Daoist Sanjue and Qi Honglei stepped forward. Even the shepherd boy, Li Baoguo, had shown up. The three of them, along with the young Celestial Master, now stood together in the arena.
At this point, the exchange event had already progressed far beyond what either side had initially expected. The atmosphere grew incomparably tense. Even the high-ranking officials from both nations now bore heavy expressions.
Having witnessed the terrifying strength of these martial artists, the leaders realized that an individual’s strength had reached a dangerously uncontrollable level. Numerous bodyguards began appearing in the vicinity.
Jiepeng’s security personnel moved nervously, positioning themselves behind their respective leaders. However, Great Xia showed no signs of making any grand security maneuvers. The only notable change was that the fair-skinned, chubby man who had left earlier had now quietly taken a seat beside the white-haired elder.
"Heh, looks like I’ll have to rely on you for this one, old friend," the elderly man chuckled, his demeanor unfazed.
Li Xiaofei responded, "Leader, rest assured. As long as I’m here, no one will lay a hand on you."
On the Jiepeng side, the high-ranking official Matsushima Masano took another careful look at Li Xiaofei, now feeling a deep sense of surprise.
Is this young man also a martial arts master? Or is he perhaps an immensely powerful Awakened?
Is he why Great Xia dares to be so bold, displaying such laxity in the security arrangements for a vice-national-level leader in such a high-stakes setting?
At the same time, the artists from both countries were notified to withdraw.
Initially, the organizers intended to completely evacuate them. After all, artists were delicate figures and there were too many uncontrollable factors in a battle of this level. If the fight escalated beyond expectations, it could result in collateral damage. It would be an unnecessary disaster.
However, after receiving directives from higher up, they were ultimately only asked to retreat to a safer distance rather than leave entirely. This allowed them to witness the match in its entirety.
"You are all esteemed figures in the arts. The purpose of inviting you to this exchange event was so that, after watching the match, you could use your talents to promote its significance through songs, dances, plays, and other forms of artistic expression." The police officer Zhang Hongjing spoke politely to Wang Fei and the other artists.
In truth, this had been one of the primary objectives in including artistic performances in the exchange event. Now, a new era was dawning. Nations were rapidly transitioning into this new age.
Artists and celebrities played an important role in this process. By leveraging their influence, the public could gradually be introduced to the changes of the times and come to accept individuals of extraordinary power.
In the arena, the tense standoff made the air feel as though it had solidified.
"Old man, you think you can fight, huh?" Li Baoguo, holding his iron blade close to his chest, called out loudly. "I don’t usually pick on old men, but you Jiepeng devils are an exception. Here’s the deal. If you take one hit from my blade, I'll turn around and leave."
Oniba Henzō replied calmly, "Young man, you have an exceptional talent for martial arts, far surpassing your grandfather, Old Ga Wa, but your blade poses no threat to me."
Li Baoguo’s expression changed. "You... You’ve met my great-grandfather?"
Oniba Henzō seemed to fall into reminiscence. Several seconds passed before he nodded and said, "Sixty years ago, I fought alongside him against horse bandits on the dunes of Dunhuang."
"It was you?!" Li Baoguo suddenly recalled something, his voice rising. "Now I remember! My great-grandfather told me about you. He said you were that dried-up old bastard who tricked him!"
Oniba Henzō remained silent for a few moments before offering an explanation. "I had my own reasons. I couldn’t reveal my identity as a Jiepeng native from the beginning."
Li Baoguo’s entire aura changed in an instant. Moments ago, he had seemed like nothing more than a lazy shepherd boy, lounging on a hillside like a lazy snake basking in the sun and cracking sunflower seeds without a care in the world. But now, he transformed into an ancient, ferocious beast, thirsting for blood.
"You damned bastard," said Li Baoguo as he unwrapped the sheepskin covering his iron blade and gripped the hilt tightly. "So it was you, you son of a bitch, who tricked my great-grandfather out of his blade techniques. You caused him a lifetime of regret, making him sever his own right thumb and swearing never to wield a blade again... Today, you’re going to return the Li Family Blade Art to its rightful owner."
Oniba Henzō was momentarily stunned. But upon careful reflection, given Old Ga Wa’s volatile nature and his deep-seated hatred for Jiepeng people, the idea that he would cut off a finger in shame and swear never to touch a blade again was entirely believable. In the end, it was indeed his own actions that had led to such a tragedy.
"Very well," Oniba Henzō said calmly. "Today, I will give you a chance. If you wish to reclaim your family's legacy, we shall see just how much of your grandfather’s blade art you have mastered."
He then shifted his gaze toward Daoist Sanjue, Qi Honglei, and the young Celestial Master.
"The ancient martial lineage of Great Xia is vast and profound. It is an endless treasure trove that even a lifetime of effort would not be enough to fully explore. Yet, too many cling stubbornly to their narrow sectarian traditions, passing knowledge only to insiders, only to men and never to outsiders...
"When I first came to Great Xia to seek martial enlightenment, I did so with a pilgrim’s heart, eager to exchange insights. But in the end, Great Xia’s martial world had no place for a Jiepeng warrior like me. I had no choice but to conceal my identity to obtain what I sought. After I left, I heard, time and again, of old friends fading away and I could not help but feel sorrow.
"Now, I stand at the pinnacle of Jiepeng’s martial arts, touching the very edge of the Realm of the Sky People. But alas, heaven does not grant eternal life and my days are numbered.
"Today, I invite the four of you onto this stage to witness my next sword strike. To experience its power and its essence firsthand. And let fate decide the final outcome.
"If you survive after this strike, then your martial paths will be greatly broadened, and your steps will be unhindered as you walk forward. Consider it my final tribute to the friends I once had in Great Xia.
"If you are unfortunate enough to die under this strike, then let it be said that I have done what a Jiepeng warrior must, cutting down four unparalleled saplings before they could fully take root in Great Xia’s martial world.
"Would this not be fair?"
Oniba Henzō bared his heart, speaking each word with solemn finality.
"Draw your blade." Qi Honglei, the Master of the Void Sword, spoke concisely.
The young Celestial Master bit through the tip of his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence, which shot directly onto a strange talisman that had a yellow base inscribed with red markings.
The moment the blood essence touched it, the talisman erupted with dazzling brilliance, as if it had come to life. It slowly floated upward, hovering above the Celestial Master’s head while releasing a single, visible golden aura that draped down on him like a shimmering curtain, swaying without wind.
Daoist Sanjue summoned his Azure Soft Sword once again .
"It seems you have all made your decision... How wonderful," smiled Oniba Henzō.
He took a deep breath, and gradually straightened his hunched back. He took a second breath, and his withered, skeletal frame suddenly swelled as though inflated. His wrinkled skin smoothed out and his once-shrunken muscles expanded. He suddenly became firm and defined. He took a third breath and his silver-white hair and beard rapidly darkened, turning into a glossy black before everyone's eyes.
Three breaths had nearly emptied the air in the arena. And in those three breaths, he transformed into a towering man who stood at nearly 1.9 meters tall. His body was now robust and muscular. Every inch of him radiated overwhelming vitality and astonishing life force.
For a brief moment, countless spectators were left utterly speechless, jaws dropping in disbelief.