Chapter 1020

But now, there was nothing left but to give up.

As the demonic seed's alien force withdrew from her body, Zhou Zhiruo collapsed completely, falling to one side.

Instantly, she was drenched in sweat, soaking her entire body.

Wiping away her fragrant sweat, she gasped with coarse and heavy breaths, thanking Yin Liting,

"Sixth Master Yin, thank you…"

"No need for thanks. Rest and heal as soon as possible."

Yin Liting did not even look at her; he kept his gaze fixed on General Zhebie.

"Alright, my men have ceased their attacks. Shall we still follow my proposal—a fair duel to decide the ownership of the Yi Tian Sword?"

General Zhebie, forcing patience, asked Yin Liting.

Had it been anyone else—even Great Ming's imperial patron Wang Shouren or the Night Emperor—he would have already blasted them with his Four Symbols Arrows.

But Yin Liting—he simply could not afford to provoke.

Unless absolutely forced, he did not wish to tear the veil of civility.

"Miss Zhou, this Yi Tian Sword is of immense value to you, is it not?"

When Yin Liting entered the foreign Great Ming, the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List had not yet been released.

Thus, he genuinely did not know that this Yi Tian Sword was no ordinary Yi Tian Sword—it was an Immortal-grade Yi Tian Sword.

And it concealed a secret tied to the Yi Tian and the Dragon-Slaying Blade!

Yet he saw that the Great Yuan had sent even General Zhebie—clearly, they were determined to claim it.

Even combined, he, Zhou Zhiruo, and Abbess Miejue were no match for General Zhebie.

"Sixth Master Yin, the Yi Tian Sword is indeed of utmost importance to me."

Zhou Zhiruo held the Yi Tian Sword, gazing at it closely, her expression filled with reluctant attachment.

Then, she reversed the blade and offered it to Yin Liting's side.

"Though treasures are precious, one must have life to use them!

Sixth Master Yin, you are a man of integrity—let your judgment decide the fate of this sword."

It was not that Zhou Zhiruo wished to draw the trouble toward Yin Liting—she simply had no strength left to keep the Yi Tian Sword.

Seeing Yin Liting's noble and warmhearted nature, she decided to entrust the sword to him, letting him decide its fate.

After all, if the sword must be lost, at least let her keep her life.

"This…"

Seeing the Yi Tian Sword offered before him, Yin Liting hesitated.

If he accepted the sword and handed it directly to General Zhebie, all matters here would be settled, and no conflict with Zhebie or his men would arise.

But if he truly did so, not only would Zhou Zhiruo's reluctant expression weigh on him—

Even he himself felt it would be surrendering to tyranny, contrary to the way of the righteous hero.

He immediately refused,

"Keep the sword yourself!

I only wish to ask, Miss Zhou—if I were to fight General Zhebie and his men in your stead to determine the sword's ownership, would you agree?"

"Huh? Sixth Master Yin, you're not joking, are you?"

Zhou Zhiruo never imagined that Yin Liting would not take the Yi Tian Sword—and worse, that he intended to fight General Zhebie and his men in her place.

Was this Yin Liting mad?

Or was he too naive?

Who was General Zhebie?

He was a famed expert on the Heavenly Dao Golden List!

Across the Nine Provinces, few could surpass him.

Though Yin Liting was a disciple of Zhang Sanfeng, the Seventh Dragon Chief, his current cultivation was even below hers.

With such cultivation, how dare he challenge General Zhebie?

Perhaps—he couldn't bear to lose face, thinking he'd lose the fight and then hand over the sword, thus not violating his sense of righteous duty?

Realizing this, Zhou Zhiruo gave a look of understanding and nodded,

"I leave it entirely to your discretion."

"Good!"

With Zhou Zhiruo's consent, Yin Liting immediately turned back to General Zhebie and said,

"General Zhebie, what do you say?"

General Zhebie was utterly baffled—how could the Wu Dang Sixth Elder be so stubbornly foolish?

Did he truly believe he could defeat a Heavenly Dao Golden List-level expert like himself?

"General, this brat is too arrogant—let me teach him a lesson!"

Hearing Yin Liting's words, Watching Bi Xuan could not help but speak up again.

Even though Yin Liting was a top disciple of Zhang Sanfeng, Watching Bi Xuan could no longer contain himself.

After all, Yin Liting had addressed only General Zhebie.

As if he had not even noticed Watching Bi Xuan at all.

Watching Bi Xuan, on the steppes, had proclaimed himself Wu Zun.

Countless Yuan martial artists revered him deeply.

Even warriors from other imperial dynasties and factions, upon hearing his name, would hold him in high esteem.

How dare Yin Liting, a mere Earthly Immortal Realm cultivator, look down on Watching Bi Xuan?

If this can be tolerated, what cannot be tolerated?

"Old Bi, you'd better stop embarrassing yourself."

Before Zhebie could speak, Meng Chixing appeared like a ghost behind Bi Xuan.

"What do you mean?"

If Zhebie had said that, Bi Xuan might not even be angry, let alone dare to be angry.

But when Meng Chixing says it, how can Bi Xuan endure it?

"Enough! Don't you think you've humiliated yourself enough?"

Before Meng Chixing could reply, Zhebie turned and scolded Bi Xuan directly.

Bi Xuan, as a former imperial advisor of Great Yuan and the Martial Sovereign of the steppe, is a master nearing the Mythical Realm.

But what achievement of his in this foreign land of Great Ming is worth boasting about?

First, he sneaked into the Damo Hall and failed to seize the Heavenly Fragrant Kidney Bean from Zhou Zhiruo.

Then he had his strongest strike shattered by Zhou Zhiruo, leaving him covered in dust and shame.

Then just now, he himself offered an opening to Yin Liting, allowing a mere Earthly Immortal to defeat him.

Taken together, these two failures made Zhebie feel embarrassed on Bi Xuan's behalf.

How does Bi Xuan still have the nerve to keep boasting about challenging others?

After scolding Bi Xuan, Zhebie turned to Yin Liting and said,

"Yin the Sixth Hero, what boldness you show—no wonder you're a top disciple of the Seven Dragon Chiefs."

"Here's the deal: I am of the Mythical Realm, while you are merely an Earthly Immortal."

"If we fought, word would spread that I won unfairly."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiruo couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

The gap between the Mythical Realm and the Earthly Immortal Realm is countless times greater than the gap between the Earthly Immortal Realm and an ordinary person.

In Zhou Zhiruo's mind, she had never heard of an Earthly Immortal defeating a Mythical Realm master in the martial world.

If Zhebie did not fight, based on Yin Liting's sword technique just now, even another opponent might not fare well.

If Zhebie and the others kept their word, then the Yi Tian Sword would be saved.

"Here's my proposal: I'll use only one strike. If you can block it, you win."

But Zhebie suddenly changed his tone and said.

One strike?

Could anyone possibly block a single strike from a Mythical Realm master, a name on the Heavenly Dao Golden List?