A max-level player in Jade Dynasty: Awakening the Innate Dao at the start.

The final arena was excessively large, constructed entirely of white jade.

Under the dazzling afternoon sun, everything was blindingly white, almost making it impossible to open one's eyes.

Qi Hao stood quietly on the east side of the arena, his blue robe spotless.

She was meticulous, even tying the hair ribbon perfectly.

He wore that signature, perfectly measured, gentle smile.

He gracefully clasped his hands in a fist salute and bowed slightly as Zhang Xiaofan walked slowly towards him from the opposite direction.

"Junior Brother Zhang, please."

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, neither too fast nor too slow, perfectly embodying the demeanor and bearing expected of the senior disciple of the Qingyun Sect.

Anyone who sees him would have to praise him as "a gentleman of modesty and gentleness, as warm and refined as jade."

Zhang Xiaofan did not immediately return the gift.

He stood there, his gaze fixed on Qi Hao, and stared at him for a full three breaths.

Then, suddenly, he smiled.

That smile held no hint of politeness, only a blatant amusement:

"Aren't you tired of pretending like this?"

Qi Hao's perfect smile froze almost imperceptibly for a moment.

"I bet he secretly wishes he could smash me into mincemeat and grind me into powder, right?"

Zhang Xiaofan took a small step forward, closing the already short distance between them, his voice casual and conversational.

"But he still had to put on this 'good senior brother' act on his face."

"Two years have passed, and you've been holding this in for so long, haven't you developed internal injuries from it?"

Qi Hao's smile was like the thin ice on the surface of a spring stream.

Under Zhang Xiaofan's merciless words, it melted and peeled away little by little.

He stared at Zhang Xiaofan, the carefully maintained facade of gentleness completely vanishing from his eyes.

It revealed the cold, hard substance beneath, like ancient ice.

"Two years," he said, his voice lower than before, each word seeming to have been pulled from an ice cellar.

Two years ago, on Tongtian Peak, you ambushed and seriously injured me.

That was the greatest humiliation of my life, Qi Hao.

"So?" Zhang Xiaofan raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"So today," Qi Hao said, enunciating each word clearly, his voice finally revealing a long-suppressed chill and hatred.

"I will repay you tenfold. You slapped me once that day, and today I will return the favor with ten slaps."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaofan showed no fear whatsoever.

Instead, he nodded in agreement, his expression even appearing somewhat serious.

"Understood. So what are you waiting for? Come here."

Qi Hao didn't move.

He is observing and evaluating.

He did not witness the earth-shattering duel between Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi that morning.

I only heard those incoherent, almost mythical descriptions from my junior brothers who rushed back.

What kind of "slaying demons and gods" could possibly clash with "the divine sword's thunder control technique"?

What about catching Tianya's blade barehanded? What about turning the entire arena into dust?

Deep down, he didn't really believe it.

He acknowledged that Lu Xueqi possessed exceptional talent and that the Tianya Divine Sword was unparalleled in power.

But how long has Zhang Xiaofan been cultivating? At most, five years.

Five years is a long time; even if he is a once-in-a-millennium genius,

Reaching the eighth level of the Jade Purity Realm is already the limit of the limit.

As for Qi Hao, he was at the peak of the eighth level of the Jade Purity Realm, and one foot had already touched the threshold of the Upper Purity Realm!

Not to mention, he had lived nearly a hundred years longer and cultivated for nearly a hundred years longer than his opponent!

This understanding and application of Taoist principles, as well as the accumulation of experience in combat,

How could a junior who has only cultivated for five years compare to him?

Even so, he remained extremely cautious.

His gaze, like the finest comb, swept over Zhang Xiaofan's entire body inch by inch—

A calm face, a relaxed posture, hands casually hanging at his sides.

Finally, the image focuses on that ugly, black fire poker stuck diagonally at the waist.

The stick looked ordinary, even somewhat crude.

But Qi Hao knew that it was this inconspicuous stick that had blocked the full force of the divine weapon "Tianya" that morning.

There were no flaws.

This was the conclusion Qi Hao reached after careful observation.

Zhang Xiaofan stood there loosely, seemingly completely naked.

But when you actually want to attack those "open doors," you feel a strange sense of unease.

It seems that behind every seemingly random flaw lies a deadly trap.

The feeling was extremely awkward, like...like seeing a tiger fast asleep.

You know it's asleep, but the intimidating aura emanating from the depths of your blood makes you unable to even muster the courage to approach it.

An invisible pressure, like a cold yet powerful hand, quietly tightened its grip on Qi Hao's heart.

The audience below was already buzzing with excitement.

"Who do you think will win this match?"

"Is that even a question? It must be Senior Brother Qi Hao! The runner-up in the last Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament!"

Over a century of arduous cultivation, the mastery of Taoist techniques, and the sophistication of experience—this is no child's play.

"But Zhang Xiaofan just beat Lu Xueqi this morning!"

Didn't you see Junior Sister Lu's Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique?

That's simply... If Zhang Xiaofan can beat her, why can't he beat Qi Hao?

"This is different. Junior Sister Lu is strong, yes."

But after all, he has only been cultivating for a short time, and his experience in battle is nowhere near that of Senior Brother Qi Hao.

Senior Brother Qi Hao possesses a genuine century-old heritage…

The debate quickly split into two distinct factions.

One faction firmly supports Qi Hao, believing that the cultivation and experience gained over time is an insurmountable gap;

The other faction, however, favored Zhang Xiaofan, this dark horse who had suddenly emerged from nowhere.

He believed that being able to defeat Lu Xueqi already proved that he had the strength to win the championship.

These whispers drifted faintly onto the arena and reached Qi Hao's ears.

This calmed his slightly fluctuating emotions a little.

Yes, a century of cultivation.

I have lived nearly a hundred years longer than him, and cultivated myself for nearly a hundred years longer.

For nearly a century, day and night, countless times of breathing exercises have circulated throughout the body.

Countless times I studied Taoist methods, countless times I sparred with others, and countless times I went down the mountain to gain experience...

This profound accumulation of knowledge and skills cannot be easily erased by mere talent.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the inexplicable unease.

His right hand rested firmly on the hilt of the "Frost Sword" at his waist.

The Frost Sword is one of the most famous magical treasures passed down through generations of Dragon Head Peak.

The sword's blade is a deep, icy blue, as if it were sculpted from millennia-old ice.

The moment the sword was drawn three inches from its sheath, a bone-chilling coldness spread out!

The arena's smooth white jade surface, centered on Qi Hao,

A thin layer of frost-like ice crystals quickly condensed.

The surrounding air temperature plummeted, and the disciples near the arena couldn't help but shiver, instinctively wrapping their robes tighter.

Zhang Xiaofan also moved.

He simply pulled out the fire poker from his waist and held it in his hand.

It still had that same dark, rough, and unremarkable appearance.

But just as he clenched his fingers and gripped the stick tightly—

Qi Hao's pupils suddenly contracted!

He clearly sensed a subtle yet chillingly malevolent aura.

Awakening from that black rod, it was like an ancient, ferocious beast slumbering in the deepest abyss.

At that moment, it slowly opened its pair of ferocious eyes.

We can't wait any longer! We must seize the opportunity!

A cold glint flashed in Qi Hao's eyes, and with a clang, the Frost Sword in his hand was fully drawn!

The icy blue blade reflected a cold luster in the sunlight. He gripped the hilt tightly with both hands and took a step forward!

This step was powerful and heavy! The frost that had formed beneath his feet cracked and exploded, sending tiny ice crystals flying in all directions like shrapnel!

In that single step, his figure seemed to transform into a streak of blue lightning that skimmed across the ground.

In the blink of an eye, they had already closed in on Zhang Xiaofan!

The Frost Sword, infused with a century's worth of cultivation and the full spiritual power of the peak eighth level of the Jade Purity Realm.

With a chilling cold that freezes the soul, it slashes down!

The sword light was icy blue, almost tangible! Wherever it passed,

The air hissed as it froze, leaving a clearly visible trail of white frost!

"Senior Brother Qi Hao is getting serious!" someone in the audience exclaimed in surprise.

"The power of that sword strike...it's terrifying!"

"Can Zhang Xiaofan...stop him?!"

block?

Zhang Xiaofan was too lazy to even make the "block" motion.

He slightly raised his eyes, looking at the icy blue sword light that was descending upon him, carrying a century of resentment and all its might.

Looking at Qi Hao's face, slightly distorted from exerting all his strength, devoid of any gentleness,

His right wrist, which held the fire poker, simply flicked casually—

The fire poker changed from pointing vertically to the ground to sweeping horizontally.

The movements are simple and unpretentious, like casually waving a branch to shoo away annoying flies on a summer afternoon.

However, the moment the stick was swept out, something unexpected happened!

A layer of solidified, almost tangible, azure energy suddenly burst forth from the jet-black staff!

The aura was not a blinding light, but a thick, arc-shaped blade of light carrying a sense of solidity and power.

Without any frills, he met the descending icy blue sword blade head-on!

"Clang—!!!!"

A sharp, metallic clang, almost piercing the eardrums, suddenly exploded!

The Frost Sword was smashed away by an overwhelming, savage, and terrifying force!

It's not about cleverly deflecting force, nor about using softness to overcome hardness; it's about crushing with the purest and most savage force!

Qi Hao felt an indescribable force coming from the sword, and the tiger's mouth of his hands, which were gripping the hilt tightly, instantly cracked.

Warm blood flowed down the icy blue hilt of the sword, dripping onto the frosty white jade ground.

The blossoms burst forth in dazzling red. He gritted his teeth, using almost all the strength he had left.

He barely managed to prevent the Frost Sword, which had been with him for many years, from flying out of his hand.

But just when his old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet arisen,

The moment when the blood and energy in his entire body were shaken and churned by the collision—

The black fire poker had landed squarely on the center of his chest.

It's not a thorn, not a point, it's the most direct and brutal "smash"!

The moment the stick made contact with the sternum, a clear, teeth-grinding "crack" echoed throughout the silent arena.

Qi Hao was sent flying backwards like a stone thrown by a catapult, without any resistance!

His body traced a clumsy parabola through the air, flying directly over the edge of the wide arena.

It crashed heavily onto the hard bluestone plaza ground ten feet away!

Upon landing, the body even bounced up uncontrollably again.

Then it went completely limp, like a tattered sack, and lay motionless.

...It's broken.

This was his last perception before his consciousness completely faded into darkness.

An indescribable, excruciating pain exploded in my chest, instantly engulfing my entire body.

With each difficult breath, it felt like countless cold knives were churning wildly inside my lungs.

He used his last bit of strength to struggle to his feet, but his limbs felt like they had fallen apart and wouldn't obey his brain's commands.

A deathly silence fell over the arena and its surroundings.

one move.

From the moment Qi Hao charged forward with his sword, so aggressive, to the moment he collapsed like a dead dog ten feet away,

The whole process was so fast that it didn't even take a blink of an eye, and it definitely didn't take more than three breaths.

Most people hadn't even recovered from Qi Hao's astonishingly powerful sword strike when this highly anticipated final...

It has come to an abrupt and complete end.

The silence lasted for a full five breaths.

Then, like a powder keg ignited,

A thunderous roar of exclamations and uproar erupted!

"He...he lost? Senior Brother Qi Hao...he lost?"

"One move? You only used one move?!"

"My God... what kind of monster is Zhang Xiaofan? What is his cultivation level?!"

The disciples of Dragon Head Peak stood rooted to the spot, like clay or wooden sculptures.

Their faces were all looking worse than the last, alternating between pale and flushed.

Just moments before, they were yelling at the top of their lungs.

They shouted at the top of their lungs, "Senior Brother will win!" and "Dragon Head Peak is invincible!"

At this moment, they wished the ground would immediately crack open so they could crawl into it.

A young disciple, pale-faced, unconsciously murmured in a low voice:

"I should have shouted 'Senior Brother is doomed to lose' earlier..."

The senior student next to him immediately glared at him fiercely, his eyes so menacing they looked like he wanted to devour him.

But deep down, the same thought must have crossed my mind.

How embarrassing! So incredibly embarrassing!

The louder I shouted just now, the more my face felt burning with pain.

Driven by extreme shock and an irrepressible excitement, someone was the first to shout out:

"Zhang—Xiao—Fan—!"

Then came the second sound, the third sound...

The shouts spread like wildfire, quickly becoming a continuous roar!

Thousands of Qingyun disciples, regardless of who they had previously supported,

At this moment, everyone was overwhelmed by the shock brought by this absolute power, and they shouted the same name in unison.

The sound waves were like a tsunami, one wave higher than the next, making the ground of the square beneath our feet seem to tremble slightly!

"Zhang Xiaofan! Zhang Xiaofan! Zhang Xiaofan!"

Zhang Xiaofan stood alone on that empty yet glorious final arena.

Hearing the cheers surging towards him like a tidal wave,

Looking at the young faces below the stage, flushed with excitement and brimming with fervor and adoration,

Deep within my heart, that long-dormant, long-suppressed passion...

Finally, at this moment, it completely boiled over and surged forth!

Two years of forbearance, two years of arduous self-cultivation, two years of utmost caution and walking on thin ice.

Now, he can finally speak openly and honestly, without reservation.

Standing on this stage, which represents the highest honor for the younger generation of Qingyun, receive the heartfelt cheers and recognition from everyone!

On the other side of Dazhu Peak, they were completely engulfed in a sea of ​​ecstasy!

Song Daren was the first to let out a beast-like howl, his massive body unleashing astonishing speed.

The first one rushed onto the stage, opened his arms, and gave Zhang Xiaofan a bear hug that almost broke his ribs.

A large, fan-like hand slapped his back forcefully.

It was as if only in this way could I release the excitement and pride that was almost overflowing in my heart!

He Dazhi, Lü Daxin, Zheng Dali, Wu Dayi, Du Bishu...

All the senior disciples from Dazhu Peak swarmed forward with strange cries.

They lifted Zhang Xiaofan up and tossed him into the air again and again!

"Dazhu Peak! First place!"

"Xiao Fan! That's amazing!!"

"Our Dazhufeng... has finally met its match! Hahahaha!"

Cheers, laughter, and excited shouts mingled together, filled with the most simple and sincere joy.

Tian Ling'er was so anxious she was jumping up and down in the audience, waving her little hands and shouting:

"Senior Brother! Slow down! Don't let Xiao Fan fall!"

Upon hearing this, Song Daren turned around and grinned at Tian Ling'er, his voice booming:

"Fall? With Junior Brother's current physique and cultivation level?"

"If you threw him off this towering peak, I reckon he could fly back up on his own!"

Zhang Xiaofan was tossed up, caught, and tossed up again by his fellow disciples...

My gaze alternated between the azure sky and the flushed faces of my fellow students, each one red with excitement.

The warm current in my heart surged so intensely that it almost became tangible.

This is family, this is the sect.

The glory you have achieved makes them a hundred times happier than if they had achieved it themselves.

In the distance, at the front of Xiaozhu Peak's group, Lu Xueqi stood quietly.

A cool gaze pierced through the noisy crowd and landed on the boy who was being tossed around by the crowd.

A clear thought uncontrollably surfaced in her mind:

When he played against me this morning, he held back to a certain extent...

It is probably far more than I thought.

Even Qi Hao, who had cultivated for a hundred years and was renowned, could not withstand a single move from him.

So, he, who fought fiercely with himself for so long and finally withdrew...

How much of his true strength did he actually use at that time?

This thought, like a tiny feather, gently scratched the calm lake of her heart.

Ripples spread out, indescribable, tinged with frustration, but mostly filled with curiosity and exploration.

On the high platform, the face of the immortal Cangsong was so gloomy that it could be wrung out.

He stared intently at the chaos below the arena—

The disciples of Longshou Peak were frantically surrounding the unconscious Qi Hao, trying to save him;

Then he stared at Zhang Xiaofan on the arena, being tossed up by the crowd of people from Dazhu Peak and enjoying their cheers.

Staring at the pool of glaring blood that kept flowing from Qi Hao's mouth and seeping onto the bluestone floor...

His fingers, hidden beneath his sleeves, gripped the hard ironwood armrests of the chair beneath him, causing them to creak under the weight.

After a long while, he slowly turned his head, his gaze like a knife chilled to the bone.

The wind swept towards Tian Buyi, who stood beside him looking completely at ease; its voice was so cold it could almost freeze the air.

"Junior Brother Tian... your methods of teaching and imparting skills are truly becoming more and more 'skillful'."

Tian Buyi seemed oblivious to the chilling undertone in his words.

He slowly put down his teacup, a remarkably "simple" smile spreading across his face.

He even waved his hand and said, "Senior Brother Cangsong, you flatter me, you flatter me."

Xiao Fan is just too honest and doesn't know his own strength when he strikes.

He doesn't understand those intricacies; I'll definitely give him a good talking to later.

"Don't you know your own strength?"

Master Cangsong suddenly stood up from his seat, looking down at Tian Buyi with a piercing gaze.

His voice trembled slightly with suppressed anger.

Qi Hao's sternum is broken! His internal organs are injured, he is vomiting blood and has fallen into a coma!

"Is this what you call lacking sense of proportion?! Tian Buyi, this is called letting your henchmen commit murder! You're ruthless!"

"Ruthless?"

Tian Buyi's smile faded, and he slowly stood up.

Although he was shorter than the pine tree, his imposing presence was in no way inferior.

The two people, separated by a small table laden with teacups, felt their gazes meet in mid-air, as if they were tangible objects.

"Brother Cangsong, we need to be reasonable."

My apprentice, Zhang Xiaofan, has only been cultivating for five years at most!

Facing that 'genius' senior brother from Dragon Head Peak who has cultivated for over a hundred years...

If he doesn't go all out, if he doesn't give it his all...

Who is lying there now, vomiting blood, unconscious, with broken bones?!

He took a small step forward, his voice suddenly rising in pitch, like a muffled thunderclap in the ears of the chief ministers:

Five years! No, a hundred years!

If my apprentice had shown mercy, he would be the one whose fate is now unknown!

But the result?

Your precious disciple, who has cultivated for over a hundred years and is revered by your Dragon Head Peak, couldn't even withstand a single move from my disciple!

He was sent flying off the ring with a single blow!

"You—!" Master Cangsong was so angry that his spiritual energy fluctuated, and his robes fluttered even without wind.

Tian Buyi, however, remained unyielding, continuing to pierce the heart with every word:

"I really want to ask Senior Brother Cangsong, what exactly has your Dragon Head Peak taught Qi Hao over the past hundred years?"

Huh? You've eaten all the food from the past hundred years...

Hmph, anyway, I didn't get to eat at the places I was supposed to go!

He can't even beat a junior who has only cultivated for five years.

How dare you stand here and accuse my apprentice of being too heavy-handed?!

"Tian Buyi!" Master Cangsong could no longer contain himself and roared, his voice shaking the roof tiles.

"You let your disciples run rampant and seriously injure your fellow disciples. Not only do you show no remorse, but you also try to argue your way out of this mess!"

Do you even respect the rules of the sect?! Do you even respect me, the elder in charge of enforcement?!

"Sect rules?" Tian Buyi scoffed, his eyes sharp as knives.

"In the arena, swords have no eyes; if you get hurt, you have to accept your fate. Isn't this the rule of the sect?"

If you think this is also "acting violently",

Alright, from now on, the Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament will be discontinued.

Wouldn't it be more harmonious if our seven leaders sat down with their disciples to have some tea and discuss the Dao?

This will also save your precious disciple from being "severely injured" again!

"You...you're spouting heretical nonsense from the demonic sect!" Master Cangsong's eyes widened in fury.

"The Demonic Sect?" Tian Buyi's eyes suddenly turned cold and dangerous at that moment.

An aura far more profound and weighty than that of the Celestial Pine Master subtly rose up.

"Senior Brother Cangsong, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want!"

I, Zhang Xiaofan, a disciple of Great Bamboo Peak, have defeated powerful enemies with honor and integrity, relying solely on my strength.

Winning the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, in your mouth, becomes "the actions of a demonic cult"?

Then what about your eldest brother, whom Dragon Head Peak nurtured for a century with all its resources, only to be defeated by my disciple in a single move? Hmm?

He paused slightly, then, in an extremely calm tone, softly uttered the last two words:

"waste."

These two words were spoken softly.

But like two red-hot and then quenched ice awls, they pierced deeply into the heart of the Pine Immortal, shattering all his pride and dignity!

The face of the immortal Cangsong instantly changed from ashen to deathly pale, and then from deathly pale to a terrifying blood red!

He stared intently at Tian Buyi, his chest heaving violently, his throat gurgling.

It was as if countless vicious curses were about to burst forth, but in the end, not a single word could be uttered.

"Good...good...very good! Tian Buyi, I, Cangsong, will remember this humiliation!"

Finally, he squeezed out those words through gritted teeth, and with a sudden flick of his sleeve,

He turned and walked away, his steps quick and heavy, as if he wanted to crush the high platform beneath his feet.

The figure in that silhouette exuded a resentment and rage that seemed to solidify into a tangible form.

Tian Buyi watched his angry departure before slowly returning to his seat.

I picked up the cup of tea, which had cooled slightly, and took a big, satisfying sip.

Cool.

It feels so damn good, completely comfortable.