The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

In the stands.

Qin Minglan was stunned, her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

"Third...third rank? When did this old man break through?"

She turned to look at Luo Hanyi, her tone suspicious.

"Sister-in-law, you..."

Luo Hanyi did not answer, her gaze remaining fixed on the arena.

Even if Wang Long displays his true strength, the gap between him and Tie Xiong in terms of rank is still too great.

The chances of winning are still slim.

Zhao Pojun's smile froze on his face, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Early stage of Rank 3?

This old thing, yesterday he was still in the late stage of Rank 2, and today he's in the early stage of Rank 3?

A breakthrough overnight?

How is that possible?

The nobles around them were also in an uproar.

"Early stage of Rank 3? That old guy is at the early stage of Rank 3?"

"Isn't he a horse breeder? How could he...?"

"From late-stage Rank 2 to early-stage Rank 3 overnight? That cultivation speed is outrageous!"

"Even with the help of rare and precious treasures, it shouldn't be this fast!"

"Has he been hiding his true strength all along?"

Amidst the whispers, Tie Xiong's face darkened.

He stared at Wang Long, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes, and then burst into wild laughter.

"So what if you're at the early stage of the third rank?"

"I'm at the late stage of the third rank, just one step away from the peak!"

"You, a mere early-stage third-rank cultivator, dare to be arrogant in front of me?"

Tie Xiong pushed off the ground with both feet and lunged forward again!

This time, he used all his strength!

The fist, imbued with violent spiritual energy and accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, aimed straight for Wang Long's chest!

Wang Long did not dodge.

He gripped the Azure Frost Sword tightly, tip pointing downwards, holding it horizontally in front of him.

He closed his eyes.

Tie Xiong's fist was getting closer and closer.

The force of the punch hit his face, making the wrinkles on Wang Long's face fold together.

Just as the fist was less than three feet from his chest.

Wang Long opened his eyes.

His eyes flashed with a sharp light!

The Great Void Breaking Illusion Sword Technique - First Form!

Dispel illusions!

The Azure Frost Sword was drawn, its cold light flashing!

A sharp sword aura shot out from the tip of the sword, silent yet carrying a chilling sharpness!

The sword energy collided head-on with Tie Xiong's fist!

"boom!"

With a loud bang, spiritual energy scattered and flew everywhere!

Wang Long was jolted back three steps, his arm went numb, his tiger's mouth was split open, and blood dripped down the hilt of his sword.

Tie Xiong was also shaken and took a step back, a bloody gash on his fist, his skin torn open.

He looked down at the wound on his fist, his face terribly grim.

"Sword energy?"

He looked up and stared at the Frost Sword in Wang Long's hand.

"You old codger at the early stage of the third rank, you actually manage to unleash sword energy?"

Isn't this a threshold that only a fourth-grade sword cultivator can cross?

Wang Long gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, holding it horizontally in front of him.

His tiger's mouth was bleeding, and his arm was trembling, but his cloudy old eyes were full of determination.

Tie Xiong stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly grinned.

"interesting."

"That's really interesting."

"A dying old geezer managed to seriously injure me!"

He moved his neck, and the bones cracked.

"but--"

Without hesitation, Tie Xiong pulled out a blood-red pill from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

His eyes were filled with a fierce look.

"The game should end!"

The moment the blood-red pill entered his mouth, Tie Xiong's eyes suddenly turned blood red!

A violent and suffocating aura erupted from him, sweeping across the entire arena!

Peak of the third rank!

The Great Perfection of the Third Grade!

Fourth rank!

Its aura rose steadily until it finally stopped at the threshold of the early stage of the fourth rank!

Although it was only half a step into the fourth rank and had not truly stepped into the fourth rank realm, its power had already far exceeded the scope of a third-rank martial artist!

The stone slabs on the arena could not withstand the violent aura and shattered, scattering fragments of stone everywhere!

In the stands, Luo Hanyi suddenly stood up, her expression changing drastically.

"Fourth rank?!"

Her voice was filled with obvious shock and anger.

That bastard Zhao Pojun actually prepared a Blood Burning Pill for Tie Xiong!

The Blood-Burning Pill is a forbidden medicine.

After taking it, one can burn their essence and blood in a short time to forcibly improve their cultivation level, but the price is a sharp drop in cultivation level afterward, and it may even damage their foundation.

This kind of elixir is obtained through secret channels and is very difficult to acquire.

Moreover, due to its severe side effects, very few people use it.

But Zhao Pojun actually...

Luo Hanyi turned her head and glared at Zhao Pojun.

"Zhao Pojun, you—"

"Hanyi, why are you so agitated?"

Zhao Pojun held his teacup and smiled casually.

"The rule of the competition is 'regardless of life or death,' but it doesn't say that taking medicine is forbidden."

"If your old man has any pills, he can just take them."

"I will not stop you."

Luo Hanyi was so angry that she trembled all over, but she couldn't say a word in rebuttal.

Zhao Pojun had prepared this move long ago, just waiting to use it at the crucial moment.

Qin Minglan's face was pale, and her almond-shaped eyes were full of worry.

"Four...fourth grade..."

Her voice was trembling.

"That old man... how could he possibly defeat a fourth-rank official..."

Luo Hanyi took a deep breath, suppressing her surging emotions.

She turned to look at the arena, her gaze fixed on Wang Long.

Old man, just admit defeat...

Just admit defeat...

You are no match for Tie Xiong...

Luo Hanyi opened her mouth, about to admit defeat...

On the arena.

Tie Xiong was shrouded in a layer of blood-red spiritual energy, his eyes were bloodshot, and his veins were bulging, making him look extremely terrifying!

He stared at Wang Long, grinned, and revealed a mouthful of teeth stained red with blood.

"Old bastard, you forced me to use the Blood Burning Pill; you deserve to die!"

He clenched his fists so tightly that his bones cracked.

"I will kill him today!"

Zhao Pojun gave a firm order: they must win the championship in this competition no matter what.

Otherwise, Tie Xiong would die a terrible death. As long as he kills Wang Long, what does it matter if he is crippled?

Before he could finish speaking, Tie Xiong made his move!

His speed was astonishing, twice as fast as before!

Wang Long couldn't even see his figure clearly; he could only feel a violent aura rushing towards him!

Instinctively, Wang Long parried with his sword.

"Bang!"

With a loud bang, Wang Long was sent flying!

He slammed heavily against the edge of the ring, his back hitting the stone slab, and spat out a mouthful of blood!

The Azure Frost Sword flew out of his hand and landed more than ten feet away, its blade humming.

Wang Long struggled to get up, but found a sharp pain in his chest; at least two of his ribs were broken.

He looked down and saw that the protective mirror Luo Hanyi had given him was broken into several pieces and scattered on the arena.

If it weren't for the protective mirror blocking most of the force, that punch would have been enough to kill him.

Tie Xiong walked up to him and looked down at him.

"Still not dead?"

He grinned, raised his foot, and stomped on Wang Long's chest.

"Then I'll send you on your way."

With a forceful stomp, the sound of bones cracking echoed from Wang Long's chest.

He groaned, and blood gushed from his mouth again.

From the stands, Qin Minglan suddenly rushed out.

"Old man!"

She had only taken two steps when Luo Hanyi grabbed her.

"Sister-in-law! Let me go! I need to save him!"

"It won't make a difference if you go."

Luo Hanyi's voice was icy, but her hands were trembling.

"This is a fighting arena; outsiders are not allowed to interfere."

"If you rush forward, you will be disobeying the imperial order, and the entire Marquis's mansion will be buried with you."

Qin Minglan was stunned, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"So... are we just going to watch him die?"

Luo Hanyi stared intently at Wang Long on the arena.

A hint of despair, unlike anything she had ever felt before, flashed in her eyes.

Without hesitation, Luo Hanyi raised her hand and spoke in a loud voice.

"We acknowledge..."

Zhao Pojun held his teacup, a faint smile on his lips.

"Hanyi, I told you, your old man won't last a single move."

He put down his teacup and looked towards the arena.

"Tie Xiong, stop playing around and send him on his way."

Upon hearing this, Tie Xiong grinned and increased the pressure on his feet.

"Old man, in your next life, don't be a servant of the Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion."

He raised his foot, ready to crush Wang Long's head with a single stomp.

Just then.

Wang Long made a move.

He reached out his left hand and grabbed Tie Xiong's ankle tightly.

Tie Xiong was taken aback.

"What?"

Wang Long looked up at him.

His face was covered in blood.

But in those cloudy old eyes, there gleamed a light that sent chills down one's spine.

Tie Xiong felt a chill run down his spine, instinctively sensing danger.

He tried to pull his foot back, but found that Wang Long's hand was like an iron clamp, tightly gripping his ankle, and he couldn't break free no matter what he did.

"You old bastard, you deserve to die! You deserve to die!"

Tie Xiong's fist, as big as a sandbag, slammed towards Wang Long's head!