The scholar with the folding fan coughed lightly, "Cough, cough, cough! From my observations, the Pill that old Valley Master Situ might not be able to refine..."
...
The man carrying the great saber and the one slapping his thigh were simultaneously struck dumb.
Another portion of the crowd was discussing Zi Linling.
"Is this third young lady of the Zi family really the same trash as before?"
The speaker rubbed his eyes, his face filled with disbelief.
The person beside him, with the expression of looking at an idiot, cursed, "Trash, what kind of trash! She pushed the Palace Master Lianhua, who is in the late stage of the Huayuan Realm, to this extent. If such a fierce person is trash, then you show me how you are trash!"
From not far away, a disdainful voice emerged, "What do you guys know? This is called hiding one's strength and feigning weakness! Perhaps Miss Zi has always been able to cultivate, and was just playing the part of a pig to eat a tiger."
"But that doesn't make sense! A month ago, at the entrance of Fengyun Business Firm, when Miss Zi the Third challenged Fairy Qingcheng, she seemed unable to cultivate." A spectator uncertainly raised an objection.
"If Miss Zi the Third could cultivate from the beginning, why would she still let the Zi family bully her without retaliating? Miss Zi the Third previously said that the Second Madam and the second young lady of the Zi family had often bullied her."
Someone else raised a doubt, which was also the thought of most of the spectators.
Someone jumped up and said disdainfully, "Tch! Since she was feigning weakness and biding her time, she naturally wouldn't reveal herself until the crucial moment. Look now, isn't her strength revealed?"
Another person, unable to stand it, retorted, "Biding your time, your grandmother's bear! Try enduring for twelve years without fighting back or uttering a word!"
...
Of course, there was another portion of people who were extremely curious about Zi Linling's true strength.
"What do you think Miss Zi the Third's cultivation is? I can't tell at all!"
The person observed for a long time without any clue and couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know, but I know it's definitely not the Quanti Realm!" a spectator jumped out and said profoundly.
The person beside him glared at him and cursed, "Isn't that obvious! How could someone in the Quanti Realm fight against Duan Qing, who is at the peak of the Yinqi Realm? How could they push Palace Master Lianhua, who is in the late stage of the Huayuan Realm, to this point?"
"Could it be the Yinqi Realm? But it doesn't look like it! And even if she were in the Yinqi Realm, she wouldn't be the opponent of Palace Master Lianhua, who is in the late stage of the Huayuan Realm!"
The speaker seemed to be talking to himself, but it was also due to his ignorance.
One should know that Zi Linling, when she was in the Yinqi Realm, could already fight against those in the Huayuan Realm and had repeatedly escaped from four Huayuan Realm experts.
The person beside him scoffed and cursed, "Get lost! Yinqi Realm? She's definitely beyond that! To force the Huayuan Realm to act like a mad dog, she must at least be a strong cultivator in the Huayuan Realm."
The surrounding crowd repeatedly agreed, "Makes sense! Makes sense! Makes sense!"
"Indeed, it makes sense! However, in just one month, from a nobody to the Huayuan Realm, what kind of monstrous talent is this?"
"Right! It's outrageous! Outrageous beyond belief! Even books wouldn't dare to write something like this!"
"You know nothing! A monstrous talent is a monstrous talent; you can't judge them by common standards!"
"Heaven-defying talent! Heaven-defying potential! I never thought I'd see such a genius in my lifetime. It's truly worth living!"
"Alas, if Miss Zi the Third is truly in the Huayuan Realm, then won't she be in trouble next?" a spectator suddenly sighed, his voice filled with worry.
The person beside him patted his forehead and said, "Right! Palace Master Lianhua is now in the Saint King Realm. Can someone in the Huayuan Realm stand a chance against someone in the Saint King Realm?"
After he finished speaking, he sighed and shook his head.
Around them, a wave of lamentations arose.
"Pitiful! Just as she rose, she will..."
"Do you think the Zi family will protect Miss Zi the Third?"
"They should, shouldn't they? After all, such an unparalleled genius, as long as she doesn't perish prematurely, is destined to become famous throughout the world."
"Anyway, if I were a principal member of the Zi family, I would protect her at all costs!"
...
Ye Lingyuan's calm expression shattered, and a trace of worry crept into his deep eyes.
His fists slowly clenched, and his divine sense covered the area above the arena, ready to strike at any moment.
Situ Yunfeng stopped drinking and stared at the arena with a face full of worry, asking, "Do you think she can win?"
His voice trembled slightly, and he stood up, his entire body tense and on guard.
"She definitely will!"
"Even if she won't, I will not allow her to be harmed."
Ye Lingyuan's voice was laced with coldness.
Of course, the latter sentence he only silently kept in his heart.
Situ felt the chill radiating from him and his heart trembled. After a moment of stunned silence, he smiled, "Yes, she will definitely win!"
He took a sip of wine, and the worry on his face vanished.
Because, having been brothers with Ye Lingyuan for so many years, he understood him too well.
Things that Ye Lingyuan did not allow to happen would absolutely not occur unexpectedly.
Ye Lingyuan stopped speaking, and Situ sat down again.
The two fell silent, but their gazes never left the martial arts stage.
The elder council of the Zi family was currently in a heated argument.
Of course, due to their positions, they were using telepathic communication.
"If you don't protect her, I will!" the Second Elder, Zi Yangchun, said angrily.
"Second Brother, calm down. Even if we want to protect her now, we are powerless! The late stage of the Saint King Realm is no longer something we can contend with!" the First Elder, Zi Yangshang, said helplessly.
The Third Elder, Zi Yangbei, agreed, "Eldest Brother is right! Although Third Sister is a genius, we can't risk the entire Zi family for her, can we?"
"Second Brother, just listen to Eldest Brother! Eldest Brother has dedicated his life to the Zi family; he wouldn't harm the Zi family!" the Fourth Elder, Zi Yangqiu, also agreed.
"Hmph! He won't harm the Zi family, but he will harm Third Sister! Don't you forget, she is the only daughter of Guochang!"
Zi Yangchun sneered, "Twelve years ago, if it weren't for Guochang, the Zi family would have been driven out of the Eight Great Noble Clans long ago! Now that his daughter is at a point of life and death, you are thinking of protecting yourselves. When Guochang returns, let's see how you explain yourselves to him!"
"This..."
Zi Yangshang, Zi Yangbei, and Zi Yangqiu all fell silent.
The Zi family's current standing was indeed thanks to Zi Guochang's great contributions.
And the reason they could still sit here and enjoy the rights of elders was also fought for with Zi Guochang's life.
Just then, Zi Wenchang's telepathic message appeared in the minds of the four, "Elders, I have something to say!"
Except for the Second Elder, Zi Yangchun, who snorted and remained silent, the other three politely said, "Acting Patriarch, please speak."
Zi Yangchun was upright and already dissatisfied with Zi Wenchang taking over as the patriarch.
Because, in his opinion, Zi Wenchang was simply trying to reap the benefits of Zi Guochang's hard work!