Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

As soon as Yang Guo finished speaking, he inwardly groaned. His lower back was sore and weak. If he really had to fight these seven old Taoist priests head-on with their internal strength, he would definitely die on the cold jade bed when he returned to the Ancient Tomb tonight.

His footwork suddenly changed, abandoning the orthodox bow stance of the Quanzhen School, bending his knees, turning his waist, and sliding out along the bluestone slab.

This was precisely the Snake-like and Fox-like Technique from the Nine Yin Manual. He was determined not to do any heavy physical work, so instead of rushing straight to the center of the formation, he slipped through the gap between Wang Chuyi in the Tianxuan position and Hao Datong in the Tianji position.

Wang Chuyi slashed horizontally with his longsword, its sword aura sharp and fierce. Hao Datong raised his longsword from below. The two swords intertwined to form a tight sword net, blocking Yang Guo's path.

Yang Guo glanced at the two sword lights and curled his lip; he had long since figured out the sword technique.

Instead of retreating, he advanced, his longsword still sheathed, thrusting out along with its scabbard. The tip of the scabbard landed precisely on the third of the way down Wang Chuyi's blade.

This position was precisely the pivot point for the Quanzhen Sword Technique, striking at the snake's vital spot. The two internal forces collided, producing a dull thud. Yang Guo's arm trembled slightly, using the recoil to flip his body in mid-air, dodging Hao Datong's upward slash with an extremely flamboyant posture.

Qiu Chuji shouted a command from the Tian Shu position to change formation. The seven men stepped on the seven star positions, and the formation shifted accordingly. Sun Bu'er, who was originally in the Tian Quan position at the rear, moved to the front, her long sword aimed straight at Yang Guo's throat, as if she wanted to pierce the throat of this traitor with a single blow.

The crowd below craned their necks, able to clearly see the battle taking place on the eighth-level arena.

A round-faced female disciple from the Emei Sect pouted. She usually valued her appearance the most and couldn't stand this kind of rolling and crawling fighting style. She turned to her companion and complained.

"This Yang Guo is truly courting death. Even the Five Greats are wary of the Big Dipper Formation. How dare he, a fourth-generation disciple, presumptuously lecture these old Taoist masters on martial arts? Look at his erratic rolling around on the ground; where is the decorum of a reputable sect?"

The female disciple of the Diancang Sect nodded in agreement, her tone full of disdain, her mind still filled with the thought of being captivated by Yin Zhiping's otherworldly and dignified appearance just now.

"That's right. He was hiding and dodging on the lower levels, and I thought he had some trump card. Now that he's encountered a real formation, he can only run around like a headless fly. Defeat is only a matter of time. If Master Yin were watching from below, he would definitely think that this junior disciple is too ignorant of the rules and has disgraced the Quanzhen Sect."

Yin Zhiping stood at the edge of the viewing platform. He held a whisk in his hand and heard the female disciples' discussions clearly.

He felt every pore on his body relax, even the raging evil energy in his dantian calmed down considerably. He was secretly overjoyed, but on the surface, he pretended to be heartbroken. He sighed deeply, carefully choosing his tone, turned to face the female disciples, and bowed with his hands clasped.

"Ladies, you may not know this. Yang Guo is arrogant by nature and acts entirely out of his own selfish desires. As his chief disciple, I have repeatedly tried to persuade him with earnest words, but he has ignored me completely. Today, my senior uncles and elders have personally set up the formation, not to bully the weak, but to curb his arrogance and let him know that there are always people more capable than him. I only hope that he can suffer in the formation, realize his mistakes, and not make the same mistake again, thus ruining his promising future."

His words were impeccable. In just a few words, he placed himself on a moral high ground, disguising his jealousy and suppression as well-intentioned actions of an elder. He both demonstrated his magnanimity and cemented Yang Guo's place on the pillar of shame for his arrogance and ignorance.

Upon hearing this, the female disciple of Emei looked at Yin Zhiping with admiration, feeling that this Taoist priest had a broad mind and was truly a rare and extraordinary man in the world.

"Master Yin is truly magnanimous. Even when faced with such an unruly fellow, he still considers his feelings in every way. The Quanzhen Sect is truly blessed to have a chief disciple like you."

On the eighth level of the arena, the battle intensified.

The Big Dipper Formation circulated ceaselessly. The seven people's inner strength converged into one, unleashing a torrent of sword energy. Yang Guo, standing within the formation, felt the surrounding air being painfully cut by the sword energy, and the pressure increased exponentially.

He cursed those old guys inwardly for being shameless. His back was still aching, and it was unwise to fight them head-on with internal energy. He had to disrupt the rhythm of the formation and find a breakthrough.

His eyes were fixed on Sun Bu'er in the Jade Balance position, and his mind was quickly calculating the flaws. When Sun Bu'er moved from the Jade Balance position to the Kaiyang position, her steps would be half a beat slower. This old Taoist nun was the weak point of the entire formation.

Yang Guo, using the principles of the Eight Trigrams, narrowly avoided Li Zhichang's horizontal slash. He moved swiftly, closing in on Sun Bu'er. Too lazy to draw his sword, he simply slashed down diagonally with his scabbard-covered longsword.

Seeing his arrogance, Sun Bu'er was filled with anger and raised her sword to parry. The two swords clashed.

Yang Guo formed a sword incantation with his left hand, his index finger touching the hilt of his sword. The pure Yang energy of the One-Finger Divine Skill flowed through the scabbard. This internal force did not follow the path of brute force, but rather the path of Yin, gentleness, and penetrating to the bone; it was extremely insidious.

Sun Bu'er felt a burning sensation in her hand as an extremely hot internal force forcefully entered her meridians. She was horrified; her arm went numb, and she almost lost her grip on her longsword. Her steps, which had been shifting from Yuheng to Kaiyang, involuntarily slowed by a fraction due to this sudden change.

This slight delay caused the entire Big Dipper Formation to stagnate.

Yang Guo had been waiting for this opportunity. He chuckled to himself and moved like a ghost, weaving into the gap between Sun Bu'er and Song Dao'an.

He drew his sword repeatedly, the scabbard striking the spines of the seven men's longswords like striking a wooden fish. Each strike carried a penetrating force that guided the movement without being released.

The seven felt intense vibrations emanating from their weapons, their wrists aching unbearably. The flow of the formation was forcibly interrupted. Gaps appeared one after another in the once-impenetrable sword net.

The crowd watching from below the stage saw through the trick.

A gasp of surprise erupted from the crowd.

"Look! Yang Guo not only didn't lose, but he even forced the Big Dipper Formation to stop!"

The round-faced female disciple of the Emei Sect stared wide-eyed, her mouth half-open.

Looking at the elegant figure in blue on the stage, her earlier disdain vanished, and she felt her pulse quicken.

"Yang Guo's movements are incredibly graceful. Look at his move 'Parting Flowers and Willows,' it's even more agile and elegant than our sect leader's. He's handling the attacks of seven top masters with ease."

The female disciple of the Diancang Sect blushed, feeling her cheeks burning. She twisted the hem of her clothes with both hands, her eyes fixed on Yang Guo's handsome face, finding his features utterly captivating.

"I was blind just now. Such martial arts skills and such demeanor are probably unmatched among the younger generation of the Central Plains martial arts world. He is so handsome and skilled in martial arts. Who else in the Quanzhen Sect is worthy of being the sect leader besides him? Although Master Yin is composed, he is indeed lacking in heroic spirit."

The women's attitudes changed drastically. In just a few moves, Yang Guo went from being seen as a rogue to an unapproachable rising star in the martial arts world.

Huang Rong sat upright in the grand chair. She listened attentively to the changes in these female disciples.

She picked up the teacup, blew away the foam, and took a sip. Her stomach felt extremely comfortable, her chest rose and fell slightly, and the close-fitting garment tightened around her.

Her man was, of course, a first-rate figure in the world. These naive young girls, who had just dared to call him a mere show-off, had finally witnessed his true abilities.

But before the feeling of comfort had subsided, a sense of crisis welled up inside her, and jealousy surged up, leaving her with a sour and extremely unpleasant taste.

The two women in the ancient tomb were already giving her enough headaches.

Xiaolongnu is aloof and ethereal, while Li Mochou is beautiful and ruthless. Yang Guo, that nemesis, can't control his lust to begin with, and now that he's made a name for himself at the Tongtian Arena, if he were to provoke these infatuated female disciples from prestigious sects, how would she possibly maintain her position as the first wife?

This thief is her private property, and she will not allow anyone else to touch him, much less let these women covet him.

Huang Rong put down her teacup. The porcelain clinked against the table with a crisp sound. She let out a sneer, deciding to personally nip these unwanted suitors in the bud. Her clear voice carried throughout the surroundings.

"Young ladies, you can't judge a book by its cover." Huang Rong's tone was languid, yet carried the undeniable authority of the Beggars' Sect leader, as she plotted how to utterly belittle Yang Guo.

The female disciples around her all turned to look at this renowned female strategist.

Huang Rong stretched out her slender finger and pointed at Yang Guo on the eighth-level arena, and began to nitpick with her eyes wide open.

"Look at his footwork, dodging and weaving, completely lacking the uprightness of a righteous sect. The Big Dipper Formation is a legitimate sect of Xuanmen, emphasizing fair and square combat. Yet he only dares to attack from the side, specifically targeting the elders' weaknesses. Is this high martial arts skill? This is clearly being forced into a corner by the formation, only able to survive by relying on some low-level, slippery footwork."

Huang Rong's words were extremely blunt. She deliberately portrayed Yang Guo's tactics as underhanded and despicable, intending to discourage these self-righteous female disciples from pursuing him.

"This kind of behavior, does he deserve to be called a hero? If you choose a partner, and you choose someone like this who only rolls around on the ground when faced with a strong enemy, he will definitely abandon you and be the first to run away when you encounter danger in the future."

Lu Wushuang stood at the very front of the crowd.

She had just looked up at Yang Guo, who moved with ease within the formation, and was utterly shocked. She knew that if she were to face this formation, she wouldn't even last a single move. Although she hated Yang Guo for taking liberties with her, and the warmth of his pinch on her waist was still fresh, she had to admit that this scoundrel's martial arts were ridiculously high.

But she was stubborn by nature and refused to back down, absolutely unwilling to admit that she had misjudged him. Hearing Huang Rong's words, she immediately found a way out, feeling that this Chief Huang had hit a nerve.

Lu Wushuang turned around, raised the willow-leaf dagger in her hand, and loudly echoed Huang Rong.

"Chief Huang is absolutely right!" Lu Wushuang shouted, pointing at Yang Guo on the stage, determined to ruin the reputation of this scoundrel. "Don't be fooled by his face. He's utterly despicable and shameless. He's running around in the formation, not daring to face you head-on. What kind of martial arts is that? It's the kind of fighting style used by street thugs!"

Huang Rong glanced at Lu Wushuang. Seeing how enthusiastically the lame girl was cursing, Huang Rong felt a surge of displeasure. She herself had belittled Yang Guo to protect her food, but who did this girl think she was, daring to call her man vulgar and shameless to her face?

Sitting in the armchair, Huang Rong listened to Lu Wushuang's cursing, and the sour feeling in her stomach subsided somewhat.

She secretly pondered that all her efforts to belittle Yang Guo were precisely to extinguish the desires of these infatuated female disciples. The more fiercely the lame girl cursed him, the faster those infatuated female disciples' attention would wander.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The two were complete strangers, but now, in order to protect their own reputations and thoughts, they had inadvertently found themselves on the same side.

Huang Rong straightened her sleeves, adopting the demeanor of an elder. She knew she had to strike while the iron was hot, making the fire burn even brighter, and completely extinguishing any other person's thoughts.

"This young lady has a sharp eye. Look at him drawing his sword; he doesn't even dare to draw it from its sheath. Why is that? It's because his internal strength is insufficient, and he's afraid that once the sword is drawn, he won't be able to stop his attack and will injure himself. He shrinks back when faced with a dangerous move, showing no sense of responsibility. If such a person were to become the sect leader, and the Quanzhen Sect were to encounter the Mongol Tartars, he would surely hand over the entire Chongyang Palace without hesitation."

Lu Wushuang nodded repeatedly, feeling that every word the Beggar Clan leader said resonated with her. The lingering sensation at her waist filled her with both shame and anger; she was determined to skin this thieving Taoist priest alive, and immediately brought up the events at the back of the mountain again.

"Exactly! Just now in the back mountain, he even used a dirty trick to break his fellow disciple's weapon. No matter how high his martial arts are, a scoundrel like him who only does petty theft is still a menace. I bet he won't last half an incense stick's time before those old Taoist priests beat him to the ground and beg for mercy. You women, open your eyes wide, don't let this scoundrel deceive you!"

The female disciples from Emei and Diancang looked at each other after hearing the two of them singing in unison, and their excitement completely vanished.

Huang Rong is of noble status and has absolute authority in the martial arts world. Lu Wushuang is also the victim who was just harassed. The words of these two carry great weight.

The infatuated gleam in the eyes of the female disciples completely faded. When they looked at Yang Guo again, their preconceived prejudices made them feel that his dashing figure was tinged with a hint of sleazy and slickness.

"Chief Huang is right. Yang Guo's actions are truly not honorable." The round-faced female disciple muttered softly, her face full of disdain.

While Yin Zhiping was fighting in the arena, he listened carefully to Huang Rong's words and was overjoyed.

He assumed that Huang Rong, being a clever woman, had seen through Yang Guo's true nature and had developed a dislike for this rebellious disciple. This was a golden opportunity; with Huang Rong leading the way in suppressing him, he only needed to go with the flow to rightfully crush Yang Guo.

He drew his sword, twirling it to force his junior brother back, then feigned a pained expression and chimed in, "Chief Huang's insight is sharp; your words hit the nail on the head. My disciple here usually indulges in studying unorthodox martial arts. I've never seen such movement techniques in the Quanzhen Sect's library. Where would a fourth-generation disciple like him acquire such profound martial arts?"

Yin Zhiping raised his voice, deliberately making sure that everyone around him could hear him, secretly plotting to completely discredit him.

"I suspect he has secretly colluded with some evil sects and stolen their sorcery. His display of power on stage today is an attempt to seize the leadership and hand over the Quanzhen Sect's century-old foundation to those demons. As his chief disciple, I have failed to detect his descent into evil so early, and I am truly ashamed before Patriarch Chongyang. Once the formation is broken, I will personally take action to cripple his evil arts and cleanse the sect!"

His words were extremely malicious. They directly condemned Yang Guo for colluding with the demonic path. If this charge were proven true, even if Yang Guo won the Tongtian Arena, the heroes of the world would not tolerate him.

Huang Rong felt nauseous listening to Yin Zhiping's ramblings. Her belittling of Yang Guo was a way to nip other women's inappropriate thoughts in the bud; it was her own way of disciplining men behind closed doors.

But she would never allow a two-faced and despicable man like Yin Zhiping to throw such deadly filth at her man.

Huang Rong's face was frosty as she slammed the teacup heavily onto the table.

"Master Yin, your ability to take advantage of others is even more exquisite than your Quanzhen Swordplay." Huang Rong's tone was cold and hard, ruthlessly tearing off Yin Zhiping's hypocritical mask and showing him no mercy.

"I only said his moves were slippery and his movements weren't upright enough. I never said he colluded with the demonic path. The Quanzhen Sect's martial arts are profound and extensive; you, Yin Zhiping, haven't even mastered them all. What makes you think he's using evil magic? You, as his master, don't want your disciple to do well; instead, you're eager to condemn him to death. You didn't even investigate before wanting to cripple his martial arts. With such an intolerant attitude towards younger generations, do you even deserve to be the head disciple?"

Huang Rong stood up and stared down at Yin Zhiping with an imposing aura.

"You keep accusing him of colluding with the demonic path. Where's the evidence? Without evidence, you're framing your fellow disciple in front of all the heroes of the world. Are you so eager to eliminate him because you fear he might actually break the formation and seize the leadership position you've been eyeing for so long?"

Yin Zhiping's face turned purplish-red, and the veins on his neck throbbed. He was furious and embarrassed that Huang Rong had exposed his most shameful thoughts in public, and a layer of cold sweat seeped out from his back.

"Chief Huang! I am devoted to the Quanzhen Sect, heaven and earth can bear witness! Don't make false accusations!" Yin Zhiping retorted through gritted teeth, but his voice was weak.

"Whether you're slandering him or not, you know perfectly well." Huang Rong scoffed coldly, sat back in her armchair, and didn't even bother to glance at him anymore.

Yang Guo, standing on the stage, weaved through the sword net. Having mastered the Nine Yin Manual, he possessed exceptional hearing and could clearly hear the conversation between the three people below the stage.

He was so angry that he rolled his eyes and almost burst out laughing.

Huang Rong, this first wife, was so jealous that she would resort to such underhanded tactics. In order to cut off any possibility of her attracting other men, she actually belittled herself in public.

He harbored a deep resentment, vowing that once they returned to the ancient tomb tonight, he would make her understand why the flowers were so red on the jade bed, and he would not stop until she begged for mercy.

And that little cripple, she has such a sharp tongue. I only pinched her waist, and she wouldn't let it go, insisting on calling me a street thug. This feud is now firmly established.

As for that old bastard Yin Zhiping, he's truly wicked to the core. He's always looking for an opportunity to frame me and wants to kill me right now.

Yang Guo had originally intended to linger in the formation a little longer, thereby exhausting the internal energy of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen and conserving his strength to protect his aching lower back. But now he changed his mind.

I absolutely cannot let these three women and hypocrites put on this act any longer. If this drags on any longer, they will completely ruin my reputation as a romantic hero, and how will I ever be able to face anyone in the underworld again?

We must act swiftly and decisively, using overwhelming force to silence these people.

Yang Guo focused his energy in his dantian. He no longer held back, mobilizing all the pure internal energy he had accumulated over sixteen years. He fully activated the Yi Jin Duan Gu chapter of the Nine Yin Manual, his powerful true energy surging through his meridians, producing muffled thunderous sounds.

He stopped dodging, his legs slightly apart, firmly planted in the center of the ring like the roots of an old tree.

Seeing that Yang Guo was no longer running away, Qiu Chuji assumed that this traitor had exhausted his inner strength and was about to surrender. He immediately shouted loudly.

"Join the formation!"

Seven people simultaneously swung their swords. Seven sharp sword energies shot towards Yang Guo from seven directions. The sword net rapidly closed in, sealing off all escape routes, leaving him with no way to avoid it.

Yang Guo gripped the sword hilt with his right hand. He had no intention of drawing the sword at all; instead, he brought his left index and middle fingers together, forming a sword-finger gesture.

With the peak power of the seventh rank of One-Finger Divine Skill fully unleashed, a layer of pale golden pure Yang Qi emanated from his fingertips.

He faced the seven sword energies head-on, advancing instead of retreating. With a loud shout, he leaped into the air like a tiger unleashed from its cage.

He completely ignored Qiu Chuji and Wang Chuyi's killing moves, and abruptly changed direction in mid-air, heading straight for the weak point of the formation—Sun Bu'er in the Jade Balance position.

Seeing Yang Guo rushing towards her, Sun Bu'er's anger turned into killing intent, and she raised her sword to meet him. The longsword, imbued with her full inner strength, sliced ​​through the air and thrust straight at Yang Guo's chest.

Yang Guo neither dodged nor evaded, but decisively pointed out with his left hand, his sword finger striking Sun Bu'er's sword tip precisely.

Pure Yang Qi erupted suddenly.

Two completely different internal forces collided in mid-air without any fancy moves, producing a deafening explosion.

The penetrating force of the One-Finger Divine Skill is extremely domineering, specifically designed to break through internal energy.

Sun Bu'er felt an overwhelming force surge into her arm along the sword. Her meager internal energy was utterly inadequate against this pure Yang energy and she couldn't withstand it at all.

A crisp snapping sound.

The fine steel longsword in Sun Bu's hand could not withstand the immense force and shattered into pieces. Fragments of fine steel flew everywhere.

The penetrating force that shattered the longsword did not dissipate; its residual power struck Sun Bu'er's chest directly.

Sun Bu'er let out a muffled groan, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning. Her legs went weak, and she stumbled back five steps before collapsing onto the bluestone slab with a humiliating fall. Her face was deathly pale, and she gasped for breath, unable to catch her breath for a long time.

Once the Jade Balance position is broken, the ever-flowing true energy of the Heavenly Dipper Formation is completely severed.

Qiu Chuji and the others suffered a backlash from the formation, and they all retreated several steps, their blood and qi churning violently, their faces filled with horror.

Yang Guo landed steadily on the wooden platform. With his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the wind, he didn't even catch his breath, displaying the perfect demeanor of a top master.

He swaggered to the wooden pillar and took down the advancement plaque for the eighth floor.

He turned around and looked down at the crowd below. His gaze swept over Huang Rong and Lu Wushuang with an oppressive intensity, finally settling on Yin Zhiping's face, which looked worse than if he had swallowed a fly.

The entire room was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.

The female disciples of Emei and Diancang all gaped in disbelief. No one dared to utter another sarcastic remark, nor did anyone dare to call him a street ruffian.

To break the world-renowned Big Dipper Formation with a single move—this level of strength surpasses everyone present, making them look up to him in awe.

Yang Guo casually toyed with the wooden plaque in his hand, finally feeling much of his anger subside. He spoke loudly, his voice, infused with internal energy, resounding throughout the Chongyang Palace square.

"My esteemed masters are too kind. It seems that my lowly and slippery footwork has actually proven effective."

He deliberately emphasized the word "despicable," staring intently at Huang Rong and Lu Wushuang, clearly intending to slap them in the face.

He then looked at Yin Zhiping, his tone extremely mocking and full of provocation.

"Master, you just said you would personally clean up the sect. Now I'm going to the ninth level. Don't just talk the talk but walk the walk, don't be a coward. I'll be waiting up there for you to cripple my martial arts."