Everything Is Under Fu Haotian's Control

Fu Haotian's sudden outburst left the entire assembly stunned.

Yet when they saw the elegantly dressed young master standing calmly with a faint smile, his cloud-patterned fan held steadily in hand, exuding an air of unshakable confidence, it was clear this was no impulsive act.

On the contrary—it was the demeanor of someone who had already secured victory.

Tens of thousands grew even more bewildered, while even the distinguished guests on the platform flickered with intrigued expressions.

The Grand Elder was momentarily taken aback, hesitating before turning to seek guidance with a respectful bow.

"May the Palace Master decide."

Nanli Qing's eyes remained tranquil, as if observing an ordinary matter.

"Though unprecedented, it is not unacceptable."

"Let them settle this themselves."

His detached, enigmatic stance left much to ponder.

The guests maintained composed facades, yet their eyes betrayed their inability to read the Palace Master. They sat in silence, adopting the posture of amused spectators.

Meanwhile, disciples outside the martial arena had already begun whispering among themselves.

"As expected of Senior Brother Fu! He must already be certain of victory!"

"Hah! What do you expect from someone of Senior Brother Fu's stature? Even in the competition for Chief Disciple, he's long held the upper hand!"

"Tch! He’s just relying on his family’s influence—nothing to boast about!"

"Oh? Then why don’t you leverage your own family’s status and speak up? That’s skill right there. What’s the use of whining?"

"His lineage is part of Senior Brother Fu’s strength. Why the sour grapes?"

"Victory through external advantages is shameless and despicable!"

Amid the clamor behind her, Zhong Limeng’s heart was in turmoil.

Seeing Fu Haotian’s confident smile only deepened her sense of foreboding. Before the contest had even begun, it felt as though he had already seized every advantage.

Heaven’s timing, favorable terrain, and human support—all seemed to tilt in Fu Haotian’s favor.

Under the weight of countless gazes, Zhong Limeng’s pressure mounted. Though she didn’t show outright panic, the gravity on her face was unmistakable.

Noticing her expression, Fu Haotian’s satisfaction grew.

While basking in his certainty of victory, he seized the moment to press further.

"The Palace Master has already granted permission. Why is Senior Sister Zhongli silent? Could it be… you lack the confidence to compete?"

Fu Haotian chuckled, applying pressure while running rough calculations in his mind.

He alone possessed nearly eight hundred demon corpses.

Add to that the storage bracelet from Elder Wei Zhenfang, which likely held around a thousand—an utterly staggering number, and none of low grade.

Such results would normally require several Heaven-tier experts fighting at full strength.

Zhong Limeng only had her fellow disciples’ assistance, plus perhaps that old fool Song Xugu—just one Heaven-tier expert. Even if they fought desperately, their haul couldn’t possibly match half of his.

Seeing through everything, Fu Haotian’s smile deepened.

"Surely not?"

"Senior Sister Zhongli doesn’t dare raise the stakes? If so, I’m truly disappointed. Before the Palace Master and so many esteemed seniors, such timidity hardly befits a candidate for the Heavenly Palace’s Chief Disciple!"

Spreading his hands, Fu Haotian’s lips curled into a provocative smirk.

"How about this…"

"If the demons you’ve slain amount to even half of mine, I’ll withdraw from the Chief Disciple contention. But if you can’t even reach half… well, not only should you forget about the title, you should also leave the Cangyun Heavenly Palace altogether!"

"I’ve already conceded this much. Surely you’re not too cowardly to take the bet? Impossible, right?"

His taunts rolled out like waves, each more audacious than the last.

Fu Haotian’s unshakable confidence now radiated outright dominance, his condescending tone gripping the arena’s atmosphere. His brazen challenge sent shockwaves through the crowd, stirring even fiercer debate.

By now, Zhong Limeng’s palms were damp with sweat.

An air of predetermined victory began permeating the martial grounds.

Several senior brothers, unable to contain their fury, urgently sent voice transmissions.

"Senior Sister! That vile schemer must have some trick up his sleeve—you mustn’t agree!"

"Don’t fall for it! Fu Haotian has always been treacherous. If he’s this confident, there’s definitely a trap!"

"You can’t accept! If you lose, you’ll be expelled from the sect!"

"That bastard—I can’t stand his arrogance!"

Amid the frantic warnings, Zhong Limeng’s mind churned.

Clenching her fists inside her sleeves, she met Fu Haotian’s cold gaze and realized one thing with absolute clarity: regardless of the outcome of this contest, this spoiled young master would never let her off easily.

Even if she refused now, defeat later would leave her no place in the Heavenly Palace.

But if she gambled everything—there might still be a sliver of hope.

At this point, she had no choice but to stake it all.

Under the scrutiny of countless eyes, Zhong Limeng found herself cornered. Gritting her teeth, she spoke.

"Fine!"

"I accept your wager. Let it be decided by this contest!"

Her voice, though soft, carried unyielding resolve. The heroic spirit in her demeanor drew startled admiration from fellow disciples, and even some guests on the platform glanced up in surprise.

Silence engulfed the arena.

Only Fu Haotian’s laughter echoed, growing increasingly grating and arrogant.

"Good, good!"

"Such mettle is worthy of my esteemed senior sister. Hahaha!"

With a haughty laugh, Fu Haotian’s eyes suddenly turned ruthless. Flicking his sleeve, he sent forth a streak of light that coalesced into a golden orb. As the radiance faded, a mountain of corpses several zhang high materialized in the arena—mutilated remains of various demonic beings exuding terrifying auras.

Even disregarding the sinister energy radiating from the demon carcasses, the sheer volume—a small hill towering dozens of zhang—was enough to draw gasps from the crowd.

Experts on the platform voiced their praise.

"To hunt so many demons and fiends in just three days—remarkable skill indeed."

"Fu Haotian is truly extraordinary."

"Palace Master Nanli, your sect’s talents continue to impress. The younger generation is formidable—it’s truly enviable."

"You flatter me…"

Amid the accolades, disciples outside the arena reacted with mixed expressions.

As for Zhong Limeng—

Upon seeing the pile of demon corpses, her eyes first widened in surprise, then her tense expression eased slightly.

Without hesitation, she flicked a finger toward the side.

Light streamed from her storage ring, and another heap of demon remains appeared in the arena.

Two mountainous piles now stood side by side—nearly identical in size.

At a glance, Zhong Limeng’s harvest seemed comparable to Fu Haotian’s…

Instantly, the guests on the platform froze.

Disciples at the edges erupted in murmurs.

Not only were the visitors intrigued, but even the elders of Cangyun Heavenly Palace fixed their gazes intently on the arena. The situation had suddenly become far more interesting.

The presiding elder, momentarily stunned, immediately dispatched disciples to tally the numbers.

Dozens of disciples entered the martial grounds, meticulously counting.

Outside, discussions grew heated as opinions began shifting.

Even the previously anxious senior brothers now showed a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

"Who would’ve thought? Fu Haotian’s haul doesn’t seem that impressive—Senior Sister Zhongli might actually have a chance!"

"To be on par with Young Master Fu—Senior Sister Zhongli keeps surpassing expectations!"

"Nonsense! They might look similar, but Fu Haotian will definitely win!"

"Ha! Senior Brother Fu hunted mostly true demons, not mere demonic beasts. Can’t you outer disciples even tell the difference?"

"Exactly! There’s no way Senior Brother Fu would lose!"

"I refuse to believe two similar piles mean Fu Haotian’s count could be double!"

"Senior Sister Zhongli, you can do it!"

"Senior Brother Fu will prevail!"

The previously one-sided sentiment now saw many shifting toward Zhong Limeng’s side.

The commotion outside the arena had grown into an uproar, with heated arguments impossible to suppress!

Only after the final tally was completed were the records handed over to the presiding elder.

The entire venue fell into solemn silence.

All eyes watched in anticipation, with Fu Haotian and Zhong Limeng standing by, their expressions unreadable.

"Fu Haotian—622 demon warriors slain, 203 demon beasts, totaling 825!"

Many clenched their fists in excitement, casting admiring glances at Fu Haotian.

Then, the elder suddenly paused, his expression shifting before he continued in a grave tone.

"Zhong Limeng… 552 demon warriors slain, 330 demon beasts, totaling… 882?"

Even the elder’s voice carried disbelief, his eyes widening in shock.

As his words echoed, the entire martial arena fell deathly silent.

A wave of stunned disbelief spread through the crowd, the silence so profound it was almost eerie!

Zhong Limeng’s results… surpassed Fu Haotian’s?!

How… how was this possible?!

Not only were Fu Haotian’s supporters frozen in shock, even the fellow disciples who had participated in the demon hunt stood rigid, unable to believe their ears.

Only after the elder’s voice faded did someone finally snap out of their daze.

A burst of cheers erupted, unrestrained joy breaking the silence.

"She won?!"

"Both in the eight hundreds, but Senior Sister Zhong Limeng’s tally is higher—she won!"

"I can’t believe it! Senior Sister Zhong Limeng actually won!!"

"Heavens have eyes! Our efforts weren’t in vain!"

"Hahaha! Fu Haotian boasted that anything over half would count as a win, yet he still fell short of Senior Sister Zhong Limeng. What a joke!"

"Senior Sister crushed him! This is too satisfying!"

The cheers of a few ignited the crowd, their excitement spreading like wildfire.

Shock and disbelief rippled through the tens of thousands of disciples present, as if they had just witnessed a miracle.

Even the honored guests and high-ranking elders on the platform wore expressions of astonishment.

Watching the handful of celebrating disciples, some couldn’t help but frown slightly.

No one had expected this outcome.

Fu Haotian, who had been brimming with confidence, had been utterly defeated by Zhong Limeng!

This result was beyond anyone’s predictions.

Not only had Zhong Limeng won, but her victory was decisive and indisputable.

The presiding elder himself seemed baffled, double-checking the records multiple times, yet finding no errors. Glancing at Fu Haotian, he saw the young man standing calmly, his composure unnerving—but the results spoke for themselves.

By all accounts, Zhong Limeng was the victor.

Taking a deep breath, the elder prepared to announce the verdict.

But Fu Haotian suddenly raised a hand, stopping him with a light chuckle.

"Hold on."

His voice, steady and commanding, drew puzzled looks from the crowd.

Zhong Limeng and her fellow disciples tensed, wary yet confused.

Fu Haotian remained unshaken, as if the outcome hadn’t affected him in the slightest.

His tone was as composed as ever.

"My tally… isn’t complete yet."

His words sent a jolt through the crowd. Zhong Limeng and the others paled, while the seven experts on the platform widened their eyes.

Amidst the heavy silence, Fu Haotian strode forward confidently, hands clasped behind his back, like the true victor he believed himself to be.

"I possess a storage bracelet of exceptional quality. To avoid loss, I entrusted it temporarily to Elder Wei."

"Inside… lies another thousand demon corpses."

"The match isn’t over yet. Aren’t you celebrating too soon?"

Standing before Zhong Limeng, Fu Haotian looked down at her with a cold, triumphant smirk, his towering figure exuding unshakable confidence.

The moment he finished speaking—

Zhong Limeng staggered as if struck by lightning, her face turning deathly pale.

This pampered young master… still had a hidden card?!

"A thousand demon corpses?! That’s… impossible!"

Her fellow disciples trembled, their voices shaking as they cried out in disbelief.

Even the presiding elder’s eyes widened.

Now, he finally understood why Fu Haotian had remained so composed—even bold enough to make such boasts. This disciple, born into privilege, was no ordinary figure.

A full thousand additional demon corpses—even the elder couldn’t hide his shock.

Fu Haotian’s influence was terrifying. With a combined tally of over 1,800, his overwhelming victory was undeniable. His power and backing were truly monstrous!

The disciples outside the arena erupted into chaos.

So, everything had been under Fu Haotian’s control all along.

To win the competition for the top seat with such crushing dominance—this was Fu Haotian’s true strength. He didn’t just want victory; he wanted his opponent utterly humiliated. What ruthless cunning!

His merciless, decisive style left no room for resistance.

The earlier debates and criticisms now vanished, replaced by unanimous praise for Fu Haotian.

Nearly ninety percent of the disciples watched him with awe and fear.

Flattery and admiration filled the air, the crowd buzzing with fervent discussion.

The entire arena trembled under the weight of this revelation, the uproar deafening!