The elder and the Inner Sect disciple had pulled away from each other for the second time when Gu Lie found an opening, hurriedly gathered his breath, and called out, "I concede."

What? Concede? Thunderbolt was momentarily taken aback. The boy had provoked him, only to concede. How could this be, to insult me, an old man, could not be settled like this, he rebuked, "Don't be affected, I promise I won't kill you."

For crying out loud, since when is this allowed? Judging by that tone, it seems death isn't far off. The reality proves that the hermit sects do maintain a dignified appearance, in contrast to the various unorganized, complex folk sects.

But as Thunderbolt took a quick step forward, reaching out to grab him, suddenly a figure, many times faster than before, shot towards Thunderbolt's surroundings, striking him and sending him flying off into the distance.

It was one of the Jade Clear Sect's twelve enforcers, the Special Envoy, and the Jade Clear Sect was clearly protective of their own. He scanned the crowd with a cold gaze and said, "Who dares to break the rules."

The atmosphere on the scene immediately became extremely heavy. The disciples of the Iron Fist Sect glared in anger, but were stopped by a gesture from Thunderbolt. They dared not provoke the Jade Clear Sect. Thunderbolt said, "The rules state that leaving the arena counts as a loss, but there is no clear stipulation regarding voluntarily forfeiting the fight. Does the esteemed envoy's sudden attack count as 'reasonable'?"

Thunderbolt heavily emphasized the word "reasonable." Even though the folk sects were quite wary of the Jade Clear Sect, they knew well that the hermit sects prioritized principles.

"You are correct, but…" the Special Envoy started to say before shifting his tone, "The disciple of Jade Clear Sect has already conceded. If someone else has broken the rules first, I will not show any mercy."

"You…"

Thunderbolt felt a rush of anger that brought a sweet taste to his chest, and he suddenly spewed out a mouthful of blood. But what could he do? He pointed at the Special Envoy elder but couldn't utter a single word. In the face of absolute power, all 'reason' was mere decoration. The folk sects couldn't afford to offend the Jade Clear Sect, and the established Ancient Martial Arts families gathered around also grew restless. It was pure bullying—there was no rule about conceding before.

The abrupt change on the scene took everyone by surprise, and the commotion soon alerted the higher-ups of the Jade Clear Sect...

But before Wu Tian could arrive, the next fight had already begun. It was Thunderbolt. Even if it meant his death, he decided he wouldn't let his opponent have it easy. "Very well, very well, very well..." Thunderbolt said three "very wells" in concession, "This time, let me be your opponent."

Despite everyone trying to convince Thunderbolt not to fight due to his injuries, wanting to take his place, they couldn't persuade him with his sour temper. His fiery personality was well-known among the folk Ancient Martial Arts families.

Coldly scanning everything below, he had never anticipated that the situation would turn into what it had become. It could be said that both parties were at fault in this conflict, but it was indeed the Jade Clear Sect that had broken the rules first. Feng Yi had come full of hope and expectation, but at this point, he had lost all interest in watching any further.

Indeed, what he hoped to see was the prosperity of Ancient Martial Arts. It was the thriving new life after the war, not the battles of words. Feng Yi sighed inexplicably...

Mengdie's gaze gently touched upon Feng Yi, clearly feeling the unusual emotional fluctuations around him—loss, sadness, a regret laced with many layers of helplessness, intriguing.

The Jade Clear Sect disciples were clearly upset as well, their emotions written all over their faces. How could a simple competition have turned into what it was now? Although traditions can change, the creed that each martial artist adheres to is deeply rooted.

Looking down at the arena again, how could the old man be a match for the Special Envoy elder? As one of the high-ranking elders, the Special Envoy was an exceptional expert, second only to the three main protectors and Mengdie.

At this moment, even the clamor of the crowd betting outside had quieted down, the tense atmosphere hovering like dark clouds over everyone's heads in the somewhat sweltering noon.

Accompanied by a tiger's roar, Thunderbolt, stepping back onto the stage, took the initiative to attack—he was determined to kill his adversary.

The Special Envoy sneered in disdain. With such a slow pace of attacking, if you want to die, then I shall oblige.

The fight was about to erupt, but with a crisp snap, the assaults from both sides came to an abrupt halt in that instant.

Feng Yi's figure was already between the two, and in the blink of an eye, he had easily neutralized the attacks, causing a stir among those watching...

Thunderbolt's fury had no outlet. Regardless of who it was, he wouldn't hold back. As he reeled his fist back, he struck with thunderous force directly at Feng Yi, but his attack stopped midway, completely shocked at the person before him.

This was the Special Envoy who had bravely rushed to the front lines and infiltrated enemy territory on a lofty mission. This was the federal myth known as the Revenge Shadow Rider. This was the national hero who had once turned the tide for the Icebird legion—a living, breathing presence standing right before him.

"Is... is... are you General Feng?"

Feng Yi nodded with a faint smile.

At the same time, the Special Envoy also slowly withdrew his hand... As one of the twelve elders, he was not unfamiliar with Feng Yi's identity and was well aware of how terrifying his strength was, surely beyond his own comparison—self-awareness is of great value. Even if the four main protectors, including Mingfei, Mengdie, and Zhan Yu, joined forces, they would not be able to stop Feng Yi, let alone him?

Before the elder could say more, an enthusiastic cheer erupted from the crowd. Damn, with the federal hero Feng Yi here, what did they have to fear from the Jade Clear Sect?

"May I ask what brings you here, General Feng?" said the Special Envoy.

You do not have the right to question General Feng," the elder finally couldn't restrain himself and rebuked. Feng Yi was the nation's hero, it wasn't his place to question him, nor could he even if he wanted to.

"Gentlemen, please be at ease," Feng Yi indicated to both sides not to be angry. With a sharp gaze sweeping across the crowd, he said, "To err is human, to forgive divine. In our pursuit of momentary victories, we become impatient and restless. How can we then be called martial artists?"

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