111: Mu Qingxue

As soon as Yan Chen finished speaking, the air in the main hall on the first floor of Lanyue Tower seemed to freeze for a moment, before being shattered by an even more fervent wave of discussion.

Gaze after gaze swept back and forth between Yan Chen and Chen Linsheng, filled with a mix of excitement, curiosity, worry, and schadenfreude.

Directly calling someone out for a challenge during the free exchange session did not violate any rules, but it was enough to show the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall's undisguised intent to target them.

Facing that gaze as hot as a branding iron, Chen Linsheng's expression remained unchanged. He was about to stand up and walk toward the clearing specifically set aside in the hall when a loud laugh came from beside him.

"Hahaha!" Lei Hao stood up, his tall frame like an iron tower blocking a portion of the space in front of Chen Linsheng. He grinned at Yan Chen and spoke with a voice like a great bell, "Young Hall Master Yan, today's Hidden Dragon Banquet is a gathering of heroes where a hundred flowers should bloom. How can we be in such a hurry to spar right at the start? In my opinion, this free performance session is excellent; it allows our fellow Martial Artists to first witness the unique Skills of each school and broaden their horizons!"

He looked around and continued, "I, Lei Hao, am a crude man, but I also understand the principle of casting a brick to attract jade. Why don't we let these young talents take the stage to perform first? When the formal matches begin later, there will naturally be opportunities to go all out! Brother Chen, what do you think?" His last sentence was directed at Chen Linsheng, with a hint of "stay calm" in his eyes.

Chen Linsheng knew he meant well—he didn't want Chen Linsheng to expose his full strength too early, nor did he want him to be led by the nose by Yan Chen. So, he nodded slightly. "Brother Lei is absolutely right. Senior Brother Yan has superb Skill, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind letting everyone see it first."

These words both accepted the bridge Lei Hao had built and lightly kicked the ball back to Yan Chen, suggesting that if he had any ultimate Skills, he might as well show them first.

A flame flickered in Yan Chen's eyes. He took a deep look at Lei Hao, then glanced over Chen Linsheng, and suddenly gave a cold laugh. He didn't persist, but instead sat back in his original seat, though his gaze remained fixed on Chen Linsheng like glue. "Fine, then let everyone see first what true martial arts is." His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

A potential early conflict was temporarily averted, and the atmosphere in the hall eased slightly, but the undercurrents remained turbulent.

The Prefect, Ling Feng, and the others sat steadily in the honored guest seats, not interfering, clearly pleased to see the young people competing freely within the rules.

Soon, someone couldn't hold back anymore and was the first to walk toward the clearing in the hall.

This person was dressed in crimson martial attire with a flame pattern embroidered on the chest. He was a Disciple of the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall, with a cultivation level around the Late-stage Flesh Tempering Realm. His blood and Qi were vigorous, and his eyes were filled with pride.

He cupped his fists toward the honored guest seats and the surrounding area: "Li Yan of the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall, showing my humble Skills!"

After saying that, he took a deep breath, and the blood and Qi throughout his body surged. His skin faintly took on a crimson hue, and a scorching wave of heat spread outward with him as the center. A few people standing nearby even felt their faces burning.

"Heh!"

Li Yan shouted as he exhaled, his palms crossing as he began his practice.

The palm technique was fierce and violent, with wide and open Moves—it was the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall's "Blazing Sun Palm."

Every palm strike carried a whistling, scorching wind. The air was slightly distorted by the movement, and a faint red light swirled around his palms. His movements became faster and faster until he seemed to turn into a moving ball of fire. The palm shadows were layered and the heat waves rolled, creating a quite impressive Aura.

As the demonstration reached its peak, Li Yan suddenly gave a thunderous shout and leapt nearly ten feet high. His right palm, as crimson as fire jade, carried his downward momentum as he slammed it toward a piece of Blue Ridge Rock—about a foot square and clearly specially made—placed at the edge of the clearing!

"Blazing Strike!"

"Boom!!"

It wasn't the loud crash of a boulder shattering, but a dull sizzling sound, as if a hot iron were being dipped into cold water.

Li Yan's right palm was deeply imprinted into the surface of the Blue Ridge Rock. The rock, which was harder than fine steel, rapidly turned crimson starting from his palm, as if it had been cast into a furnace! Fine crimson cracks spread out, emitting crisp popping sounds.

Li Yan withdrew his palm and flipped back to the ground, his breathing slightly labored and his face flushed. Clearly, this strike had cost him quite a bit of energy.

Everyone looked closely and saw a charred black palm print about an inch deep left on the Blue Ridge Rock. The area around the print was dark red, the rock's structure already destroyed by the high temperature. With a few soft sounds, it actually shattered into dozens of charred black stones of varying sizes, with faint wisps of heat still rising from the cross-sections.

"What incredible palm power!"

"What domineering Blazing Sun True Energy! To actually be able to turn Blue Ridge Rock red and shatter it!"

"The Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall truly lives up to its reputation!"

A wave of cheers and exclamations of surprise rang out in the hall.

Many young Martial Artists looked solemn, thinking to themselves that it would be difficult to withstand such a fierce and scorching palm strike.

Hearing the cheers, the pride on Li Yan's face grew even stronger. He didn't leave the stage immediately. Instead, his gaze shifted and landed precisely in the direction of the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall group, lingering on Chen Linsheng's face for a moment. With his chin slightly raised, his provocative intent was unmistakable before he finally cupped his fists and withdrew.

This Move by the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall was undoubtedly a blatant show of force, intended to suppress the Aura of the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall and build momentum for Yan Chen's potential later Move.

On the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall's side, Shi Poyue's face darkened, Di Moyu's gaze turned cold, and Liu Ruyan and Zhao Linger were so angry their pretty faces turned slightly red.

The Martial Arts Hall Master sat calmly in his seat, though the speed at which the Iron balls in his hand turned increased slightly.

Chen Linsheng acted as if he hadn't seen that provocative gaze, quietly looking at the shattered Blue Ridge Rock while evaluating it in his mind: "The palm power is fierce, and the scorching internal energy has strong penetration, but it seems to lack condensation, and the explosive after-force is slightly insufficient. This should be because his mastery of the Cultivation Technique hasn't reached its peak. If facing him as an enemy, one would need to withstand his edge with a solid Foundation or use a faster Movement Technique to avoid the strong and strike the weak."

Next, several more people took the stage, either demonstrating fist and kick techniques, showing off Lightness Techniques, or demonstrating hidden weapon techniques. All had their own merits and drew bursts of applause. However, compared to Li Yan's fierce and domineering palm strike, their momentum was somewhat weaker.

About fifteen minutes later, the field became slightly quiet.

Unanimously, everyone's gaze turned toward the west window, toward that woman in the water-blue dress who was as cool and clear as the moon—Mu Qingxue.

As if sensing the converging gazes, Mu Qingxue set down her teacup and slowly raised her eyes.

She didn't speak, but merely nodded slightly to a fellow Disciple of the Qiushui Sword Sect who had quietly invited her, and then she stood up.

With this movement, the temperature of the entire hall seemed to drop by several degrees.

The noise quickly subsided, and everyone held their breath, their eyes following that water-blue figure as she walked step by step toward the clearing in the hall.

Mu Qingxue stood still. She didn't draw her sword, nor did she even assume a starting stance.

She just stood there quietly, her hair like a waterfall and her long dress fluttering slightly. Her temperament was ethereal and otherworldly, completely out of place with the heated atmosphere around her.

She raised her right hand, her five fingers pressed together. Her slender jade fingers were as white as jade, appearing almost transparent under the bright lights of the hall. Then, using her finger as a sword, she lightly slashed at the Void Realm in front of her.

The movement was leisurely, without a hint of worldly trace.

However, on the path her fingertip had traced, an azure Sword Qi suddenly manifested!