In the end, every match must have a winner and a loser—no matter how much they humbly deferred to each other, a decision had to be made.
So, in the end, Xiao Tianyang chose to accept victory without hesitation.
Faced with his shameless grin, Huo Wu could only grit her teeth. "Hmph. Typical man."
With that, she turned and walked away, her eyes a mix of coquettishness and anger.
Far from embarrassing Xiao Tianyang, her reaction only amused him further.
"Alright, let's go." Xiao Tianyang stepped forward and patted Tang San on the shoulder. "Don't overthink it. You won fair and square. Pay no mind to the words of those petty onlookers."
As he spoke, his gaze swept toward the students of Canghui Academy lingearena by the arena.
If Huo Wu's earlier look had been one of speechless frustration tinged with anger, Xiao Tianyang's eyes now held nothing but icy pressure.
In an instant, the Canghui Academy student broke into a cold sweat, trembling under the weight of that glare. Some lowered their heads in shame, while others awkwardly scurried away.
Tang San nodded silently. Accompanied by Xiao Tianyang, he stepped down from the arena and rejoined Dai Mubai and the others before leaving.
Yet, even as they departed, the audience remained abuzz.
Even when the next match began, whispers about the two teams—and particularly Xiao Tianyang's interference—still circulated.
There was no helping it. Aside from his overwhelming strength, his sheer charisma was impossible to ignore.
But as the saying goes: 'Laymen watch the spectacle; experts observe the technique.'
Those seated in the VIP section paid little attention to the gossip. Their focus lay elsewhere—just how strong was Xiao Tianyang, the one who had intervened in the match?
"Uncle Gu Rong (Bone Douluo), did you see it clearly just now?" Ning Fengzhi's expression was solemn as he spoke in a low voice. "For a moment, I was in a daze. I only vaguely saw him kick Tang San away—but how did he neutralize that soul power collision?"
Though Xiao Tianyang had displayed extraordinary talent—even power beyond conventional understanding—it wasn't entirely unbelievable.
After all, this was a world where strength reigned supreme. Soul masters and spirit arenas came in endless variations, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. The occasional emergence of a genius was only natural.
Records, as they say, are made to be broken.
But in that earlier clash, even Ning Fengzhi—who lacked extensive combat experience—could tell that the Level 60+ referee beside the arena wouldn't have dared to intervene.
Otherwise, Xiao Tianyang wouldn't have needed to step in at all.
Yet what a Soul Emperor above Level 60 couldn't accomplish had been effortlessly resolved by a Soul Ancestor barely past Level 40...
The sheer shock of it was staggering.
"I never expected this kid to be so reserved. He dislikes showing off, yet he's hidden his true depths this well."
Gu Rong paused in recollection before explaining, "His method of dispersing that soul power was simple—overwhelm it with superior quality. He used sheer force to crush the opposing soul power."
Ning Fengzhi's pupils constricted. "Are you saying Xiao Tianyang, at just over Level 40, possesses soul power comparable to a Level 60+ soul master?!"
"Likely even higher. From his expression, it seemed he handled it with ease." Gu Rong hesitated briefly before adding, "And he didn't just save them—he dismantled the collision itself."
This revelation stunned Ning Fengzhi anew.
There was a difference between defusing a bomb and merely rescuing someone beside it. The former demanded not just strength, but precision. A single misstep could trigger an early explosion, harming both rescuer and victim alike.
The latter, however, only required speed and raw power.
Ning Fengzhi had assumed Xiao Tianyang had merely pulled them apart. He never imagined the young man had dissolved the clash entirely.
"If that's the case… this boy is truly remarkable." Ning Fengzhi exhaled slowly. "Uncle Gu, what's your assessment of him?"
"A genius. Undoubtedly." Gu Rong answered without hesitation.
A faint smile tugged at Ning Fengzhi's lips.
If both of the sect's pillars agreed, then his daughter's marriage prospects…
"But he has one fatal flaw—he's far too unrestrained!" Before Ning Fengzhi could respond, Gu Rong added coldly, "Did you not see how he embraced that girl without a care, yet kicked Tang San aside without hesitation?"
Ning Fengzhi: "…"
As a father, of course he had noticed.
And privately, he hadn't been entirely pleased with Xiao Tianyang's behavior.
But considering the boy's overall conduct, he hadn't crossed any true lines.
Besides, what man hadn't been young once? Even someone as dignified as Ning Fengzhi had his share of youthful romances.
Truthfully, unless one was a true martial fanatic, few immersed themselves solely in cultivation.
It was like the balance between life and work in the modern world—some leaned heavily to one side, while others maintained equilibrium.
Neither approach was inherently superior.
As the saying went: Different strokes for different folks.
But one thing was certain—those who balanced both lived more comfortably. At the very least, such individuals were open-minded, intelligent, and knew how to enjoy life.
As a father, Ning Fengzhi naturally wished for his daughter to marry well.
But he also didn't want his precious Ning Rongrong to bear undue pressure.
After some thought, someone as free-spirited as Xiao Tianyang might actually suit her better.
As for his flirtatious tendencies…
Objectively speaking, with Xiao Tianyang's unparalleled talent and unfettered personality, tying him down would be no easy feat.
Moreover, Ning Fengzhi knew his daughter's limits—she was clever and adorable, but in matters of love, she'd inevitably be the passive one.
Especially with someone like Xiao Tianyang.
For a moment, Ning Fengzhi shook his head, a wry smile playing at his lips. He said nothing more.
…
Rest Area
Tang San and the others returned triumphant, greeted by cheers—but not everyone was pleased.
Ning Rongrong, in particular, was less than thrilled.
"If you were going to save her, why hold her like that? Couldn't you have just tossed her aside?" She sidled up to Xiao Tianyang, pinching his sleeve and shaking it lightly as she spoke.
"Wouldn't that be too rude?" Xiao Tianyang shrugged. "Besides, she's still a girl. If we'd thrown her to the ground and humiliated her, how would that count as a proper victory?"
Tang San blinked in surprise.
"Brother Tianyang… was your earlier humility just a ploy?"
"Not entirely." Xiao Tianyang replied, "In that collision, you were at a disadvantage. Strictly speaking, you did lose."
"Then why did you…?" Tang San's mood dampened.
Initially, Xiao Tianyang's words after the match had comforted him.
But now, this new perspective left him conflicted.
If this was how victory was achieved… he'd rather not have won at all.
Yet since it was Brother Tianyang—the one he respected most—who had orchestrated it all, he didn't know how to voice his unease.
…
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