The second round of the competition featured one-on-one duels, narrowing the field from forty contestants down to twenty.

As the matches progressed, the atmosphere in the martial arts arena reached a fever pitch. Even those who had been eliminated in the first round were swept up in the excitement, shouting and cheering.

BANG!

With another thud, a figure toppled from the battle stage, ending the fight.

The next match: Ye Rou versus Ye Qing.

Stepping onto the battle stage, Ye Qing called out to Ye Rou, "Sister Rou, I ask for your guidance."

"Then be careful."

Ye Rou gave a slight nod and launched the first attack.

Ye Rou didn’t use the Grand Emperor’s Bow of Destruction. Instead, she produced a small, exquisite cyan bow—a Fifth-Grade Spiritual Artifact. As she channeled her True Qi into it, the bow blazed with a brilliant cyan light, radiating a sharp, cutting aura.

Moving swiftly, she fired a beam of cyan light straight at Ye Qing.

"Hah!"

Ye Qing immediately drew two short, vermilion spears, which glinted with an equally sharp aura. With a flick of her wrists, the spears moved like shadows to block Ye Rou’s arrow. At the same time, she closed the distance between them.

’Ye Qing knew Ye Rou excelled at long-range combat but was weak up close, so she had to exploit that weakness.’

However, thanks to a reminder from Ye Wushuang, Ye Rou had been practicing a Body Technique to aid her movement. Just as Ye Qing charged forward, Ye Rou’s figure swayed like a gentle breeze, and she instantly created distance between them.

Ye Qing was about to give chase when Ye Rou drew her bow with incredible speed. A streak of light shot toward Ye Qing before she could react. Her expression changed, and an icy chill stiffened her body.

"Watch out!"

The faces of the spectators below paled. If that arrow hit, Ye Qing would undoubtedly be seriously injured.

Even the dignitaries on the high platform frowned.

However, at the critical moment, Ye Rou moved again in a flash. She fired another arrow that shot through the air and intercepted the first one, saving Ye Qing. In the end, Ye Qing was completely unharmed.

Phew!

Only then did the crowd below breathe a sigh of relief.

Ye Qing came back to her senses and looked at Ye Rou gratefully. "Sister Rou, thank you. I admit defeat!"

"It’s nothing. It’s just a friendly match!"

Ye Rou smiled faintly, then turned her head to share another smile with Ye Wushuang.

Ye Wushuang nodded. Both women were at the Qi Vortex Fifth Layer, but Ye Wushuang knew Ye Rou’s true Combat Power. With the Grand Emperor’s Bow of Destruction, she was strong enough to contend with someone at the Qi Vortex Seventh Layer.

"The winner of this match is Ye Rou!" the referee Elder announced loudly. He then looked toward Ye Rou with a hint of gratitude in his eyes, for Ye Qing was his daughter.

Ye Rou smiled faintly and walked off the battle stage.

"Next match!"

"Contestant number one, Ye Cheng, versus contestant number thirty-two, Ye Dong!"

the referee Elder called out once more.

"Ye Cheng!"

"Ye Cheng!"

As the referee Elder made the announcement, the crowd’s excitement seemed to ignite. Their fervor surged, and they began to shout wildly.

Ye Cheng, the number one genius of the Ye Family!

The hope for the Ye Family’s rise to prominence!

And the idol they all worshipped!

How could they not be thrilled and excited to see Ye Cheng finally take the stage?

Ye Cheng rose to his feet. He shot a glance at Ye Xuan, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold sneer, before turning to Ye Xiong. "Father, I’m off."

"Go, my son."

Ye Xiong said with a proud smile, and the group of followers around him smiled in agreement.

Bathed in the crowd’s adoring gazes, Ye Cheng walked onto the battle stage, his head held high and his expression cold.

Ye Dong walked onto the stage with a wry smile. ’Running into Ye Cheng in the second round... what rotten luck!’

"You’re no match for me. Scram," Ye Cheng said coolly as Ye Dong stepped onto the stage.

But Ye Dong didn’t back down. He stood his ground and said firmly, "Ye Cheng, I know I’m not your opponent. Still, I want to see for myself just how wide the gap between us is. I would be grateful if you would grant me your guidance."

"Hmph. You don’t know your own limits!" Ye Cheng’s eyes narrowed. Moving with the speed of lightning, he thrust out his palm. A surging tide of True Qi, like a tidal wave, slammed into Ye Dong’s body without a shred of mercy.

BOOM!

Even though Ye Dong attempted to defend himself, he was instantly blown off the battle stage. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell unconscious.

An Elder rushed forward to catch Ye Dong’s body. After a quick examination, he looked up and said furiously, "Ye Cheng, you’re too cruel! You’ve destroyed his meridians!"

"Destroyed his meridians?"

Ye Wushuang’s brow furrowed, and many in the crowd looked at Ye Cheng with uneasy expressions.

Ye Cheng said coldly, "I told him to get lost from the start. He was the one who provoked me."

"But the boy just wanted to see the gap between you two! He wanted to use it as motivation to improve, and you..."

The Elder was about to say more, but Ye Xiong cut him off with a cold voice from the high platform. "Fifth Elder, injuries are unavoidable in a competition. No one can guarantee otherwise."

The other Elders on the high platform chimed in, "That’s right, injuries are to be expected in a competition. Now hurry and take him away for treatment!"

"You..."

The Elder was furious. Ye Dong’s meridians had been destroyed, and all he received in response was their cold dismissal: "Injuries are unavoidable in a competition." It was utterly heartless.

But there was nothing the Elder could do. Ye Cheng was the family’s number one genius. Even if he had killed Ye Dong, who would dare to utter a single word of protest?

No one.

They were all too busy trying to curry favor with him; how could they possibly criticize him? The Elder had no choice but to carry Ye Dong’s body and leave the martial arts arena.

"Let the competition continue," the Elders announced indifferently, showing no sign of remorse.

Ye Xuan glanced at the indifferent figures around him, his heart filled with disappointment. ’If people like this were to take control of the family,’ he thought, ’would the Ye Family even have a future?’

’No. I absolutely cannot let the Ye Family be destroyed by their hands!’

Ye Xuan’s fists clenched. ’Before, I didn’t want to contend for anything, which allowed Ye Xiong and his faction to run rampant. But now, I have to fight. The Ye Family was his father’s life’s work, entrusted to his hands. Even if he had failed to make it prosper, he could not stand by and let these people destroy it.’

A moment later, the referee Elder shook his head. He felt pity for Ye Dong, but also relief for his own daughter. She had been fortunate enough to face a kind clansman like Ye Rou, not someone like Ye Cheng.

With a sigh, he continued the announcements. "Next match! Contestant number fifteen, Ye Ba, versus contestant number forty, Ye Wushuang!"

Ye Wushuang!

The name finally reached the crowd’s ears.

"So what if he got a free pass in the first round? He still has to get on stage eventually. In the second round, he’ll get crushed all the same!"

"Exactly. Running into Ye Ba is just his bad luck!"

"Heh heh, with Ye Ba’s tyrannical temper, he won’t be satisfied until he’s tortured Ye Wushuang good and proper!"

"Getting to see Ye Waste get beaten up again... it’s a goddamn treat!"

The crowd delighted in his misfortune, the resentment from the first round finally finding an outlet. They all eagerly awaited the sight of Ye Wushuang being utterly and cruelly demolished.

"Shuang’er, be careful," Ye Xuan reminded him, his brow tightening. "Ye Ba is at the Qi Vortex Fifth Layer. He’s also cultivated a Fifth-Grade Combat Skill, Meteor Fist. Very few people in the Ye Family can keep him in check."

"I will, Father." Ye Wushuang nodded. His words were met with a fresh wave of disdainful sneers and several cold stares. He didn’t need to guess to know they came from Ye Xiong, his son, and their cronies.

’You want to see a show? Then just you wait!’

The corner of Ye Wushuang’s mouth curled into a cold smirk of his own.

Seeing Ye Wushuang step onto the stage, Ye Ba said with contempt, "I’ll give you three seconds. Kneel and surrender, and I won’t lay a hand on you!"

"What!"

The crowd was instantly displeased. Kneel and surrender, and Ye Ba wouldn’t even touch Ye Wushuang? That was letting him off way too easy!

"I don’t know where you get the confidence to tell me to surrender," Ye Wushuang said, his brow furrowing as a cold glint appeared in his eyes. ’Ye Ba wants to humiliate me the moment I step on stage, making me kneel to spare myself a beating!’

"One!"

Ye Ba couldn’t be bothered to waste words on Ye Wushuang. He spat out the single word as a violent glint began to rise in his eyes.

However, before he could say the word "two," Ye Feng suddenly stood up on the high platform and shouted authoritatively, "Ye Ba, he’s mine! Leave him to me!"