The Heavenly Witch King glanced at him, his brow furrowing, and said coldly, "I have long heard of the 'Swift Sword Wind God' of the Wind God Hall. In terms of pure strength, I am naturally inferior, but my disciple may not necessarily be inferior to yours!"

The old man in the green robe appeared indifferent. "Anyone can say anything. Everything must wait until the contest is over to know the truth. Boasting excessively will not only make you stick your tongue out, but it might cost you your life!"

The Heavenly Witch King let out a cold laugh, withdrawing his gaze and ceasing the argument. He lowered his head, patted Ye Chen's shoulder, and smiled, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just go for it. Even if you fail, your Master will not blame you."

Ye Chen felt a surge of emotion and clenched his fist, declaring, "I absolutely will not fail!" As he spoke, he turned his head, casting a chilling glance at the purple-robed youth, Feng Wuji, then slightly shifted his gaze to the white figure standing beside him. His expression immediately softened, and he murmured silently to himself, I have come...

Bai Yijun’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her delicate body trembling slightly. Ever since Ye Chen appeared, her gaze had not left him for a single moment. She felt as if the entire world had gone silent, everyone else vanishing, leaving only him and her. Consequently, she hadn't registered the words spoken around them; her heart echoed only one longed-for voice, whispering repeatedly, He has come, he truly has come...

They had met once in a small mountain cave, sharing life and death experiences together. Five years had passed since they parted ways in that desolate desert, and now, time having flowed onward, they met atop the foremost revered mountain under heaven.

Had the passing years taken anything away?

Did that initial tremor of the heart still reside in her memory?

After so many years, had the person from her memories truly never left her thoughts?

She bit her lower lip lightly, two clear streams of tears tracing paths from the corners of her eyes. She wished time would simply freeze at this very moment, never to flow again, content only to gaze silently upon that beloved figure in her heart!

However, an abrasive voice cut through the air beside her, dragging her back to reality: "Miss Bai, please step aside and rest for a moment. After I defeat this brat and force him to commit suicide on the spot, I will present his severed head to you!"

This voice, naturally, belonged to Feng Wuji.

Bai Yijun’s heart jolted, and she snapped back to awareness. Turning her head, she saw Feng Wuji smiling elegantly, yet two undisguised, chilling glints of murderous intent sparked in his eyes, making his voice sound somewhat sinister and deeply unsettling. Her expression turned cold as ice. "What did you say?" she demanded frostily.

Feng Wuji paused momentarily, then quickly backtracked. "It was my fault, Miss Bai. I forgot how beautiful and heavenly you are—so kind and compassionate. Offering a severed head was perhaps too offensive. Please don't be angry; it was just a momentary slip of the tongue."

Bai Yijun stared at him with icy eyes, emphasizing every word. "You just said you would defeat him and force him to kill himself?"

Feng Wuji frowned, realizing his mistake. He instantly dropped his smile and said gravely, "That wasn't me speaking; it was him. He declared that anyone who defeats him must commit suicide right here!"

Bai Yijun’s heart trembled. She turned to look at Ye Chen in the distance, her emotions surging wildly. After a moment, she looked back, lightly biting her crimson lip, and whispered, "I will fight in his stead. Whoever defeats me, I will marry!"

This declaration instantly threw the entire crowd into an uproar, an explosion of murmurs.

"What?"

"How did this turn from a proposal into a martial competition for marriage?"

"What in the world is happening?"

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. Some of the more astute observers immediately sensed an underlying current, giving Ye Chen a meaningful look before remaining silent.

Bai Tian’s expression darkened. "Jun'er, this is no time for games!"

Bai Yijun clenched her fists tightly, biting her lower lip with clenched teeth, as if she had made an irrevocable decision. Slowly, she raised her head and turned to face her father. For the first time since childhood, she looked at him with such resolute determination. "Father, this concerns my marriage. Please allow me to decide this myself!"

Bai Tian paused, frowning as he looked at his daughter. He seemed to perceive something in her eyes, clear as crystalline water. His mouth twitched, and he withdrew his gaze. Instantly, he appeared to age several years. He sighed, saying no more, effectively granting his tacit consent.

Witnessing this, several Deity Emperor powerhouses in the VIP seats immediately spoke up. "That won't do, Miss Bai. Everyone knows your talent is astonishing. We hear you possess the secret manual, the Great World Sutra, inherited from ancient civilization, allowing you to manifest thousands of bodies. Every time a clone cultivates to the Half-God Realm, your own body gains a multiplier of power! All the participants here, including Feng Wuji, will likely find it impossible to defeat you!"

"Indeed!"

"If you defeat everyone and then deliberately lose to this boy, isn't that cheating?"

"The established rule is for young heroes to compete. While you are a woman of exceptional mettle, Miss Bai, you cannot break the rules."

Several Deity Emperors immediately voiced their opposition, and even the old man in the green robe could not help but try to intervene.

Hearing the words of these Deity Emperors, the geniuses in the participant area, including Feng Wuji on the battle stage, froze for a moment, then looked at the woman in white with sheer astonishment. They could scarcely imagine that this delicate girl possessed talent so overwhelming that it caused these powerful figures concern.

They knew these Deity Emperors would never speak without reason; their evident apprehension signaled just how terrifying her innate talent must be!

Bai Yijun frowned slightly, sweeping her gaze over the assembled Deity Emperors, and whispered, "Esteemed Seniors, this is my personal matter of marriage. I ask for your blessing."

"Heh!" one Deity Emperor chuckled. "While it is your marriage, the rules were set long ago. Since the rules are established, we must follow them. Moreover, your intention is clear: you wish to marry this young man surnamed Ye. If that is the case, his strength must be greater than yours. What then do you have to worry about?"

"Exactly!"

"Miss Bai should stand aside."

"The rules cannot be broken!"

The Deity Emperors pressed their point.

Bai Yijun couldn't help but grit her teeth. Anxiously, she glanced toward Ye Chen in the distance, seeing him staring at her, dumbfounded. She thought to herself, I know these arguments are valid, but what if he loses? He will surely die on the spot! A sharp pang of pain pierced her heart, and she lowered her head, falling silent for a long time.

Just then, Ye Chen suddenly spoke, his voice filled with infinite tenderness. "Miss Bai need not worry. Against these mere dabblers, I have my own methods."

Bai Yijun looked up. Ye Chen’s eyes were bright, his demeanor composed and graceful, as if everything were under his complete control. She was instantly reminded of that time in the dark cavern when they faced death together; this man had possessed the exact same aura of unwavering confidence, pushing against all odds, and he had never once disappointed her.

She gazed at him intently for a moment, then lightly bit her lower lip, whispering, "You must be careful."

Ye Chen felt deeply touched and nodded heavily. "Mm!"

Feng Wuji, standing next to Bai Yijun, saw their public intimacy and was consumed by jealousy. He glared at Ye Chen, his fists clenching until they cracked, a hint of viciousness playing on his lips. He shouted loudly, "Fight! Why waste time with idle chatter and disrespect the seniors present!"

Ye Chen’s gentle gaze slowly moved away from Bai Yijun. He turned toward Feng Wuji, his eyes hardening. He took a forward step. "Indeed. I don't wish to see you obstructing the view any longer."

Feng Wuji erupted in angry laughter. "Sharp tongue, just like your Master!"

The Heavenly Witch King beside him remained indifferent, acting as if he hadn't heard the remark, utterly unmoved by the insult.

A cold, murderous flash crossed Ye Chen's eyes. He clenched his fists, moved his body, and stepped onto the battle stage, stating coldly, "Let's begin!"

At this moment, Bai Yijun shot Ye Chen a worried look, but understanding the gravity of the situation, she gracefully floated off the stage, leaving only the two men.

Feng Wuji sneered, preparing to don his helmet.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded from below the stage. "Brother Feng, allow me to fight on your behalf, and for the rest of our brothers here. Let him learn the consequences of looking down upon us!"

Everyone turned to see the young man in the white robe, Ji Le Mo Fo (Ecstatic Buddha of Bliss). He wore a gentle, compassionate smile, appearing like a living Bodhisattva radiating sacred light, yet the feeling he exuded was distinctly chilling. After delivering his challenge, the white-robed youth turned to Ye Chen, his smile still fixed, but his eyes were ice-cold. "Do you dare fight me!"

Ye Chen glanced sideways at him and spat out a single sentence: "You are not worthy!"

Whoosh!

The entire assembly gasped in shock, stunned by Ye Chen’s arrogance. Among all those present, even Feng Wuji would not have insulted the white-robed youth so profoundly.

The white-robed youth also stiffened slightly, a fierce murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he fixed his stare on Ye Chen. After a long pause, his expression smoothed out. He lowered his gaze for a moment, then raised his head, smiling toward Feng Wuji. "Then I shall trouble you, Brother Feng." With that, he turned and walked back to the participant seating area.

Those in the participant seating area secretly admired how easily he quelled his anger, until someone noticed that where the white-robed youth had stepped back, his feet had left deep indentations in the hard ground. These footprints looked as if they had been pressed by a mold, with no surrounding cracks, suggesting an immense force was used to create such marks.

Feng Wuji withdrew his gaze, spared Ye Chen one last cold look, then sat cross-legged and fitted his virtual helmet.

Ye Chen summoned the virtual helmet into his palm, slowly securing it. He immediately felt a faint electrical current spread throughout his body. Instantly, the scenery before him dissolved, and he found himself standing on a vast, open battle stage.

Across from him, a flash of light erupted, and Feng Wuji materialized out of thin air.

Both were dressed in simple coarse cloth garments, without any protective gear. A cold, metallic voice echoed from above them: "Please select your weapon!"

"Blade!"

"Spear!"

Ye Chen's voice rang out. A large, dark battle blade materialized before him. He reached out and gripped it; the cold hilt stimulated his palm, making it feel warm. He looked up, two beams of cold light shooting from his eyes, his long black hair whipping wildly in the wind. He stated coldly, "Let us begin!"

"I couldn't wish for anything more," Feng Wuji sneered.

The icy system voice resonated across the entire stage: "Countdown commencing..."

"3, 2, 1..."

"Begin!"

... Today marks the third update; please support us with recommendation votes!