"Is Leader Zhou convinced?"
As soon as these words were spoken, it became completely silent inside and outside the Sword Release Hall.
Zhou Huaili was also shocked by Ye Jingtang's powerful spear technique and strange lightness skill. Only when he heard the voice did his expression change, and he remembered the current situation — the Zhou family had lost, and it was a complete crushing defeat without any excuse!
"Huh!"
"Excellent martial arts skills..."
...
Many renowned martial artists in front of the hall only then remembered to give a few words of praise.
The Three Immortals of Sanjue Valley didn't pay attention to the outcome of the challenge but asked in surprise:
"Did Young Master Ye use the Yanshan Cloud-Cutting Leap?"
Ye Jingtang blinked his eyes:
"I was once introduced by an elder and privately visited the Yanshan Cloud-Cutting Palace."
"So that's it..."
"This is the first time I've heard that the martial arts of the Cloud-Cutting Palace can be combined with spear techniques..."
Honghua Tower had the Yanzhou Hall. Although it wasn't large in scale, it wasn't strange that it had some connections with the Yanshan Cloud-Cutting Palace. Many martial artists didn't doubt this made-up statement.
The Three Immortals of Sanjue Valley nodded slowly, with an approving look in their eyes, and looked at Zhou Huaili beside them:
"What do you think of this battle, Leader Zhou?"
Zhou Huaili's face was expressionless, and his hands behind his back were tightly clenched. After a moment of silence, he glanced at Xuan Yuanhongzhi standing beside him and then said unhurriedly:
"Nephew Ye's martial arts skills are surprisingly high, and Yuhua is indeed slightly inferior. However... Nephew Ye was knocked off the stage by Yuhua just now. According to the rules of the martial arts world..."
"Huh——"
As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar outside the Sword Release Hall.
Many renowned martial artists looked astonished. They had long known that Zhou Huaili was a worldly and thick-skinned person, far inferior to the renowned Sword Saint Zhou Chiyang. But they still didn't expect that, in the face of such a悬殊 (one-sided) match, Zhou Huaili could say such shameless words.
The other party came to challenge the Zhou family at their doorstep and didn't even run out of the Zhou family's gate.
The fight moving out to the shore only showed that the Zhou family's courtyard was small. Could it be that you want two outstanding figures of this generation to fight in front of a door that's no more than six zhang wide and cluttered with sundries?
Song Chi originally wanted to give the Zhou family some face after winning the martial arts exchange. But when he heard these words, he was immediately annoyed and took a step forward:
"Zhou Huaili, are you afraid of losing?"
Guang Hanlin, the Three Immortals of Sanjue Valley, also frowned:
"Leader Zhou, what you said is a bit unfair to the younger generation..."
Since Zhou Huaili had already spoken, he didn't pretend anymore and said calmly:
"Since you came to challenge on the stage, there are boundaries..."
Xuan Yuanhongzhi, who was standing beside him, had already used both kindness and power to obtain part of the future profits of the Qingjiang docks from the Zhou family. At this moment, he also took a step forward and said:
"During the exchange with Zhou Ying just now, both sides were on the shore and didn't leave in front of the door. Yuhua's move of 'Rabbit Kicking the Eagle' just now also obviously held back, meaning to stop at the right point. It was enough to knock Ye out of the stage. He chased off the stage in a hurry because he didn't stop when he saw that Young Master Ye had fallen into the water, resulting in his defeat. If Yuhua had used a deadly move and kicked twice, Young Master Ye would have been kicked out of the stage and probably wouldn't have been able to get up."
"..."
These words were also sophistry, but the martial artists who had been talking animatedly fell silent.
After all, the martial arts world in Zezhou was ruled by two powerful families, Junshan Terrace and Shuiyun Sword Pool.
If it was just the Zhou family being afraid of losing and acting unreasonably, the renowned martial artists present could still say something fair. But if the two families were in cahoots, not many families in the entire Great Wei Dynasty would dare to confront them in public, not to mention in Zezhou.
When Song Chi and the others saw that the two powerful families in Zezhou had joined forces, they frowned. Although they couldn't swallow this insult, they really didn't have the confidence to tear their faces off on the spot, so they looked at the leader of the building beside them.
Pei Xiangjun's face under the mask was very unhappy. However, she had also expected beforehand that the Zhou family wouldn't withdraw from the Qingjiang docks cleanly.
This battle had already established the reputation of Honghua Tower. If they really continued to cause a scene, facing the two powerful families in Zezhou, they would suffer a great loss. So she had to secretly signal to Ye Jingtang.
Anyway, the Zhou family had been the first to act shamelessly. If Honghua Tower didn't give the five docks promised in advance, no one in the martial arts world would say anything. Instead, they would only scold the Zhou family for being shameless and immoral.
Ye Jingtang was silent for a moment. Standing on the top of the huge stone, he turned the long spear in his hand and pointed it at the character "Xia" (meaning chivalry) engraved at his feet:
"Since Leader Zhou can't see this character, why did you put it in front of the door to make a fool of yourself?"
"Huh——"
As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar by the lakeside.
Seeing that the situation was not right, the Three Immortals of Sanjue Valley quickly raised their hands to smooth things over:
"Hey, hey! Young Master Ye, it's just a martial arts exchange. It's natural to have differences. There's no need to get angry about this..."
Zhou Huaili's face was cold, and he said in a deep voice:
"Does Nephew Ye have any objections to what Brother Xuan Yuan said? If so, Nephew can say it out loud and let the senior martial artists present judge."
"..."
The lakeside fell into silence. Some people wanted to speak up, but they were pulled back by those beside them.
After all, this wasn't a minor dispute. Whoever stood out to slap the faces of Junshan Terrace and the Zhou family might end up dying on the way back after the birthday banquet ended.
Ye Jingtang clenched the long spear in his hand and really wanted Zhou Huaili to come up and fight. But behind him were the lives of thousands of people in Honghua Tower, and he couldn't act on impulse. After thinking about it, he was about to leave with a flick of his sleeve.
But at this moment, Jian Yuhua, who was standing under the huge stone, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth and said:
"The kick I gave just now wasn't to kick him off the stage..."
"You Reckless Boy!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Huaili's face turned into a look of rage. He took a step forward and grabbed the sword at his waist.
Hum——
At this moment, the spearhead on the huge stone flashed with a hum and pointed at Zhou Huaili!
Ye Jingtang's eyes were cold, and his voice was like that of an Asura from hell:
"If you dare to draw your sword today, I dare to wipe out the entire Zhou family!"
Zhou Huaili's steps suddenly stopped, and then he angrily shouted:
"How Daring You Are!"
Screech screech screech——
Swords were unsheathed, and it immediately became chaotic outside the Sword Release Hall.
Countless disciples of the Zhou family drew their swords and surrounded the Sword Release Hall.
More than thirty disciples of Honghua Tower also took out their weapons at the same time and stood guard under the huge stone, blocking Jian Yuhua and Ye Jingtang behind them.
The renowned martial artists present were in a complete mess. Some quickly moved away, and some raised their hands to stop and mediate in the middle.
Just at this critical moment when a big battle was on the verge of breaking out, a voice suddenly came from the Sword Release Hall behind:
"Leader Zhou, Young Master Ye. Today is the birthday of the eldest master of the Zhou family, and I don't want to see the old master of the Zhou family disappointed. You both take a step back. Leader Zhou withdraws from the Qingjiang docks, and Young Master Ye offers his birthday congratulations to the old master of the Zhou family. Let's call it a day."
The voice was cold and somewhat ethereal. Although the person was speaking from inside the hall and the distance wasn't close, the arrogant aura in the words was as if the person was standing above everyone's heads and speaking condescendingly.
Moreover, these words weren't a negotiation but an order, just like a martial arts alliance leader casually speaking to persuade two quarreling juniors.
If an ordinary leader dared to speak like this in the current situation, it would be like seeking death.
But when the people outside the building heard the voice, they all stopped in their tracks. Even Xuan Yuanhongzhi's face showed a hint of seriousness.
After all, the person speaking in the hall was the "Goddess of the Toad Palace", the recognized "Most Beautiful Young Woman" in the martial arts world, or in other words — the beloved wife of Xue Baijin, the leader of the Pingtian Sect, who was known as the invincible in the mortal martial arts world and the head of the Eight Champions!