C70 Each of Them Had Their Own Ulterior Motives

The lean, dark-skinned youth suddenly collapsed.

Yu Yuan, who had been incessantly talking, found it all rather dull. He released his grip and refrained from intimidating the boy further.

"Combat strength is certainly linked to one's level of cultivation, yet cultivation level isn't the sole determinant of combat prowess," Yu Yuan mused to himself.

The youth, in the middle period of the Soul Awakening Realm, naturally had a more refined physique than Yu Yuan's.

Still, he was soundly defeated.

Had the youth been wiser, less stubborn, and not so determined to hold Yu Yuan's gaze, it's unlikely he would have faced humiliation a second time so soon.

"What a fool," Yu Yuan muttered, shaking his head as he turned his attention to Asenalenor.

Han Hui was observing him as well.

"Perhaps their claims aren't mere bluster or arrogance," Han Hui thought to herself. "The might of Asvetaesi does indeed seem to surpass our own."

Beside her, Wu Ji remained silent, offering no comment.

Other trial-takers from Asenalenor were still watching the clash between Zhan Tianxiang and Zhao Yafu, but the majority were focused on Yu Yuan, having witnessed his fight with the dark-skinned youth.

With a whoosh, Zhan Tianxiang, clutching a green umbrella, made a hasty retreat.

Streams of green spiritual energy between him and Zhao Yafu coalesced into a dazzling protective shield.

Zhao Yafu, wielding the Dragon's Edge, swung with the might of dragon roars, her blade's fierce and domineering energy shattering the green shield.

"Enough," Zhan Tianxiang said, a note of finality in his voice. "Let's leave it at that."

Taking a deep breath, he regained his composure and, with two consecutive statements, signaled his desire for a ceasefire.

He, at the late period of the Golden Sanctum, was conceding to Zhao Yafu.

Zhao Yafu ceased her attack, grinning as she asked, "Why stop now?"

"The power bestowed by the Golden Elephant God has run out," Zhan Tianxiang confessed with remarkable candor. "And your combat strength remains unwavering. Knowing the outcome, there's no point in continuing the fight."

He bowed respectfully to Zhao Yafu and conceded, "I admit defeat."

Then, turning to Yu Yuan, he added, "I assure you, our Sillserine City will not trouble you again. How about we take my brother with us?"

Yu Yuan was slightly taken aback.

He marveled at the decisiveness of the young leader from Sillserine City in handling the situation.

As soon as he realized he was outmatched, he conceded defeat and offered assurances.

Zhan Tianxiang, who had won the favor of the Golden Elephant God, had transformed from the arrogance and brashness he displayed upon his arrival to a state of calm composure, almost as if he were a completely different person.

This version of Zhan Tianxiang earned a newfound respect from Yu Yuan.

"Take your brother away."

Yu Yuan nodded, pausing to reflect before he added, "It was your brother who provoked us first. He couldn't keep his hands to himself and harassed my sister, so I taught him a lesson. That's the root of our conflict."

"I'm aware," Zhan Tianxiang replied, his expression unchanged. "I don't admit mistakes or apologize before a fight, and certainly not before a loss."

"But now, I apologize on his behalf to both you and your sister."

Zhan Tianxiang lowered his head, bent at the waist, and gave a slight bow.

Yu Yuan watched him, a glint of appreciation in his eyes, and responded, "Apology accepted."

Zhan Tianxiang gestured to someone behind him.

A figure stepped forward, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, approached Yu Yuan, hoisted the skinny, dark youth from the ground, and rejoined Zhan Tianxiang's group.

"Farewell."

Zhan Tianxiang glanced at Zhao Yafu, then at Yu Yuan, and said, "Asvetaesi City is far stronger than I anticipated. I have no desire for future conflicts with you. Rest assured, from this point on, I'll ensure my people steer clear of any provocation toward you."

With that, he took his leave, the first to depart.

The rest followed in silence.

Once some distance had been established, another girl from Sillserine City, also in the middle period of the Golden Sanctum, spoke up: "Brother Tianxiang, you didn't give it your all, did you? And besides, I was here too, wasn't I?"

"If the fight had continued, we could have won, right?"

She sought confirmation.

The other trial-takers from Sillserine City turned their attention to her.

Though this girl's abilities were slightly inferior to Zhan Tianxiang's, they were all acutely aware of her formidable strength.

Moreover, the artifact in the young girl's possession was of a higher caliber than Zhan Tianxiang's green umbrella!

She hadn't lifted a finger from start to finish.

"Imagine, two months from now, we come across a rare treasure and opportunity that we're determined to seize, and it leads to a do-or-die conflict with Asvetaesi City."

Zhan Tianxiang posed a hypothetical situation before providing his own answer.

"Obviously, Asvetaesi would be the ones to fall."

With these words, every trial-taker in Sillserine City felt reassured.

"Zhao Yafu is formidable. She's putting a lot of pressure on me right now," Zhan Tianxiang admitted gravely. "If she reaches the late Golden Sanctum stage and matches my level, I'm not sure I could defeat her. But as things stand, if I give it my all, I'm bound to emerge victorious."

"As for the rest of Asvetaesi, Xiaoyu could take them down single-handedly."

He turned to the girl, "Right?"

"Absolutely," she replied with unwavering confidence, balling her fists. "Aside from Zhao Yafu, there's no one in Asvetaesi worth our concern in combat."

"Ah, Yu Yuan does pique my interest somewhat. Sadly, his level of cultivation hardly merits attention," Zhan Tianxiang commented with a dismissive air. "He conceded because he saw no point in continuing. Zhao Yafu's power surpassed my expectations, and that fool got himself captured far too early."

He expressed disappointment, casting a glance at the unconscious, lean, dark-haired boy.

"Verbal sparring is utterly pointless. Without the prospect of a rare treasure or opportunity, feuds sparked by mere words aren't worth risking our lives over."

"Do you all grasp my meaning now?"

"Understood."

"We've got it."

...

"Brother Yu, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I can win."

Elsewhere, Zhao Yafu was straightening out her disordered aura, speaking sheepishly, "I didn't anticipate that he would gain the favor of the Golden Elephant God and be blessed with divine power by that venerable Dark Deity. He's conserved his strength, and the power he received from the Golden Elephant God hasn't faded."

"He did it intentionally, showing that the power he wielded, which wasn't truly his, was fading fast."

Zhao Yafu remarked.

At that moment, Han Hui and the rest decided to depart following the battle's conclusion.

Only their own remained.

"I'm aware. The Golden Elephant God from Shadow's Keep doesn't just grant a sliver of power to someone without complexity," Yu Yuan said with a smile. "Zhan Tianxiang isn't one to engage in a fight over pride unless there's a substantial benefit for him. He'll be quite a handful if we encounter him again in the future."

"If he had decided to keep fighting, we would have been the ones to lose," Zhao Yafu admitted, somewhat disheartened.

Yuan Ting, Yu Feifei, and the others felt their spirits dampen as well.

"No, you've got it wrong," Yu Yuan said, shaking his head with a smile. "If it were truly a matter of life and death, we would be the ones to come out alive."

"Ah?" Zhao Yafu exclaimed in astonishment.

The others were also confused.

"Believe me, we would be the survivors. I've prepared plenty of powerful items before coming here for the trial in the forbidden area. With those, taking down several waves of trial-takers will be a breeze."

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