After the Black Market and the Moon Worshipping Demon Cult teamed up to destroy the Martial Market Money Bank’s properties in the Yunwu County Kingdom, the Martial Market Fighting Arena closed down with them.
It wasn’t until half a month ago that the Martial Market Fighting Arena started operating again.
However, the number of martial artists who came to the Martial Market Fighting Arena to participate in the fights was not as good as before, and it could be said that the doors were full of sparrows.
It wasn’t until today that the Martial Market Fighting Arena once again regained its previous heyday and became overcrowded.
“Victory and defeat have long been predetermined, is there any need to watch this battle?” Huang Yichen said.
She was sitting on top of a tower at the edge of the Martial Market Fighting Arena, pushing open the window, she could see the battle platform in the centre.
This was considered an excellent location to watch the battle!
Behind Huang Yichen, followed by a white-haired crone and a hunched old man, motionless, like two stone statues.
They were the two Heavenly Extreme Realm Martial Myths that the Thousand Waters County King had dispatched to Yunwu County, specialising in dealing with the Poisonous Spider Chamber of Commerce, both over a hundred years of age, and known as the “Xuan Gui Twins”.
The old woman’s name was “Feng Xuan” and the old man’s name was “Song Gui”.
The evil martial artists of the Poison Spider Chamber of Commerce were all in hiding, and it was difficult to locate them for a while. Therefore, the Xuan Gui Twin Perfectionists were temporarily following Huang Yichen’s side to protect her safety.
Knowing Zhang Ruochen’s true strength, Huang Yichen naturally felt that this battle was without suspense. However, for other martial artists, this was a battle of disparate strength.
One was at the Xuan Polarity Realm Grand Circle Cultivation, while the other was at the Earth Polarity Realm Mid Stage Cultivation.
Even if Zhang Ruochen’s natural talent was overwhelming, it would never be easy to defeat Huang Li.
“Aren’t the Martial City School Palace and the Yuntai Sect House joining forces to deal with the Black Market and the Moon Worshipping Demon Sect, how come they’re fighting internally first?”
“That you wouldn’t know! I heard that this matter has something to do with the Smoky Dust County Mistress.”
“How is it related to the Smoky Dust County Lord again?”
That one martial artist laughed, “When Smoke Dust County Lord was imprisoned in Earth Fire City, the Ninth Prince Zhang Ruochen was nowhere to be seen, but instead, it was Chen Ruo who stepped in to save Smoke Dust County Lord. So that one of the disciples of the Yuntai Sect House said that the Ninth Prince was too timid and afraid to break into Earth Fire City, and that he was not worthy of County Lord Smoke Dust. In a fit of rage, the Ninth Prince was about to fight that one disciple of the Yuntai Sect House in a life and death duel to clear his name.”
“The Ninth Prince is still too impulsive, after all, he is only at the Xuan Extremity Realm cultivation, how could he be a match for an Earth Extremity Realm martial artist?”
“The Ninth Prince is also being forced into a corner, after all, the rumours about Chen Ruo and the Smoky Dust County Mistress have now spread all over the world, and all sorts of gossip has long since deviated from the truth itself. If the Ninth Prince doesn’t stand up and establish himself now, how will he be able to gain a foothold in the martial arts world in the future?”
“That’s true.”
……
The martial artists in the entire martial market fighting arena were all talking, namely, some people were talking about the Smoke Dust County Lord and Chen Ruo, while others were discussing Duanmu Xingling and Chen Ruo, and still others were discussing who was actually stronger, Zhang Ruochen or Huang Li?
The disciples of the Yuntai Sect Mansion and the trainees of the Martial City Academy Palace also gathered at the Martial City Fighting Arena, and each of them split into camps, with a great sense of rivalry.
The disciples of the Yuntai Zongfu, led by Zhang Tiangui and Han Qiu, gathered more than forty people, of which half of the Inner Mansion disciples at the Earthly Extreme Realm took up half of them.
The disciples of the Martial City Palace, led by Si Xingkong and Chen Xi’er, were slightly more numerous than the Yuntai Zongfu, and those present were also mainly Inner Palace students.
“I don’t know what the hell happened, it actually angered even the consistently mild-tempered Senior Brother Zhang, this Huang Li really deserves to die!”
Chen Xi’er knew Zhang Ruochen’s temperament quite well, if the other party hadn’t gone too far, he would never have proposed a life and death duel to solve the problem.
Si Xingkong, a wine gourd hanging in his hand and cloaked in his hair, laughed, “I’m afraid that this matter is a deliberate set up behind the scenes by the Black Market and the Moon Worshipping Demon Cult, wanting to divide the Martial Market Palace and the Yuntai Sect House, so that we will fight internally, and thus, they will reap the benefits.”
Chang Qi Qi said, “Eldest Senior Brother, then do you think that the evil martial artists from the Black Market and the Moon Worshipping Demon Cult will show up today?”
“Can’t say!”
Si Xingkong lifted his wine gourd and took a sip, squinting his eyes and smiling, “If I were the higher-ups of the Black Market and the Moon Worshipping Demon Cult, I would definitely make a move, and in doing so, I could wipe out the young elites of the Yuntai Sect Mansion and the Martial Market Palace of Learning, causing the two major forces to suffer a great loss of vitality. Senior brother Chang, go tell all the senior brothers and sisters to be more careful, there might be a vicious battle today.”
Chang Qi Qi moved slightly and said, “Should I go and inform the side of the Yuntai Sect House, after all, we are now a united front ……”
“No need!” Si Xingkong smiled and shook his head, saying, “Zhang Tiangui isn’t a fool, he must have laid out his plans long ago and doesn’t need us to worry. I’m now interested in that one Junior Brother, and I wonder if he can defeat Huang Li?”
Chen Xi’er knew that Zhang Ruochen had already broken through the Earth Extreme Realm and had become a trainee of the Inner Palace, so she smiled faintly and said, “What kind of character is Huang Li, to fight against Senior Brother Zhang is just asking for death.”
A large clamour resounded in the martial market fighting arena, and it turned out to be Huang Li who had already ascended the battle stage first.
Chen Xi’er frowned as her eyes searched through the Martial Market Fighting Arena, but she did not see Zhang Ruochen’s figure, saying, “What’s going on with Senior Brother Zhang, he hasn’t appeared yet? Something couldn’t have happened, could it?”
“No!” Two words spat out from Si Xingkong’s mouth.
Chen Xi’er asked, “What’s wrong?”
Si Xingkong’s gaze tightly fixed on Huang Li standing on the martial market fighting arena, shook his head, and said, “This Huang Li …… gives me a very strange feeling, but I can’t tell where it’s wrong, maybe I’m overly concerned!”
Chen Xi’er also glanced towards Huang Li on the battle stage and didn’t think much of it, after all, they were all young martial artists from Sky Demon Martial City and were basically still familiar with each other.
Even if Huang Li’s cultivation had recently improved greatly, he was still not powerful enough to be placed in Chen Xi’er’s eyes at all.
Not long after, Zhang Ruochen and the Nine County Lords rode their warbeasts and entered the Martial Market’s fighting arena under the protection of a group of forbidden soldiers.
In the fighting arena, even more enthusiastic voices rang out.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze was sharp as he swept amongst the Martial Market Fighting Arena, stopping at one of the directions and nodding to a few acquaintances from the Martial Market Academy before signing a life and death contract and ascending the battle platform step by step to stand opposite Huang Li.
“Wow!”
Formations on the edge of the battle platform emerged, forming a spherical film of light.
Under the protection of the film of light, it could block the power of the two people on the battle stage from leaking out, so as not to injure the martial artists watching the battle.
At the same time, the formation inscription could also block the martial artists below the stage from interfering in the duel on the battle.
Unless one of them admitted defeat first, if not, the formation inscription would remain in place.
Huang Li carried a ten foot long Green Dragon Stranger Sword and wore a set of fifth rank True Martial Treasure Artifact grade ruddy armour as he stared at Zhang Ruochen with a burning gaze.
Without any words, and without giving Zhang Ruochen any preparation, he immediately swung his blade to attack.
“Wow!”
He gripped the hilt of the blade with both hands, his five fingers clasped tightly, his footsteps steady as the inscription in that Green Dragon Stranger Blade was fully activated under the urging of his true qi, erupting with a powerful blade aura.
The light from the blade shot up a foot high.
Before Zhang Ruochen could even stand on his feet, an imposing blade wind surged towards him. The sight was filled with a greenish-coloured light that carried a menacing killing aura.
“Something’s wrong!”
Zhang Ruochen detected a hint of trouble, sensing that there was something wrong with Huang Li’s aura, and furthermore, why was Huang Li attacking in such a hurry?
Not allowing Zhang Ruochen to think too much, he immediately performed a stance and moved one step sideways to the left, dodging Huang Li’s thunderous strike.
Huang Li’s blade technique, however, was exceptionally tricky, surprisingly chasing after Zhang Ruochen and not letting go, like a maggot on his tarsus, slashing across again.
“Huang Li’s blade technique, it’s actually so exquisite?”
Zhang Ruochen felt that he had underestimated Huang Li in the past, with the blade technique he was displaying now, he had at least reached the high level of the Blade Follows Heart realm.
Although the cultivation level Huang Li displayed was still at the middle stage of the Earth Extremity Realm, the blade technique he was performing was incomparably subtle, and it wasn’t an ordinary Earth Extremity Realm martial artiste that could reach a realm like his.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t want to expose his strength just yet, so he suppressed his cultivation below the Earth Extreme Realm and struck a tentative blow.
“Dragon Elephant Returning to the Field.”
Zhang Ruochen steadied his footsteps, mobilised his entire body’s strength, and transported his true qi to his palm as he slapped it over, striking on top of the body of the Green Dragon Stranger Sword.
The power of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Palm was now comparable to that of a Spirit Grade mid-grade martial art, and its power was naturally extraordinary.
The palm imprint struck out, resounding with a sound like a dragon’s and elephant’s roar.
“Boom!”
A strange colour appeared in Huang Li’s eyes, the corners of his mouth hooked slightly, his arm shook violently, and the Green Dragon Stranger Sword trembled along with it, emitting an ear-piercing sword sound.
Zhang Ruochen only felt a huge force coming from above the Green Dragon Stranger Sword, causing his arm to go numb and his body to fly backwards.
Huang Li also retreated backwards, withdrawing nine steps in a row before he could stand firmly.
Even Han Qiu of the Yuntai Zongfu revealed a shocked expression, saying, “When did Huang Li’s blade technique already become so powerful?”
Those surrounding disciples of the Yuntai Clan Mansion all shook their heads, having never seen Huang Li use such a powerful blade technique before.
Huang Li hadn’t had any outstanding performances at all in the Inner House of the Cloud Terrace Sect Mansion, and could only be regarded as an ordinary first-rate genius.
If his blade technique had truly reached such an impressive level, he would be able to completely fight across two realms, and would have long since reached the level of a Second Jie genius, possibly even reaching the level of a Second Jie and a half, and would not have been able to remain silent.
Han Chu’s gaze fixed on Zhang Tianwei, she felt that it should be Zhang Tianwei who was hiding something?
Zhang Tiangui’s face was grave as he gently shook his head and said, “I don’t know what’s going on, perhaps it’s because Huang Li had hidden his cultivation in the past.”
He really didn’t know what was going on, in fact, he also sensed that there was something wrong with Huang Li, yet he didn’t want to say more, still staring closely at the two people who were exchanging blows on the battle stage.
The stronger Huang Li’s cultivation was, only then would he be able to test out Zhang Ruochen’s true strength.
“Number one in the Western Academy, really powerful, actually able to block one of my sword moves. Try catching another move of my ‘Killing Saint Blade Technique’.”
Huang Li laughed out loud and danced his sword with both hands as if it was a windmill spinning, forming a huge vortex with a diameter of ten metres, kicking up a blazing sword wind, presenting countless sword shadows with his body as the centre.
The blade shadows converged together, forming a piercing green light that chopped towards Zhang Ruochen’s head.
Whether it was speed, or power, this blade was more than three times more powerful than the previous one.
In the air, it sounded like a dragon’s roar.
Zhang Ruochen’s pupils shrank as he stared intently at Huang Li, the son of Knife Wind, and finally saw the signs, saying, “You’re not Huang Li!”
Although the other party was trying his best to hide the aura on his body, Zhang Ruochen’s spiritual power was so powerful that he soon realised that something was wrong. The bones and muscles on Huang Li’s body had changed, and even his meridians were slightly misaligned.
