686: Chapter 686: Cancellation of the Ancient Tomb Sect's Qualification!

On the arena stage, Yan Qingwu bit her lip.

She wanted to argue back, but the surrounding curses were too loud—so loud that the moment her voice left her mouth, it was drowned out.

Shu Yuan and the other two had faces that were even more ashen.

How could they not see through this?

This was clearly someone's deliberate orchestration.

First, manufacture public opinion, then apply pressure, and finally achieve their goal.

As for the truth?

Who cared about the truth?

Upon the high platform, Master Huineng's expression was one of uncertainty and suspicion.

Below, the crowd was boiling with indignation, and the internal opinions of the five major powers were divided. As the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, he was being roasted over a fire, stuck in a dilemma.

If he disqualified the Ancient Tomb Sect, Ye Chen certainly wouldn't let the matter rest.

If he didn't, the tens of thousands of martial artists below would raise hell.

No matter which side he chose, it would be a mistake.

If he had known it would be like this, he wouldn't have waded into these muddy waters.

"Amitabha..."

Master Huineng took a deep breath and then spoke out loudly.

"Fellow comrades, please be quiet."

His voice, infused with thick True Qi, instantly spread throughout the entire valley.

The clamor gradually subsided.

Tens of thousands of gazes fell simultaneously on Master Huineng, waiting for him to speak.

Master Huineng gritted his teeth and spoke in a heavy voice.

"Fellow comrades, regarding the Ancient Tomb Sect's use of talismans, this old monk has considered the matter deeply."

"Although talismans are not explicitly forbidden in the rules, they are essentially an external force, similar in nature to hidden weapons and poisons."

"Using external force to win goes against the spirit of martial arts and lacks fairness and justice."

"Therefore, this old monk has decided—"

"To disqualify the four members of the Ancient Tomb Sect from advancing."

As his voice fell, the entire venue became deathly silent.

In the next moment.

Vice Sect Leader Wu Shan was the first to start clapping.

"Master Huineng is wise! The Martial Arts Alliance is wise!"

The Mount Tai Sect disciples behind him also followed suit, clapping and cheering.

The sect leaders of other factions nodded one after another.

But even more so were the cheers from the contestants.

The disqualification of the four Ancient Tomb Sect members meant that four spots had opened up.

Those of them who had been eliminated would have a chance to fill those vacancies.

For them, this was a stroke of immense luck.

On the arena stage, the expressions of Yan Qingwu and her three companions changed drastically.

They never expected...

The other side would be so excessive as to directly disqualify them!

Just as they were about to speak, a lazy voice drifted over from below the stage.

"Oh?"

"Before you disqualified them, did you ask me?"

Everyone was startled, their gazes shifting toward the direction of the voice.

They saw.

On one side of the valley, that young man wearing a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and flip-flops put down the iced cola in his hand and stood up from his chair.

Then.

He walked toward the high platform.

But every step he took felt as if he were stepping on everyone's hearts.

So much so.

That the surrounding people involuntarily backed away.

By the time he reached the foot of the high platform, a large vacuum zone had already opened up in front of him.

No one dared to block his path.

Ye Chen looked up, staring at Master Huineng on the platform.

"Old monk, what did you just say?"

"I didn't hear clearly, say it again."

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Master Huineng's forehead.

He had presided over the Martial Arts Tournament for over thirty years, seen countless experts, and handled countless thorny issues.

But at this moment, being stared at like this by a young man in his early twenties, his back actually felt wave after wave of chills.

Those eyes were too terrifying.

"A... Amitabha."

Master Huineng swallowed hard, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart.

"Young Friend Ye, this poor monk is merely... acting according to official business."

"Talismans indeed violate the spirit of martial arts. If the qualifications aren't canceled, I'm afraid... the public won't be convinced."

His words were airtight.

He shifted the blame to 'official business' and pushed the pressure onto 'the public's conviction'.

The underlying meaning was...

It's not that I'm targeting you; it's that the rules are as such, and it's everyone's wish. I have no choice.

Ye Chen looked at him and suddenly smiled.

That smile was very faint, but it made Master Huineng's heart skip a beat.

"The public won't be convinced?"

"Old monk, you even know about the public not being convinced?"

"Then tell me..."

"What does it count as to arbitrarily replace the Top 60 contestants?"

As the words fell, everyone looked bewildered.

Huh?

Arbitrarily replacing contestants?

They didn't hear wrong, did they!

If it was really like that...

Then things were getting interesting!

Master Huineng's expression changed instantly.

"Ye... Young Friend Ye, what... do you mean by that?"

"This poor monk does not understand."

Ye Chen looked at him and smiled.

"Don't understand?"

"Then let me help you remember."

"When the preliminary rounds ended yesterday, the Top 60 list was already determined."

"But this morning, the list suddenly changed."

"Among the original sixty people, four were replaced."

"The people brought in..."

He paused, his gaze falling like a knife on several of the people.

"...are not disciples of the original sects at all."

"Please provide an explanation."

As soon as these words were spoken, a look of shock appeared on everyone's faces.

What?

They didn't hear wrong, did they?

Arbitrarily replacing contestants?

This was something that had never happened in the history of the Martial Arts Tournament.

If this was true, then the problem was far more serious than using talismans.

Talismans were at most exploiting a loophole in the rules, but replacing contestants was a blatant destruction of the rules, treating the Martial Arts Tournament like a joke.

Master Huineng's expression stiffened.

"Young Friend Ye, you are mistaken!"

"The Top 60 list has never been altered. These disciples are the original disciples. This old man guarantees it with the reputation of the Martial Arts Alliance Leader!"

He spoke with powerful resonance, as if he truly had a clear conscience.

Behind him, the expressions of Perfected Person Qingxuan and the other three changed.

Arbitrarily replacing the participation list was a violation of the rules.

It was even...

A matter of treating the Martial Arts Tournament as a joke!

"Benefactor Ye, there usually aren't problems with the list," Abbess Juechen said in a heavy voice after some thought. "Could there be a misunderstanding?"

"Whether there's a problem or a misunderstanding..."

Ye Chen smiled, "We'll have to ask our Master Huineng here."

Master Huineng took a deep breath.

"Benefactor Ye, if you are voicing grievances because the Ancient Tomb Sect violated the rules by arbitrarily using external force, this poor monk can understand."

"But if you resort to fallacious reasoning with the intent to frame our Martial Arts Alliance, then this poor monk will never back down."

Hearing this, the surrounding people nodded one after another.

They still relatively trusted the credibility of the Martial Arts Alliance.

After all.

Once such a thing was exposed, there might not be a next Martial Arts Tournament.

The Martial Arts Alliance surely wouldn't gamble its future on behind-the-scenes manipulation, right?

Ye Chen looked at Master Huineng's self-righteous appearance and smiled.

"Fine!"

"Since you've put it that way, there's no need for me to keep things hidden."

"Please replay the live recording of yesterday's preliminary Top 60 winners and see who the final sixty winners actually were."

"If the opponents of the four Ancient Tomb Sect members are indeed among the Top 60..."

He paused, hands in his pockets, his tone casual.

"...then what's the harm in my Ancient Tomb Sect withdrawing?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes lit up.

In the next second.

Many people nodded in agreement.

"That's right! Wouldn't it be fine to just watch the recording?"

"Since the Martial Arts Tournament is clean, why not bring it out for a look? It'll let certain unconvinced people see that the only ones truly violating the rules are themselves!"

"Support! Pull up the recording!"

...

Hearing the waves of sound from the surroundings, Master Huineng's face completely changed.

He naturally knew the list had been swapped.

But he hadn't expected Ye Chen to directly demand to see the recording in front of the world's heroes.

This motherfucker...

"What? Don't dare?"

Ye Chen looked at Master Huineng, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Old monk, didn't you say it wasn't swapped?"

"Then play it for everyone to see."

"The pure will be pure, and the murky will be murky, right?"

Master Huineng's Adam's apple rolled, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

He gritted his teeth: "Ye... Young Friend Ye, retrieving the recording takes time, and this doesn't comply with the regulations..."

"Doesn't comply with the regulations?"

Wang Tianlong was the first to stand up, letting out a cold laugh.

"Master Huineng, it is true that you are the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, but the Martial Arts Alliance is not your personal alliance."

"Instructor Ye's request to see the recording is reasonable and fair."

"If you don't dare to play it, what will the tens of thousands of martial arts comrades present think?"

Daoist Priest Qingfeng also spoke up.

"This poor Daoist also feels that the recording should be retrieved."

"Whatever the truth is, one look will reveal it."

"If Master Huineng has a clear conscience, why the need to make excuses?"

With representatives from two founding powers stating their positions simultaneously, the atmosphere of the entire venue changed instantly.

Those sect leaders who were originally still observing also began to speak up one after another.

"Right! Watch the recording!"

"Master Huineng, just let everyone see it!"

"If it really wasn't swapped, it will also restore your innocence!"

...

This time.

Master Huineng was in a dead end.

Play it?

If he played it, everything would be over.

Not play it?

With tens of thousands of eyes staring, how could he end this?

Ye Chen looked at him and smiled.

"Old monk, if you're too embarrassed to play it..."

"Then I can help you play it."

He pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times.

In the next second.

The huge electronic screen directly in front of the valley suddenly lit up.

The footage began to play.

It was precisely the live recording of yesterday's preliminary round when the Top 60 were announced.