The crowd had expected Feng Jue to fight and sighed at the thought, but to their surprise, he chose to forfeit.

However, even as he forfeited, he left them with a parting shot: "Someone from Lingxiao Pavilion will deal with you!"

Lingxiao Pavilion wasn’t just him. There were other members of Lingxiao Pavilion on the Battle Platform!

Everyone had already witnessed Feng Jue’s strength. He had defeated the number one genius of the Cyan Race, Qing Xun. His Combat Power was heaven-defying—a true genius.

But from his tone, they could tell that Feng Jue wasn’t the strongest genius from Lingxiao Pavilion. There was someone else.

Who? Who was it?

The crowd was shocked and filled with curiosity.

It wasn’t Beize Yunzhuo, nor was it Wudao...

They ruled out one genius after another but still couldn’t identify who it was.

Below the stage, the leaders of the various major influences watched with composed expressions, a newfound curiosity for Lingxiao Pavilion in their eyes. Special physiques were considered treasures even among the Major Influences, yet Lingxiao Pavilion had one such person. Moreover, it seemed they had an even stronger genius. This made them all intensely curious.

Feng Jue strode off, leaving Gao Jie standing alone on the Battle Platform, looking incredibly awkward and his expression utterly foul.

"Why? If you were just going to forfeit, why did you make me come up here?"

Gao Jie finally couldn’t take it anymore and demanded in a low voice.

Feng Jue stopped in his tracks. He turned to stare at Gao Jie for a long moment before rasping, "Because I felt like it. You’re nothing but a clown."

"Because I felt like it. You’re nothing but a clown."

The sudden statement made the corners of the crowd’s mouths twitch. He had made Gao Jie come on stage simply because he felt like it, just to treat him like a clown.

How venomous!

"Hahaha!"

But Jian Bufan burst into laughter—a frank, appreciative laugh. A clown. Gao Jie had tried to take advantage of another’s predicament; he was indeed a clown!

Ye Wushuang also gave a faint smile. Though recent events had made Feng Jue’s personality quiet and cold, it didn’t mean he’d lost his sharp tongue.

"You... you bastard!"

Staring at the strange looks from the crowd, Gao Jie felt like he was about to cough up blood. He had come on stage only to be made a clown—a clown who preyed on the weak. A victory here would not be glorious; it would be shameful!

BOOM!

Unable to endure the countless stares, he left the Battle Platform without even waiting for the giant elder to announce the result. If he stayed any longer, he felt he would go mad.

Feng Jue walked over to Ye Wushuang step by step. He stood beside him for a moment before saying in a low voice, "I did my best, but..."

Before Feng Jue could finish, Ye Wushuang cut him off. "You did great. We’re all proud of you. Leave the rest to me."

In his own way, Feng Jue had shown everyone what Lingxiao Pavilion was all about.

There was nothing more to be proud of.

When he had first taken Feng Jue in, Ye Wushuang never imagined that one day, Feng Jue would go this far for him.

"This is for you."

Ye Wushuang took out a Jade Box and handed it to Feng Jue.

In the distance, Beize Sheng’s heart trembled when he saw this. That Jade Box had been his; he knew exactly what was inside.

Inside was the Wood Essence—a treasure that could drive people mad. It was the very thing they had fought desperately for before, a Treasure Medicine that could heal injuries and prolong one’s life.

If anyone knew he had given it away so easily, they would surely be green with envy.

Even Beize Sheng was filled with envy.

Of course, he also seemed to have guessed something, and he fell silent.

Feng Jue walked away, exchanged a glance with Jian Bufan, and then stepped to the side.

Although the crowd was puzzled by these small interactions, they didn’t read too much into them.

Yunn Xiao, however, was scrutinizing Ye Wushuang with a profound look in his eyes. He felt as if everything was revolving around Ye Wushuang.

"You have a lot of secrets," Yunn Xiao said directly, not beating around the bush. Jian Bufan was frank, and so was he.

"How many have you seen?" Ye Wushuang retorted, turning his head.

"I don’t know," Yunn Xiao finally gave an ambiguous answer after a long pause. He had originally thought he would be able to see through Ye Wushuang after a few encounters, but every time he thought he had, another veil would fall before his eyes.

Ye Wushuang smiled faintly. "That’s an interesting answer."

"I don’t like riddles," Jian Bufan commented from the side, shaking his head.

"Next match: Yunn Xiao versus Liuu Tianlan."

The giant elder’s voice rang out while the group was chatting.

"It’s my turn." Yunn Xiao glanced at the Battle Platform. "This round is more than halfway over. The ones who were going to be eliminated are gone. Everyone who’s left is even stronger."

"Be careful," Ye Wushuang said.

"I’m not sure if I can win this one, but I’ll make Liuu Tianlan reveal some of his trump cards. You all watch closely."

Yunn Xiao turned and smiled at Ye Wushuang.

Ye Wushuang and Dii Qingxue both nodded. They understood Yunn Xiao’s intention: he was willing to sacrifice his own match to help them gauge their opponent’s strength.

BOOM!

Both fighters stepped onto the Battle Platform. Liuu Tianlan’s power was unfathomable, but Yunn Xiao’s strength was not to be underestimated. Both were powerful geniuses. This was going to be a spectacular fight.

"You’re strong, but you’re still no match for me. Do you really want to fight?" Liuu Tianlan asked with a frown, staring at Yunn Xiao.

"Simply standing on the Barbarian God Battle Platform is an honor in itself. How could I not fight?" Yunn Xiao replied coolly, his aura flaring as his sharp presence intensified.

"In that case, I will oblige you." Liuu Tianlan’s eyes narrowed as he took a step forward. He was like an Unparalleled Treasure Sword, his sharp aura erupting toward the heavens.

"Nine Heavens Sword Technique—Sword Piercing the Rainbow!"

Yunn Xiao drew a Treasure Sword. Like a rainbow piercing the sun, the sword’s brilliance shot into the sky.

The instant Yunn Xiao gripped his sword, the Sword Aura condensed, seeming to absorb the power of the nine heavens. Its might exploded as it slashed toward Liuu Tianlan.

A pillar of rainbow light blasted the very air, leaving a tear in space that took a long time to mend as violent gales raged.

The pupils of the onlookers contracted. The power of that sword strike was immense. The sheer Power of Destruction it radiated made their hearts tremble.

Even the likes of Beize Yunzhuo and Wudao turned to watch this fight, wanting to gauge the strength of both combatants.

The Nine Heavens Sword Technique was one of Yunn Xiao’s strongest trump cards. He used it right from the start to force Liuu Tianlan to reveal his own powerful techniques.

"Celestial Sword Technique—Celestial Sword Demon Slash!"

Liuu Tianlan did not underestimate his opponent. He executed the Celestial Sword Sect’s Sect-Guarding Sword Technique. The Ancient Sword on his back shot forth, transforming into countless phantoms that overlapped and merged, forming a gigantic Celestial Sword that looked as if it could slay a Demon.

BOOM!

The two attacks collided. Violent True Essence ravaged the area, forcing those near the Battle Platform to retreat several steps. The entire space was filled with a terrifying, destructive Sword Intent.

"Nine Heavens Sword Technique—Purple Sky Divine Sword!" Yunn Xiao’s brow furrowed. Taking Liuu Tianlan’s Sword Dao seriously, he let out a great roar. The Treasure Sword in his hand suddenly trembled, swelling to several times its original size. Wreathed in purple lightning, it cleaved through the sky-filling Sword Intent and shot straight toward Liuu Tianlan.

Liuu Tianlan’s gaze sharpened. With a single thought, the Ancient Sword flew back like a streak of light to hover before him. It split from one into two, from two into four... This repeated until, in an instant, there were thousands of them.

"Celestial Sword Technique—Ten Thousand Swords Return to One! Slash!"

With a furious roar, a sky-blotting torrent of sword phantoms slashed down.

The instant they fell, the thousands of sword phantoms rapidly fused. Ten Thousand Swords Return to One. They once again formed a single blade that crashed against the giant sword wreathed in purple lightning.

BOOM!

Another collision. As the shockwave spread, Yunn Xiao swung his sword to defend himself but was still knocked back.

Yunn Xiao said coolly, "The Celestial Sword Sect’s Sect-Guarding Sword Technique is truly remarkable."

"You have lost."

Liuu Tianlan’s figure landed opposite Yunn Xiao as he stated the fact coolly.

"Yes, I’ve lost," Yunn Xiao said with a bitter smile, glancing up at the sky.

Then, he looked back down and smiled. "I may have lost, but most of your strength has been exposed. That’s something to be happy about, I think."

"You..."

Hearing this, Liuu Tianlan’s gaze turned sharp, and his expression soured. Yunn Xiao had fought him just to expose his true power.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing his reaction, Yunn Xiao threw his head back and laughed, striding off the stage. He had lost the battle, but he had still gained something!