"They finally came!"
The instant Li Ling saw them charge, he understood their intentions and swiftly instructed the others.
"I'll stop the one in front. Qing Si, you handle those two rogue cultivators. Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Sister Yi, take the two disciples from Sacred Origin Peak."
His arrangement did contain a trace of selfishness. The rogue cultivators had simpler backgrounds, so killing them would likely bring less trouble.
But taking on two opponents at once was indeed no small burden. That made the arrangement fair enough to Zhou Cheng and Yi Yi, leaving them nothing to fault.
He privately transmitted his voice to the Ninth Princess. "Be careful. If things look bad, use your Magic Treasure to snip them dead. Don't worry about exposing your secrets or inviting calamity. Only by staying alive will you have the rest of your life to resolve it."
With that, he charged off to the side with his flying sword.
Clang!
Zhao Yi's flying sword came hurtling toward him.
Whether the others would obediently choose opponents according to Li Ling's wishes remained uncertain, but Zhao Yi had no choice except to take the initiative and face Li Ling.
Li Ling had displayed a Magic Treasure, a symbol of identity and standing. The other disciples had their reservations and would never confront him head-on.
Li Ling was no longer the man he had once been, either. Wielding his flying sword through Divine Sense, he parried with ease, fighting as he moved until he reached a more open, less crowded area.
Li Ling said with a smile, "There's no room to fight over there. Dare to have a bout with me here?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Zhao Yi replied.
He followed Li Ling in leaping down to the open ground beneath the gate tower.
"I already