Wandering Swordsman |

Just as everyone was discussing the matter, two elders of the Beggars' Sect led the other disciples and rushed to the training platform. They quickly went to Zhang Hu's side, helped him up, and asked him with concern, "Zhang Hu, what happened to you?"

Zhang Hu slightly raised his head, his face pale, his voice weak: "Elder... I... don't know... I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest, and then..."

Upon hearing this, the elders of the Beggars' Sect looked even more grave. One elder quickly examined Zhang Hu's pulse, his brow furrowing: "This is bad. Zhang Hu has poison in his body, and it's very potent!"

Meanwhile, an ominous atmosphere permeated the air around the arena. More and more people began to show similar symptoms; some were already weak and powerless, while others had collapsed to the ground, as if bound by some invisible force. The once lively atmosphere around the arena instantly froze, and everyone exchanged uneasy glances with expressions of fear on their faces.

Just as the scene was becoming increasingly chaotic, a disciple of Jingtian Pavilion rushed onto the training platform and came to Situ Dengfeng's side: "Reporting to the sect leader, I have urgent business to report."

At this moment, Situ Dengfeng was concentrating on channeling his internal energy into Long Zaitian's body, attempting to dispel the deadly poison. He didn't turn to look at the Jingtian Pavilion disciple, but calmly said, "Speak, what happened?"

The disciple nodded in agreement, then took two steps closer to Situ Dengfeng, until he was within inches of him. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and a chilling smile appeared on his lips. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly launched an attack, striking Situ Dengfeng's back with incredible speed and force.

Situ Dengfeng instantly sensed something was wrong. In that instant, his body seemed to transform into an indestructible barrier, his inner force instantly gathering in his back. The powerful inner force acted like an invisible wall, completely blocking the disciple's attack and instantly backfiring. With a muffled thud, the disciple was thrown back by the powerful inner force, crashing heavily onto the training platform.

Impacted by such powerful internal force, the disciple struggled on the ground for only a short time before spitting out blood and losing vital signs.

Seeing this, another Jingtian Pavilion disciple immediately used his lightness skill to fly onto the training platform to check on the deceased disciple. He landed gracefully beside the body, squatted down, and carefully examined the disciple's face. After a moment, he suddenly reached out and peeled off the dead man's human skin mask, revealing an unfamiliar face. The real Jingtian Pavilion disciple's expression changed, and he loudly reported, "Sect Master, he is not a disciple of the Pavilion!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the real disciple of Jingtian Pavilion suddenly felt a sharp discomfort. His throat tasted sweet, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. He then collapsed to the ground, completely powerless. This scene sent a chill down the spines of everyone present, as if an invisible fear was spreading through the air.

Meanwhile, the situation in the central square grew increasingly chaotic. Almost all the disciples of Jingtian Pavilion, as well as the young people participating in the competition, and the unaffiliated and less powerful spectators, began to exhibit similar symptoms. They either knelt on the ground or curled up in a ball, groaning in pain. The entire square was filled with cries of agony, and a suffocating atmosphere of tension permeated the air.

At this moment, only the elders of the various sects, the seniors of aristocratic families, and Situ Dengfeng and Situ Meng had not yet shown these symptoms. Situ Meng stood at the entrance of the main hall, observing the bizarre scene in the central square, her mind racing, her eyes gleaming with contemplation. Her heart was filled with questions: why were so many people poisoned at the same time, and why were their symptoms so similar?

"Father, be careful!" Just then, Situ Meng suddenly noticed that two figures below the training platform suddenly stood up as if their symptoms had disappeared, and then immediately flew onto the training platform, quickly attacking Situ Dengfeng. Her voice was urgent, and her hands involuntarily clenched into fists.

Situ Dengfeng's eyes flashed coldly as he watched the two men charging towards him. He seemed to have realized that this was all a meticulously planned conspiracy. He quickly adjusted his breathing, preparing to gather his inner strength to defeat the two attackers in one blow. However, no matter how hard he tried to gather his energy, he couldn't. After several attempts, Situ Dengfeng felt a strong sense of powerlessness wash over him, and finally, a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth.

Despite this, Situ Dengfeng managed to stand up with great willpower. His face was pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his eyes remained resolute. Although he appeared imposing, he knew in his heart that he didn't even have the strength to move a finger. Watching the two men, armed with weapons, approach step by step, a sense of helplessness and anger welled up in Situ Dengfeng's heart.

At this moment, the elders of the various sects and the seniors of the aristocratic families had also realized the seriousness of the situation. They all prepared to use their lightness skills to ascend the training platform and help Situ Dengfeng. However, the instant they mobilized their internal energy, the same symptoms appeared. A mouthful of blood spurted from their mouths, their bodies became weak and powerless, and they were completely unable to mobilize their internal energy. They all collapsed to the ground, their faces pale, their eyes filled with terror and confusion.

The situation in the square deteriorated further. Some of those poisoned had begun to convulse, and some had even fallen unconscious. An atmosphere of despair permeated the air, as if a catastrophe was about to befall them. Although the elders of the various sects and the seniors of the aristocratic families were not yet poisoned, they also felt an unprecedented threat.

"Wait!!!" Just at this critical moment, a familiar voice rang out. Li Fanglin seemed to have been freed from his symptoms, slowly walking forward from below the training platform. His steps were steady, each one exceptionally powerful, as if each step struck the heartstrings of everyone present. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and all eyes in the entire square were focused on Li Fanglin.

After Li Fanglin stepped onto the training platform, everyone assumed he was going to stop the two enemies and help Situ Dengfeng. However, something completely unexpected happened. Li Fanglin walked straight past the two who had stopped attacking, and instead of attacking him, the two obediently followed behind him. This scene shocked everyone present, especially Situ Dengfeng, who felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

Li Fanglin stopped in front of Situ Dengfeng. He smiled slightly, his eyes revealing profound wisdom and an arrogant air. He drew his sword and approached Situ Dengfeng, speaking in a calm yet threatening tone, "Senior Situ, I think you are a smart man. As long as you hand over the *Wuxiang Jing*, I guarantee I will immediately provide the antidote, ensuring everyone in Jingtian Pavilion can leave unscathed."