Yan Lingji's Fierce Defense of Her Man, Bibi Dong: "How Dare You Disrespect My Man?"

"Who are you trying to lecture?"

Yan Lingji's gaze turned cold. She made a grasping motion with her right hand, and a cluster of pearlescent flames erupted from her palm. As the fire dissipated, the Vermilion South-Bright Fire Sword appeared in her grip.

Having been taught by Zhao Linchuan, she was now capable of using her soul skills directly without needing to manifest her soul rings.

"Hmph." Tang Hao let out a cold snort, his eyes sweeping over Yan Lingji with a trace of disdain at the corner of his mouth. "What? You want to stand up for him?"

"And if I do?"

Without further ado, before her words had even faded, Yan Lingji flicked her long sword, the blade emitting a crisp, clear ring.

Her figure became like a dreamlike bubble, leaving behind a blurred afterimage in the morning light—so fast that the naked eye could barely track her!

Tang Hao's pupils contracted sharply. Just as he prepared to raise his Clear Sky Hammer to block, the vermilion sword light was already upon him!

"Ah—!"

A scream erupted from Tang Hao's throat.

The Vermilion South-Bright Fire Sword pierced his left chest without the slightest resistance, the tip protruding from his back, trailing a spray of bright red blood.

"Is that it?"

Yan Lingji twisted her wrist and retracted the sword, her movements clean and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.

Tang Hao let out another muffled groan, stumbling back several steps, his feet unsteady as he nearly collapsed to the ground.

He clutched his chest tightly with his left hand, blood streaming uncontrollably from the wound, dripping through his fingers onto the ground and pooling into a dark red stain.

He looked up, staring at Yan Lingji with eyes so wide they seemed ready to split.

"You are despicable! To ambush me like this—how are you any different from a villain?"

"Listen to yourself."

Yan Lingji extended her left hand and flicked the blade with her index finger, producing a sharp ding. She smiled, though her eyes remained cold.

"Didn't you summon your martial soul first?"

"How does that make it an ambush on my part?"

"Or perhaps... you, the great son of Tang Chen, are just too slow-witted to react in time?"

"You—!"

At these words, Tang Hao's eyes turned bloodshot, and his breathing became as heavy as an ox's.

Yet, because of the injury to his chest, he winced in agony.

Not wanting to tangle further with a woman, he pointed a finger at Zhao Linchuan, his voice raspy and nearly cracking.

"Brat! Are you going to hide behind a woman?"

"I am hiding." Zhao Linchuan spread his hands, his tone carrying a "what are you going to do about it" attitude. "If you're not convinced, go find a woman and hide behind her yourself."

He looked Tang Hao up and down, his gaze lingering on the wound in his chest, his tone filled with growing contempt.

"You have no skill, yet you try to play the hero. You truly are a disgrace to your father, Tang Chen."

"Ah! You bastard! What did you say!!"

Tang Hao's eyes looked as if they were about to burst, the blood vessels in his sockets bulging as his entire body trembled violently.

"I said,"

Zhao Linchuan enunciated every word clearly:

"You are truly a disgrace to your father, Tang Chen."

"Did you hear that clearly?"

"You! You! You!"

Tang Hao pointed at Zhao Linchuan, his lips trembling, a strange, wheezing sound rattling in his throat, but he couldn't force out a single word.

His body began to sway, his vision blackening as his blood surged, nearly causing him to faint from pure rage.

"Tang Chen's son really doesn't amount to much," Zhao Linchuan added, seeing his state. "Not much talent, but a massive temper. You really are a disgrace to your father."

He turned around without sparing Tang Hao another glance.

"Let's go. We shouldn't stay here; if he ends up having a stroke from the anger, that would be unfortunate."

With that, the three of them turned and walked toward the rest area of Spirit Hall.

Behind them, Tang Hao teetered on the brink of collapse, blood dripping from his fingers and forming a small, dark red puddle on the ground.

"Brother Hao!"

"Second Brother!"

Two figures hurried over with quick steps.

Tang Xiao caught the swaying Tang Hao, while Tang Yuehua supported his arm from the other side, her voice urgent.

"Brother Hao, are you alright?"

"Second Brother, what happened to you?"

"I'm fine, just some minor injuries..."

What happened just now was merely a small interlude before the competition.

As the sun gradually climbed higher, the spectator stands surrounding the arena were packed with a sea of people, a dark, dense mass extending from the foot of the mountain all the way to its waist.

About an hour later.

Halfway up the mountain, directly facing the arena, Qian Xunji stood with his hands behind his back at the very front, with Ning Fengzhi, Tang Zhen, Yu Yuanzhen, Sword Douluo, and others lined up to his left and right.

Qian Xunji glanced at the dense crowd below, then looked at the several sect masters beside him, and nodded slightly.

He stepped forward and spoke in a loud, resonant voice that sounded like a thunderclap:

"Quiet!"

As his words fell, the chaotic, disorderly noise vanished instantly.

The arena, holding hundreds of thousands of people, fell silent in an instant; only the rustling of mountain wind through the treetops and the occasional bird call from afar could be heard.

Qian Xunji continued:

"The rules of the competition are simple: strength is king!"

"There are eight arenas in total. By sunset, the contestants remaining on the platforms will advance to the next round!"

"Now—let the competition begin!"

The moment his voice fell, six Clear Sky Sect disciples, led by Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, shot toward six different arenas like unsheathed swords!

Their speed was incredibly fast; with a tap of their feet on the Adamantine Rock ground, they launched themselves like arrows released from a bow, occupying six of the positions in the blink of an eye.

The other two arenas were quickly ascended by two disciples from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect.

"Has the Clear Sky Sect gone mad?"

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over the six arenas occupied by the Clear Sky Sect.

"Occupying six arenas directly?"

"Is he not afraid of biting off more than he can chew?"

"They are the number one sect in the world," Zhao Linchuan said, standing by her side, "naturally, they must have the flair of the number one sect in the world."

"Flair?" Bibi Dong snorted coldly, her eyes landing on the arena where Tang Hao stood in the distance, a flicker of chill in her gaze. "Then I shall go and test the 'flair' of this 'number one sect'."

That bastard actually dared to be disrespectful to her man just now!

She had to teach him a good lesson.

"This Dong'er..."

Yan Lingji and Zhao Linchuan exchanged a look, then she said indifferently:

"I'll go and meet that one called Tang Xiao."

Having said that, she leaped, her figure like a red leaf caught in the wind, landing lightly and silently on the arena where Tang Xiao stood, her toes barely touching the ground.

"Didn't you say you weren't interested in the competition?" Zhao Linchuan chuckled and shook his head.

He withdrew his gaze, scanned the arena, and then walked toward one of the platforms occupied by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect.

Truth be told, one thing Tang Hao said earlier was correct.

In this competition, apart from Spirit Hall, the Clear Sky Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect, everyone else was destined to be mere spectators.

The gap in strength was right there; it could not be bridged by mere hot-blooded passion.