The usual gentle and graceful demeanor was replaced with deep worry. Luo Chen could roughly understand her feelings.

That Min Longyu earlier had been exceptionally strange. Although it seemed like he was forming an array with the flags, their activation didn’t follow the typical linking method. Instead, it was a destructive counter-formation. Unaware of the mechanism, his enemies instinctively destroyed the flags, inadvertently accelerating the formation of the golden blade array.

With such methods, let alone Han Dang… Any of the nine Poshan Gang cultivators would likely suffer a crushing defeat against him. Now, the Poshan Gang had lost their much-desired opening victory. Instead, the Dajiang Gang had gained the upper hand.

"Let’s hope the upcoming battles go a bit more smoothly!" Luo Chen sighed inwardly. He had already taken the Poshan Gang’s side and subconsciously hoped they would win.

The following three battles proceeded largely as expected. This was because the Dajiang Gang sent out three of their own members, all of whom the Dahe Market cultivators were familiar with. The fights were not as brutal, possibly because the Poshan Gang’s Hall Masters became more cautious after witnessing Han Dang’s fate.

The second was Luo Wudi, known as the Descending Mountain Tiger, who also shared Luo Chen’s surname—his distant kin, perhaps. True to his name, he charged at his opponent like a fierce tiger descending the mountain. It took him less than three minutes to secure victory.

The third match saw the Dragon Coil Tiger emerge victorious, aided by a supreme-grade enchanted artifact. According to Murong Qinglian, it was an enchanted artifact often used by Mi Shuhua, specially loaned for this fight. It was a good thing they won. If they had lost, that supreme-grade enchanted artifact would have become the enemy’s spoils.

By the fourth match, Luo Chen’s interest was piqued! Because the participant was none other than his old acquaintance, Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen! His opponent was the only female cultivator among the eighteen, the Dajiang Gang’s Luo Sha Girl.

"Sister-in-law, what do you think of this match?" With the Poshan Gang winning the last two matches, the previously low spirits had lifted significantly. Murong Qinglian brushed back her hair and said with a smile, "As long as it’s a core member of the Dajiang Gang, we can basically win."

This was no exaggeration! The cultivators of the Poshan Gang spent years battling demonic beasts in the mountains. Their combat experience was unmatched among peers in the same tier. The Dajiang Gang, on the other hand, primarily operated along waterways. While they encountered demonic beasts and raiding cultivators, most of their combat was on water. Many of their specialized techniques were less effective in the confined environment of the Debate Platform.

"Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen has impressive combat strength. In his early years, his dantian was damaged, ending his cultivation path. The world assumes he gave up and spent his days indulging in beauty. But they don’t know he has refined all Qi-Refining combat techniques to perfection. Sending a woman to face him might be underestimating him."

Murong Qinglian spoke confidently, clearly having faith in Zeng Wen. Who would have thought that an old rogue could inspire such confidence! Luo Chen sighed deeply. He realized he had been too prejudiced against him. Next time he sold the Myriad Wonders pill, he’d definitely offer Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen a discount.

On stage, facing Luo Sha Girl, Zeng Wen wore a wide grin. "Your Dajiang Gang is quite generous, sending such a beauty to kill me. Sadly, as much as I love and cherish flowers, I might have to ruin one today."

Contrary to her name, Luo Sha Girl was stunningly beautiful. Especially her... ahem... "assets," which could blind anyone with their brilliance.

She met Zeng Wen’s teasing with a frosty expression. "Today, you’ll die beneath the peony, and be a ghost for eternity!" With that, she launched a crescent-shaped flying blade artifact, accompanied by the activation of several talismans.

Opposite her, Zeng Wen remained composed, activating his enchanted defensive artifact, an enchanted high-grade defensive robe, and even deploying a golden barrier. Triple-layered defense—steady as an old dog. Even Luo Chen, upon witnessing this, couldn’t help but gasp in awe! His Soul-Breaking Nail probably couldn’t pierce such a tight defense.

The crescent flying blade was exceptionally sharp, yet after several clashes, it couldn’t harm Zeng Wen. As for the fireballs and wind blades from the talismans, despite being led by the flying blade, they only managed to break through two layers of defense. By the time they reached the enchanted robe, it was like a gentle breeze.

Zeng Wen beamed with satisfaction, his hands moving continuously—it was his turn to attack! He methodically deployed nine talismans. The rules limited him to ten talismans, and he had just reached the limit. As Luo Sha Girl struggled to respond, he formed a hand seal, casting a Swamp. The ground beneath her turned into a swamp, soft and treacherous, with countless large hands reaching out to drag her down. Luo Sha Girl was forced to take to the skies.

Yet, the sky above was shrouded in shadow! Unbeknownst to her, Zeng Wen’s offensive artifact had already been positioned. A massive yellow slab came crashing down on her head.

Boom!

Both her and her protective barrier were smashed into the swamp. Countless hands grasped at her, and within moments, Luo Sha Girl was torn into shreds of mud. "What a pity. Competing in such a place—if it were elsewhere, I’d gladly battle you for three hundred rounds. This time, it ended a bit too quickly."

Zeng Wen’s face was pale, his smile strained. Using so many techniques in one go had nearly exhausted his enchanting power. But he had won, nonetheless. He turned back to the Poshan Gang’s stands and shouted, "Old Man Mi, Sick Tiger didn’t let you down today. Don’t forget your promise for a month’s subscription to Tianxiang Tower!"

With that, he staggered off the Debate Platform.

In the stands, Mi Shuhua’s face bloomed with a smile. With three consecutive wins, victory was within their grasp. The rest of the audience was equally ecstatic, cheering wildly. Although the battle had been one-sided, Zeng Wen’s methods were methodical and meticulous.

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He used talismans, enchanted defensive artifacts, enchanted offensive artifacts, and spells, coupled with provocative words before the fight. It was a perfect showcase of most techniques available to a Qi-Refining cultivator.

Many cultivators watched and left deep in thought. This approach to combat seemed worth learning—meticulously organizing one’s battle prowess into a cohesive strategy.

Luo Chen was thrilled. After analyzing Zeng Wen’s techniques thoroughly, he felt that anyone in the same situation would struggle to avoid Luo Sha Girl’s fate.

First, secure the defense to remain invincible. Then, bombard the opponent with talismans, forcing them into exhaustion. Next, use the Swamp to block escape routes, coercing the opponent toward the concealed offensive artifact. Finally, the crushing yellow slab sealed the victory.

It was steady, precise, and ruthless.

Of course, this strategy wasn’t without flaws. If the enemy had powerful offensive techniques, they could easily suppress it in the early stages. Or if they wielded a game-changing enchanted artifact, like the formation flags in the first match, they could turn the tide.

Overall, the tactical concept was worth adopting.

The time for amateurs to watch for excitement and experts to analyze techniques didn’t last long. The pivotal fifth match was about to begin.

The Poshan Gang was brimming with confidence for this match.

The name of Xu Renke, the Broken Blade, was renowned across several markets. As a wandering rogue cultivator, he possessed myriad techniques, formidable strength, and unmatched courage to stake his life in battle.

His opponent, Gao Tingyuan, the River Dragon, was far less impressive, with only a minor reputation along the Lancang River.

While the Poshan Gang exuded confidence, the Dajiang Gang was weighed down by tension. They had indeed secured the opening victory. But their momentum had crumbled, losing three matches in a row—utterly demoralizing.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, it seems your gang’s elites aren’t performing too well!" The whispered remark reached Wang Haichao, darkening his expression.

For this tournament, the Dajiang Gang fielded five members, with the Lianyun Trade Alliance providing four reinforcements.

In his lineup, apart from sending Min Longyu from the Lianyun Trade Alliance in the first match, the following five were Dajiang Gang members, with the remaining alliance cultivators reserved for the final bouts. This arrangement was intended to give his people a chance to prove themselves.

If they could win just one or two more matches, he could negotiate more assertively in future collaborations with the alliance. But now, they have lost three matches in a row.

What about Sick Tiger Zeng Wen? Wasn’t he supposed to have lost his path, wallowing in decadence and barely retaining a fraction of his strength?

That crescent flying blade of Luo Sha Girl’s was a top-grade enchanted artifact he had personally bestowed upon her. He had purchased it from the Treasure Pavilion years ago for over three thousand spirit stones. It hadn’t achieved anything and was now in someone else’s hands.

"Elder Zhou, didn’t we calculate earlier that we’d win seven out of nine matches?"

Facing his confidence, Elder Zhou, watching from an unknown grandstand, chuckled lightly. "Are you so sure? As far as I know, Xu Renke’s broken blade is a fragment of an enchanted treasure. Even at one percent of its power, it’s not something your people can withstand!"

Wang Haichao smirked. "No matter how strong an enchanted treasure fragment is, can it compare to spirit stones?"

"Oh, it seems you’ve made preparations! I’ll be watching with great interest!"