C195 The Standoff!(2)

As Woo Zhengyang stepped out of the room, he noticed a shadowy figure emerging from the opposite side. Before he could react, the figure let out a strange yell and charged toward him...

Soon after, Woo Zhengyang, along with Blade Man and Hammer Man, arrived at No Life Square. Having been through this before, Woo Zhengyang quickly informed Blade Man and the others of his expected location, advising them to meet up with him as soon as they opened the portal. However, only Blade Man and Hammer Man showed up in the end. This outcome was something Woo Zhengyang had anticipated.

There were only about twenty experts at the Shape Gathering Stage, and fifteen of them had chosen long swords, making other weapons quite rare. It was easy for them to find others to team up with. Among the Shape Gathering Stage masters, Bow Man and another with a spear had clearly chosen to align with the former group.

Upon reaching No Life Square, Woo Zhengyang saw Bow Man and the spear wielder standing with a sword-wielding Shape Gathering Stage expert, confirming his suspicions. By now, twenty to thirty figures had gathered in No Life Square. Apart from two teams that had mysteriously entered the third wave from the second, all were experts at the Shape Gathering Stage. Although no battle had commenced, tensions were already high.

Woo Zhengyang observed that, besides his own group, there were thirty-one people in No Life Square, including Bow Man, the spear wielder, and a peak team of four. Their weapons consisted of two bows, two spears, a blade, and a hammer.

There were twenty-five people in the Shape Gathering Stage: fifteen used swords, five used blades, four used spears, one used a hammer, and none used a bow. Excluding the swordsmen, there were six blades, six spears, two hammers, and two bows. This meant the group could form at most two complete teams or four smaller three-person teams, which was the reason for the standoff.

Woo Zhengyang and three Blade Men approached, drawing the attention of everyone in No Life Square. Upon seeing Woo Zhengyang, the experts from several factions turned cold. Lo Mingzhi, the elder of the Fallen Sun Sect, angrily shouted, "You little punk, so you’re here. Where’s your sister?"

Woo Zhengyang smiled slightly, saying nothing. His indifference only fueled Lo Mingzhi’s anger, and he raised his blade to attack. However, he was pulled back by someone beside him—a Hammer Man who had witnessed Woo Zhengyang's skills.

After a brief exchange, Lo Mingzhi's expression grew serious. He knew Woo Zhengyang understood formations but thought he was just a Martial Disciple. The Hammer Man's words made him realize Woo Zhengyang's true value.

"Kid, come work with us!" Lo Mingzhi commanded. Woo Zhengyang still ignored him, looking elsewhere. Meanwhile, most of the sword-wielding experts stood alone, though some temporarily allied with their peers.

In the vast expanse of No Life Square, few words were spoken aloud, yet Woo Zhengyang knew that nearly everyone was communicating through whispers. Alliances were being formed and broken, with schemes unfolding beneath the surface. This undercurrent of tension made those who had temporarily joined forces wary of standing too close to one another, unsure if betrayal lurked nearby.

The focus of everyone's efforts was clear: the Array Master with the gun, along with the rare Hammer Man and Bow Man. Strangely, many elders from the same faction seemed uninterested in collaborating. Take the Fallen Sun Sect, for instance; despite having three sword-wielding experts at the Shape Gathering Stage, none stood by Lo Mingzhi. Whether this was due to discord among them or a desire to find stronger allies was anyone's guess.

"You've got a death wish, kid!" Lo Mingzhi's patience had worn thin. Even if he couldn't secure an alliance, he was determined to prevent this young man from joining forces with others. However, just as he took a few steps forward, two figures blocked his path.

It was Shao Jingyu, the Sect Master of the Fallen Star Sect, and a sword-wielding elder from the same sect. "Shao Jingyu, are you shielding this kid?" Lo Mingzhi asked coldly, though he hesitated to make a move.

"Lo Mingzhi, no one else has acted yet. Do you really want to be the first and risk everyone turning against you?" Shao Jingyu replied, then turned to Woo Zhengyang and his companions. "How about you three join us for now? If we come out on top, I'll have Elder Sun suppress his power to the Martial Disciple level..."

"No need to say more!"

Woo Zhengyang had heard enough of the various attempts to win him over, knowing well what they were after, and he refused outright.

"Hey, buddy, how about teaming up with us? If you agree, I promise we can gather a complete team of five, most of whom are experts at the Shape Gathering Stage!" This time, it was an elder from the Heavenly Martial Academy reaching out to Woo Zhengyang.

Woo Zhengyang didn't respond but instead walked straight toward the center of the square. The crowd was puzzled, yet no one stopped him; some even stepped aside to let him pass.

Soon, Woo Zhengyang arrived at the center of No Life Square, in front of the statue of the No Life Patriarch. With the Dragon Countering Nine Steps already in motion, he suddenly leaped into the air as he reached the statue, landing atop the head of the No Life Patriarch's statue!