687: Chapter 687: The Champion is Decided Directly!

The image appeared on the giant electronic screen, so clear that every detail was visible.

It was the live broadcast footage from the end of the preliminary selection yesterday.

Master Huineng stood on the high platform, hands pressed together, announcing the list of the top sixty.

Name after name was called out by Master Huineng, while the large screen simultaneously displayed the photos and sects of the qualifiers.

Tens of thousands of eyes in the venue were fixed intently on the screen, and some people had already begun comparing it with today's matchup list.

Soon, the first discrepancy appeared.

"In the eighth group, Shen Qingyi's opponent should be 'Iron Leg' Zhou Tong of the Kongtong Sect!"

"The photo shows a burly man in his thirties, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a scar on his face!"

But standing opposite Shen Qingyi today was a lean, gloomy middle-aged man; his appearance was completely different!

"The seventeenth group has been swapped too!"

"The twenty-third group as well! Jiang Daoxuan's opponent should have been a disciple of the Mount Tai Sect! But the one today is definitely not from the Mount Tai Sect!"

"The thirty-fifth group is exactly the same!"

The image froze.

Four sets of photos were displayed side by side on the large screen.

On the left were the top sixty qualifiers announced yesterday, and on the right were the actual opponents competing today.

Eight faces, four sets of comparisons—clear and undeniable.

Not a single one was the same.

The entire venue was deathly silent for a full three seconds.

The next moment.

"Boom—"

The entire valley erupted like a pot of boiling water.

"Holy crap! They really swapped them! All four were swapped!"

"The Martial Arts Alliance actually did this? Swapping contestants without authorization? What do they think the Martial Arts Tournament is?"

"No wonder those people were so strong; they weren't the original people at all! Someone deliberately planted them here!"

"Who exactly did this? Who has the guts to do this? Who has such great power?"

"Who else could it be? In the entire Martial Arts Alliance, there is only one person who can change the top sixty list at will!"

Tens of thousands of gazes fell in unison upon the old monk in the golden kasaya on the high platform.

Master Huineng's face was as pale as paper.

Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, dripping onto his kasaya and leaving a dark stain.

He was actually speechless.

His entire body felt ice-cold.

Because the footage was right there, the evidence was ironclad.

No matter how he tried to justify it, it was futile.

"Master Huineng, may I ask…"

Ye Chen glanced at Master Huineng. "Do you have anything else to say?"

Master Huineng swallowed hard and said in a deep voice, "This… this monk is unaware of it…"

"Unaware of it?"

Ye Chen laughed, his smile full of mockery.

"You are the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance; the list of the top sixty was announced by you publicly, and today's matchup list was also announced by you publicly. And you say you are unaware of it?"

"Then is your position as the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance just for show?"

The crowd erupted.

These words were harsh, but every word was the truth.

Master Huineng was the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance, and the final confirmation power for the list was in his hands.

If someone had swapped contestants without authorization, he was the first person to be held accountable.

He thought he could clear his name with just one sentence about being unaware?

Did he think the heroes of the world were fools?

"This monk…"

Master Huineng opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but realized that whatever he said would be pale and weak.

Ye Chen did not continue to press him but turned his head, scanned the audience, and spoke indifferently.

"Alright, the first problem is solved."

"Now for the second problem."

He reached out and pointed at the four people, including Yan Qingwu, standing on the ring.

"My disciples used Talismans for self-defense when their opponents were maliciously swapped and were far superior to them in strength. May I ask, was that a violation of the rules?"

The entire venue went quiet.

No one answered.

Because this problem was even trickier than the last one.

Just a moment ago, they were criticizing the Ancient Tomb Sect for using Talismans, calling it cheating, a dishonorable victory, and a violation of the martial spirit.

But what about now?

The opponents were powerhouses illegally inserted by the Martial Arts Alliance, their strength overwhelming. The people from the Ancient Tomb Sect couldn't beat them, so they used Talismans to counterattack. Was that wrong?

Ye Chen looked at the silent crowd, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"No one is speaking? Then let me answer for you."

"The rules do not state that Talismans cannot be used."

"It is written in black and white, clear as day."

"You say Talismans are an external force and cheating, then may I ask…"

"Are those so-called spiritual swords, precious blades, and protective soft armor of yours not external forces?"

"Are the techniques you cultivate, the medicinal pills you consume, and the power passed down through empowerment from your sect elders not external forces?"

"According to your logic, everyone should stop using them, fight with bare hands, and start from zero. That would be fair, wouldn't it?"

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Tens of thousands of people looked at each other, and no one could refute him.

Because every word Ye Chen said was the truth.

There has never been absolute fairness in the cultivation world.

Some are born into prestigious sects, eating spiritual pills and receiving guidance from famous masters since childhood.

Some are born into humble circumstances, unable to even afford a decent technique manual.

Is that fair?

It is not fair.

But these are the rules of the cultivation world…

Relying on one's own abilities, each with their own opportunities.

Talismans are also an opportunity, a skill.

"I…"

Vice Sect Leader Wu Shan wanted to refute, but after being swept by Ye Chen's gaze, he forcefully swallowed his words.

Ye Chen looked at him and smiled.

"Vice Sect Leader Wu Shan, you said just now that using Talismans is a desecration of the martial spirit?"

"Then let me ask you, when the founder of your Mount Tai Sect established the sect, was the Mount Tai Zhenyue Sword he used not an external force?"

"Is the Mount Tai Heart Method passed down through generations in your Mount Tai Sect not an external force?"

"Are the medicinal pills that your Mount Tai Sect disciples eat every day not external forces?"

Vice Sect Leader Wu Shan's face turned the color of liver.

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze, swept over the audience, and spoke indifferently.

"You don't allow the use of Talismans, not because it violates the rules…"

"It is because you don't have them."

"Therefore, it is an external force."

Deathly silence.

A silence as deep as death.

In the entire valley, tens of thousands of people, even their breathing seemed to have stopped.

Ye Chen's words were like a knife, stabbing fiercely into the hearts of everyone present.

Not because it violates the rules, but because you don't have them.

These words were too harsh.

So harsh that people wanted to refute them, but could not find any reason to do so.

Because the facts were exactly that.

Talismans have been lost for hundreds of years; nowadays, those in this world who can draw Talismans are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

The Ancient Tomb Sect being able to produce Talismans is their own ability.

You can't produce them, so you say it's against the rules and want to disqualify them…

If this isn't jealousy, what is it?

If this isn't envy, what is it?

"Well said!"

Wang Tianlong was the first to applaud.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng also applauded.

Perfected Person Qingxuan and Abbess Juechen exchanged glances; neither spoke, but neither did they object.

Because.

This matter indeed involved backroom dealings.

If they were to speak up to help the Buddhist sect now, they would likely bring trouble upon themselves.

But they also didn't want to offend the Buddhist sect to the point of no return; what if there was a reversal?

Master Huineng stood on the high platform, his face as pale as paper, not daring to look into Ye Chen's eyes.

He never expected…

That the matter would be exposed directly, leaving no room for maneuver.

He expected even less.

That Ye Chen would actually obtain that recording; could it be that there was a mole?

However.

There were indeed moles in the Martial Arts Alliance belonging to Ye Chen.

But Ye Chen did not need a mole to do this.

Because.

His hacking skills could claim second place; almost no one could claim first…

He then turned around and looked at Master Huineng.

"Old monk, are my disciples' qualification to advance still valid?"

The corners of Master Huineng's mouth twitched several times, and he spoke with difficulty.

"Yes… yes, they are."

"That's good."

Ye Chen nodded and asked again, "Then how does the Martial Arts Alliance plan to handle the matter of swapping contestants without authorization?"

Master Huineng's breathing hitched.

How to handle it?

How would he know how to handle it?

Although he knew about the swapping of people, he didn't operate it himself.

Someone was pushing it from behind, and he was just going with the flow.

But he couldn't say a word of this in front of tens of thousands of fellow martial artists.

Master Huineng pressed his hands together: "Amitabha, Young Friend Ye, rest assured. This monk will definitely investigate thoroughly and give the heroes of the world an explanation."

He was stalling for time.

As long as he waited for this match to end, he could go and discuss it with that person.

After all…

The cause and effect were all initiated by the other party.

However.

Ye Chen smiled and did not press him.

He knew what the old monk was thinking.

It was just a stalling tactic.

Ye Chen didn't expose him either, because it wasn't necessary, and he didn't intend to keep playing.

He thought for a moment and said indifferently.

"Actually, I originally intended to accompany you through the entire process of the Martial Arts Tournament."

"After all, this is my first time participating in such a tournament, and I find it quite interesting, and I wanted to add some sense of ritual."

He paused and scanned the crowd.

"But the tournament had problems first."

"Swapping people, backroom dealings, targeting my people."

"That's no fun."

Ye Chen shrugged.

"So I've changed my mind now."

"There's no need to go through the process anymore."

"Today, we will decide the champion directly."

Boom!!!

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire valley erupted.

"What? Decide the champion today? Is he crazy?"

"The top sixty advancement matches aren't even finished, and the top ten haven't been decided yet. How can we decide the champion?"

"Does he mean he's not fighting the advancement matches and going straight to the championship?"

"Then how will they fight? Who will fight him?"

"Didn't you understand? He means… he is going to fight everyone by himself!"

"Holy crap! That's too arrogant! Is he treating all the heroes of the world as if they were air?"