A Chaotic World

It was only a brief exchange between Lu Tianzi and Nancheng Shu.

However, they were still two of the top five rankers in the Nine Suns Trial. Whatever they did would easily draw the attention of everyone around them.

On top of that, they had done nothing to hide their conversation. By conversing out in the open like they did, they had unintentionally allowed their many fellow sect members to eavesdrop on them.

Nanlu Tianzi and Nancheng Shu were going to fight in the Dueling Ring due to the matter with Nancheng Wei!

With the aid of communication rings, this piece of news spread like wildfire among the members of the Nine Suns Sect!

Upon hearing of this news, most people put down whatever they were doing and rushed to the Dueling Ring.

How could they miss this rare opportunity to see the top rankers of the Nine Suns Trial in action?

Back then in the Nine Suns Trial, everything happened in the Grand Mirror World, making it impossible to witness the combat prowess of others.

It was not too bad for Nancheng Shu, whose skills were already relatively well known among the sect members.

But Lu Tianzi was almost a complete mystery to everyone else!

If they missed it this time, who knew when the next chance would come to see Lu Tianzi's fight?

---

The Dueling Ring of the Nine Suns Sect was a combat platform where sect members could challenge each other in battle.

Since every individual was different, it was inevitable for there to be conflicts even among fellow sect members.

The Dueling Ring provided fellow sect members with an official avenue to either settle these differences in an above board manner, or simply to hold a friendly spar.

It was a round shaped battle platform that was one hundred metres in diameter.

The tiled floor had been specially reinforced with inscriptions so as to increase its sturdiness, and reduce wear and tear that could result from from stray attacks. Even the circumference of the Dueling Ring was surrounded by a reinforced metal fencing, in which there were only a few gates for people to pass through.

Rather than to prevent people from entering or exiting, this metal fencing was to block off any stray energy attacks that could hit the audience otherwise.

When Lu Tianzi and Nancheng Shu arrived at the Dueling Ring, the audience seats were already packed with people, and with many others gradually streaming in as well.

"I hope the crowd will not scare you away," Nancheng Shu remarked in a mocking manner.

"Worry about yourself," Lu Tianzi replied.

Ignoring the watching crowds, the two of them confidently passed the metal fencing and walked up the Dueling Ring.

The two stood with a distance of fifty metres separating them. This was a distance that could be covered in a matter of seconds.

Lu Tianzi pulled out the Torrential Sabre along with the Sword of Ivory Rock, causing gasps to sound out from among the crowds.

No one expected that a newly joined sect member like him would actually possess two Peak Essence Condensation rank weapons!

As for Nancheng Shu, he was even more surprised than the others!

Nancheng Shu had personally seen Lu Tianzi choose a silver spear from the Pagoda of Treasures, yet he was actually using dual sword and sabre now?

Just how many weapons did he possess?

No, all that did not matter one bit.

The only thing that mattered now was to win!

But just as Nancheng Shu was about to make his move, a familiar voice called out, causing him to hestitate.

Nanhuang Jiansheng!

"Hold it," Nanhuang Jiansheng did not yell, but by imbuing Slaughter Essence energy into his voice, he was able to transmit his gentle voice to be as loud as thunder.

With how loud that voice was, Lu Tianzi naturally heard it as well. He turned to see Nanhuang Jiansheng directly stepping into the Dueling Ring.

Nanhuang Jiansheng calmly walked to the middle of the Dueling Ring, stopping only when he was standing at the point in between Lu Tianzi and Nancheng Shu.

"This fight is over. Go back and prepare for the Scarlet Moon Heroes Meet," Nanhuang Jiansheng said with that usual calm face of his.

Nanhuang Jiansheng was an Inner Sect member just like the rest of them, yet his words sounded just like an order from a superior to his subordinates. This naturally caused Nancheng Shu and Lu Tianzi to frown in displeasure.

"This is a matter between us. Don't interfere in this," Nancheng Shu retorted.

"Is it really?" Nanhuang Jiansheng asked. "I understand that this is about Nancheng Wei being imprisoned. I assure you that the result of this fight will not change his punishment one bit, so stop wasting your time and effort."

"Tch," Nancheng Shu clicked his tongue in frustration.

"Excuse me, senior apprentice brother," Lu Tianzi cut in at this point. "The last I remembered, we do not take orders from you. We are free to do whatever we want, and there isn't any reason for us to listen just because you tell us to, is there?"

"Nanlu Tianzi," Nanhuang Jiansheng turned to face him. "You are indeed free to do whatever you want, but only if it were other times. However, we are leaving for the Scarlet Moon Heroes Meet in two days. This time, we will be representing the Nine Suns Sect. Our opponents are those outside of the sect, not our fellow sect members. At this crucial point in time, none of us should be risking any chances of injury in an unnecessary fight like this."

"He won't be able to injure me, and I will be careful not to injure him either," Lu Tianzi replied confidently, causing Nancheng Shu's frown to deepen.

"What did you say?" Nancheng Shu could not stop himself from interjecting.

He was an Advanced Essence Condensation realm martial artist, yet this Peak Essence Building realm brat was actually looking down on him?

In contrast, Nanhuang Jiansheng was still calm as he replied Lu Tianzi, "I understand why you are so confident in yourself. However, you need to understand that while you might be talented, talent does not equate to strength. It is just like how even though you are the top ranker in the Nine Suns Trial, you are still not my match."

"Oh? Why don't we test that out?" Lu Tianzi answered defiantly.

"Just step aside and let me take out this brat!" Nancheng Shu brandished his sabre as he walked towards Lu Tianzi.

"Are you wearing your flexible armour?" Nanhuang Jiansheng ignored Nancheng Shu and continued speaking to Lu Tianzi.

"I am, so what of it?" Lu Tianzi felt a little confused by the random question.

"Then I will be able to show you the difference between us," Nanhuang Jiansheng answered.

Without further warning, Nanhuang Jiansheng pulled out a long and narrow sword.

"Stop!" Nancheng Shu called out in shock upon seeing this, but it was too late.

Nanhuang Jiansheng's figure flashed. The next moment, he suddenly appeared right in front of Lu Tianzi.

Shit!

Lu Tianzi immediately glided backwards, wanting to first create some distance between them.

Had this been before the Nine Suns Trial, Lu Tianzi would never have been able to react in time. But after he started refining his eyes on a daily basis, his vision had now grown enough to catch Nanhuang Jiansheng's almost instantaneous movement.

Even so, there was only so much space within the Dueling Ring where Lu Tianzi could retreat to.

Nanhuang Jiansheng quickly closed the distance. At that moment, his sword hand flickered, sending his sword piercing towards Lu Tianzi.

It was just a straightforward sword thrust.

Seeing this, Lu Tianzi calmly drove his Slaughter Essence, bringing his sword up to block the attack.

When Lu Tianzi made his move, the eyes of the audience immediately lit up in astonishment.

Primary Essence Condensation realm!

Due to the jade pendant given by his master Xihuang Yuanfeng, not even Origin Core realm martial artists had been able to sense his cultivation level.

All they knew was that Lu Tianzi was at the Advanced Essence Building realm when he first joined the sect.

But when Lu Tianzi drove his Slaughter Essence in response to Nanhuang Jiansheng's attack, his Essence energy had materialised and formed a layer around his sword, laying bare his cultivation level for all to see.

Hitting Primary Essence Condensation realm at the age of sixteen meant that he had even surpassed Nanlan Qianxue's record!

Not just that, but his cultivation level had improved by two boundaries within the span of a couple of months!

As expected of someone who had ranked above Nanlan Qianxue in the Nine Suns Trial!

What a monster!

But while everyone was still marvelling in awe, Lu Tianzi suddenly felt the Sword of Ivory Rock in his hand start to vibrate in an uncontrollable manner.

It was almost as though the sword was trembling in fear under the pressure of Nanhuang Jiansheng, and was desperately trying to escape the confines of Lu Tianzi's hand!

Due to this abrupt and violent vibration, Lu Tianzi actually lost control of the sword for a moment.

Shocked, he immediately drove his Slaughter Essence to forcefully restrain the vibration of the sword. However, this had resulted in a slight moment of delay for his defence.

And that one moment of delay was already sufficient to decide the winner of the exchange.

Lu Tianzi felt a hard impact hit him in the chest, sending him staggering backwards.

Even though he was wearing the flexible armour, Lu Tianzi still felt as though all the air within him was knocked out of him with that one impact, forcing him to take heavy breaths as he tried to recover.

Lu Tianzi stared at Nanhuang Jiansheng in disbelief.

If not for the Nine Dragons Flexible Armour that he was wearing, he would have suffered a grievous wound there!

Was this the reason why Nanhuang Jiansheng asked if he was wearing the Nine Dragons Flexible Armour?

So that Nanhuang Jiansheng could feel at ease with striking him in the chest?

Didn't this mean he had just been defeated in a single strike?

More importantly, what the hell just happened?

Why did the Sword of Ivory Rock suddenly act up like that?

Lu Tianzi turned his focus towards his sword. But now that the exchange had ended, Nanhuang Jiansheng was just standing there looking at him, and his sword was just as calm, no longer showing any sign of vibrating.

"Stop looking so confused, you look pathetic right now!" Nancheng Shu sighed helplessly. "That was senior apprentice brother's Law of Swords."

"Law of Swords?" Lu Tianzi subconsciously repeated after Nancheng Shu.

Was that a world law as well?

"Are you convinced now?" Nanhuang Jiansheng stood before Lu Tianzi with his sword drawn.

He stood there expressionlessly, as though defeating Lu Tianzi was only natural, and was absolutely nothing to be proud of.

"Tch, forget it. I'm out!" Nancheng Shu clicked his tongue before turning to leave the Dueling Ring.

With things as they were now, there was no longer any meaning to fighting Lu Tianzi as they had agreed upon earlier.

Even if Nancheng Shu won in the end, Lu Tianzi could simply blame it on the fact that he had already been injured by Nanhuang Jiansheng prior to the fight.

"Go back and consolidate your cultivation," Nanhuang Jiansheng returned his sword to his spatial ring. "You still need a lot more time to grow before you can become strong enough to make a stand."

Nanhuang Jiansheng was only here to stop the fight, so as to prevent any possible heavy injuries prior to leaving for the capital.

Now that Nancheng Shu had left, there was no longer any reason for him to stay.

By now, Lu Tianzi had recovered from the strike by Nanhuang Jiansheng, but he chose to remain silent even as the latter left the Dueling Ring.

Nanhuang Jiansheng was definitely far stronger than each individual Peak Essence Condensation realm opponent that Lu Tianzi had faced back in the Nine Suns Trial.

Even though Lu Tianzi had advanced from the Peak Essence Building realm to the Primary Essence Condensation realm since then, the earlier exchange had already made things very clear.

Lu Tianzi was still far from being able to match Nanhuang Jiansheng in battle!

So this was the strength of the unofficial leader among the Inner Sect members?

Of course, this result was also partially due to the fact that, unlike back then in the Grand Mirror World, Lu Tianzi was now unable to openly drive his Spiritual Essence in battle.

However, this was not an excuse.

After all, this was an inevitable handicap that he would likely experience even during the upcoming Scarlet Moon Heroes Meet.

Just the leading member of the younger generation of the Nine Suns Sect was already sufficient to suppress him to such an extent.

When all the different influences from all over Scarlet Moon Kingdom convened in the capital, just where would he stand among that sea of martial geniuses?

If he did not want to be overshadowed by everyone else during the Scarlet Moon Heroes Meet, Lu Tianzi really had a lot more to work on from now!