He Haoran and Baili Ke exchanged a glance, nodding in shared resignation. Liu Yunhaifeng glanced at Yuwen Mengjian, subtly signaling him to proceed without reservation and teach this arrogant brat a lesson.

Yuwen Mengjian approached the chasm like a starving jackal, exuding an oppressive force that suggested mountains were about to collapse. This man was undeniably the most terrifying close-combat specialist!

“Yuwen Mengjian is a maniac; this kid is in serious trouble!”

“Let’s hope he can hold on. Yuwen Mengjian never fought in previous Blood Moon Sect duels, but… everyone knew that was because he disdained to do so. What a terrifying individual; this fight promises to be spectacular…” The surrounding spectators were thrilled, their gazes converging intensely on Ji Changkong and Yuwen Mengjian.

He Haoran and Baili Xiang’s faces grew grim, their earlier ease completely gone. No one understood Yuwen Mengjian’s ruthlessness and strength better than these two! “Five years ago, when our Blood Rain Mountain clashed with Lan Rou Garden’s Heavenly Artisans over a Yuan Stone mine, this Yuwen Mengjian single-handedly slaughtered seventeen Five-Element Heavenly Artisans from Lan Rou Garden! And at that time, Yuwen Mengjian was only at the Five-Element Heavenly realm! Ji Changkong… is in grave danger…” On the He family side, He Zhizhang’s expression was grave; he stood up abruptly, gazing toward the two figures in the Earth Chasm. “Yuwen Mengjian—that man is a complete lunatic! And the Blood Moon secret technique he practices—it seems to be that most nefarious one, the ‘Blood Moon Rend’!” He Li just frowned deeply, her luminous eyes fixed on the giant in the arena. She sighed inwardly with helpless frustration: Ji Changkong, can you continue to create miracles? Will Yuwen Mengjian extinguish this miracle of yours?

Ji Changkong, standing at the center of the Earth Chasm, drew a deep breath, a sharp gleam suddenly flashing in his eyes. He grinned, “Impressive. Even an ordinary Six-Harmony Heavenly Artisan probably wouldn’t stand a chance against you, would they?”

He could sense that although Yuwen Mengjian’s realm was still the Five-Element Heavenly level, the depth of his internal primal force already surpassed that of most Six-Harmony Heavenly Artisans! Liu Yunhaifeng certainly had some skill to find someone like this to deal with him!

“Young man, be careful now,” Yuwen Mengjian advanced step by step, his muscles suddenly convulsing with a strange rhythm. Riiip! The garment covering his upper body was violently torn apart by the absurdly taut flexing of his muscles!

Veins as thick as thumbs crisscrossed his exposed upper torso, seeming to writhe slowly as his muscles swelled. His rock-hard physique gave the strange illusion of containing terrifying explosive power.

Anyone laying eyes on his bare chest would likely feel an instinctual dread. Coupled with those ferocious, jackal-like eyes, it was enough to make the faint-hearted shatter internally, unable to muster the confidence to fight him.

“No close combat! Absolutely no close combat with him!”

“Stay away from him!”

“Ji Changkong, stay away from that big oaf!” Unexpectedly, urgent cries from young women outside the Earth Chasm suddenly rang out, clearly expressing deep concern for him.

Many nearby onlookers were astonished, looking curiously at the shrieking girls beside them, then back at Ji Changkong in the arena. They couldn't help but laugh wryly, thinking how easily this young man attracted naive girls, wondering why so many beauties were worried about him. “Sister-in-law, look, will Changkong be alright?” Ji Yusheng asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Mo Yunyi’s expression remained relatively calm. She shook her head. “He should be fine. Even if he is a Six-Harmony Heavenly Artisan, Changkong might not be inferior to him.” She paused, her face chilling slightly, and let out a proud, sharp cry, “When it comes to sheer physical might, the world is vast, yet few can surpass him in this regard!” Ji Yusheng was stunned. “Wh-why do you say that?”

“You will know eventually. Just watch. Perhaps after this duel concludes, you will find your answer…” Mo Yunyi spoke with knowing implication. “The ‘Xuanyuan’ lineage of the Ji family—its physical toughness is beyond your imagination. After six hundred years, perhaps many have forgotten what ‘Xuanyuan’ truly means. Today, you will see.” “Stay far away, stay far away from him! Damn it! Why won’t he listen to the warnings!” “You arrogant, conceited fool, move aside!” The girls nearby cried out loudly, their exclamations echoing throughout the Earth Chasm; they were more anxious than anyone.

“Be quiet!” Liu Yunhaifeng raised his left hand, making a silencing gesture with a cold face.

The disciples from various factions muttered under their breath, cursing Liu Yunhaifeng for meddling, but under the sharp reprimands of their elders, they ultimately dared not shout any louder.

The Earth Chasm fell suddenly quiet.

“Come! Closer, just a little closer,” Ji Changkong, still in the center of the pit, waved toward Yuwen Mengjian with a broad smile, adopting an air of friendly approach. This infuriated the concerned young women watching, who cursed him for his arrogance.

“Are you truly unafraid of death?” Yuwen Mengjian stalked toward him. Seeing that Ji Changkong did not evade despite the warnings from so many people, Yuwen Mengjian’s expression grew strange, and he demanded in a low voice.

“Afraid, yes, scared stiff!” Ji Changkong nodded repeatedly, then abruptly shifted his tone, “The crucial point is, you don’t possess the qualifications to kill me.”

“…Interesting kid…” Yuwen Mengjian nodded, then ceased speaking. Suddenly, he surged forward like an oncoming mountain, bearing down directly on Ji Changkong.

Strands of faint, snowy-white mist suddenly began to emerge from Yuwen Mengjian’s pores. These wisps swirled around him, refusing to dissipate even as he moved swiftly, drifting like ethereal ropes… But when Yuwen Mengjian thrust out his giant, anchor-like palm towards Ji Changkong, the lingering mist suddenly coalesced in his palm. A dense aura of slaughter violently erupted from his hand, combining with his ferocious momentum and savage eyes—his imposing presence was unmatched!

Rumble!

A sound like the thunder of the Nine Heavens suddenly boomed from within Ji Changkong’s body. In an instant, his eyes turned cold and merciless; the smile on his lips vanished completely. He seemed to transform into a different person—calm and razor-sharp.

A blinding, dazzling light erupted violently between the two, mixed with the roar of crashing thunder and a bestial howl from Yuwen Mengjian!

Crack! Thump! Thump-thump-thump!

Dust soared and gravel shot outward. Tremendous activity emanated from the center of the Earth Chasm as two figures, one large and one small, became instantly entangled. With every collision of fists and feet, dazzling rays of light burst forth. These emanating lights, upon striking nearby stones, instantly shattered them, sending debris scattering everywhere.

With a massive BOOM, right before the eyes of the onlookers, Yuwen Mengjian’s massive, mountain-like body was suddenly struck and sent flying into a patch of stone pillars, knocking colossal rocks askew as he landed.

Standing rooted to the spot, unmoving, was Ji Changkong!

The clamor of the Earth Chasm instantly ceased. Countless astonished eyes converged upon Ji Changkong. “I told you, you don’t have the qualifications to end my life!” With his hands hanging loosely at his sides, Ji Changkong walked toward Yuwen Mengjian, his expression cold, unhurried, and measured.

Yuwen Mengjian, having crashed heavily to the ground, coughed up a thread of blood from the corner of his mouth, yet his eyes were fiercely manic. “Haha! Incredible, incredible! For someone still in the Five-Element Heavenly realm to clash with me head-on—this is exhilarating!” He sprang up abruptly. As everyone watched, the madness in Yuwen Mengjian’s eyes intensified. Faint, visible light began to shimmer across his rock-solid, powerful upper body. In just a moment, the pale mist that had previously leaked from his body turned blood-red, and a thick, blood-stench emanated from the sanguine mist surrounding him.

His normal skin color instantaneously turned a horrifying, gruesome crimson. Though there were no wounds, blood streamed continuously down Yuwen Mengjian’s bare torso, as if he had been fighting fiercely for days and nights.

“Forcing the primal energy to generate blood and combining the blood with the vital energy through a secret method—while this technique is tyrannical, the side effects must be considerable,” Ji Changkong said, walking step-by-step toward Yuwen Mengjian with a faint, mocking curve to his lips. “Admit defeat. Your strength is decent, but you still don’t have a single sliver of a chance of winning!” “Hah! In my dictionary, there is only victory or death—never surrender!” Blood mist churned around Yuwen Mengjian; he looked like a ferocious beast emerging from a pool of blood, radiating an aura of extreme danger and madness.

Unexpectedly, Ji Changkong suddenly looked up, directing his gaze toward the areas where Liu Yunhaifeng and Tong Qian stood. “Forcing the body’s potential in battle means severe internal damage afterward. If this continues, as long as I can hold out for half an hour, he might overdraw his vital energy and die. Have you… made your decision?” “‘Blood Moon Rend’ is our Blood Moon Sect’s secret technique; you don't need to worry, little brother. If Yuwen Mengjian happens to die in this fight, it will have nothing to do with you!” Tong Qian sneered.

Nodding, Ji Changkong turned to He Haoran and Baili Ding. “If Yuwen Mengjian dies in battle, will I bear any consequences?” “You will bear absolutely no consequences!” Liu Yunhaifeng interjected quickly. “A human life is worth so little in the eyes of Sect Leader Liu Yun. If Brother Yuwen were one of my Ji family, if I were the Ji Family Head, I would rather lose the match than let my own kin make such a needless sacrifice,” Liu Yao shook his head, sighing softly. “Arrogant! What ability do you possess to take his life? If the ‘Blood Moon Rend’ needed to be pushed to its limit, you would have already fallen!” Liu Yunhaifeng scoffed. “You will see…” Finally ceasing the chatter, Ji Changkong stopped directly in front of Yuwen Mengjian, gazing at him with utter coldness.

The Earth Chasm fell silent. Everyone sensed the subtle conflict brewing between the three major powers, and every observer picked up on the implied meaning in Ji Changkong’s words.

Yuwen Mengjian belongs to the Blood Moon Sect, and the Blood Moon Sect follows the lead of Liu Yunhaifeng. Yuwen Mengjian can be considered Liu Yunhaifeng’s man. Do you seek victory, or do you seek Yuwen Mengjian’s life?

The outcome was that Liu Yunhaifeng chose victory!

And Ji Changkong stated that if he were the Ji Family Head, he would rather forfeit than risk the life of his own subordinate. These two starkly contrasting attitudes caused many spectators to ponder the underlying complexities.

Many martial experts who had been inclined to foster good relations with Liu Yunsha frowned, suddenly realizing something. Even several clan experts from families already closely aligned with Liu Yunsha lowered their heads silently, lost in thought.

He Haoran and Baili Ding exchanged a quick look, noting a flicker of appreciation in each other’s eyes… “Is it worth fighting desperately for someone like this?” Ji Changkong asked Yuwen Mengjian in a voice only the two of them could hear. “Sect Master Tong was kind to me. I fight for him, not for Liu Yunhaifeng!” Yuwen Mengjian frowned, his face solemn. “Be careful, the power coming after this will be three times more ferocious than what came before! You… if you cannot withstand it, surrender early. Even if there are orders from above, in front of all these people, I… I won’t find it easy to kill you…”

“Understood…” Ji Changkong suddenly smiled, a genuine, relieved smile. Things had unfolded exactly as he suspected: Liu Yunhaifeng and Tong Qian truly intended to take his life!