Everyone—every guest present, the Emperor of Luanfeng, even the two girls beside Ye Mu—froze in place, staring at him with disbelief and shock in their eyes!
Clearly, none of them had expected Ye Mu to actually say such a thing!
It was a long time before someone finally stammered, “D-Did I hear that right? The Holy Son… wants to spar with Princess Luanfeng!?”
As soon as those words were spoken, it was like a divine technique had been cast upon calm waters. The massive palace instantly erupted into chaos!
“No way! The Holy Son must be insane! Sparring with Princess Luanfeng!? I hate to say it… but that’s just asking for death!!”
“I remember Princess Luanfeng broke through to the Nirvana Realm a year ago… Now that a year has passed, her cultivation must be unfathomable! The Holy Son has no chance of winning!!”
“Exactly! Even if he’s eager to marry the princess, he shouldn’t act so recklessly!!”
Amidst the uproar, the Emperor of Luanfeng quickly came to his senses. He rushed forward, clasped his hands to Ye Mu, and said, “Holy Son, my daughter was just spouting nonsense. There’s no need to take her words seriously. I’ll go teach her a lesson right now!”
He turned to scold Feng Lingyue—only to be stopped by Ye Mu’s voice.
“No need for that.”
The Emperor’s face showed confusion.
“This Holy Son isn’t the kind of man who forces women. That’s something I would never do…”
As he finished speaking… Su Qianqian blushed slightly, while Bai Yaoyao bit her lip hard, cursing him silently in her heart: Shameless bastard…
Ye Mu didn’t notice their reactions and continued, “Since Lingyue has already spoken, this Holy Son will naturally win her properly—through fair means.”
The Emperor wanted to speak again.
But Feng Lingyue was already looking at Ye Mu with curious interest. She asked, “You… really want to spar with me?”
Ye Mu didn’t answer. He simply raised his hand slightly. In that moment, spiritual energy surged out, condensing in the center of the palace into a massive illusory arena!
The next instant, Ye Mu’s figure flickered—he landed on the arena.
“Princess, please join me.”
Feng Lingyue didn’t know where Ye Mu got his confidence from, but regardless, she raised her bare feet and ascended the arena with elegant lotus-like steps.
As the two officially took the stage, another wave of noise rippled through the crowd.
“They’re really going to fight!? Are they really doing this!?”
“This is getting interesting… I didn’t expect a birthday banquet to turn into such a show.”
Hearing the voices around her, Bai Yaoyao couldn’t hold back her excitement. She turned to Su Qianqian and said gleefully, “Qianqian! Ye Mu’s really going to fight that Feng Lingyue! Hahaha! I hope she beats that bastard to death! Then I won’t have to—”
She suddenly paused. Because she noticed… Su Qianqian didn’t look the least bit excited. In fact… she looked a little sad?
“Qianqian? That bastard Ye Mu is about to get beaten up. Aren’t you happy?” Bai Yaoyao asked.
Su Qianqian lowered her eyes in silence. By all logic, she should have been thrilled…
But right now… not only was she not happy, she even felt… a twinge of worry.
“What’s wrong with me…”
She whispered softly.
Meanwhile, the Emperor of Luanfeng looked toward the arena with a heart full of panic. The moment Ye Mu and Feng Lingyue stepped onto the stage, he no longer cared about the engagement. What worried him most now… was what if something went wrong during the spar?
If anything happened to Ye Mu, the Blissful Holy Land would surely turn its wrath upon them!!
[Go easy… my precious daughter, please go easy…]
He shut his eyes tight and silently pleaded to Feng Lingyue in his heart.
On the arena—
Feng Lingyue stared at Ye Mu but didn’t strike immediately. Instead, she warned him coldly.
“This is your final warning. On the arena, weapons and fists show no mercy. If you regret it now, you still have time—”
Ye Mu smiled.
“This Holy Son has no regrets. But… I’m worried the princess might.”
Upon hearing that, Feng Lingyue sneered coldly. “Arrogant fool. Today, I’ll show you just how vast the gap between us truly is!”
As her voice fell—
Boom!
A terrifying pressure exploded from within her! Accompanied by the cries of a phoenix, a flaming illusory figure of the Primordial Phoenix slowly emerged behind her!
Boom!!
In a flash, the whole palace became like a furnace!! The air itself rippled from the heat!
“T-That’s… Nirvana 8th stage!! Princess Luanfeng’s cultivation level… has reached the 8th stage of the Nirvana Realm!!”
Feng Lingyue made no effort to conceal her cultivation. Her realm was instantly revealed—and shock spread through the guests like wildfire!!
Because… Nirvana 8th stage was far too terrifying!!
Beyond Nirvana was Dao Transformation. A cultivator at that level could establish their own sect and become a powerful overlord of a region—most of the guests present were Dao Transformation cultivators!
Feng Lingyue hadn’t broken through yet, but at her current speed… she’d likely reach Dao Transformation by the time she turned twenty!
A Dao Transformation cultivator at twenty—what kind of concept was that!?
Unprecedented!!
Unrepeatable!!
“Phoenix Flame!”
Feng Lingyue slowly raised her hand and said softly.
In that moment!! The phoenix behind her vanished—transforming into waves of karmic flames powerful enough to devour the world itself!
The flames surged toward Ye Mu with terrifying speed!!
“Hiss! Princess Feng isn’t holding back at all!!”
The guests gasped sharply.
They could all see it—Feng Lingyue’s attack held nothing back.
Forget Ye Mu—
Even some of the older Dao Transformation cultivators among them were amazed at the force of that move!
Just as everyone thought Ye Mu was about to be incinerated by the overwhelming flames—
Ye Mu only smiled.
“Using fire, huh… what are you doing? Wielding a blade before Guan Yu?”
As soon as he said that—Boom!!