Dharma Seal Peak and the three great families fared a bit better. Their Wind Blades and flying swords, weaving through the battlefield, could be used to rescue their own teammates.

This was especially true for Zhu Feiyu’s flying sword. Having achieved Sword and Man Unity, he could channel all his power into the blade, which moved in perfect sync with his thoughts.

This precision allowed Zhu Feiyu to have his sword fly right past his clansmen’s faces without so much as scratching them.

This ability enabled the three great families to commit a limited number of people to the fight. It was also why they were ranked third, behind only Longxi Peak and Molten Fire Peak.

The reason for this "limited" force—as opposed to an all-out assault—was that cultivating Sword Intent at his age had already drained all of Zhu Feiyu’s energy. He simply lacked the capacity to extend his Heart Spirit to cover his entire surroundings.

Consequently, if too many people from the three great families were in peril at once, he would be completely unable to rescue them all in time.

...

The fear of being hunted by Demons and Evil Spirits forced the disciples from the other six peaks of the Seven Profound Sect and the three great families to remain on high alert, making survival their top priority.

The disciples of Longxi Peak, on the other hand, were slaughtering Demonic Fiends with reckless abandon, completely free of worry. It was as if they had an invincibility cheat on the battlefield. Under these circumstances, their rate of scoring points was, naturally, absurdly high.

As a result, the expressions on the spectators’ faces were quite peculiar.

’At this rate, you might as well just declare Longxi Peak the winner...’

Although they grumbled inwardly, the three great families didn’t voice their complaints. They knew the other peaks of the Seven Profound Sect would be the first to object.

And as it turned out... they were right.

This blatant unfairness immediately prompted the Senior Brother of Molten Fire Peak to step forward. After bowing with clasped hands toward Wei Jingcheng, he began, "Martial Uncle, this..."

But before he could finish, Wei Jingcheng cut him off impatiently.

"You fool! Look closely. This isn’t cheating. It’s a supreme prodigy from Longxi Peak protecting them."

At his words, everyone immediately fixed their gaze upon the sky screen. But no matter how long they stared, they couldn’t see a thing.

This was to be expected. After the earlier surprise attack, Zhong Ming realized he had been too careless and materialized the Longxi Magical Robe he had conceived.

This Magical Robe not only enhanced his defenses but also used shifting water vapor to conceal his form, keeping him constantly invisible.

Furthermore, the water droplets he flicked out could also turn invisible by refracting light.

Moreover, the power within the water droplets was extremely contained. When they struck Demonic Fiends, they didn’t rely on brute force or sharpness to tear them apart.

Instead, they used the Ripples of Water technique to transfer power into the enemy’s body, which would then erupt from within. This stealthy attack, with its minimal movements, made it impossible for anyone to detect Zhong Ming’s whereabouts.

Well... this was also because the spectators could only watch the sky screen.

If they were there in person, the Divine Sense of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators could have easily detected the battlefield anomalies and discovered Zhong Ming’s trail.

However, everything the outside world was seeing was a projection from the Heaven-Filling Array Map.

And forget Foundation Establishment; even a Golden Core cultivator would find it nearly impossible to infiltrate the Heaven-Filling Array Map undetected.

Since they could only watch through a screen, it was natural that the crowd couldn’t perceive any of the finer details.

...

’Is there really a Longxi Peak disciple of incredible power hidden on the field?’

Wei Jingcheng’s words started a wave of murmuring among the crowd.

And just as the Cultivators on the viewing platform were divided—some believing, others frowning—Yi Qing, who had remained mostly silent since arriving at the Seven Profound Sect, suddenly spoke. "To protect so many people all by himself... Senior Brother Wei, my congratulations. Your Seven Profound Sect’s Longxi Peak has truly produced a hidden dragon."

!!!

As the Vice Tower Lord of the Golden Jade Tower, Yi Qing’s words carried immense weight. Her statement sent a shockwave through everyone present.

’Lady Yi actually believes Wei Jingcheng?!’

’No, it’s not that she believes him. She must have already received word...’ someone quickly realized. "Don’t forget, the Golden Jade Tower rarely meddles in local conflicts. For three Vice Tower Lords to come here together, there must be something at the Seven Profound Sect worthy of their attention."

"Yan Chen may be strong, but he relies on the power of a Magical Artifact. The same goes for Han Yu of Dharma Seal Peak. In the Golden Jade Tower, talents like them would only qualify as Earth-level Guests. They would never warrant a personal visit from three Vice Tower Lords."

"But someone who can protect so many people with their power alone... that’s a different story entirely."

"So, the Seven Profound Sect’s strongest prodigy is still on Longxi Peak?"

"But aren’t the rumors all saying the Seven Profound Sect has given up on training Sword Cultivators?"

"Heh, you believe those rumors? Have you considered the possibility that the last incident put the Seven Profound Sect on guard, so they deliberately spread that false information?"

...

The Zhu Family Patriarch’s analysis was logical and well-supported. It caused the crowd on the viewing platform to look at the Seven Profound Sect’s leadership with incredibly complex expressions, now tinged with a hint of fear.

’How insidious!’

’The Zhu, Hong, and Cheng Families have been royally screwed...’

’Isn’t that the truth? This time, if the Zhu, Hong, and Cheng Families want to escape this unscathed, they’re going to have to pay a hefty price.’

After learning that Longxi Peak had an unparalleled Sword Cultivator, the various Patriarchs, secretly exchanging messages, all came to believe that the current situation was a deliberate trap set by the Seven Profound Sect.

Those with more cynical minds even believed that the previous failures in training had cost the Seven Profound Sect a great deal of resources. They wanted to recoup their losses but lacked a legitimate excuse, so they set this trap, waiting for others to willingly fall into it.