"The ultimate battle of the third challenge is a platform contest, huh? Although it makes the most sense for the two to duel on the stage, this puts Yuan Shi Tian Zun at a disadvantage."

"I was actually looking forward to another instance battle—thrilling and splendid, and advantageous for Yuan Shi Tian Zun. I read the post by the Wen Yuan Rack Scholar on the forum; if the ultimate battle starts with a high-difficulty instance, then Yuan Shi Tian Zun could very well be the dark horse."

"It's not likely, though. Yuan Shi Tian Zun has already obtained powerful items. Starting with a high-difficulty instance again would be unfair to Zhao Chenghuang." "Looking forward to the ultimate battle, it's bound to be spectacular." "Or it could end quickly. Didn't you see the Scholar's analysis post? From level to items, and even the Yin Corpse and spirit servants, Zhao Chenghuang has an overwhelming advantage over Yuan Shi Tian Zun." "Zhao Chenghuang's 'ghostification' can rival an early-stage Saint, and he has a level 4 Yin Corpse. What can Yuan Shi Tian Zun use to win? Yuan Shi Tian Zun was too eye-catching in yesterday's instance battle, almost made me think Zhao Chenghuang was nothing special, but after reading the forum analysis, I realized." Before the match even begins, the audience is already eagerly discussing.

"Baby, they're not optimistic about your Brother Yuan Shi," Xie's Mother said. "Did you ask him the question I told you to ask yesterday?" Xie Lingxi shook her head:

"Brother Yuan Shi doesn't want the items sponsored by our family, saying he'd rather lose than use them." Xie's Mother had contacted the Xie Family's clan elders yesterday, deciding to lend Yuan Shi Tian Zun a few items. As soon as the clan elders heard that Lingxi was involved with Yuan Shi Tian Zun, they were very happy and agreed without a problem. Thus, the Xie Family clan elders offered three items for Yuan Shi Tian Zun to choose from.

The first item was the "Red Thread of Love." The user ties the item to the target, making the target develop a fondness and fall in love within half an hour. Only musicians of the Saint stage can untie the Red Thread; other professions cannot.

Item cost: Love is mutual. When the target falls for you, you will also become hopelessly enamored with the target.

The second item was "Mother's Skirt Hem." As the name suggests, it's a woman's skirt. Once worn, whatever you say turns into a lullaby that hypnotizes the target. Item cost: Become an incurable 'mom' for 36 hours.

The third item was the "Stirring Horn." Blow the horn to excite oneself, increasing combat power by 20%. Item cost: Fall into a state of mental exhaustion after half an hour. Xie's Mother sighed:

"If he doesn't accept our Xie Family's kindness, then there's nothing we can do. Baby, can he win? Your mother bet two million on his victory." Xie Lingxi looked at her mother in shock:

"Mom, if you have too much money, give it to me. Why throw it away?"

Xie's Mother seemed to catch her daughter's slip, looking at her askance: "So you also think Yuan Shi Tian Zun will lose?" Xie Lingxi fell silent for a moment: "Of course, I have confidence in Brother Yuan Shi, but Zhao Chenghuang is no pushover."

Having confidence doesn't mean certain victory! She added in her mind.

"I bought Yuan Shi Tian Zun's victory on the black market; his odds are 1:6. If Yuan Shi Tian Zun wins, this will be my most profitable deal of the year," Mr. Bill said. Annie, standing beside him, asked, "And if he loses?"

Today, she was dressed in stretchy skinny riding pants, a dark top, and her golden hair cascaded down like a brilliant waterfall, her face pale and her blue eyes enchanting, making her exceptionally charming. The men around her occasionally cast passionate, infatuated glances.

"Then it's just a loss of five million," Mr. Bill shrugged. "That's not like your usual cautious style," Annie said.

"He bought a year's supply of soul-healing pills from me yesterday, the same kind Chen Shu wanted to buy, without paying," Mr. Bill said:

"Yuan Shi Tian Zun told me he would definitely win. If he wins, the pills are free; if he loses, he'll cover my bet and pay for the pills. I agreed. It's called hedging the risk." "What a hedge!" Feng Laiyi looked at Ling Jun beside her:

"If Yuan Shi Tian Zun wins, you make three million. If Zhao Chenghuang wins, you make one million. Either way, it's a sure profit." She then turned to look at the back of Fu Qingyang's head: "Sect Leader, who did you bet on?"

Fu Qingyang said indifferently: "I didn't bet!"

Feng Laiyi said with relief: "The Sect Leader is truly noble, rejecting gambling and drugs, all positive energy." Fu Qingyang said indifferently: "I'm the bookmaker. I opened the betting in the elders' group."

Ling Jun's eyes lit up: "How did the elders bet?" The elders would occasionally gamble, usually out of reach for the younger generation. But Fu Qingyang was the designated elder, his promotion was just a matter of time, and he had money! So he started the betting in the elders' group.

Fu Qingyang casually sold the elders:

"Taiyi Sect's all bet on Zhao Chenghuang, most of the Five Elements Alliance elders symbolically bet a little on Yuan Shi Tian Zun, but heavily on Zhao Chenghuang. If Yuan Shi wins, I'll earn the White Tiger Soldiers' activity funds for the next five years."

"Yuan Shi Tian Zun will definitely win!" A group of White Tiger Soldiers behind him said in unison.

Inside the arena, Zhang Yuanqing heard the spiritual realm notification:

[Ding, you can claim the "Indomitable Battle Armor." Do you wish to claim it?] "Claim!"

[Ding, claim successful. The battle armor does not occupy an item slot.]

The next second, his inventory showed a set of battle armor, consisting of five parts: breastplate, skirt armor, helmet, arm guards, and battle blade. Zhang Yuanqing took out the battle armor, checked its attributes—breastplate for pure defense, skirt armor for light defense plus lower body function enhancement. The so-called lower body function meant waist strength and standing stability.

The wearer could become a human pile driver, effectively preventing being blown away by a punch.

The helmet defended against spirit bodies, the arm guards enhanced arm strength, and the battle blade increased offensive capability. "Wearing this battle armor, I should be able to grapple with 'ghostified' Zhao Chenghuang without being at a disadvantage... The battle armor must be worn by the Yin Corpse, as per the battle plan written yesterday.

If Wraith Number One didn't have the battle armor, it would only be blown away by the level 4 Yin Corpse, and then, Zhang Yuanqing would face the siege of Zhao Chenghuang and the Saint realm Yin Corpse. It was bound to be a losing battle.

Using a set of battle armor and a Yin Corpse to take out one of Zhao Chenghuang's strongest supports was a good deal.

As for the battle blade, Zhang Yuanqing decided to use it himself, so he wouldn't need to use the Bloodthirsty Blade, freeing up an item slot.

"Eh, Yuan Shi Tian Zun gave the battle armor to the Yin Corpse." "A smart choice, now his Yin Corpse can contend with Zhao Chenghuang's." ... Zhang Yuanqing thought, then began to equip Wraith Number One with the battle armor.

"That's all well and good, but how is he going to deal with Zhao Chenghuang himself? 'Ghostified' Zhao Chenghuang's combat power is close to the Saint realm." "Yuan Shi Tian Zun is a Night Touring Ghost, he can use 'Night Tour' to cope." While the audience was giving their opinions, an armored swordsman elder strode towards the platform and announced loudly: "Silence!" The noisy chatter of the crowd instantly quieted down.

The armored swordsman continued to announce:

"The ultimate battle. Yuan Shi Tian Zun vs. Zhao Chenghuang, begins!"

With that announcement, the audience heard their own hearts pounding, everyone becoming tense and excited.

Some hoped Yuan Shi Tian Zun would defeat Zhao Chenghuang and become the dark horse of this tournament, some hoped Yuan Shi Tian Zun could last longer and not lose too quickly, and some were eager for Zhao Chenghuang to crush Yuan Shi Tian Zun and end the fight quickly, so they could make a fortune.

Zhao Chenghuang, dressed in black with a cold and noble demeanor, glanced at the Yin Corpse in battle armor, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers, saying:

"Go!"

The level 4 Yin Corpse, also dressed in black, with red eyes lighting up, pounced towards Yuan Shi Tian Zun, moving so fast that only a black shadow could be seen.

Zhang Yuanqing stood firm and snapped his fingers as well:

"Get him!"

Amidst the clashing of scales, Wraith Number One burst out like an unleashed wild dog, charging at the enemy. The two Yin Corpses rapidly closed in, each pulling back their fists, and struck out.

Bang!

The fists collided, creating a crisp explosion, and the shockwave rippled out like waves.

Thud thud thud... The level 4 Yin Corpse staggered back, its right arm straightened as if an invisible force was pushing it, then dragging the whole body backward.

Wraith Number One's body leaned back sharply, but its lower half remained immovable.

Steady as a rock.

Wraith Number One's waist and back exerted force, pulling the upper body back, the arm guards "phew" with energy, ready to strike, it lunged at the retreating Yin Corpse.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The thunderous fists rained down, one after another, forcing the level 4 Yin Corpse to raise its arms in a desperate defense.

With the battle armor's strength and defense in place, the close combat capabilities of the seductive demon were unleashed, showing the combat power a peak profession should have. Yuan Shi Tian Zun took the advantage from the start, and cheers thundered from the stands.

Zhao Chenghuang glanced at his Yin Corpse being pummeled and chuckled:

"As I expected, you used the battle armor on the Yin Corpse. So, you plan to use 'Night Tour' to deal with me?" The two spoke across a distance of over ten meters, Zhang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow in response:

"Any problem?"

Zhao Chenghuang's "ghostification" couldn't last long. As soon as he ghostified, Zhang Yuanqing would use Night Tour, adopting hit-and-run tactics to buy time.

This was the most cost-effective strategy. Zhao Chenghuang spoke calmly: "No problem, I just wanted to tell you that I anticipated this move, and naturally, I've made the corresponding arrangements." As he spoke, he opened his palm and took out the first item—a hazy gray fog rose from his palm, condensing into a small clay figure with vague features, rough limbs, like a child's mud doll. Yet it exuded an indescribable sense of weight, as if beholding a majestic mountain. The clay figure rippled with soft earthy waves, turning the hard stone ground into soft sand wherever it passed. Zhang Yuanqing stepped back, looking at his footprints, his heart chilled.

Night Tour couldn't hide footprints. Fighting on a "beach" made invisibility meaningless.

"There are many ways to counter Night Tour," Zhao Chenghuang said lightly:

"Yuan Shi Tian Zun, I don't plan to give you a chance. Since you gave the battle armor to the Yin Corpse, I'll make it a quick battle." His tone was flat, but his expression was full of confidence, full of pride.

Holding the clay figure in his palm, Zhao Chenghuang bent slightly, his muscles bulging, and a painful roar came from his throat.

After a few seconds of charging, his body suddenly grew larger, his skin quickly turned dark green with a metallic sheen, black veins coiled around bulging muscles, and his nails grew rapidly into dark, sharp claws.

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The "beach" where he stood quickly frosted over, spreading outwards, and a chilling aura enveloped the entire arena. As the audience watched the changes, they erupted in noise:

"No way, he's cheating, right? That clay figure is a Saint-level item; Transcendents don't have such exaggerated earth control abilities." "Elder, he's cheating!"

In the elders' seats, nearly twenty dominants remained silent, showing no reaction.

Zhao Chenghuang hadn't cheated. The key to judging whether an item was against the rules was its function. For example, using a Saint-level item to defeat an opponent outright would definitely be cheating. But if it was an auxiliary function, it depended on the strength of that function.

The sandification ability was indeed stronger than the average Transcendent earth monster, but it wasn't at the Saint level, and it was an auxiliary function, not a direct attack. Compared to Yuan Shi Tian Zun's "pollution" tactics, it was less severe.

Seeing that protests were ineffective, many from the Five Elements Alliance became anxious:

"It's over, Yuan Shi Tian Zun's Night Tour is countered."

"That's the clay figure he used against Jiang Jingwei last time; I remember it has good defensive capabilities. With ghostification boosting his combat power and the clay figure for defense, Zhao Chenghuang is going all out from the start, intending to quickly defeat Yuan Shi Tian Zun."

"Yeah, he's slapping the Five Elements Alliance in the face."

The audience turned their eyes to Yuan Shi Tian Zun, facing such a formidable enemy, how would he respond? It's not going to be easy... Zhang Yuanqing thought helplessly.

To deal with Zhao Chenghuang's "ghostification," he listed three strategies, with Night Tour being the most cost-effective but also the easiest to counter. As expected, Zhao Chenghuang didn't give him a chance to exploit any loopholes. So, onto the second plan... Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory and summoned the Yin-Yang Robe. "Whoosh!"

The Yin-Yang Robe unfurled in the air, flames embroidered below, waves stitched above, carrying yin and yang.

Streams of ethereal water gushed from the black area of the Taiji fish, while red flames erupted from the white area. Fire and water intertwined and fell, forming a thirty-meter radius Taiji formation, enveloping Zhao Chenghuang and the two Yin Corpses within.

This was the first time Zhang Yuanqing used the robe's formation in front of an audience. It was one of his trump cards.

PS: Will correct typos later.