Big Fatty Jin was shocked, yet he perceived a discrepancy. As a direct disciple of the Treasure Gathering Palace, he shared a generational friendship with the Purple Sword Palace and was intimately familiar with their artifacts.

Upon closer inspection, the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword manipulated by Ye Qin differed from the Purple Sword Palace’s bestowed artifact, the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword, in numerous subtle ways. The most obvious difference was the carving of a Fire Crow motif on the body of the divine artifact wielded by Qin.

The intense flames surrounding the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword transformed into spitting Fire Crows. In contrast, the South Bright Luminous Fire Swords belonging to the several late-stage Golden Core cultivators of the Purple Sword Palace featured motifs of high-tier exotic birds like the Fiery Feather Vulture.

As for other discrepancies, such as the age and quality of the purple crystal ore used to forge the sword body, there were surely differences, but Big Fatty Jin had no time to discern them. Big Fatty Jin did not know where Ye Qin had obtained the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword, and unable to overwhelm Ye Qin in haste, he instantly groaned in distress.

He now had no time to mourn the top-tier fire-elemental magic bead shattered by Huangfu Bing'er. His original scheme had completely collapsed.

His most powerful artifact, the Golden Ingot of the Primordial Spirit, was locked in a direct clash with Ye Qin’s South Bright Luminous Fire Sword, leaving him unable to spare the strength to defend against the Ice Soul Chill current behind him. The chilling essence of the Ice Soul surged closer.

Big Fatty Jin dared not hesitate. He fiercely slapped his bulging large storage pouch at his waist, rapidly drawing out a small stack of ten high-tier talismans.

With a quick hand seal, he divided them in two and flung them out wildly. This small stack of ten talismans comprised entirely of high-tier offensive talismans.

Five of them transformed into bursts of Fiery Flame Vultures and Azure Arc Blades, sweeping across tens of feet, bombarding Ye Qin relentlessly. The other five defensive talismans released vast sheets of thick ice walls and earthen barriers, thrown towards the Ice Soul Chill flow behind him, in the hope of stalling Huangfu Bing'er for a few more moments.

These ten high-tier talismans were not what Big Fatty Jin had intended to use yet. But he was driven to a dead end.

He needed to move quickly: while blocking Huangfu Bing'er, he aimed to squeeze Ye Qin entirely off the dueling platform. The cultivators watching around the platform gasped in hushed tones at Big Fatty Jin’s extravagance with high-tier talismans, feeling the pinch deeply.

Each one of these high-tier talismans was worth nearly a thousand low-grade spirit stones, yet he threw them away like this. Ye Qin’s expression remained unchanged, showing no sign of retreating.

With one hand, he manipulated the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword to withstand the mountain-like Golden Ingot; with the other, he controlled several low-tier flying swords to block the incoming talismans. He allowed those talismans to violently shake the low-tier flying swords, causing faint hairline cracks to appear.

He then promptly abandoned those two low-tier artifacts, swiftly pulling out a set of mid-tier White Shield artifacts from his storage pouch to continue deflecting the high-tier talismans hurled by Big Fatty Jin. Fighting with artifacts was not something only Big Fatty Jin could do; his storage pouch held plenty of junk artifacts as well.

If one broke, he would simply swap it out. In the brief moments it took, Huangfu Bing'er’s sixteen Ice Soul Chill Light Swords pierced through the several incredibly thick spell walls conjured by the high-tier talismans and were once again attacking towards Big Fatty Jin’s rear.

She was the true main force of the assault; Ye Qin had consistently remained on the defensive. When Big Fatty Jin’s small stack of talismans was exhausted without achieving any visible results, his face turned ashen green.

He finally understood that this fellow had deliberately presented a façade of being easily defeated to trick him. Big Fatty Jin fumbled clumsily, hastily slapping his storage pouch and sending out two high-tier artifacts to block the approaching Ice Soul Chill current.

“Crash!” In the blink of an eye, those two high-tier artifacts also exploded. The green-robed cultivator acting as the referee on the platform suddenly extended a large, golden palm print, pressing it down in the void, cleverly separating the Ice Soul Chill Light Swords and Big Fatty Jin.

He then said lightly, “Junior Martial Nephew Jin, you have lost. Step down.” Big Fatty Jin cried out anxiously to the Nascent Soul cultivator, “Martial Ancestor Uncle Zhou, how can you declare me the loser?

I still have a large pile of artifacts and talismans in my storage pouch that I haven't used; I haven't lost yet! Give me just another half an hour, and I can defeat them!” The green-robed cultivator sneered faintly, “Their combined strength is double yours.

If they had wanted to kill you, you would have died countless times over. Even if your family’s Old Ancestor were here, I would rule the same way.

Stop wasting your artifacts. Unless you can simultaneously control three powerful Primordial Spirit Artifacts and possess enough true energy to sustain a battle against two fellow late-stage Golden Core cultivators, you have no chance of winning.

No amount of wealth justifies burning it like this. Get down now.” Big Fatty Jin remained defiant, refusing to leave the platform, but the green-robed cultivator sent him flying off with a single gesture.

Ye Qin immediately recalled the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword, secretly astonished. This Nascent Soul cultivator seemed to know Big Fatty Jin, yet showed no leniency, immediately ruling him defeated.

It seemed that in this Island Seizing Assembly, achieving a clear victory wasn't always necessary; the presiding Nascent Soul cultivator could directly declare the winner upon seeing a clear disparity in strength. This fairness, devoid of personal favoritism, earned Ye Qin a measure of respect.

Below the platform, the purple-robed and yellow-skirted women from the Purple Sword Palace both displayed looks of surprise. “Sister Zhou, isn't that the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword, the bestowed artifact of your Purple Sword Palace?

Only Golden Core cultivators from your Purple Sword Palace possess it. How does this person have that sword?” the yellow-skirted woman exclaimed softly, quickly asking the purple-robed woman.

“That is indeed the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword.” The purple-robed woman’s shock was unconcealed. She nodded, quickly regaining her composed expression, and said, “However, it may not necessarily have anything to do with my Purple Sword Palace.” After Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er joined forces to defeat Big Fatty Jin of the Treasure Gathering Palace, very few Golden Core cultivators dared to step up to challenge them on the Stage Two Fire Spirit Island.

Even if some among them were slightly stronger than Big Fatty Jin, they were truly uncertain if they could stand against the combined might of two Golden Core cultivators, Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er. The defeats of the preceding Golden Core challengers had proven this point sufficiently.

Dozens of Golden Core cultivators who had hung their Golden Bird Tokens on Stage Two Fire Spirit Island sank into dejection, their morale low. Their gazes turned toward one particular middle-aged cultivator among them.

If anyone among them still dared to issue a challenge, perhaps only this cultivator possessed the necessary strength. “Since no one else is stepping up, then I shall!” The middle-aged cultivator coldly surveyed the surrounding cultivators, and his confident voice suddenly rang out.

He opened his mouth, releasing two blazing fire-elemental Primordial Spirit Artifacts, maneuvering them into the air above the stage. Simultaneously, he tossed out a spirit beast pouch, releasing a seventh-tier, Golden Core stage Azure Flame Fire Hawk.

This massive fire hawk soared into the sky, letting out a sharp cry. Its wingspan stretched over ten feet; its presence was magnificent, and its fiery eyes swept across the stage sharply, locking onto Ye Qin.

“A Golden Core cultivator from the White Floe Palace!” The entire plaza erupted in gasps of shock. The White Floe Palace was the immortal abode of Palace Master Yu, one of the five major Palace Masters of the Heavenly Dao Alliance.

This middle-aged man was clearly a disciple of the White Floe Palace. To possess a Golden Core exotic beast already at the mere first layer of the Golden Core stage—it seemed someone finally possessed the might to directly confront the Ye couple.

Among the two to three hundred Golden Core cultivators participating in this assembly, at least half were disciples of Immortal Palaces. The most formidable Golden Core cultivator was likely this middle-aged man from the White Floe Palace.

With his two fire-elemental Primordial Spirit Artifacts and a Golden Core exotic beast, perhaps no early-stage Golden Core cultivator present would dare to clash with him head-on. One Golden Core cultivator and one Golden Core exotic beast against Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er.

Surrounding the stage, tens of thousands of cultivators erupted in a clamorous uproar, clearly favoring this battle. This fight was likely to be the most intense duel of the entire Island Seizing Assembly.

“Yu Weifeng of the White Floe Palace, please! Let me, Yu, see if I am a match for you two spouses,” the middle-aged cultivator sneered proudly, maneuvering his two fire-elemental Primordial Spirit Artifacts.

Ye Qin glanced at the Azure Flame Fire Hawk, frowning slightly, and exchanged a look with Huangfu Bing’er. Then, unhurriedly, he tossed a demonic beast pouch onto the stage.

Plop! A Corpse-Rot Alligator, entirely snow-white, shook its head and tail as it appeared on the stage.

The moment this Golden Core skeletal demon materialized, the intense death aura it radiated instantly made the Golden Core Azure Flame Fire Hawk in mid-air uneasy and enraged. It shrieked fiercely and transformed into a swift streak of fire, pouncing toward the Golden Core skeletal demon on the stage.

The Golden Core skeletal demon shook its head and lunged open its mouth to snap at the fire hawk. The two Golden Core demonic beasts fiercely grappled and fought upon the platform.

Ye Qin sneered inwardly. Huangfu Bing'er, with perfect synchronization, released the South Bright Luminous Fire Sword and the Ice Soul Chill Light Swords, attacking the stunned and disoriented middle-aged cultivator.

The middle-aged cultivator’s expression of absolute confidence had dissolved into panic due to the sudden appearance of the Golden Core skeletal demon. In less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the middle-aged cultivator was violently blasted off the platform.

The Azure Flame Fire Hawk hovered mid-air, unwilling to descend, its feathers ragged, its body covered in dark, smoking wounds, its plumage dull, and its spirit greatly diminished. The Golden Core skeletal demon drove the Azure Flame Fire Hawk off the platform, shaking its head and tail triumphantly.

The entire plaza fell instantly silent, hushed as a collection of startled sparrows. With expressions of utter disbelief, they gazed upon Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er, who held the platform steadily.

No other Golden Core cultivator dared to step forward to fight. “Primordial Spirit Artifacts, a Golden Core Skeletal Demon…?” Zhu Tiannan stared at the stage, his gaze vacant.

The high-tier feather fan artifact he was shaking stopped completely, and his expression was unreadable. Wei Dayuan and Su Tong exchanged glances, their mouths agape.

A seventh-tier Golden Core exotic beast was one thing; a seventh-tier Golden Core Skeletal Demon was exceedingly rare. Skeletal demons were already hard enough to find, let alone one at the Golden Core stage.

The Ye couple was far stronger than they had ever imagined. On the main viewing platform in the plaza, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who was observing the battle showed a flicker of surprise as the situation suddenly turned.

“These two juniors are quite interesting. It seems my sect’s Zeng Xuansun is going to lose this time.

Old Brother Zhou, isn't that woman the disciple of True Person Liu from the Water Cloud Palace?” “Sect Master, this woman is indeed a disciple of the Water Cloud Palace. Two years ago, the Star Bamboo Palace of the Heavenly Demon Alliance and the Golden Armor Palace of the Heavenly Dao Alliance fell out, allegedly related to this woman.

Sect Master, the Star Bamboo Palace and our Golden Armor Palace have been locked in a stalemate recently, and many low-level disciples have died. What do you think about this matter…?” “It is inconvenient for me to intervene in this matter, lest Old Devil Yan says I am favoring my sect’s Immortal Palace over his.

When that Brother Li from the Star Bamboo Palace vents his anger in a few years, things will naturally calm down. That woman’s ice and fire aptitude is quite good; it’s no wonder True Person Liu accepted her as a disciple as an exception.

As for this young man, managing to reach the Golden Core stage by cultivating the Ancient Immortal Codex is also commendable.” “Her Primordial Spirit Sword Artifact, that’s from your Purple Sword Palace, isn't it? Why doesn’t he have the Purple Sword Palace insignia on his robes?

Is he not your disciple?” “Long ago, our ancestor left an inheritance in the Spirit Mist Realm of the Central Lands. Later, Bo Hai came here and established an Immortal Palace, so cultivators from the Central Lands also know how to refine the Purple Sword Palace artifacts.

This person probably learned it from the inheritance in the Spirit Mist Realm of the Central Lands.” “Ah, so that’s how it is. Heh, my sect’s Zeng Xuansun has indeed lost after all.

With all the strong contenders showing up for this Island Seizing Assembly, there won't be much exciting to watch afterward. I shall return to the White Floe Palace; you handle the remaining affairs.

Do not make things difficult for that young man; it is quite rare for a mere rogue cultivator to reach this stage.” “Yes, Sect Master.”