“Brother Bai Lu, long time no see. Do you still remember Yuan?” A blue-clad man, also with deer antlers on his forehead, waved and smiled at him.

“Yuan Qi!” Li Cheng颐 said with a smile. “Of course, I remember.”

He had first crossed hands with Yuan Qi, the gatekeeper, when he initially went to the Years Sect.

“It’s been three years. I’ve improved a lot. Dare to have a match and try each other out?” A hint of eagerness appeared on Yuan Qi’s face.

“That’s not a good idea…” Li Cheng颐 hesitated.

“What’s not good? Come on, let’s just keep it to a friendly exchange.” Yuan Qi said enthusiastically.

“I’m mainly afraid of accidentally hurting you… After all, guests should be treated with respect.” Li Cheng颐 said helplessly.

“So confident?” Yuan Qi’s expression stiffened, and his interest grew even more.

As the strongest member of the Qingying Team leading this trip, he had the task of examining the next generation of the Faceless Sword Sect.

He didn’t expect to meet Bai Lu again, whom he had lost to in the past, as soon as they met.

“You dare to be so sure that you will win before even exchanging blows? Do you still think it’s three years ago?” Yuan Qi raised his eyebrows.

“How about this?” Li Cheng颐 smiled, “I happen to want some snow lotuses for my garden recently, not the kind with pale yellow and black pistils, but other varieties. If I win, Brother Yuan will give me some other snow lotuses, regardless of the year, how about it?”

“Alright, what if I win?” Yuan Qi laughed.

“You can choose anything I have on me.” Li Cheng颐 said generously.

“Good! It’s a deal!” Yuan Qi said loudly.

The two quickly agreed and immediately went to the martial arts arena dedicated to internal disciples for competitions.

With their level of strength, they naturally had to use the arena for elders.

One was the number one of the Four Little Swords of the younger generation of the Sword Sect, and the other was a master of the younger generation leading the Years Sect.

The spectacle of an external expert challenging Li Cheng颐 was enough to attract many people to gather around.

The two stepped onto the stage, stood still, and activated the protective formation.

They saw the group of elders who were still talking in the Sihai Pavilion also come out, each with an interested expression, and stopped to watch the battle from afar.

The elder from the Years Sect was a beautiful woman with rabbit ears, accompanied by Senior Brother Huo Qingkong and the gentle-faced Elder Mu Ling.

In addition, there were more than a dozen other people surrounding them. People from both sects were present.

Li Cheng颐 could feel the gazes constantly falling on him, bringing subtle sensory touches.

Especially Huo Qingkong’s gaze, when it swept over him, felt like a knife, extremely sharp and obvious.

He felt a chill in his heart and bowed remotely to Senior Brother and the others.

The current Huo Qingkong had obviously changed a lot compared to three years ago.

He still looked gentle and polite, but the smiling face always gave people an indescribable sense of strangeness.

“Ready!” Bai He, the referee, shouted loudly.

Li Cheng颐 quickly regained his senses and looked at Yuan Qi, who was more than ten meters away.

“Begin!”

As soon as the voice fell, Yuan Qi’s body swelled, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a three-meter-tall humanoid with a deer head and a black fur coat, surrounded by circles of green rune light bands.

To guard against the Faceless Sword Sect’s surprise attacks, he immediately activated all his defenses.

After confirming that Li Cheng颐 hadn’t made a move, he breathed a sigh of relief, bent over, concentrated, and stared at the opposite side.

“Be careful.”

“Please.” Li Cheng颐 gently pulled out the Dingyuan Sword and pointed it diagonally downwards.

Whoosh!

In an instant, a flash of green light, Yuan Qi had crossed the distance of the arena, instantly clawing at Li Cheng颐’s chest.

Chi!

The blow missed.

Li Cheng颐 slightly tilted his body, dodging the move.

Even though he only had a few Yuan Imprints that increased his speed, the gap between the two sides was too great.

So great that even with his weaknesses, he could easily cope with the opponent.

Chi!

Chi!

Chi!!

Then, continuous flashes of green light, Yuan Qi continued to accelerate, frantically clawing at Li Cheng颐 again and again.

But it was meaningless. His sharp claws were clearly always a little bit off, but that little bit was like a chasm.

In the arena, streaks of green light continuously swept around Li Cheng颐, but no matter how hard he tried, no matter how he used his moves, he would only brush past Li Cheng颐.

Without any extra movements, Li Cheng颐 merely tilted his head, turned sideways, and stepped aside, perfectly avoiding Yuan Qi’s full-speed attack.

Such a huge gap, not to mention the elders and deacons watching the battle, even Bai He and Zhao Yuan, and even the weaker direct disciples, clearly saw the huge gap between the two.

“As expected of Junior Nephew Bai Lu, who is known as Little Qingkong, his strength is really extraordinary.” Elder Tu stared at Li Cheng颐, his eyes flashing with inexplicable light.

“Where, Junior Brother Bai Lu is Junior Brother Bai Lu, I am me, the roads we will take in the future are not the same.” Huo Qingkong smiled.

“Perhaps… but it’s really the same as you were back then… With such strength, even we can’t see through the depths…” Elder Tu replied.

Huo Qingkong smiled, his eyes gathered on Li Cheng颐, seemingly admiring his junior brother dueling with others, but in fact, his brows were slightly furrowed, as if he had discovered something in Li Cheng颐.

‘This kid named Bai Lu seems to be a little unusual.’ The Demon Emperor’s voice sounded in his ear again.

‘This is not something you should be concerned about.’ Huo Qingkong responded in his heart.

‘In the entire sect, only two elders and your sect leader cannot be seen through by me, but now, even a mere teenager can do this…’ The Demon Emperor clicked his tongue in wonder.

‘It’s fine, after all, the one who can suppress everyone else will have some secrets of his own.’ Huo Qingkong replied.

‘But no matter what secrets, no matter what talent, they cannot compare to you.’ The Demon Emperor said.

Huo Qingkong didn’t reply, because he thought so too.

Deep in his heart, a figure surrounded by black mist was floating cross-legged, quietly waiting for the opportunity to explode with all its strength and break free from everything.

‘The incantation you gave is indeed extremely powerful, and the Tribulation Qi is easily suppressed.’

‘But your time is running out. Hehehehe!’ The Demon Emperor laughed, ‘The Evil Facet condensed by the backlash is now getting stronger and stronger. If you just suppress it, I’m afraid it won’t be long before you can’t suppress it and will be completely replaced by it. Therefore… the integration of good and evil is the only way for your future!

Once integrated, your strength will instantly reach its peak, surpassing the Nineteenth Seal, igniting the True Fire with a perfect realm, surpassing your master, and becoming the strongest person in the Faceless Sword Sect!

At that time, what great tribulation, what calamity, will all be ants under your sword, which you can eliminate with a wave of your hand.’

Huo Qingkong did not reply, and continued to return to reality and chat with Elder Tu about the details of the two sects’ cultivation methods.

On the stage, Li Cheng颐 had dodged at least dozens of moves.

He also decided to end this boring competition.

“Be careful, I’m going to counterattack.”

Li Cheng颐 gently gripped the hilt of his sword, looking at the green figure flying towards him.

No moves, no dodging.

Just drawing the sword, and a wave.

Chi!!

Silver light flashed.

Yuan Qi staggered past from the side, heavily falling to the ground, half-squatting and motionless.

Fine bloodstains appeared on his shoulders.

“I lost…” He stood up a little dejectedly.

Although he had expected that he might lose, the gap was so great that it completely exceeded his imagination.

“You are too kind.” Li Cheng颐 smiled and nodded.

“I haven’t sparred with Senior Brother Bai Lu for a long time. I’ll try my hand today.”

Suddenly, Zhao Yuan, who was below, also flipped over and instantly entered the arena.

This one of the Four Little Swords, who had gradually grown up, had also become much stronger than three years ago.

Her eyes were also full of fighting spirit when she looked at Li Cheng颐.

“It doesn’t matter, everyone who wants to come can try on stage one by one later.” Li Cheng颐 looked gentle. Completely similar to Huo Qingkong back then.

As soon as he said this, Zhao Yuan’s face changed slightly.

Because the implication of this was that it would only take a short time to deal with her, and there would still be plenty of time to fight with others.

“Still so arrogant…” Zhao Yuan gritted her teeth and said, “Compared to three years ago, I am no longer the weak me I was then!!”

She let out a low cry and leaped up.

Drawing her sword.

Instant Prison!!

A lightning-like cyan sword light burst out, slashing towards the Dingyuan Sword in Li Cheng颐’s hand.

She wants to prove it!

Prove that her desperate day and night struggle and efforts in the past three years were worth it!!

Prove that she, Zhao Yuan, also has the talent and is qualified to stand beside Senior Brother!!

If she could defeat Bai Lu in front of Senior Brother and become the strongest of the Four Little Swords…

He would definitely…

Clang!!

A clear sword sound exploded in Zhao Yuan’s ear.

The sword light she swung seemed like a kite that had lost control, and was gently flicked upwards and shot out, disappearing into the high sky.

On the stage, a sword blade was quietly suspended at Zhao Yuan’s throat.

It was the Dingyuan Sword in Li Cheng颐’s hand.

“You are too kind, Junior Sister.” Li Cheng颐 smiled and sheathed his sword.

Another sword!

At this time, the people below already felt something was wrong.

Two people in a row were killed with one sword. If Yuan Qi before was a master of the Years Sect, the specific level of strength everyone was not very clear about the comparison.

Then the later Zhao Yuan was really the Four Little Swords who often shot in front of everyone.

Many people knew her strength. Apart from the others who were also Four Little Swords, no direct disciple was her opponent.

But it was such a master who had condensed the Yuan Imprint…

Standing on the stage, Zhao Yuan’s pretty face was sometimes blue and sometimes white, sheathed her sword and silently turned around to step down, without saying a word, her eyes were red, obviously the blow was a bit too big.

“I’ll try it!!” There will always be flower protectors at this time.

A tall man in black deacon clothes stepped onto the stage with a sword in hand, looking solemnly at Li Cheng颐.

“I am Feng Yun, Junior Brother Bai Lu, please.”

“Please.” Li Cheng颐 once again raised his sword and turned to face the other party.

“Be careful, I have broken through the sixth level of the Sword Technique, and my moves are far from what the previous two could compare to.” Feng Yun said seriously.

A few seconds later.

A sword light flashed.

Feng Yun covered his wrist, his face flushed with shame, and staggered off the stage.

Another sword.

Even the deacon was defeated!

The bottom once again set off a burst of clamor.

Then another person stepped onto the stage.

Still one sword.

One sword.

One sword.

One sword.

The people who stepped onto the stage to try to challenge Li Cheng颐 were all defeated with just one sword.

In the end, after fifteen battles with fifteen people, Li Cheng颐 still hadn’t used even one sword move. Standing on the stage, like an undefeated stone peak, he became more and more towering.

The faces of the disciples who were just watching the excitement changed.

Almost all of the people who came on stage later were deacon-level masters.

There was even a high-level deacon master who had cultivated the Faceless Sword Technique, the foundation-building technique, to the perfect level.

But such a strong man was still just one sword.

That was a master who had condensed four imprints!!

After defeating one person at the end, Li Cheng颐 felt that it was about enough, and he didn’t expect Zhao Yuan to attract so much trouble, but it was not bad to take advantage of this opportunity to establish his prestige.

He also planned to step down.

“I haven’t sparred with my junior brother for a long time, why don’t I also come and try my hand.”

A clear male voice sounded not far away.

Li Cheng颐 paused in his heart and looked up following the sound.

It was actually Huo Qingkong!

(End of this chapter)