Chapter 703

Right then, Shanwanquan wanted to go back and pack his bags, returning straight to his sect to confess his fault.

But shortly after, he realized that Fang Yue on stage was facing a second consecutive battle!

And Fang Yue's opponent was none other than the famed Third Elder of the Cangshan Sect!

The Third Elder's name was Mu Xi; together with the other two Elders, they were respectfully known in the martial world as the Cangshan Three Elders.

The Cangshan Sect, where the Cangshan Three Elders resided, was a renowned orthodox sect!

They acted with integrity and righteousness; when the 【Killing Demon】 rampaged through 【Chunuan City】, it was these three who were most eager to act, seeking to purge the city's injustices and ensure peace for its nights.

Though their efforts yielded little, their popularity among the common folk remained high, making them paragons of the orthodox path.

At the same time, these three were veteran Human Realm experts! Their reputations were well-known among peers.

A Human Realm expert's move reveals their true worth!

Shanwanquan, who had been preparing to leave in gloom, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Conflicts between Human Realm experts were rare; in a place like 【Chunuan City】, they were uncommon—even daily fights were scarce, let alone public duels.

Now that there was entertainment to watch, Shanwanquan couldn't bring himself to leave.

First, he wanted to see how Fang Yue would be defeated by the Cangshan Sect's Third Elder.

Second, he hoped to observe the battle between Human Realm experts to enhance his own Martial Arts insight and deepen his understanding.

"Youngster, though we are both at the early stage of the Human Realm, I am older than you and have long solidified this realm. Even if you are a prodigy, you cannot match me. So, I'll hold back three-tenths of my strength—I'll fight you with only seven-tenths."

On stage, the battle did not begin as casually as before.

Or rather, when Fang Yue was about to move, a single word from the Cangshan Sect's Third Elder made him halt.

"Good!"

"No wonder they're an orthodox sect! Cangshan Sect—the light of the righteous path!"

"Third Elder lives up to his title—cherishing talent like his own life, even on this arena he's willing to yield ground! Such noble conduct!"

Around him, cheers erupted; the other two Cangshan Sect Elders also stroked their white beards and nodded with smiles.

In this way, it seemed as if Fang Yue had gained an advantage.

In those words, Fang Yue inexplicably seemed diminished—he could not win without seeming arrogant, nor lose without seeming deserving.

Are orthodox people really this cunning?

Fang Yue's lips twitched slightly; he placed one hand behind his back and stood firm on both feet.

"No need. Elder, the waves of the Yangtze push forward—the older wave dies on the shore. So, I'll let you use one hand, both feet—I'll step back one step and I'll lose. Go ahead, unleash your full strength."

What?!

The moment Fang Yue spoke, those who had just praised the Third Elder froze in shock.

Even the Cangshan Sect's First Elder and Second Elder, who had been smiling and stroking their beards, froze.

Arrogant!

These two words rose in every heart.

"What does he mean?!"

"Let the Cangshan Sect's Third Elder use one hand and both feet? Does he even know what those three words—Cangshan Sect's Third Elder—truly represent? That's the Cangshan Sect's pride and reputation!"

"Some youngsters, having just entered the Human Realm, have become so arrogant they've lost all sense—showing not the slightest respect to their seniors!"

"Third Elder, don't be polite! Just go and defeat him, crush his arrogance!"

No one knew Fang Yue, and no one supported him.

Amid the heated crowd, everyone present supported the Cangshan Sect's Third Elder.

Even the Third Elder himself frowned.

He prided himself as a righteous cultivator; for years he had eradicated evil and upheld justice, his reputation long established, with a stable base of supporters in 【Chunuan City】.

Earlier, his offer wasn't pretense—he genuinely wanted to let the youngster off easy, so this sudden new prodigy wouldn't lose too disgracefully.

But now… the other side didn't appreciate it!

Sigh.

The Third Elder's lips curled into a smile: "I meant to spare you the humiliation of a crushing defeat, to give you a chance to shine. But now it seems I've been bitten by a dog after saving a dog—unappreciative. Very well. I'll unleash my full strength now, so you'll learn what lies beyond the mountain and beyond the sky!"

As he spoke, cheers erupted around him.

Drawing his sword, the Cangshan Sect's Third Elder charged toward Fang Yue.

And Fang Yue, as he had promised, did not move an inch!

"Ignorant!"

A flash of coldness passed through his eyes; anger flared in his heart. The Third Elder unleashed his internal energy, slamming his sword's pressure forward.

Amid the howling wind, Fang Yue's sleeves fluttered, yet his body remained utterly still.

Impressive! He can withstand my Human Realm 【Aura】—a genuine Human Realm expert!

But… it won't help!

He lightly tapped the ground, his figure stretching forward; the distance between them vanished in an instant.

He thrust his sword toward Fang Yue's chest—only to see a blur, and suddenly his sword froze in place!

When he looked up again, he was stunned: his longsword was firmly gripped in Fang Yue's bare right hand, coated with a thin layer of ice, motionless.

How is this possible?!

My sword technique was broken by brute force?!

Trying to retreat and change tactics, the Cangshan Sect's Third Elder immediately realized—not only his right hand holding the sword, but his entire body had become utterly immobilized.

He looked down—and his heart froze.

His entire body was now coated in a thin layer of frost, covered in snow, as if trapped in a blizzard, his limbs nearly entirely frozen solid.

"Elder, move."

Listening to the insolent words of this junior before him, the Third Elder of Cangshan Sect's face flushed a liver-purple color, but no matter how hard he exerted his strength, the layer of frost on his body simply would not shatter.

Until…

"Senior, if you don't move, then it's my turn to make a move."

Without waiting for his reply, the opponent very unsportingly slapped a palm over.

His chest caved in with a thump, shattering the broken ice across his whole body, and at the same time the Third Elder of Cangshan Sect was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground. When he tried to rise again, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood with a wail.

He wanted to get up and fight again, but collapsed once more in an instant. Only now did he discover in horror that his five viscera and six bowels had long been severely damaged, and he had no strength left to fight at all!

One palm…

Just one palm, and I lost!

When he raised his head to look at Fang Yue again, his eyes were filled with thick dread and shock.

"I… surrender!"

With the referee's announcement, the crowd only then came back to their senses.

What?!

The Third Elder of Cangshan Sect lost? Just like that? With a single move—and that was with the opponent using only one hand and never taking a single step back—he was defeated?!

The scene instantly exploded into an uproar.

The heat of discussion about Fang Yue was pushed to another height in an instant.

Originally it was only the spectators around the fourth group's arena discussing; now everyone was discussing Fang Yue, this Human-Rank expert who had risen like a comet.

"Lost…? A clash between Human-Rank experts, and it ended in defeat in a single move too?!"

Shanwanquan stared at this outcome before him in disbelief.

(End of chapter)