Inside the arena.
With every gesture, the Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect unleashed boundless might — let alone the Nascent Soul itself, wielding Wanban in a relentless pursuit.
Ye Antao retreated, watching as the Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect's techniques swept wide and open, driving the Xiaoyun Hall cultivators into scattering flight. None dared to test Wanban's power firsthand.
But beyond Wanban's devastating force, someone's mouth was equally lethal.
"Ten against one and you still get one of yours killed? Do you people even know how to fight?"
"Is this the mighty Xiaoyun Hall? Nine against one and you don't dare fight back — you only dare to run?!"
The Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect held Wanban and laid waste to everything in sight, chasing down the Xiaoyun Hall disciples wherever they fled. Fortunately, the Xiaoyun Hall disciples had numbers on their side, which at least allowed them to buy some time.
Several streams of fire also spiraled toward Chu Xingchen's Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect. Since Chu Xingchen didn't know the exact conditions for losing, he didn't dare risk absorbing those attacks head-on either, settling instead for a steady, conservative approach to victory.
His strategy amounted to a flawless, damage-free clear of Xiaoyun Hall.
Even so, the Xiaoyun Hall cultivators were essentially the ones doing all the fleeing. Chu Xingchen hadn't given them even a moment to regroup.
Ye Antao, sword in hand, was also fleeing frantically. She cast a sidelong glance at the Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect, which was freely unleashing spiritual power without restraint.
It was only now that she gained a more visceral understanding of what a top-tier prodigy truly was. During the battle at Mist Profundity Observatory, she had essentially been slacking off the entire time.
But she had watched most of the match from the sidelines. Back then, she'd assumed the intimidation factor came from the gap between Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation cultivation realms — that once she reached Deity Transformation herself, even if she couldn't win, she could at least exchange a few blows.
Now, watching Chu Xingchen's Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect stand invincible in the arena, she finally understood: it wasn't simply a matter of cultivation difference.
The gap between them was like the gap between thunder and mosquitoes — they didn't even belong to the same tier.
In the spectator seating outside.
The Tai Dao Sect Master was now fully alert, his eyes locked on the water-mirror screen. His voice carried unmistakable shock:
"A Karma Nascent Soul — truly extraordinary... If they were to clash, the outcome is far from certain."
Beside him, Bai Xuanling chuckled. "There's no need for concern, Sect Master. My disciple has no intention of fighting yours."
The Tai Dao Sect Master blinked at this.
"What do you mean?"
Bai Xuanling spoke casually. "Your disciple isn't our Tianyan Sect's target, and my disciple isn't yours either."
The Tai Dao Sect Master smiled at Bai Xuanling's words. "It seems I was being presumptuous."
But the Tai Dao Sect Master thought of something else and asked further: "Xiaoyun Hall has gone rather overboard this time. How does Tianyan Sect plan to handle it?"
Bai Xuanling said mildly, "They schemed against my junior disciple. My junior disciple will repay the courtesy personally. He doesn't need my worry."
The Tai Dao Sect Master's gaze shifted to Chu Xingchen in the arena. "I recall your Tianyan Sect took in a newcomer back then. Could this be the one?"
Bai Xuanling gave a slight nod. "The very same."
The Tai Dao Sect Master found it almost unbelievable. He remembered that newcomer's file.
But that was four or five years ago. At the time, the assessment had placed him at the level of a core disciple — and even then, the conclusion after reviewing his file had been that given another three to five years, he might rival the top disciples.
The assessment back then had leaned toward "promising."
But now...
The Tai Dao Sect Master looked at the invincible Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect on the water-mirror screen and felt momentarily dazed.
Was this still that core disciple from back then?
This wasn't just rivaling top-tier prodigies — this was surpassing them.
The Tai Dao Sect Master no longer questioned Bai Xuanling's words. If Bai Xuanling said this boy possessed a Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect, then he likely actually did.
One had to remember — this was on a battlefield where cultivation was suppressed.
Inside the arena.
The Xiaoyun Hall disciples had been beaten to the point of having no ability to fight back.
In fact, calling it a fight was generous.
This was a one-sided massacre.
One of the Xiaoyun Hall disciples was kicked flying and slammed into the barrier.
By the time he hit the ground, he was already half-delirious. He swayed as he tried to stand.
"Back then, when your Xiaoyun Hall passed information from the sidelines and drove my disciple into peril — did you ever imagine this day would come?"
Chu Xingchen's voice wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of every person inside the arena with crystalline clarity.
At those words, the Tai Dao Sect Master's gaze sharpened.
Passing information from the sidelines?
Back then at Mist Profundity Observatory?
So that was it — no wonder Xiaoyun Hall's actions this time had been so uncharacteristic.
Hearing Chu Xingchen's words, the battered Xiaoyun Hall disciple's face drained of color. The disciples beside him faltered in their movements, and some even began glancing around nervously.
"You're talking nonsense!"
That Xiaoyun Hall disciple forced the words out through gritted teeth.
"Nonsense?" Chu Xingchen's Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect looked down at the disciple, its voice flat. "Your Xiaoyun Hall used the pretense of a friendly match to relay my disciple's weaknesses to the other sects, manipulating things from the outside while I was supposed to be providing support. Did you think I wouldn't know?"
The Tai Dao Sect Master frowned at this.
So that explained it. No wonder, during the battle at Mist Profundity Observatory, Yan Yun's attacks had repeatedly targeted Chu Xingchen's weaknesses with pinpoint precision — someone outside had been feeding her information.
And Bai Xuanling's reaction back then made perfect sense in retrospect.
"My Bai Xuanling's disciple is not for your Xiaoyun Hall to discipline. Every member of Xiaoyun Hall, remember this: what you owe Tianyan Sect today — one day, I will make you repay it with interest!"
The Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect sheathed Wanban. Chu Xingchen's voice echoed across the arena. After those words, the Dharma Aspect dissipated.
Seeing the Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect vanish, the Xiaoyun Hall disciples visibly sighed with relief.
But the next moment.
Chu Xingchen's voice rang out once more: "Ah, one more thing — Xiaoyun Hall."
The Xiaoyun Hall disciples' nerves snapped taut again.
Chu Xingchen pointed a finger in Xiaoyun Hall's direction.
"Go die quickly!"
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