When the people of the Evil Sky Pavilion heard that the Azure Emperor’s people were coming, realization dawned on them immediately.

Yan Zhenluo said from the side, “In fact, it’s very easy.”

“Easy?” Zhang He was puzzled.

“Just admit defeat.”

“…”

Zhang He said unwillingly, “Although, I, Zhang He, am not the strongest, I’m not so cowardly. This concerns the dignity and reputation of Xuanyi Palace. No matter what, I can’t just admit defeat.”

“I’m saying that for your own good. Those two are obviously experts,” Yan Zhenluo said.

Zhang He asked curiously, “Have you seen them before?”

Yan Zhenluo instinctively shook his head. “No.”

Everyone from the Evil Sky Pavilion shook their heads as well, acting as though they did not know anything.

“Then, how do you know they’re experts?” Zhang He asked curiously.

“Do you even need to ask?” Yan Zhenluo said, “To be able to possess the Great Void Seeds, they’re definitely not simple. To them, cultivating for a day is like cultivating ten years for us. How can we compare? Moreover, those who are able to catch the Azure Emperor’s eyes are definitely outstanding. Apart from that, the Azure Emperor has rich experience, and his understanding of cultivation surpasses ours. If he weren’t confident, he wouldn’t send people here to trample on his dignity, right?”

Everyone from the Evil Sky Pavilion nodded. The logic was flawless. Everyone gave Yan Zhenluo a thumbs-up.

Zhang He also agreed, but he said, “That’s why I came to look for Pavilion Master Lu.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you with this matter,” Lu Zhou said.

“Ah?”

“This involved the fight for the position of commander. If I were to interfere, wouldn’t it violate the rules of the Great Void? You’ve already lost at Southern Split Mountain. Even if I help Xuanyi Palace again, what about the future challenges?” Lu Zhou countered with a question.

“…”

“A man must do what must be done. Do you really care so much about the position of commander?” Lu Zhou asked in a deep voice.

“It’s not like that,” Zhang He said, “Moreover, the pressure of being commander has been mounting. If someone is willing and capable, I, Zhang He, will gladly relinquish my position.”

“Then, adjust your mindset and have a good sparring session with those two. Even if you lose, it won’t be shameful,” Lu Zhou said.

Zhang He understood. If he employed petty tricks, even if he won, it would be disgraceful. In the future, it would become an unerasable stain on Xuanyi Palace.

‘A fair fight. If I lose, I lose…’ Zhang He thought to himself. He realized he had almost veered off the wrong path, and when he regained his senses, he bowed to Lu Zhou at once and said, “Thank you, Pavilion Master.”

Lu Zhou nodded.

Zhang He turned around and left.

Lu Li said, with great interest, “This guy seems to have changed. I thought he was really obnoxious before this.”

“It’s very rare to find such a simple and righteous person in the Great Void.”

“However, is it… is it really appropriate for the Pavilion Master to send him to be beaten up?”

“What do you know? The Pavilion Master wants to take this chance to see Mr. First and Mr. Second’s abilities. What if… they’ve not improved in the past 100 years?”

“…”

Lu Zhou turned around and glanced at them, and they fell silent immediately.

“No one is allowed to reveal their identities,” Lu Zhou said before he left with his hand on his back.

“Farewell Pavilion Master.”

…

The next day.

A green flying chariot appeared in the southeast of Xuanyi Palace. Not long after, it arrived above Xuanyi Palace.

The messenger from Xuanyi Palace had long been waiting. “Welcome, Azure Emperor.”

On the flying chariot.

Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong stood side by side. Despite the beautiful scenery of Xuanyi Palace, the two cultivation fanatics were not interested at all.

At this time, a voice rang from the flying chariot. “Lead the way.”

“Everyone, please wait for me. His Majestic is waiting for you in the grand hall.”

Under the lead of the messenger, the flying chariot flew into the back of the grand hall.

The Azure Emperor dressed in a green brocade robe walked out.

Xuanyi transmitted his voice at this moment. “Lin Weiyang, you came all the way here. Did the Sacred Temple agree to this?”

The Azure Emperor replied, “Even if they disagreed, they had to agree. Otherwise, how could I have come?”

The Azure Emperor flashed and appeared in front of the grand hall.

Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong flashed as well, landing behind the Azure Emperor. One held a saber, and the other held a sword.

Xuanyi asked with a smile, “Are these the two owners of the Great Void Seeds?”

The Azure Emperor nodded before he asked, “Which of them do you think will be the Commander of Xuanyi Palace?”

Xuanyi glanced at the duo before he replied with a smile, “We’ll have to ask Zhang He.”

At this moment, two chairs flew out from the grand hall. One landed behind Xuanyi and the other landed behind the Azure Emperor.

Zhang He flew over from afar and said in a low voice, “Zhang He greets the Azure Emperor.”

The Azure Emperor looked at Zhang He and asked, “You’re Zhang He?”

“That’s right.”

“Very good,” the Azure Emperor said, “You can pick one of these two at random.”

The Azure Emperor did not like to beat around the bush and was straightforward in everything he did.

Zhang He also did not want to waste time. He looked at Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong. The two people’s auras were extraordinary; they were different from those two he met at Southern Split Mountain. Finally, he pointed at Yu Zhenghai and said, “I pick him.”

Unexpectedly, Yu Shangrong nodded and said, “Not bad. You have a discerning eye. It’s best to choose an easy opponent first before facing a tough opponent. Indeed, you made the right choice.”

Yu Zhenghai frowned and said, “I’ll show him that’s not only the wrong choice, but also an extremely stupid choice.”

“???”

Yu Zhenghai flew into the huge square in front of the grand hall like a shooting star and Zhang He rushed out to meet him.

…

At the same time, Lu Zhou appeared at a corner of the grand hall and looked at the square.

Li Chun, who was standing on the left, said with a smile, “With Brother Lu’s advice, Zhang He should be fine.”

“It’s still uncertain who will win and who will lose,” Lu Zhou said. He wanted to see how much Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong’s cultivation had improved.

…

Swoosh!

The Jasper Saber at Yu Zhenghai’s waist flew into the air. He cast the Great Mysterious Heavenly Palm, and the Dark Heaven Starlight spun toward Zhang He.

The Dark Heaven Starlight was Yu Zhenghai’s signature move.

The space continued to ripple and twist.

A barrier flashed, preventing the attacks from damaging the surroundings.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Zhang He’s hands were like blades as they chopped at the Dark Heaven Starlight.

“Sovereign Descent!”

Yu Zhenghai had started with his strongest move, and there was no room for maneuver.

The energy sabers that fell from the sky were like a flood.

Zhang He resisted with all his might, using all the power of the Dao that he had spent his life comprehending.

“So powerful!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Zhang He had no room to breathe because of the powerful pressure. It did not take long for his face to turn red. He suddenly realized that he had made the wrong choice. ‘Why is this person so fierce and overbearing? He’s even more overbearing than that spear user!’

The power energy sabers were unpredictable, and each of them contained the power of the Dao.

Xuanyi’s expression was solemn as he said, “This person manages to shake the Xuanyi Grand Formation?”

To be safe, Xuanyi pressed his hand down to boost the formation.

The surging power quickly strengthened the Xuanyi Grand Formation to protect the surroundings.

The Azure Emperor laughed. “Are you that worried?”

“I’ve underestimated him,” Xuanyi said.

The Azure Emperor chuckled. “I’ve spent quite a lot of effort on them over the years, after all. He’s only used 30% of his strength so far.”

Zhang He, who overheard these words, was shocked, and his heart tightened. ‘Only 30%?!’

Bang!

During this brief moment of distractions, several energy sabers sent Zhang He flying. He flipped in the air, barely managing to stabilize his footing.

Yu Zhenghai smiled and said, “Continue!”

Bang!

Yu Zhenghai advanced while holding the Jasper Saber with both hands. He hacked at Zhang He continuously.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Zhang He could only defend. The energy sabers pressed down on him, causing him to retreat and feel uncomfortable.

Cracking noises rang from the ground, and Xuanyi immediately struck the ground with his hand to strengthen the formation again.

Yu Zhenghai shouted, “Water Dragon Song!”

A large number of energy sabers appeared, forming a saber formation that held the terrifying power of the Dao. It swept toward Zhang He in just a blink of an eye.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Zhang He could no longer resist. His opponent’s power of the Dao seemed to be slightly stronger than his. It was difficult to use his techniques to counter the power of the Dao. At the moment his hands met the incoming attack, he was sent flying again. He quickly flipped and landed on the ground. Even if he lost, he could not embarrass Xuanyi Palace. This was his conviction. He stood with his back straight. His arms and legs were numb.

…

At the side of the hall.

Li Chun exclaimed in surprise, “This person is so overbearing!”

“It’s not easy for Zhang He to withstand so many moves,” Lu Zhou said. He had a basic understanding of Yu Zhenghai’s strength after observing the battle. If Yu Zhenghai did not have any trump cards, Yu Zhenghai’s strength should close that of a Great Dao Saint.

‘He’s grown so much after 100 years…’

Li Chun said with an unnatural expression on his face, “These newcomers are all so… abnormal. It’d be difficult for everyone else to survive in the future.”

…

The Azure Emperor laughed heartily. He was clearly filled with satisfaction. “Not bad.”

Yu Zhenghai cupped his fists together at Zhang He and said, “Thank you.”

Then, Yu Zhenghai naturally retreated to the side.

At this moment, Yu Shangrong said, “Let’s just skip the next round.”

Zhang He asked in confusion, “Why?”

“You’re no match for me. If you fight with me, you’ll only embarrass yourself. A smart person knows when to retreat,” Yu Shangrong replied.

“…”

‘Is this meant to be a piece of advice? Why does it sound more like an insult?’

Zhang He said in a clear voice, “As a man, I shouldn’t care about momentary defeats and victories. Even if I know I’m at a disadvantage, I can’t back down.”

“Do you really want to fight?” Yu Shangrong asked.

“If I don’t try, how can I know where I’m lacking?” Zhang He said as his eyes burned like fire.

Yu Shangrong nodded expressionlessly and said, “I admire your courage. I hope my sword will be able to satisfy you.” Then, he added, “You need time to recover. I’ll wait for you.”

After saying that, Yu Shangrong tapped his toes lightly and flew to stand across from Zhang He. Then, he calmly held the Longevity Sword. If one looked closely, one would see that his feet did not touch the ground. This showed his extreme and precise control.

Yu Zhenghai shook his head and said disapprovingly, “It’s just the same boring technique to show off.”

“It’s still much more practical than your flashy and ostentatious techniques,” Yu Shangrong retorted without looking at Yu Zhenghai.

“You’re all talk.”

“When we return, we’ll continue our fight.”

“Very well!”

The Azure Emperor: “…”

Xuanyi laughed. “Ling Weiyang, are you here to fight for the position of Commander of Xuanyi Palace when you’ve not dealt with the internal strife between your men?”

Ling Weiyang, the Azure Emperor, said, “Xuanyi, you may not know this, but this is how they behave. A healthy competition is good for their growth.”

“A healthy competition?” Xuanyi asked skeptically. Then, he asked, “Among the two of them, who do you think is better?”

“Don’t try to sow discord,” Ling Weiyang said, “When I dominated the Great Void, you were still a naked child.”

“It was a sincere question. You can’t judge me based on your own villainous thoughts,” Xuanyi said helplessly.

Ling Weiyang thought for a moment before he said, “If you really want my evaluation… They’re both very strong. Yu Zhenghai is skilled with the saber, and Yu Shangrong is skilled with the sword. Their mastery of their weapons had reached its peak. The only thing they lack is their comprehension of the Great Dao and the tempering of their mental state.”

“With such a high evaluation, aren’t you afraid of embarrassing yourself later?” Xuanyi asked.

“In terms of saber and sword skills, no one can compare to them,” Xuanyi said, “I stand by what I said.”