He hadn’t just erased their past friendship; he’d even started a rumor that she was leading him on with sweet talk while still in love with Gu Qingyuan.

This had only made her already poor reputation worse, causing her to be reviled by everyone.

Thinking of those malicious rumors, Song Wanning’s gaze turned cold.

’The two of them, brother and sister, are a pair of heartless beasts.’

’Today, I’ll start by collecting some interest. I’ll settle the rest of the debt later.’

...

Sensing Song Wanning’s gaze, Liu Yao smiled and gave her a slight nod in greeting.

At this point, he still didn’t know Ye Chuxue. His heart belonged solely to Song Wanning.

When Gu Qingyuan and Song Wanning had broken off their engagement a few days prior, he had been ecstatic. He’d wanted nothing more than to rush to the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, confess his love, and propose.

Seeing Song Wanning looking even more radiant and captivating now, Liu Yao’s heart pounded in his chest.

Liu Yiyi sensed her brother’s excitement and glanced back at him, a flash of annoyance in her eyes.

’Her brother is so pathetic, completely bewitched by some woman. It’s just too much!’

"Since everyone has arrived, shall we begin?"

The words of the Seven Stars Sect Master drew everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand.

"Alright, who’s going first?"

The crowd exchanged polite remarks.

Liu Yiyi smiled sweetly and stepped forward. "Allow me to go first. But if I lose, please don’t laugh at me. After all, the gap in Cultivation between myself and Song Dao You is not small."

With her dimples on full display, she deliberately mentioned the difference in their Cultivation.

’The greater the gap in our Cultivation, the more shocking my victory will be.’

’Song Wanning can just wait to become my stepping stone!’

’Besides, if I win, it will be a huge blow to the Heavenly Inquiry Sect. With their morale weakened, the following matches will be even more dangerous for them.’

The more Liu Yiyi thought about it, the happier she became, her expression one of pure delight.

The people around her, however, gave her strange looks.

The higher one’s Cultivation, the more difficult it is to advance to the next stage.

The gap between major realms was like an uncrossable chasm.

To defeat someone from a higher realm was exceptionally difficult.

’Is Liu Yiyi just overconfident, or...’

The Sect Master of the Mountain Gazing Sect wore a look of frustration and helplessness.

He had tried to persuade her countless times, but Liu Yiyi remained adamant, insisting on challenging Song Wanning.

She even insisted that she couldn’t lose.

’But no matter how I look at it, Liu Yiyi’s defeat seems certain.’

"Yiyi, we’ve been good friends for years. Please be careful. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt."

Song Wanning spoke with a beaming smile, and her friendly demeanor instantly lifted the spirits of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect members.

’It seems Liu Yiyi doesn’t really know the current Song Wanning at all...’

"Don’t worry, Wan Ning. There are no friends on the battlefield. You don’t have to hold back for my sake."

Liu Yiyi’s smile was as sweet as ever.

"Of course."

Song Wanning’s smile widened. With a single leap, she landed on the Martial Arts Arena.

Liu Yiyi followed right after, taking her position opposite Song Wanning.

The Array shimmered to life, enclosing the two of them completely.

All eyes were fixed on the two of them.

"Proceed!"

With a wave of her hand, Liu Yiyi’s expression turned grim.

She produced a silver-white bolt of silk, which shot toward Song Wanning like a coiling dragon.

The bolt of silk shimmered with a watery luster, transforming as it flew into a rushing mountain waterfall that swept down as if from the Milky Way itself.

The roaring crash of the waterfall filled everyone’s ears.

The sound was so powerful it made their ears throb.

Many of the disciples had looks of terror on their faces.

"That girl, Yiyi, has improved so quickly. Her ’Milky Way Descends from the Nine Heavens’ technique is quite impressive. A real eye-opener."

"Indeed. The last time I saw her, she was just a little girl. It’s true what they say: the new generation always surpasses the old!"

On the high platform, people began to praise Liu Yiyi.

This move alone showed how much effort the girl had put in. Perhaps she really did have a chance to crush Song Wanning.

"Song Dao You may have a higher Cultivation, but Alchemy Cultivators have always been weaker in combat. She might manage a draw against Liu Yiyi."

"I disagree. She’s a Peak Nascent Soul Cultivator, after all. The gap in Cultivation isn’t so easily bridged."

"..."

The crowd discussed the match as they watched, seeing the challenge as an opportunity to gauge the other Sects’ strength.

Everyone had their own thoughts on the matter, but Song Wanning paid them no mind.

She had no intention of going easy on Liu Yiyi. With her first move, she unleashed her Sword Dao Realm, a dense killing intent rushing straight toward her opponent.

In a trance, Liu Yiyi saw a sea of fire erupt before her, the searing heat making her skin ache.

It was followed by countless flaming arrows that rained down on her from every angle.

She immediately flew up to defend herself, swinging the bolt of silk so powerfully it whistled through the air, creating one water wall after another.

Unhurried, Song Wanning swung her longsword again.

With a gentle slash.

"ROAR—"

The phantom of a giant dragon soared into the air, and the very color of the sky and earth seemed to shift.

A fierce wind howled as if before a torrential downpour, and the Array began to shake violently.

All the spectators could see was the raging waterfall being sliced in two.

"CRASH—"

The waterfall shattered.

The dragon roared again, an earth-shattering sound.

Liu Yiyi looked up in astonishment as a beam of light shot directly toward her.

She immediately raised her Magical Treasure to defend herself.

The beam of light pierced straight through the bolt of silk and, with a SWOOSH, slashed across her cheek.

"HISS—"

A large chunk of flesh had been carved from her cheek, and the pain made Liu Yiyi gasp sharply.

Her pupils trembled. She was so frantic she almost blurted out, "You—"

The word had barely left her lips when she realized her mistake and quickly fell silent.

Rage flushed her face red, and the bloody gash made her once cute and sweet features look somewhat terrifying.

’Didn’t Song Wanning say her Cultivation was all a sham?’

’Why is she so powerful?’

’Could it be that Song Wanning lied to me?’

Liu Yiyi’s heart sank.

’What a bitch! To think she was playing mind games with me!’

The thought had barely crossed her mind when another flash of sword light shot toward her.

She raised her bolt of silk to meet it, but the sword light suddenly vanished.

Just as she was wondering what had happened, a sudden chill ran down her spine. She spun around to defend herself.

The sword light was blocked by the bolt of silk.

Liu Yiyi’s lips curled into a smirk. ’Is that all you’ve got?’

Before the smirk could fade from her lips, countless beams of sword light erupted all around her.

They were so dense they formed a crimson wall of fire.

’This is bad—’

Liu Yiyi immediately put up a defense, but was still a step too slow.

In a single moment, ten thousand swords pierced her.

"PFFT—"

Liu Yiyi was riddled with holes.

Several of the swords directly struck her meridians, cutting off the flow of Spiritual Energy.

Song Wanning exerted her aura, and with a THUD, Liu Yiyi collapsed.

Liu Yiyi had lost.

She lost in just a few moments, a sudden and shocking defeat.

And yet, it was exactly what everyone had expected.

After all, the gap in their Cultivation was plain to see. It would have been stranger if Liu Yiyi had actually won.

Song Wanning stood firm and withdrew her attack, her expression serene.

She could have finished it in a single move, but she held back to prepare a "surprise" for Liu Yao.

After all, knowing Liu Yiyi’s personality, she would definitely make Liu Yao avenge her after suffering such a humiliating defeat.

She looked down at Liu Yiyi condescendingly. Seeing the look of utter disbelief on her face, Song Wanning suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t seem to hold back just now."

"Yiyi, are you alright?"

She mimicked her opponent’s earlier innocent act, blinking her eyes guilelessly, which enraged Liu Yiyi so much she nearly coughed up blood.