Fire God Descends upon the World

The entire martial arena fell silent for a full ten seconds.

Chu Xinghe's words struck everyone's hearts like a barrage of heavy hammers.

The Vast Heaven Sect disciples who had just called for another fight lowered their heads, one by one.

They truly hadn't thought that far ahead. They had only wanted Junior Sister Wan Lin to fight again and win.

But after hearing Junior Brother Xinghe's words, they realized that Wan Lin had already lost. If she could fight again after losing and making a breakthrough, then couldn't her opponent do the same if she lost? If they kept going around in circles like that, when would a winner ever emerge?

Wasn't that exactly what Junior Brother Xinghe meant by being unable to accept defeat?

The Vast Heaven Sect was the number one sect under heaven. It wasn't as though the sect had never lost, but it had never been unable to accept defeat.

Losing and being unable to accept defeat were two different things.

The Vast Heaven Sect could lose, but it absolutely could not let people say it couldn't accept defeat!

Every elder looked solemnly at Chu Xinghe. When Wan Lin had made her breakthrough a moment ago, quite a few of them had actually wondered whether they should let the two fight again.

Only now did they realize that they had let appearances cloud their judgment!

This was a contest between two sects, not a private duel. A loss was a loss, and a win was a win. Fighting again after gaining an insight in defeat—wasn't that just nonsense?

The great elder's eyes shone with profound approval.

Of course he had felt terrible when the Vast Heaven Sect lost the first match to Martial Emperor City today, but Wan Lin had made a breakthrough in the midst of battle and comprehended the staff intent of nine nines returning to one. That was enough to make up for the loss.

What gratified the great elder even more was that, when Xiao Ling had taken the initiative to request another fight and countless disciples had been shouting for Wan Lin to fight again, Chu Xinghe had been the clearest-headed person there.

If Wan Lin really had fought again today and happened to win, how would the result have been counted?

If it counted as a win for the Vast Heaven Sect, what would people outside think of the sect when they heard about it?

Just look... the Vast Heaven Sect can't fucking accept defeat. After losing a match, its disciple makes a breakthrough and keeps fighting until she wins, and only then does it count...

If that really happened, what face would the Vast Heaven Sect have left? What reputation would it have left?

Sect Master Gu Mingchao gazed at Chu Xinghe with burning eyes.

Xinghe, what a good child!

When Xiao Ling had requested another fight, he too had been considering whether it would be appropriate, but Xinghe had thought ahead of him.

He knew that even if they won another fight, not only would it bring the Vast Heaven Sect no benefit, it would instead cost the sect face.

He had stepped forward in time to stop it. To think that at such a young age, he could think so clearly and weigh the pros and cons so thoroughly. This child truly was a pleasant surprise!

Although Cheng Xiaotian had been smiling the whole time, Gu Mingchao still caught the flicker of disappointment that crossed his face.

In truth, Cheng Xiaotian had been the one most eager for another fight... whether Wan Lin won or lost, it would have been a tremendous blow to the Vast Heaven Sect.

Once word got out, people would say the Vast Heaven Sect couldn't accept defeat.

Cheng Xiaotian had thought that Wan Lin, being young and hot-blooded, would agree without hesitation. But he had never imagined that Chu Xinghe would consider everything so thoroughly, leaving him no opportunity at all.

Looking at Chu Xinghe standing there, Cheng Xiaotian couldn't help shaking his head. What a fine child... what a pity... why couldn't he belong to our Martial Emperor City...?

"Martial Emperor City wins the first match!"

The great elder announced the result of the first match outright, effectively ignoring Xiao Ling's request for another fight.

Although there was some disappointment in Wan Lin's eyes, her comprehension of staff intent during the battle had swept away the inner demon in her heart. She knew that she couldn't defeat Xiao Ling today, not because she wasn't strong enough, but because the sect's face was at stake. In the face of the greater cause, she chose to swallow her frustration, but she believed that one day she would surely defeat Xiao Ling beneath her staff!

Only when he heard the great elder announce their defeat did Chu Xinghe finally let out a long breath of relief...

This is too hard for me... that was close, so close...

After a short rest, the second match arrived as scheduled.

Ma Liang faced Big Rhinoceros, Zheng Bo.

How could this fight be described? In Chu Xinghe's words, it was fucking foul and long!

Ma Liang was strong, certainly outstanding among the disciples of his generation at least, but the Big Rhinoceros facing him was a fucking monster.

Faced with Ma Liang's saber, the fellow neither dodged nor evaded, taking every blow head-on with his body.

What left people speechless was that even when Ma Liang struck with all his might, his saber couldn't leave so much as a white mark on the man's skin.

What the hell kind of defense is that?

Soon, however, they learned from the great elder just how terrifying the Dragon Rhinoceros Bloodline was.

It was an innate bloodline known as the strongest defense under heaven. Combined with Martial Emperor City's exclusive Elephant Armor Art, it brought Big Rhinoceros's defense to an almost absurd level.

But every advantage had its drawback. The Dragon Rhinoceros Bloodline was strong, but everyone who possessed it shared one trait: they were dim-witted.

Big Rhinoceros didn't merely seem unintelligent; he really was a simpleton.

So while he had defense, his offense was a complete mess. Apart from charging about the arena after Ma Liang, he didn't launch a single organized attack.

In the first half of the match, Ma Liang attacked in every way he could, trying to find a weakness in Big Rhinoceros. When that failed, he began using his speed to dodge him.

The fight went on for nearly half a day before Gu Mingchao finally spoke up.

"Brother Xiaotian... in my opinion, how about we call this match a draw?"

"Brother Mingchao, that's exactly what I had in mind. Neither side can do anything to the other, so a draw is appropriate."

With both leaders having spoken, the great elder, who had nearly coughed up blood watching the fight, declared it a draw on the spot without another word.

Even after the great elder's announcement, Big Rhinoceros paid no attention and kept chasing Ma Liang. In the end, Zheng Yu had to go up and pull him back.

Big Rhinoceros ignored everyone else, but he obeyed his older brother Zheng Yu without question. His brother said to stop fighting, so he came back for his din-din...

Ma Liang walked off the platform dejectedly, clearly unwilling to accept his failure to win.

"The Ancient Dragon Rhinoceros Bloodline—not to mention that you're at the same level as him, even if you were one or two levels above him, you might still not be able to break through his defense. You've already done very well." The great elder personally comforted Ma Liang, and only then did Ma Liang regain his confidence.

After another short rest, the much-anticipated third match arrived at dusk.

Chu Xinghe of the Vast Heaven Sect faced Zheng Yu of Martial Emperor City.

This time was different from the first two matches. The great elder had given instructions before both of those, but this time he said nothing, because he believed Xinghe was different from the others and needed no instructions from him.

The instant Chu Xinghe stepped onto the platform, cheers erupted like a mountain roaring and a sea surging.

Across from him, Zheng Yu frowned and looked around at the Vast Heaven Sect disciples cheering Chu Xinghe on with all their might. He truly couldn't understand how Chu Xinghe had managed it.

It was understandable for someone to be outstanding. Zheng Yu was outstanding himself.

But for one person to be liked by the entire sect was rather hard to accept.

Even someone as outstanding as Zheng Yu still had plenty of fellow disciples in Martial Emperor City who disliked him and had often tripped him up behind the scenes.

But looking at Chu Xinghe, every Vast Heaven Sect disciple cheering him on wore a sincere expression. It wasn't simply because this was a contest between sects; it came from the heart.

During his two days at the Vast Heaven Sect, Zheng Yu had even made discreet inquiries in private. Not a single person in the entire sect had a bad word to say about Chu Xinghe behind his back. How on earth had he managed that?

Fortunately, Chu Xinghe couldn't hear Zheng Yu's inner cry. Otherwise, he would certainly have told him, You went to the wrong place. Go find someone named Chu Cheng in the outer sect. He definitely won't disappoint you.

With the great elder's command to begin, the third battle got underway.

A mass of crimson flames burst forth all around Zheng Yu.

The first color of the Seven-Colored Glazed Body: Scarlet Flame!

And the instant Scarlet Flame ignited, a Zhurong Divine Form coalesced behind Zheng Yu!

"The Seven-Colored Glazed Body, seven ancient gods! The rumors were true after all. This Zheng Yu is no ordinary opponent!"

"Four hundred years ago, Martial Emperor City swept across the world with the Seven-Colored Glazed Body and stood unrivaled in that era. Later, it was also because the inheritance of the Seven-Colored Glazed Body was lost that our Vast Heaven Sect overtook Martial Emperor City in one stroke. Now that Zheng Yu has obtained the Seven-Colored Glazed Body's inheritance, Martial Emperor City is unwilling to remain second and wants to reclaim the number one throne!"

"Seven-colored body, seven-colored gods. Zheng Yu alone is compatible with the inheritances of seven ancient gods and has obtained the Seven-Colored Glazed Body. I wonder whether Xinghe can win!"

"Zheng Yu has the Seven-Colored Glazed Body, but Xinghe has the Haotian Sword Casket. This isn't four hundred years ago!"

Countless elders stared at the fighting platform without blinking.

In an instant, the flames transformed Zheng Yu into a giant of fire. The Zhurong Divine Form descended from the heavens and merged perfectly with him.

"Fire God Descends upon the World!"

As the divine cry rang out, flames engulfed the entire fighting platform in an instant, turning it into a sea of fire!

"Junior Brother Xinghe, look out!"

Countless people in the stands watched in shock as the firestorm swept across the fighting platform in an instant. But it was no use. The flames spread too quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Chu Xinghe had been swallowed up.

But just as everyone was worried that Chu Xinghe would be burned to ashes, a Vermilion Bird's cry rang out from within the flames.

A pair of enormous flaming wings spread above the fighting platform. A Vermilion Bird, its entire body ablaze with divine fire, was born amid the flames. Chu Xinghe stood in the sea of fire, the white Spiritual Qi around him transforming into Haotian Battle Intent. The battle intent formed a vortex of white Spiritual Qi that surrounded him like a storm.

With the Vermilion Bird above him and Haotian Battle Intent unleashed in full, the Zhurong Divine Fire could not harm Chu Xinghe in the slightest.

The great elder stroked his beard and chuckled. Zhurong Divine Fire was strong, but Vermilion Bird Spirit Fire was nothing to scoff at either. There was no way Zheng Yu could defeat Chu Xinghe with Zhurong Divine Fire.

Zheng Yu had clearly realized this as well. Orange light suddenly flowed around his body, and a divine form glittering with starlight appeared behind him.

"Mysterious God Plumbs the Profound!"

The instant the second divine form descended, Zheng Yu's body suddenly split into two, then four, becoming four identical Zheng Yus. There was no telling which was real and which were false.

The bizarre sight sent a jolt through everyone watching, including the great elder.

As Zheng Yu split into four within the sea of fire, a streak of yellow light burst through the flames and soared into the air!

"Haotian Sword Casket! Flying Locust!"