According to the competition rules, after the first round of eliminations, the teams advancing are indeed Jin Feng Dao and Tian Yao Sheng Di.

But the first round isn’t over yet; other teams still need to compete. How could they play the second round of advancements now?

So Anuo’s words weren’t a challenge; she used them to show that she wasn’t afraid of him, knowing in reality that a match wouldn’t happen.

However, the elder leading Jin Feng Dao leisurely spoke, “Since we are indeed matched up after advancing, playing now isn’t a big problem, as long as the other teams agree to let us go first… Do you all agree?”

The other elders exchanged glances, some considering the idea.

Regardless of their individual motives, their shared goal was to humiliate Tian Yao Sheng Di.

At this moment, Ye Tinglan was absent. Although many elders from Tian Yao Sheng Di were present, none possessed Ye Tinglan’s decisive authority. Wouldn’t it be a shame not to take advantage of this opportunity to stir up trouble for Tian Yao Sheng Di?

So, they unexpectedly spoke in unison, “Since it’s come to this, it’s fine for your two teams to compete first.”

Immediately, an elder from Tian Yao Sheng Di sharply said, “Do you treat this Grand Competition as child’s play? The competition system has its own rules; how can they be arbitrarily adjusted?”

Someone quipped, “Didn’t your own junior say it?”

Anuo recoiled.

The elder from Tian Yao Sheng Di almost laughed in anger, “This is the first time I’ve heard of a group of first-rank cultivators, venerable elders of a hundred years, following the instructions of a small child? Anuo, someday you should establish a sect and have them all worship you.”

The Tian Yao disciples all laughed, while Anuo puffed out her chest and put her hands on her hips.

The people from Jin Feng Dao, however, chuckled, “Anyway, if our match is moved up, the ones affected are others. As long as those affected have no objections, isn’t that fine? Those seeking immortality and the Dao, why be so dogmatic and rigid?”

Everyone replied, “No objections. We also want to see how much power such a young cultivator possesses.”

Anuo frowned, sensing a strange shift in the atmosphere.

Though Anuo was usually a bit cunning, in serious matters, she typically relied on her master’s intellect. Her small head began to dart around, looking for her master.

Lu Xingzhou had already heard the commotion from this side and returned from the beach behind. He stood by the high platform for a while, then transmitted a message to Anuo: “Fight. I want to observe their objective. Remember, safety first; winning is not the priority.”

Receiving her master’s message, Anuo felt reassured. She put her hands on her hips and said, “Uncle, are you capable? If not, let the sister with the umbrella behind you come instead.”

The Tian Yao Sheng Di elders were momentarily stunned. Fang Qihao had already flashed onto the stage, “Little sister, you provoked this yourself, so don’t say I’m bullying you. Come, uncle will let you have three moves.”

Lu Xingzhou stroked his chin. From this attitude, it seemed it wasn’t targeting him and his disciple. At least the opponent still didn’t take Anuo seriously.

Anuo honestly stepped forward, clenched her small fists, and made a comical “Ya!” sound before striking with her tiny fists.

Fang Qihao casually blocked it.

“Bang!”

A terrifying, immense force, thousands of times greater than expected, slammed into his palm. Fang Qihao screamed, his right hand instantly fractured.

The seemingly honest Anuo darted like a ghost, colliding head-on into Fang Qihao’s embrace.

“Dong!” Fang Qihao flew through the air as if on clouds, crashing into a pillar by the arena, which immediately collapsed. He spat out a mouthful of blood and tremblingly pointed at Anuo, “You, you…”

Everyone in the audience stood up.

This Fang Qihao was no pushover; he had just instantly killed an opponent of the same rank!

Yet, due to a moment of carelessness, he was hit like a ball by a child and ended up in this state.

Lu Xingzhou covered his forehead, wondering if he had overestimated…

Just as he thought this, Fang Qihao stood up, leaning on the broken pillar, wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, and his eyes became fierce, “I underestimated you.”

Lu Xingzhou narrowed his eyes, and countless people felt a chill.

His resilience alone was wrong…

Fang Qihao was clearly not a body cultivator specializing in hardening; he had used a magic treasure to kill his opponent in the previous battle.

How could a Dao cultivator who uses magic treasures withstand such damage and act as if nothing happened?

Anuo’s small face turned very serious, and she took a defensive stance.

The next moment, a strong gust of wind howled past, and a steel whip suddenly appeared beside her, lashing towards Anuo’s head.

Targeting the head, not the shoulder…

Many immediately made a judgment: “Oh no, he’s trying to kill her!”

Lu Xingzhou instantly ignited the Jingguang Fu, which he hadn’t used in a long time, and simultaneously summoned a fire demon to attack Fang Qihao’s back.

At the same time, he darted like lightning directly into the arena.

Along with him, several elders from Tian Yao Sheng Di, and even some elders from the “organizing committee,” also rushed into the arena.

Even if they wanted to humiliate Tian Yao Sheng Di, they didn’t intend for someone to die in such a setting, especially not such a lovable little girl.

In just a flash, a “boom” echoed. The steel whip struck a large disc, but it wasn’t the crisp clang of metal; it was an astonishing explosion of clashing energies.

Anuo, carrying the large disc on her shoulder, quickly retreated. The steel whip spun in place, unable to be retrieved for a moment.

The Yuan Ci Da Bing specialized in countering metal.

Even so, the disc had cracks. This was because the counter-effect had diminished the steel whip’s original power, and Lu Xingzhou’s Jingguang Fu had already taken effect, slightly deflecting the attack. Otherwise, this whip would surely have shattered the disc and injured Anuo.

At this moment, black flames were already scorching Fang Qihao, and Lu Xingzhou’s angry kick had already reached him.

Numerous interference and restraining skills rained down from all sides, resulting in Lu Xingzhou’s kick not fully connecting, and both sides were separated.

The steel whip spun back. Fang Qihao was about to retrieve it when a slender hand reached out from a distance and snatched the whip first.

Turning around, he saw Ye Tinglan had returned. It was she who had taken the steel whip.

Ye Tinglan’s face was ashen. She weighed the steel whip and sneered, “What a ‘Da Shen Bian’ (God-Striking Whip). Is such an ancient immortal treasure meant to be used against a child?”

Fang Qihao, with a stiff neck, retorted, “On the arena, should we still respect elders and care for the young? I already let her have one move, and wasn’t I beaten to the point of spitting blood? If I let her have more, I might as well just concede.”

Ye Tinglan coldly said, “Then what was the meaning of striking at her head?”

“…It’s the Da Shen Bian, naturally it strikes the spiritual platform.”

“Bang!” Ye Tinglan casually swung, sending Fang Qihao spinning like a top. “Do you take this venerable one for an ignorant fool?”

The elder from Jin Feng Dao immediately stepped in front, “True Person Tinglan, our disciple was also severely injured first, which caused him to lose his temper and harbor murderous intent. According to the rules, he should be judged as having lost. What, do the competition rules say that if one harbors murderous intent but causes no harm, they must pay with their life?”

“Caused no harm? You scared my Anuo and damaged her disc.” Ye Tinglan casually handed the Da Shen Bian to Anuo. “This is compensation.”

Fang Qihao’s eyes widened, his heart bleeding, as he was about to say something, his own elder shot him a glare. Fang Qihao lowered his head and retreated, saying, “If this is the punishment, I accept it.”

The implication was still to attribute the murderous act to a momentary impulse.

But Lu Xingzhou stared at him coldly, knowing it was not.

Jin Feng Dao’s actions had been strange from beginning to end, their items strange, and even Fang Qihao’s defense was strange. Everything they did must have been premeditated.

A premeditated organization suddenly harboring murderous intent in plain sight would absolutely not be due to impulse.