Chapter 32: Stubbornly Defiant Despite Inferior Skill-Eu só aceitei discípulos por acaso, como eles se tornaram Grandes Imperadores?(Espalhadas como estrelas sobre o rio inteiro.)

In an instant, Huangfu Yu was severely wounded by Zhao Changsheng.

Struck by a powerful magical artifact, Huangfu Yu knew he was no match for Zhao Changsheng and turned to the Patriarch of the Huangfu family for help without hesitation. His face was as pale as paper, his eyes filled with desperate pleading. "Patriarch, save me! This Zhao Changsheng is too devious; he possesses such a formidable artifact. I... I am no match for him!"

The Huangfu Patriarch’s expression was grim. While he coveted the artifact in Zhao Changsheng’s hands and was shocked by the outcome of the duel, he could not openly break the oath he had just sworn in front of so many members of the Holy Land. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed his rage and did not immediately respond to Huangfu Yu's cries.

Watching the disheveled Huangfu Yu pleading for help, Zhao Changsheng said coldly, "Huangfu Yu, this is a duel between us. Are you trying to escape defeat by hiding behind your family's protection? Do you have any dignity left as a cultivator?"

Stung by these words, Huangfu Yu flushed with shame, but he was beyond caring. He continued to gaze longingly at the Patriarch, hoping for intervention. The Patriarch weighed his options carefully; he knew that interfering now would offend the Holy Land and leave his family in a precarious position due to his recent oath. Yet, if he watched Huangfu Yu be humiliated, what would become of the Huangfu family's prestige?

Just as the Patriarch hesitated, Ye Xinghe spoke up. "Patriarch Huangfu, the duel is not yet over. If you intervene now, you will be openly violating your oath. I trust you would not do something so foolish."

The Patriarch glared at Ye Xinghe before snapping at Huangfu Yu, "Useless wretch! You lack the skill to win, yet you attempt to make the family clean up your mess. Get up and keep fighting!"

Though stung by the rebuke, Huangfu Yu dared not disobey. He forced himself up from the ground, gritting his teeth in pain. A look of grim resolve crossed his face as he committed an act of shocking madness: he began to burn his own soul.

Instantly, eerie dark blue flames ignited in his eyes, and his aura began to surge with terrifying speed. "Zhao Changsheng, even if it costs me my life, I will make you pay!" Huangfu Yu’s voice sounded like the cry of a night owl, chilling to the bone.

The onlookers gasped in horror. "He is burning his soul? That is a forbidden art! If he follows through, the consequences will be unthinkable. Is he trying to drag Zhao Changsheng to the grave with him?" one disciple of the Holy Land exclaimed, his face pale with terror.

Ye Xinghe’s expression grew grave; he had not expected Huangfu Yu to be so desperate. He sent a telepathic message to Zhao Changsheng: "Changshang, be careful. He is making a final, desperate gamble. Do not meet him head-on; focus on stabilizing your position."

Zhao Changsheng tensed, sensing the frantic aura radiating from his opponent. He took a deep breath, keeping his eyes locked on Huangfu Yu as the light from his artifact grew brighter.

"Soul-Shattering Palm!" Huangfu Yu roared, his palms descending toward Zhao Changsheng. A vortex of black spiritual energy, like a predatory demon, surged forward with destructive force.

Zhao Changsheng did not hesitate, pouring all his spiritual energy into his artifact to bolster his defenses. Simultaneously, he chanted under his breath, causing scorching flames to erupt from the ground beneath him, coiling around his body like serpents to form a second layer of protection.

"Boom!"

With a deafening crash, the vortex collided with the blue light shield and the barrier of flames. Seeing the danger of the situation, Ye Xinghe sent another urgent message: "Changshang, do not hold back any longer. Use the divine weapon I gave you!"

Knowing the immense power of the weapon and realizing the gravity of the moment, Zhao Changsheng reached into his storage ring. In an instant, a blinding light shot into the sky as the divine weapon manifested.

The arrival of the divine weapon released an aura so powerful it felt suffocating, momentarily suppressing the violent energy unleashed by Huangfu Yu’s burning soul. The crowd felt their breath hitch, their eyes fixed on the brilliant blue light of the weapon in sheer awe.

"I have never seen such a weapon. What kind of treasure could possess such terrifying power?" an elder of the Holy Land muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Indeed," another added. "What is Zhao Changsheng’s background? Not only does he have a formidable artifact, but now this heaven-defying weapon!"

Seeing the divine weapon, the Huangfu Patriarch’s greed flared like a wildfire. Unable to sit still, he stood up abruptly, pointing at Zhao Changsheng and shouting in frustration, "How dare you, Zhao Changsheng! This divine weapon is clearly the ancestral treasure of the Huangfu family! You must have stolen it, you traitor! How dare you!"

The crowd was stunned, casting suspicious glances toward Zhao Changsheng.

Zhao Changsheng glared at the Patriarch, furious. "Patriarch Huangfu, do not slander me! This divine weapon was gifted to me by my master and has nothing to do with your family. To smear my name for your own greed is utterly shameless!"

The Patriarch scoffed. "Your master? Ye Xinghe could possess such a treasure? Do you expect us to believe your lies? This weapon has been sealed in our family’s forbidden grounds for ages. If you didn't steal it, how could it be in your hands?"

Ye Xinghe’s face turned dark at the accusation. What a shameless man! He stepped forward and said coldly, "Patriarch Huangfu, as the head of a clan, how can you spew such nonsense? This weapon has its own history and is not your family’s property. What is your true motive in slandering my disciple?"

The Patriarch turned to Ye Xinghe with unconcealed hostility. "Ye Xinghe, do not think I don't see your game. You are clearly colluding with Zhao Changsheng to steal our family treasure. You must answer for this today, or the Huangfu family will not let this go!"

The Holy Master frowned, sensing that there was more to the situation than met the eye. He spoke with authority, "Patriarch Huangfu, you claim this weapon belongs to your family, but do you have proof? You must not make such accusations based on your word alone."