One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

The blinding white lightning and the chilling blue aura collided, intertwined, annihilated, and exploded like two bursting dams! A terrifying energy shockwave spread wildly in a ring outwards, cracking and flying inch by inch on the solid bluestone slabs of the arena, freezing and then instantly shattering into pieces by the lightning! The air was filled with the acrid smell of ionized ice crystals and the booming sound of lightning being frozen!

The dazzling light made the audience nearby close their eyes, and the violent air currents made the people in the front row stagger and exclaim in surprise!

The light and shockwave slowly dissipated.

The scene in the center of the arena gradually became clear.

Zhang Chulan knelt on one knee, his hands supporting him on the ground, breathing heavily, each breath accompanied by white steam. The lightning armor on his arms had long since crumbled and disappeared, his sleeves were charred and torn, and his exposed skin was a mix of frostbite bluish-purple and burn marks, trembling slightly. His face was as pale as paper, and sweat mixed with ice crystals dripped continuously from his forehead, clearly indicating that he had exhausted all his strength, and "Thunderbolt Mode" had been forcibly deactivated.

Nie Lingfeng remained standing, his figure as upright as a pine tree. Apart from the slight sway of his clothes and a few lingering snowflakes clinging to his hair, he looked exactly the same as before the battle began, his breathing steady and long, his eyes clear and calm.

The difference in quality is obvious at a glance.

Looking at Zhang Chulan, who was almost exhausted, Nie Lingfeng slowly spoke, his voice clearly echoing throughout the silent training ground:

"Should we continue?"

Zhang Chulan struggled to lift his head, looked at Nie Lingfeng, and gave a bitter yet relieved smile. His voice was hoarse as he said, "I...I can't fight anymore...Brother Feng, you...you're amazing..."

He could feel that his body was completely empty, and he could hardly even lift a finger. Nie Lingfeng, on the other hand, was clearly in complete control and unfathomable.

Nie Lingfeng stepped forward, walked up to Zhang Chulan, and extended his hand.

Zhang Chulan was stunned for a moment, then grasped that warm and strong hand, using it to stand up, his legs still trembling slightly.

"You fought well." Nie Lingfeng looked at him, his tone more serious and affirmative than ever before. "You're more than ten times stronger than you were at the World Society a month ago. Your foundation in martial arts is solid, your use of lightning techniques is quite skillful, and more importantly, your mindset and will in battle are far superior to before. Given time, if you continue to train diligently, you will surely make a name for yourself in the world of supernatural beings."

Hearing this lavish praise, Zhang Chulan's eyes suddenly lit up, and his fatigue seemed to dissipate somewhat: "Really...really?"

"Really." Nie Lingfeng nodded firmly and patted the dust off his shoulder.

Then, he turned around, facing the referee and all the audience members who were either expectant, confused, or waiting to see the "instant kill" outcome, and said three words in a calm and clear tone:

"I surrender."

These three words, though spoken softly, struck like three thunderbolts into everyone's hearts!

The entire room instantly fell into an eerie, deathly silence.

Everyone, including the referee, Zhang Chulan, the Ten Elders on the platform, and the thousands of spectators in the audience, were stunned, as if they hadn't heard clearly or couldn't believe what they had heard.

A few seconds later, the deathly silence was completely shattered by an even more violent roar!

"What?!?!"

"Nie Lingfeng has admitted defeat?!"

"He clearly crushed Zhang Chulan! It was like he was just playing around the whole time! Why did he admit defeat?!"

"It's a cover-up! This is absolutely a cover-up!!"

"Shameless! Did you bribe Nie Lingfeng?!"

"Give me my money back! My bet!!"

"Shameless! Utterly shameless! This is an insult to the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony!"

"Nie Lingfeng! Are you even a man?! You're throwing the match?!"

"Zhang Chulan! Get down here! You don't deserve this championship!"

Anger, doubt, boos, whistles, and even the sound of things being thrown (despite the barrier) swept across the entire training ground like a tsunami! The crowd was furious, and many felt they had been fooled and deceived.

Zhang Chulan was completely stunned. He instinctively grabbed Nie Lingfeng's arm and said urgently, "Brother Feng! What... what are you doing? You clearly..."

Nie Lingfeng turned his head, looking at Zhang Chulan's anxious, confused, and even somewhat panicked eyes, and a gentle yet firm smile appeared on his face. He leaned closer and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"I told you, Chu Lan. I came here to clear the roadblocks for you. Now that the roadblocks are all cleared, it's time for you to go on your own."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the old Celestial Master on the high platform, whose expression was complex. His voice remained deep yet clear: "The Celestial Master's Mansion's inheritance, or the Tongtian Talisman's inheritance, your grandfather's secret, Bao'er's background, or something else... that is your path, your opportunity. Seize it, walk it, and prove it to everyone."

Having said that, he stopped looking at Zhang Chulan, turned to the platform, clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed slightly, and said loudly, "Elder Celestial Master, esteemed seniors, I, Nie Lingfeng, am inferior in skill and humbly admit defeat. The champion of this year's Luo Tian Grand Ceremony is none other than Zhang Chulan. I am completely convinced."

The old Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei stood at the edge of the platform, his long, snow-white beard fluttering slightly in the wind. He gave Nie Lingfeng a deep look, his all-seeing eyes flashing with admiration, understanding,感慨, and a complex sense of regret. He remained silent for a few moments, then finally nodded slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "The outcome is decided. Referee, announce the result."

The referee, clearly still reeling from this dramatic turn of events, snapped out of his daze upon hearing the old master's words, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and stammered as he announced in a loud voice:

"Nie...Nie Lingfeng concedes defeat...The winner is...Zhang Chulan! This year's Luo Tian Grand Tournament champion—Zhang Chulan!"

This announcement was like adding fuel to the fire, making the crowd even more excited! Countless gazes, filled with anger, disdain, disappointment, or schadenfreude, shot like real arrows at the still somewhat dazed champion in the center of the ring.

Zhang Chulan stood at the center of a storm of insults and doubts, his expression shifting, his fists clenching involuntarily. He was first bewildered, then humiliated, and then... enraged, and a strong sense of resentment and stubbornness rising from the deepest part of his heart.

Nie Lingfeng patted him on the shoulder, gave him a "it's up to you" look, and then turned around and walked off the stage step by step with composure and calmness.

Wherever he went, the crowded masses parted to make way for him, as if Moses had parted the sea. No one dared to actually stop him or question him, but the gazes cast upon him were filled with incomprehension, anger, regret, disdain, and, in the eyes of a few, deep admiration and contemplation.

Nie Lingfeng ignored all of this, walked straight to the contestants' area, picked up the thermos cup with "Drink More Hot Water" printed on it, unscrewed it, and slowly took a sip of warm tea. His demeanor was so composed that it was as if he had just completed an ordinary practice session, rather than voluntarily conceding defeat in a world-renowned final.

Xu Si rushed over, grabbed Nie Lingfeng's shoulders, and shook him violently, his face a mixture of anxiety and disbelief: "Xiao Feng! Are you crazy?! Do you know what you're doing?! You could have easily won the match! Take the championship! Why did you have to admit defeat?!"

Nie Lingfeng nearly spilled the water in his cup from being shaken so much. He steadied himself helplessly: "Fourth Brother, calm down. Chu Lan won, and Bao'er will find out about her background, isn't that good?"

"What a load of crap!" Xu Si's eyes widened. "How can this be the same? What's the difference between you getting the secret and Chu Lan getting the secret? You're now branded as a match-fixer! Listen to what's going on outside! Everyone's cursing you! How are you going to survive in the world of supernatural beings?!" Ever since Nie Lingfeng helped save Xu Xiang's life, Nie Lingfeng's standing in Xu San and Xu Si's hearts has been no less than that of Feng Baobao.

"How will I get by?" Nie Lingfeng smiled, a smile carrying a calmness and nonchalance beyond his years. "I'll just keep doing what I always have. Call me a sham fighter, take bribes, or say I'm Chu Lan's lackey... let them say what they want. These empty names and other people's opinions won't hurt me in the slightest, nor will they disturb my peace of mind. I participated in the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony to clear obstacles for Zhang Chu Lan and to let him see the heroes of the world. Fourth Brother, you need to know that Zhang Chu Lan needs the identity of a Celestial Master's successor; otherwise, how many people would be envious of his status as a Qi Source Source successor?"

Xu San also walked over. He was much calmer than Xu Si, but his brows were also tightly furrowed. He pushed up his glasses, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Nie Lingfeng behind the lenses: "Xiao Feng, tell me the truth. Did you plan everything for today from the moment you drew the lots?"

Nie Lingfeng did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze back to the arena.

On the arena, Zhang Chulan stood alone amidst a hail of "trash" (phantom images of various projectiles blocked by the barrier) and deafening boos and curses. His head was lowered, obscuring his expression, but his clenched fists, slightly trembling shoulders, and taut back all betrayed the immense turmoil within him.

Then, he slowly, little by little, raised his head.

His gaze passed over the noisy, angry crowd, fixed on the high platform, on the white-haired old man who represented a pinnacle of Longhu Mountain and even the world of extraordinary beings. In his eyes, there was the resentment of being humiliated, the anger of being slighted, but even more so, there was a tenacious spirit like wild grass, as hard as steel, and a silent, unwavering determination—

"I will prove it! Prove that I deserve this championship! Prove that I didn't win it because of anyone's charity! Prove that I, Zhang Chulan... am qualified to stand here! Qualified to inherit... everything my grandfather left behind!"

Looking at Zhang Chulan like this, Nie Lingfeng finally revealed a genuine smile in his eyes and murmured to himself, "That's enough."

What he wanted was never an easy, uneventful path to victory. What he wanted was for Zhang Chulan to truly stand up, face the storms head-on, and forge his own edge and will amidst doubt and pressure. Only in this way could he truly grow and embark on his own destined, rugged yet magnificent path.

Now, the seeds have been sown, and the roadblocks have been cleared. The rest is up to Zhang Chulan.

Nie Lingfeng withdrew his gaze, no longer lingering, and turned to walk out of the martial arts arena.

"Xiao Feng! Where are you going?!" Xu Si shouted from behind.

"Go back and rest." Nie Lingfeng waved his hand without turning his head.

"Wait for me!" a calm voice rang out. Feng Baobao had caught up at some point, still holding the bottle of Erguotou she was drinking from with a straw (she hadn't even finished it yet), and walked naturally beside Nie Lingfeng.

"Sister Bao'er? Aren't you going to wait for Zhang Chulan?" Nie Lingfeng was a little surprised.

Feng Baobao nodded, looking ahead. "Chu Lan won. The old man (the Celestial Master) and San'er and Si'er are here. They will tell me about my background once they know it."

Nie Lingfeng smiled and did not refuse: "Okay."

The two walked side by side along the mountain path paved with bluestone slabs, slowly making their way to the rest area. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky golden and red, and stretched their shadows long and thin along the winding mountain path.

He didn't come here to win the championship or become famous.

He did it to protect that rare brotherhood, to witness this vast and wonderful world of supernatural beings, to prove his martial arts skills, and also to... forge his own unique path.

Now, Zhang Chulan's path, driven by his own choices and the "push" of others, has begun in a spectacular fashion.

And Nie Lingfeng's own path should also continue to extend forward.