Fang Mingyue and Xiao Changyu clearly noticed the commotion on the other side, yet neither showed the slightest intention to intervene.
Mo Fan's gaze flickered. His plan had been to force Fang Mingyue and the other woman to worry about that frail-looking man, so they might reveal openings under pressure.
But these two had no intention of caring at all?
Then so be it!
Kill the man first!
Let others stall Fang Mingyue and her companion. Mo Fan's sword turned sharply, his blade aimed straight at the frail youth.
A chilling murderous intent surged forth.
The frail man lifted his eyes.
He raised his hand, and in an instant, his palm turned a ghostly green.
Yun Jin smiled faintly. This man cultivated wood-element spiritual power. Wood element, a path Yun Jin understood all too well. It was most famous for strengthening and healing, yet it also contained an offensive road. Wood's attacks could bind and imprison, entangle and control.
But this Wushuang Sect disciple cultivated poison, a path extended from wood yet forming an independent avenue of its own. This disciple had already faintly touched upon the threshold of the Poison Law.
Ghostly green motes of light scattered outward, falling upon the first group of charging enemies.
Their expressions changed, instinctively trying to dispel it.
But...
The frail man's comprehension of laws far exceeded theirs. The toxins clinging to their bodies could not be shaken off. Instead, like a plague, they spread rapidly.
From the water screen came one anguished scream after another.
Hong Ye smiled lightly and explained, "This was one of the disciples recruited through the open call. His name is Jin Wang. His raw talent is not particularly outstanding, but his comprehension stands at the very peak among this batch. Among the Wushuang Sect disciples of Unity stage, he ranks in the top ten."
Liu Hua's expression shifted.
Earlier, Hong Ye had said that Yao Shuang was at the very bottom among Wushuang Sect's Unity stage disciples.
And now...
This frail young man was among the top ten?
The ghostly motes spread, and the ten who had charged first all collapsed. Jin Wang controlled vines that sprouted instantly, shattering their tokens with ease.
Mo Fan rushed in right after. His expression changed as well. He had believed those first ten would at least force Jin Wang into a fluster, even if they could not eliminate him. At that moment, Mo Fan would deliver the final blow, establishing Xinghe Sect's prestige!
But instead, the flustered ones were his own people. Jin Wang had slaughtered all ten in a blink!
A sudden dread seized Mo Fan. He wanted to pull back, but it was too late.
Dark green vines erupted from the ground, silent and swift, binding him completely. Barbed thorns pierced into his flesh. Before Mo Fan could even scream, the pain drove him unconscious.
Jin Wang's expression remained unchanged as he manipulated the vines, crushing Mo Fan's token.
On the plaza, more figures appeared instantly. Their faces were tinted blue and purple, clearly poisoned. None could spare time for words. All sat cross-legged at once, struggling to expel the venom.
Liu Hua looked at the crowd of half-dead "green men," his lips trembling. That one who looked like a mere support cultivator had such mastery over the Poison Law!
Judging from the condition of the poisoned, Jin Wang had clearly grasped a high-grade law.
Liu Hua had investigated Wushuang Sect's first group of disciples thoroughly. When Jin Wang joined, he had been utterly ordinary. Yet how long had he been in the sect? And already he had transformed like this?
If it were just one or two shining like hidden pearls, it could be explained.
But looking at them one by one...
Every single disciple who entered Wushuang Sect underwent a terrifying metamorphosis.
It was Yun Jin! It had to be Yun Jin!
Liu Hua's gaze turned toward her.
What kind of means had she used to lift an entire sect single-handedly?
Even Di Xiao's eyes were fixed upon the water screen now.
This Jin Wang... was intriguing.
"Just top ten? With talent like this, even in a Holy Land he would be among the best," Di Ying said suddenly, her tone curious.
Everyone turned sharply to stare at her.
Where had this woman popped out from?
How could she say such a thing?
They might privately share the same thought, but Lin Xiao was sitting right here. Such words trampled his pride.
"What, did I say something wrong?" Di Ying asked, genuinely puzzled. Before her long slumber, someone of this level would indeed have been considered a heaven's chosen.
Hong Ye chuckled and explained, "Jin Wang barely makes it into the top ten. Do you think there's a reason why he serves only as support among the three?"
Huh?
The faces of the crowd changed again.
What did that mean?
"Alright, no more games," Fang Mingyue's crisp voice suddenly rang out.
"Fine, I'll follow Peak Master Fang's lead," the other woman laughed boldly.
In the next moment...
Fang Mingyue's sword danced like a spirit of wind. With just a few strokes, bodies piled at her feet.
"Fang Mingyue," Hong Ye narrated like a professional commentator now, "formerly the peak master of Tianxing Sect. After being enlightened by Sect Master Yun Jin, her spiritual roots fused and mutated. She has now touched the threshold of the Wind Law. Among Unity stage disciples, Fang Mingyue can contend for the top five."
Wind attribute!
This was a rare mutation, like lightning, appearing only in exceptional cases.
And now, this peak master from a middling sect had actually grasped the laws of wind.
On the other side,
Xiao Changyu's spear blazed with flames, sweeping with irresistible force. A wave of enemies fell before her.
Hong Ye added in timely, "Xiao Changyu, once a cultivator of the Imperial Dynasty, with dual roots of fire and earth. After Sect Master Yun Jin's guidance, she learned to balance the two. The explosiveness of fire and the heaviness of earth perfectly combine in her spear techniques. She too ranks among the top five candidates."
On the water screen, Fang Mingyue and Xiao Changyu unleashed their might in turn.
Cultivators fell like wheat before the scythe.
More tokens shattered.
The lively scene grew silent, until only those three remained standing.
Jin Wang walked over lazily. "Next time, let me have some fun too."
"Alright, I'll cover you and let you two play," Fang Mingyue replied with a smile.
"This time, the haul of points is excellent."
"We three are already in the top three rankings. Peak Master Fang sits at number one."
"Hey, I'm only third. Remember, next time it's my turn to take the lead."
Chatting casually, the three figures soon vanished from the water screen.
The plaza fell into dead silence.
Three people.
Annihilated a hundred.
So this was the disciples of Wushuang Sect?
Yun Jin cleared her throat lightly, her tone modest yet her face smug. "Come now, don't look at me like that. If it had been disciples ranked lower, you might very well have succeeded. But alas, you were unlucky and ran into three of our top ten."
Her words sounded humble, but her expression brimmed with pride.
Yet this time...
None of the watching crowd could even feel angry.
One top ten disciple, and two top five.
Just three of them had obliterated an entire hundred-man team.
Could the plan to encircle Wushuang Sect truly succeed?