"Give it a try?"

In the crowd, the fatty Yu Jie and Tie Lan, who knew Nie Yun’s true strength, were left speechless when they saw the other party propose this contest and the young man act this way.

’An Ultimate Venerable Powerhouse dueling an Armor Realm boy—is there even a need for a trial?’

One can survive a disaster from the heavens, but not one of one’s own making!

They reckoned that if a real fight broke out, even if that boy Liu Yuan didn’t die, he’d be close to it...

The two of them simultaneously mourned for Liu Yuan in their hearts.

’How could this Master Liu Chengze, usually so clever, come up with such a rotten idea at a critical moment?’

How could the two of them know that this idea hadn’t come from Liu Chengze, but from Liu Yuan himself!

Liu Yuan held a grudge after being rejected by the young man. Now that he had a chance to teach him a lesson and get his hands on some treasures, why wouldn’t he take it?

Of course, in his eyes, the young man was definitely weaker than him. If he had known that this unimpressive-looking fellow was an Ultimate Venerable Powerhouse, he probably wouldn’t have dared to suggest this even with a knife to his neck!

"Give it a try? Kid, Young Master Liu Yuan is an Armor Realm expert, you’d better be careful!"

"A duel isn’t child’s play. If you’re not careful, you could get injured, and even death isn’t unheard of!"

When they heard the young man actually wanted to give it a try, all the "well-wishers" became anxious.

’If this kid really gets defeated, won’t the Royal Family’s Weapon and the Ultimate Venerable Talisman all go to Liu Yuan?’

"I know, but I really want to try!" Nie Yun said affirmatively, continuing his shy act.

"Haha, since both sides agree, City Lord, you can arrange the venue!" Liu Chengze clearly hadn’t expected the young man to agree. He laughed excitedly and spoke quickly, afraid the boy would go back on his word.

"Since both sides agree, then... alright!"

Liu Jifei and Liu Chengze were brothers, so it didn’t matter which of them got the treasures. He put on a troubled expression, but inwardly, he was already blooming with joy.

"Wait a moment..."

Just as the City Lord finished speaking, an interrupting voice was heard. Everyone looked over and saw it was Nie Yun, the one who had just agreed to the duel.

"What is it? You already said you would duel. Are you trying to back out?" Liu Yuan jumped in fright when he heard him speak.

"No, I was just thinking. The stakes we’re betting aren’t really fair. If I lose, I not only forfeit the Petrifying Tumor, but I also have to hand over the Royal Family’s Low-Grade Long Spear and the Ultimate Venerable Talisman. But if you lose, you only lose these Elixirs... It’s so unfair, let’s just call it off!" Nie Yun shook his head.

"This..." Liu Yuan froze.

The boy was right. To be honest, the Elixirs he had put up weren’t even worth the price of a single Royal Family’s Low-Grade Long Spear, let alone the other items. A duel with such stakes was indeed unfair.

"Haha, who says it’s unfair? I’ll put all of my items on Liu Chengze’s side as part of his wager. How about that?"

City Lord Liu Jifei suddenly burst out laughing and pushed the items he had brought over to Liu Chengze’s side.

He took out a Thousand-Year Coated Ganoderma, a Thousand-Year Nourishing Vein Flower, a Royal Family’s Top Grade weapon... While these items were not cheap and would rank in the top three among the crowd, even when combined with the Elixirs, they still weren’t worth what Nie Yun had put up.

"I’ll also bet on Master Liu’s side, as part of his wager!" Guard Commander Liu Chen chuckled as well and tossed his items over.

"Huh? We should also add to Master Liu’s wager..."

"Me too..."

Seeing the scene unfold, the rest of the crowd all wished they had an extra arm to throw their items toward Liu Chengze faster. Even a fool could see that if this duel really happened, Liu Yuan was guaranteed to win. It was only a matter of time before he got that Royal Family’s Low-Grade Weapon and the Ultimate Venerable Talisman!

Since that was the case, even if they couldn’t exchange their items for that spear and the Ultimate venerable Talisman later, putting their own things up as stakes would put Master Liu and the City Lord in their debt. It wouldn’t be a problem to exchange for some Elixirs then!

In a moment, aside from the fatty Yu Jie and Tie Lan who sat in place with bewildered expressions, all the treasures of everyone else in the hall were piled up in front of Liu Chengze, forming a small mountain!

"How about it? The items from all of us should be enough to match your three treasures now, right!"

Seeing everyone’s actions, Liu Yuan was so excited he nearly jumped for joy.

"That’s a fair price. Alright, let’s start the duel!"

Looking at the pile of treasures, each one of considerable value, Nie Yun scratched his head and chuckled.

"This council hall of mine has a dedicated martial arts stage. You two can compete there. The first one to fall off the stage loses!"

With both sides in agreement, Liu Jifei stood up and led the crowd through a side door in the main hall.

Inside the side door was a spacious room with a martial arts stage about twenty meters in diameter in the very center.

"This martial arts stage is carved from a single block of granite. It’s incredibly sturdy. Even a Qi Sect Powerhouse battling on it wouldn’t damage it in the slightest. You two can go up now. All of us powerhouses from Jibei City will serve as witnesses, haha!"

Liu Jifei said with a smile.

"Alright, I’ll go first!" Fantasizing about how he would not only teach this boy a lesson but also get his hands on the treasures, Liu Yuan let out an excited cry. His entire body transformed into a streak of light, and he landed as lightly as a falling leaf on the round stage.

"Amazing!"

"What nimble skills!"

"With such an agile Body Technique, he could even escape smoothly from a Qi Sect Powerhouse and remain undefeated. It looks like we placed our bets correctly!"

Seeing the Body Technique Liu Yuan displayed as he mounted the stage, everyone’s eyes lit up, as if they could already see the hope of victory.

"Then I’ll come up too!"

Nie Yun lacked Liu Yuan’s agile skills. After adjusting the black sword on his back, he clambered somewhat clumsily onto the martial arts stage.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to jump up or show off a cool move. It was that the stage was over two meters high, and without using True Qi, it was simply impossible to jump up while carrying the Profound Jade Sword...

"Huh? This..."

"He can’t even jump onto the stage? His strength is just too poor..."

Seeing the contrast between Liu Yuan and Nie Yun getting on stage, everyone’s expressions turned very strange.

"Can we begin?"

Seeing how clumsy the young man was just getting onto the stage, Liu Yuan almost burst out laughing. He clasped his hands behind his back and asked with the air of an expert.

"Alright, let’s begin!"

Nie Yun nodded.

"Take this!"

With a furious shout, Liu Yuan moved!

SWOOSH!

The moment he moved, his entire body became a gust of wind, rushing toward Nie Yun like a bolt of lightning!

"A Marquis Clan’s Top-Grade Martial Art, the Falling Flower Chasing Wind Step? City Lord Liu, you’re truly generous, to have even taught this Secret Manual to Young Master Liu Yuan!"

Seeing Liu Yuan move, creating what looked like a dozen afterimages on the stage in an instant, Liu Chen commented with a smile from below.

The Falling Flower Chasing Wind Step was said to allow one to catch every petal blown off by a gale before they hit the ground. It was City Lord Liu Jifei’s signature technique, and it was a real eye-opener that he had passed it down to his nephew.

"With this Step Technique and his speed, he’s already in an unbeatable position. Congratulations, Master Liu, on being about to obtain a Royal Family’s Low-Grade Weapon and an Ultimate Venerable Talisman!"

"Congratulations, Master Liu..."

Seeing Liu Yuan’s figure dance across the stage while the sword-bearing youth seemed completely unable to dodge, the crowd all felt the outcome was decided and began to congratulate Liu Chengze.

"Hehe, my humble son’s Cultivation is not worth mentioning. You all flatter me..."

Hearing everyone’s congratulations, Liu Chengze was overjoyed. Though his words were exceedingly modest, saying his son wasn’t worth mentioning, he stroked his beard, his pride in his son beyond words.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The cheers from below the stage were completely one-sided, and the situation on stage didn’t look good either.

Liu Yuan spun around Nie Yun like a whirlwind. The young man seemed not to have even reacted before taking a palm to the back and a kick to the chest, looking utterly wretched.

"Haha, you don’t stand a chance! Just give up!"

Seeing that the youth’s eyes could follow his speed, but his feet were as slow as an old man’s, Liu Yuan let out a triumphant cry.

’It seems that with the Profound Jade Sword on my back, my speed is still too slow using only my physical strength...’

Ignoring his opponent’s shouts, Nie Yun moved his body and shook his head helplessly.

’Logically, it should be easy for me to defeat an Armor Realm boy even without using True Qi. But with the Profound Jade Sword on my back, my speed has dropped. Facing a speed-type opponent is making me too passive!’

’What is Nie Yun doing...’

In contrast to the joyful crowd, Tie Lan’s fine brows knitted together. She found this very strange.

’Others might not know the youth on the stage possesses the strength of an Ultimate Venerable, but she knew it very well. How could an Ultimate Venerable Level expert be so slow that he can’t even beat an Armor Realm boy?’

’Even if he’s going easy on him, he wouldn’t go *this* easy, would he!’ 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Nie Yun had never told Tie Lan about the Profound Jade Sword, so she had no idea that the unremarkable longsword on his back actually weighed a staggering 13,424 jin!

’Lord Yun really knows how to put on a show...’

Unlike Tie Lan’s confusion, the fatty Yu Jie had complete trust in the young man before him.

It wasn’t blind faith. Whenever he recalled the miracle the young man had performed on him, he couldn’t help but tremble with awe.

’He clearly only had the strength of the Peak of Armor Realm, yet with an infusion of the boy’s powerful True Qi, he had briefly possessed combat strength even greater than an Early-Stage Qi Sect expert. For someone with that kind of ability to be unable to defeat an Armor Realm boy—wasn’t that the most absurd joke in the world?’

Therefore, in Yu Jie’s eyes, the only reason the young man on the stage hadn’t struck back was that he was simply toying with Liu Yuan!

"I hope you won’t tell anyone that I’m an Ultimate Venerable..."

Recalling the young man’s instructions, Yu Jie became even more certain of his own opinion.

’He’s not even willing to reveal that he’s an Ultimate Venerable. He must be trying to hide his strength so he can properly humiliate Liu Yuan and the others!’

"Haha, Nie Yun, your reaction speed is fast, but your movement speed is just too slow! In that case, let’s end this battle!"

Seeing that the young man could no longer keep up with his speed at all, Liu Yuan laughed excitedly. He stacked his palms and launched three consecutive strikes at Nie Yun!

Each of the three strikes was faster than the last. If he were hit, no matter how strong his Defense was, the young man would surely be knocked off the stage and lose the match!

"Too slow? Perhaps... But a slow move can still defeat you!"

Seeing his opponent launch such a ferocious series of attacks, Nie Yun shook his head. With a single motion, he grabbed the Profound Jade Sword from his back and held it in his hand, roaring, "Get down! Momentum of Mountains and Rivers!"

After roaring, he brought the sword cleaving down!

His sword didn’t strike Liu Yuan, nor the force of his opponent’s palm strikes, but the granite floor!

BOOM!

The longsword, imbued with the power of the Momentum of Mountains and Rivers, transformed into a massive wave of Sword Qi and slammed violently into the stone stage. With a deafening CRACK, a fissure wider than a man’s shoulders split the ground. The entire stage, as if struck by a meteor, was covered in a dense web of cracks as shattered rock flew everywhere.

"Get down!"

After shattering the incredibly sturdy stage into rubble with a single strike, Nie Yun lifted his foot and kicked at Liu Yuan, who had yet to regain his footing!

"What?"

Before Liu Yuan could even react to his shock, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted straight off the stage! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com and vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation.)