Xiaoxiao.

Ying Yue and Wu Ren completely disregarded Wu Se's suggestion. Like Kuang Zheng, they viewed the martial arts competition as a farce.

It all started inexplicably, and the organization itself was equally baffling.

The martial arts world has gathered in Chengdu for the sake of the Vermilion Fruit.

It was rather strange that a martial arts tournament suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

To everyone's astonishment, this ridiculous proposal was actually adopted by the top ten factions and quickly became a formal decision.

They were all doing this for the sake of the Vermilion Fruit, but now they have to participate in a martial arts tournament first.

Isn't this a joke?

But because it was spearheaded by the ten major sects, no matter how absurd it was, everyone had no choice but to accept it.

To increase their chances of winning, some sects began to form alliances, which led to a series of subsequent alliances.

After Kuang Zheng and his companions were attacked, the Duan Dao Peak martial arts competition was finally confirmed.

From some insignificant rumors at the beginning, to the successive responses from the ten major factions, and then to the five factions alliance starting to organize and arrange the competition.

The martial arts tournament, which was originally absurd, actually started.

Everything was so strange; anyone with eyes could see the deep conspiracy behind it all.

However, the ten major sects, as the leaders of the martial arts world, seemed completely unaware of this, and not only that, they were also very cooperative.

If it were just one or two sects, it would be understandable, but the fact that the ten major sects are so consistent is quite puzzling.

One strange thing after another happened, and Kuang Zheng and his team had no choice but to suspect that the Ten Great Sects were the mastermind behind it all.

Because they cooperated so well, they were even the ones who spread the initial rumors.

That's why Kuang Zheng cooperated so readily.

No matter what they say, I agree with them wholeheartedly.

They come, the security.

They knew in their hearts that no matter how the situation changed.

One thing will never change: everyone's goal is the same—the Vermilion Fruit.

As long as you don't want to cause trouble, you won't create unnecessary complications at this crucial moment.

Even with a blood feud, no one would spare a single ounce of energy for anything else until the ownership of the Vermilion Fruit was finally determined.

The logic is simple: if we obtain the Vermilion Fruit, what in this world is impossible?

For this reason, Kuangzheng will not accept any suggestions from the ten major factions.

He is willing to cooperate as long as it does not affect him.

Since they hadn't considered flipping the table yet, he simply stood quietly to the side and watched their performance.

The Vermilion Fruit has completely disappeared since its last appearance, as it is impossible to track it before it matures.

The group had no choice but to stay put. Rather than searching the whole world, it was better to remain still at this point.

This is not to say that everyone is just waiting here idly; spies from various factions have already been scattered all over the world.

Kuang Zheng was no exception; he even ordered a search for "Long Yan," whom he hadn't contacted in a long time.

Although there is no trace of the Vermilion Fruit for the time being, the eyes and ears of various forces have spread throughout the world.

They can get the news immediately at the slightest sign of trouble.

Some people might ask, aren't they afraid that their subordinates might know about it but not report it, deliberately conceal it, and then keep it for themselves?

This brings us to another characteristic of the Vermilion Fruit—its abnormal perception and its strong-willed nature.

The two are independent yet complementary.

Zhu Guo's perception can almost cover the entire Penglai planet, and their tendency to be absorbed by the strong makes them unwilling to casually acknowledge anyone.

Because of the great distance in time, the specific details of Shennong's life are no longer verifiable.

But whether it was Peng Zu or Zhang Sanfeng, they were already among the strongest people in the world before they obtained the Vermilion Fruit.

The only exception was Lü Chunyang, who was just an ordinary cowherd at the time.

However, the truth of this matter remains a mystery, because the Vermilion Fruit will unleash a huge energy wave when it matures.

The impact would last for a quarter of an hour. Under such a powerful energy shock, not to mention ordinary people, even a master at the peak of the Grandmaster realm would die instantly.

Even a peerless master at the Great Perfection of the Grandmaster realm wouldn't be entirely confident of holding out for a full quarter of an hour.

If Lü Chunyang were just an ordinary person, how could he have withstood it?

Therefore, the debate surrounding him has continued for thousands of years.

Some say he is a reclusive master, and that he only works as a cowherd to avoid suspicion.

In fact, he had long anticipated that the Vermilion Fruit would appear in that place, so he hid there long ago.

This is speculation by conspiracy theorists.

Some say that Lü Chunyang was the chosen one, blessed with good fortune.

Therefore, all evil spirits shunned, and all spirits approached.

The fact that the Vermilion Fruit could be absorbed was due to its own destiny.

This is the conjecture of those who believe in the cycle of fate.

Some people bring up Shennong, who was just an ordinary physician.

If he could absorb the Vermilion Fruit, what was impossible for Lü Chunyang, a cowherd?

This is an empiricist.

According to Chunyang Temple, the Dao Ancestor was born with extraordinary talents and was a celestial being descended to earth.

Coming to Penglai Planet was merely for cultivating one's Dao heart; an ordinary Vermilion Fruit was naturally no problem for him.

In trendy terms, this would be described as: "This guy's trying too hard to show off."

Chunyang Temple is the place where Lü Chunyang's Taoist teachings were passed down. In modern terms, it means that the temple has the authority and the final right of interpretation.

Although I can't stand people who show off like that, there's nothing I can do about it.

Unable to win a fight, they naturally dared not say anything more.

As a fellow beneficiary of the Vermilion Fruit and the closest "land immortal" to everyone, Zhang Sanfeng's words should be more credible.

His terrifying perception and insatiable drive were exactly what he himself described.

He also said that the continuous shockwaves unleashed when the Vermilion Fruit ripens will kill any martial artist who is not at the Grandmaster or Great Perfection level!

In fact, it's not just the Vermilion Fruit; all spiritual treasures either have a companion beast that protects them at all times or have unique means of self-protection.

Therefore, the most precious treasures of heaven and earth have always been obtained by those who are "capable," not by those who are "virtuous."

"Virtue" is only one type of "ability," and it can only play a role in specific environments.

And "ability" can defy fate and go against the will of heaven!

Even if an ordinary person absorbs the Vermilion Fruit, what if the most unexpected situation occurs?

That's alright, you should know that Penglai Planet has a technique called "alchemy".

The absorption of the Vermilion Fruit will last for a full month, during which time the absorber is essentially a walking Vermilion Fruit.

His body exudes a strong scent of vermilion fruit, which can be easily detected by ordinary people, let alone martial artists.

If one's own strength is insufficient, even if one absorbs the essence, one will still be captured and refined into pills.

At that point, let alone the Vermilion Fruit, they won't even be able to save their lives.

Don't think this is an exaggeration; for the sake of the Vermilion Fruit, they are capable of doing even more cruel things.

The claim that anyone can absorb the Vermilion Fruit is a complete joke, so why does this rumor continue to circulate?

After repeated deliberation, Kuang Zheng and his team reached a conclusion.

That is, the so-called ability for ordinary people to absorb the Vermilion Fruit is actually a beautiful lie woven by those in power.

The purpose is to involve everyone in the search for the Vermilion Fruit, so that the Vermilion Fruit can truly be exposed.

With everyone in the world acting as informants, any attempt at concealment is futile. This way, the Vermilion Fruit will no longer be able to naturally perish after ripening.

The miraculous effects of the Vermilion Fruit are enough to drive everyone crazy. Who in the world could resist such an irresistible temptation?

Because of the extensive network of informants, no one panicked even though Zhu Guo had temporarily disappeared.

That's why everyone is so calm.

This led to infighting and the elimination of dissidents.

Kuang Zheng also knew that in the time to come, fighting was inevitable.

Since everyone is trying to reduce the number of competitors, it's understandable to start with a bizarre martial arts competition.

Based on this, what does it matter whether it's strange or not, or even whether we compare them or not?

That's why Kuang and his group participated in this boring, useless, and bizarre martial arts competition.

I imagine everyone else is thinking the same thing. Don't be fooled by the Five Factions Alliance or the Yang-Yun alliance, which are now as close as family.

But once it comes to the struggle for the Vermilion Fruit, who will still recognize whom?

Even Chunyang Temple and Qixing Tower wouldn't dare guarantee that they could entrust their backs to the other party with complete peace of mind, after all, that's a "land immortal"! Who can resist the temptation of that title?

The story of Zhang Sanfeng is still fresh in our minds, and his legendary tales remain popular to this day.

Whether in teahouses, taverns, brothels, or even in the public sphere or temples, everyone talks about it with great relish.

It's a pity that Zhang Sanfeng didn't leave behind any successor; otherwise, the Zhang family would surely have been able to get a share of the profits from the Vermilion Fruit. They might even have produced another "land-based immortal."

But not only did Zhang Sanfeng's lineage die out, it is even more regrettable that he left no descendants.

Every time I think about this, I can't help but feel deeply regretful.

But his carefree attitude is something many people envy! Perhaps this is another kind of perfection.

As you can see, he has been gone for decades.

However, the number of tomb keepers has increased rather than decreased, and they all claim to be disciples of Zhang Sanfeng.

Given time, it is possible that another force, even surpassing the Chunyang Temple, may emerge.

Since these people had all received guidance from Zhang Sanfeng, this might be another form of inheritance.

Despite his entire life immersed in worldly affairs, he never became tainted by a single leaf.

Not only is his cultivation level that of a "terrestrial immortal," but his life is even more extraordinary than that of an immortal.

To live without regrets and to be worshipped endlessly after death—what more could one ask for?

Enough of the digressions, let's get back to the main topic.

The format of the competition was finally decided: everyone drew lots to determine their order of appearance and opponents.

The Five Factions Alliance sent Yu Dubu, the head of Longhua Mountain, and Guan Xinghe, representing Chunyang Temple and Qixing Tower.

Yang Lin and Yun Mengze had dissolved their alliance before the duel, so they both personally participated.

Liu Xuan had expected to be attacked by a group of people, but now that Guo Dehao and Jian Xiaotian were with him, he was no longer "alone".

Kuang Zheng was originally prepared to participate himself, but Ying Yue wanted to join in.

After assessing the strength of their opponents, they realized that although they were all unparalleled masters at the Great Perfection of the Grandmaster realm, they were still formidable opponents.

But Yingyue was in no way inferior to them, so since this girl wanted to play, let her be.

In fact, Wu Ren also wanted to participate, but unfortunately he suffered a serious injury due to a qi deviation some time ago.

Despite Wu Ren's repeated assurances that he had fully recovered, Kuang Zheng insisted that he rest and recuperate.

That night, his eagerness to hunt and his decision to fight three men in black had already displeased Kuang Zheng, but fortunately, the other party was only at the Grandmaster Great Perfection realm.

Even so, Kuang Zheng carefully checked it over and only felt relieved after confirming that there were no abnormalities. He then reiterated the rule of not taking action unless absolutely necessary.

This time, they're facing unparalleled masters at the Grandmaster level, and a group of treacherous individuals at that.

If something goes wrong, it won't be a small matter.

Don't be fooled by their cheerful demeanor and seemingly easy-going nature.

Given the chance, they would not hesitate to become hungry wolves.

Everyone here is qualified to compete for the Vermilion Fruit, and if given the chance to make one of them disappear prematurely, they would not hesitate to act.

Although the Medicine Buddha's influence can temporarily suppress the restlessness within the body.

But even the Medicine Buddha isn't omnipotent; you have to know that the spiritual energy of Penglai Planet has long been depleted.

They are now like disposable items, even though Ying Ao sent several spiritual objects to them.

This is the only gain that the Great Qin has made in recent years, but after all, the spiritual energy in a spiritual object is limited, and it is a one-time use item.

The most important thing right now is the Vermilion Fruit; that's the most crucial thing.

Now they are completely tied down and have no extra time to search for the spirit.

So, the same as before, we avoid physical altercations if possible.

After all, spiritual energy is easy to deplete but difficult to replenish.

The reason Ying Yue took the initiative to step forward was for this reason.

In terms of cultivation, Kuang Zheng is the strongest, followed by Wu Ren.

The battle for the Vermilion Fruit is inevitable, not only for those currently in the public eye, but also for those hidden in the shadows.

At least Penglou has to be on guard.

Therefore, saving your strongest card for last undoubtedly increases your chances of winning.

It was precisely based on this consideration that Kuang Zheng agreed to Ying Yue's request.

After all, the Vermilion Fruit is a matter of life and death; for others, it's a matter of "drunk on a beauty's lap, waking up to wield power over the world."

But for the three of them, the Vermilion Fruit was their life.

Others may miss out, but that's just a regret; for them, it's their own destiny!

Therefore, they cannot afford to fail, and from now on, every ounce of their strength must be carefully calculated.

Don't let things go wrong and end up like a ship capsizing in a ditch; otherwise, you'll have nowhere to go even if you want to die.

The reason he agreed to the duel was to avoid giving the ten major sects an excuse to attack him together.

After all, dealing with one wolf requires far less effort than dealing with a pack of wolves.

Ultimately, it's just that our abilities don't allow it...

Before resolving the issue of spiritual energy, even though I am invincible, I dare not use it lightly.

The draw results are in. The first match is between Ying Yue and Guan Xinghe, the leader of the Seven Star Tower.

The Broken Blade Sect's training ground had long been equipped with a huge arena, which was a hundred feet wide.

The entire surface of the huge jade stone was paved, and it shone brightly in the sunlight, faintly exuding a light mist.

This is the most precious "Spirit-Nourishing Jade" from Penglai Planet, which has the effect of nourishing and calming the mind.

Even the royal families of the three great empires couldn't obtain something the size of a palm, yet here they could only serve as a stepping stone.

The arena was surrounded by a ring of "golden silk brocade," a specialty of the Tang Dynasty, renowned for its luxurious and delicate texture.

"Golden Silk Brocade" uses thousand-year-old silkworm silk as the main raw material, mixed with golden silkworm silk that is extremely rare.

This gives the "Golden Silk Brocade" a white appearance with subtle, almost invisible gold threads, making it look like a golden sunset. Therefore, the "Golden Silk Brocade" is also known as the "Golden Sunset Brocade".

Not to mention ordinary people, even royalty would be proud to own a piece of "golden brocade," yet here only ordinary railings have been installed.

In addition to these, even ordinary weapons were prepared very well.

Each one is a peerless weapon that is hard to find in the world, and any sight of it can cause bloodshed and chaos in the martial arts world.

But here they're just casually placed on the weapon rack, serving as mere samples.

Every part of the arena was extremely luxurious, even the surrounding area was covered with countless colorful flags and banners.

Every side is meticulously crafted and made with precious materials.

This was no casual martial arts competition; it was clearly a showcase.

The more closely one observes, the more bizarre this martial arts competition seems.

At that moment, Kuang Zheng had a bad feeling.

Looking at the crowd around him, his unease grew stronger.