One hour later, a fierce gale roared in, and within that gale, dozens to hundreds of people flew swiftly toward the forty-first city of the Zi family.
In no time, the faces of these dozens to hundreds of people became increasingly clear. Among the group, only ten to twenty were middle-aged or elderly, while the rest were of the younger generation.
As the group approached the crowded city wall, they halted a thousand zhang away, their gazes sweeping over the wall.
“Zi Jinchen, where are your defenders?” At this moment, the yellow-robed elder leading the group spoke, his voice not loud but clear enough to reach everyone in the area.
Zi Jinchen glanced at Lin Xiao, who nodded, then stepped forward, wings of vital energy forming as he flew out to the open space in front of the crowd.
Seeing Lin Xiao’s utterly ordinary appearance, not only the yellow-robed elder and the Jin family members but even the onlookers from the forty-first city of the Zi family let out murmurs of doubt.
Clearly, they were not optimistic.
“Who’s this guy? I’ve never seen him before. Could he be a youth from the Zi family headquarters?”
“No idea, but he looks so ordinary, probably doesn’t have much skill, right?”
“Could it be a spy from the Jin family hidden in the Zi household, recommending some unknown nobody?”
“No way. With Elder Zi Jinchen’s keen eye, he wouldn’t let an incapable youth defend the arena. This young man must have some ability, or perhaps he has a skill to counter the Jin family’s fourth-stage Martial Venerable, otherwise the Zi family wouldn’t risk a city as a joke.”
“Maybe he’s a hidden genius of the Zi family!”
“I don’t think so. The Jin family has plenty of fourth-stage Martial Venerable geniuses. Even if he has some skill, it’s probably hard for him to win.”
…
Waves of heated discussion filled the air, laced with skepticism, mainly because Lin Xiao had no reputation in these parts.
Of course, some believed Lin Xiao had extraordinary abilities. After all, anyone chosen by the Zi family for the arena wouldn’t be ordinary, and the Zi family wasn’t foolish.
But every time the Zi family held an arena, their champions were always striking and charismatic. No matter how you looked at it, the Jin family seemed to have the upper hand.
“Fourth-stage Martial Venerable, nineteen or twenty years old, doesn’t seem particularly special. But since Zi Jinchen dares to let him defend the arena, he must have some ability. Xiaoyue, stay cautious,” the yellow-robed elder said to a woman in her twenties beside him.
“Just a nobody!” the woman scoffed lightly, then moved, wings of vital energy forming as she soared up to face Lin Xiao in the air, standing in opposition.
“Honestly, Sister Xiaoyue didn’t even need to step up,” a brown-clad youth in the Jin family crowd sasid with disdain.
This was Jin Ye, second only to Jin Xiaoyue among the fourth-stage Martial Venerables, who felt sending Jin Xiaoyue was overkill.
The yellow-robed elder said nothing, as this concerned the Jin family’s reputation and a city. Naturally, they would send their strongest lineup if possible.
“That’s Jin Xiaoyue!” Zi Hao, on the city wall, looked wary at the beautiful yet icy woman in her twenties. “They really sent Jin Xiaoyue!”
“Zi Hao, if you faced Jin Xiaoyue, what would happen?” Zi Jinchen asked calmly.
“Though my cultivation is above hers, it’s hard to say who’d win,” Zi Hao answered honestly.
He had seen Jin Xiaoyue fight, and despite her cultivation being one stage below his, her combat strength was on par with his.
“Would you lose to her in three moves?” Zi Jinchen asked.
“Three moves?” Zi Hao was taken aback, feeling a bit stung, and replied firmly, “Third Elder, when I say it’s hard to say, I mean I have a chance to win. I definitely wouldn’t lose in three moves.”
“Then there’s nothing to worry about!” Zi Jinchen sighed.
Zi Hao relaxed at this.
The Third Elder was right. He couldn’t even block one move from Lin Xiao, so how could Jin Xiaoyue win?
It wasn’t him up there, so why was he worried?
But from the Third Elder’s tone, it seemed he only cared about whether Lin Xiao could win, not about his feelings…
At this moment, the other elders were also full of confidence in Lin Xiao, thanks to his previous displays of strength.
The crowd of onlookers let out gasps of surprise.
“That’s Jin Xiaoyue, the Jin family’s genius. I heard she killed a sixth-stage Martial Venerable genius while only at the third stage. Her strength is terrifying!”
“Jin Xiaoyue’s best technique is the Shadow Slash, a tricky, fast, and powerful sword art with assassin-like precision. Even high-stage senior Martial Venerables struggle to block her strikes.”
“That kid’s done for. Is the Zi family setting up this arena for some other purpose?”
“Just watch. Hopefully, that kid has some skill or a way to counter the Jin family, or the forty-first city is about to change hands.”
…
“Zi Jinchen, you didn’t expect Jin Xiaoyue hasn’t broken through yet, did you?” The yellow-robed elder’s voice rang out from the front, dripping with sarcasm.
Zi Jinchen was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding. Jin Xiaoyue hadn’t broken through? Was she about to reach the fifth stage?
Guessing their intent, Zi Jinchen replied with a hint of sarcasm, “Jin Wuhuan, I’m afraid you’re overthinking.”
“Heh…” The yellow-robed elder, Jin Wuhuan, laughed mockingly. “Zi Jinchen, if I’m not mistaken, you originally planned to send a fifth-stage Martial Venerable, but upon learning Jin Xiaoyue was about to break through to the fifth stage, you switched to a fourth-stage, didn’t you? Unfortunately, Jin Xiaoyue hasn’t broken through; her cultivation is still at the fourth stage.”
Zi Hao frowned. So, Jin Xiaoyue was preparing to break through to the fifth stage. If he were defending, she would have faced him.
A fourth-stage Jin Xiaoyue was already daunting. At the fifth stage, his chances would be even slimmer.
The other Zi family members were slightly surprised. So, the Zi family had this plan, but thankfully, they swapped in Lin Xiao.
Hearing Jin Wuhuan’s smug tone, they sneered inwardly. The Jin family was in for a show!
The onlookers in the forty-first city now understood. The Zi family, wary of Jin Xiaoyue’s potential breakthrough to the fifth stage, didn’t let the renowned Zi Hao defend and instead chose an unknown fourth-stage Martial Venerable.
But if even Zi Hao wasn’t confident against Jin Xiaoyue, how could this nobody hold the arena?
And with her cultivation suppressed, didn’t that mean the Zi family was doomed to lose?
“You’re really overthinking!” Zi Jinchen mocked Jin Wuhuan again.
But aside from the Zi family elders who knew Lin Xiao’s strength, everyone else thought Zi Jinchen was grasping at straws.
“Just bluster,” Jin Wuhuan laughed.
Of course, knowing Zi Jinchen, he figured the youth they sent must have some skill. Still, he had great confidence in Jin Xiaoyue, using this to mock and undermine the Zi family.
