Yun Jingfeng

A colossal eagle that blotted out the sky carried a cloud ship on its back, swooping toward the VIP stands as though bearing the might of heaven before stopping above them.

A group of people leaped down from the cloud ship. At their head was Yun Leng, as domineering as ever, and among them was someone Xiao Le knew.

It was the young man who had accompanied Nalan Yanran to the Xiao Family to break off the engagement. Seeing that he stood only behind Yun Leng, while the young disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect subtly treated him as their leader, Xiao Le understood that his most difficult battle today would likely be against him.

Yun Leng walked straight to the foremost seat, while Xiao Le's acquaintance led the Misty Cloud Sect disciples toward Xiao Le.

Their intentions were clearly hostile, and Yao Ye's expression turned solemn.

The familiar face at the front was as arrogant and unruly as ever. Staring at Xiao Le with disdain, he said frivolously, "So you're Xiao Le. You look a little familiar. Let me think... Oh, right. The useless trash Nalan Yanran broke off her engagement with a year ago seemed to be your brother, wasn't he?"

Xiao Le's eyes turned icy as he gave a cold chuckle. "The Misty Cloud Sect really is insufferable."

The Misty Cloud Sect had run rampant throughout the Jia Ma Empire. Never had they been treated like this, and the disciples' faces filled with indignation.

A younger man behind the acquaintance stepped forward with a livid face, pointed at Xiao Le, and shouted, "Xiao Le, don't be so arrogant!"

"Senior Brother Yun Jingfeng, the Misty Cloud Sect's second greatest genius, has personally come to deal with a mere five-star Dou Zhe. Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"If you ask me, the elder is being overly cautious. This Xiao Le isn't as extraordinary as he claimed. Isn't he just good with his mouth?"

The nearby Misty Cloud Sect disciples sang Yun Jingfeng's praises in a sarcastic tone, making his expression grow even prouder.

Xiao Le ignored the Misty Cloud Sect's clownish display. The disciples were furious, but after leaving behind a few threats, they finally departed, restoring peace to Xiao Le's ears.

"Finally, some peace and quiet!" Xiao Le sighed. The treatment of a protagonist really was exhausting!

Even the usually frosty Yao Ye was amused by Xiao Le. Her smile could topple cities and kingdoms, a beauty so stunning it stirred the soul.

The Jia Ma Assembly, the grand annual event, had finally begun.

After the tedious opening ceremony, the thrilling battles finally arrived.

There were few contestants in this assembly, but quality mattered over quantity. The three great families had only three slots each, the Alchemist Guild had five, the Misty Cloud Sect had seven, the imperial family had ten, and there were another ten who had advanced through the preliminaries.

Unfortunately, Nalan Yanran had not come to participate this year. Otherwise, Xiao Le would definitely have made her pay for that humiliation.

There were only forty-one participants in total. The tournament used an elimination format, with the first round reducing forty-one contestants to twenty. One person would receive a bye.

The middle-aged man on the arena stage had a powerful aura and a burly build. After briefly explaining the rules, he took out a draw box, waved his hand to shuffle it, and sent every lot precisely before each contestant with a streak of Dou Qi.

Xiao Le was not lucky enough to draw the bye. His opponent was a member of the Mu Family.

Before the referee could announce the start, Xiao Le's opponent actually conceded on his own, leaving Xiao Le thoroughly bored.

Two battles that morning ended without much excitement, and Xiao Le successfully advanced into the top eleven.

After a short break, the first match that afternoon finally gave Xiao Le some interest in his assigned opponent.

His interest was only because Xiao Le wanted to stretch his muscles a little. His opponent was the very Misty Cloud Sect disciple who had insulted him earlier.

"Kid, I'll show these ignorant people of the Imperial Capital what a true genius is!"

That arrogant declaration offended not only the tens of thousands of spectators in the stands, but also the younger generation from every faction seated in the VIP section.

A marquis from the imperial family, temporarily serving as referee, darkened his face and coldly announced the start of the match.

Heart-Rending Claw!

His fingers curled into claws as Dou Qi covered his fingertips. His sharp claws tore through the air as they lunged at Xiao Le.

Xiao Le did not react at all, making the man even more convinced that Xiao Le was nothing but an inflated fraud. It was as if he could already see the dawn of victory.

A faint sting came from his skin. Only when the claws were less than half a meter from his nose did Xiao Le move, driving a fierce punch into the man's completely exposed abdomen.

Urgh!

The powerful force seemed to displace his internal organs. He clutched his stomach and cried out in agony.

"Hmph, trash!" Yun Leng lifted his teacup in the VIP section and took a sip. Yet in the blink of an eye, the match had already been decided, and he crushed the cup in his hand without noticing.

Jia Xingtian glanced at Yun Leng and secretly reveled in his misfortune.

The man lay on the ground, glaring at Xiao Le with hatred and gritting his teeth. If looks could kill, Xiao Le would already have been sliced into a thousand pieces.

Xiao Le had defeated his opponent with such ease that even the referee was stunned. This was a top disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect!

"I haven't lost yet!" The man forced himself to his feet despite the pain and said resentfully, "I was careless just now. This time, I'll make you regret it!"

Cloud Spiral Burst!

A terrifying wave of air erupted from the man's body, and his aura steadily rose.

Six-star Dou Zhe, seven-star Dou Zhe, eight-star Dou Zhe!

His strength rose by three levels in succession. Feeling the surging Dou Qi within his body, the man revealed a smug expression.

"Mid-rank Xuan-class Dou Technique: Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds!"

Dou Qi stirred up a green tornado, causing even the arena's protective barrier to flicker unsteadily.

"A secret technique?" This was Xiao Le's first time witnessing a secret technique that forcibly increased one's combat strength, much like the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Changes Xiao Yan would obtain later.

Fortunately, the Misty Cloud Sect's secret technique was somewhat lacking. It could only raise a Dou Zhe's strength by three stars, making him only slightly stronger than Mittel Hao.

If Xiao Le had encountered this during the trials, he would certainly have lost. But now? That was not necessarily the case!

Xiao Le's lips curled upward. It was time to get serious. Ash-gray lightning serpents surged around him, and the phantom of a cheetah formed from lightning serpents appeared over his body.

"Dou Qi Spiritualization?" Everyone in the VIP section was experienced. Dou Qi Spiritualization was something only Dou Ling experts could achieve.

Dou Qi Spiritualization condensed Dou Qi into a solid form to achieve spiritual transformation, raising the power of Dou Techniques by an entire level.

How could Xiao Le, a mere Dou Zhe, accomplish something only a Dou Ling expert could do? How could they not rise in shock?

"No!" Jia Xingtian's eyes flashed as he said, "This isn't Dou Qi Spiritualization. It's merely a special characteristic of his Dou Technique, which produces this embryonic form resembling Dou Qi Spiritualization when activated."

What kind of Dou Technique could achieve such an effect? Those with ulterior motives immediately began to take notice.

"Hmph! Xiao Le is an honored guest of the imperial family!" Jia Xingtian understood their thoughts and immediately spoke in an icy voice.

"The Mite'er Family, the Nalan Family, and the Alchemist Guild also regard young friend Xiao Le as an honored guest!"

This scene shocked many people. They had not expected Xiao Le to have such formidable backing.

Swift Lightning Thunder Shadow Thrust!

Xiao Le shouted, moving as if possessed by a cheetah. He charged toward the man who seemed like a wind god descended upon the world, leaving a series of afterimages on the ground.

Xiao Le vanished from where he stood, causing the man to panic as his gaze swept across the arena.

"I'm right here!"