Chapter 491: Utterly Overbearing

Cang Li choked.

He, angry, reached out and pinched Yuan Yao's cheek.

"Sss!" Yuan Yao winced in pain and inhaled a gasp of cold air.

Cang Li's hand had just released Yuan Yao's face, before he could feel smug, the back of his head was solidly slapped, a crisp "pa" sound, the force not light.

Cang Li staggered from the blow, his head buzzing, his whole self a bit dazed, and he turned his head away blankly.

"Don't bully Yao Yao!"

Xiao Lingwei stood behind him, her tone clearly scolding and protective.

Cang Li said plaintively, "Oh!"

After this little interlude, Cang Li completely forgot the matter he had intended to bring up.

Yuan Yao silently exhaled, and said to Cang Li, "Third Senior Brother, don't be angry with me."

Cang Li gave her a sideways glance, let out a cold snort from his nose, but his tone had softened considerably: "Which eye of yours saw me getting angry?"

Yuan Yao immediately replied, her tone exceedingly sincere: "Neither of my eyes saw it."

Cang Li, hearing that, was about to furrow his brows in disbelief, but Yuan Yao turned the conversation, lifted her small face, her big watery eyes full of cunning, and said with a grin, "Because Third Senior Brother cherishes me the most, how could he possibly be angry with me?"

Cang Li's expression showed a hint of helplessness as he shook his head, yet a trace of indulgent smile, unnoticed even by himself, rose in his eyes: "Yuan Yao, your thoughts are rather beautiful."

Yuan Yao, seeing his demeanor relax, pressed further: "So then, you really aren't angry with me?"

Cang Li raised an eyebrow, slightly lifted his chin: "I, Cangaotian, have forgiven you."

After a brief pause, he slightly frowned, "Speaking of which, what was I about to say just now…"

Yuan Yao's heart jumped, "Third Senior Brother, look at that person on the arena."

Cang Li followed the voice and saw a familiar figure; that youth was Wei Yenching of the Seventh Continent.

Wei Yenching's opponent was an early‑stage Transforming God from Feiyun Island.

Wei Yenching's cultivation was at the peak of the late Nascent Soul Realm.

Wei Yenching wielded twin swords, his gaze clear as he stared at his opponent, and said, "Please teach me."

The two quickly began to fight.

This battle lasted nearly an hour.

Wei Yenching almost used all his trump cards, barely winning over the opponent.

And as soon as Wei Yenching left the arena, he was sent for treatment.

After the first 237 rounds of competition, the Ninth Province had only twelve participating disciples left.

They were: Qian Shan Liuzi, Ling Huya, Nan Feiyan, Xiao Zhufeng, Shiziwen, Dongfangxiu.

This meant they would take turns entering the arena again, until the Ninth Province team was completely eliminated.

Before the 238th round of the contest begins.

The Ninth Province team sent out Xiao Lingwei.

Xiao Lingwei steadily stepped onto the arena and drew a lot.

This time, she drew a person from the First Continent.

When the two stood on the arena, it sparked a wave of heated discussion.

"I didn't expect the two of them to meet!"

"You all say, who will win between them?"

"Their cultivation realms are the same, it's truly hard to judge."

"One is a disciple of the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord, the other a disciple of Kui Qian Xian Zun!"

"Kui Qian Xian Zun has taken only this one disciple for years, proving Qiu Fu's extraordinary talent; I think Qiu Fu will definitely win!"

The Qiu Fu being hotly discussed by the crowd now stood still at the other end of the arena.

She wore a pristine white robe, her jet‑black long hair tied high into a sleek high ponytail, accentuating her slender neck and a posture upright as a pine.

Her looks were not top‑tier beauty, but her features together were very pleasing, especially her eyes, calm as water, unruffled, exuding an age‑incongruent aloofness and detachment.

In her hand she held a simple long sword; its scabbard bore no ornate decoration, the blade still sheathed yet already hinted at a sharp, fierce aura, her entire temperament was cold and aloof, like a winter plum atop a snow‑capped mountain.

"I am Qiu Fu," Qiu Fu said first, her voice cold.

Xiao Lingwei also returned the courtesy, "Ninth Province, Xiao Lingwei."

The two exchanged their titles, and with just these brief words, an invisible pressure already spread across the arena.

The surrounding air seemed to become stagnant, the previously noisy chatter unintentionally quieted, everyone held their breath and focused, awaiting the start of the battle.

Xiao Lingwei's right hand touched the bone‑jointed long whip coiled at her waist, the whip, forged from some exotic beast's bone, displayed a deep dark‑gold hue.

With a light "swish," the whip seemed to come alive as she yanked it out, its tip tracing a sharp arc in mid‑air, colliding fiercely with the air.

"Pa!"

A crisp burst rang out like a sudden thunderclap on flat ground, making eardrums buzz.

Their gazes clashed fiercely in the air, sparks scattering.

In that instant of eye contact, they both acted simultaneously!

Xiao Lingwei's wrist twitched, the dark‑gold bone‑jointed whip becoming a coiled dragon ready to strike, roaring as it tore through the air, shooting toward Qiu Fu; the whip's shadow layered, hard to discern real from illusion, its first move a fierce technique!

Qiu Fu's figure flickered; seeming slow, yet actually at extreme speed, leaving a faint white afterimage in place.

She did not rush to draw her sword; instead, using exquisitely refined footwork, she narrowly evaded the whip's first strike, lightly tapping the arena with her toe, her body drifting back like floating willow fluff, creating distance, her gaze fixed on Xiao Lingwei's movements, seeking a chance to counter.

"What swift footwork!" someone on the stands couldn't help but exclaim.

"Xiao Lingwei's whip technique is also extremely domineering, fierce and powerful!"

Below the arena, Yuan Yao saw this scene, her complexion turning somewhat solemn.

She could tell that Qiu Fu's strength was great.

In this match, Second Senior Sister may not necessarily win.

Cang Li couldn't help but say: "This Qiu Fu is indeed worthy of being taught by Immortal Venerable Kui Qian; her temperament is steady and calm."

Xue Jin narrowed his eyes slightly, "She excels at lying in wait, then delivers a killing blow."

"A killing blow? Then Second Sister would be in danger, wouldn't she?" Cang Li drew a sharp breath.

Song Yan sighed deeply, "Lingwei isn't that weak."

Cang Li asked curiously: "Eldest Senior Brother, if it were you, do you have confidence to defeat that Qiu Fu?"

Song Yan fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.

As Cang Li was about to say something more, his attention was drawn by the tremendous sound coming from the arena.

Looking up, he saw Qiu Fu already drawing her sword and sweeping it fiercely toward Xiao Lingwei.

That sword blade almost overturned the entire arena!

Xiao Lingwei whipped out her whip, and it collided violently with the opponent's force!

Boom!

The entire arena trembled violently from this terrifying impact.

The protective barrier also rippled like a calm lake suddenly stirred by countless ripples.