opponent had been none other than Spirit Hall's Second Team.
They laughed and jostled, basking in the joy of victory.
Just then—
Li Zhexian seemed to sense something.
He turned toward Shrek's preparation area.
Across a dozen meters, he saw Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu all looking his way.
His gaze brushed past Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu—
and settled on Zhu Zhuqing.
The corners of his lips curved in a smile.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes arched, her smile blooming like a flower, as she raised her thumb at him.
That tacit, wordless exchange—
Ning Rongrong caught it all.
Watching Li Zhexian, so imperious upon the stage,
a sudden sourness welled in her chest.
She forced a smile, wanting to show she was happy for him too.
Yet Li Zhexian's eyes never lingered on her, not even for a moment.
For Zhu Zhuqing, though,
just meeting his gaze from afar
was enough to send her heart soaring.
A moment later, it was almost time for Shrek to go on stage. She then waved to Li Zhexian and reluctantly returned to theirrest chamber.
Ning Rongrong quickly followed.
"Zhuqing, you… how did you and Li Zhexian meet?"
Zhu Zhuqing's steps faltered briefly.
She glanced sidelong at Ning Rongrong, then smiled as she recounted.
She told of their awkward first encounter.
Then of helping Li Zhexian hunt a Spirit Ring.
But then—
Her voice softened, falling silent for a time, before she whispered:
"I still remember clearly what Li Zhexian once told me…"
—"Zhu Zhuqing, if your Spirit Power does not improve for six years, those who place their hopes in you, who claim to care for you, will not accept your mediocrity. They will leave you. Only then will you know how rare and precious it is to become strong."
At these words,
Ning Rongrong's face went pale.
Her hand clenched tightly in her sleeve, nails digging into flesh.
But Zhu Zhuqing went on, as though speaking only to herself:
"I will never forget the moon that night in Star Dou Forest…"
"I saw Li Zhexian drinking wildly beneath it, his sword dancing free."
"I heard him speak of his unrestrained ideals."
"I had never seen anyone as carefree, as untamed, as Li Zhexian."
"As his name says—Li Zhexian is like an immortal cast down into the mortal world."
Hearing this heartfelt admiration,
Xiao Wu, resting her chin on Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder, blinked in surprise.
Something was off.
This wasn't like Zhu Zhuqing.
No matter how much she liked Li Zhexian,
she shouldn't be speaking so openly in front of Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong's lips parted,
her breathing quickened like one drowning.
But Zhu Zhuqing, oblivious,
continued in a voice tinged with longing, with a trace of possessiveness:
"I only wish I had met Li Zhexian sooner."
"If I had, perhaps in that vast world in his heart filled with only sword and wine,
there might have been a place for me."
"Of course…"
"Now is not too late either."
"Ah, I wonder who was so fortunate,
to stand by his side in his youth."
Zhu Zhuqing let out a soft sigh, then gathered herself, smiling:
"Come, it's our turn now."
With that,
she strode forward first.
Xiao Wu quickly linked arms with her.
Leaving Ning Rongrong standing frozen in place.
And then—
Her hand slipped to the object she wore close to her heart.
In those beautiful eyes,
a glimmer of stubborn resolve rose.