The dragon's roar caused Ye Wen's brow to furrow, as he realized that the Zhenqi within his own body had been affected by the sound. Turning his head, he saw that everyone present shared the same experience; those with slightly stronger cultivation remained composed, unconcerned, while those less powerful had already closed their eyes, circulating their energy to ward off the sonic wave.

"What martial art is this?"

This thought wasn't exclusive to Ye Wen; many who were unfamiliar with the Azure Dragon Society, or knew little about it, also frowned and whispered inquiries. These were the relatively skilled individuals who could still speak; the vast majority had fallen silent, focusing entirely on their internal cultivation.

Just then, Master Huixin, who had been standing still, let out a long sigh and murmured, "Amitabha!"

This sound carried across the entire venue. Though loud, it was not jarring; instead, it instilled a sense of peace and tranquility in everyone, as if the voice emanated from the Buddha himself.

Dongfang Yi stood up at this moment and cupped his fist towards Master Huixin: "My son's martial art is not yet fully realized. His rash action just now nearly injured many fellow martial artists here. I must thank Master for using this Vajra Chan Chant to suppress my son's Azure Dragon Roar!"

Only then did the assembled martial artists understand that the series of dragon roars originated from Dongfang Wuji channeling his power. Because the sound resembled a dragon’s cry, this formidable technique was named the Azure Dragon Roar.

This dragon's roar could not only disturb the mind but also affect the enemy's Zhenqi. However, since Dongfang Wuji had not mastered it, the sonic attack of the Azure Dragon Roar was indiscriminate, forcing everyone present to circulate their energy to resist it.

If Dongfang Yi had used it, the sound would still have been resonant, but it would not have been piercing; instead, it would have sounded like a dragon roaring through the heavens, inspiring only awe rather than causing harm. Only those truly confronting Dongfang Yi would suffer the various effects, and those effects would be even more profound.

Yet, even with Dongfang Wuji's incomplete Azure Dragon Roar, it was sufficient to deal with Guo Nu. The sonic wave of the Azure Dragon Roar destabilized Guo Nu’s protective Zhenqi; the layer of golden energy clinging to his body vibrated incessantly, like ripples on water. After trading thirty moves with Dongfang Wuji, when Dongfang Wuji struck him with a palm strike imbued with Zhenqi, the protective energy burst open like a spray of water and vanished into nothingness.

Guo Nu's entire cultivation relied on brute force resistance. With his protective Zhenqi broken, he could no longer withstand Dongfang Wuji's offensive. A palm strike brimming with Zhenqi sent Guo Nu staggering back several steps, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.

"Young Sect Master Dongfang's cultivation is indeed extraordinary; he is rapidly approaching your level, Senior! I am impressed!"

Guo Nu was not truly convinced by the loss. In terms of genuine power, Dongfang Wuji, though exceptional, was not inherently stronger than him. However, this profound skill from the Azure Dragon Society specifically targeted and broke through all forms of protective energy in the world, making it the bane of most defensive techniques. Since the majority of his cultivation resided in his protective arts, his defeat was inevitable upon meeting his counter.

In truth, it was precisely because they anticipated Guo Nu’s difficulty in exerting his full strength against the Azure Dragon Society that they had sent him up to lure their people onto the stage. The rest would be left for Lin Hai to handle personally.

Dongfang Wuji smiled slightly, quite pleased to have defeated the long-established Guo Nu, and cupped his hands: "I thank you for yielding! I thank you!"

Although the Azure Dragon Society and the Tianle Gang had arrayed themselves for battle, the root cause was a minor clash over territorial influence, not a fight to the death. Therefore, both sides needed to maintain some degree of courtesy in their words and actions.

Thus, after a winner was determined, a degree of politeness was still required to prevent the situation from escalating irreversibly.

Injured, Guo Nu naturally would not continue fighting. He offered a few perfunctory responses and stepped down from the stage. Returning to his faction's position, he showed slight shame upon seeing his gang leader: "Your subordinate has failed your trust, unable even to take down that Dongfang Wuji!"

He had initially been confident that he could defeat Dongfang Wuji, force Dongfang Yi into the arena, and then retreat at his leisure.

He never expected Dongfang Wuji to shatter his Golden Bell Shield so easily and inflict internal injuries. Who would face Dongfang Wuji next was now a dilemma.

"Perhaps this subordinate should challenge Dongfang Wuji? That young man merely relies on his technique countering Elder Guo's protective energy. I have deeply studied swordsmanship and do not fear that technique!" Pei Wei, aware of the situation, offered a suggestion. The Northern Sword Sect was his own lineage, giving him a home advantage; anyone facing him would naturally be cautious. If he stepped forward now to help the Tianle Gang defeat a strong foe, it would also boost his standing within the gang.

Unexpectedly, Lin Hai simply scoffed and waved his hand: "No need. This Gang Leader will handle it personally!"

With that, without any noticeable movement, his entire figure shot out. When his form was clearly visible again, he was already standing on the stage.

Lin Hai’s movement was so fast it was almost imperceptible. One moment Dongfang Wuji was smiling and surveying the Tianle Gang’s side, wondering which opponent they would send up; the next, a man was standing before him.

Startled, he was momentarily shocked by the man's movement technique. Only upon clearly seeing who it was did he regain his composure, cupping his fist: "It is Gang Leader Lin! I never imagined I would be deemed worthy of facing Gang Leader Lin. It is truly an honor!"

Though the words were polite, they subtly carried a taunt that the Tianle Gang had no one else capable to send. Combined with the slight hint of smugness in his expression, this suspicion was practically confirmed.

Lin Hai, however, paid no mind to this. He snorted coldly: "If I fight you, it will inevitably look like I am bullying the younger generation! In this bout, I will only use three moves. If you can withstand them, then my Tianle Gang concedes defeat!"

Originally, although Dongfang Wuji looked down on the Tianle Gang, he held immense apprehension toward Lin Hai. This Gang Leader had been famous for a long time, and his cultivation was astonishing; even his own father dared not underestimate him. He certainly dared not act recklessly.

Who would have thought Lin Hai would promise only three moves? This immediately ignited Dongfang Wuji's ambition: "If it’s only three moves, perhaps I can manage to withstand them!" He forgot his original plan of having his father deal with Lin Hai if he stepped up, and immediately agreed: "Good! Gang Leader Lin truly has spirit! I shall seek to learn from Gang Leader Lin's mastery!"

Saying this, he channeled his power throughout his body. The sound of the dragon's roar grew clearer, but this time, the crowd felt no discomfort like before. This was because Dongfang Wuji had focused all his attention on Lin Hai, his power subtly increasing. Gradually, the Azure Dragon Roar stopped affecting those nearby.

Seeing this, Dongfang Yi should have been happy for his son. But when he looked at Lin Hai’s face—calm, unmoving as an ancient well—a wave of worry washed over him.

"Has Lin Hai’s martial art advanced again? Although Wuji’s power is far inferior, three moves..."

Before he could finish his thought, he saw his son step forward, a faint blue aura flickering around his hand—he was gathering power for a palm strike, intending to injure Lin Hai before he could fully recover his focus.

"Damn!"

Seeing his son launch a preemptive strike, Dongfang Yi secretly cried out that this was bad. Just as he was about to offer a warning, he suddenly saw Lin Hai’s eyes snap wide open. He took a forceful step forward with his left foot, and a pale blue light, resembling flowing water, suddenly radiated from his body. As Lin Hai threw his punch, the gale created by the blow carried the faint sound of surging tides.

Dongfang Wuji had gathered all his power, hoping to end the fight with one blow. Unexpectedly, Lin Hai neither dodged nor evaded, driving a straight punch forward. Being from a prestigious family with substantial cultivation, and being proud, he snorted inwardly, "Let's see the power of this hasty strike of yours!"

Fist and palm met, but there was no colossal explosion. Yet, moments later, Dongfang Wuji spat out a large mouthful of blood, and his entire body was sent flying backward, not stopping until he tumbled onto the ground at the far edge of the stage.

"Wuji!"

Dongfang Yi was greatly alarmed by the sight and leaped onto the stage. Discovering his son was merely unconscious, he checked him over and found a domineering stream of Zhenqi slowly dissipating within Dongfang Wuji's body. It hadn't severely damaged his son’s organs or meridians; the current injury could be healed with proper recuperation.

Relieved, he ordered disciples from his association to carry Dongfang Wuji back, the administering of medicine and massage being omitted here.

Dongfang Yi stood up and cupped his fist towards Lin Hai: "I must thank Gang Leader Lin for showing restraint!" Although he said this, the rage on his face was unmistakable. After all, his son had been struck down in front of him. Even if restraint was shown, it was a massive slap in the face, and it was impossible for him to harbor no anger.

However, Dongfang Yi was not reckless. From the casual punch Lin Hai had just thrown, he could discern that the Tianle Gang Leader’s martial skill had advanced further. Whether he could defeat his opponent today was truly uncertain.

Sizing Lin Hai up again, Dongfang Yi secretly began circulating his inner power.

Unexpectedly, Lin Hai spoke up just then: "The martial skill of Association Head Dongfang has regressed quite a bit..."

Dongfang Yi was over fifty, approaching sixty, and his physical condition was far inferior to the robust Lin Hai.

Logically, for a martial arts practitioner who had achieved success, physical changes were not usually pronounced until nearing sixty. But Dongfang Yi had been preoccupied with managing the association's myriad affairs, causing him to neglect his training. Days spent worrying about organizational matters drained his vitality, and his practice was far less diligent than in his youth.

Moreover, the Azure Dragon Roar was a rather overbearing internal art that did not possess health-preserving effects; rather, it could cause decline as the practitioner's physical condition worsened. Consequently, Dongfang Yi’s body deteriorated more rapidly, and even his overall cultivation had receded, unlike True Man Tianyi, whose power deepened with continued practice while his aging slowed significantly.

It was just that his eldest son, Dongfang Wuji, had been promising, rapidly advancing his own cultivation. Whenever trouble arose, as long as his son was present, it could be resolved, so no one noticed his decline in power. It was only today that Lin Hai saw through it at a glance.

He did not know that it wasn't Lin Hai who could perceive the regression in his power, or the advancement in others. The ability to truly sense the strength of others actually lay with someone else entirely.

Shen Yuqing, with her Profound Yin True Art, was particularly adept at this. Under the guise of greetings between the two factions, she could sense Dongfang Yi’s substantial drop in power by noting his weak Yang energy. In essence, the Tianle Gang had thoroughly assessed the Azure Dragon Society's strength, but Lin Hai’s martial progress was entirely unanticipated.

As soon as these words fell, Ye Wen below felt the outcome of this confrontation was sealed. Dongfang Yi, using an aging body against the vigorous Lin Hai, the regressed Azure Dragon Roar against Lin Hai’s newly improved Tide-Listening Art—no matter how one looked at it, Dongfang Yi had no chance of winning.

But when the fight actually began, Ye Wen realized that judging the outcome of battles between masters based only on apparent strength was insufficient.

Although Dongfang Yi's cultivation had declined, his application of the Azure Dragon Roar was far beyond Dongfang Wuji's capability. He brought the technique to its extreme; a faint azure dragon seemed to coil around his arm, opening its jaws to emit a soul-capturing roar while snapping at Lin Hai’s face.

Lin Hai’s technique was comparatively straightforward, direct, and lacking in complex variations, but its strength was immense. Ye Wen finally witnessed the true power of the Tide-Listening Art today; this fierce internal force, cultivated amidst the great ocean waves, was indeed formidable. Every time Dongfang Yi attacked, Lin Hai neither dodged nor retreated, meeting the blow head-on with his fists. Every clash resulted in Lin Hai gaining the upper hand, forcing Dongfang Yi back several steps repeatedly, only to be immediately pressed by Lin Hai's ferocious follow-up assault.

This offensive was like an endless tide, one wave barely settling before another crashed in, relentless yet overwhelmingly powerful. An ordinary person would surely have been drowned by this surging tempest.

But the sound of the dragon's roar emanating from Dongfang Yi never ceased. This White-Haired Leader of the Azure Dragon Society fought like an Azure Dragon confronting the might of heaven and earth amidst a raging storm. Every time people thought he was about to collapse, he managed to claw back some disadvantage.

The fight raged until the heavens grew dark. Everyone present was stunned into silence by a clash of this magnitude. Even those with lower cultivation who couldn't fully comprehend the subtleties dared not speak, fearing their voice might interrupt the grand battle.

The most relaxed person in the entire venue was perhaps Ye Wen. Watching the fight, the head of the Shu Mountain Sect actually began to softly hum: "One wave has yet to subside, another comes to assail..." This caused Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian, seated on either side, to look at him with expressions of surprise.

Feeling awkward under their gaze, Ye Wen explained, "Don't you think the lyrics I’m singing match Lin Hai's fighting style quite well?" Hearing this, Xu Xian suddenly realized: "Now that you mention it, it’s quite true!" He then looked at his senior brother strangely again: "Senior Brother, perhaps by watching these two masters fight, you’ve had some sudden enlightenment and devised a new technique? Were those words you just sang perhaps the incantation for the martial art?"

Ye Wen nearly spat a mouthful of blood onto Xu Xian’s face, thinking inwardly, If those count as incantations, I have a mountain of them! Not just seventy-two supreme skills, I could invent a thousand and one! But outwardly, he smiled weakly and said, "Just idle chatter, certainly not any kind of technique..."

However, Xu Xian took this as mere modesty and returned to deep thought: "One wave has not settled, another approaches; raging storms... If I integrate these lyrics into my swordsmanship..."

Ye Wen pretended not to hear, letting Xu Xian muse over his own wild ideas. He dared not speak again, wondering what enlightenment the protagonist Xu might draw from this.

If I recite the Tao Te Ching, will this guy instantly achieve immortality and ascend?

While mentally grumbling, Ning Ruxue beside him curiously remarked, "Senior Brother, the tone of your voice when you spoke those few sentences just now was very strange!"

Ye Wen thought, Could popular songs be widely accepted at a time like this? If so, I could directly plagiarize hundreds of them and display them in my inns and taverns to attract business, or even use them to woo my junior sister...

Who knew that Ning Ruxue would then frown and say, "It was truly awful to listen to. Senior Brother, please don't speak like that again in the future!"

The comment struck Ye Wen hard enough that he focused on sipping his tea, missing a significant portion of the spectacular fight on the stage.

As he gulped down some cold tea, he heard the crowd suddenly exclaim in unison, "Hwa!" He looked up again and saw that Dongfang Yi had actually forced Lin Hai back several steps. Furthermore, the Zhenqi coalesced into a single mass coiling around his body, vaguely forming an azure dragon.

Earlier, when Dongfang Yi attacked, there was an appearance of the azure dragon, but only around one arm. Now it encircled his entire body—it seemed Dongfang Yi was preparing to fight with everything he had.

Lin Hai also looked grim. The flowing light around his body grew increasingly intense, finally resembling a stormy, surging ocean. His fists lost the hue of flesh, appearing as if they were encased in deep-sea water.

"Good heavens, a Saint Seiya!"

Ye Wen knew that once martial arts reached a certain level, they would manifest phenomena according to their nature. But previously, it had only been a burst of light, like his own Innate Violet Qi merely manifesting as a purple aura without any exaggerated effects.

However, witnessing this, he finally understood that when true masters engaged in combat, these phenomena were far more than just colored energy displaying themselves.

Thinking this, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of spectacle Li Xuanruo would present when channeling his full power.

It wouldn't be like that resilient little pest, Bing He, would it?

The only thing Ye Wen was thankful for was that the two on stage didn't suddenly roar out the names of their techniques and then clash from a distance with two beams of light causing a terrifying explosion. Although the phenomena displayed by these two surprised Ye Wen, they were confined to their own bodies, and their fighting style still relied on physical contact, unlike the exaggerated pure energy collision scene flashing through his mind.

Lin Hai maximized the energy in his fists; every punch thrown carried the sound of a breaking wave, replacing the sound of air displacement. Dongfang Yi’s every move was accompanied by a dragon's roar. When the two clashed, it was a spectacle of both sound and light.

Ye Wen was engrossed in the spectacle when he suddenly saw a female disciple from the Northern Sword Sect approach the Shu Mountain faction’s area carrying a large tray. She smiled at Ye Wen and the others and said, "Gentlemen, would you like some sunflower seeds?"

The group was momentarily stunned, unsure how to respond. Only Ye Wen, having seen more, immediately replied, "Bring a few servings!" Then, glancing at his own teacup, he added, "And refill my tea, please!" The Northern Sword Sect disciple replied with a smile, "Coming right up!" Then, she called out to a fellow disciple not far away who was holding a kettle: "Senior Brother, over here!" Hearing the call, the man immediately used his lightness skill to approach, bowed to Ye Wen and the others, and began pouring tea for everyone. After finishing, he scurried off to pour tea for others.

"Is the Northern Sword Sect running a teahouse?" Xu Xian muttered in confusion, watching the two retreating disciples. A man from a nearby faction overheard him and chuckled, explaining, "Hey, what this brother said is quite right! The teahouses within a hundred li radius below Northern Sword Peak are all properties of the Northern Sword Sect! I hear many disciples even help out at the teahouses to earn some pocket money!"

Ye Wen heard this clearly and, lifting his teacup, remarked, "So that's how it is!"

At that very moment, a thud sounded from the stage. Dongfang Yi could no longer withstand Lin Hai's storm-like onslaught; his remaining strength failed him, and he fell directly onto the stage.