Hearing this, Meng Wanyue secretly clenched her fists. In front of so many people, even if she had to die, she would not let Xu Mu lose face.
Beside them, Xu Ningbing gently tugged at the corner of Xu Mu's clothes. "Little Mu, I can fight too."
"There's no need. Having Wanyue do it is more than enough to handle them."
Xu Mu still didn't want Xu Ningbing to get hurt; after all, there were still matches later.
She rarely engaged in actual combat, even though she frequently sparred with Meng Wanyue, Dai Xingluo, and Tong Guoguo.
But since they were on the same side, they would all subconsciously hold back.
Everything would have to wait until the tournament to truly test her current level.
As for Meng Wanyue, Xu Mu was relatively at ease. She was originally an assassin and had experienced a great deal of real combat.
Coupled with the cultivation technique he had given her, as well as the enhancement from the Myriad Spirit Coriander.
As long as she didn't encounter someone with an overpowered destiny level like a typical male protagonist, she could generally fight above her own level with ease.
The surrounding onlookers, hearing this, all began to discuss fervently among themselves.
"That young woman who fought Zhao Kun earlier was at the Grandmaster realm. I didn't expect this young woman to be another Grandmaster."
"It seems this sect is extraordinary. Even my grandfather, the head of our family, is only at the Grandmaster realm. Hidden families and sects really are on entirely different levels."
...
Listening to the conversations around her, Ning Mei's expression didn't change in the slightest.
Hidden families and sects were indeed not on the same level, but the same applied between different sects.
"Song Chengyi, step forward!"
Ning Mei called out to a burly man in the crowd.
Upon hearing her voice, a man with choppy hair, wearing gray casual pants and a gray tank top, walked out from the group.
Compared to the others, his build wasn't overly massive; his muscle lines were distinct but not bulky.
"Second Senior Sister, to deal with this woman, there's no need for Senior Brother Song at all. My Late Divine Ability stage is enough to finish her!"
Another bald man stepped forward and said.
"I am doing this for absolute fairness."
Ning Mei definitely had to be careful this time. If they lost again in a real fight...
Where would the Strength Faction put its face?
Ning Mei looked at Xu Mu and said, "Our Strength Faction's Song Chengyi is at the peak of the Early Grandmaster stage. Is this realm acceptable to you?"
"Of course. Let's begin then."
Xu Mu nodded.
"Let's go. We'll find an empty arena."
Ning Mei immediately turned around. During this time, she deliberately had the disciples beside her go out and spread the word.
Her goal was to broadcast their upcoming victory.
Before long, the group arrived at an array arena at the foot of the mountain.
Xu Mu and the others all entered the building.
Upon stepping inside, the surroundings transformed into the same grassy field as before.
Seeing this, Xu Mu nodded inwardly. The utility of arrays was indeed immense.
Establishing an array arena internally not only saved space but also prevented the shockwaves from battles from affecting the rest of the sect.
Meanwhile, many people, upon hearing that Grandmaster-level experts were fighting here, flocked over to watch.
The Grandmaster realm had already entered the category of true experts.
Even within major sects, this remained true.
The members of the Strength Faction were still clamoring in the distance.
"Senior Brother Song, win it cleanly! I have a kind heart and can't bear to see women get hurt!"
"Hahaha! Senior Brother Song is probably still confused right now. Why did they match him with a woman?"
...
Song Chengyi also shrugged. He looked at Meng Wanyue, his tone brimming with confidence. "Don't worry, beauty, it'll only hurt for a second. It'll be over before you know it."
It wasn't just the people from the Strength Faction; the other spectators also favored Song Chengyi to win.
After all, he was a disciple taught by a top-tier sect. Whether it was cultivation techniques or resources, ordinary sects simply couldn't compare.
Hearing the chatter around him, Xu Mu suddenly smiled and said, "Everyone, I notice that you all seem to think the disciple from the Strength Faction will win."
"That just shows everyone has sharp eyes."
Ning Mei crossed her arms and gave a faint smile.
"Since everyone thinks so highly of the people from the Strength Faction, let's play a little game with spirit stones."
As Xu Mu spoke, he took out a pile of spirit stones from his spatial ring and arranged them neatly on the ground. "Here are one hundred kilograms of spirit stones, which is two hundred jin. Since you all believe the Strength Faction will win, then bring out your spirit stones and place a bet with me."
Hearing this, the surrounding crowd completely fell silent.
Most of them were just here to watch the show, and besides, the majority of them didn't have that many spirit stones on hand.
"No one dares to bet? Then shut up. Anyone can just talk."
Xu Mu was full of disdain.
"Interesting! I'll bet with you!"
Ning Mei took out two hundred jin of spirit stones from her spatial ring and placed them on the ground.
"Good! Who else dares to bet? However many spirit stones you put up, I'll match it. If you don't dare, then shut up and watch the fight."
Xu Mu continued to mock the crowd.
Logically speaking, there were many disciples from major sects around, so they should have some savings on hand.
"Kid! Since you're so arrogant, I'll put my money where my mouth is. I bet one hundred jin of spirit stones!"
A man in black martial attire took out spirit stones from his spatial ring.
"Alright, I'll match your hundred jin."
Xu Mu took out more spirit stones and piled them up.
Seeing this, many people around couldn't hold back anymore.
"I bet one jin of spirit stones."
"I bet ten jin!"
...
Although each person didn't bet much, the sheer number of people made up for it. In the end, they managed to pool together five hundred jin of spirit stones.
Even a mosquito's leg is meat; it would be a waste not to take it.
"Alright, stop wasting time. Let's begin."
Ning Mei urged.
Xu Mu nodded, looked at Meng Wanyue in the distance, and said, "Be careful."
"Got it!"
Meng Wanyue tightly gripped the dagger in her hand. Truth be told, this was her first time facing a disciple from a top-tier sect.
Swish!
She suddenly leaned forward and lunged toward Song Chengyi.
Seeing this, Song Chengyi let out a cold sneer, "Tyrant Body Art!"
Boom!
A faint, earthy-yellow glow appeared around his body.
This glow covered every part of him, forming a transparent, earthy-yellow barrier.
Watching the incoming Meng Wanyue and the dagger in her hand,
Song Chengyi clenched his fist and threw a punch.
As a top-tier assassin, Meng Wanyue saw that her opponent actually dared to meet her weapon bare-handed.
She quickly adjusted her stance, changing her initial slash into a thrust directly aimed at Song Chengyi's fist.
Bang!
The two forces collided instantly.
Song Chengyi's fist smashed forcefully against the tip of Meng Wanyue's dagger.
Meng Wanyue felt the sheer physical toughness of her opponent's fist. The dagger in her hand had clearly pierced through his Qi energy.
Yet, upon making contact with his skin, it couldn't penetrate at all.
Whoosh!
Song Chengyi swiftly swung his other fist, aiming straight for Meng Wanyue's face.
Meng Wanyue immediately met it with an elbow strike.
Boom!
The Qi released by both sides clashed once more. Song Chengyi remained completely unmoving, save for his feet sinking deep into the ground.
As for Meng Wanyue, her body was sent flying backward by the sheer force.
Seeing this, the surrounding crowd was entirely certain that the winner this time would definitely be Song Chengyi.
"I don't have any spirit stones. Can I bet natural treasures instead?"
A young man couldn't help but ask.
"In principle, no. But if your items are high-grade goods of the sixth tier or above, I will reluctantly allow it."
Xu Mu looked at the young man in the distance. Since the guy was offering him a treasure for free, how could he possibly refuse?
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
