Martial Arts Overlord-Chapter 734 - 732: Seizing the Initiative

Feeling the unusual atmosphere around him, Luo Feng directed his gaze towards the incoming people, his eyes instantly narrowing.

The cold young man leading the crowd was none other than Yi Tian, the Princely Heir of Qingyun Mansion.

However, what truly caught Luo Feng’s attention was not Yi Tian himself, but the group of people behind him.

The aura of these individuals was incredibly potent. They moved as one, projecting an overwhelming, earth-shaking power that seemed to alter the very colors of the sky and earth.

Moreover, among this group, Luo Feng spotted a few familiar faces.

At the sight of the assembly at the valley entrance, a strange silence fell over Phoenix Soaring Mountain, only to be broken by a sudden eruption of discussion.

"The Princely Heir of Qingyun Mansion, Yi Tian, is here!"

"Look at those people behind Yi Tian! The two conversing should be the Azure Cloud Marquis and Xue Wu Qing, an elder from Jade Hall. Who are those few behind them?"

"If I’m not mistaken, that young man in green should be the Crown Prince. The girl in the red dress beside him—I’ve seen her once in the Dali Dynasty. She is the Third Princess of the Dali Dynasty, Chi Wei! She actually came to watch this duel. However, I haven’t seen the young man in blue beside her before."

"Have you heard? The Young Master of the Nangong family from the North Sea territory is also supposed to be here to observe the battle. Look at that young man in blue—his pupils are unusual. And the two men behind him, with their large builds, they must be the Tiger Shark Guards of the Nangong family. This person must be Young Master Nangong!"

"HISS! Even a prominent figure like Young Master Nangong has come!"

All eyes in the valley were drawn to Yi Tian and his entourage, accompanied by constant gasps of astonishment.

Within the crowd, Chi Wei, the Third Princess of the Dali Dynasty, scanned the nearby mountain peaks, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Steward Zhao, do you see him?" she asked.

Steward Zhao was also searching the throngs on the mountainside. He frowned and replied, "Miss, there are too many people. However, I’ve already arranged for men to search the spectator stands. It shouldn’t take long to find him."

"Very well."

Chi Wei nodded, a flicker of coldness in her eyes.

As she turned her head, she suddenly spotted Luo Feng standing in the distance and was visibly startled.

Noticing the change in Chi Wei’s expression, Steward Zhao asked, "Princess, what is it?"

Chi Wei pointed at Luo Feng, her brow knitting slightly. "Who is he?"

"The four people behind him are disciples from Linglong Hall. If I’m not mistaken, he is Luo Feng, this year’s Martial Champion of the Six Southern Domains. He’s the one who is going to fight Yi Tian today." It was Young Master Nangong, standing beside her, who spoke.

"He is Luo Feng?"

Chi Wei’s eyes narrowed slightly, her expression tinged with uncertainty.

"There should be no mistake."

Young Master Nangong nodded, his pale green eyes meeting Chi Wei’s. He smiled. "What’s wrong? Could it be that you know him?"

Chi Wei hesitated for a moment, the image of a masked young man flashing through her mind. She shook her head and said, "He bears some resemblance to the person who rescued the Demon Eye Clan slaves. But it shouldn’t be him. That man had a childhood injury on his right cheek."

Young Master Nangong smiled faintly, his gaze lingering on Chi Wei’s exquisite figure for a moment before he chuckled. "Don’t worry. If anyone dares to steal something I gifted you, I will definitely find them and let them experience a fate worse than death."

His voice was calm, yet the chill within it made even the usually audacious Chi Wei shudder inwardly.

As the group entered the valley, Xu Rong, the host of the Phoenix Soaring Mountain hunting ground, immediately went to greet them.

"Crown Prince, Marquis..."

The Cold Moon Marquis, Yue Chongshan, stepped forward, looked at the Azure Cloud Marquis, and sneered, "Yi Li, what took you so long? I thought you were too scared to show your face."

"Hahaha... Yue Chongshan, I believe you have that backward."

The Azure Cloud Marquis laughed heartily and stepped out from his retinue, declaring arrogantly, "The ones too afraid to show up should be your Yue family. Your Sword Heart Heaven Jade—I’m claiming it today."

"As if you have the ability. You’re more likely to see your only son lose his life," Yue Chongshan retorted, his expression cold and unyielding.

"My Lords..."

Sensing the charged atmosphere between the two, Xu Rong’s face paled. He flashed between them in an instant.

"My Lords, please calm yourselves. So many renowned martial artists are gathered here, not to mention important figures from other kingdoms. If you two were to fight here, our Dali Dynasty..."

Cold sweat beaded on Xu Rong’s forehead. Both the Azure Cloud Marquis and the Cold Moon Marquis were True Yuan Realm powerhouses. If they truly clashed here, Phoenix Soaring Mountain would likely be razed to the ground. He could not bear such responsibility.

Luo Feng, standing to the side, found the situation somewhat peculiar. He had heard rumors of the bitter animosity between the Cold Moon Marquis and the Azure Cloud Marquis, but he hadn’t expected the one to intervene to be the relatively insignificant Xu Rong, rather than the Crown Prince, who held the highest status present.

Looking at the young man in green, Luo Feng couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

The Crown Prince was currently drenched in a cold sweat, apparently too terrified by the oppressive auras of the two Marquises to even move.

"Xu Rong, there’s no need to be nervous. My father is merely here to greet Marquis Yue," Yi Tian said, stepping forward. He glanced at Luo Feng and his companions, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"I’ve painstakingly built this arena so I can defeat the Martial Champion of the Six Southern Domains before everyone and claim the Sword Heart Heaven Jade. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to destroy this opportunity with my own hands."

"Indeed."

The Azure Cloud Marquis nodded, then looked at Yue Chongshan and chuckled. "Yue Chongshan, if you were trying to provoke us, you’ve sorely miscalculated."

"Senior Sister Ling, I really want to teach him a lesson!" Nanxuan said, glancing at the self-satisfied Yi Tian, her lips pursed.

A cold glint flashed in Ling Qingwu’s eyes. "You are not his match."

Nanxuan pouted, unsatisfied. "I was just saying."

Facing the Azure Cloud Marquis’s ridicule, Yue Chongshan gave a cold smile. He looked at Yi Tian and said, "It’s too early for such talk. Wait until you’ve actually defeated Luo Feng."

Yi Tian raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to Luo Feng. "You mean him?" he said dismissively. "Luo Feng, I advise you not to be too arrogant. I’ve heard you’ve reached the fifth level of the Spiritual Rotation Realm. To improve your cultivation so much in such a short time, I’ll admit, it makes me look at you in a slightly better light."

"However, that alone is far from enough to impress me. To be honest, I broke through to the peak of the fifth level of the Spiritual Rotation Realm ten days ago. In my eyes, you’re no different from an ant."

"Hmm?" Luo Feng’s eyes narrowed.

Noticing the change in Luo Feng’s expression, Yi Tian assumed he was afraid. A smile touched the corner of his lips as he patted Luo Feng’s shoulder and said, "Hehe, I’m not a cruel person. How about this: kneel and publicly admit defeat right now, and I might spare you. What do you say?"

The demand to kneel and surrender caused the expressions of Ling Qingwu, Yue Haitang, and the others to change instantly.

Yue Haitang said coldly, "Yi Tian, don’t push your luck..."

Just then, Luo Feng pushed Yi Tian aside, walked up to Chi Wei, and smiled. "Miss, you are very beautiful. You don’t seem to be from our Canglang Dynasty."

Chi Wei, who had still been wondering if Luo Feng was the one who had rescued the Demon Eye Clan slaves, was startled by the sudden compliment. Unsure of Luo Feng’s intentions, she stammered, "Many... thanks."

Luo Feng picked at his ear with his little finger, then blew on it with an air of disgust. "They say Azure Sky City is renowned for its beautiful waters and scenery. I didn’t expect it to have so many mosquitoes. Just now, one was buzzing incessantly in my ear. Miss, did you hear it too?"

"I..."

Hearing Luo Feng’s words, Chi Wei’s face flushed crimson. She was caught, unsure whether to respond or remain silent.

Meanwhile, Yue Haitang, Nanxuan, and the others were already struggling to suppress their laughter. Even Ling Qingwu, who rarely showed her emotions, had a hint of a smile on her lips.

They had been puzzled as to why Luo Feng had ignored Yi Tian’s provocations earlier, but now they understood: Luo Feng intended to humiliate him in return.

Luo Feng turned back to Yi Tian and grinned. "Princely Heir Yi Tian, did you hear it too?"

"You!"

Yi Tian’s face turned ashen, veins throbbing on his forehead. Even a fool would have realized by now that the "mosquito" Luo Feng mentioned was him. He shouted angrily, "Luo Feng, I’ll kill you!"

BOOM!

He stomped heavily, and a chilling aura erupted from his body as he prepared to strike.

"Enough!"

In the nick of time, the Azure Cloud Marquis casually waved his hand, erecting a wall of Qi in front of Yi Tian.

Yi Tian snapped out of his rage, a cold sweat forming on his back. He realized that if he had attacked Luo Feng in front of so many people, not only he but the entire Qingyun Mansion would have been utterly humiliated from then on.

"Luo Feng, I’ll see you in the arena! I hope you don’t regret this!"

Yi Tian gave a cold harrumph and departed with his group.

Princess Chi Wei of the Dali Dynasty took a few steps, then glanced back at Luo Feng, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly. He shouldn’t... be the one, right?

Watching them leave, Luo Feng smirked coldly.

He had already suspected the girl in the red dress had a significant background, but he hadn’t expected her to be the Third Princess of the Dali Dynasty.

"Luo Feng, it’s a pity Yi Tian didn’t attack you."

Watching Yi Tian’s retreating figure, Yue Chongshan sighed with some regret and said to Luo Feng, "If Yi Tian had attacked just now, I could have crippled him with just cause."

Luo Feng was slightly taken aback. He had noticed earlier that Yue Chongshan had been quietly gathering his Yuan Qi; so this had been his plan. It seemed that none of the six King Marquises were simple individuals.

The crowd in the spectator stands also felt a chill run down their spines.

"Phew! I thought Luo Feng and Yi Tian were about to fight just then."

"Indeed. It’s rumored that the Cold Moon Marquis and the Azure Cloud Marquis are like fire and water, and it certainly seems true."

"With so many powerful experts on Yi Tian’s side, Luo Feng’s side seems somewhat outmatched in comparison."

Yi Tian and his group took their seats to the right of the lake. With a True Yuan Realm expert and nearly ten Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artists among them, they emanated a powerful, oppressive aura, making it difficult for others to even look directly at them.

"These people’s aura is too strong; it’s disadvantageous for Senior Brother Luo Feng," Lin Yue’er said, her delicate eyebrows furrowing with worry as she looked at Yi Tian and his entourage.

Nanxuan asked, "Senior Sister, what’s wrong?"

Lin Yue’er looked grave and explained, "In a martial duel, presence is also crucial. The saying ’seize the initiative by striking first’ holds true. A combatant with a stronger presence can unleash their full strength, while one with a weaker presence might only manage eighty or ninety percent. This difference, however small, can sometimes decide the outcome of a battle. By bringing so many experts for support, Yi Tian is undoubtedly putting immense psychological pressure on Senior Brother Luo Feng."

Nanxuan frowned deeply, biting her lip. "What should we do then?" she murmured. "It’s a pity the Second Hall Master is injured and couldn’t come. My own strength is too low..."

Ling Qingwu’s expression also turned grim.

WHOOSH!

At that very moment, the clamor in the spectator stands abruptly vanished. All eyes turned towards the entrance of the valley, wide with shock.