Nangong Shang was elated, but not far from him, Xie Yun looked displeased, his expression dark and gloomy. "This boy's talent is extraordinary. He must be eradicated while he's still in the cradle," Xie Yun thought to himself. To offend him, no matter how gifted the boy was, he had to die before he could grow into a threat.

Amid the crowd of Wind Valley, Han Kui, with his honest and simple demeanor, grinned broadly. "This guy... he's been hiding how strong he is from me, huh? Haha!" Seeing that Li Xiaoyao was far stronger than himself, Han Kui felt only joy.

Beside him, Jing Xiang's radiant smile blossomed like a lotus in full bloom—vibrant yet pure.

Standing near them, Lei Jun's eyes flickered with a subtle gleam. Staring at Li Xiaoyao on the Life-and-Death Platform, he mused silently, "No wonder he occasionally exudes such powerful sharpness... so this is why."

On the Life-and-Death Platform, Yu Zhentong's face was as pale as paper, drained of color.

"You... you don't understand swords at all."

Li Xiaoyao trampled on his dignity, and he had no choice but to admit it. Not just him; at this moment, everyone watching had to acknowledge it. He, Yu Zhentong, knew nothing of swords.

Who said that only those with sword martial souls could become powerful swordmasters?

The razor-sharp sword aura stung every inch of Yu Zhentong's skin, dismantling his fighting spirit bit by bit. Facing Li Xiaoyao, who commanded such an overwhelming sword presence, he had no power to resist.

"I concede. The inner sect disciple seat is yours."

After struggling internally, Yu Zhentong finally uttered the words, his face burning with shame, as though everyone's gaze was mocking him.

"Concede? Give it to me?"

Li Xiaoyao sneered. Was it really that simple?

When Yu Zhentong thought he was strong, he had tried to cripple Li Xiaoyao's cultivation, break his limbs, and leave him to a fate worse than death—cruel and ruthless.

Now that Yu Zhentong realized he wasn't Li Xiaoyao's match, did he think one sentence could resolve everything? Was that possible?

At least, Li Xiaoyao didn't think so.

"Do I need you to concede?" Li Xiaoyao's voice was laced with heavy sarcasm as he took another step forward. The overwhelming sword presence grew even more oppressive, suffocating Yu Zhentong.

"I said I concede. What more do you want?"

Yu Zhentong's face shifted slightly. Li Xiaoyao still had energy to spare—how terrifying.

"What do I want? It's simple. I'll give you what you intended to give me," Li Xiaoyao replied coldly, his murderous intent flashing briefly, sending a chill through Yu Zhentong. Li Xiaoyao wanted to kill him.

"This is the sect competition. You wouldn't dare!" Yu Zhentong shouted, his right leg retreating slightly.

"You wouldn't dare kill me, but I dare kill you."

Li Xiaoyao answered with action, his grip on the sword trembling slightly. In an instant, a shadow of the blade descended, creating an eruption of sword energy. The dazzling brilliance, infused with ultimate sharpness, slashed toward Yu Zhentong.

The life-taking sword—it claimed a life in but a moment.

Yu Zhentong's blood splattered as his body collapsed. His eyes remained wide open in disbelief, even in death. He could not fathom that Li Xiaoyao would actually kill him.

"Shhhh..." It was as if the space had frozen. The crowd collectively exhaled the breath they had been holding, their mutual heartbeats audible in the tense silence.

Li Xiaoyao had broken the history of Canghai Sect by simultaneously challenging two inner disciples. Li Xiaoyao had defied the rules of Canghai Sect, killing his opponent in the sect competition in front of all disciples, the elders, and even the Sect Master, Nangong Shang.

"Audacious!"

A thunderous roar, laden with immense fury, descended from the skies, landing on Li Xiaoyao like a crushing weight. It jolted the crowd out of their stunned stupor.

"Before the eyes of the entire Canghai Sect, you have shown utter disrespect to your elders, disregarded the authority of the Sect Master, and slain a fellow disciple. You deserve death without pardon!"

Another furious voice followed, dripping with icy killing intent.

The crowd looked up and saw Xie Yun. Some were puzzled, but those who had witnessed Xie Yun nearly forcing Li Xiaoyao to his death understood the enmity between the two. Now, while Li Xiaoyao was still weak, Xie Yun obviously wouldn't let him grow stronger. His actions aimed to convict Li Xiaoyao, paving the way to end his life.

Li Xiaoyao lifted his head, glanced at Xie Yun briefly, and then shifted his gaze away, ignoring him entirely.

Today, Li Xiaoyao had come to participate in the sect competition, to stand atop this life-and-death platform, basking in the attention of the entire crowd. His domineering display had included challenging two inner disciples, showcasing an imposing sword aura, shocking the masses, and slaying Yu Zhentong on the spot.

All of this, however, was just for Xie Yun!

He had deliberately created a pretext—a reason for Xie Yun to act against him. Li Xiaoyao understood that if he didn't initiate this, Xie Yun would eventually find an excuse. Instead of waiting, Li Xiaoyao decided to deliver himself directly.

Seeing Li Xiaoyao completely ignore him, Xie Yun trembled with rage but smirked coldly in his heart. He bellowed, "Guards! Seize this traitor! If he resists, kill him on the spot!"

Hearing Xie Yun's words, the crowd felt a chill run down their spines. What a ruthless move. A sect elder's orders were truly decisive and domineering.

"Scumbag," Han Kui cursed loudly, his voice heard by all. Yu Zhentong had intended to cripple Li Xiaoyao's cultivation, break his limbs, and make his life a living hell. Did Li Xiaoyao deserve punishment for killing such a person?

Jing Xiang's face turned pale with anger, her eyes filled with deep worry.

"What a shameless elder," Zhao Xinyi muttered. Xie Yun was pulling the same dirty tricks again, this time for the second time.

Several figures flickered, dashing toward the life-and-death platform, ready to seize Li Xiaoyao.

"Wait."

A calm, indifferent voice resonated, halting the advancing figures in their tracks.

The speaker was none other than Nangong Shang, the Sect Master of Canghai Sect.

In an instant, all eyes turned to Nangong Shang. Everyone was eager to see how he would handle the situation. Would he punish Li Xiaoyao?

"Sect Master, this person is arrogant and insolent, showing no respect for you. He must be punished severely as a warning to others." Xie Yun approached Nangong Shang, bowing slightly as he spoke. Afterward, he glanced at the group surrounding Nangong Shang.

"Xie Yun Elder is right. This disciple is too presumptuous, daring to ignore the sect master and kill a fellow disciple on the spot. He must die." "Sect Master, this disciple's crime deserves death. He must be executed."

Several elders echoed Xie Yun's sentiment. Xie Canglan, after all, was senior even to the sect master, Nangong Shang, and in the Canghai Sect, these elders wouldn't dare to ignore Xie Yun's influence and naturally sided with him.

Nangong Shang raised his head and looked at Xie Yun and the other elders, asking calmly, "Are you all done speaking?"

The elders froze, unsure of Nangong Shang's intentions behind these words.

"Xie Yun, are you the sect master, or am I, Nangong Shang, the sect master?" When no one replied, Nangong Shang addressed Xie Yun directly.

Xie Yun's expression stiffened, his heart skipping a beat as he hurriedly replied, "Of course, you are the sect master. How dare I presume otherwise?"

"And what about the rest of you? Am I the sect master, or is Xie Yun the sect master?" Nangong Shang turned to the elders who had sided with Xie Yun.

"Of course, you are," the elders responded in unison, sensing something ominous. Nangong Shang was usually mild-tempered and had never spoken to them in such a manner.

"Oh." Nangong Shang nodded. "Then let me ask you again, who presides over the Sect Grand Competition?"

"Naturally, it is the sect master," Xie Yun and the others answered in unison, beads of sweat forming on their backs as they realized their folly.

"You all know this, don't you? If that's the case, Xie Yun, I'd like to ask you: You claim that disciple disrespected me as the sect master, but what about you? Right in front of everyone, right in front of me, you try to dictate terms and pass judgment on others. Such boldness! Elder Xie Yun, let me ask you: do you, or do you not, regard me, the sect master, as your superior?"

As Nangong Shang's words fell, a chilling wind seemed to sweep through the space, leaving Xie Yun and the other elders feeling icy cold.

The elders who had remained silent earlier secretly breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly thankful for their restraint. That was close.

Xie Yun, arrogant as ever and emboldened by his connection to Xie Canglan, had long been domineering and overbearing. This time, he had finally enraged the sect master.

Crack! A loud crack echoed as Nangong Shang's chair shattered beneath him.

"Tell me！！！" Nangong Shang bellowed, his icy voice reverberating through the hall. "So, today, I wanna know: does anyone still acknowledge me, Nangong Shang, as the sect master of the Canghai Sect?"

As Nangong Shang stood, his cold fury radiated a powerful aura, making the elders wish they could disappear on the spot. Why had they spoken out in the first place?

Everyone gazed at their furious sect master, their eyes filled with unease. The sect master, known for his calm demeanor, rarely showed anger. What had happened today for him to become so enraged, especially at Elder Xie Yun?