16: Chapter 16 says I'm protecting my own? Fine, then you all line up and go fight him!

Xiao Nianyin's voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty that instantly overpowered all the clamor in the square and the violent thunderous roar of Lei Xuan.

On the arena, the purple lightning gathering like thunderclouds suddenly stalled.

Lei Xuan whipped his head around to look at the high platform, bloodshot eyes still wild with fury and unwillingness: "Sect Master! This battle is not yet over! This piece of trash..."

"I said, that is enough."

Xiao Nianyin interrupted him. Her voice remained calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure that forced the rest of Lei Xuan's words to stick in his throat.

The lightning surging around his body flickered unwillingly a few times before finally dissipating slowly, and the phantom of the thunder beast behind him blurred and vanished.

The backlash from forcibly interrupting his Spell made him grunt, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth as his gaze toward Xu Ruyu became even more venomous.

Xu Ruyu also let out a breath of relief, swaying as if his whole body had lost its strength, and the stinging pain from the burns on his arms and body only now became clearly apparent.

He looked toward the high platform, his eyes filled with a trace of gratitude and confusion.

However, an uproar erupted below the stage!

"On what grounds?!"

"Lei Xuan was clearly about to win!"

"The Sect Master is favoring her own Disciple!"

"Exactly! Everyone saw it—Xu Ruyu could only take a beating, completely unable to fight back!"

"This is clearly protecting her own!"

Sounds of dissatisfaction rose like a tide, especially among those candidates who were already jealous of Xu Ruyu, were on good terms with Lei Xuan, or simply felt the situation was unjust.

Even some deacons and watching Disciples wore expressions of disapproval.

The battle just now was plain for all to see; Xu Ruyu was indeed in a wretched state, and had it not been for that slight accident that forced Lei Xuan back, he would likely have been defeated long ago.

Calling a halt now inevitably invited suspicion of favoritism.

Elder Li looked at the agitated crowd below, then at the indifferent-looking Xiao Nianyin on the high platform. Biting the bullet, he stepped forward and bowed: "Sect Master, this battle has yet to be decided. Calling a halt now may not convince the crowd.

According to the examination rules, it should end only when one party admits defeat, loses combat capability, or falls off the arena..."

"Elder Li." Xiao Nianyin looked at him, her gaze calm. "I ask you, how long have the two of them been sparring?"

Elder Li was stunned. He turned back to look at the incense burner responsible for timing at the edge of the arena and replied: "Reporting to Sect Master, it has been nearly half an incense stick of time."

Xiao Nianyin nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the crowd below as her voice rang out clearly: "If I recall correctly, the purpose of the martial arts examination for prospective Disciples is to test whether the candidates possess basic self-preservation skills and whether they can maneuver and survive in dangerous situations.

It is not to see who has the fiercest offensive or the most ruthless killing blow."

She paused before continuing: "Xu Ruyu has fought with Lei Xuan for half an incense stick of time. Although he appears wretched, he has not admitted defeat, nor has he been knocked out of the arena, nor has he lost his combat capability.

He has relied on his own... methods to persist under Lei Xuan's offensive until now.

By this standard, both have met the examination requirements regarding 'self-preservation,' so it can be considered a draw.

Since the requirements have been met, there is no need to continue fighting to the death."

This explanation was reasonable and cited the original intent behind the examination.

Many of the previously indignant candidates felt their momentum weaken upon hearing this; after thinking about it carefully, it did seem to make sense.

The martial arts examination tests self-preservation ability; although Xu Ruyu looked pitiful, he indeed had not been beaten down within half an incense stick of time.

However, some were still unconvinced.

"Sect Master, that is incorrect!"

A voice rang out from among the candidates.

Everyone looked over to see a youth in a blue shirt with a cold expression pushing through the crowd.

This person was named Han Li. He came from a branch of a cultivation Family famous for its Sword Cultivators. He had decent Aptitude and was arrogant, already disdaining "nepotism cases" like Xu Ruyu.

He said loudly: "Everyone has seen it with their own eyes. Just now on the arena, Xu Ruyu was only cowering and fleeing, luckily dodging a few attacks, and that last moment was even more like child's play!

How can this be considered 'self-preservation'? It is clearly just luck!

If this counts as a draw, then what fairness is there in this examination?

Could it be that the Sect Master... is using the rules as an excuse to protect her own?"

"Brother Han is right!"

"Exactly! This is unfair!"

"We ask the Sect Master to make a fair judgment!"

Cries of agreement rose again. Many candidates were already dissatisfied with Xu Ruyu's "good luck" in the two rounds and the Sect Master's "favoritism." Now that Han Li had pointed it out, they all began to voice their doubts.

The situation was once again spiraling out of control.

Xu Ruyu stood on the arena, listening to the accusations below, his face turning somewhat pale.

He did indeed rely mostly on luck and instinct. Although his Revered Master's explanation could temporarily quell the dispute, it was difficult to truly convince the crowd.

He looked at Xiao Nianyin, feeling uneasy, wondering how his Revered Master would handle this.

Listening to the clamor below, Xiao Nianyin showed no anger; instead, a cold curve appeared on her lips.

"Oh? You say I am protecting my own?"

Her voice was still not loud, yet it made everyone subconsciously hold their breath.

She slowly stood up from the main seat, her plain white skirt cascading down, her posture as upright as a pine in the snow.

Her gaze, like a cold spring, swept over Han Li and those candidates who had voiced their doubts, finally landing on Elder Li and the other deacons and Elders.

"If I truly wanted to protect my own," Xiao Nianyin's voice carried a hint of faint mockery, "would I need to have him participate in this Outer Sect Disciple entrance examination? Would I need to have him stand here and accept your questioning and challenges?"

She gently raised her hand, pointing at Xu Ruyu on the arena, her tone suddenly turning severe: "Do you not... think too highly of yourselves?!"

"Boom!"

An invisible Aura erupted from Xiao Nianyin as the center and spread out!

It was not the kind of pressure targeting the Divine Soul like that of Madam Qingli before, but a domineering Aura formed by long-standing high status and the power of life and death!

It was like a drawn sharp sword hanging over everyone's heads, cold and bone-chilling!

All questioning ceased abruptly. Han Li's face turned pale, and he involuntarily took half a step back.

Others also felt their breathing choke, as if their throats were being gripped by an invisible hand.

On the high platform, several Grand Elders frowned slightly but did not speak.

After all, Xiao Nianyin was the Sect Master. As long as she did not violate the fundamental plans of the Sect, she had the authority to make decisions on the spot.

Xiao Nianyin released and then withdrew her Aura, but that awe-inspiring might had already been deeply branded into everyone's hearts.

She no longer looked at those candidates, turning instead to Elder Li, who was responsible for hosting the examination. Her voice returned to being calm, yet carried an unquestionable decisiveness:

"Elder Li, retrieve the Sect Master Token."

Elder Li trembled all over. Not daring to disobey, he quickly took out a palm-sized, translucent white jade token from his bosom, with the pattern of a blooming Hehuan flower carved on the front, and presented it with both hands.

Xiao Nianyin did not take it, but merely extended a slender finger and tapped the air.

A barely perceptible ray of spiritual light entered the jade token.

"Hum—"

The Sect Master Token emitted a soft hum, light flowing over its surface, and a majestic, vast Aura permeated outward, as if carrying the will of the entire Hehuan Sect.

Xiao Nianyin's cold voice, accompanied by the faint light of the Sect Master Token, rang throughout the square:

"In the name of Xiao Nianyin, the seventh Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, holding the Sect Master Token, I hereby change the rules for the final round of this Outer Sect Disciple entrance examination—the martial arts combat!"

Change the rules?!

Everyone was stunned!

The rules of the entrance examination had been passed down for hundreds of years; how could they be changed just like that? And the Sect Master herself was intervening, using the Sect Master Token to make the change?

Xiao Nianyin, however, ignored everyone's shock. Her gaze swept over all the remaining candidates below the stage, and she said clearly, word by word:

"The new rules are as follows: all candidates who passed the first two rounds, totaling twenty-six people, will take turns going up on stage to fight against Xu Ruyu."

"Each person has a time limit of half an incense stick."

"No matter what methods you use—Magical Artifacts, Talismans, or secret arts—all are permitted.

The only objective is to defeat Xu Ruyu within half an incense stick of time."

Her voice paused, and her gaze suddenly became as sharp as a knife:

"If you can defeat Xu Ruyu within half an incense stick of time, you will be considered to have passed the final examination and will be officially enrolled into the Hehuan Sect."

"If you cannot..."

Xiao Nianyin's gaze slowly swept across every face, whether stunned, angry, or confused:

"Then the results of the previous two rounds will be voided! You will permanently lose the qualification to enter my Hehuan Sect this time!"

"Boom—!"

These words were like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens, exploding in everyone's minds!

The entire square fell into dead silence!