This match should have been a foregone conclusion, with no one expecting Yan Qing to win.

However, Yan Budu's descendant wielding the Compassion Stone Sword against the young leader of Taiheng was sure to be a spectacle. With the news from Yueshui Bureau, the number of spectators multiplied several times, and the Golden Jade Gang made a fortune, dispersing the gloom on the fat gang leader's face.

Su Si, carrying a bulging sack on his back and disguised as a swarthy old farmer, fixed his eyes on the stage. The crowd was especially dense today, and the person standing behind him stumbled after being pushed, nearly falling onto Su Si.

Suddenly, an angry honk erupted from the sack, followed by something twisting the person's hand, frightening him into retreating immediately.

"Geese for sale tomorrow," Su Si said in a different voice, throwing out a sentence.

The man had a rough complexion, neither old nor young, likely a laborer. Seeing that the person in front was an "old man," he didn't take it to heart. "Old man, you're also here to watch the excitement?"

"Going to the town market, leaving at noon, just taking a casual look," Su Si mumbled in response, continuing to stare at Yan Qing.

The sunlight was especially good today, and something on the Compassion Stone Sword was glimmering. The longevity lock he had given Yan Qing swayed in the light, and now the whole world was watching, so Yan Qing wasn't afraid of gossip.

Su Si's thoughts were unkind, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Leaving at noon, that's a pity," the man exclaimed, unafraid of the geese twisting him. "The real excitement is in the afternoon. See that monk in the upper seat? He's an eyewitness to the Jianchen Temple massacre and will confront the Ku Mountain Sect after the match. Look at this scene, isn't it more lively than a court trial?"

"We're all hand-to-mouth folks, the market waits for no one."

"Hey, it's just geese. Why not sell them here? The Taiheng Sect heroes have plenty of money. Who knows, they might be in a good mood in the evening and add a roast goose to the banquet."

With that, the sack struggled violently for a while. The goose inside was determined to twist him through the sackcloth with all its might.

The laborer let out a howl and struggled to move away.

"Okay, okay, Grandpa Goose, let's talk about something else." The man grimaced. "Old man, you really don't want to watch? This confrontation isn't ordinary. Who knows what tricks the Ku Mountain Sect might pull."

"Tricks?"

The crowd was shoulder to shoulder, and the common folk didn't bother to lower their voices. Their conversation had long been overheard by others, and when they heard something interesting, someone turned to inquire.

The laborer, seeing that he had gained attention, became even more smug and raised his voice. "That's right. The Ku Mountain Sect is full of monsters. My brothers and I are porters, and we carried the Ku Mountain Sect's luggage all the way here! I heard it with my own ears. The Ku Mountain Sect is full of monsters!"

Su Si gave a dry laugh.

The laborer, no, the shoe-faced porter brother, continued with great enthusiasm, "Did you see what the senior disciple looks like? The master is no less impressive. How could ordinary people have such appearances? The master and disciple of the Ku Mountain Sect are all transformed foxes. My brothers saw it clearly! The subordinates they recruited are also suspicious. See that one? He's the descendant of a demon lord. The other is said to be a snake demon. None of them are good!"

Snake Demon Su Si: "..."

He was a bit curious about what species the shoe-faced man had assigned to Yan Qing before his identity as an "Yan family descendant" was exposed.

Hopefully not a goose.

Thinking of Yan Qing's stubborn appearance, Su Si couldn't help but smile again. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to go and greet his close friend later—he had extremely important matters to prepare.

The common folk loved these tales of the strange and supernatural, and they clamored for him to continue. The porter was getting more and more smug as he spoke, his saliva flying, "The old fox's magic power is running out, so he wants to fight for the Shi Rou to maintain his human form. You see him sitting on a wooden chair, wrapped in fur? That's his tail sticking out, trying to hide! In the afternoon when the yang energy is at its peak, when Taiheng uses his techniques, the master and disciple will both reveal their true forms... Hey, hey, old man, where are you going? I was just getting to the exciting part!"

On the stage, the two had also reached an exciting point.

The Guanwu Sword was Taiheng's top sword, said to be made from thousand-year-old igneous iron. Its blade burned without fire, yet showed no redness. Even without being wielded, a casual touch would cause burns. Taiheng specially sealed it with a scabbard made of cold jade. The bright blade paired with the pure white scabbard resembled white plum blossoms in the snow, cold yet beautiful.

In comparison, the Compassion Stone Sword was like a stone cutting board. If one had to praise it, they could only come up with the words "simple and unadorned."

Both of their martial arts were of the righteous and upright style. The arena was filled with flying sand and stones, and whether it was fists and feet colliding or blades clashing, they could stir up scorching air currents. Although it was spring, the area around the stage was as hot as summer.

If one had to point out a difference, it was that Qu Duanyun fought with unrestrained passion, while Yan Qing remained gentle and conservative as usual. Even though he had gained some experience from his battle with Elder Zhou, Yan Qing still felt like he was facing a surging wave of molten iron, unable to defend against the rushing hot sword energy.

Faced with such a powerful opponent, Yan Qing gripped the Compassion Stone Sword tightly, crystal-clear sweat sliding down his cheeks.

He knew Qu Duanyun was very strong, but he never thought this person could be so powerful. The last time they confronted each other at the Red Hook Sect headquarters, this person didn't use his full strength at all.

Yin Ci was the top expert Yan Qing had ever seen, and Yan Qing had originally thought that no matter how strong Qu Duanyun was, he would still be three points weaker than Yin Ci. Now, it seemed that this person was capable of fighting Yin Ci—

Qu Duanyun's internal energy was about 40% weaker than Sect Leader Shi's. Considering that Shi Jingzhi was no ordinary person, Qu Duanyun's internal cultivation was enough to dominate the world. Not to mention, his external skills were a full 40% stronger than Sect Leader Shi's. Coupled with his powerful internal energy, this person could fight evenly with Yin Ci, who had no internal energy.

... To reach this level, one needed not only exceptional talent but also diligent practice day after day. It was clear that Qu Duanyun was not someone who aimed too high or looked down on others.

Not good.

Yin Ci's strength lay in his exquisite and experienced techniques, his aura like a winter spring, cold and sharp. Shi Jingzhi's strength lay in his exceptional comprehension and internal energy, his techniques ever-changing and unpredictable, and his aura containing the majesty of heaven and earth, pure and untainted.

Qu Duanyun was different. Whether it was his techniques or his aura, they could both be summed up with the word "domineering".

"What's the matter? You weren't so restrained just now."

Noticing Yan Qing's extra caution, Qu Duanyun said in a deep voice.

"Since you know you're no match, why don't we settle this quickly instead of wasting time... Yan Qing, don't tell me you want to hide for a whole day?"

Qu Duanyun showed no signs of fatigue. He glanced at Shi Jingzhi out of the corner of his eye and sheathed his sword— With a soft swoosh, a wave of gasps erupted from the audience below.

Golden flames ignited on the Guanwu Sword, so dazzling that they stung the eyes. Qu Duanyun imitated Shi Zhongyu, using his internal energy to ignite pure yang flames, his technique identical to Shi Jingzhi's "Yang Fire Lighting the Flag".

Yan Qing was stunned on the spot, momentarily dazed.

He had been at Taiheng for ten years, seen all sorts of Taiheng disciples, and knew the limits of mortals. According to Senior Yin's words, Qu Duanyun was likely also an exceptional "demonic talent". While he himself had been verified as a mortal at Yuanxian Village.

Qu Duanyun's talent was higher than his, his environment better, his training longer, and his diligence no less. The accumulated power over time didn't lie. He was thoroughly crushed by Qu Duanyun in every aspect, truly without a chance of winning.

Some people were born to live in the heavens, while others were destined to fall into the mud. People are born different. No matter how the world tries to conceal it with talk of "hard work can solve it", the fated differences ultimately cannot be ignored.

"What exactly do you want?"

The next time their blades clashed, Yan Qing asked hoarsely.

"Power, fame and fortune are within your grasp. You already stand at the pinnacle of worldly fortune. Why do you still target the Sect Master? What are you seeking, immortality?"

Qu Duanyun snorted coldly, "What if I seek it? What if I don't?"

"Since you know Yan Budu is of royal lineage and belongs to the Immortal Gathering, you should know his fate... Yan Budu wanted to become an immortal his whole life, but took his own life at the final step. Sect Master Qu is wiser than him and should see things clearly."

"Well said - how can a sparrow understand the ambitions of a great roc?" Qu Duanyun sighed. "I have nothing to say to you."

The two conversed via internal energy transmission. Qu Duanyun made no attempt to conceal his disdain.

Not only did he not get an answer, he couldn't even provoke any information. Yan Qing clenched his teeth, busy with passive defense, his mouth growing increasingly bitter.

Qu Duanyun's sword techniques were like raging waves and billows. Yan Qing's sect robes were covered in scorch marks, his body also gaining many bloody wounds. There wasn't a single unscathed spot to be found on him. His hair tie had snapped at some point, his medium-length hair disheveled and loose, the ends soaked in blood, looking especially wretched.

This time, not seeing Su Si in the audience actually made Yan Qing feel relieved. This appearance was too humiliating. If Si'er saw it, he would surely curse up a storm.

The victor was already clear, but Qu Duanyun didn't stop and Yan Qing stubbornly refused to yield, continuing this one-sided torment.

He was heavily injured and would soon be imprisoned by Taiheng. "Quickly dying from lack of treatment" would be reasonable and easy to explain.

It seemed Qu Duanyun knew he had nothing to fear with his righteous identity. If he imprisoned him for too long, the Taiheng disciples might grow suspicious about the "inevitable death of Yan descendants" and develop sympathy for a lowly servant who could wield the Compassion Stone Sword.

Qu Duanyun likely knew that the a Taiheng Elder had sheltered Yan Zheng before. He was doing this to fundamentally sever any possibility of the unexpected. With Yan Qing's identity as a Yan descendant, no one in the audience found it improper. Cheers rose in wave after wave, making Yan Qing's ears ache.

A hundred years had passed, yet the world remained the same.

"Should we intervene?" Even though Sect Leader Shi didn't consider outsiders as people, Yan Qing was still someone he protected. Seeing such a miserable state, he truly found it hard to watch.

"Wait a bit longer. I've fought that kid before. He hasn't reached his limit yet."

"I... I'll raise his monthly salary then... Sigh, with you backing him, why does he have to struggle so desperately?"

"Jingzhi, I've led many soldiers and seen many talents. Demonic talents have innate superiority. Following common sense, if a demonic talent is willing to strive, a mortal can never catch up no matter what."

Yin Ci stared unblinkingly at the stage.

"But you and I have seen the records of Jianchen Temple. The sword Yan Qing currently wields was made by a 'mortal'."

Shi Jingzhi had inadvertently picked the perfect opponent. Qu Duanyun was Yan Qing's ideal adversary. Whether he could realize the key point depended on Yan Qing himself-

Endless blue skies overhead, a modest town all around. His opponent's sword techniques were scorching, the burns on his body agonizingly painful. In a daze, Yan Qing seemed to return to a corner of Xizhuang, back to the blazing stove on a midsummer day.

The woodshed was stifling like torture. Shoved by his drunken father, a red-hot iron rod stabbed viciously into his back again and again.

[The meat you served earlier was all sour, you little beast. You did it on purpose, didn't you? Trying to poison your dad to death, huh?]

[We don't have a well, it's too hot to keep it fresh, Dad... That was the last of the meat, it's still edible, really edible.]

[Bullshit! Feeding your own father rotten meat, I think you just want to drug me to death!] His explanations were completely useless. His father wouldn't listen at all. [Damn, what's that burning smell? The perfectly good meal is burnt again. And you say it's not on purpose!]

Because he was being stepped on and beaten on the ground, completely unable to stand, much less watch the fire. But Yan Qing obediently remained silent - if he kept explaining, he would likely be beaten even more viciously and the food would burn even worse.

Even if he cried for help with all his might, the villagers wouldn't assist. Maybe someone was even standing outside the yard right now, pointing and gawking at the spectacle.

[That's more like it.]

Only when Yan Qing stopped resisting did his father loosen his foot with satisfaction.

[With that physique of yours, you still want to harm your dad? Should've known you can't win, so don't do these unnecessary things... Remember, our lives are given by the heavens. This is all you'll ever be.]

Memories and reality twisted together. Yan Qing shook his groggy head and continued to mechanically fend off the attacks. The sword energy from his opponent grew more and more intense. The carefully tied cord of his longevity lock was severed, the small silver lock falling to the ground with a ding.

Qu Duanyun glanced at the longevity lock with a disdainful snort.

Two voices, one after another, merged into a startling thunderclap.

Yan Qing suddenly laughed. Amidst the blood and sweat, this smile was especially pure, making it a bit eerie. He abandoned his defense, rolled forward on the spot, tightly clutching the longevity lock to his chest.

"I get it now," he muttered. "So that's how it is."

Before Qu Duanyun could react, Yan Qing fiercely stabbed the stone sword into the arena platform. The stone slabs were no match for the Muyan Stone, instantly shattering into several pieces. The Compassion Stone Sword flicked and lifted, sending the stone slabs and chunks flying, each incredibly heavy. Qu Duanyun's narrow longsword couldn't block so many rocks in time, forcing him to retreat several steps.

"A petty trick."

"Yes, a petty trick," Yan Qing laughed. "Isn't that what we're competing with, these petty tricks?"

The Compassion Stone Sword's energy was strong but not sharp. The sword wind lifted the stone chunks, keeping them bouncing in the air, not falling for a long time. Qu Duanyun's vision was limited, he could only use sword energy to split the rocks. But the more the rocks shattered, the more numerous they became, growing increasingly troublesome.

Master Kongshi was also a mortal, and his strength should not have been a match for Yan Budu. In worldly competitions, there is more at stake than just "who is superior". One question can have countless answers, and "martial arts" is just one of them.

As for the key to victory for mortals against demonic talents...

The Compassion Stone Sword was dim and lusterless, able to largely conceal Yan Qing, blending in with the shattered stone platform pieces. Not to mention those stone pieces were buoyed by Yan Qing's sword energy, swaying unsteadily and dazzling to the eyes. In contrast, the Guanwu Sword was exceedingly bright - just a glance was enough to know where Qu Duanyun was.

The situation on the stage suddenly reversed, and the crowd below fell silent as if their throats had been seized.

Clang.

The sound of metal striking stone rang out, and Qu Duanyun instinctively spun in the opposite direction.

He had just seen this person place the longevity lock in his bosom, but it was just another petty trick, a feint. As long as he could calculate Yan Qing's most advantageous angle of attack, he could end it with one strike—

Who would have thought that before he could even unleash his sword energy, he was unexpectedly kicked in the lower back.

Yan Qing had leapt out from the direction of the clashing sound, his form as fast as lightning. He put his full strength into this kick, erupting with a burst of blurred gale-splitting sounds. Qu Duanyun, with his abundant experience, instantly exploded with his internal energy, trying to stabilize his posture.

But right at this moment, Yan Qing threw the Compassion Stone Sword, aiming directly at his back.

He had no choice but to dodge.

Qu Duanyun gritted his teeth and could only twist his body in mid-air. Logically, with Yan Qing disarmed, the sword wind should have instantly dissipated and all the stone pieces should have clattered to the ground. But unexpectedly, after throwing the sword, that person imitated Elder Zhou's palm wind strike - Yan Qing was accustomed to using a large sword, so he crudely copied it. The resulting palm wind was rough, immature, and unable to hurt anyone.

But it was enough to move some stones.

A stone slab stood firm, wedged right where Qu Duanyun was about to land, tilted by the palm wind.

From the longevity lock hitting the ground to the stone slab tilting, the series of actions happened in an instant.

Qu Duanyun had just thought he had steadied his footing when the stone slab suddenly tilted underfoot. His lower body lost balance, and with just a stagger, he fell off the stage along with the stone slab. The stage was not high, and Sect Master Qu's boots touched the dirt almost soundlessly.

Yet this step was like a silent explosion, and in an instant, the entire venue fell dead silent.

For a moment, people couldn't even comprehend what had happened.

"Actually, you are more like Yan Budu." Yan Qing half-crouched on the stage and said in a low voice. Amidst the pin-drop silence, although spoken softly, everyone heard this sentence with extreme clarity. "You took our duel seriously, but deep down, you still didn't take me seriously, nor did you ever look at me from the perspective of 'seeing the person'."

He let out a bitter laugh and opened his blood-covered hand, revealing that crudely crafted longevity lock.

"Your techniques are fierce, your sword carries Yang fire. If it had struck this, it would have been completely destroyed - when I picked it up just now, I did not conceal my cherishing of it. This is my beloved possession, so how could I use it for a 'feint'?"

Qu Duanyun stood in a daze, not knowing if he had heard or not.

"This was a flaw I deliberately left. If you had truly regarded 'me' as an opponent, kept me in your eyes and in your heart, you would not have misjudged... Sect Master Qu, I originally thought you were a respectable opponent."

Yan Qing sighed and continued on his own.

"What a pity."