Fellow Daoist, I gladly accept this heaven-defying opportunity.

"This is against the rules! The Frost Realm Trial is only open to Foundation Establishment stage disciples. Zheng Bingtian is already a Golden Core stage cultivator; he has no right to participate!"

One of Biyou's disciples was so angry that he raised his voice to question it.

The Snow Moon Sect disciples sneered, "Our Senior Brother Zheng was indeed at the tenth level of Foundation Establishment when he entered the Frost Realm. He only broke through by chance during these three days due to a burst of talent. Surely the trial rules don't say that disciples are forbidden from breaking through their realms inside?"

One sentence left the Biyou Sect members speechless, unable to find a rebuttal for a long time.

"I was wondering why your swordsmanship and sword intent hadn't improved at all over the years. It turns out you've been focusing all your energy on breaking through to a higher realm."

Li Haoran's expression was complicated. "You were confident you could break through to the Golden Core stage all along, deliberately getting stuck at the last step before entering the Frost Realm, just waiting to launch a sudden attack during the duel and slap our Azure Nether Sect in the face, right?"

Zheng Bingtian smiled faintly, his tone casual yet arrogant: "Winning the Biyou Sect was just a side effect. The one I truly wanted to defeat was you, Li Haoran."

"Our swordsmanship and sword intent were only slightly different to begin with. Now that I've reached the Golden Core stage and my true qi has liquefied, my power far surpasses that of the Foundation Establishment stage by several times. That difference has long been erased. I'd like to see what your Biyou Sect can use to fight me today."

He laughed loudly, and astonishing sword energy burst forth from his body, stirring up a wild and chaotic blizzard.

The overwhelming aura, like that of a demon god descending upon the world, pressed down, causing the disciples of the Biyou Sect to turn pale and their eyes to be filled with fear.

"How shameless! How could the people of the Snow Moon Sect be so despicable!"

"Zheng Bingtian was already on par with Senior Brother Li, but now that he's broken through to the Golden Core stage, he's completely overwhelming him by an entire major realm. How could Senior Brother Li possibly defeat him?"

"Even Senior Brother Li has been defeated. Who among us can stop him? We're doomed to lose this bet."

Everyone was both angry and anxious, but there was nothing they could do.

Intentionally entering the trial at the peak of Foundation Establishment, then breaking through to the Golden Core realm on the spot to use the advantage of realm to suppress others—this method is clearly exploiting a loophole in the rules, yet there's no hard and fast rule to be found.

The thought that all the gains from this trip would be taken away by the other party through such despicable means made everyone feel suffocated.

"Shameless!"

A disciple of Biyou, carrying a broadsword, suddenly took a step forward, his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white, glaring angrily at the person opposite him, his whole body radiating fire.

Someone from the Snow Moon Sect immediately sneered: "What? Senior Brother Zheng defeated Li Haoran, and you're not satisfied and want to fight? Fine, the Snow Moon Sect will accompany you to the end."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man's fighting spirit erupted, and he stood facing off against the young man with the broadsword, his aura no less imposing.

This person is Gu Yi, the second-ranked inner disciple of the Snow Moon Sect, whose strength is second only to Zheng Bingtian.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Bingtian laughed heartily and shouted to the Biyou Sect camp, "It's alright, send as many people as you want. Even if all ten of your inner disciples come at me at once, I will take them all on."

He raised his longsword, and the overwhelming aura of the Golden Core Realm expert pressed down on them without reservation, causing many people, including the young man with the broadsword, to subconsciously take a half step back.

"This is outrageous!"

Lei Can, carrying a broadsword, gritted his teeth in anger, about to draw his sword and charge forward: "So what if they're at the Golden Core stage? Let's fight them to the death!"

Li Haoran reached out and pressed down on the hilt of his sword, slowly shaking his head: "Junior Brother Lei Can, don't be impulsive. If we fight head-on, we have no chance of winning."

Lei Can's face turned pale and then red. After struggling for a long time, he finally sighed heavily, and his hand on the sword hilt fell limply to his side.

Li Haoran is right.

If it really came down to a full-scale battle between the two sects, their Biyou Sect would only suffer an even more crushing defeat.

This trip was already missing two of the top ten inner disciples, and now the other side has added Zheng Bingtian, who is at the Golden Core stage. If a real fight breaks out, our side will probably be crushed instantly, resulting in more casualties.

"Could it be... that we're just going to give up like this?"

Someone muttered resentfully.

Li Haoran glanced at the arrogant Zheng Bingtian, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He lowered his voice and said, "He's just a Golden Core cultivator. I broke through to the Golden Core realm in just a month or two. I'll settle this score with interest later. Let them be arrogant for now."

Upon hearing this, everyone could only sigh, their faces filled with resentment and helplessness.

Li Haoran took a deep breath, stepped forward, and was about to announce his defeat...

"Am I late?"

A voice drifted over, and before it could finish, a figure had already darted into the arena like a ghost and stood steadily beside the stone platform.

The disciples from both the Biyou Sect and the Xueyue Sect were stunned. They saw a tall, handsome young man standing in the center of the arena, his gaze fixed on the two storage rings on the stone platform used as stakes, seemingly oblivious to everyone else.

Who is this person?

The same question popped into everyone's mind.

Meanwhile, in the Snow Moon Sect camp, Yue Xinqun's eyes widened as he stared at that familiar figure, and the old wound on his face began to ache faintly.

Zhang Shaohan tensed up instantly, staring intently at the young man in the arena, veins throbbing on his forehead, clearly trying to suppress his surging anger.

"who is he?"

Gu Yi, the second-ranked disciple of the inner sect, noticed something was off about the two and couldn't help but ask.

Yue Xinqun glanced at Zhang Shaohan, a bitter smile on his lips: "It's that... Biyou Sect disciple who stole our things."

Gu Yi was taken aback, and his expression instantly turned strange.

Some people from the Biyou Sect also recognized the person.

"It's Xu Mofeng! Xu Mofeng is here!"

The disciples who had been rescued from Zhang Shaohan by Xu Mofeng became excited instantly, their eyes shining brightly.

A look of joy flashed across Ji Chen's face, but it quickly turned into a bitter smile.

But even if Xu Mofeng comes, what can he do?

No matter how talented he is, he is only at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment.

Even Senior Brother Li Haoran, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, couldn't withstand a blow from a Golden Core cultivator. How could he possibly defeat Zheng Bingtian?

Hearing the surrounding chatter, Li Haoran and the others became interested and turned to ask, "Who is this person? Do you know him?"

Ji Chen nodded: "Two days ago, I personally witnessed him defeat Zhang Shaohan of the Snow Moon Sect with his bare hands."

"What?!"

These words were met with gasps of surprise from those around them.

"Defeat Zhang Shaohan bare-handed? Impossible! He's only at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment, his cultivation is even lower than mine!"

The disciples of the Biyou Sect were filled with disbelief and discussed among themselves.

Even Li Haoran was stunned and didn't say anything for a moment.

Lei Can, carrying a broadsword, spoke up directly: "Ji Chen, what you're saying is outrageous. Zhang Shaohan is even stronger than me. How could a mere Foundation Establishment eighth level kid possibly defeat Zhang Shaohan?"

Ji Chen just smiled wryly and didn't explain further.

No one would believe such a thing unless they saw it with their own eyes.

All eyes were on Xu Mofeng, but he paid no attention to the surrounding gazes. His eyes were only on the two storage rings wrapped with crimson threads of opportunity, and he didn't spare a single glance for anyone else.

"Thank goodness, I didn't miss it."

Xu Mofeng quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

He secluded himself in the snow cave for a day to cultivate diligently, and just as he broke through to the second level of the Purple Gold True Qi, he rushed here without stopping, almost missing this opportunity that was delivered to his doorstep.

He turned to Zheng Bingtian beside him, his tone as indifferent as if asking for directions: "If I defeat you, will these two rings be mine?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Bingtian was taken aback at first, and then a strange expression appeared on his face as if he were looking at an idiot.

The disciples from both factions around were also stunned, looking at Xu Mofeng as if he were a madman who was courting death.

This Foundation Establishment Stage 8 kid who appeared out of nowhere... does he mean to challenge Senior Brother Zheng Bingtian, who is at the Golden Core stage?

Did they hear me right?

"hehe."

Zheng Bingtian gave him a half-smile, then slowly nodded. "That's right."

Xu Mofeng nodded, took half a step forward to face Zheng Bingtian directly, and said calmly, "Then let's begin."

Seeing Xu Mofeng's resolute expression, without the slightest hint of joking, Zheng Bingtian's sneer slowly faded, and his brows furrowed into a knot.

"You really want to fight me?"

"Otherwise what?"

Xu Mofeng raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of inexplicable surprise, "What, a dignified Golden Core cultivator, dares not accept?"

The disciples from both sects who were watching were speechless on the spot.

A Foundation Establishment Stage 8 cultivator takes the initiative to challenge a Golden Core cultivator, and then questions whether the other party dares to do it? Has he been frozen silly in the far north and doesn't even know his own limitations?

"I'd really like to know how you two managed to fall into the hands of someone like that?"

Gu Yi of the Snow Moon Sect glanced sideways at Yue Xinqun, whose face was injured, and Zhang Shaohan, whose expression was unpleasant, and sneered, "In my opinion, he's just a crazy kid who doesn't know his own limitations."

The disciples of the Biyou Sect stared at each other, wanting to say something but not knowing where to begin.

Zheng Bingtian remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled and shook his head, his aura turning icy cold.

"You clown, how dare you make a racket in front of me? Get lost!"

Before he finished speaking, he slashed out with his long sword, a chilling blade light of the Golden Core realm tearing through the snow and wind, slashing straight at Xu Mofeng's face with a howling gale.

"not good!"

Li Haoran gave a low shout.

No matter how crazy this junior brother's actions are, he is still a member of the Biyou Sect. As the chief disciple of the inner sect, he cannot stand by and watch his fellow disciple be injured in public.

Just as he was about to leap out to save her, a muffled sonic boom suddenly exploded.

A fist gleaming with a pale golden light crashed into the blade's edge, sending up a shockwave that scattered the surrounding snowflakes.