Chapter 551 - 187: Underestimated Him

The Su Family Grand Elder stroked the long beard under his chin, his eyes filled with conviction.

He knew perfectly well that Su Muyuan’s current strength far surpassed that of an ordinary practitioner at the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm. By polishing a Top-grade True Skill to the pinnacle of that realm, he had attained a formidable combat power that put him on the very verge of the Qi Absorption Realm.

Even if Yang Jing had performed impressively in the grand competition and defeated strong opponents one after another, he would surely be no match for Su Muyuan.

This confidence surged within him, but he didn’t voice it, allowing it only to manifest as a calm smile on his face.

Just then, the Hong Family Grand Elder next to him fixed his gaze on Su Muyuan, who was slowly ascending the stage. A flash of admiration appeared in his eyes as he nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Young Master Su’s aura is as condensed as a sword. Its edge is restrained, yet aggressive. I fear he is not far from the state of unity between man and sword."

Hearing this, the smile on the Su Family Grand Elder’s face widened. He gave a dignified nod and chuckled. "That boy, Mu Yuan, is decent enough. Though he has some talent, he has never slacked off because of it. He rises every day at 3:00 AM to practice his swordsmanship until late at night. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made it this far."

The Lin Family Grand Elder at the side also clapped his hands in admiration, his tone sincere. "The Su Family is truly fortunate to have such a son. Given time, he will surely lead the Su Family to another hundred years of prosperity without any trouble."

These words resonated deeply with the Su Family Grand Elder, and he couldn’t help but let out a hearty, booming laugh.

Su Muyuan was a core, direct descendant of the Su Family, and it was widely understood that he was the designated successor to the Patriarch. For the Grand Elders of the Hong and Lin Families to praise him so unsparingly was undoubtedly a great show of respect for the Su Family, making him feel extremely honored in front of all the outsiders.

Seeing the Su Family Grand Elder beaming, the Hong Family Grand Elder continued along the same lines, "Speaking of which, both Young Master Su and that Young Friend Yang from Lingxi Peak can be considered prodigies of the younger generation. However, Young Friend Yang rose to prominence only recently and lacks a deep foundation. In my humble opinion, I’m afraid he is bound to lose to Young Master Su in this battle."

The Su Family Grand Elder stroked his beard, his face wreathed in smiles, just as he was about to offer a few humble words.

Before he could get the words out, a cool voice suddenly cut in from the side. "We won’t know who will win until they’ve fought."

Hearing this, the Grand Elders of the Hong, Lin, and Su Families were all taken aback. They followed the sound and saw Si Jiawen, the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak, sitting upright in a seat not far away, her expression cool and her gaze fixed on the arena stage.

The three were all old foxes and snapped back to their senses in an instant. They all quickly changed their tune and chimed in with agreement, "Right, right! On the battlefield, things can change in an instant. Victory and defeat are decided in a flash. Indeed, they must clash personally to determine who is superior."

They knew perfectly well that Si Jiawen was the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak and was held in high regard by Peak Master Bai Bing. It was highly likely she would become the next Peak Master of Lingxi Peak, and she was a surefire future high-ranking member of the Xuanzhen Sect.

Even though the three of them had all reached the True Qi Realm, and surpassed Si Jiawen in both seniority and strength, they dared not offend her lightly.

None of them wanted to be needlessly targeted by such a promising female cultivator, lest she find a reason to settle the score with them in the future.

A polite smile remained on the Su Family Grand Elder’s face, but inwardly he couldn’t help but sneer. ’Just you wait. When Mu Yuan defeats Yang Jing with thunderous force in a moment, you, the great Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak, will know how much a slap to the face stings.’

Cui Guangyi, the Senior Brother of Celestial Derivation Peak, took in the entire scene but merely smiled faintly without interjecting.

In this battle, he naturally hoped that Su Muyuan of Celestial Derivation Peak would win.

It was not only about Su Muyuan’s personal glory but also involved the sect’s future resource allocation for Celestial Derivation Peak and the honor of the entire peak.

However, compared to his fellow sect member Si Jiawen, the Hong, Lin, and Su Families were ultimately outsiders. He naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to speak up for outsiders at a time like this.

...

「Below the stage.」

In the area where the Yunxi Peak disciples had gathered, Yuwen Mingjue stood at the front, his face pale. His eyes were locked on Yang Jing’s back as he walked toward the stage.

His hands clenched unconsciously. He could still faintly feel the pain from the serious injuries Yang Jing had inflicted on him before. The bone-deep humiliation was now searing his very soul.

He knew all too well how formidable Su Muyuan was. He was a top genius renowned throughout Jintai Prefecture, whose Flowing Cloud Sword Technique had reached a state of perfection. He was far beyond the likes of Ma Guoliang.

Right now, he desperately longed to see Su Muyuan crush Yang Jing underfoot, to make him taste the bitterness of a crushing defeat and even serious injury.

The thought gave him a twisted sense of pleasure, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of regret.

He had already spoken with Chu Yunhai, thinking that Chu Yunhai could teach Yang Jing a good lesson in a later match. Now, it seemed Yang Jing probably wouldn’t even get the chance to face Chu Yunhai.

...

「On the other side.」

In the crowd, Sun Ningxiang was on her tiptoes, her gaze tightly following Yang Jing on the stage. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her face full of worry.

Su Muyuan was an established master with a widespread reputation. He had been famous for years and had a profound foundation, unlike the ordinary Martial Artists Yang Jing had faced before.

She secretly clenched her fists, her nails nearly digging into her palms. In her heart, she was constantly cheering Yang Jing on, while also silently praying that even if he lost, it wouldn’t matter, as long as he didn’t get hurt.

...

「In a corner of Fushan Square.」

Miss Jinlian was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Wang Xiao, the direct heiress of the Wang Family, their gazes also fixed on the two figures on the stage.