As Liu Zixuan’s words fell, two figures, one tall and one short, had already walked to the front from outside.

Everyone could clearly see the appearances of the two of them.

Tiger and the others paused, displaying a look of surprise: "Why is it you two?"

The two who arrived were none other than the distinguished lady of the Jade Maiden Sect and the Divine Maiden Tongtong who appeared at the Mandarin Duck Pavilion auction. They had only had a brief encounter before. Why were they intervening at this moment?

The noble lady looked at the puzzled crowd and smiled, saying: "Young friend Zixuan, one should show mercy when possible. You have already obtained the Guiding Order, so why not let the people of the Gu Family go?"

"Are you here to help them?" Liu Zixuan asked with implied meaning.

The noble lady shook her head immediately, "No, I will not unilaterally help anyone. I just don’t want to see strife among the Star Sea Martial Artists!"

"People die for wealth just as birds die for food. The Gu Family wanted to kill me for treasures, am I not allowed to fight back?" Liu Zixuan asked unpleasantly.

The noble lady paused for a moment and looked at Gu Daohe: "Second Patriarch of the Gu Family, didn’t your ancestor tell you that before the martial arts tournament, you are not allowed to attack martial artists below the Emperor Realm?"

Gu Daohe was taken aback by her words: "Senior, this was indeed communicated, but Liu Zixuan went too far. He destroyed my nephew’s dantian, killed the son of our sect’s elder, and recently injured our Second Elder while taking the Guiding Order. How could I just let him go?"

Gu Daohe’s address of ’senior’ highlighted the noble lady’s status, indicating that the Jade Maiden Sect’s standing was not lower than that of the Eight Great Powers.

The noble lady pondered for a moment: "Second Patriarch, please don’t be angry. Although young friend Zixuan’s killing intent is strong, as far as I know, it’s all due to specific circumstances. What if you both give me some face and let this matter rest?"

"Let it rest?" Gu Daohe furrowed his brows. Indeed, with the noble lady’s appearance, she had saved him from Liu Zixuan’s lethal strike, but her words seemed to favor Liu Zixuan.

However, Gu Daohe understood that with the noble lady’s presence, no fight could happen today. After hesitating, he said: "Senior, I’m willing to let it go, but our Gu Family suffered significant losses this time, especially with the second young master’s cultivation abolished. Liu Zixuan must pay something."

"In your opinion, what should he pay?" the noble lady asked.

"Let him give me the Guiding Order. And this matter will end here, otherwise our Gu Family will never spare him!" Gu Daohe stated solemnly.

"Impossible!" Liu Zixuan immediately rejected, displeased, "Gu Wenqiu was crippled by my skill, according to Ghost Market rules, it’s not excessive to kill him in a life-and-death fight. The Great Elder’s son died under my sword for not mastering his craft, the same goes for the Second Elder..."

"Young friend Zixuan, please don’t get angry first."

The noble lady waved her hand and said, "A few days ago, the ancestor of the Willow Association gathered some Emperor Realm and powerful masters from Star Sea for a talk. Right now, the overall strength of Star Sea Martial Artists is low. The upcoming martial arts tournament is meant to enhance martial prowess and hone everyone’s resolve."

"Foreign martial artists have been coveting the unique resources of our Star Sea for years and have become increasingly brazen. This is the time when we should unite rather than continue these internal fights which deplete us."

"Beautiful senior, to be honest, I’m not very interested in what you discussed. I’ve never considered myself a gentleman like you big figures who speak of the world’s beings and ethics from high positions."

"But I’m different, I, Liu Zixuan, know that if I’m not ruthless to others, then others will kill me."

"Senior, did you hear that? You’re doing him a favor, yet he doesn’t appreciate it. Why would you help someone like him?" Gu Daohe asked mockingly.

"Young friend Zixuan, this is the will of the ancestor of the Willow Association. He was the one who gathered everyone for the meeting back then."

The noble lady ignored Gu Daohe and continued to persuade Liu Zixuan with earnest effort: "The ancestor of the Willow Association should have mentioned to you as well, though the number of Star Sea Martial Artists isn’t small, breakthroughs to the Emperor Realm are rare, just the threshold of the Emperor Realm deters countless people!"

"Sometimes I wonder, it’s not that we can’t reach that realm, but the martial circle is too chaotic right now. Everyone fights bitterly for trivial gains, never considering the bigger picture."

"The Star Sea has a civilization that spans thousands of years, our martial resources are unique, yet they are being taken bit by bit by foreign martial artists. We should come together to become strong and reclaim what belongs to us, rather than only focusing on immediate benefits."

Liu Zixuan felt increasingly uncomfortable as he listened, raising an eyebrow and asked with a wry smile: "You just said that the threshold of the Emperor Realm has stumped countless martial artists, and the Guiding Order is undoubtedly the quickest path to the Emperor Realm right now."

"By obtaining the Guiding Order to reach the Emperor Realm, we also aim to enhance the strength of Star Sea. Why then should I hand over the Guiding Order to them? Would the Gu Family contribute more than us in defending Star Sea?"

"Isn’t that nonsense? Our Gu Family is one of the Eight Great Powers, we have far more martial artists both in number and strength than you, Liu Zixuan. Just based on this, how can you compete with us?" Gu Daohe shouted triumphantly.

Liu Zixuan sneered and looked at the noble lady: "It’s just because they are one of the Eight Great Powers that we ordinary martial artists must give them any advantage first, isn’t it? Does this mean in the future, the Star Sea Martial Realm will have the strong getting stronger, and the weak getting weaker?"

"Then when foreign martial artists come to seize Star Sea resources, we ordinary martial artists would just become cannon fodder, paving the way for these major sects and powers?"

"I... I didn’t mean that." In a sudden realization, the noble lady regretted her previous words, deeply considering that maybe they were being narrow-minded, Liu Zixuan’s crude words were indeed truthful. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Their thinking was too outdated, always believing that more resources should be given to the powerful, so they would better represent Star Sea Martial Artists when they grew stronger.

Yet in doing so, they neglected the ordinary martial artists.

"You didn’t mean that?" Liu Zixuan let out a cold laugh, "But isn’t that exactly what you were implying?"

"I respect you as a ’senior,’ you’re a senior. If I don’t respect you, to me you’re nothing. Today, I, Liu Zixuan, make it clear, I’m not handing over the Guiding Order. If the Gu Family is dissatisfied and seeks revenge, keep fighting. If the Jade Maiden Sect wants to help them, do as you please. We’re all humans with two shoulders carrying one head. Since birth, I don’t even know how to write the word ’compromise!’"