Chapter 383

Soon, the Outer Sect Grand Competition began.

To give all Outer Sect disciples time to watch the Grand Competition, Li Huo Peak halted all missions.

In the morning, after eating, all Outer Sect disciples headed straight for the training ground.

When Xu Yang, Sun Tao, and others arrived, they found the place already swarming with people, but a careful observer could still notice that the number was much lower than last year.

His gaze swept across, discovering many acquaintances still alive: Qin Ze, Liu Qian, Gao Peng, Li Shun, Cao Rong...

He looked at these people, and they looked back at him, their gazes all carrying a kind of scrutiny.

"I didn't expect you truly lacked the courage even to step onto the stage for the Grand Competition; it is truly disappointing. It is a disgrace to be listed among the Ten Heroes alongside someone like you."

A young man with an air of arrogance on his face walked up to Xu Yang, a long sword inlaid with gems hanging at his waist.

It was none other than Su Zhe of the Su family.

His sister, Su Man, had ordered him to teach Xu Yang a lesson at the Outer Sect Grand Competition; unfortunately, Xu Yang had not registered, and even though he had used provocation, Xu Yang remained unmoved.

Sun Tao's eyes blazed with fire upon hearing this, yet he also knew that at this moment, Xu Yang's bone-tempering must absolutely not be revealed.

Xiao Hua has already achieved minor success in bone-tempering; if he learned that Xu Yang had also tempered his bones, he would surely spare no effort to cut the roots and eliminate the threat.

Xu Yang glanced indifferently at Su Zhe's arrogant expression and was just about to speak when Jiang Fan strode over.

"The ninth bullying the tenth does not count as true skill. If you have true skill, fight me on the arena stage; only if you can defeat me are you a true hero."

Jiang Fan spoke indifferently, unleashing a mighty pressure against Su Zhe; Su Zhe's face instantly changed, looking as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a dead rat.

He naturally dared not fight Jiang Fan, who had already tempered his bones, lacking even the courage to speak harsh words.

His status as a young master of the Su family was worlds apart from that of the Little Marquis; he never expected Jiang Fan and Xu Yang to be so close, nor that Jiang Fan would intervene on Xu Yang's behalf, publicly shaming him.

Instantly, his arrogant expression vanished, and he did not dare to show the anger in his heart.

The gazes of the people around him came, making him feel his face burning hot, as if they were mocking how his backbone vanished the moment he faced Jiang Fan.

"You coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong, get lost. Don't say defeating me; if you can defeat Lu Ren, who ranks ahead of you, I would count that as some skill. Shouting at those ranked below you and with inferior family backgrounds only invites ridicule," Jiang Fan sneered.

He would not bully others by relying on his status, and at the same time, he despised those who did.

Upon hearing this, Su Zhe subconsciously glanced at Lu Ren in the distance, and battle intent rose in his eyes.

For this Outer Sect Grand Competition, his target was to defeat eighth-ranked Lu Ren, seventh-ranked Chen Yu, and sixth-ranked Xie Zhan, raising the Ten Heroes ranking from ninth to sixth.

These few people had quite ordinary family backgrounds; he, as a young master of the Su family, was confident he could defeat them; indeed, his ultimate goal was to defeat fourth-ranked Han Feng.

The Su family had suffered a great change; two alchemists died, business began to shrink, and they urgently needed a genius to stabilize the situation.

And he, Su Zhe, was the Su family's hope at this moment.

Lu Ren felt Su Zhe's battle intent and felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly; clearly Su Zhe was looking for trouble with Xu Yang, yet how did the trouble end up being drawn onto him?

Now being all alone, he did not want to offend a young master like Su Zhe.

But since Jiang Fan was the one who drew the trouble, he did not dare to utter a single complaint, nor even dare to look over, fearing he would cause Jiang Fan to misunderstand.

Su Zhe bowed slightly to Jiang Fan and slipped away in shame, not saying a single word the entire time.

Xu Yang bowed and said, "Thank you, Brother Jiang, for resolving this for me."

Jiang Fan waved his hand and said, "No need for courtesy; such a clown is just infuriating to look at."

Xu Yang knew Jiang Fan was different from most martial artists he knew, and he did not know how the Marquis of the Jiang family had raised him to produce a Little Marquis like Jiang Fan who was so different.

"Haha... Jiang Fan is also bullying the weak here relying on strength; you and that Su Zhe are essentially no different. If it weren't for your Little Marquis identity, he would have slapped your face long ago."

A loud laugh rang out; Li Li Chuyang, followed by two Outer Sect disciples resembling guards, strode over.

"You don't even dare to step onto the stage; you truly are shaming the face of us Ten Heroes geniuses." His gaze finally landed on Xu Yang.

Seeing Li Li Chuyang, Jiang Fan's eyes instantly turned red: "You beast still dare to appear before me; give me your life."

Without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Fan raised his palm to kill.

All his beautiful fantasies about love had been simply and brutally shattered by this scoundrel Li Li Chuyang; he had once been desperate, and even after more than a year, he still hated this beast Li Li Chuyang.

"You are crazy; I was just helping you see reality."

Li Li Chuyang was startled; he did not expect that after so much time, Jiang Fan still could not let go of that matter.

Zhang Yong, Sun Tao, and a few others were also startled and hurriedly fled to the sides; they could not withstand the aftermath of a clash between bone-tempering martial artists.

Not only them, but the Outer Sect disciples around also fled as if avoiding snakes and scorpions, fearing to be caught in the crossfire of the battle between the number one and number three on the rankings.

"You two, if you wish to fight, there are plenty of opportunities on the arena stage; do not rely on your status to break the sect rules."

Just as Jiang Fan's palm was about to strike Li Li Chuyang, a voice quickly approached.

When the voice sounded, it was still far away; by the time the voice ended, it was already right at their side.

A figure appeared abruptly between Jiang Fan and Li Li Chuyang like a ghost, separating the two; Jiang Fan's palm could no longer strike down.

Many people watched with pupils contracting; they simply could not see clearly how the figure appeared, as if he had been there all along.

The newcomer's face was like polished jade, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes; he emitted a mighty aura of a bone-tempering martial artist, clashing with the auras on Jiang Fan and Li Li Chuyang.

Centered on the three of them, the auras surged like a tide for a moment, causing the Outer Sect disciples around to retreat again and again.

"What exquisite movement technique," Xu Yang said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

His Great Success level 'Treading the Stars Chasing the Wind' absolutely could not match this person's speed; this person must be cultivating a movement technique far superior to 'Treading the Stars Chasing the Wind'.

Jiang Fan sneered, withdrew his palm, and said, "I will give Brother Du a favor; I will settle with you on the arena stage."

The person who appeared so abruptly was none other than Du Chuan, the second of the Ten Heroes; only he would dare to intervene in the dispute between Jiang Fan and Li Li Chuyang.

"I am waiting for you!" Li Li Chuyang laughed.

Not long after, a group of Outer Sect officials appeared and began to preside over the draw for the matches.

The format of the Outer Sect Grand Competition was similar to the Wu Ke Society trial: fight one match, the winner advances, the loser fights again; lose and you are directly eliminated, win and you advance.

Therefore, the Outer Sect Grand Competition also had an element of luck involved.

However, unlike the Wu Ke Society trial, which lasts only one day with very tight time, making it easy for those with inferior strength to take advantage,

the Outer Sect Grand Competition lasts three days, with enough time to recover stamina after each round, so there will be no situation where someone with inferior strength takes advantage.