Ye Wen leaped onto the ring, then signaled to a junior disciple who had been arranged to escort Xu Xian to rest behind the scenes, before returning to the stage where the handsome Beichen Xuan stood. "I must claim this ring for a little longer! I hope Brother Beichen will not mind!"

Beichen Xuan smiled and said, "The ring is set up precisely for people to ascend; Sect Master Ye is welcome to it!" With that, he stepped down from the stage, yielding the space.

As for the corpses, bloodstains, and shattered weapons on the stage, disciples of the North Sword Gate naturally came to clean them up. Ye Wen glanced briefly and noticed a few disciples looked rather pale while handling a corpse. After a moment of slight confusion, he immediately understood: the North Sword Gate was having its disciples, who had not yet seen blood, familiarize themselves with the stench of gore, lest they panic and disgrace the sect if they encountered such a situation outside the mountain in the future.

"Although Beichen Yan is a woman, this arrangement is quite remarkable; she is a figure of insight. No wonder no one objects to her leading the North Sword Gate despite her gender!"

Standing on the stage, Ye Wen addressed the contingent from the Thunder Sword Gate: "Hear me, members of the Thunder Sword Gate! The grievances between my Mount Shu Sect and your Thunder Sword Gate are not yet settled today. However, I, Ye, am mindful of Heaven's virtue of cherishing life, so I shall not pursue a massacre. But the banner of the Thunder Sword Gate absolutely cannot remain!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a buzz rippled through the assembled heroes below.

"What? Are the grudges between the Mount Shu Sect and the Thunder Sword Gate more extensive than this?"

"That part is unclear! Could it be that the Mount Shu Sect isn't satisfied with killing the Thunder Sword Gate's Master and intends to wipe them out completely?"

"Heh, what's so strange about that? If they don't finish them off now, won't the Thunder Sword Gate seek revenge later? Furthermore, the Thunder Sword Gate is now utterly notorious, like rats crossing the street, despised by all. If they aren't eliminated now, how can they be given a chance to rise again?"

"I don't think Sect Master Ye seems like such a ruthless person!"

"If he weren't ruthless, how could he hold the position of Sect Master firmly? Didn't you just witness Young Master Xu's swordsmanship? If Sect Master Ye didn't have some real capabilities, how could he keep them subdued?"

"That makes sense!"

"In my view, although Sect Master Ye can be ruthless, he is not without integrity and straightforwardness. He lays everything out clearly and fights you openly and honestly! Even if he means to destroy your sect, he does it honorably. He is indeed a figure worth noting!"

"That is true..."

While the crowd murmured, Ye Wen stood in opposition to the Thunder Sword Gate members. The junior brother of Lei Zhenshan stood up and roared, "You, surnamed Ye, do not push things too far! Never mind the matter of killing our sect master, as that counts as a private feud with the Huang family, and your Mount Shu Sect's Xu Xian stood up for the Huang family, which has justification! But for others to come and provoke us—what is the meaning of this? Do you truly think my Thunder Sword Gate is so easily bullied?"

Ye Wen's expression shifted slightly, and he said calmly, "Your Thunder Sword Gate disciples first injured disciples of our sect and then destroyed the stone stele at the entrance of Mount Shu. How should that debt be settled?"

"Oh."

Though Ye Wen spoke calmly, leveraging his profound internal energy, his voice carried far. Everyone present heard him clearly, finally realizing that the Mount Shu Sect and the Thunder Sword Gate indeed harbored enmity. This made them understand why Sect Master Ye had come to cause trouble for the Thunder Sword Gate.

Then Ye Wen continued, "Since your Thunder Sword Gate disciples destroyed our stele, our badge, I will likewise remove your Thunder Sword Gate's banner. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—that is the rule of the martial world. Does your Thunder Sword Gate intend to default on this debt?"

"You say we destroyed the stele, so we destroyed it!?" This statement was somewhat unreasonable. The junior sister of Lei Zhenshan, agitated, spoke rashly, drawing intense scorn from her peers in the martial world. Even her senior brother felt utterly disgraced, cursing, "What nonsense are you speaking? Retreat!"

At this point, Ye Wen’s voice rang out, "Those from the Thunder Sword Gate who strip off their outer robes and cast aside their weapons today, I will consider them to have left the sect—and I will not pursue them! For those unwilling to do so, come and test my skills. If you can withstand a few moves from me—this debt will be considered settled for the day, and I will concede that I cannot tear down the Thunder Sword Gate's banner! If you cannot withstand them..."

He paused slightly here, followed by a cold sneer, "Then do not use that banner again, lest you bring shame upon your sect's ancestors!"

The situation had reached a point where it was clear a fight was inevitable. However, everyone had already witnessed Ye Wen's prowess; even Lei Zhenshan was extremely wary and dared not move rashly. How could these two dare to act recklessly?

Yet, if they refused the challenge, they would have to strip bare and surrender their weapons. But if they did this, they would never hold up their heads in the martial world again; they would be scorned wherever they went.

While the two hesitated, the disciples behind them moved much faster. One by one, they casually tossed aside their weapons, shed their outer robes, and vanished without a trace.

Although the Thunder Sword Gate had recruited many disciples over the years, most were petty ruffians who relied on the sect's power to act wantonly. They were never truly dedicated to martial arts. Now, with the sect on the verge of annihilation, they feared for their own lives and eagerly took the chance to escape when a way out was offered.

The swiftness of this group of disciples astonished even the onlookers. Some of the older individuals sighed softly, "Lei Zhenshan's character is flawed, and the foundation of those under him is so weak. Indeed, the rot starts from the top!"

Older martial artists vaguely recalled that the Thunder Sword Gate was once a prominent sect in the martial world, but now it had fallen to this state. The world is indeed unpredictable. Reflecting on the shifting landscape of the martial world and the emergence of new talents, they couldn't help but feel a surge of melancholy.

In just a moment, most of the Thunder Sword Gate disciples had fled, including many of the personal disciples of the two highest-ranking members remaining.

Turning back, only two or three disciples remained behind them, most of whom had already discarded their weapons and were fiddling nervously with their robe buttons.

One of them broke down in tears and wailed, "I... I'm not wearing an undergarment... What should I do?" His cry was as mournful as a cuckoo's bleeding lament, piercing the heart. Yet, hearing this sentence under such circumstances, only those with strong resolve managed to keep their composure; most people burst into laughter. In the vast venue, many burst into guffaws, which only made the poor fellow, agonizing over whether to strip or not, even more flustered.

"You can just go..."

Finally, Ye Wen waved his hand, permitting him to leave without removing the Thunder Sword Gate robes.

Hearing this, the man was overjoyed. He rushed forward, kowtowed several times to Ye Wen, and then disappeared from sight. The crowd, while finding the scene somewhat comical, felt a complex emotion they couldn't quite articulate.

After all the running, only the pair of senior brother and sister remained standing alone beneath the Thunder Sword Gate's spot. Surrounded by the mess, they looked truly pitiable. They exchanged a glance, then sighed helplessly. The junior brother of Lei Zhenshan cupped his hands toward Ye Wen, "Ma Sanlu of the Thunder Sword Gate requests a demonstration of your esteemed skills!"

As he spoke, his face was like that of someone walking to the execution ground, shuffling slowly toward the stage. The crowd couldn't help but jeer, "Ma Sanlu, you call yourself 'Hero Ma Three' in Dongzhou. Are you going on stage or not? Why are you dawdling so much?"

Ma Sanlu's face flushed red upon hearing this. He cursed internally, "It's not you going up there to die! Why should I rush?"

Ye Wen, seeing that Ma Sanlu had remained after all his disciples fled, felt his impression of him improve slightly. "Regardless, this man still knows how to uphold his sect's banner! In the ensuing fight, I might grant him some face!"

As he pondered this, a gust of wind suddenly swept from behind him. He turned and saw Ning Ruxue rushing up, saying, "Senior Brother, let your junior sister handle this round!"

Ye Wen considered for a moment, then looked at Ma Sanlu, thinking, "This man was suppressed by Lei Zhenshan, so his skill probably isn't high. Moreover, with Junior Sister's exquisite sword energy, even Lei Zhenshan would struggle to counter her. Dealing with this man should pose no problem for my Junior Sister!"

After a brief deliberation, finding no issue, he nodded to Ning Ruxue, "Tell him to surrender; no need to injure him! For daring to step up, this man shows some measure of manliness!"

Ning Ruxue pouted, "There's also a woman standing over there who hasn't left. Does she count as a man too?"

Ye Wen realized he had misspoken again and quickly smoothed things over, "Yes, yes, both are martial heroes! There's no need to make things too difficult for them!"

"I understand!"

Fortunately, the two spoke softly, and the crowd couldn't hear them. They only saw Ye Wen exchange a few words with the woman in the green robe before turning and walking off the stage.

"Ning Ruxue of the Mount Shu Sect challenges the Thunder Sword Gate!"

When Ye Wen reached the edge of the ring, Ning Ruxue turned, cupped her hands toward Ma Sanlu, announced her name, and only then did the crowd realize that the Mount Shu Sect's representative for this match would not be the Sect Master, but a female disciple.

"Is the Mount Shu Sect being too arrogant? Although Ma Sanlu's skill is mediocre, he is still considered a leading figure in the Thunder Sword Gate!"

Someone nearby who recognized Ning Ruxue scoffed, "What do you know? This woman is Sect Master Ye's junior sister. Her exquisite sword energy skills are legendary. In my opinion, this Miss Ning is the most formidable in the Mount Shu Sect. Have you ever seen someone unleash sword energy barehanded? I think Ma Sanlu is in for a hard time!"

"Is that so?"

"I saw it with my own eyes; how could I be wrong?"

While discussions continued, Ma Sanlu, however, felt a stroke of luck. After stepping onto the stage, he wouldn't have to cross swords with Ye Wen, but with this woman. A young woman, no matter how high her cultivation, must have limits. Perhaps he could withstand this bout. If he could just survive this round, losing the subsequent ones wouldn't bring such shame.

With this thought, his chest puffed out unconsciously, and his steps became a bit bolder. He had spent half the time previously to cover only half the distance. Now, he covered the remaining half in moments. Stepping onto the ring, he cupped his hands toward Ning Ruxue, "Ma Sanlu of the Thunder Sword Gate challenges the Mount Shu Sect!"

He was unaware that some low voices in the crowd were mocking his sudden briskness, "Heh! What an idiot, rushing to his death so fast?"

The two stood at a distance. Ma Sanlu drew his long sword, casually tossed the scabbard aside, and adopted a stance. "Miss Ning, please!"

Seeing him like this, Ning Ruxue decided not to waste time and simply said, "Take this!" Before the word had fully left her lips, her figure shot forward abruptly.

Ma Sanlu had expected Ning Ruxue to use palm or fist techniques, as he saw no weapon in her hand. And yet, she was lunging at him from such a distance, seemingly extending her right hand toward him.

He thought he had ample time to react and secretly thought, "This girl is too young; what use is an attack from so far away?"

Before the thought even finished, he saw Ning Ruxue point her finger at him from afar, followed by a sharp sword energy that tore through the air, making him feel a faint sting. Ma Sanlu, having practiced swordsmanship for years, was naturally familiar with sword energy. Seeing this, he was greatly alarmed. He swung his long sword while simultaneously leaping to the side—employing two defensive maneuvers to cope with the sudden sword energy.

"Where did that sword energy come from? Did that girl hide a short sword in her sleeve?"

He had dodged hastily and hadn't seen clearly. Believing he had evaded the energy and was safe, he turned to look at Ning Ruxue. He saw her stop about two Zhang away, raising her right hand with her index finger extended, releasing a cyan sword energy from her fingertip.

"Unleashing sword energy with the hand?"

It was no wonder Ma Sanlu was unaware. Although Lei Zhenshan had heard rumors of this, he hadn't taken them seriously, dismissing them as gossip. Furthermore, his attention was more fixed on the rumors that Ye Wen could use sword manipulation techniques, causing him to pay even less heed to Ye Wen's junior martial siblings. If Lei Zhenshan himself didn't care, how could he specifically inform Ma Sanlu?

As Ma Sanlu stood marveling, he suddenly heard his junior sister shout from below the stage, "Senior Brother, watch your back!"

Her warning jolted him, and he suddenly sensed a sharp object tearing through the air behind his head. He instinctively crouched down, narrowly dodging the attack.

Lifting his head slightly, he finally saw clearly that the thing attacking him from behind was the same cyan sword energy. Upon closer inspection, he realized Ning Ruxue's sword energy had actually curved sharply in mid-air and was aiming directly for his rear. Had his junior sister not warned him, he would have been defeated by this single move.

Cold sweat streamed down his face, completely oblivious to how undignified his current posture was: crouched on the ground like a ball, neck craned, looking left and right...

"Hey! Ma Sanlu, is this move called 'Turtle Hiding in its Shell'? You seem quite proficient at it!"

"Hahahaha!"

This mockery snapped him out of his trance, and he realized how awkward his stance was. Looking up again, he saw the cyan sword energy had vanished. The green-robed woman from the Mount Shu Sect stood still, watching him, and asked, "Are you still fighting?"

Ma Sanlu immediately stood up and leveled his long sword, "Of course, I must fight!"

Ning Ruxue nodded. "Since you must fight, then you must withstand my next move!" With that, she swung her left hand, releasing a streak of cyan sword energy, and then pointed with her right hand, releasing another, faster and sharper bolt of energy.

Seeing Ning Ruxue casually launch two streams of sword energy, Ma Sanlu was even more astonished. If the energy wasn't hurtling toward him with no time to spare, he might have paused to marvel at Ning Ruxue's miraculous skill.

However, in his current predicament, he had no leisure for admiration. He raised his long sword, preparing to meet the two streams of energy head-on. He had just realized that the sword energies moved with unexpected curves, making evasion difficult. It was better to meet them head-on and disperse the energy.

"I don't believe barehanded-released sword energy can be that strong!"

Having settled this in his mind, he waited for the first stream of Ning Ruxue's sword energy to arrive. Unexpectedly, although the two streams seemed identical at first, halfway through their flight, the leading one suddenly shifted and curved, becoming erratic and unpredictable, making it impossible to know where it intended to strike.

The second stream, however, accelerated as it flew, quickly overtaking the first, and reached Ma Sanlu first.

This sudden change surprised Ma Sanlu again. He quickly swung his long sword horizontally, striking the cyan sword energy that was already before his eyes.

This impact actually produced the sound of clashing metal. The sheer power of Ning Ruxue's sword energy far exceeded Ma Sanlu's expectation. His hand shook so violently that he could no longer grip his sword; the weapon was knocked from his grasp by that single stream of energy, clattering to the ground.

Just as Ma Sanlu's sword flew away and his guard dropped, the second stream of energy arrived. This energy was wavering and elusive. As it neared, he finally discerned its target: his throat.

"My life is over!"

Ma Sanlu closed his eyes, awaiting death. Then he felt a coolness circle his neck, as if sliced by an internal force. Ma Sanlu sighed inwardly, "Did it slice my entire neck? Am I destined to follow my Senior Brother's fate?"

But as he waited, expecting pain, there was none, and his consciousness remained clear. Opening his eyes, he saw Ning Ruxue standing quietly, gazing at him. Ma Sanlu first glanced around, couldn't spot the sword energy, yet he felt no injury on his body.

"Am... I dead?"

At his question, a burst of laughter erupted from below. Fortunately, a kind soul shouted from the crowd, "You're not dead! Miss Ning spared your life!"

Hearing that he was alive, Ma Sanlu frantically touched his neck. Finding no bloodstain, he finally believed it, realizing that Ning Ruxue had deliberately held back her power.

"Thank you, Miss Ning, for your mercy!"

With that, he lacked the face to remain on the stage and quickly descended. Still, he couldn't fathom how he hadn't died when the sword energy had clearly reached his front and he felt contact at his neck.

Puzzled, he questioned his junior sister after stepping down, only then learning what had transpired.

It turned out Ning Ruxue's sword energy had merely circled his neck once before dissipating, not only failing to scratch his skin but not even cutting a single hair that had flown up during the fight. Her control was truly precise to the smallest detail.

Understanding this, Ma Sanlu realized that she had been going easy on him from the start. Otherwise, the first stream of energy could have ended his life. Without needing any other move, if Ning Ruxue had directed the sword energy downward when he was crouched, he wouldn't have had ten lives to spare against a direct stab.

Coming to this realization, he couldn't help but cup his hands toward the Mount Shu members again. Then, glancing at the Thunder Sword Gate's banner, he sighed, "I did my best, but my skill was inferior! It is time to leave..." With that, he led his junior sister slowly out of sight of the crowd. It remains unknown if these two will ever be seen in the martial world again.