"Please have all sect leaders and masters, Abbot Renxin, and Master Wan take their seats..."
Liao Haikuo, the second elder of the Huashan Sect, stood at the center of the three martial arts arenas, holding a microphone. He was greeting the sect leaders and masters of the various major sects, Abbot Renxin, and Wan Yun Ting, who were taking their seats on the rows of chairs arranged below.
The C position was naturally reserved for Zhong Yulong and Abbot Renxin. Following them were Zhang Xuanliang and Shi Yizhen, the sect leader of Huashan Sect, then Wan Yun Ting and Zhou Ruoxi. Yuan Gaowu, Liu Bing, Lu Chenzi, and other sect leaders and masters were also seated. Even Yan Changjian was arranged to sit in the front row, next to Wan Yun Ting.
This was a deliberate arrangement by Sect Leader Shi, intended to prevent the arrogant and self-important Yan Changjian from causing any trouble. Yan Changjian sat alone, while the other sect leaders and masters smiled and greeted each other, discussing the talented disciples within their sects. No one paid any attention to Yan Changjian.
Wan Yun Ting, seated beside him, turned to Yan Changjian and offered a smile and a greeting. However, Yan Changjian tilted his head back, his arrogant gaze flickered towards Wan Yun Ting, and he let out a disdainful sneer, "Master Wan, I advise you to pray to the gods or your ancestors when you draw lots later. Don't draw any disciples from our Divine Sword Sect as opponents, or you will lose miserably!"
These words caused Zhou Ruoxi, seated to Wan Yun Ting's left, to raise an eyebrow. Unaffected by Yan Changjian's sarcastic and dismissive words, Wan Yun Ting simply smiled and replied, "Sect Master Yan, I actually hope to draw disciples from your Divine Sword Sect as opponents later. It would allow me to experience your Divine Sword Sect's sword techniques!"
Yan Changjian turned his head, his eyes narrowing and emitting two sharp, sinister sword-like glares. He chuckled and said, "Rumor has it that you, Master Wan, are a martial prodigy, especially in swordsmanship, being the foremost among the younger generation in the martial world. They say you've even grasped the Great Dao Sword Technique passed down by the Martial Uncle Ancestor of the Wudang Sect."
"Heh, but so what?"
Yan Changjian sneered, his gaze also flicking towards Zhong Yulong, who was seated in the C position. He laughed loudly, "Ask Sect Leader Zhong of the Wudang Sect. Years ago, when my father challenged various sects, the first one he defeated was the previous sect leader of the Wudang Sect, True Person Lin Fengbao!"
These words naturally reached the ears of every sect leader and master present, as well as Abbot Renxin. Everyone couldn't help but turn their heads to look at Yan Changjian, who sat proudly with his legs crossed, his posture defiant and unrestrained. This was an overt provocation to the Wudang Sect and a sign of disdain for Wan Yun Ting, the new sword expert.
Yan Changjian continued to chuckle and said, "Therefore, don't think that learning some Great Dao Sword Technique will allow you to contend with the sword techniques of my Divine Sword Sect. If you are lucky enough to draw a disciple from my Divine Sword Sect as an opponent later, they will show you what the truly invincible sword technique in the world is!"
"Hmph, a mere Divine Sword Sect, such big words."
It was Yuan Gaowu, the sect leader of Kunlun Mountain, who replied to Yan Changjian. Yuan Gaowu had been extremely displeased with Yan Changjian's arrogant attitude at the banquet the previous day. If not for everyone holding them back, they would have already fought.
"Yuan Gaowu, after these young disciples' matches are over, I hope you won't chicken out!"
Yan Changjian slammed the armrest of his chair and turned his head, his eyes shooting two sword-like glares directly at Yuan Gaowu, and he snorted domineeringly.
"Good!"
Yuan Gaowu responded to Yan Changjian with equal dominance and said, "I'll show you then what it means to be a frog in a well, and that there are always people better than you!"
"Hahaha..."
These words made Yan Changjian burst into laughter. His fiery eyes shot intense hostility at Yuan Gaowu, and he said with a smile, "I can hardly wait."
"Alright, alright, both of you, say a little less."
Liu Bing quickly tried to stop the two of them, and also urged Sect Leader Shi to start the Huashan Sword Debate quickly, lest these two continue their verbal sparring...
Wan Yun Ting, sitting beside him, smiled. He was genuinely looking forward to drawing a disciple from the Divine Sword Sect during the lot drawing later, so he could properly experience their sword techniques...
However, at this moment, Wan Yun Ting's phone rang. It was Hou Feipeng calling, saying he had arrived at the tourist service center plaza below Huashan Mountain but couldn't enter the inner sect of Huashan Mountain.
Wan Yun Ting told Hou Feipeng to wait at the foot of the mountain for now and promised to ask Elder Ge to arrange for someone to pick him up the mountain at noon...
"All sect leaders, please have your sect's disciples participating in this Huashan Sword Debate ascend the arenas to draw lots..."
Liao Haikuo, the second elder of the Huashan Sect, holding the microphone, shouted from the martial arts arena. Instantly, the representatives of the major sects below began calling their participating disciples to come to the arenas to line up and draw lots to determine their opponents.
Wan Yun Ting and Zhou Ruoxi stood up. Liu Bing and Lu Chenzi on their sides called out, "Master Wan, Sect Leader Zhou, good luck..."
"Thank you, thank you..."
Wan Yun Ting and Zhou Ruoxi smiled, cupped their fists in return, and jokingly said, "We hope all sect leaders and masters will ask your disciples to go easy on us."
"Haha, Master Wan, you're joking. It should be you who goes easy on our disciples," Liu Bing said with a smile, causing the sect leaders and masters, and Abbot Renxin present to laugh, easing the tension from the earlier confrontation between Yuan Gaowu and Yan Changjian...
Wan Yun Ting and Zhou Ruoxi ascended the martial arts arena. At the same time, Xu Lingwei also went up. However, the Emei Sect only had Zhou Ruoxi participating in this competition, which made her appear particularly solitary.
After all, even the third-rate sect Wuliang Dao Guan had two participants, while the Shaolin Sect, Huashan Sect, Wudang Sect, Qingcheng Sect, and other sects had almost three or four disciples.
Of course, each sect could send a maximum of four disciples to participate in the competition. The Divine Sword Sect naturally had disciples Jian Feng, Meng Yan, and He Yunxia participating.
The three walked directly onto the central martial arts arena, confronting Wan Yun Ting, Zhou Ruoxi, and Xu Lingwei. Their challenging gazes filled the air with tension and a palpable sense of impending conflict.
"Come, Master Wan, Sect Leader Zhou, you draw lots first..."
Second Elder Liao Haikuo instructed a disciple holding a box to go to Wan Yun Ting and Zhou Ruoxi first. He then held the microphone and introduced, "A total of sixty disciples from various major sects are participating in this Huashan Sword Debate. The competition will be conducted through a one-on-one elimination format..."
This competition format was very straightforward. The first round would eliminate half the participants, leaving thirty. Then, the second round would eliminate fifteen, leaving fifteen. The third round would eliminate eight contestants, leading to the final eight. The four winners would then compete for the first place in the ultimate final round.
"Of course, among the fifteen remaining after the second round, one person will directly enter the third round. We'll see who this lucky one is," Liao Haikuo said into the microphone. Seeing that Wan Yun Ting and Zhou Ruoxi had finished drawing their lots, he asked, "Master Wan, Sect Leader Zhou, what numbers did you draw?"
Wan Yun Ting held up his lot and smiled, "Number nineteen!"
Zhou Ruoxi also said, "I drew number six!"
Jian Feng, Meng Yan, and He Yunxia, the participants from the Divine Sword Sect, also drew their lots. Simultaneously, Zhang Xian'er, Zhang Xingyue, and Zhao Xuyan from Longhu Mountain were also participating in this competition.
The Wudang Sect was represented by Senior Brother Qi Xiu, Senior Sister Xu Yuxin, Junior Sister Zi Qing, and Junior Brother Huo Fei.
The Shaolin Sect was led by Jin Xuan, accompanied by Junior Brother Xu Hai, Junior Brother Luo Wenguang, and a very young monk named Hui An. Hui An, who appeared to be in his early twenties, was already in the early stage of the Martial Dao Pill Condensation realm, showcasing his exceptional talent.
The Huashan Sect's disciples were led by Sect Leader Shi's grandson, Shi Hao, along with Xie Qiuhe, Liao Qi, and Ge Zhiming, the son of Elder Ge. However, Ge Zhiming's martial arts were only at the late stage of Hua Jin.
Also participating were Liu Zaiyi, the son of the Qingcheng Sect leader, Lu Fengqiao, Zhong Mubai, and Pan Yulong. From the Kunlun Sect, there was Senior Brother Geng Hong, a young disciple, and Guan Feipeng, who had participated in the Wuliang Dao Guan Ancestor Worship Ceremony competition previously, along with two junior sisters.
After dozens of sects and over sixty contestants had finished drawing lots on the three martial arts arenas, Liao Haikuo, the second elder of the Huashan Sect, shouted into the microphone, "Please have all contestants step down and wait. The two contestants who drew number one, please remain. The first match of the Huashan Sword Debate officially begins. Let's see which two sect disciples drew number one..."
As Wan Yun Ting, Zhou Ruoxi, Xu Lingwei, Zhang Xian'er, and the others stepped down from the arena...
The two young disciples remaining on the central arena were Geng Hong, the senior disciple of the Kunlun Sect, and Hou Yongwu, a disciple of the Eagle Claw Sect. Hou Yongwu was the son of the sect leader Hou Feiying and was only at the middle stage of Hua Jin in martial arts.
"Contestants who drew number two, please proceed to arena number two for the match!"
"Contestants who drew number three, please proceed to arena number three for the match!"
To expedite the competition, matches were conducted simultaneously on all three arenas. Therefore, Zhong Mubai, a female disciple from the Qingcheng Sect, who drew number two, would compete against Cao Yang, a disciple from the Kongtong Sect.
Xie Qiuhe, who drew number three and represented the Huashan Sect, was matched against Xu Hai from the Shaolin Sect, who also drew number three.
"The matches begin..."
Each of the three arenas had referees, and below them sat a judging committee composed of elders from the various sects. Abbess Yun Bai, Yang Jingyi, Elder Zuo Qi, and Elder Zhang Qing of the Kunlun Sect were all among them.
"Come on, come on, come on..."
As the contestants on the three arenas began their matches, disciples from the various sects below cheered them on. Simultaneously, local news media and media personnel from other online platforms, carrying cameras, broadcasted the matches live from the three arenas...
The live broadcast room on Douyin had already attracted over ten million viewers, with traffic exceeding thirty million, and it was still increasing...
Geng Hong, the senior disciple of the Kunlun Sect, aged thirty-nine, had reached the late stage of Pill Condensation in martial arts. He was up against Hou Yongwu of the Eagle Claw Sect, who was at the middle stage of Hua Jin. To avoid making Hou Yongwu's defeat too embarrassing, Geng Hong exchanged ten blows with him on the arena before finally knocking him out with a single punch, sending him crashing heavily onto the stage...
Hou Yongwu knew that Geng Hong had let him have several moves. He quickly raised his hand and shouted, "I concede...!"
"Senior Brother is amazing..."
The disciples of the Kunlun Sect below shouted excitedly upon seeing this.
The referee announced that Geng Hong had advanced to the third round. Soon after, the matches on the other two arenas also concluded. Zhong Mubai from the Qingcheng Sect and Xu Hai from the Shaolin Sect secured spots in the second round, while Xie Qiuhe from the Huashan Sect could only stop in the first round.
The disciples of the Qingcheng Sect cheered, while the disciples of the Huashan Sect could only sigh. The senior disciples rushed to comfort Xie Qiuhe, who had lost the match...