The Li Trigram's Top Nine: Victory by Luck

Heaven-in-a-Gourd Palace, atop the arena.

Changqingzi and Daoist Cijiu exchanged greetings.

Though the latter was a rogue cultivator, he had studied under True Person Three Rings, performed admirably in the written examination, and swept through the martial examination like a blade splitting bamboo.

His overall ranking was currently slightly higher than Changqingzi's, making him one of the outstanding rogue cultivators.

Daoist Cijiu opened his mouth to offer a few pleasantries, only to see Changqingzi advancing with his sword, his expression cold and his strikes merciless.

His eyelid twitched. Pressing his lips together, he reacted swiftly, tapping his toes against the ground and retreating at speed while flicking his wrists.

Iron rings flew from his wrists. A pair of flying rings spun through the air, colliding with the iron sword in showers of sparks and surges of magic power.

Sword Qi crisscrossed the arena as the iron rings ran rampant.

They exchanged dozens of blows, neither gaining a decisive advantage.

In the stands, Xuan Yang leaned over the railing, craning forward with a wealth of expressions. He beamed whenever his disciple gained the upper hand, knitted his brows whenever his disciple fell behind, and sucked in sharp breaths whenever danger closed in. His heart rose and plunged with the battle.

Xuanxu and the others also stood at the railing. Their reactions were less exaggerated than Xuan Yang's, but their eyes never strayed.

In the Spirit Marsh Palace's second-tier stands, the baby-faced female Daoist Bichuan also leaned against the railing, staring intently at Changqingzi and muttering, "You absolutely mustn't lose. You absolutely mustn't lose!"

The stronger this fellow proved to be, the more honor there would be in her defeat. Whether she could save face depended on this wretched Daoist.

In the arena, the two Daoists traded blows. Fifty exchanges had already