Could it be that I am the cruel villain?

"Why would this senior brother say such things?"

"The junior sister already had an advantage. Senior brother had reservations during the initial bout out of concern for injuring the junior sister. Otherwise, she might not have been able to sustain herself before displaying her Daoist skills."

"Indeed, senior brother was the superior one this time. I apologize for interrupting everyone's enjoyment, but the junior sister is seriously injured. I will take her back to the mountain to recuperate."

"Our junior sister doesn't know how to control her strength. After the martial arts duel, I will personally bring her to apologize. I hope the senior will show tolerance."

He cupped his hands.

Although Jiang Feng was protective, he was not unwise. What happened had nothing to do with the senior brother in front of him. The person did nothing but engage in a regular duel without employing any schemes.

Instead, it was their junior sister's strong competitive nature, which led her to attempt the impossible. Ultimately, using her secret skills against her own sect member in a duel was inappropriate both emotionally and rationally.

If she continued to call upon the power of thunder, she could indeed win. But that would result in mutual injury. Feeling the pulse with his hands, he sensed slight tremors and injuries in the internal organs.

A few meridians were damaged by the unbearable power of lightning but luckily weren't broken, only injured. He felt some regret, not because he taught Liang Yu those techniques, but because he didn't assess the junior sister's physical condition beforehand.

With a sigh, he informed the elders and peak masters present before politely exiting, not worrying about propriety, directly holding the young girl and flying home. At this moment, there was no time to bother with trivial rules.

No one said a word.

Normally, most would likely scorn Jiang Feng, saying he took advantage by leaving with a princess carry. But.

Everyone was still immersed in the lingering thrill of the duel. Despite the brief celestial change, it remained a memorable scene.

"On the seventeenth day of the Nine Peaks Martial Arts Meet, the second round of thirty-two Inner Sect disciples into sixteen, the winner is..."

"Elder Du, I have something to say."

Just about to announce the result, the disciple with the last name He interrupted voluntarily.

"I lost."

"Utterly lost. If not for Brother Jiang's intervention, I undoubtedly would have lost. I should have conceded when Junior Sister Liang Yu displayed her Daoist skills."

"Knowing it was a spar among fellow sect members, yet relying on cultivation and age to shamelessly stand on stage. Even if victorious, it was a victory of bending the rules, not by merit. Had it not been the Martial Arts Arena, I might be facing death."

"Elder Du, I lost."

"Master, Grandmaster, I brought shame to you both."

He cupped his hands to the elder on stage and left without lingering further. Having lost in capability, he must preserve his dignity.

That is martial virtue.

If he lost in strength and virtue, gaining such an advantage would be a true joke.

The peak masters and elders present showed no blame, especially Divine Wood Peak's Peak Master Zhang. Known for his fiery temper, he was unusually calm today, only nodding with a benevolent smile as he watched his disciple leave.

Though slightly regretful, he felt more gratified. The young girl from Swordmaster Peak exhibited abilities far beyond expectations, and his great-grandstudent persisting this long was satisfaction enough.

Though losing to someone a Great Realm lower may sound unsavory, it would surely be remembered as disgrace forever.

Peak Master Zhang understood well. Apart from those few old masters' Direct Disciples, likely no one could handle the young girl.

The Core Formation stage divides into high, middle, and low grades, with sects classifying them strictly in the Cultivation World.

When facing those like Wild Fox Zen or crooked cultivators, Reputable Sect disciples have an inherent advantage. These sects have rigorous entry criteria.

Only a few from dozens in the Outer Sect and hundreds in the Inner Sect, each Inner Sect disciple is exceptional. Though they may falter before more monstrous geniuses within the sect, outside, each is like a Demon Lord of Mayhem.

Take the senior brother He as an example. During his training outside, he encountered Nascent Soul Stage evil cultivators more than once, always escaping after the conflict and returning with critical intelligence. This reflects his solid prowess.

Though lacking other disciples' monstrous talents, he was considered the most stable competitor, barely holding his ground even against Liang Yu's all-destructive display.

This stability partly explains why Jiang Feng dared to descend the mountain with three fellow mid-tier Core Formation disciples to capture the demon monk Jin Shan. For Purple Cloud Palace Disciples, battling across realms is common.

A high-grade Core Formation stage cultivator being overthrown by young Liang Yu speaks volumes of her terrifying potential. Advancing to the next round equals reaching the final sixteen among the third-generation disciples of Purple Cloud Palace.

Progress this significant in just two months asks what might be achieved in two or twenty years?

The next Liu Tangxi.

This has been the highest praise the Sect Master and elders have given thus far.

"Old Zhang, your young grand-disciple has quite the mettle, far exceeding your shameless self."

The retired elder from Qingxia Peak, who once interviewed Jiang Feng, laughed heartily. The elders valued character over hollow victories.

Others also showed smiles, having no issues with the result. As the disciple He said, winning is winning, losing is losing.

Had Jiang Feng not intervened by seizing the Thunder Sword, perhaps they as elders would have had to act.

They weren't blind to the battle but wanted to see how far Liang Yu could go. Unless the situation spiraled out of control, they'd let disciples maximize their skills.

Even if beaten thoroughly, they could still pull disciples from the brink of Ghost Gate unless the head literally exploded.

"Get lost, winning is winning, losing is losing, when did I ever deny the account?"

"Hey, forty-four years ago, during the martial meet, your restless hand challenged those kids one-on-one, claiming to use no Magic Treasures. Somehow you ended up angry and refused to admit defeat."

"Damn your nonsense!"

The old men bickering back and forth, eyes glaring, nearly coming to blows. Only Master Gu remained silent, watching Jiang Feng depart.

He alone noticed Jiang Feng interrupted the descending thunderclouds and the girl's lifted Thunder Sword.

He grasped it with his bare hand.

"And these old scoundrels haven't realized. The Swordmaster Peak successor's physique is extraordinary, such strength..."

"Is nearly akin to the Nascent Soul Stage."