C30 Life and Death Arena

Three days slipped by quietly, and today was the day Woo Zhengyang and Yue Liqing had agreed to face off. Woo Zhengyang, who had been diligently practicing the "Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm," paused his training. After repeated refinement and practice, he could now effortlessly combine and execute all the moves. Despite his determination and skill, the technique had yet to reach a proficient level.

Zhengyang realized that the difficulty in mastering this palm technique wasn't just about practice; it required the honing that only real combat could provide. Without it, even another three days of intense training wouldn't bring him any closer to mastery.

With this understanding, Zhengyang found himself with some free time. He decided to rest and adjust his breathing while casually flipping through the last book, "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist."

At the Profound Heaven Sect's martial practicing field, a place where outer disciples usually sparred, there was an unusual buzz. Typically, the outer disciples were either on missions or engaged in rigorous training, so few spent time practicing martial arts here. Instead, those with conflicts preferred to resolve them in this arena. Over time, the field became recognized as the battleground for settling disputes among the outer disciples, with the sect's approval.

Today, the field was bustling with an unusually large crowd of outer disciples, all drawn by the news of the upcoming duel between Woo Zhengyang and Yue Liqing. They gathered eagerly to witness the battle.

Even though these new disciples typically wouldn't attract much attention in a fight, Woo Zhengyang's reputation was simply too impressive. As the 9,999th outer disciple, he was considered the greatest of all time. Coupled with numerous rumors, many were eager to see Woo Zhengyang in person.

"Here they come, here they come. That's Yue Liqing, the grandson of Elder Yue. Next to him are the seventh disciples, Liu Tianli and Liu Tiancheng."

The crowd stirred with excitement, all eyes turning to the group entering the martial practicing field. Leading the way was Yue Liqing. Although he was a newly admitted disciple, he was the main attraction today. Given his status, even Liu Tianli didn't dare to steal his spotlight.

The large group, including Liu Tianli, Liu Tiancheng, and some of their friends, was there to support Yue Liqing. As Yue Liqing arrived at the field, he scanned the area but didn't see Woo Zhengyang. This made him a bit angry. He had timed his arrival perfectly, yet Woo Zhengyang was nowhere to be seen, seemingly more important than himself.

"Could it be that he was just being bold at the moment and now regrets it, too scared to face the challenge?" Liu Tiancheng noticed this too and chuckled softly.

"If he agreed, he must show up today," Yue Liqing said with a displeased huff, choosing not to say more.

Time ticked by, and Woo Zhengyang was still nowhere to be seen. Before long, the sun was high in the sky. Yue Liqing's anger was at its peak, ready to explode, when Woo Zhengyang finally strolled in casually.

"I thought you were going to chicken out!" Yue Liqing's words were calm, but the burning hatred in his eyes was unmistakable.

Seeing Yue Liqing's furious expression, Woo Zhengyang realized his tardiness had pushed him to the edge.

"Got held up by something. Let's get started," Woo Zhengyang said, skipping any further explanation.

Agreeing to Yue Liqing's challenge wasn't about proving himself for Woo Zhengyang; he just wanted to settle things once and for all, so Yue would stop bothering him. All Woo Zhengyang wanted now was to get it over with quickly.

"No rush. Since it's rare to have you here, how about we make this interesting?" Yue Liqing said with a forced smile.

"What do you have in mind?"

"We fight, and the loser has to bow three times and leave the Profound Heaven Sect for good!"

Yue Liqing's words silenced the entire martial practicing field. Challenges here were common, and placing bets was normal, but this was extreme. Bowing in defeat was already a huge blow to one's pride, and leaving the sect would be a complete downfall. In a world where strength was everything, losing like this would make survival nearly impossible.

From this situation, it's clear that Yue Liqing is someone who never lets a grudge go. If Woo Zhengyang loses, who knows if he'll be able to leave safely.

Yue Liqing initiated this challenge and set the stakes, so he must be pretty confident. No one doubts that, and all eyes are on Woo Zhengyang.

"I told you, this guy doesn't have the guts," Liu Tiancheng sneered, seizing the opportunity as Woo Zhengyang remained silent.

"How about you put up the same stakes and face me first?" Woo Zhengyang shot back at Liu Tiancheng.

Liu Tiancheng was stunned. He knew exactly how much preparation Yue Liqing had put into this duel. Remembering Woo Zhengyang's wild performance that day and Yue Liqing's confidence, he realized he had none of it.

"Uh... you two go ahead with your duel first!" Liu Tiancheng's voice was loud, but his confidence was clearly lacking. Being challenged in front of so many people and then trying to dodge it made him feel embarrassed, especially after his earlier taunts.

With a light chuckle, Woo Zhengyang ignored the clown and turned to Yue Liqing, saying, "Since these are the stakes, let's not waste time. Let's head to the platform!"

With that, Woo Zhengyang walked straight to the center of the martial practicing platform.

As soon as he spoke, the previously quiet crowd erupted in chatter.

The martial practicing platform is the only elevated stage in the training field, specially crafted by the Profound Heaven Sect. It's typically reserved for important competitions, allowing other disciples to observe. However, the platform serves another purpose: if there's an irreconcilable conflict between disciples, they can duel here, with no regard for life or death. Among the disciples, it’s also known as the Life and Death Stage.

Woo Zhengyang's intent was clear. With so much at stake, why not settle it once and for all? Everyone understood this. If Woo Zhengyang lost, it would eventually mean death for him anyway, so why not end it decisively? Yet, despite understanding, who could truly face death so nonchalantly? On the Life and Death Stage, there’s no room for second chances.

"Could it be that this guy has an ace up his sleeve?"

"Very possible. Maybe he completed the task through genuine skill."

"Genuine skill? Have you ever seen anyone who just awakened their Origin Genuine Qi and could hunt an Iron Armored Beast? Even if he has some tricks, how could he compare to Yue Liqing? Think about Yue Liqing's status—he lacks nothing. I reckon Woo Zhengyang is just a cornered animal making a desperate move."

The crowd buzzed with speculation as they followed Woo Zhengyang to the base of the martial practicing platform...