Shi Haoting blinked and looked at Xu Yang, saying: "Just now you said you weren’t."

Xu Yang nodded honestly: "I’m not!"

"Not? He says no and you just believe him? What if it’s a trick, hiding right under our noses?" Li Wang’s face darkened.

Shi Haoting replied coolly, "I believe him."

"You..."

"Oh stop it, aren’t you overthinking it a bit?"

Shi Haoting looked at Li Wang like he was an idiot: "Is Can Sutian really that strong?"

"Not really."

Li Wang frowned tightly. In front of the four great Celestials of Spirit Realm, Can Sutian wasn’t worth mentioning, only able to threaten with mutually assured destruction!

"Daqian’s Crown Prince—with his strength, what point is there to deny it?"

"Seems... there isn’t."

"Tell me, was he once Daqian’s Crown Prince? Daqian’s number one prodigy?"

The Martial Artists of Daqian exchanged looks, but still nodded one after another.

Li Wang was utterly confused.

What the hell is going on?

"Does he have some feud with Can Sutian?" Shi Haoting asked again.

This time, no one nodded, but their faces and reactions made it obvious, even to an idiot.

"If he really was sent by Can Sutian as a spy, what’s the point in telling me?"

Shi Haoting looked at Li Wang with disdain: "A so-called prodigy—what can he do in today’s Spirit Realm?"

Li Wang’s jaw dropped.

Makes sense, actually!

Wait, if that’s the case...

"The War King’s family doesn’t even have a Celestial!"

"My Bright Mirror Grotto Heaven is one of the three holy lands, and we’ve got Celestials!"

Li Wang’s gaze suddenly burned as he stared at Xu Yang: "If you pledge allegiance to my Bright Mirror Grotto Heaven, you’ll have Celestials to protect you!"

"As long as you’re loyal, you’ll gain resources and status beyond your wildest imagination!"

Everyone was stunned.

Xu Yang was dumbfounded: "Aren’t you people from Spirit Realm supposed to hate Daqian to the bone?"

Shi Haoting shrugged, unconcerned: "That’s ages ago, what’s it got to do with us? Besides, after Daqian was suppressed back then..."

"Shut up!"

An old man from the back rushed forward, glaring viciously at Shi Haoting, hand raised, as if terrified he might spill some great secret.

Shi Haoting gave an awkward smile and shut his mouth quickly.

Li Wang’s eyes flickered.

He knew exactly what Shi Haoting was about to say.

"If you pledge to Bright Mirror Grotto Heaven, and since this one is your mortal enemy, I’ll kill him for you, right now!" Li Wang suddenly shouted.

"..."

Huangfu Qing stood frozen, dumbstruck.

No, what are you guys even doing?

"Wait, he’s lying to you!"

"His father is Can Sutian’s own elder brother, by blood."

"He has close ties with the Can Clan. He’d never defect to your side!"

Huangfu Qing’s face turned as white as a sheet, frantically shouting in despair.

He looked completely deranged.

Weren’t Spirit Realm and Daqian supposed to fight to the death?

Why are they suddenly trying to recruit him?!

Even if he’s not Daqian’s Crown Prince, his bloodline can’t be changed.

How could you dare try to recruit him?

Gon Lang was also utterly dumbfounded. Seeing Huangfu Qing desperate to the brink of madness, he suddenly laughed aloud.

This outcome—you chose it yourself. I already warned you more than once.

Xu Yang glanced at Huangfu Qing, the corner of his mouth suddenly curling up: "Well then, just sit back and watch the show."

"Wait!"

"Stop!"

Amid Huangfu Qing’s terrified screams, Li Wang vanished like a phantom.

Boom!

Bam!

The Nine Bends Sky-reaching Spear was struck like a bolt of lightning, instantly shattered to pieces.

Li Wang’s palm slammed down—Huangfu Qing resisted for only a few moments before being swallowed by a terrifying vortex!

Boom!

Huangfu Qing died without leaving a whole corpse!

Two smashed eyeballs rolled to the ground, still filled with despair, terror, and disbelief, even in death!

He never dreamed it would end in such a dramatic fashion!

Everyone stared at the scraps of flesh lying everywhere, their faces weird.

Huangfu Qing, what a miserable fate.

This scene also made the Daqian Martial Artists even more aware of how utterly insignificant they were to the Martial Artists of Spirit Realm!

If anything really happens, there’s not a shred of mercy!

Defection?

Might as well fight to the death!

Li Wang clapped his hands, then smiled at the shocked crowd: "And? How’s that?"

Xu Yang grinned: "Sorry, I’ve got zero interest in betraying anyone!"

"You..." Li Wang’s face darkened, seething with rage: "Are you making a fool out of me?"

"Did I ever agree?" Xu Yang retorted.

"..."

Li Wang’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He couldn’t care less about Huangfu Qing’s fate, but being toyed with like this was unacceptable.

Shi Haoting couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

"You really won’t side with anyone?" he asked, unable to hold back.

"Not interested!"

Xu Yang shook his head slightly.

"In that case, what I said just now still stands!"

"If you can beat me, you don’t have to join the Inverted Five Elements Heaven-Slaying City, but you’ll face my War King’s family’s top prodigy next."

"If you win, you’ll clear the hunting trial. If you lose..."

Shi Haoting spread his hands. The meaning was clear!

"You’re not my match. Bring on your War King’s top prodigy," Xu Yang said to Shi Haoting coolly.

Shi Haoting frowned.

"Shi Haoting, the two of us should team up!" Li Wang shouted harshly.

Shi Haoting blinked: "Us two together, do you agree?"

"Even teamed up, you’re no match for me!"

"Arrogant!"

Li Wang roared, "So you agree?"

A cold gleam flashed in Xu Yang’s eyes as he said quietly, "Since you want to die, go ahead."

"Wait a moment!"

Shi Haoting’s shout made Li Wang freeze on the spot.

"Just to decide who’s the strongest, not to the death," Shi Haoting said seriously.

Li Wang was so angry he looked like he’d caught fire: "Shi Haoting, you useless coward!"

Shi Haoting shot back irritably: "You wanna die, go ahead, but I sure as hell don’t! What if we mess up?"

"Idiot!"

"..." Li Wang was shaking with fury, but couldn’t argue back.

He suddenly calmed, a chill in his heart.

What if we still can’t beat him, even together...

"Just to decide who’s stronger?"

Xu Yang gave Shi Haoting a long glance, then replied resolutely: "Deal!"

"Kill!"

Li Wang attacked first, holding nothing back.

Boom!

Heaven and earth trembled. He became a gigantic vortex, like a black hole, swallowing everything—the waves at the edge seemed like a giant beast’s maw, devouring mountains and sky alike.

Such terrifying might made all the Daqian Martial Artists retreat in fright.

"Too powerful."

"This is true Sovereign-level strength!"

"The Spirit Realm Martial Artists are touched by the spirit river’s source—their martial skills are all heaven-defying!"

Everyone watched in stunned silence!

At the same time, Shi Haoting made his move as well.

His body swelled, like a giant. Muscles bulged, erupting with sheer savage force.

Boom!

He tore across the sky, almost shattering space itself!

Behind him appeared the colossal phantom of a dragon-elephant, towering between heaven and earth, releasing a crushing presence all around!

As his fist slammed down, the dragon-elephant merged with him!

Bang!

The world shook!

Xu Yang’s expression tightened slightly.

These two really possessed true Sovereign combat strength!

Boom!

He took a step forward, holding nothing back. The Asura Blood Saber flashed into his hand, and a blinding, chaotic crimson blade light filled the world in an instant.

"Chaotic Void Celestial Saber!"

This slash was Xu Yang’s all-out attack.

The Heaven Locking Three Seals were also secretly woven into the chaotic gaps.

Shi Haoting and Li Wang didn’t notice a thing and charged ahead heedlessly.

Rumble!!

"Not good, restricting force?!"

"Damn it, how did this force of restraint hide among the attacks?"

The moment battle was joined, Li Wang and Shi Haoting’s faces changed at once.

Their power was instantly suppressed by about thirty percent.

"Hmph, child’s play!"

Li Wang roared with fury; his eyes shone like bright mirrors, crystal clear, as layer upon layer of mysterious spirit lines burst forth, converging on his skin in the shape of a strange rhombic mirror!

"Break!"