Facing Yang Feilong's overwhelming sword strike, which seemed capable of sweeping across the eight desolate lands, Luo Xiangning's expression drastically changed. In her heart, Yang Feilong was at most in the early stage of the Venerable Martial realm. Given his youth and cultivation, she believed his combat skills would pale in comparison to hers, and as a Venerable Martial realm cultivator, she felt he would be easily subdued.
However, she now realized she was mistaken. She had underestimated the young prodigy before her. He was far superior to Yang Ping Tian in his youth. With her whip knocked from her hand, what could she use to block this young man's incredibly fierce sword? Yang Ping Tian, at this age, was only at the peak of the Earth Martial realm, while this opponent posed a death threat to her.
As Luo Xiangning watched Yang Feilong's sword descend, she saw a fleeting image of Yang Ping Tian killing her, so much so that she forgot to dodge, even though dodging might not have saved her.
At that very moment, a figure suddenly appeared before her, blocking the seemingly thunderous sword strike. The impact sent Yang Feilong staggering backward. This figure was the one she had been searching for, yet had never truly approached. He had finally intervened, and she wondered if this would be the first and last time.
Despite this, she did not feel grateful. She roared, "Yang Ping Tian, why did you save me? It would have been so much better if I had died!"
Yang Ping Tian remained silent, not answering Luo Xiangning. Instead, he turned to Yang Feilong and said calmly, "Young man, show mercy where mercy can be shown."
"She was trying to kill me, didn't you hear?" Yang Feilong asked Yang Ping Tian with a cold smile.
"She couldn't kill you," Yang Ping Tian replied after a moment of silence. He didn't say it, but he couldn't stand by and watch such a promising young talent die on the stage.
Yang Feilong sneered, "Heh, well said. If she had killed me, you might have been laughing in your heart."
Yang Ping Tian offered no explanation, perhaps deeming it beneath him, or simply too much effort. After all, he truly would not have let Yang Feilong be killed.
Yang Feilong looked at the man, his eyes filled with fierce fighting spirit. "Yang Ping Tian, since you've entered the arena, let's have a battle!" He himself would not explain that he hadn't intended to kill Luo Xiangning. Seeing her apparent desire to die, he had been preparing to withdraw. Otherwise, how could Yang Ping Tian's casual block have repelled him?
Yang Feilong's near-fatal blow to Luo Xiangning had already shocked countless people, as Luo Xiangning was an invincible expert in the mid-stage Venerable Martial realm, and she had lost. However, when Yang Feilong challenged Yang Ping Tian, who was in the Innate realm, people wondered if he had gone mad. No, he wasn't mad. He had won consecutive battles, his combat power at least on par with Luo Xiangning, a mid-stage Venerable Martial realm cultivator. So why couldn't he challenge Yang Ping Tian?
At this moment, Yang Ping Yu and Yang Qing Yun, father and son, below the arena wore extremely grim expressions. This person was so strong, it was no wonder he had been so arrogant earlier, and it was no wonder the Xiao family had unhesitatingly rejected their Yang family's proposal. It was a choice any fool would make. Compared to him, Yang Qing Yun was simply worlds apart.
"Good!" Yang Ping Tian looked at Yang Feilong and nodded. Although he knew the young man before him had a significant gap in strength, he wanted to fulfill his wish, at least to make this young man, for whom he felt an inexplicable good impression, understand a principle: do not be arrogant just because of your youth, talent, and strength.
Luo Xiangning watched Yang Ping Tian and Yang Feilong, a sense of absurdity washing over her. These two were family, and she was merely a pitiful, pathetic outsider. Yang Ping Tian's saving her might truly have been out of a brotherly regard, and this young man, who seemed ferocious, now that she thought about it, had seemed to withdraw his sword before Yang Ping Tian intervened. He hadn't intended to kill her! She gritted her teeth and leaped off the arena.
On the arena, Yang Feilong and Yang Ping Tian stood facing each other.
"Make your move!" Yang Ping Tian said calmly to Yang Feilong, not using a weapon. Yang Feilong didn't wait for him to draw his weapon. He knew that even without a weapon, his current strength was no match for Yang Ping Tian. But he wanted to try!
Boom!
In the next moment, his long sword roared, and with the Suí Xīn Swordplay, three energies fused. A fearsome strike was unleashed. Facing Yang Feilong's seemingly terrifying sword strike, Yang Ping Tian's eyes slightly narrowed, clearly surprised by its power. If Luo Xiangning had been at her normal strength, she likely wouldn't have been his opponent either. Even the Yang family ancestor, if he could defeat Yang Feilong, would have to exert considerable effort!
He brought two fingers together, turning them into a sword, and met Yang Feilong's terrifying strike. A roaring sound echoed. Yang Feilong stumbled backward. His near-all-out sword strike had been easily repelled by his opponent. This did not dampen Yang Feilong's spirits; on the contrary, his fighting will intensified.
"Kill!" Yang Feilong roared and charged forward again, his aura like a rainbow, like an unkillable war god, filled with heroic spirit and not a trace of fear on his face!
Yang Ping Tian, with his fingers as a sword, unleashed a sword qi that moved like clouds. Waves of sword energy resembling fishing nets appeared in the air and swept towards Yang Feilong. Yang Feilong's roar was like thunder. His sword intent moved with his will, and his sword momentum was like the wind, clearing away the fishing net-like sword energy.
With a loud bang, a sword qi erupted from Yang Ping Tian's fingers. Yang Feilong's expression slightly tightened. His long sword moved with his will, and at the critical moment, he blocked the explosive sword qi. His body, however, was sent staggering back dozens of steps, nearly falling off the stage. The gap was too vast!
The main issue was that his triangular cultivation had not reached its optimal state. If his ancient martial arts cultivation had broken through to the Heavenly Martial realm, no, even if it had reached the peak of the Earth Martial realm, he wouldn't be so easily suppressed by Yang Ping Tian, who wasn't using a weapon. Every level of Yang Ping Tian's strength would have left Yang Feilong in a sorry state.
"Do you want to fight again?" Yang Ping Tian stopped attacking, stood with his hands behind his back, and quietly looked at Yang Feilong.
Before Yang Feilong could speak, a voice rang out: "Is it interesting for an Innate realm cultivator to bully a young man?"
At the same time, from a certain area in the spectator stands, a terrifying aura shot up into the sky.
"What? Another Innate realm cultivator?"
"Who is it?"
"The area where the Xiao family is located. It's the Xiao family ancestor! No, how did he break through?"
At this moment, Yang Kai Tai, who had been looking displeased earlier, suddenly sat up from his seat. He was of the same generation as Xiao Xu Hong, and their ages were similar, as was their strength. Yet, he had never expected the other party to break through!
Yang Ping Tian looked at Xiao Xu Hong, who had flown down to the arena, his eyes flickering slightly. "As expected, Innate realm!"
"Who can tell me how the Xiao family also has an Innate realm cultivator?"
"Xiao Xu Hong is so old, how did he succeed in his breakthrough?"
At this moment, many old-timers were dumbfounded, desperately wanting to know the details. Although they also wanted to know how Yang Ping Tian had succeeded in his breakthrough, they were more interested in Xiao Xu Hong. This was because many peak Venerable Martial realm cultivators present were over seventy or eighty years old. Perhaps Yang Ping Tian's method of breakthrough was completely inapplicable to them!