The Most Dreaded Outcome Came to Pass

On the Martial Platform, two figures fought barehanded, every punch whipping up fierce winds and striking flesh, the thunderous impacts rumbling like thunderbolts.

Li Changye, Mount Shu's Chief Grand Disciple, and Ye Wen, the Martial Dao Alliance's Chief Grand Disciple, competed purely in martial arts. The two fought for more than the time it took to drink two cups of tea, yet neither could gain the upper hand.

"I heard Elder Ye of the Martial Dao Alliance fought alone and drove back ten Demon Sects elders with his special physique. I didn't believe it at first, but he fought our senior brother, who possesses the Myriad Desolations Indestructible Body, to a draw. It seems the rumors were true."

Zhao Wuyan and the Mount Shu elders, as well as the elders of the other sects, were utterly silent as they watched the contest of pure Martial Technique with bated breath.

"Grandmaster Chen, you've taken in a fine disciple. His physique is no less formidable than the Myriad Desolations Indestructible Body."

Taiyuan True Person turned to Grandmaster Chen, the leader of the Martial Dao Alliance, as he spoke.

"Haha, what sets this disciple of mine apart is his first-rate character. He has quite a bit of this old man's bearing from back in the day."

Hearing Taiyuan True Person praise his eldest disciple, Grandmaster Chen stroked his beard in satisfaction.

The other sect masters were also somewhat surprised. The Martial Dao Alliance had truly kept its mountains and waters hidden. Ye Wen's aptitude was enough for him to shoulder its banner in the future.

"Li Changye, although I matched you in martial arts, that was only because you didn't use a Divine Ability. It seems I still can't beat a freak like you. I've lost."

Ye Wen broke away from Li Changye and admitted defeat of his own accord.

"Fighting you today was a thoroughly exhilarating workout. The Martial Dao Alliance truly deserves its reputation as a sacred land of body cultivation."

Li Changye was drenched in sweat as well. Few people had ever pushed him this far.

"Senior brother won again! Second senior brother is up next."

"Do your best, second senior brother!"

The Mount Shu elders were deeply worried. If second senior brother lost, how could their junior brother Lu Changsheng carry the burden?

"My physique isn't as good as senior brother's. I won't compete in Martial Technique with someone from the Martial Dao Alliance."

Song Wuchuan took the stage, using Mount Shu's sword techniques and Daoist arts.

Among the disciples of the Six Great Orthodox Sects, Song Wuchuan's aptitude ranked near the top, second only to a few peerless geniuses such as Li Changye, Master Mingzhi, Ye Wen, Xia Ningxue, and Zhuge Changming.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Song Wuchuan had won.

"Thank you for going easy on me."

Song Wuchuan cupped his hands.

Mount Shu was the first to claim two victories, defeating the Martial Dao Alliance.

"Phew..."

The Mount Shu elders breathed a sigh of relief.

If Song Wuchuan had lost, Lu Changsheng would have had to fight the Martial Dao Alliance's third elder.

The final contest was between Mount Shu and Ask Immortal Pavilion. Whoever won would lead the Six Great Orthodox Sects for the next thousand years, joining forces to deal with the Four Great Demonic Sects.

It was an immense honor!

"I originally thought Boundless Temple would face Mount Shu. I never expected it to be Ask Immortal Pavilion."

"Fairy Su of Ask Immortal Pavilion is blessed with good fortune. Her newly recruited disciple is a proud daughter of heaven who appears only once in a hundred thousand years."

"Fairy Su's disciple reminds me of someone."

"Who are you speaking of, Temple Master Yu?"

"The immortal who founded Ask Immortal Pavilion two hundred thousand years ago. She defeated the Mount Shu Sect Master of her time, suppressed Xia Province single-handedly, and slaughtered every member of the Demon Sects' upper ranks."

"That immortal might have been the most outstanding peerless genius since the Mount Shu Dao Ancestor. If Xia Ningxue possesses aptitude close to hers, the balance of power in Xia Province may change because of it in a few hundred years."

The masters of the Six Great Orthodox Sects spoke of the legend from two hundred thousand years ago, their hearts filled with longing.

"The future can wait. Right now, our Ask Immortal Pavilion can defeat Mount Shu."

The Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion brought everyone's thoughts back to the Martial Platform.

Li Changye, Mount Shu's Chief Grand Disciple, faced Zeng Yeqiu, Ask Immortal Pavilion's eldest disciple.

"I'm no match for you. I admit defeat."

Unexpectedly, Zeng Yeqiu, who was at the Dao Palace Realm, Eighth Layer, knew he was no match for Li Changye and surrendered outright.

The elders of the various sects were not surprised.

Li Changye had the bearing of an invincible expert in the Dao Palace Realm. Zhuge Changming and Ye Wen, who were at the same level as him, had both lost, let alone Zeng Yeqiu, who was at the Dao Palace Realm, Eighth Layer.

The second contest between Mount Shu and Ask Immortal Pavilion was the crucial one.

If Song Wuchuan won, Mount Shu would take the crown with two victories.

If Xiao Menger won, a third contest would be necessary. In other words, Mount Shu's Lu Changsheng would face Ask Immortal Pavilion's Xia Ningxue.

Given the terrifying talent Xia Ningxue had displayed, if there was a third contest, Ask Immortal Pavilion had the better chance of winning however one looked at it.

"Senior Brother Song mustn't lose, or Junior Brother Lu will have to take the blame."

"But Xiao Menger has already cultivated the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art to the sixth layer. Senior Brother Song doesn't have much chance of winning."

"Either way, his chances are better than Junior Brother Lu's against Xia Ningxue."

"Senior Brother Song and Xiao Menger are both at the Dao Palace Realm, Eighth Layer. It's not as though Senior Brother Song has no chance."

The Mount Shu people were on edge. The contest between Song Wuchuan and Xiao Menger was of vital importance.

"My disciple has cultivated the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art to the sixth layer. Song Wuchuan is destined to be no match for her."

The Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion looked down from above as she watched the contest with the other five sect masters, her words brimming with confidence.

Taiyuan True Person frowned slightly. "Fairy Su, although the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art is one of the finest Cultivation Methods under heaven, it may bring endless trouble in the future. Unless you have no other choice, Ask Immortal Pavilion should not cultivate this method lightly."

"Mind your own business."

The second contest had already begun.

Song Wuchuan circulated an earth-rank cultivation art, and his presence surged. He made a gesture with his left hand, and the long sword on his back gave a soft hum before shooting into the sky, its azure light shining ten thousand zhang!

"Heaven is supremely selfish, yet its workings are supremely impartial. Fate is governed by Qi. Death is the root of life, and life is the root of death. Kindness is born of harm, and harm is born of kindness..."

Xiao Menger of Ask Immortal Pavilion formed a seal with her ten fingers, and an invisible, icy presence spread through the air.

Song Wuchuan felt as though a pair of cold eyes from the heavens were fixed on him, and he shuddered involuntarily.

Hum!

Xiao Menger's blue sword flew from its sheath and slashed at Song Wuchuan with unstoppable force.

As the sword force swept in, the Martial Platform could not withstand its mountain-like pressure, and cracks appeared in its surface.

"The Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art truly deserves its reputation as Ask Immortal Pavilion's Sect-Defending Cultivation Method. Xiao Menger has reached the sixth layer. At this rate, second senior brother might lose."

"Xiao Menger was a genius Ask Immortal Pavilion raised to stand against our senior brother. It's a bit much for second senior brother to face her."

The Mount Shu people watched with their hearts in their throats.

Song Wuchuan and Xiao Menger fought with extraordinary ferocity. Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, leaving the Martial Platform riddled with holes.

Streams of invisible Sword Qi, like swimming dragons, clashed violently in midair and vanished.

Sword Qi dozens of zhang long attacked and defended against each other, casting brilliant light across the sky. The air shook as waves of force raged.

The fierce battle lasted half an hour. Then a figure fell from the Martial Platform and drove a sword into the ground, carving a gouge before finally coming to a stop.

The person left on the Martial Platform was a woman in a pale blue dress.

"Song Wuchuan of Mount Shu has lost."

Everyone present fell utterly silent.

The vast majority of the Mount Shu elders in particular turned pale.

With Song Wuchuan defeated, a third contest was unavoidable.

The outcome they had feared most had come to pass.