A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

soon.

The next group was Lu Qingdai's turn, and her opponent was Li Yangchuan from the Zhengyang Sect.

She carried no weapons, but took out an ancient array plate from her storage bag.

"Formation? That's trivial."

Li Yangchuan was burly and strong, wielding a pair of heavy copper hammers.

Seeing this, he grinned.

"You little wench, haven't you heard that brute force can overcome all magic? Trying to play tricks on me? You're courting death!"

Boom!

He clashed his two hammers together, producing a deafening roar that sent visible sound waves radiating outwards.

This is to disrupt Lu Qingdai's formation.

Lu Qingdai raised her hand lightly, and the three array flags transformed into streams of light, nailing themselves to the triangle of the arena.

hum-

The formation took shape, and white mist rose, instantly enveloping the entire arena.

"You dare underestimate me?!"

Throughout the entire ordeal, Lu Qingdai ignored him completely, as if her rival did not exist.

Li Yangchuan roared and swung his double hammers toward Lu Qingdai's position.

boom!

The hammers struck empty air, the arena floor cracked, and debris flew everywhere.

Where are they?

Zhao Hu was taken aback.

He felt a chill behind him and, without thinking, turned around and swung his hammer.

boom!

Another empty hammer blow.

Lu Qingdai's figure appeared and disappeared in the white mist, seemingly moving at any moment.

"Wood Spirit Bind!"

She formed hand seals, and the formation changed once again.

Whoosh whoosh—

Countless emerald green vines sprouted from the ground, coiling around Li Yangchuan's legs like serpents.

"Cut it off!"

Li Yangchuan swung his double hammers wildly, smashing them against the vines.

But these vines are extremely resilient; if one is broken, two more will grow back.

In just three breaths, his legs were tightly bound by vines.

Fortunately, he did not panic or lose his composure because he was temporarily at a disadvantage, and thought of using fire to overcome wood.

He channeled his spiritual power, and his twin hammers ignited with flames, attempting to burn away the vines.

Lu Qingdai was prepared.

She gently clenched her hands, and the moisture in the air condensed, forming ice crystals that covered the surface of the vines.

The flames extinguished instantly upon encountering the ice crystals.

"What?!"

Li Yangchuan's expression changed drastically.

He hadn't expected that Lu Qingdai was not only skilled in wood-attribute techniques, but also in water-attribute techniques.

Aquatic wood!

As a result, his resistance had no effect whatsoever.

Instead, it amplified the power of Lu Qingdai's formation and techniques.

"Kodama - Strangulate!"

The vines suddenly tightened.

Click!

Li Yangchuan's leg bones made a cracking sound as if they were about to break under the strain.

"ah!!"

With a scream, the hammers slipped from his hands.

"I admit it..."

"Kodama—Seal your mouth!"

A vine wrapped around his mouth.

"Waaaaah!"

Li Yangchuan stared wide-eyed and shook his head desperately, but could only whimper.

Lu Qingdai strode over with her long, beautiful legs.

"Senior brother, if you admit defeat, I'll let you go, okay?"

She smiled sweetly.

At least, that's how it appears to outsiders.

Li Yangchuan was about to cry.

Let me tell you, dear sister, let me have a word.

Cunning!

That's so damn cunning!

Who said that all the fairies in Peach Blossom Temple are sweet and lovely? How come he didn't see any of them?

He only saw Bai Jie, that icy beauty, who beat his junior brother half to death with a single sword strike.

Then I saw that fierce girl wielding a giant hammer again, smashing away the disciples of the Qingyun Sect.

This time, it was his turn to encounter this harmless, sweet girl who immediately shut him up.

They even kindly gave him a chance to beg for mercy.

Who the hell could do that?

"Senior brother, your courage is commendable. However, since this matter concerns the martial arts competition, I have no choice but to apologize."

Lu Qingdai's eyes suddenly turned cold, and she formed a hand seal with her fingertips.

"A thousand needles!"

She clasped her hands together.

Countless tiny thorns grew from the vines and pierced Li Yangchuan's acupoints all over his body.

"Ugh—!!"

Instantly, Li Yangchuan's eyes bulged out, his whole body convulsed, and he was in so much pain that tears and snot streamed down his face.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you."

Lu Qingdai leaned close to his ear and said, "I just want to tell you that the disciples of Peach Blossom Temple are not to be trifled with."

She stretched out her slender hand and placed it on Li Yangchuan's dantian, activating the power of the array.

Instantly, Li Yangchuan's spiritual energy leaked out.

Although he wasn't completely crippled, he lost at least 30% of his cultivation.

Li Yangchuan seemed to have all his energy drained away, and he knelt limply on the ground.

He was panting heavily.

"Should we admit defeat?"

Lu Qingdai finally loosened the vines that sealed the opening.

"I...I give up! I give up!!"

Li Yangchuan's forehead was covered in sweat; he had used up his last bit of strength.

If you look closely, you will see that his pupils tremble slightly.

In his eyes was that graceful figure, delicate yet with a hint of coldness.

But to him, that figure was no longer a beauty, but a ferocious beast.

"Get lost."

Lu Qingdai waved her jade hand, flicked the vine, and threw Li Yangchuan off the stage like trash.

boom!

He fell heavily to the ground, covered in blood, weak and barely breathing.

"Lu Qingdai of Peach Blossom Pavilion wins!"

Lu Qingdai calmly put away the array plate, turned around and stepped off the stage, her expression remaining serene throughout.

It seemed that the battle just now had nothing to do with her.

On the high platform.

Sikong Jue watched everything that was happening on the arena with a blank expression.

His right hand, clenched so tightly within the wide sleeves of his robe, revealed prominent veins.

Liu Linglong glanced at him and couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

"Sect Master Sikong's disciple is truly remarkable. Even though he is no match for my disciple, his indomitable spirit alone deserves respect."

As she spoke, she sighed again, "That girl Qingdai is really something. What's wrong with letting her senior brother win once in a while? Sparring is secondary; friendship comes first..."

"Where would Sect Master Sikong put his old face? It's only because Senior Brother Sikong doesn't bother with a junior like her."

Upon hearing this...

The veins on the back of Sikong Jue's hand were even more prominent.

He snorted, his deep eyes filled with overwhelming killing intent.

He then transmitted his voice to the Zhengyang Sect disciples who were participating in the martial arts competition.

"If you encounter disciples of Peach Blossom Temple again, no matter who your opponent is—"

"kill!"

Below the ring.

Upon receiving the order, the disciples of the Zhengyang Sect flashed with a cruel and bloodthirsty light.

With the sect leader's words, they could act freely.

It was precisely because of Sikong Jue's order that the competition took a completely different turn.

"Group B, No. 4, Wang Hai of Qingyun Sect, versus Sun Bao of Zhengyang Sect!"

On the arena.

Wang Hai of the Qingyun Sect, at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, wields a long sword.

Sun Bao of the Zhengyang Sect fought bare-handed.

Please advise.

Wang Hai clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"OK!"

Sun Bao grinned maliciously and darted out, his agile figure truly resembling a lurking cheetah.

boom!

He punched Wang Hai in the chest.

Caught off guard, Wang Hai staggered back seven or eight steps.

"you!"

"Wait, it's not over yet."

Sun Bao licked his lips and charged forward again.

Dangdang Dangdang!

Wang Hai desperately swung his knife to defend himself.

However, Sun Bao's movements were unpredictable, and he always managed to dodge the blades, landing punches on him with each blow.

Click!

With the third punch, Wang Hai's arm was smashed off.

The screams were piercing, and the long sword slipped from his hand.

"Useless, boring."

Sun Bao kicked him in the stomach.

Wang Hai was sent flying backward, crashing onto the edge of the ring, covered in blood and barely breathing.

"I admit...I give up..."

He raised his hand with difficulty.

"Give up? How can I do that? I haven't had enough fun yet."

Sun Bao stepped forward and stomped on Wang Hai's severed arm.

"ah--!!"

Wang Hai fainted on the spot.

"Qingyun Sect's Wang Hai is out of action; Zhengyang Sect's Sun Bao wins!"

The elder presiding over the martial arts competition announced the results.

On the Qingyun Sect's side, several disciples rushed onto the arena and carried Wang Hai off.

Their eyes were filled with hatred as they looked at Sun Bao.

"What are you looking at? You disagree?"

Sun Bao raised his chin provocatively.

The disciples were trembling with anger, but were restrained by their fellow disciples.

"Next match, Group C, number five, Liu Yue from the Xuantian Sect, will face Zhou Lang from the Zhengyang Sect!"

On the arena.

Liu Yue was a pretty woman with a Foundation Establishment level six cultivation and wielded a pair of swords.

"Liu Yue of the Xuantian Sect, please enlighten me."

"You dare to challenge me?"

Zhou Lang of the Zhengyang Sect wielded a wolf-tooth club and had a face full of scars.

He swung his spiked club and smashed it with tremendous force.

Liu Yue dared not take the attack head-on, and used her movement skills to dodge, her twin swords moving like butterflies, stabbing towards Zhou Lang's vital points.

Zhou Lang didn't dodge at all, and swept his spiked club horizontally.

clang!

Liu Yue's sword pierced his body, producing a metallic clang, leaving only a shallow white mark.

"Physical training?!"

Liu Yue's expression changed drastically.

Zhou Lang grinned maliciously and delivered a powerful backhand punch to Liu Yue's abdomen.

"puff!"

Liu Yue coughed up blood and flew backward.

Zhou Lang caught up and struck Liu Yue's dantian with a palm.

Liu Yue felt excruciating pain in her dantian, and her spiritual energy leaked out wildly. This single blow had crippled most of her cultivation!

"Rubbish."

Zhou Lang kicked her off the stage.

After Liu Yue landed, her eyes immediately became unfocused.

"Junior Sister!"

Several female disciples of the Xuantian Sect rushed forward, picked her up, and fed her the pills.

"Liu Yue of the Xuantian Sect is out of action; Zhou Lang of the Zhengyang Sect wins!"