Yu Xiaogang's face was pale.
Watching the white-robed figure sweeping through the Golden Generation upon the stage, a trace of self-mockery flickered across his stiff features.
"In the face of absolute strength…"
"Any schemes or strategies are, in the end, nothing but petty tricks…"
He let out a bitter sigh, glancing toward Tang San and Dai Mubai, who were still stunned, staring blankly at the stage.
All he could hope for was that these two disciples would not be crushed into despair by Li Zhexian.
"This is Li Zhexian!"
Zhu Zhuqing lifted her delicate face proudly and said to Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu nodded with a smile, but her gaze drifted toward Tang San, and a faint trace of sadness passed through her pink eyes.
Beside them, Ning Rongrong looked at Zhu Zhuqing. Her lips trembled pale, but in the end she bit them together, swallowing back the words.
...
On the high platform above—
Chrysanthemum Douluo frowned slightly.
"Li Zhexian has gone too far."
The Platinum Bishop bent slightly, his gaze probing as he looked toward Bibi Dong.
"Your Holiness, should we have the referee intervene…"
"No need."
Bibi Dong's expression was calm, her voice filled with unquestionable authority.
"So long as he has not broken the rules, and so long as no one dies, let the match proceed."
"Only by upholding order do we show the true magnanimity of Spirit Hall."
"Yes."
The Platinum Bishop bowed with admiration, acknowledging her words.
Bibi Dong's eyes turned indifferent for a moment.
"And the matter I instructed you to prepare…"
"Your Majesty, it is ready. It may begin as soon as the match concludes."
The Platinum Bishop lowered his head quickly in response.
"Good."
...
On the arena stage—
Li Zhexian moved like a startling swan, sweeping toward the struggling Xie Yue.
Seeing the white-robed figure closing in, Xie Yue's expression turned ashen.
He drained the very last dregs of Spirit Power within him. The twin Moon Blades spun furiously once again, becoming two shrill, blood-colored moons that slashed viciously at Li Zhexian!
Li Zhexian twisted his wrist, reversing his grip on the sword.
A strand of starlight descended onto the edge of the blade.
In that instant—
The Qinglian Sword flared with the sharpest brilliance under heaven.
"Qinglian Sword Song, First Form—Yaoguang!"
Starlight met blood moon.
Clang!
An ear-splitting metallic shriek erupted!
A burst of overwhelming sword qi exploded between the two!
Xie Yue reeled as though struck by lightning, his face turning deathly pale.
Both weapons were embodiments of sharpness—
But before Li Zhexian's Qinglian Sword, his Moon Blades were as fragile as paper.
Rip!
A sound like tearing silk rang out.
One Moon Blade snapped cleanly in half, its break smooth as a mirror's surface.
"Brother!!!" Hu Liena, who was entangled with two Qinglian Swords, let out a heart-wrenching wail of grief.
"Surrender! Hurry and surrender!" If a Martial Soul is broken, the person's cultivation will be crippled at best, and they will die on the spot at worst!
Fortunately, Xie Yue managed to withdraw his other moon blade just in time.
Even so—
His eyes bulged, and blood gushed madly from his mouth like a fountain.
Li Zhexian's expression remained calm.
Several invisible qi swords shimmered before him,
blocking the spray of blood.
The next instant—
Puchi!
A qi sword pierced Xie Yue's shoulder,
carrying him through the air with a shrill wind,
nailing him to the ground beside Yan.
The Golden Generation's Xie Yue—eliminated.
"Li Zhexian! I'll kill you!" Hu Liena shrieked hoarsely.
The eerie red light surrounding her flared explosively,
forcing away the two Qinglian Swords entangling her.
Then—
She transformed into a blood-colored streak, recklessly charging at Li Zhexian.
Hu Liena was a control-type Spirit Master; close combat was not her forte.
But after witnessing Yan's arm severed and her brother's Martial Soul shattered, boundless killing intent had consumed her reason.
Beneath her feet, her fifth and third Spirit Rings shone at once.
"Fifth Spirit Ability—Demonic Fox Spirit!"
"Third Spirit Ability—Fox Tail Bind!"
Her long, lush crimson fox tail erupted with blinding light.
Spirit Power condensed like a flowing banner, ripping through the air with explosive cracks.
It lashed down at Li Zhexian with crushing force.
Li Zhexian's lips curved into a cold, cutting smile.
Two fingers brushed along the blade of the Qinglian Sword.
Where they passed—
Flames surged on one side of the sword's edge, frost crystallized on the other!
Facing that massive fox-tail whip,
Li Zhexian swung his blade.
"Qinglian Sword Song, Second Form—Blaze · Frost!"
Blazing-red and ice-blue—two utterly opposing torrents of sword qi—erupted at once.
In a single instant!
Blazing fire swept the ground like a raging serpent, while frost descended like an eternal night sealing the land.
The moment that cold-blue sword qi touched the fox tail—
Crack!
Crack!
The sound of ice spreading rang out in quick succession.
That enormous fox tail, infused with terrifying Spirit Power, was frozen inch by inch!
"You…!"
Hu Liena's fox-like eyes filled with crashing waves of shock.
A control-type sword technique?!
She forced her Spirit Power into frenzy, trying to shatter the frozen tail.
But Li Zhexian's sword was faster!
The blazing sword light followed close behind, turning into a red sword qi over ten meters long that cleaved viciously into the frozen fox tail!
Boom!
Ssshhhh!
Blistering heat and freezing cold clashed violently!
The frozen tail shattered like brittle glass,
exploding amid thunderous booms and clouds of steam.
Countless scorched shards laced with ice sprayed in all directions.
Thick white vapor instantly engulfed the arena.
Before the crowd could even see clearly—
a figure, charred black and frosted over, flew out of the mist like a ragdoll,
skidding hard across the stage floor.
When the audience focused,
their scalps went numb.
It was none other than the Pope's beloved disciple—Hu Liena.
Whoosh—
Through the mist strode the figure in white.
Li Zhexian flickered forward, appearing before Hu Liena.
Amid a deathly silence across the entire arena,
he raised his foot,
and kicked her over from her prone position until she lay face-up.
Then—
the hard sole of his boot
mercilessly ground down on her right hand.
"Ahh…" Hu Liena howled from the agony.
Li Zhexian ignored her cries.
He bent slightly, brushing aside the hem of his white robe.
Calmly, he gazed into Hu Liena's bloodshot, pain-filled fox eyes.
His cool, cutting voice echoed through every corner of the arena:
"Hu Liena…"
"When you once relied on your strength to bully and humiliate my dearest friends…"
"Did you ever imagine… a day like this would come?"
Hu Liena's lips trembled—
But not a sound came forth.
Li Zhexian found her silence dull.
Turning, he walked two steps away, then suddenly seemed to remember something.
He whirled back and drove a savage kick into her lower abdomen.
Bang!
Hu Liena tumbled through the air like a kite with its string cut,
rolling several times before crashing hard off the stage.
"If I've taken someone else's coin, I must at least kick you down to finish the job."
"See for yourself just how many enemies you've made."
In the front row of the audience,
Shui Yue'er clapped her hands in glee.
"Good! Good! Li Zhexian's the real deal! He's someone worth keeping close!"
Shui Bing'er's delicate face remained calm,
but in her icy-blue eyes, a quiet smile rippled forth.
Huo Wu burst into bright laughter, leaning close to Shui Bing'er with affection.
"Wasn't that coin worth every bit we paid?"
"Your sister Shui Yue'er's right—Li Zhexian is definitely someone worth befriending!"
"Otherwise…"
Her gaze shimmered with playful mischief.
"Why else would we all treat him so well?"
"Mmm, except sometimes he's stingy—he wouldn't even agree to bring me two extra plums."
At this, Huo Wushuang and Feng Xiaotian exchanged glances, chuckled, and nodded in agreement.
Watching Li Zhexian stand on the stage,
the group's mood grew light and cheerful.
They even began plotting how they would feast at his expense later.
But then—
out of the corner of their eyes, they caught sight of the radiant Pope,
and all fell silent again.
Li Zhexian had humiliated the Golden Generation so openly…
No one knew how the Pope would respond.