11: Ji Mo makes his appearance

Clan Leader's face was filled with sorrow, as if his very spirit had been drained from him.

Just at this moment of extreme dejection, a terrifying thought, like a thunderbolt, suddenly flashed through his mind.

"Why is it that only the Disciples of my Ji Family are killed when they fight? Conversely, when Disciples from other families battle, although there are occasional injuries, there has never been a situation where they are killed?"

Inadvertently, he swept his gaze, only to see the Clan Chiefs and Elders of the Li and Zhang families currently laughing and chatting joyfully with each other.

The smiles on their faces, in Clan Leader's eyes, seemed like hideous masks.

"Looking at the situation like this, the Li Family and Zhang Family are clearly determined to force my Ji Family into a desperate situation!"

His thoughts surged in his mind, and a thought flashed like lightning, "Could it be that the mastermind behind the deaths of my son Ji Yuan and my eldest daughter-in-law Su Yao several years ago was them?"

Thinking of this, Clan Leader's eyes turned cold, "It seems this matter is almost certainly true! They are uniting, like boiling a frog in warm water, to slowly devour my Ji Family!"

Clan Leader's gaze involuntarily turned toward Ji Ruoxi, who was preparing for the upcoming match, his heart filled with worry.

Ji Ruoxi was focusing on adjusting her state, tightly gripping the longsword that had accompanied her for many years; the sword blade shimmered with cold light, reflecting her cold and aloof face.

Clan Leader knew that for Ji Ruoxi, the next match would be a life-and-death crisis.

At this moment, the Elders of the Ji Family also noticed that the atmosphere was wrong and gathered around.

A white-haired Elder frowned and said in a low voice, "Clan Leader, looking at the current situation, I fear some people have ill intentions. The child Ruoxi is likely in danger in the upcoming match."

Clan Leader nodded slightly, his expression grave, "I am also worried about this, but currently, only Ruoxi is left on the field from our clan, so we can only tell her to be careful. If it really doesn't work, she should admit defeat early; that is better than losing her life. Ruoxi is the true Genius of our Ji Family and has the potential to reach the Innate realm; the Ji Family cannot afford to lose her."

"Sigh! That is the only way." The Elders sighed.

Clan Leader was filled with sorrow, his eyes full of worry and helplessness, and he looked at Ji Ruoxi and said slowly, "Ruoxi, nowadays some people have united to ruthlessly kill our Ji Family Disciples. You are the hope of the Ji Family, and you must not suffer any mishaps. If you encounter an opponent you cannot defeat on the field, do not force yourself; just admit defeat directly."

In his words, there was nothing but the love and worry of an Elder for a Junior.

Ji Ruoxi's expression was grave, but her eyes revealed determination as she responded earnestly, "Grandfather, please rest assured. I have a good idea of my own strength. I will definitely go all out, but if it truly reaches a point where there is no chance of winning and nothing can be done, I will not be reckless and will choose to admit defeat. Please do not worry too much; I will protect myself well."

Finally, it was Ji Ruoxi's turn to enter the arena; her opponent was the Li Family's number one Genius—Li Gang.

On the arena, Li Gang's gaze was scorching; Li Gang was the pride of the Li Family, born tall and burly, with arrogance radiating from his brows and eyes.

Ji Ruoxi was dressed in white as snow, with her longsword in hand.

The competition gong rang with a "clang," and Ji Ruoxi and Li Gang stood facing each other.

A wicked smile curled at the corners of Li Gang's mouth; his gaze was not focused on the martial arts match, but instead wandered wantonly over Ji Ruoxi, his eyes filled with lewdness.

He was in no rush to attack, but instead teased, "Tsk tsk, Ji Ruoxi, they say you are the proud daughter of the Ji Family; seeing you today, your beauty is truly not bad. How about you come with me after the match ends?"

Ji Ruoxi's already cold face instantly became covered in frost, her willow-leaf eyebrows arched in anger, and she shouted, "You lecher, go to Hell!"

She held her longsword horizontally, the blade shimmering with cold light under the sun, manifesting her current anger, while she thought to herself, "This guy's build is much sturdier than his peers. Judging by his stance with the sword, his sword style should focus on weight and power; thus, his movement technique is likely not very agile. I will engage him in a mobile battle, slowly exhausting his Profound Qi, and then seize the opportunity to land a fatal blow!"

The audience off the stage also began to whisper and discuss.

"This Li Gang is too much; he doesn't forget to act like a hooligan even during the match."

"Indeed, but Ji Ruoxi is not someone to be trifled with either; let's see how she handles this kid."

The clansmen of the Ji Family were even more furious and shouted to cheer for Ji Ruoxi.

Li Gang, however, did not care at all; he laughed loudly, raised the heavy longsword in his hand, and slashed fiercely toward Ji Ruoxi.

This sword strike carried a whistling sound; before the blade arrived, that fierce Sword Qi was already rushing toward her face.

Ji Ruoxi tapped her toes lightly, her figure floating backward like a flying swallow, easily dodging this fierce strike.

"Haha, what, is the proud daughter of the Ji Family only capable of hiding?"

Li Gang mocked, while simultaneously stomping his feet, chasing after her again with another series of violent attacks.

He swung the longsword in his hand with great force, each strike containing powerful strength, shrouding Ji Ruoxi in a field of sword shadows.

Relying on her keen observation and judgment, Ji Ruoxi determined her strategy for the enemy in an instant.

No longer hesitating, she tapped her toes on the ground, her figure leaping up as lightly as a swallow, and she executed a superior movement technique, spinning rapidly around Li Gang.

She seized every fleeting gap, flicking her wrist lightly, and her longsword struck out like a snake emerging from its hole, aiming at Li Gang.

Just as Ji Ruoxi expected, Li Gang's sword momentum was astonishing; every strike he unleashed carried vigorous and fierce Profound Qi, and the power was truly formidable.

However, his movement technique was indeed not agile enough.

But this Li Gang seemed to be aware of his own shortcomings; he actually used stillness to control movement, his feet standing firmly like a towering mountain.

Relying solely on the powerful energy contained in each sword strike, he easily neutralized Ji Ruoxi's agile and varied offensive.

"Haha! Young Miss Ruoxi is truly clever, knowing the wonderful method of using speed to control slowness and using length to attack shortness. That's right, my movement technique is not as fast as yours,"

Li Gang laughed loudly, his tone carrying a hint of mockery, "But if you want to win by relying on a mobile battle, that is a bit wishful thinking!"

As time passed, Ji Ruoxi could not win for a long time, and her own consumption of Profound Qi was actually faster than Li Gang's.

She couldn't help but feel a trace of anxiety in her heart; with this anxiety, her state of mind became a bit chaotic, causing her originally exquisite sword technique to reveal flaws.

"Roar!"

Just at this moment, Li Gang, like an enraged beast, let out a thunderous roar.

He seized the flaw in Ji Ruoxi's sword technique and instantly unleashed the Yellow Rank Advanced martial art, "Storm Sword Technique."

For a moment, violent Sword Qi rampaged, like a beast breaking free from its cage, frantically tearing through the air.

Ji Ruoxi only felt a powerful, mountain-toppling, sea-draining force rushing toward her like surging waves.

In this life-and-death moment, she had no time to think, and hurriedly used her movement technique, her figure flashing to the left like lightning.

With a loud "boom," the ground where she had just been standing was torn open by the violent sword wind, creating a gully dozens of inches wide and several inches deep; dust flew, and the scene was terrifying.

Although Ji Ruoxi dodged quickly enough, the remaining power of that violent Sword Qi still struck her like a heavy hammer, and a mouthful of blood uncontrollably spilled from the corners of her mouth.

At this moment, she stood there weakly, with blood at the corners of her beautiful mouth; that pitiful appearance would make anyone who saw it feel pity.

"Agree to be my woman, and you can live; if you don't agree, today there is only a dead end!"

Li Gang stood on the arena, staring down at Ji Ruoxi, his voice sounding as if it came from the Nine Nether Hell, radiating a trace of chill.

"Young Miss Ruoxi, I truly cannot bear to see you die young. Be a good girl and be my woman; today I will spare your life and never hurt you in the slightest. Otherwise... hehe!"

A malicious smile hung on Li Gang's face; that smile was like a demon's mockery, making one's heart crawl.

At this time, the arena no longer looked like its original self.

Crisscrossed with gullies, it looked like the chaotic lines on a chessboard, or as if it had experienced a heaven-collapsing and earth-shattering catastrophe, appearing exceptionally terrifying.

"Ruoxi, admit defeat! Quickly admit defeat! It is still not too late!"

Ji Ruoxi's mother stood off the stage, her eyes red, tears swirling in her eyes.

Burning with anxiety, she screamed toward the arena, her voice filled with worry and despair.

The crowd of Ji Family clansmen also spoke up to persuade her.

"I ad..." Ji Ruoxi's lips trembled, the word "mit defeat" about to escape her lips.

"Dare to ruin my good deed, go to Hell!"

An angry roar was like a bolt from the blue, forcibly interrupting Ji Ruoxi's words.

Only to see Li Gang's body Spiritual Qi surging madly like a raging tide; he slashed the longsword in his hand fiercely, and an extremely fierce sword light slashed toward Ji Ruoxi.

That sword light was like a ferocious Dragon, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, carrying a world-destroying Aura, aiming straight for Ji Ruoxi's throat.

Ji Ruoxi was terrified in her heart, subconsciously wanting to dodge; however, everything was too late, the sword light came too quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was already close at hand.

But at this critical life-and-death moment!

Only to hear a dull whistling sound coming from the sky, as if a giant beast were roaring.

Immediately following, a golden bell appeared out of thin air, like a star falling from beyond the heavens, carrying supreme dominance, smashing fiercely toward the center of the arena.

In an instant, Li Gang's seemingly peerless and mighty Sword Qi, under the strong suppression of the golden bell, was like fragile thin paper, instantly dissipating without a trace, without even causing a ripple.

"Eh?"

This sudden golden bell instantly attracted everyone's gaze.

Not only Ji Ruoxi, whose life hung in the balance on the arena, and the arrogant Li Gang, but the entire venue, including the two judges who were usually exceptionally calm, could not help but show shock.

Everyone turned their heads, looking toward the sound, only to see a youth walking toward the arena unhurriedly.

The youth had his hands behind his back, his posture as straight as a pine, his gaze fixed tightly on Li Gang on the arena, not moving for a single moment.

That gaze seemed to be burning with two balls of anger, as if it would incinerate the enemy in front of him in the next second.

He was dressed in a garment as white as snow, gently fluttering in the breeze, making his figure appear even more elegant, as if an immortal had descended to earth.

That posture was as straight as a sharp, unsheathed sword.

The youth's body was surrounded by Spiritual Qi, clearly having reached the sixth level of the Acquired realm.

Every step he took was steady and powerful, naturally radiating a kind of powerful self-confidence, as if between heaven and earth, there was nothing that could make him feel fear.

Who else could this person be but Ji Mo?