As for Qi Wan-jie, it was even simpler. Qi Wan-jie was consumed by the lust for fame and fortune; despite already holding the title of Chess King, he remained unsatisfied. I merely promised him a position as a Phantom Manor Chess Venerable, granted him a grand estate in the heart of the Illusionary City, equipped it with four peerlessly beautiful maids, and gave him one hundred thousand taels of gold! Furthermore, I guaranteed to send Miss Li—the lady he has adored for so long—to his residence to become his wife... and just like that, he came over. Moreover, he even promised to ensure Mo Jun-ye's defeat. Only then did these terms count," Zhan Yu-shu declared in a tone of utter abandon, laying everything out in one breath.

Amidst the crowd, Qi Wan-jie’s face turned the color of dead ash, his lips trembling. Looking at the contemptuous and disdainful gazes cast around him, Qi Wan-jie knew with chilling certainty that his fate had been completely altered by Zhan Yu-shu’s speech!

He was finished!

All his past efforts, all his former boundless glory, were now utterly disconnected from him, relegated entirely to the past, becoming mere history! Suddenly, the world before him went black! Qi Wan-jie’s face paled, and with a sudden cry, he spewed out a mouthful of blood before slumping unconscious...

Everyone present paid no further heed to Qi Wan-jie, the Chess King doomed to fade into obscurity; they were all stunned by the naked truth Zhan Yu-shu had just revealed!

Just as Jun Mo-xie had previously surmised, Zhan Yu-shu had indeed taken the entire burden upon himself, completely absolving the Zhan family of any involvement. He had even managed to exonerate Zhan Qing-feng directly. The character and courage of this man were certainly remarkable; even in the mere recounting, one could instinctively feel that all this was his individual doing, utterly divorced from any familial ties!

To achieve this under such circumstances was undoubtedly not easy—truly commendable!

Over on the other side, Zhan Qing-feng’s face was rigid, staring at his own younger brother with an indescribable mix of emotions!

Suddenly, Zhan Qing-feng lunged forward, delivering a heavy slap across Zhan Yu-shu’s face, roaring, “You beast! How could you stoop to such despicable deeds? How could you do such things? Our Zhan family’s reputation, built over a thousand years, is utterly ruined by you, you scoundrel! Do you even know what you have done? How could you be so shamelessly vile?”

The force of the slap brought blood to the corner of Zhan Yu-shu’s mouth! He was knocked to the ground by the sudden impact.

Zhan Qing-feng cursed him as if heartbroken, veins bulging on his forehead, filled with anger at his brother's failure and uncontainable rage! After a long, long moment, he finally let out a deep sigh. “A misfortune upon our house! Truly, a misfortune upon the lineage... Zhan Yu-shu, you have defiled the Zhan family code and smeared our name. I will not let this go unpunished. Although I lack the authority to mete out your sentence myself, that does not mean you can escape the discipline of the family laws! When we return, I want to see how you will face the questions of Father and all the ancient ancestors! The laws of the Zhan family will never permit any descendant who brings disgrace upon our ancestral way!”

Miao Xiao-miao observed this entire scene with cold eyes. Seeing her brother step up to shoulder all the blame, only for the elder brother to follow up with a fierce denouncement, his face a mask of righteous indignation and fury, she suddenly found the grand drama before her deeply amusing. The subtle shift in her own state of mind—from initial shock to the present amusement—was so gradual she barely noticed it herself.

Such maneuvers could fool the average person, let alone the exceptionally astute individuals gathered here? Even if they didn't expose it immediately, how many truly failed to grasp the underlying currents? Did they truly believe the world was full of fools, and only these two brothers were clever?

Without the full backing of the Zhan family, Zhan Yu-shu, stripped of his status as the Zhan family's Young Master—just a youth in his early twenties—would possess limited power, even with some personal strength, to threaten a powerful clan. There would be no possibility for him to promise Qi Wan-jie such lavish rewards! All these matters far exceeded Zhan Yu-shu’s personal capacity!

Yet, despite this blindingly obvious reality, the two Zhan brothers proceeded with this carefully staged play.

Because one thing was knowing the truth, and quite another was the Zhan family’s official stance. Zhan Qing-feng’s currently displayed attitude of impartiality and soaring righteousness, however artificial it might be, and regardless of whether the onlookers believed him or not, was a posture that had to be struck!

Because while the vast majority might harbor disbelief regarding Zhan Yu-shu’s claims of acting independently, they would hardly challenge the fact on the spot. Indeed, many would likely swallow their pride and vehemently declare these claims true—that Young Master Zhan the Second acted entirely on his own initiative, completely unconnected to the entire Zhan family...

But what preoccupied Miao Xiao-miao’s thoughts now was: The Zhan family truly possesses profound foresight. To think that one man, Zhan Yu-shu, could mobilize such vast resources, even willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of preserving the Zhan family... such resolve, such decisiveness... it was extraordinary! In contrast, how many individuals like that did the Miao family possess?

If the Zhan family could bribe Qi Wan-jie to threaten Lin Qing-yin... then would they also employ threats and enticements against others? Given their unscrupulous methods in pursuit of their goals, if...

Perhaps with my current level of insight, I cannot fully decipher this matter, let alone grasp its entirety, but upon returning, I must report this in detail to Grandfather and Father. I trust that with their experience, they will certainly discern the hidden intricacies, and perhaps even... further analyze the potential lurking dangers...

The third round concluded, and Mo Da Genius, possessing the Ethereal Physique, once again secured a complete victory. Furthermore, he managed to neutralize Zhan Yu-shu, the mastermind behind this entire operation, by half his power.

This outcome cast a chilling shadow over the lineup of competitors eagerly waiting for their turn.

By now, everyone could see that Mo Jun-ye, with his Ethereal Physique, was not only a genuine genius but also a ruthless individual—one decidedly not to be trifled with! Initially, his actions seemed crude, like a bumpkin throwing wild jabs, but every time he spoke, he immediately struck at the opponent's vital weakness! Once he latched onto a vulnerability, congratulations—you were done for!

It seemed he also possessed a trait of absolute retribution; put plainly, he held grudges. Anyone who attacked him, he would certainly strike back! And the viciousness of his counterattack reached a level that was truly appalling!

From the start, he never initiated provocation, but he was always brewing a counterattack! After calmly absorbing their offensive, he would immediately launch the sharpest possible rebuttal!

A decisive strike!

And it was a strike that always found its mark; every move resulted in someone falling to the ground, hit!

Even the two Zhan brothers were no exception!

What level of supreme confidence and deep foundation must one possess to accomplish this? Moreover, that alone wasn't enough; it required at least a panoramic, penetrating observation skill, infinitesimal precision in control, and a razor-sharp point of entry...

All these elements were indispensable!

This person truly lived up to the legend of the Ethereal Physique!

Facing such a monstrous anomaly, what could possibly be the next competition?

It seemed no one dared to step forward!

This question was not only plaguing the judges but also leaving Zhan Qing-feng himself uncertain.

All along, people had naturally assumed that although the Ethereal Physique was a legendary thing, it was merely a miraculous constitution for cultivating Profound Qi—perhaps granting extraordinarily accelerated progress in that area—but that other aspects could never be flawless. Perfection in all things was impossible for a human being...

And certainly not omniscience or universal knowledge!

But the grim reality before them had taught everyone a severe lesson, cementing a terrifying realization! They truly were facing a freak—a freak whose own power was unfathomably profound!

Mo Jun-ye, despite possessing the Ethereal Physique, had relatively mediocre Profound Qi cultivation, yet when it came to various miscellaneous studies, he was incredibly knowledgeable, even profound...

Compared to those who focus on cultivating Profound Qi, the most obscure fields would be poetry, song, instrumental music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and the like—all refined arts. Yet this fellow excelled in all of them: his musical talent bordered on mastery, his chess skills surpassed that of national masters, his literary talent overshadowed all competitors, and his sharp wit was second to none!

A group of people had conspired against him using dark schemes, and in turn, he had managed to outmaneuver and trap them using similar calculations!

“As the elders said, this person truly cannot be measured by conventional standards.” Zhan Yu-shu, his face swollen, harbored resentment, yet his primary concern was the outcome of this contest! Sitting in a chair in the corner by the stage, looking like a man awaiting punishment—seemingly disheartened—he secretly transmitted a message to his elder brother: “This man is clever and possesses quick wit, and he knows a great deal about these auxiliary studies. If we propose any more standard competition methods, we will likely fall into his trap again. Our only course now is to try a flanking maneuver!”

“A flanking maneuver?” Zhan Qing-feng murmured the words, then his eyes suddenly brightened.

“This man comes from poverty and has no connections with any noble or wealthy families! Such a person might possess immense talent and excel in various arts, but deep down, he is definitely not a pampered dandy.” His gaze remained fixed on the floor, but the voice entering Zhan Qing-feng’s ears was thick with malice. Zhan Yu-shu continued: “Using conventional methods, we have no guarantee of defeating him. Therefore, we must test him on something he doesn't know.”

“Such as?” Zhan Qing-feng’s gaze intensified.

“For example, the sorts of games those pampered dandies often play... someone of his background would never have encountered them! Dandies often play games like dog racing, cockfighting, frequenting brothels...” Zhan Yu-shu snorted, “In other words: perhaps gambling... or consorting with courtesans... or fighting...”

“Gambling, courtesans, fighting?” Zhan Qing-feng suddenly understood.

“As for courtesans, that setting is obviously inappropriate for a comparison... but gambling money is fine. Furthermore, chicken fights, dog fights, snake fights, cricket fights, or even Profound Beast fights—all these can be utilized! And we can be sure to win! We don't have his innate talent, nor his scholarship, but surely our luck isn't worse than his? Can he really be lucky his entire life?” Zhan Yu-shu sneered.

“The original seven matches—Zither, Chess, Calligraphy, Painting, Poetry, Wine, and Tea. We’ve already lost three rounds. As for the Poetry match, the outcome is already certain without needing to compete. And for Calligraphy, I suspect that’s also unnecessary... With his depth of knowledge, he must be a master in Calligraphy as well. That leaves Painting and Wine? Plus a round of gambling?” Zhan Qing-feng asked uncertainly.

“No! We don't need to compete in Painting or Wine at all! Given his mastery of music and literature, he certainly won't be a stranger to painting... and anyone well-read about wine won't have a weak understanding either... We should discard those completely and find a method we have a better chance with!”

Zhan Yu-shu stated: “Let’s proceed directly to two decisive matches—one round of pure gambling, and another betting on Profound Beast fights!”