As she watched the battle between Yang Ye and Li Xianjun, a wisp of worry flashed in Murong Yao’s eyes. She’d personally experienced Li Xianjun’s strength. When Li Xianjun was able to leave safely on that day, she knew that she wasn’t a match for Li Xianjun, or it should be said as the gap between her and Li Xianjun was quite huge!

On the other hand, she merely had a rough understanding that Yang Ye’s strength was extremely formidable, but she didn’t know exactly how formidable it was. So, she was slightly worried and perturbed about the battle between Yang Ye and Li Xianjun.

At a certain spot below Arena No.9, Murong Yao gazed at Li Xianjun and Yang Ye as she said, “Leng Xinran, who do you think will die?”

Leng Xinran who stood by Wenren Yue’s side pondered deeply for a moment before she said, “Both of them are very strong!”

Wenren Yue nodded, and then she said, “I’ve fought Yang Ye. He’s extremely strong. On the other hand, since Li Xianjun’s status was higher than Xiu Luo who’d comprehended Slaughter Intent, then he’s probably not weak as well. Since they’ve encountered each other now, then it will be an intense fight!”

“You’ve fought Yang Ye?” asked Leng Xinran.

Wenren Yue nodded and said, “He’s extremely strong and very mysterious. I’m not confident in my ability to defeat him!”

When she recalled the strength Yang Ye revealed at that time, Leng Xinran nodded in agreement, and then she fell silent and gazed at Yang Ye who was in battle on the arena. She still remembered that Yang Ye owed her two Icesoul Fruits!

On a spot on the Imperial Palace’s walls that others were unable to see, worry arose in Su Qingshi’s eyes as well while she watched the battle between Yang Ye and Li Xianjun. On the other hand, Kugu who stood nearby had a calm expression and even a faint smile on his face. He seemed as if Li Xianjun would definitely win.

For the sake of fairness, the seniors of all the participants couldn’t be present at the competition grounds, and they could only stand at this spot and watch the competition. Because incidents, where seniors had forcefully interfered in order to save the lives of their disciples, had occurred in the past. So, since then, the Grand Qin Empire had arranged for the seniors of the various participants to remain here!

“Brother Yu Heng, the strength possessed by this Yang Ye from your Sword Sect isn’t bad indeed. However, it’s still slightly inferior when compared to Li Xianjun. After all, Li Xianjun is at the peak of the ninth rank right now!” The Origin School’s Qing Yun’zi gazed at the battle as he spoke indifferently with a smile on his face.

Yu Heng said flatly, “Brother Qing ought to be clearly aware that a gap of a few ranks is nothing to monstrous geniuses like them.”

“Is that so?” Qing Yun’zi smiled lightly, and then he said, “Then allow us to wait and see. Let’s see if it’s the Sword Sect or Ghost Sect that wins during this year’s Ascension Rankings.”

Yu Heng fell silent while a wisp of worry flashed in the depths of his eyes. He wasn’t worried about Yang Ye’s fate, and he was worried about the Sword Sect’s fate if Yang Ye lost! After all, the Sword Sect really needed someone to enter the top 30 and seize a few more cities for the Sword Sect. Otherwise, the Sword Sect would be in an embarrassing state for the next few years!

Even though Kugu had a calm expression, he wasn’t calm in his heart at all. The Ghost Sect had lost Xiu Luo and the other disciples on Ascension Mountain Range, so Li Xianjun was especially important at this moment. If Li Xianjun won, then the Sword Sect would continue declining in the next few years, and this was great news for the Ghost Sect!

However, if Li Xianjun lost, then it would be the Ghost Sect that would fall into a decline in the next few years. Because the Ghost Sect only had a single participant in the Ascension Rankings now. If Li Xianjun lost, then it meant that the Ghost Sect hadn’t just lost an extraordinary genius, it would fall into a situation just like the Sword Sect was in for the next few years. It would have no capable disciples in its outer court!

So, no matter if it was the Ghost Sect or Sword Sect, this battle was of utmost importance, and both couldn’t afford to lose it!

Bang!

An enormous bang suddenly resounded on the arena, and then Yang Ye and Li Xianjun split apart.

Yang Ye’s expression was slightly solemn as he gazed at Li Xianjun. Needless to say, Li Xianjun really was formidable. Regardless of whether it was his reaction in battle or strength, Li Xianjun was extremely formidable. Especially the mysterious black sickle in Li Xianjun’s grasp, it caused even Yang Ye to feel slightly fearful. If Violet Spirit hadn’t been a Dao Artifact in the past, it would have probably been destroyed by the black sickle by now!

At this moment, Li Xianjun had a solemn expression on his face as well, and there wasn’t even a trace of a smile on his face. At this point in the battle, he knew that he’d slightly underestimated this young man called Yang Ye who’d comprehended Sword Intent. Because Yang Ye hadn’t utilized Sword Intent to fight him equally just now!

Li Xianjun let out a light breath of air and then swung casually. The black sickle tore through the air and pointed directly at Yang Ye before he said, “Utilize your full strength or you won’t have the chance to!”

Yang Ye didn’t waste his breath. He suddenly stomped his right foot on the ground, and he relied on the counterforce to shoot forward like a cannonball towards Li Xianjun. On the way, his wrist twisted, causing a strand of golden light to flash by. A strand of golden sword qi shot out in front of him, and it instantly arrived before Li Xianjun!

Li Xianjun grunted coldly when he saw this strand of golden sword qi shooting explosively towards him.

Hiss!

With a light flick of the black sickle, Yang Ye’s sword qi had been instantly split into two. However, right at this moment, Li Xianjun’s expression suddenly changed, and then he twisted his wrist to utilize the black sickle to block in front of him!

Clang!

Li Xianjun’s black sickle had just arrived in front of him when the Violet Spirit sword in Yang Ye’s hand had struck on his sickle. The enormous force from Yang Ye’s sword caused Li Xianjun to instantly take a few steps back.

After he blasted Li Xianjun back, Yang Ye didn’t stop. He executed the Gale Steps technique and instantly arrived in front of Li Xianjun before he started moving his wrist, and the Violet Spirit sword started dancing about swiftly.

Yang Ye’s sword wasn’t as swift as Murong Yao, but Murong Yao’s physical strength wasn’t as great as Yang Ye. An enormous bang resounded every single time Yang Ye’s sword struck Li Xianjun’s sickle, and then Li Xianjun took a few steps back.

At this moment, Yang Ye’s attacks were like a storm that forcefully suppressed Li Xianjun, and it caused the spectators below the arena to feel extremely shocked.

“What formidable strength!” Leng Xinran was slightly shocked when she saw Yang Ye forcing Li Xianjun back with every single strike.

Wenren Yue nodded. She’d experienced Yang Ye’s strength on that day. But Yang Ye’s strength then wasn’t as strong as it was now. Obviously, Yang Ye’s physical body had improved once more while he was on Ascension Mountain Range.

Near Arena No.1, Qin Youran glanced at Arena No.9, and then he closed his eyes and stopped watching. In his opinion, his opponent was Yuan Tong. As for the others, he only took those two women from the Flower Palace and Snow Palace seriously. Perhaps Yang Ye and Li Xianjun weren’t bad in the eyes of others, but their strengths were still insufficient in Qin Youran’s opinion!

“I never expected that Yang Ye would actually be so formidable, and he’s actually able to suppress Li Xianjun in battle!” Some profounders below the arena spoke with shock.

“It’s only the warmup right now, and the true show hasn’t started yet. Let’s watch and see if it’s the Sword Sect or Ghost Sect that loses this time!”

On Arena No.9, Li Xianjun had retreated to the border of the arena. If he moved a few more meters back, then he could only admit defeat. Of course, he wouldn’t admit defeat just like that.

Bang!

After being blasted a few steps back by a strike of Yang Ye’s sword and right when Yang Ye had arrived before him once more, Li Xianjun didn’t utilize the black sickle to block again. He shouted softly instead. “Bloodshadow Steps!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xianjun’s figure suddenly vanished on the spot, and he flashed 3m to the right. After that, the sickle in his hand whistled sharply through the air as it moved in a hooking motion towards Yang Ye’s head.

Yang Ye’s expression remained unchanged when he sensed the assault from the sickle, and then he sidestepped and avoided it. After that, he made a horizontal slash towards Li Xianjun’s stomach with Violet Spirit. However, at this moment, Li Xianjun vanished mysteriously on the spot once more, and he appeared on Yang Ye’s left before the sickle suddenly arrived above Yang Ye.

This time, Yang Ye’s expression changed slightly because Li Xianjun’s movement technique was very shocking. Yang Ye didn’t have the time to think, and he immediately utilized Violet Spirit to make an upward block!

Clang!

The sound of metal colliding resounded once more.

At the same time that he blocked Li Xianjun’s sickle, Yang Ye formed a sword with the fingers on his left hand, and with a light flick, a strand of golden sword qi instantly shot explosively towards Li Xianjun.

Li Xianjun’s expression changed, and his figure flashed. However, he was still a bit too late, and the golden strand of sword qi pierced through his left shoulder.

An expanse of exclaims resounded in the surroundings when they witnessed this scene!

On the other hand, Kugu’s face sank when he saw this. He’d never imagined that Li Xianjun would actually be the first to be injured. However, it was fortunate that this injury wasn’t lethal. This Yang Ye truly doesn’t seem to be as weak as I’d imagined in the past!

Meanwhile, Su Qingshi and Yu Heng were delighted because the injury Li Xianjun suffered allowed them to see a chance of winning!