Defeating Ding Qian

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Ding Qian step forward with a livid expression, glaring at Ye Feng with hostile eyes.

"Why is he the champion? If he can blow up the Giant Rock Twin-headed Turtle with one punch, so can I! The championship should be mine!" Ding Qian shouted.

The moment those words came out, the entire crowd erupted in uproar!

Everyone was stunned, then looked at Ding Qian with contempt and disdain.

This guy... couldn't accept defeat?

The Outer Court Elder frowned slightly, clearly displeased by Ding Qian's actions as well.

"Ding Qian, you are mistaken! Ye Feng killed the Giant Rock Twin-headed Turtle in a single punch, while you took nine moves to kill a Fierce Beast earlier! Who is stronger and who is weaker is plain to see! Your objection has no basis whatsoever!" the Outer Court Elder said gravely.

"I don't care!" Ding Qian was becoming flustered and enraged. He stared fixedly at Ye Feng, clenching his fists.

"I want to challenge him! I want to duel him! Only the winner deserves to be champion and deserves those ten Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

As soon as Ding Qian finished speaking, the surrounding Outer Court disciples immediately broke into discussion.

"Damn! Isn't Senior Brother Ding Qian being way too shameless? He starts throwing a tantrum because he can't measure up?"

"Exactly! If you can't accept losing, then don't enter the competition! How embarrassing!"

"But... a match between Senior Brother Ding Qian and Senior Brother Ye Feng would be pretty exciting to watch, wouldn't it?"

The Elders on the platform exchanged glances. Rather than looking displeased, they showed expressions of keen interest.

"Oh? You want to challenge Ye Feng?" The Outer Court Elder looked at Ding Qian, a meaningful smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"It is good for young people to have spirit. Since you wish to challenge him, then we will give you this opportunity!"

He turned to Ye Feng and asked, "Ye Feng, Ding Qian wishes to challenge you for the championship. Do you dare accept?"

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Ye Feng.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, Ye Feng shook his head and said calmly, "I refuse."

"Refuse?" Ding Qian froze, and his expression immediately darkened further.

"You don't dare?"

Ye Feng glanced at him and replied evenly, "It isn't that I don't dare. There's simply no need. Right now, I am the champion, and you are second. You challenge me—if you win, you become champion, while I lose everything."

"If you lose, you remain second and suffer no losses at all. Why should I agree to a deal where you can only profit and never lose? It isn't fair."

Ye Feng's words were clear, logical, and entirely reasonable.

Ding Qian was instantly left speechless, his face shifting between green and white.

The surrounding disciples also nodded one after another, agreeing that Ye Feng had a point.

Ding Qian really was bullying him a little here.

The Outer Court Elder also felt that Ye Feng was right. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Ye Feng is right. This is indeed unfair. Since you, Ding Qian, are the one initiating this challenge, you must show some sincerity."

He looked at Ding Qian and said, "How about this, Ding Qian? If you insist on challenging Ye Feng, then we shall set a rule. If you win, you will become champion and receive ten Low-grade Spirit Stones. If you lose, then you must pay out of your own pocket and give five Low-grade Spirit Stones as compensation to Ye Feng! Are you willing?"

Five Low-grade Spirit Stones!

For Ding Qian, who had yet to Breakthrough to the Qi Gathering Realm, that was no small sum!

Ding Qian's face paled slightly, and he hesitated.

But when he thought of the ten Low-grade Spirit Stones and the glory of being champion, as well as the possibility that he had overestimated Ye Feng's strength—

He gritted his teeth, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes. "Fine! I agree! Five it is! I refuse to believe I'll lose to him!"

In Ding Qian's eyes, he was the number one genius of the Outer Court, with one foot already in the Qi Gathering Realm. How could he possibly lose to some wild brat who had come out of nowhere?

Ye Feng's instant kill of the Giant Rock Twin-headed Turtle earlier had surely been due to luck, or perhaps some secret technique!

Seeing Ding Qian agree, the Outer Court Elder nodded in satisfaction before turning to Ye Feng. "Ye Feng, do you accept these terms?"

The corners of Ye Feng's lips rose slightly.

There were Spirit Stones to be earned—why would he refuse?

Ye Feng smiled faintly and said, "Fine. Since Senior Brother Ding Qian is in such high spirits, I'll accompany him to the end."

The moment Ye Feng agreed, the atmosphere across the entire Outer Court plaza became heated once more!

The disciples who had originally been preparing to leave also stopped in their tracks and gathered around, eagerly awaiting this sudden battle for the championship!

"Great! Now this is going to be a show!"

"Senior Brother Ye Feng versus Senior Brother Ding Qian! Who is the true number one genius of the Outer Court?"

"I'm betting on Senior Brother Ye Feng! Killing the Giant Rock Twin-headed Turtle with one punch—that strength is terrifying!"

"I still support Senior Brother Ding Qian! He is, after all, a renowned genius!"

The Elders on the platform also revealed expectant expressions.

They too wanted to see whether Ye Feng, who had burst onto the scene out of nowhere, or Ding Qian, the established genius, was superior!

Ding Qian looked at Ye Feng, his eyes filled with Fighting Spirit and a trace of tension that was difficult to detect.

He took a deep breath as the power of his qi and blood began to boil within him, preparing to unleash his full strength!

Ye Feng, however, appeared utterly calm.

He even had the leisure to stretch his limbs.

To Ye Feng, Ding Qian's challenge was nothing more than delivering Spirit Stones to him.

Ding Qian's confidence came from his title as "number one in the Outer Court" and his record of being "invincible within the same realm," perhaps along with some unrevealed trump cards, such as special martial skills or techniques for wielding his qi and blood.

But what Ding Qian did not know was that Ye Feng possessed far more than he could ever imagine!

Perfection Realm martial skills empowered by the Date Modification System—Vajra Fist, Gale Sword, and Ghostly Step!

And, enough to drive every cultivator of the same rank into despair—

True Sword Intent!

Ye Feng had not even fully revealed these things yet!

Ding Qian had been doomed to lose from the very beginning!

A pinnacle showdown that would decide the champion—and the ownership of 15 Low-grade Spirit Stones (10 as the champion's reward, plus 5 from the challenge wager)—was about to begin amid the eager anticipation of the crowd!

Ye Feng and Ding Qian stood facing each other from afar as an invisible pressure began to spread between them.

Blood droplets splashed from the previous matches still lay embedded in the cracks between the bluestone slabs of the Outer Court Arena. Ding Qian stood in the center of the grounds, gripping his Black Iron Sword, the words "Black Iron" on its blade gleaming in the sunlight. His back was ramrod straight, his chin lifted high enough to expose his Adam's apple, and his voice was ice-cold. "Ye Feng, you only won Elder Wang's favor through that filthy trick of challenging first. Do you really think you can stand over my head?"

Ye Feng idly spun the wooden sword he had picked up from the Outer Court armory around his fingertips.

Several old marks still remained on its blade, left from his last battle against a Second-tier Magic Beast.

Ye Feng raised his eyes and swept Ding Qian with a glance, his gaze as cool as a faint breeze. "The challenge order was decided by Elder Wang's drawing of lots. If you're dissatisfied, go make a scene at the Elders' Hall now. Don't stand here spouting nonsense at me."

"You!" Ding Qian's face instantly flushed the color of liver. He stepped forward, and the Black Iron Sword hummed as it shook out three streaks of black Sword Qi. Their hiss through the air was like venomous snakes flicking their tongues, frightening the surrounding Outer Court disciples into retreating three steps.

"I've mastered the Human-grade Top-tier Martial Skill, Black Iron Sword, to Major Achievement! Last month, when I fought a Third-tier Fierce Beast, the Crimson Flame Wolf, I was still holding back thirty percent of my strength! Trash like you, who only knows how to wag his tongue, I can take down in one move—"

"Make your move." Ye Feng abruptly cut him off, his wooden sword tilted toward the ground, the old marks on its blade glowing with a faint azure light.

That was the Sword Intent of Gale Sword at Perfection Realm, like wind hidden within its sheath, ready to burst forth at any moment.

Ding Qian's pupils shrank sharply. No longer daring to waste words, he slashed out with his Black Iron Sword, sending a black Sword Qi more than half a zhang long flying forth. Wherever it passed, it carved a deep trench into the bluestone slabs.

The watching disciples cried out in alarm. Even Elder Wang on the raised platform leaned forward slightly, his fingers gripping the edge of the stone table.

The power of Black Iron Sword at Major Achievement was something even disciples at the fifth level of Body Tempering had to avoid!

Yet Ye Feng remained standing in place, unmoving.

Only when the black Sword Qi was three inches from his brow did Ye Feng leisurely raise his wooden sword.

The sound of the sword sheath scraping was like wind brushing past treetops on a spring night. Then, a pale blue-white Sword Qi slashed out.

The sword momentum of Gale Sword at Perfection Realm surged forth, wind coiling around the Sword Qi as it crashed into the black Sword Qi like a wild horse breaking free of its reins.

Bang—

The instant the two streaks of Sword Qi collided, the black Sword Qi burst like a punctured balloon, exploding into countless tiny black sparks.

The pale blue-white Sword Qi did not lose momentum. It grazed past Ding Qian's shoulder, sending a spray of blood into the air.

Ding Qian's body flew backward as though struck by a heavy hammer. He staggered back three steps before regaining his footing. His left shoulder garment had split apart, revealing a sword wound so deep that bone was visible, blood steadily seeping from it.

The Black Iron Sword fell to the ground with a clang. His eyes were wide and round, and there was almost a sob in his voice.

"Impossible... How could you have broken my Black Iron Sword?"

The Arena instantly fell deathly silent.