"You're courting death..."
The ball of energy in Shen Yuan's hand plunged straight down.
Above the clouds, Huang Zhen frowned. Though he did not move, his aura had already locked onto the scene below.
"That's enough."
Just as Huang Zhen raised his hand, an invisible barrier thrust itself between them, forcibly cutting off the path of his spiritual power.
Shen Kuo stood with his hands behind his back, blocking Huang Zhen. There was no expression on his gaunt face.
"Shen Kuo..."
Huang Zhen withdrew his hand, his voice turning heavy.
"If someone dies, neither you nor I will be able to answer to the sect's Law Enforcement Hall."
"Answer to them?"
Shen Kuo did not even raise his eyelids. "Disciples sparring with each other—if their skills fall short and they die or are crippled, they can only blame their own bad luck. The First Saint Sect has never been a place for flowers raised in greenhouses."
"The sect's iron laws strictly forbid private fighting."
"Do they?"
Shen Kuo pointed below at the large banner snapping loudly in the wind, bearing the words "Life and Death."
"Shen Yuan set up a Life-and-Death Arena, and Ye Xingchen accepted the challenge. One was willing to fight, the other willing to take the blows. How can that count as private fighting?"
Huang Zhen stared at Shen Kuo for a long while, then laughed in fury. "Fine. Very good. We'll see about that."
Below.
Rumble—!
The tremendous blast made everyone's eardrums ache as savage shockwaves mixed with shattered stone and swept outward.
The watching disciples cried out and hurriedly scattered backward, terrified of being caught in the aftermath.
Dust billowed thickly, obscuring everyone's vision.
"It's over. He's really done for this time." Someone slapped his thigh. "A Qi Refining cultivator taking a full-force strike from