This Li Xuan lay on the ground, his left hand, which had dropped his long sword, clutching his chest—the very spot where Ye Wen had landed a solid blow. Blood continuously bubbled from the corners of his mouth, staining the mouthful of teeth he opened a gruesome red.

“I am not Li Xuan? Then who might I be?”

Seeing his denial, Ye Wen merely cast a disdainful glance: “How would I know who you are? But since you refuse to speak, then go and die!”

No matter who this person was, one thing was certain: he was someone who held a grudge against Ye Wen, an enemy, otherwise, he would not have challenged him in public with the intent to take his life.

Perhaps unprepared for Ye Wen’s decisive swiftness—sword raised, blade aimed directly at his throat—this ‘Li Xuan’ cried out in alarm and rolled backward, narrowly evading the strike. He attempted to rise with the momentum, but before he could fully stand, Ye Wen was already upon him, striking out again with his left hand. A purple lotus bloomed beautifully upon it, but to this man, it appeared as a lotus of death.

The entire exchange happened in the blink of an eye. By the time the crowd registered what was happening, Ye Wen’s purple lotus was already pressed against the ‘Li Xuan’s’ face. In sheer terror, the man frantically raised both arms to defend himself, but Ye Wen twisted his wrist, contracting his forearm, causing the lotus to change trajectory mid-air, striking squarely on his chest once more.

This area had already been severely injured by the force of Ye Wen’s Dragon Subduing Palm. The Palm’s energy was fierce and domineering, having already fractured several ribs. Now, struck by the Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring, those broken ribs nearly pierced his lungs. Even having survived this blow, the slightly scorching internal energy of the Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring caused his meridians agonizing pain, forcing him to immediately activate the Ice Soul Frost Art to counteract the heat.

“What martial art is this?”

In his memory, although Ye Wen’s techniques were myriad, he had never heard of him possessing such a profound art capable of emitting searing palm energy. Having experienced it firsthand, he now found that this intense heat could subtly erode his own icy energies.

With that blow delivered, Ye Wen saw his opponent was completely spent. He raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Want to know how I knew you weren’t Li Xuan?”

The man did not answer, but stumbled back several steps, clutching his chest. The look in his eyes clearly revealed curiosity. Seeing this expression, Ye Wen pressed on: “If earlier Ye Mou was merely guessing, now I can confirm it! Though your demeanor and speech are well-feigned, your martial arts cannot lie!”

Upon hearing this, the ‘Li Xuan’ realized precisely where he had exposed himself, yet the reason was utterly unconvincing: “You have never crossed blades with me before, how could you know the true extent of Li Mou’s skill?”

Ye Wen snorted coldly: “Ye Mou has never dueled Head Sect Master Li, but Head Sect Master Li once shared a cup of watered wine with this junior, a gesture I remember vividly!”

At these words, the man known as Li Xuan froze momentarily, then realized with a jolt: “You remember the chill in Li Xuan’s energy!”

Ye Wen neither confirmed nor denied, simply stating: “Compared to Head Sect Master Li, although your frost energy is potent, it lacks purity. The difference between the two is glaringly obvious.”

It turned out that after drinking the watered wine infused with Li Xuan’s chilling energy the previous day, Ye Wen had gained an extremely profound impression of Li Xuan’s pure frost energy. He had privately noted that the refinement of this man’s internal energy was rare; even the True Energy of the Nine Sword Immortal during their recent contest was not as pure as Li Xuan’s.

Now, engaging with this ‘Li Xuan,’ the coldness emanating from his palm, though not insignificant, was impure. If it were an ordinary person, it would be nothing, but Ye Wen, having consumed the Minor Cold Fruit and the Green Fruit, and having trained in the Cold Spring, was exceptionally receptive to frost energy, thus immediately detecting the anomaly.

The subsequent palm strike that sent the man flying confirmed Ye Wen’s suspicion. Judging by the frost energy Li Xuan had infused into the wine, one could gauge the sheer power of his martial arts—how could he possibly be repelled by a casual palm strike from Ye Wen?

“Hahaha! Is that so? My skill still falls short of my senior brother’s!” As he spoke, the ‘Li Xuan’ ripped a layer of skin from his own face—it was a human skin mask. Revealing his true face, it was none other than Zheng Ting, Li Xuan’s junior brother.

As his true identity was revealed, a collective gasp rose from the martial arts assembly. Murmurs spread through the crowd: What machinations were the Tianshan Sect currently brewing?

However, these whispers did not affect the two on the stage. Ye Wen frowned slightly upon seeing Zheng Ting of the Tianshan Sect, asking: “Dare I ask Martial Brother Zheng, what is the meaning of this action?”

Zheng Ting, as Li Xuan’s junior brother, possessed formidable martial arts and considerable prestige within the Tianshan Sect; many in the martial world knew him. Ye Wen had initially assumed the challenger was a member of the Demonic Cult who had stolen Tianshan techniques—in that case, killing him would be straightforward. He hadn't expected it to be Zheng Ting.

At the same time, Zen Master Huixin and True Man Tianyi also frowned deeply. They had recognized the imposter’s identity earlier but were uncertain of Zheng Ting’s true objective.

In truth, the moment Zheng Ting unleashed his swordsmanship, both Zen Master Huixin and True Man Tianyi became suspicious. Zheng Ting of the Tianshan Sect was famed throughout the martial world for his left-handed swordsmanship; such moves could not be hidden from those familiar with him. They were considering leaping onto the stage to separate the two when the bout concluded in a matter of moves. Not only was Zheng Ting struck by Ye Wen and forced to vomit blood, but Ye Wen hadn't even sustained a scratch.

This outcome astonished them both, revealing Ye Wen’s martial prowess to be far beyond their prior estimations. Simultaneously, they wondered if Zheng Ting’s behavior had any connection to Li Xuan.

Ye Wen pondered the same thing. If a Demonic Cult operative had struck, regardless of their link to Li Xuan, eliminating them would be simple. But if Li Xuan was somehow entangled, the Righteous Path martial world might descend into chaos once more.

Zheng Ting chuckled lightly: “Sect Master Ye possesses incredible skill. Zheng Mou admits defeat. Regrettably, Zheng Mou did not heed my senior brother’s words and privately resolved to spar with you, thus suffering this defeat today!”

This statement effectively distanced Li Xuan, claiming only that he, Zheng Ting, was unconvinced by Ye Wen and sought the challenge. Yet, even so, it failed to explain why he impersonated Li Xuan.

“Due to urgent matters, my senior brother left secretly last night to make preparations. Therefore, he instructed me to impersonate him here to look after our sect’s disciples until the assembly concludes, at which point I shall return!”

This sentence explained Li Xuan’s whereabouts while subtly referencing the significant matter discussed the previous day. At this point, the conversation could not easily be pushed further. All the prominent figures present understood the implications, and the excuse was certainly plausible.

As the Tianshan Sect was geographically the farthest, it was reasonable for Li Xuan to depart early to arrange affairs. Furthermore, to prevent his sudden absence from causing disruptions at the Martial Arts Assembly, having his junior brother cover for him seemed entirely logical. As for Zheng Ting’s sudden challenge to Ye Wen, admitting it stemmed from his own dissatisfaction with Ye Wen rendered the sequence of events rather sensible.

But was it truly without issue? Ye Wen, at least, did not believe so.

During their brief engagement, he clearly sensed that this fellow intended to take his life. Since the circumstances prevented him from pressing the issue clearly, he could only offer a perfunctory reply: “I see. Is Martial Brother Zheng satisfied now?”

If Ye Wen had dismissed the matter casually, it would have ended there. But Ye Wen’s pointed question made it difficult for Zheng Ting to save face. Ye Wen’s tone implied he was merely indulging a petulant child, and he was that child.

However, realizing he was indeed outmatched and that this was not the opportune moment, Zheng Ting suppressed his irritation and forced a smile: “Sect Master Ye’s skills are supreme; Zheng Mou is thoroughly impressed!” He then slowly walked off the stage, clutching his chest. As he passed beside Ye Wen, he seemed about to say something, but before he could utter a word, his expression shifted abruptly. He then descended from the platform with a dark face to return to the Tianshan Sect’s position to regulate his breathing.

After Zheng Ting left the stage, Ye Wen glanced deliberately toward a specific spot in the audience, then slowly stepped down from the platform himself. The crowd was still debating the reasons for the Tianshan Sect Headmaster’s sudden departure, so Ye Wen’s subtle movement went largely unnoticed.

Only at the spot Ye Wen had observed, a man’s lips curled upward, and he let out a soft ‘Hmph,’ then vanished from the venue without anyone noticing.

After descending and returning to the Shushan Sect’s area, Ye Wen glanced back at that spot. It was now empty. Knowing the person had left, Ye Wen felt an increasing wave of confusion.

While on stage, his senses were heightened, fully alert. He had clearly observed the subtle shift in Zheng Ting’s expression as he approached him. Furthermore, due to their proximity, he felt a ripple of true qi pass from beside him toward Zheng Ting.

“Secret Sound Transmission!”

Zheng Ting’s drastic change in expression upon receiving the transmission confirmed Ye Wen’s suspicions. Following the direction of the incoming qi, Ye Wen identified the hidden individual who had transmitted the message to Zheng Ting. With just one look, he knew precisely who it was.

“Li Xuan, you truly didn’t leave!”

As for Zheng Ting, he was deeply disgruntled. He had intended to utter something as he left the stage to annoy Ye Wen, but his senior brother had sent him a telepathic message: “Say no more!” The tone was so severe, so unlike his usual demeanor, that Zheng Ting forcibly choked back the words he intended to say and stepped down from the arena.

However, once seated back among the Tianshan Sect members, Zheng Ting secretly pondered: Senior brother truly hasn't left, but what does he intend by this?

He had assumed Li Xuan was unaware of his actions, but now it seemed every move he made was within his senior brother’s control. He even suspected that today’s events were deliberately permitted by his senior brother, offered to him as an opportunity.

As this thought struck him, sweat poured down Zheng Ting’s back, quickly soaking his robes, while his forehead streamed with cold perspiration. Deep inside, he was paralyzed with shock.

How much does Senior Brother know? Does he know everything? If so, why pretend ignorance? Does he perhaps agree with my course of action?

Question after question arose in Zheng Ting’s mind, yet he could find no clue, no answer. Finally, he had no choice but to continue regulating his breath to heal the meridians Ye Wen had injured.

“Damn Ye Wen, he’s actually this powerful!” Zheng Ting grit his teeth, the acute pain in his ribs fueling his intense resentment toward Ye Wen: “Sooner or later, I will eliminate you and avenge this bone-breaking humiliation today!” He then muttered inwardly, And that Xu Xian cannot be spared either. Though I don't know his connection to Ling Xuzi, keeping him around is surely a menace!

His resentment manifested in his gaze toward the Shushan Sect members, which became noticeably unfriendly. Though it was only an occasional glance, Ye Wen caught it perfectly.

Why is this fellow targeting my Shushan Sect?

After much consideration, the most likely possibility Ye Wen could conceive was that this man was the one who killed Ling Xuzi. And it was only after observing Xu Xian’s lightness skill at the previous martial arts assembly that he developed such intense hostility towards the Shushan Sect.

Perhaps it has nothing to do with Li Xuan? Ye Wen immediately dismissed this thought: If it were truly unrelated, this fellow wouldn't have gained such an opportunity to challenge me. Everything seems too coincidental; it's highly likely Li Xuan arranged this deliberately!

Having reached an answer, Ye Wen found the conclusion deeply unsettling. In a spot unseen by others, his left palm shimmered with violet energy as he secretly circulated his internal arts to heal.

While others couldn’t see it, the two people beside him observed clearly. Ning Ruxue noticed the violet energy on Ye Wen’s left hand had not dissipated since he sat down and knew her senior brother’s injury was severe. She asked with concern: “Senior brother, how is your hand?”

Hua Yi, seated to his left, not only saw the energy but also tentatively reached out, touching Ye Wen’s forearm. She immediately felt an icy chill so profound it felt like touching a block of ice in the dead of winter.

“So cold!”

She whispered in surprise. Though others didn't hear, Ning Ruxue’s brow furrowed even tighter; if Hua Yi was this surprised, the injury must be truly severe.

But Ye Wen smiled: “It’s nothing. Although Zheng Ting’s Ice Soul Frost Art is powerful, it lacks purity. This residual cold energy cannot defeat me!”

It turned out that after the initial palm strike with Zheng Ting, Ye Wen, relying on the domineering force of the Dragon Subduing Palm, had managed to force back the frost energy within Zheng Ting’s palm. However, a considerable amount of cold energy still invaded the meridians of his arm. Subsequently, the counter-strike and the use of the Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring on Zheng Ting’s chest had triggered an automatic defense mechanism of internal cold energy within Zheng Ting, which combined with the limited residual cold energy already in Ye Wen’s palm, caused the injury.

Ye Wen was aware that if he had expelled the frost energy immediately, none of this would have happened. But in a lightning-fast calculation, he estimated that by launching several consecutive moves, he could subdue the opponent instantly, leaving the healing for later. Therefore, he ignored the risk and delivered successive blows until Zheng Ting was completely defenseless.

If Zheng Ting hadn't revealed his true identity, making it impossible for Ye Wen to deliver a killing blow, he could have easily slain a master of nearly equal standing with only that minor injury.

After circulating the Innate Violet Qi several times, Ye Wen’s left hand gradually recovered, and the surface showed no further abnormality. Hua Yi gently touched the hand again, finding it slightly cool but within a normal range. She failed to notice that Ye Wen’s Innate Violet Qi was still slowly circulating, repairing the meridians damaged by the frost.

Moving his left hand to show he was fine, Ye Wen then turned his thoughts to the Tianshan Sect’s true intentions. Would the Tianshan Sect cause trouble during this imminent campaign against the Demonic Cult?

“Alas! This is precisely what a joint army fears most—such internal issues!”

The more he considered it, the bleaker the prospects for eliminating the Demonic Cult seemed. With the Demon Cult’s true strength unknown, having such an unstable factor within their own ranks, could the righteous heroes truly succeed?

This question occupied not only Ye Wen’s mind but also those of Zen Master Huixin and True Man Tianyi. The two elders frequently glanced towards the Tianshan Sect area from their seats, their brows knitting tighter with each look.

“What exactly is Li Xuan’s meaning?”

They exchanged a look, finding that neither held the answer. Finally, True Man Tianyi declared: “Once this assembly concludes, this old Daoist will pay a visit to Tianshan to see what the Tianshan Sect is truly planning!”

Zen Master Huixin disagreed: “That is unwise. If the Tianshan Sect harbors ill intent, Martial Brother Tianyi would be walking into a trap. It would be better if we devise countermeasures first, maintain our stable position, and wait for the Tianshan Sect to make their move!”

True Man Tianyi objected: “To merely wait passively is far too passive. Moreover, with the Demonic Cult situation unresolved, how can we speak of eliminating them before purging the Righteous Path faction?” As he spoke, True Man Tianyi’s expression darkened: “Could the Tianshan Sect be secretly involved with the Demonic Cult?”

Zen Master Huixin considered this possibility, but it was difficult to confirm. Li Xuan was extremely arrogant and rarely interacted with others, speaking sparingly. His Tianshan Sect was remote; without direct inquiry, no one could be certain of the true situation.

As the two discussed in low tones, the Azure Dragon Society was also engaged in hushed deliberation. However, the first thing Dongfang Wuji remarked was: “The Shushan Sect Master’s skill has become even greater!”

Dongfang Yi nodded: “Five years ago, this young man could barely fight Lin Hai to a draw, and in an actual fight, he might have been slightly inferior to Lin Hai! Now, he can defeat Zheng Ting in just a few moves…”

He mused privately that his own skill was comparable to Lin Hai’s. Facing Ye Wen, the outcome should have been an even match. However, Ye Wen’s sword energy was overwhelmingly potent; he was uncertain if he could withstand it. His only previous advantage was the belief that Ye Wen’s sword energy consumed vast amounts of strength and could not be used for long. But with his aging body and the Azure Dragon’s Chant, he was not suited for protracted battles either; it would likely become a battle of attrition—whoever broke first would lose.

But now, it seemed likely he would be knocked down after enduring barely three moves from Sect Master Ye, especially given the palm technique that subtly manifested a dragon’s head—its domineering might could be felt even from this distance.

“To strike Zheng Ting twice and force him to vomit blood and fly backward—this palm technique is truly overpoweringly strong!” In contrast, the later Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring, while visually striking, left a less profound impression than those initial two palms.

Dongfang Sheng interjected: “This technique bears some similarity to our family’s Azure Dragon’s Chant!”

However, Dongfang Wuji dismissed him casually: “This skill is clearly a palm technique; what similarity are you speaking of?” As he spoke, a trace of distaste appeared on his face. He turned his head away, unwilling to even cast another glance, failing to notice the look of bitter venom in Dongfang Sheng’s eyes, as if he wanted to devour him whole.