Chapter 221: Not Huang Li
After the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Sect joined forces to destroy the Martial Market Bank's holdings in Yunwu Commandery, the Martial Market Arena also closed down.
It wasn't until half a month ago that the Martial Market Arena resumed operations.
However, the number of martial artists coming to the arena to compete had greatly decreased; it could be said that visitors were as scarce as sparrows.
Only today did the Martial Market Arena finally regain its former bustling atmosphere, becoming overcrowded.
"The outcome was already decided long ago. Is there any need to watch this battle?" Huang Yanchen said.
She sat atop a tower at the edge of the Martial Market Arena. Pushing open the window, she could see the central battle platform.
This was considered an excellent viewing position!
Behind Huang Yanchen stood a white-haired old woman and a stooped, hunchbacked old man, motionless like two stone statues.
They were the two Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myths specially dispatched by the Qian River Commandery Prince to Yunwu Commandery, tasked with dealing with the Poison Spider Merchant Guild. Both were over a hundred years old and were known as the "Xuanji Twin Peaks."
The old woman was named Feng Xuan, and the old man was named Song Ji.
Since the evil martial artists of the Poison Spider Merchant Guild had all gone into hiding and were difficult to find, the Xuanji Twin Peaks temporarily stayed by Huang Yanchen's side to protect her.
Knowing Zhang Ruochen's true strength, Huang Yanchen naturally felt this battle was without suspense. But for other martial artists, it was a fight with a huge disparity in strength.
One was a Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection cultivator, the other was an Earth Extreme Realm mid-stage cultivator.
Even if Zhang Ruochen's talent was unparalleled, defeating Huang Li would be no easy task.
"Aren't the Martial Market Academy and the Yuntai Sect Mansion supposed to be united against the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Sect? Why are they fighting among themselves first?"
"You wouldn't know! I heard this matter is related to Princess Yanchen."
"How does it involve Princess Yanchen again?"
That martial artist laughed, "When Princess Yanchen was imprisoned in the Earth Fire City, the Ninth Prince Zhang Ruochen was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was Chen Ruo who rescued her. Then that Yuntai Sect Mansion disciple said the Ninth Prince was a coward, afraid to storm the Earth Fire City, and unworthy of Princess Yanchen. Enraged, the Ninth Prince challenged that Yuntai Sect Mansion disciple to a life-and-death duel to clear his name."
"The Ninth Prince is still too impulsive. After all, he's only at the Mysterious Extreme Realm. How can he possibly be a match for an Earth Extreme Realm martial artist?"
"The Ninth Prince was forced into a corner. After all, the rumors about Chen Ruo and Princess Yanchen have now spread across the world, all kinds of gossip long since deviating from the facts. If the Ninth Prince doesn't stand up and assert his authority now, how can he establish himself in the martial arts world?"
"That's true."
...
The entire Martial Market Arena was abuzz with discussion. Some talked about Princess Yanchen and Chen Ruo, others about Duanmu Xingling and Chen Ruo, and still others debated who was stronger, Zhang Ruochen or Huang Li.
Disciples of the Yuntai Sect Mansion and students of the Martial Market Academy had also gathered in the arena, each forming their own camps, creating a confrontational atmosphere.
The Yuntai Sect Mansion disciples, led by Zhang Tiangui and Han Qiu, numbered over forty, half of whom were Earth Extreme Realm inner mansion disciples.
The Martial Market Academy students, led by Si Xingkong and Chen Xier, were slightly more numerous, with most being inner palace students.
"I wonder what exactly happened to provoke our usually mild-tempered Junior Brother Zhang like this. This Huang Li deserves to die!" Chen Xier said.
She understood Zhang Ruochen's temperament well. If the other party hadn't gone too far, he would never have proposed a life-and-death duel to solve the problem.
Si Xingkong held a wine gourd in his hand, his hair disheveled, and laughed, "I'm afraid this might be a deliberate scheme by the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Sect to divide the Martial Market Academy and the Yuntai Sect Mansion, making us fight each other while they reap the benefits."
Chang Qiqi asked, "Senior Brother, do you think the evil martial artists from the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Sect will show up today?"
"Hard to say!"
Si Xingkong raised his gourd, took a sip, and squinted with a smile, "If I were a high-ranking member of the Black Market or the Moon Worship Demon Sect, I would definitely make a move. That way, I could wipe out the young elites of both the Yuntai Sect Mansion and the Martial Market Academy in one fell swoop, severely weakening both major powers. Junior Brother Chang, go tell the other junior brothers and sisters to be extra careful. There might be a fierce battle today."
Chang Qiqi's expression shifted, "Should I notify the Yuntai Sect Mansion side? After all, we're on the same front now..."
"No need!" Si Xingkong shook his head with a smile, "Zhang Tiangui isn't an idiot. He's surely already made arrangements. We don't need to worry. Right now, I'm more interested in that little junior brother of ours. I wonder if he can handle Huang Li?"
Chen Xier knew that Zhang Ruochen had already broken through to the Earth Extreme Realm and become an inner palace student, so she smiled slightly, "What is Huang Li? Going against Junior Brother Zhang is just asking for death."
A loud uproar erupted in the Martial Market Arena as Huang Li stepped onto the battle platform first.
Chen Xier frowned, scanning the arena but failing to spot Zhang Ruochen, "What's going on with Junior Brother Zhang? He hasn't shown up yet? Could something have happened?"
"Something's wrong!" Si Xingkong uttered two words.
Chen Xier asked, "What's wrong?"
Si Xingkong's gaze was fixed tightly on Huang Li standing on the arena platform. He shook his head, "This Huang Li... gives me a very strange feeling, but I can't quite put my finger on what's off. Maybe I'm overthinking it."
Chen Xier also glanced at Huang Li on the platform but didn't dwell on it. After all, they were all young martial artists from the Heavenly Demon Martial City, more or less familiar with each other.
Even if Huang Li had recently made great progress in his cultivation, he couldn't be that formidable. Chen Xier didn't take him seriously at all.
Before long, Zhang Ruochen and the Ninth Princess rode their war beasts into the Martial Market Arena, escorted by a squad of imperial guards.
The arena erupted with even louder noise.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was sharp. He swept his eyes across the arena, pausing on one direction, and nodded to a few acquaintances from the Martial Market Academy. Then he signed the life-and-death contract, stepped onto the platform one by one, and stood opposite Huang Li.
"Whoosh!"
The formation patterns at the edge of the battle platform lit up, forming a spherical light membrane.
Protected by this membrane, the power of the two men on the platform was contained, preventing it from injuring the watching martial artists.
At the same time, the formation inscriptions also prevented martial artists below the platform from interfering in the duel.
Unless one of them conceded first, the formation patterns would remain in place.
Huang Li wielded a one-zhang-long Azure Dragon Broadsword and wore a set of fifth-rank True Martial Treasure-grade crimson armor. His eyes blazed as he stared at Zhang Ruochen.
Without a word and without giving Zhang Ruochen any time to prepare, he immediately swung his blade and attacked.
"Whoosh!"
He gripped the handle with both hands, fingers clenched tightly, his steps steady. The inscriptions within the Azure Dragon Broadsword were fully activated under the impetus of his true qi, unleashing powerful blade qi.
The light at the blade's edge shot up to a height of one zhang.
Before Zhang Ruochen could even steady his footing, a surge of fierce blade wind rushed toward him. His vision was filled with a sea of cyan light, carrying a dangerous killing intent.
"Something's wrong!"
Zhang Ruochen sensed something amiss. He felt that the aura emanating from Huang Li was off, and why was Huang Li attacking so urgently?
Without time to think further, Zhang Ruochen immediately executed his movement technique, sidestepping to the left to evade Huang Li's thunderous strike.
But Huang Li's blade technique was exceptionally cunning, pursuing Zhang Ruochen relentlessly like a clinging bone, slashing horizontally again.
"When did Huang Li's blade technique become so exquisite?"
Zhang Ruochen felt he had previously underestimated Huang Li. The blade technique he was now displaying had at least reached the high-level realm of the blade following the heart.
Although Huang Li's displayed cultivation was still at the Earth Extreme Realm mid-stage, the blade technique he executed was incredibly profound, far beyond what an ordinary Earth Extreme Realm martial artist could achieve.
Zhang Ruochen didn't want to reveal his full strength yet, so he suppressed his cultivation below the Earth Extreme Realm and threw out a probing strike.
"Dragon-Elephant Returns to the Field."
Zhang Ruochen steadied his footing, mobilized his full strength, channeled his true qi to his palm, and struck out, hitting the blade body of the Azure Dragon Broadsword.
The current power of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm was comparable to a spirit-grade mid-rank martial technique, so its might was naturally extraordinary.
As the palm strike landed, the sounds of dragon roars and elephant trumpets rang out.
"Boom!"
A strange light flickered in Huang Li's eyes. The corner of his mouth curled slightly as he abruptly shook his arm. The Azure Dragon Broadsword trembled along with it, emitting a piercing blade hum.
Zhang Ruochen felt a tremendous force transmitted through the Azure Dragon Broadsword, numbing his arm and sending his body flying backward.
Huang Li also retreated, taking nine steps back before steadying himself.
Even Han Qiu of the Yuntai Sect Mansion showed surprise, "When did Huang Li's blade technique become so powerful?"
The surrounding Yuntai Sect Mansion disciples all shook their heads. They had never seen Huang Li use such a formidable blade technique before.
Huang Li had never shown any outstanding performance in the inner mansion of the Yuntai Sect Mansion; he was merely considered an ordinary first-rate genius.
If his blade technique had truly reached such a level, he could have crossed two realms in battle, long since reaching the level of a second-rate genius, or even a second-and-a-half-rate genius. He wouldn't have remained unknown.
Han Qiu's gaze shifted to Zhang Tiangui. She felt that Zhang Tiangui must be hiding something.
Zhang Tiangui's expression was grave. He gently shook his head, "I don't know what's going on either. Perhaps Huang Li was previously concealing his cultivation."
He genuinely didn't know what was happening. In truth, he also sensed something off about Huang Li, but he didn't want to say more. He kept his eyes fixed on the two men locked in combat on the platform.
The stronger Huang Li's cultivation, the better he could test Zhang Ruochen's true strength.
"Number One of the Western Courtyard, impressive indeed, able to block one of my blade strikes. Try this move, 'Saint-Slaying Blade Technique'!"
Huang Li laughed loudly, wielding his blade with both hands like a spinning windmill, forming a massive vortex ten meters in diameter. A fierce blade wind surged, and countless blade shadows appeared around his body.
The blade shadows converged into a dazzling cyan light, slashing toward Zhang Ruochen's head.
In terms of both speed and power, this strike was three times stronger than the previous one.
A sound like a dragon's roar echoed in the air.
Zhang Ruochen's pupils contracted. He stared intently at Huang Li within the blade wind and finally saw through the deception, "You are not Huang Li!"
Although the other party was desperately trying to conceal his aura, Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power was strong, and he quickly noticed the discrepancy. Huang Li's bones and muscles had changed, and even his meridians were slightly misaligned.