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"Most people have arrived; the battle can begin now."
"This fight has no winners. No matter who wins, it will create some negative impact within the Temple of Martial Arts."
"Indeed, this is essentially a battle between Zhang Vice Hall Master and Yue Songyang, Deputy Hall Master."
"I hope it won't lead to too much entanglement and damage. The Thunder Sword Sect is one of us; we can't afford to create a significant rift right after joining."
The disciples whispered among themselves. Those speaking were neutral faction disciples, specifically from the Golden Spear Elder Master lineage.
Meanwhile, the disciples of Yue Songyang's Deputy Hall Master Bloodline were vocally supporting Zuo Leng. Zuo Leng had previously lost the title of Core Disciple to Wei Chen, and now that he had finally reclaimed his position, everyone from Yue Songyang's Deputy Hall Master Bloodline hoped that their senior brother Zuo Leng could achieve a resounding victory to announce his return.
Losing to Wei Chen was understandable; it was not embarrassing at all. However, losing to Zhang Yuqing would be a disgrace.
The Zhang Shi lineage naturally rallied behind Zhang Yuqing. As newcomers in the Temple of Martial Arts, they had yet to establish themselves firmly. They eagerly hoped to see Zhang Yuqing defeat Zuo Leng, giving the original members of the Temple of Martial Arts something to think about. This competitive mentality was something everyone experienced; it was an unchangeable aspect of human nature.
In any group, newcomers often face some bullying due to their unfamiliarity with the environment. This bullying might not be overt but rather a subtle feeling. However, because of this feeling, when someone formidable arises within that group and challenges the established members, conflicts between the old and new factions are inevitable.
The rivalry between the Zhang Shi lineage and Yue Songyang's Deputy Hall Master Bloodline was unavoidable; after all, only one could claim the title of strongest Core Disciple. Zhang Yuqing was already well-known as a young swordsmanship master in the Southern Ming Divine Domain. On the other hand, Zuo Leng held the prestigious title of Core Disciple in the Temple of Martial Arts and had long been aware of Zhang Yuqing's reputation. Yet, the relationship between the Temple of Martial Arts and Thunder Sword Sect had always been complex. Without an opportunity for combat between Zuo Leng and Zhang Yuqing, discussions about whose swordsmanship was superior remained a central topic among the youth in Southern Ming Divine Domain.
Now that Thunder Sword Sect had become a branch of the Temple of Martial Arts and Zhang Yuqing had joined as a disciple, a confrontation between Zuo Leng and Zhang Yuqing seemed more justified. If not for this perfect opportunity, it would have been difficult for them to find a chance to battle each other.
It should be noted that if Zuo Leng represented the Temple of Martial Arts while Zhang Yuqing represented Thunder Sword Sect, then their inexplicable conflict would involve a clash between these two factions. Who could bear such serious consequences?
In fact, Zhang Yuqing had long wanted to have a proper fight with Zuo Leng. Among young talents, there was always mutual defiance. The Core Disciple of the Temple of Martial Arts was also a renowned swordsman; Zhang Yuqing had always wanted to witness the true extent of Zuo Leng's Ice Sword technique.
Their mutual defiance and covert rivalry finally came to light after Thunder Sword Sect became part of the Temple of Martial Arts.
Since they were both disciples of the Temple of Martial Arts now, having a duel that was controlled yet decisive became very tempting.
Zhang Yuqing had only recently arrived at the Temple of Martial Arts, and Zuo Leng had just reclaimed his position as Core Disciple. It was unclear who initiated it, but they found themselves at odds with each other—one disliking the other intensely. This conflict did not stem from power struggles but rather from disdain for each other's swordsmanship skills.
There was no problem with that. Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng had agreed to duel, sword against sword, at the peak of the Snow Ridge Mountains!
This battle, while not as captivating as the confrontation between Wei Chen and Zuo Leng, still drew considerable attention. After all, the match between Wei Chen and Zuo Leng was about the contention for the title of Core Disciple; Wei Chen could only rightfully become a Core Disciple by defeating Zuo Leng. Of course, Wei Chen achieved this effortlessly, and Zuo Leng accepted his defeat with grace. This time, however, the duel did not involve any power struggles; it was purely a contest of swordsmanship between two proud swordsmen.
Humans are ultimately worldly beings. Without a struggle for power, the spectacle seemed somewhat lacking, so fewer people came to watch Zuo Leng and Zhang Yuqing compared to the earlier match between Wei Chen and Zuo Leng.
Nevertheless, there were still quite a few spectators—most of the Temple of Martial Arts members and all the core high-ranking figures were present.
"What do you think? Who will win in the duel between Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng?" The Golden Spear Elder Master asked nonchalantly, observing Yue Songyang, Deputy Hall Master, Gongye Long the Elder, and other onlookers with a smile.
Since it didn't concern him directly, the Golden Spear Elder Master was indifferent. The Thunder Sword Sect's involvement in martial arts meant that such battles would inevitably occur; it was a conflict between Yue Songyang's Deputy Hall Master Bloodline and Zhang Shi's faction—none of which concerned the Golden Spear Elder Master. In fact, he secretly hoped for such a scenario as it would serve to restrain Yue Songyang's influence. Zhang Vice Hall Master had divided the factions within the Temple of Martial Arts, which was something the Golden Spear Elder Master was eager to see.
Originally, Wei Chen belonged to the Golden Spear Elder Master's faction, but he had become too powerful. Now that Wei Chen had become the Chief Administrator of the Temple of Martial Arts, he wielded immense power that no one could challenge. Wei Chen no longer counted as part of any faction. As a result, the Golden Spear Elder Master had no ambitions; his faction lacked any Talented Disciples. Gongye Hong was one exception, but being a woman meant she could not achieve great things according to Endless Divine Realm's standards. Thus, the Golden Spear Elder Master had little interest in nurturing her. The future of the Temple of Martial Arts belonged to Yue Songyang's Deputy Hall Master Bloodline—a fact that the Golden Spear Elder Master had already accepted. Therefore, his faction would not participate in these conflicts.
With Zhang Shi's faction involved, the Golden Spear Elder Master was content to watch from the sidelines as Zhang Shi restrained Yue Songyang's influence—a significant advantage for his own faction.
In their eyes, regardless of who won or lost, it didn't matter as long as it didn't incite hostility between Yue Songyang's Deputy Hall Master Bloodline and Zhang's Vice Hall Master Bloodline.
The Golden Spear Elder Master's question irritated Yue Songyang, Deputy Hall Master.
Yue Songyang shot a cold glance at the Golden Spear Elder Master and said, "Jin Ge, do you find watching this amusing?"
"Yue Songyang, that's not quite fair," replied the Golden Spear Elder Master lightly. "I was merely asking; how did it turn into watching a show?"
Yue Songyang retorted, "Don't gloat. In your faction, there isn't even one Talented Disciple. Both Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng are outstanding figures of this generation. Can you find anyone in your faction who can compare with them? At least between Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng—whoever wins or loses—they are still rivals. Yet in your faction, there isn't even one person who can stand against them. Master of the Hall, don't you feel ashamed?"
Yue Songyang was blunt and his words were harsh.
The Golden Spear Elder Master endured this disdain without anger and continued to smile cheerfully. "It's a good thing that the Temple of Martial Arts has successors; we should all celebrate that. Yue Songyang, you seem a bit agitated. My disciples have never been competitive; they focus on their cultivation and contribute quietly to the Temple of Martial Arts. Isn't that good? Everyone has different personalities and strengths; you may look down on me but not on my disciples from the Temple of Martial Arts. Do you understand this principle, Yue Songyang?"
In terms of verbal sparring, Yue Songyang was no match for the Golden Spear Elder Master.
The Golden Spear Elder Master was well-versed in this matter, and it had always been the case that his verbal skills were stronger than his combat abilities.
It might seem a bit shameless, but that was an ironclad fact. The Golden Spear Elder Master could infuriate Yue Songyang, the Deputy Hall Master, to no end with just his sharp tongue; there was no need for real weapons and combat. The Golden Spear Elder Master never gave Yue Songyang a chance for a genuine fight because it was clear he could not defeat him.
Yue Songyang had fought against the Supreme Deity of Southern Ming, after all; the Golden Spear Elder Master was definitely no match for him.
Long ago, Yue Songyang had indeed battled the Supreme Deity of Southern Ming. Now, however, times had changed. The Supreme Deity of Southern Ming had grown stronger, while Yue Songyang had stagnated and could no longer compete with him.
Yue Songyang was furious with the Golden Spear Elder Master. He glared at Jin Ge and shouted, "Jin Ge, is it appropriate for you to make excuses like this? As a Hall Master, you have no capable disciples under your command. No matter how you twist your words, this is your dereliction of duty!"
Upon hearing this, several Ancestor Xu Elders turned their attention to the Golden Spear Elder Master. Yue Songyang's words were quite reasonable; they wanted to see how the usually eloquent Jin Ge would respond to Yue Songyang's accusation. Given Jin Ge's temperament, he would certainly want to retort if someone looked down on him; he could not swallow that insult.
The Golden Spear Elder Master pointed at Wei Chen from afar and said lightly, "Yue Songyang, you keep insisting that I have no capable disciples. Although Wei Chen is not technically my disciple, how much benefit has his talent brought to the Temple of Martial Arts? I strongly recommended Wei Chen join the Temple of Martial Arts back then, and you opposed it, didn't you? So what about now? Wei Chen has become the Chief Administrator of the Temple of Martial Arts; in terms of status, he stands equal to us and even has the tacit approval of the Elder Ancestors. He can do whatever he wants now; his position is at its peak."
"Thanks to Wei Chen, we directly reaped all the benefits from the Eastern Forest Contest, boosting our morale significantly. We also gained control over Thunder Sword Sect, increasing our strength by one-third and greatly enhancing our reputation. Moreover, we indirectly made the Temple of Martial Arts the foremost Major Force in the Southern Ming Divine Domain, subtly surpassing the Southern Ming Divine Palace. Are these not accomplishments?"
"Back then, I strongly advocated for Wei Chen's inclusion in the Temple of Martial Arts; weren't you the one who tried to stop me? Hmph! If I have no merit regarding the Temple of Martial Arts, then you should think twice before speaking such words. Right and wrong will eventually find their own justice."
The Golden Spear Elder Master seized on Wei Chen's contributions relentlessly, leaving Yue Songyang speechless. Wei Chen's contributions were evident; it was true that he had opposed him back then, which did not bode well for him.
"Alright, alright! Enough of this! The past is behind us; we must look forward. That child Zuo Leng has an arrogant disposition which is not a good thing. After battling Wei Chen, he has gained some experience and changed a bit in temperament but hasn't matured much either. As for Zhang Yuqing, coming from a prestigious lineage and practicing Thunder Sword Technique with considerable strength and a steady temperament—this match could go either way!" one Ancestor Xu Elder remarked.
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