The duel on the arena did not cease just because of the commotion around it.
Above Su Yutong's head, the golden blade of light had fully taken form, its emanating aura so fierce that even seasoned Qi Completion cultivators felt their hearts tighten.
"Kill!"
She jabbed a finger forward. The blade shot forth as a streak of golden radiance.
At that very instant, Wang Yuyao, who had barely suppressed the backlash from Ye Lingyun's ambush, swung her palm.
A small, delicate seal platform flew out.
Even as it soared, its size swelled, expanding in an instant from palm-sized to a massive slab over ten zhang across.
Boom!
The golden blade slammed against the seal platform.
A violent shockwave erupted, consuming the entire arena.
The crowd—who had just been staring at Wang Jianqiang—snapped their attention back to the platform as the deafening roar rolled out.
Wang Jianqiang, too, narrowed his focus.
The arena was now engulfed in a raging tempest.
Dust and shattered stone whirled in the gale, shrouding all sight.
Even spiritual sense was cut off by the sheer turbulence, unable to pierce the storm.
No one could see the result—only wait for the chaos to subside.
Time crept by.
The storm slowly ebbed, unveiling the scene at last.
The arena, built sturdy enough to endure duels between peak Qi cultivators, lay in ruins.
Cracks webbed across its surface, as if ready to split the stage into countless fragments.
Amidst the wreckage stood Wang Yuyao.
Her hair hung loose and wild, her face pale. Blood trickled ceaselessly from her lips.
Her aura was weak; her body trembled as if she might collapse at any moment.
But she had not fallen.
Opposite her lay an unconscious figure—Su Yutong.
The crowd fell silent for a heartbeat, then gasps and exclamations rang out like thunder.
"Wang Yuyao actually won!"
"She defeated Su Yutong, even with a talisman treasure in her hand!"
"That was a talisman treasure—an invincible weapon in the Qi stage!"
"This is… unreal!"
…
Shock gripped not only the outer disciples.
"Did you see clearly?"
One inner sect elder stared in surprise at his peers.
"That seal platform is no ordinary artifact," another elder said with a solemn nod.
Even Yun Zhongque's eyes glimmered as he studied Wang Yuyao. "The talisman treasure was forged from the essence of a low-grade spiritual artifact. Even so, its power far surpasses any mere artifact. Yet her seal platform not only resisted it, but gained the upper hand. Remarkable indeed."
He shook his head slightly. "Still, the girl's foundation is poor. Everything she has achieved is by relying on external objects. Such a path will never forge greatness."
While the three elders conferred, Wang Jianqiang's gaze shifted toward Arena One.
Ye Lingyun's face was a mask of iron.
Sensing Wang Jianqiang's attention, he turned.
The faint curl of a mocking smile on Wang Jianqiang's lips made his cheek twitch violently.
A waste… dares to sneer at me?
His eyes went glacial.
Had looks alone been lethal, Wang Jianqiang would already be dead a thousand times over.
Wang Jianqiang, meeting that killing intent, merely curled his lip in disdain.
Save it. In the sect, who are you trying to scare? You wouldn't dare lay a hand on me.
Just then, a flicker of movement caught his eye.
Turning, he spotted two familiar figures—a fat one and a thin one—creeping away as if to flee.
"And where do you two think you're going?"
"Or shall I invite the Law Enforcement Hall to have a chat with you?"
At his words, the two froze in place.
"Wang Jianqiang, don't push us too far."
Xiong Zhuang puffed up his scrawny chest, glaring fiercely. "We admit we misjudged you. Fine, you win. Satisfied?"
But Wang Jianqiang was implacable. "According to our wager, the two of you now have a feast to perform."
"You'd really make enemies over something like this?"
Bu Yueban's pudgy face quivered as his jowls shook.
"Back when you made the bet, weren't you grinning ear to ear?" Wang Jianqiang said coldly. "What now, lose and think you can walk away? If so, let's take it to the Law Hall."
At that, both men blanched.
If the matter reached the Law Hall, they'd not only be forced to fulfill the bet—they'd be skinned alive for good measure.
Their tone softened instantly. "We're not trying to go back on our word. But even if we wanted to… where are you going to find such a thing for us to eat?"
Wang Jianqiang frowned.
Ordinary filth was common in the mortal world.
But here, among cultivators, it was rare indeed.
Foundation Establishment cultivators could live on air and spirit essence, no longer bound by mortal needs.
Even Qi cultivators subsisted on spirit food and spring water, leaving little impurity behind.
A single trip to relieve themselves might happen once in two or three months.
Finding something for these gluttons to choke down would be no easy task.
Still, the two had clearly been at odds with Wang Yuyao. To let them off lightly left a sour taste.
Just as he hesitated, a bold voice rang out behind him.
"Senior Brother Wang, I happen to raise some mortal livestock in my spare time. I can fetch something suitable for these two."
The voice was so resonant, so full of vigor, that Wang Jianqiang half-expected to see a hulking brute.
When he turned, however, his eyes widened.
A hulking brute indeed—only she was a woman.
Over two meters tall, twin ponytails bouncing atop her head, clad in a pink dress stretched so tight it looked on the verge of bursting.
Beneath the hem were bronze-colored legs knotted with muscle, thick with hair.
The Hehuan Sect is famed for its beauties. For such… an exotic specimen to exist—what a rarity, Wang Jianqiang thought, unable to hold back the jab.
But he recovered quickly, offering a faint smile. "Then I must thank you, junior sister."
"There's no need for thanks."
A blush touched the giant woman's cheeks as she turned, soaring off on her sword.
Moments later, she returned, faster than Wang Jianqiang thought possible.
"So quick?" He blinked. "Surely that wasn't enough time to reach the quarters?"
"You… retrieved it already?" he asked, uncertain.
The towering woman flushed, nodding shyly.
With a wave of her hand, a massive, foul-smelling pile appeared on the ground.
Steam curled lazily from its surface.
Wang Jianqiang's heart skipped a beat as the timing clicked in his mind.
Wait a second… don't tell me this big sister just dropped it herself?!