Chapter 544: Do You Accept Defeat?

"What sort of strength does Lu Yao possess?"

"It was said he couldn't even project his spirit during the Arbiter examination. Yet, he had the combat power of a True Immortal."

"So, is he a True Immortal now?"

As Yun Xiao and Jiang Heqing already stood opposed at the gates of the Skyruler Immortal Manor, people glimpsed his carefree demeanor and couldn't help but wonder.

"But isn't that still too far from being an Arbiter Commander?"

"Even the youngest commander among the Arbiters is at the Perfect Essence Manifestation Realm."

So, even with their doubts, people found it hard to accept Yun Xiao's absurd and reckless invitation to be humiliated.

The primarily Yin-Yang Immortal onlookers continued to back away, giving ample space for the battle.

This was a mark of respect for a commander among Arbiters.

In terms of talent, Jiang Heqing was heralded as the top among the youths of Sky Soaring City!

Today, she donned the glacial and solemn Suan Ni Arbiter armor, which sculpted her delicate figure. Her green eyes sparkled through the celestial mist like sprites of the forest, vivacious and exquisite.

"Shall we begin?" Jiang Heqing didn't spare Yun Xiao another glance, asking Liu Zongyu straightforwardly, with little room for politeness.

"Proceed," Liu Zongyu replied.

With the drop of Liu Zongyu's words, Jiang Heqing flicked her wrist, sending a wave of green torrent from her slender hand, transforming into thousands of swimming fish that violently crashed towards Yun Xiao.

To her, this was a mere flick of the wrist.

With one slap, the crowd gasped.

BOOM!

The river surged, swallowing Yun Xiao whole.

"Is it over?"

Just as this thought emerged in everyone's minds, the young man in white armor effortlessly broke through the torrent, appearing before Jiang Heqing in the blink of an eye.

He stood untouched, as if only a breeze had brushed against him.

"Hmm?" Jiang Heqing was about to leave when she suddenly saw Yun Xiao right before her eyes. Her eyebrows knit together.

With no words, Yun Xiao shifted from stillness to a sudden flurry, his hand releasing a burst of azure brilliance.

This was a Flying Sword unleashed at close range!

For a Sword Cultivator, this was routine, so Jiang Heqing was not taken aback.

She snorted coldly and reached out to catch it!

But in that instant, the azure Flying Sword erupted with a force that shook her heart. The space of the Great Dao Celestial Realm seemed to liquefy and tear, the azure light piercing like a caustic drill, bringing lethal damage!

This was merely a casual strike from Yun Xiao!

"You!" In that terrifying moment, Jiang Heqing's pretty face transformed with shock.

The looming threat of death overshadowed all disbelief!

At this critical juncture, she suddenly projected her spirit, manifesting in front of her as a majestic Immortal with a human torso and a fish tail, wielding a trident!

"Ocean Immortal!"

Cries of awe reflected people’s respect for Jiang Heqing's ancestral spirit.

But this sudden appearance of the Ocean Immortal was a desperate act to save her life!

The moment the giant Immortal of the deep sea appeared, his trident precisely struck the azure brilliance launched by Yun Xiao!

With a clanging noise, the azure light sparked fiercely as it flew past Jiang Heqing, missing her.

However, the trident, the arm, and even half of the torso of Jiang Heqing's Ocean Immortal exploded, bursting into a spray of green liquid!

She staggered backward three steps, nearly falling to the ground.

"What is that?" Her green eyes widened, staring blankly at Yun Xiao, momentarily unable to comprehend.

The surrounding crowd shivered, sharing Jiang Heqing's bewildered expression, staring at Yun Xiao in astonishment.

"What's happening with Lu Yao?"

At that moment, a chorus of astonished voices rose and fell. Many of those who had earlier thought him foolhardy now felt a touch embarrassed.

It was clear to all, the power of his sword was genuine!

In that silent moment, he retracted his Flying Sword, transforming it back into a three-foot azure blade held in his hand. His eyes fixed on Jiang Heqing, he spoke slowly, "The boring task of proving oneself is over now. Shall we bring out our true skills and settle this fairly, according to the rules?"

With a swish, Jiang Heqing's eyes turned cold, staring intently at Yun Xiao. "You could continue to play the fool to catch the tiger, striking me down while you have the advantage."

"I would, but I reckon you'd not be satisfied." Yun Xiao quirked an eyebrow.

"Heh," she scoffed, her anger seemingly abated, replaced by a fierce will to fight. She no longer detested Yun Xiao. The reason was simple!

Initially, she thought Yun Xiao was just irritating her, wasting time.

But now, this young man had proven with a single sword strike that he had the skill. Given Jiang Heqing's background, she had never feared a challenge from her peers in Sky Soaring City!

BOOM!

She instantly entered a true state of combat, a green Life Sigil suddenly forming in her palm from the symbol on her forehead, evolving into a green river that circled her body!

This was the high-quality Heavenly River Sigil.

Yun Xiao noticed that even Jiang Heqing's Runes were stuck at 9,999,999, indicating a very solid cap.

"Lu Yao, how old are you?" Jiang Heqing asked.

"Twenty seven," Yun Xiao replied.

"Seven years older than me, and a worthy opponent here in Sky Soaring City." Her words resonated widely among the crowd, stirring a connection with Yun Xiao, a young man of humble origins, and they began to cheer for him!

Meanwhile, the expressions on the faces of the Arbiters, be it the Judicial Immortals or the ordinary Rank 9 Arbiters, were quite peculiar.

Considering the recent murder case in Sangju City, many among them felt a seismic shift within!

Regardless of what others thought, Yun Xiao was already locked in battle with Jiang Heqing.

With a resounding boom, Jiang Heqing unleashed a celestial treasure from her hand, its grade unknown to Yun Xiao. It was like a long scroll of the real world, within which flowed nine rivers sparkling with starlight. These rivers spilled into reality, roaring and twisting into nine tumultuous streams beside Jiang Heqing!

"The governor has indeed passed the Nine Heavens River Map to his darling daughter, showing his deep affection for Jiang Heqing."

"This pair of treasured daughters are truly exceptional!"

Amid the crowd's envy, Jiang Heqing maneuvered the Nine Heavens River Map as if she were controlling a hundred thousand majestic mountains. Under its imposing force, even the buildings of the Skyruler Immortal Manor behind her shook.

Surrounded by these nine celestial rivers, the young woman in the Arbiter armor stood valiant and commanding, her charm and authority reaching the heavens, compelling everyone to look up in awe.

Many young men watched, their eyes glazed with infatuation and desire, yet also filled with a sense of inferiority, daring not to dream that they might one day encounter such an exalted celestial.

They envied Yun Xiao, but alas, he was oblivious to romance. As Jiang Heqing brought down the Nine Heavens River Map with crushing force, Yun Xiao, wielding the Heaven Burial Sword Soul, soared with his Sovereign Sword. Like an azure celestial river, he broke through the roaring of the Nine Heavens River Map with a whoosh!

BOOM!

The six-foot Sovereign Sword beneath his feet spawned mighty azure flames, which, in turn, evolved into a spinning azure lotus in the air!

HUM!

As the azure lotus spun, the azure flames surged even more violently.

"Isn't this the unranked Flaming Azure Lotus from the Celestial Technique Hall's Sovereign Sword techniques?"

Within the Arbiter ranks, many recognized it.

This was a Sovereign Sword technique so mundane that even ordinary Arbiters disdained it, naturally drawing a round of disdainful tongue clicks.

But just as the derision began, the spinning of the azure lotus in the sky accelerated to a blur!

Next, the flames of the azure lotus twisted the space of the Great Dao Celestial Realm, ripping open nine massive void rifts!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

These nine black void rifts connected directly to the spinning azure lotus, like a gyroscope tied with nine strangling chains!

HUM!

The azure flames on the lotus spread into these nine black void rifts, where the powers of the Great Dao Celestial Realm and the void merged. The nine void rifts, entwined with raging fire, tore through the heavens and furiously spiraled upwards!

"What kind of Flaming Blue Lotus is this?!"

As the move suddenly transformed, incredulous shouts erupted from the ranks of the Arbiters.

Even Liu Zongyu, a Judicial Immortal, furrowed his brow, his eyes filled with shock.

It was a genuine shock!

Having been at the Skyruler Immortal Manor for over 100 years, he was intimately familiar with every celestial technique there. This youngster's initial move was definitely the Flaming Azure Lotus, but the subsequent evolution was nothing short of miraculous!

With one move, he dazzled the entire arena!

And it wasn’t just the dazzling effect; the rotating azure lotus, carrying nine azure flame void rifts, quelled water with fire and struck the Nine Heavens River Map!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Nine Heavens River Map, mighty as it was, was like a sharpened blade. But Yun Xiao's sword technique was a razor-sharp saw, screaming and slicing through it. The nine void rifts entwined around the map like octopus tentacles, brutally spinning in the air!

KLANG! KLANG! KLANG!

The endless flow of the Nine Heavens River Map burst apart explosively, splitting in two!

This was both a painting-like celestial treasure and Jiang Heqing's Heavenly River Sigil!

The Life Sigil itself being forcefully expelled indicated one thing. Jiang Heqing's dual control of her celestial treasure and Life Sigil was utterly broken by Yun Xiao's absolute power and skill in a head-on clash!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The aftershocks of his sword technique tore apart the nine celestial rivers; the azure flames exploded with a piercing howl, cutting through like surfing the high seas. With swift and graceful motions, Yun Xiao shattered everything in his path!

HUM!

In the moment the giant wave parted, Yun Xiao’s whirlwind swordsmanship stopped right in front of the green-eyed young woman. The flaming azure sword tip was just a foot away from Jiang Heqing’s chest!

HUM!

A wild storm of azure flames swept past Jiang Heqing, casting her pale face in a ghastly hue. Her helmetless head, with black hair whipping about and tinged with azure flames, looked stunningly brilliant!

Of course, the sight of Yun Xiao standing on his sword, eyes blazing and looking down at her, clad in his Arbiter armor, was imposing. His handsome face appeared ethereal and dashing!

His disdainful look was extremely irksome to Jiang Heqing, but the fierce swordsmanship he had just displayed still left her shaken.

"Jiang Heqing, I registered according to the rules and defeated you fair and square, winning the honor to represent Sky Soaring City. Do you accept this?" Yun Xiao’s words, in the dead silence of the arena, were especially thunderous.

"I do not accept!" Jiang Heqing trembled as she spoke, her eyes red as she looked at Yun Xiao, biting her lip. "You are seven years older than me, defeating me is no big deal!"

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