He cheated!

Fang Hong collected the jade box She Yutang had offered from Zhang Jun and returned to the northern stands.

Zhang Jun asked him for the antidote, arranged for an outer sect disciple to administer it to She Yutang, then continued presiding over the Fish-Dragon Assembly.

"Is this the magic artifact you were refining a while ago?"

Fang Hong handed the flower bud to Su Yao.

The bud was soft and delicate, as though a touch would break it, yet it could return to its original form after bursting apart. It was truly wondrous.

Had Su Yao not handed him this treasure before he took the stage, he would have needed to expend several second-tier offensive talismans to deal with She Yutang.

Su Yao nodded gently and took the bud. "That woman does have some ability. We'll need to be on our guard against her in the future."

Fang Hong smiled and casually opened the jade box. The smile on his face froze the moment he saw what lay inside.

Su Yao glanced over curiously as well, and her delicate brows knitted, her eyes filling with distaste.

Inside the jade box was none other than a raven-blue brocade dudou embroidered with gold thread!

Still, the undergarment brimmed with spiritual energy and was clearly a spirit garment. Otherwise, Zhang Jun would never have agreed to let She Yutang offer it as her tribute.

I'll sell it next time I go to the market.

Fang Hong closed the box expressionlessly and put it away, then watched the subsequent bouts with Su Yao.

Xiao Yuansha, Chu Yuechai, Chai Hongzhou, Gu Hongchen, and Du Yueniang took the stage in succession.

As Fang Hong watched, he pondered the various details of his fight with She Yutang.

He had vaguely grasped a trace of the marvel of "Sword Light Separation," and he followed that thread of insight, deepening his understanding.

The fights onstage were also full of dazzling moments, each contestant displaying their own methods.

Xiao Yuansha formed a talisman formation with five first-tier high-grade talismans, unleashing power comparable to a second-tier offensive talisman and narrowly defeating his opponent to win his bout.

Chu Yuechai was even more formidable, easily defeating her opponent with the Wonderful Sound Pavilion's charm arts and illusion techniques.

Who knew what fortuitous encounter she had experienced? Not only had her cultivation reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, but her divine sense had also surged dramatically, making her seem second only to Yan Feihuang in divine sense at this Fish-Dragon Assembly.

Chai Hongzhou was something of a surprise. Relying on the Ghost King Sect's Ghost Shadow Escape Technique, he darted all over the combat platform, keeping his opponent from landing a single attack until he wore the other man's magical power down to nothing.

Gu Hongchen and Du Yueniang were less fortunate, suffering defeats one after the other.

Afterward, another dozen or so outer sect disciples took the stage to challenge the other established inner sect disciples.

By the assembly's third day, no more outer sect disciples stepped forward.

In the eastern stands, Ying Yang, Zhang Jun, and the silver-haired woman were discussing the matter.

"I disagree with settling on Yan Feihuang. Fang Hong was clearly a cut above him," the silver-haired woman said lightly and quickly.

"What do you think, Junior Brother Zhang?" Ying Yang turned to Zhang Jun without a change in expression.

Zhang Jun could not help laughing. He glanced at the vermilion tower atop the cloud overhead and sighed. "Yan and Fang should be evenly matched in strength. By rights, we ought to give Junior Sister Yan some face. After all, she's on good terms with us and is Elder Zhu's Dao companion..."

The silver-haired woman scoffed dismissively. "She's only a concubine. Since when does that make her a Dao companion?"

Zhang Jun frowned. "Senior Brother Ying is providing the prize. Let him decide."

Ying Yang smiled and said frankly, "To be honest, Junior Sister Yan and I had already agreed before I came that this dragon scale would go to him. She has always doted on this younger brother of hers and wants him to make a name for himself in the inner sect."

The silver-haired woman looked at the two men and persisted. "I have no friendship with that woman surnamed Yan. There's no need to tell me all this, Senior Brother."

A flash of irritation crossed Ying Yang's face, but he maintained his composure and smiled. "Then how about having the two of them compete once more?"

Seeing that he was somewhat displeased, the silver-haired woman could hardly say more and could only nod in agreement.

Zhang Jun shook his head with a smile, rose, and stepped forward to address those in the northern and southern stands. "Junior brothers and sisters, after discussing it with Senior Brother Ying and Senior Sister Ji, we believe the outstanding performer of this Fish-Dragon Assembly should be either Fang Hong or Yan Feihuang."

"The three of us are having some difficulty deciding, so why not have our two junior brothers take the stage for another bout? The victor will receive Senior Brother Ying's pearl scale from beneath the chin of a crimson-blood golden flood dragon!"

At this, Fang Hong and Yan Feihuang exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.

In the Floating-Cloud Vermilion Tower hanging motionless in the sky, the young married woman in the bloom of her years frowned, her face full of displeasure. "Ying Yang, you have some nerve, going back on your word!"

A woman beside her stirred things up. "Perhaps Ji Jun interfered..."

The young married woman looked down at the silver-haired woman and realized what had happened. Her face chilled as she cursed bitterly, "That rotten-tongued bitch spends all day gossiping about me!"

"Why stoop to her level, Senior Sister? Let's just watch our little brother win this fair and square."

The women around her hurried to soothe her.

Fang Hong stepped onto the combat platform for the third time.

Across from him, over ten zhang away, Yan Feihuang stood in splendid brocade robes, his manner relaxed.

He slapped his storage pouch. Two streaks of light flew out and manifested as two Black Gold Puppets.

One was the second-tier Giant Falcon Puppet, which soared straight up and circled above the combat platform.

The other was a humanoid puppet three zhang tall. Its massive body, forged from black gold, gleamed coldly and exuded an oppressive presence.

Both puppets were second-tier!

"Please offer me your guidance, Senior Brother Fang."

Yan Feihuang cupped his hands in salute.

Fang Hong chuckled. "I wouldn't call it guidance. We'll simply exchange a few moves."

A sharp gleam flashed through Yan Feihuang's eyes. He formed a hand seal with one hand, and both Black Gold Puppets charged at Fang Hong simultaneously.

At the same time, a layer of dusky light shone around him, enveloping his entire body and sealing him off from the outside. He was clearly guarding against the Pollen Miasma.

He can actually control two second-tier puppets at once. His divine sense is probably not far off that of a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator. What extraordinary talent!

Thoughts flashed through Fang Hong's mind. He held nothing back now. Light flickered in his hand, and a ball of eerie purple-green light abruptly appeared.

Fine arcs of lightning danced, and a terrifying surge of killing intent that made one's hair stand on end swept across the entire summit of North Island.

Kui Water Yin Thunder, second-tier high-grade!

Even Ying Yang, Zhang Jun, and Ji Jun, the three Foundation Establishment true disciples, sat bolt upright. Light flowed over their bodies as they reacted instinctively.

The other outer and inner sect disciples felt as though countless blades were stabbing straight at their faces. Their scalps prickled, and they sat frozen in place.

Yan Feihuang bore the brunt of it. His temples throbbed relentlessly as a piercing sense of danger from the depths of his soul seized his entire mind, leaving him trembling with terror.

A shadow of death unlike anything he had ever experienced descended over him.

I'll die!

"I concede!"

He hurriedly shouted, and a pair of black gold wings abruptly appeared on his back. With a powerful flap, he shot into the sky, putting plenty of distance between himself and the combat platform.

Both Black Gold Puppets turned back as well, returning to his side and taking up defensive positions.

The Kui Water Yin Thunder in Fang Hong's hand hovered on the verge of release. Looking at the lavishly dressed youth who had been frightened into the sky, he raised a brow. "Then shall we spar another day, when we get the chance?"

Yan Feihuang nodded, his throat dry. "Yes. Another day."

Fang Hong put away the Kui Water Yin Thunder.

The terrifying killing intent pressing down over the entire arena slowly dissipated.

Inside the Floating-Cloud Vermilion Tower.

Crack!

The young married woman smashed the teacup in her hand, her face filled with bitter resentment.

"He's cheating!"