Xiao Shixiong has grown up. That once gluttonous, beef jerky-loving, foolish little Shixiong who insisted on recognizing his own mother as his godmother, is now a young prodigy, like a white dragon.

But his white robes are stained with blood.

His destiny is already a trapped dragon in a dead end.

The Hua family has completely sealed him off.

A large number of illusion formations, entrapment formations, and causal traps have firmly confined Bai Zisheng to this barren mountain in the Second-Rank Lesser Xuanwu Mountain Realm.

Even this mountain peak, inherently aligned with Xuanwu, is a terrain that is easy to defend and difficult to break.

Everything seems to have been meticulously planned.

And this time, the layout of the illusion formations and causal traps is more precise and flawless than ever before.

It is clear that previously, the Hua family had been “going easy,” slowly pressuring Bai Zisheng.

Now, with the dagger revealed, they are serious.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, no matter how strong his cultivation, this is already a certain death situation.

Not to mention, in this encirclement, there are also two Eclosion stage cultivators overseeing, dozens of Core Formation cultivators on alert, over a hundred prodigies from major aristocratic families besieging, and countless Dao soldiers suppressing the formation.

And Bai Zisheng, caught in the heavy encirclement, is also nearing the end of his strength.

Like a weary “trapped beast.”

Only his defiant gaze still holds the youthful spirit, exceptionally bright, and faintly, there are still traces of the passionate youth he once was.

“Xiao Shixiong…”

Mo Hua’s heart tightened, and he couldn’t help but clench his fists.

But on the surface, he still had to pretend to be uninvolved, watching the show from afar.

He was currently in a makeshift open-air camp.

Hua Zhenren and Zhuge Zhenren sat high up, and a group of prodigies sat below.

At this moment, after truly trapping Bai Zisheng, Hua Zhenren did not rush to close the net but looked at the young aristocratic disciples and asked,

“I wonder if any young prodigy can capture this scoundrel who, driven by lust, harmed his comrades?”

The camp fell silent for a moment.

Mo Hua’s thoughts flickered, and he immediately understood:

The Hua family wanted to “kill with a borrowed knife.”

If the Hua family, having set the trap themselves, were to personally deliver the killing blow, it would be too obvious, and any discerning person would suspect.

Therefore, the Hua family wanted to use the hands of other aristocratic prodigies to kill Xiao Shixiong.

Firstly, it would comply with Dao Court laws; everyone would be acting according to Dao Court decrees, making it difficult for the Bai family to seek accountability.

Secondly, if enough aristocratic disciples made a move, the law would not punish the multitude. No matter how powerful the Bai family was, they probably wouldn’t want to offend so many aristocratic families for Bai Zisheng, to avoid incurring public wrath.

They wanted to kill Xiao Shixiong, but they didn’t even want to get their own hands dirty…

“This Hua Zhenren, he looks refined, but his thoughts are truly sinister…” Mo Hua frowned.

And after Hua Zhenren spoke, it stirred up the emotions of all the prodigies present.

Bai Zisheng was ordered by the Dao Court to be hunted down. Killing or capturing Bai Zisheng alive would earn a lot of merit points.

But these merit points were secondary.

The most important thing was reputation.

Aristocratic disciples, many times, lacked neither wealth nor resources, but what they lacked was a “name.”

To stand out among a group of geniuses, defeat the “monster-like” direct lineage prodigy Bai Zisheng of the Ancestral Dragon Bai family, and to righteously eliminate a rebel—this would bring immense prestige.

With such prestige, their names would be recorded in the Dao Court.

Among their peers, they would have an outstanding reputation.

Within their families, they would also be regarded with favor by the ancestors.

Furthermore, they were all young geniuses, full of vigor, and naturally competitive. With such a great opportunity for fame and profit laid out before them, they naturally wouldn’t let it slip by.

Even if they knew there might be some tricks involved, they didn’t care.

For aristocratic disciples, fame was profit.

Competition within aristocratic families was extremely fierce; if you didn’t become famous or rise in status, you would be trampled by others.

Especially as a genius, if you didn’t accomplish something noteworthy to bring glory to your family, then the group of family disciples below you would all be eager to pull you down.

This was an open scheme.

But as long as there was profit to be gained, no one cared.

However, there was still one problem with this matter…

Yuwen Hua, the prodigy from the Yuwen family of Daozhou, dressed in a blue and white Daoist robe, spoke, “Should we all go up together and kill this Bai Zisheng?”

Everyone frowned.

Someone else said, “If we all go up together, wouldn’t it be an unfair fight?”

“After killing him, whose head will it count as?”

They didn’t actually care about fighting unfairly; they were afraid of an uneven distribution of spoils.

Previously, Bai Zisheng’s crimes were not severe, and the higher-ups only ordered his “arrest,” so it didn’t matter if everyone went up together as long as they caught him.

Now, Bai Zisheng’s actions were extremely heinous, and his crimes were greater. If they defeated him, or could kill him, they would definitely gain great fame.

They all surely wanted to enjoy this reputation exclusively.

Attacking together would inevitably lead to endless disputes and would also be dishonorable to talk about.

“Then… a轮战 (alternating combat)? Whoever kills Bai Zisheng gets the credit?”

“That’s not very fair either; those who go first will be at a great disadvantage…”

“There’s no better way. A group of people fighting one person just isn’t appropriate…”

“Let’s do alternating combat. It tests both strength and luck. For cultivators, luck is also part of their strength. The one who ultimately defeats Bai Zisheng will receive the highest merit.”

“That sounds fine.”

“No problem. Cultivation is about striving for advancement, contending against fate itself. It all depends on who can seize that sliver of opportunity. How can there be fairness?”

“Good!”

Someone also said, “We are killing this Bai Zisheng primarily to uphold the dignity of the Dao Court and to seek justice for the deceased Huangfu brothers. If that is the case, as long as Bai Zisheng is executed, it is a minor matter who ultimately defeats or kills him. There is no need to worry about it…”

The prodigies’ eyes gleamed, ambition flickering, but they all nodded, “That makes sense.”

“Let’s work together with one heart, regardless of personal gain.”

“Then… who goes first?”

Everyone looked at each other, none moving.

At a time like this, whoever went first would suffer the most.

After a moment, one person stepped forward, holding a long sword, and said, “I am Lu Sheng, a disciple of the Lu family from Kunzhou. I am willing to meet this Bai Zisheng.”

Everyone’s expression sobered, and they bowed in return, “Thank you for your effort.”

This disciple named Lu Sheng activated his movement technique, rushed up the mountain peak, arrived before Bai Zisheng, announced his name, struck with a sword, and was then knocked down by Bai Zisheng with a single spear thrust.

Lu Sheng was defeated, his arm bleeding, and he returned before the others, sighing:

“This fiend is too strong. I, Lu, am no match. I am ashamed.”

Everyone’s gazes were complex, but no one said anything.

Everyone could see that this Lu Sheng’s strength was ordinary; he was never going to be Bai Zisheng’s opponent.

Lu Sheng himself was well aware of this.

He was merely taking a gamble, hoping by chance to gain an advantage in a fight with Bai Zisheng.

Now that his hopes were shattered, he felt a sense of loss but was not disheartened.

In this world, after all, some people are destined to be “stepping stones.”

Among so many prodigies, countless were powerful in cultivation and of illustrious origin; it was never going to be his turn to claim Bai Zisheng’s head.

He knew his destiny was to be a “stepping stone.”

But even as a stepping stone, he had to be the first, a named “stepping stone,” to make people remember his name.

For aristocratic disciples, it was too difficult to become famous.

Therefore, if one could seize an opportunity, one had to make an effort.

Mo Hua glanced at Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng retreated into the crowd, and soon other disciples also realized that they couldn’t compete with the true prodigies; they, too, were destined to be “stepping stones.”

So, aristocratic disciples continuously announced their names and went up to fight Bai Zisheng.

But they were no match for Bai Zisheng either.

Before the “six-dimensional monster” Bai Zisheng, who possessed both offense and defense and profound vitality, these ordinary prodigies were also defeated in just a few spear thrusts.

Although he had already known Xiao Shixiong’s battle records, Mo Hua was still quite shocked to witness Xiao Shixiong’s displayed combat power firsthand.

No wonder the Hua family wanted to dissect Xiao Shixiong.

Xiao Shixiong’s cultivation was indeed too solid and too strong…

“Ordinary” level prodigies couldn’t harm Bai Zisheng at all.

All they could do was try their best to deplete Bai Zisheng’s strength and spiritual power, serving as a stepping stone for others.

Bai Zisheng was indeed being depleted.

Already weary from continuous escape and arduous battles, the fatigue in Bai Zisheng’s eyes deepened further.

But he still fought these prodigies, spear by spear, defeating one prodigy after another and driving them out of the arena.

He fought for an unknown duration, and “stepping stones” were used for an unknown amount of time.

The “stepping stones” were used up.

At this point, all that remained in the arena were prodigies of considerable standing.

There were geniuses from Ganxue Prefecture, Daozhou, and a few other Jiuzhou.

These people were not destined to be “stepping stones”; no one wanted to pave the way for others, and everyone wanted to earn a name for themselves.

Yuwen Hua smiled faintly, “What? Your Ganxue Prefecture is known as a flourishing land of cultivation, teeming with prodigies. Is there no one who can go up and take down this Bai Zisheng?”

Feng Zichen glanced at him and sneered, “Don’t your Daozhou-born prodigies also claim to be the best under heaven? And yet, you don’t dare to fight this Bai Zisheng?”

Yuwen Hua gave a proud, cold smile, “Mere Bai Zisheng…”

Feng Zichen said, “Then why don’t you go up and fight?”

Yuwen Hua said, “Why don’t you…”

Before he could finish, a prodigy, as if forged from steel, walked out. It was Shi Tiangang of the Jingang Gate.

“I’ll go.”

Feng Zichen frowned, “Brother Shi.”

Shi Tiangang shook his head, “I’ve long wanted to fight this Bai Zisheng one-on-one and settle the outcome.”

Feng Zichen sighed softly in his heart, a look of shame on his face.

Shi Tiangang said nothing more but stepped directly onto the battlefield, activating his Jingang Immortal Body cultivation. His entire body was like an indestructible Vajra, and he clashed with Bai Zisheng, whose spear was like a dragon.

Shi Tiangang’s body cultivation was extremely strong, and he cultivated a top-tier body refinement technique. Even Bai Zisheng could not take him down in a short time.

The two fought fiercely for a while.

Those watching outside the arena all looked somewhat solemn.

After a fierce battle, Shi Tiangang was ultimately defeated. Although his defense was extremely strong, Bai Zisheng was not far behind.

And Bai Zisheng had a better spiritual root and richer vitality than him.

In terms of lethality, the Jingang Immortal Body, which focused on defense, was far inferior to Bai Zisheng’s long spear, which was like a white dragon.

He could not kill Bai Zisheng, but Bai Zisheng could kill him.

Shi Tiangang’s Jingang Immortal Body was forcefully broken by Bai Zisheng’s unparalleled spear momentum.

If he continued to fight, he would surely be killed by Bai Zisheng.

Shi Tiangang did not push himself, automatically withdrew from the battlefield, and returned to the military camp.

“I am ashamed, I am no match.”

Shi Tiangang only said this one sentence, and then he sat back down.

The others looked at each other, and finally, from Daozhou, another body-cultivating prodigy stood out and said,

“I will also go and meet this Bai Zisheng.”

After he went up, he fought Bai Zisheng for over three hundred rounds, then was defeated and retreated.

After that, someone from Ganxue also went up.

Then, it was the prodigies from Daozhou.

The two sides seemed to have formed a tacit understanding, taking turns to send people into the arena.

But everyone’s mood became somewhat complex.

These prodigies had graduated from their sects only about ten years ago. They still held the youthful spirit of competing with peers, but at the same time, they had begun to develop the worldly shrewdness of aristocratic families seeking profit.

These two emotions coexisted in their hearts, intertwined.

Many of them wanted to confront Bai Zisheng directly and compete for supremacy.

At the same time, they felt that being the first to act was foolish. It was wiser to let the snipe and clam fight while the fisherman profits, maximizing their own interests.

Youthful and hot-blooded but foolish, refined and self-serving but despicable—these two mentalities began to split within the hearts of these recently graduated disciples, deeply influencing their Dao hearts, and subtly changing their life paths.

Mo Hua silently watched all this, without speaking.

Suddenly, a clear, bell-like voice rang in his ear:

“Who do you think will win?”

Mo Hua turned his head and saw Hua Ping, dressed in a golden and jade-embroidered gown, sitting beside him. As she spoke, her earrings swayed, and her body moved a little closer to his.

This sentence, in the originally quiet military camp, seemed somewhat abrupt.

Many people turned their gazes to Mo Hua and Hua Ping beside him.

They also saw the seemingly “intimate” appearance of the two.

Jealousy flashed across the hearts of many.

Before Mo Hua could speak, a distinguished disciple among the prodigies slowly said, with a hint of arrogance:

“This young master, could he be Mo Hua?”

Mo Hua turned his head and saw a person dressed in a golden-yellow brocade Daoist robe, with a treasured sword at his waist and striking, elegant features.

Xuanhuan Jing.

A direct descendant of the Xuanhuan family from Daozhou, possessing a top-grade spiritual root, an absolute prodigy.

Previously, Xuanhuan Jing had been staring at Bai Zisheng, discerning his moves, without the slightest distraction.

It was only when Hua Ping leaned close to Mo Hua to speak that a trace of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

Women are indeed a big bother.

Mo Hua thought to himself, then casually nodded, “I am Mo Hua.”

Xuanhuan Jing observed Mo Hua deeply, frowned, and said, “You… are the one rumored to be… the array master of Ganxue, the number one swordsman?”

Mo Hua was somewhat surprised: “You know my great name too?”

Xuanhuan Jing was silent.

Yuwen Hua, however, couldn’t stand Mo Hua’s boastful demeanor and sneered, “If you are the array master and the number one swordsman, why don’t you go up and spar with this Bai Zisheng? Let us witness your prowess?”

Mo Hua glanced at Zhuge Zhenren.

Zhuge Zhenren also subtly shot Mo Hua a look, meaning “don’t cause trouble for me.”

Mo Hua then sighed and said, “It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s inconvenient for me to act…”

Mo Hua looked up at the prodigies in the hall and said calmly,

“The moment I make a move, a mere Bai Zisheng would immediately be taken down by me, and none of you would have a chance.”

The military camp instantly fell silent, then burst into an uproar.

“Good lad!”

“What a Mo Hua! So boastful!”

“What does he think he is?”

“Shameless!”

The prodigies of Ganxue Prefecture, though indignant, were actually used to it.

They knew Mo Hua was always like this, so their reaction wasn’t as strong.

But the Daozhou prodigies, speaking with Mo Hua for the first time, were unfamiliar with his antics and were instantly filled with righteous indignation.

Zhuge Zhenren couldn’t help but rub his forehead.

This boy, his wretched mouth, it’s truly… poisoned and filled with gunpowder.

Perhaps in the future, he should think of a way to stitch up this little ancestor’s mouth?

Yuwen Hua sneered, “Such big talk. Go up and fight this Bai Zisheng, let’s see. If he doesn’t stab you to death with one spear, I’ll write my name backward.”

Mo Hua shook his head, “Your name was given by your parents; don’t make jokes with it.”

“And I said, once I make a move, you won’t have a chance. I’m giving you an opportunity; don’t be ungrateful…”

These remarks added fuel to the fire, causing all the Daozhou prodigies to explode.

“Arrogant!”

“Unreasonable…”

“You don’t even look at your own character?”

“Do you really think we’re blind? A mid-to-low-grade spiritual root, weak vitality, low spiritual power—and with this, you claim to be the number one swordsman?”

“If Ganxue Prefecture can really let such a person be its chief, then there truly is no one left…”

“When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king…”

Xuanhuan Jing couldn’t help but look at Xiao Ruohan and Ao Zheng of the Four Great Sects, his face filled with incredulity, saying:

“Don’t tell me, this is your Ganxue’s chief? You were once defeated by this person?”

Xiao Ruohan, Ao Zheng, and the others’ expressions froze, unable to speak.

Mo Hua said, “These are old matters, no need to bring them up again.”

Mo Hua adopted the demeanor of a hero not boasting about past glories, as if past achievements didn’t need to be constantly mentioned.

Xiao Ruohan, Ao Zheng, and the others gritted their teeth in anger.

It was clearly this young man who kept bringing it up himself.

Xuanhuan Jing looked at Mo Hua, shook his head, his expression a mix of disappointment and absurdity.

Under a great reputation, it is truly hard to live up to it.

The famed Ganxue Prefecture Sword Discussion Assembly, it seemed, was nothing but child’s play.

If such a person could be the chief, its “gold content” was truly too low…

Xuanhuan Jing found it inappropriate to say anything more.

But other prodigies, having been stirred up by Mo Hua’s few words, continued to discuss animatedly.

Zhuge Zhenren sighed, already mentally calculating how many steps it would take to stitch Mo Hua’s mouth shut.

Hua Zhenren saw all this but paid it no mind.

His attention remained firmly on the summit, on Bai Zisheng, who was fighting alone against many, with the bearing of a dragon and phoenix.

Just then, the battle on the summit ended again.

Bai Zisheng swept his spear horizontally, knocking a Daozhou prodigy to the ground.

The man coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face full of resentment, and retreated.

The camp fell silent for a moment. Xiao Ruohan of the Tianjian Sect stepped forward and said, “I’ll go.”

He hadn’t intended to act so quickly.

But provoked by Mo Hua, he suddenly felt ashamed.

He had lost to Mo Hua back then, and now, ten years later, for a bit of fame and fortune, he had even lost the courage to confront a strong opponent head-on?

Moreover, this was in front of Mo Hua.

He could lose a battle, but he couldn’t lose face.

Xiao Ruohan no longer hesitated. With surging sword qi, he stepped onto the battlefield with his head held high, activated the Tianjian Nine Forms of the Tianjian Sect, and began to confront Bai Zisheng head-on.

The Gui Long Spear Technique and the Tianjian Nine Forms.

This was a true clash of top-tier prodigies.

Xiao Ruohan’s swordsmanship, even among the formerly top-tier Four Great Sects, within the Tianjian Sect which was most renowned for its swordsmanship, could be said to be one of the best, only slightly inferior to his fellow disciple Xiao Wuchen.

But Xiao Wuchen was a bloodline prodigy, possessing the Tianjian bloodline.

Xiao Ruohan was not; he did not have bloodline power, which was why he missed out on the title of “Ganxue’s Four Prodigies.”

If not for this, purely in terms of swordsmanship, he was actually on par with Xiao Wuchen.

Among the Tianjian Nine Forms, the most ethereal and traceless “One Sword from Heaven” was only understood by Xiao Ruohan among the current generation of Tianjian Sect disciples.

Therefore, when Xiao Ruohan, relying on “One Sword from Heaven,” dueled with Bai Zisheng on Xuanwu Mountain, mountains shattered, and the momentum was extremely terrifying.

Sword qi soared to the sky, and spear shadows danced wildly.

This was the true lethal power of a master.

Not only did the faces of the prodigies in the hall change.

Even some Core Formation cultivators guarding the formations felt a trace of self-abasement as they watched the battle between these top-tier Foundation Establishment prodigies.

After a fierce and tragic battle, Xiao Ruohan was ultimately defeated.

His Tianjian Nine Forms, in the end, were no match for Bai Zisheng’s Gui Long Spear Technique.

Xiao Ruohan’s face was pale, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he retreated from the battlefield in defeat.

On the other side, Bai Zisheng, who was already nearing the end of his strength, became even weaker after the battle with Xiao Ruohan.

Just as some people looked disheartened, and others looked joyful and eager to act.

The next moment, Bai Zisheng took a deep breath, and the light in his defiant eyes instantly surged.

At the same time, a terrifying dragon’s roar faintly echoed from within his meridians.

A powerful bloodline force was forcefully unleashed from its origin by Bai Zisheng.

His figure grew taller by several points, his body became long and agile, his hair turned half-white, and faint scales appeared on his hands and feet. His eyes, deep black, held an unfathomable dragon’s might.

Bai Zisheng, holding his long spear, was at once like the incarnation of an azure dragon.

A terrifying majesty, like a wild wind, enveloped the entire mountain peak.

Azure Dragon Body!

Xiao Ruohan, with his tragic defeat, had triggered the “second stage” of the monstrous Bai Zisheng.

Everyone in the arena felt a chill in their hearts.

Even the usually composed Hua Zhenren, upon seeing Bai Zisheng’s powerful and beautiful Azure Dragon form, instantly had a surge of bright light in his eyes, revealing an undisguised desire.

I originally wanted to finish this part of the story in one go.

But I think I might have caught a cold. I feel groggy and spaced out after writing each line.