Master Tong Yuan's expression remained smiling despite Yang Hong's retort, but a shock coursed through him. He began to telepathically instruct his disciples to bring more equipment.
After retorting to Master Tong Yuan, Yang Hong turned his gaze towards the battlefield on the Immortal Sect's side, his brow furrowing involuntarily.
The Golden Core battle underway featured an elder with snow-white hair and beard, radiating a heavy aura of twilight. He fought with a clear desperation.
This was a stark contrast to their earlier Qi Refining battle.
It seemed the Immortal Sect harbored immense ambition and resolve.
Despite their more friendly attitude towards Yang Hong, they had not forgotten their mission to subdue Qingfeng Villa.
Yang Hong immediately sent a telepathic message to the Qingfeng Villa disciples on that side, urging them to prioritize safety. He told them to retreat from the formation area and concede if necessary, rather than risk their lives.
Just as the Buddhist sect's Nascent Soul contestants were their trump cards, the chosen opponent order by the Immortal Sect indicated that their Golden Core contestants were their aces.
In that case, what harm was there in conceding a single match?
Every team from Qingfeng Villa was a trump card!
The disciples' lives were far more important than victory.
Meanwhile, the Foundation Establishment battle against the Buddhist sect had also commenced.
"Thunder Pearl!"
"Stone Armor Talisman!"
As soon as the Qingfeng Villa Foundation Establishment disciple entered the arena, they first activated a Thunder Pearl and hurled it, immediately followed by activating a defensive talisman.
The choice of the Stone Armor Talisman was due to its superior lightning resistance among Tier 2 talismans.
As expected, the moment the Qingfeng Villa disciple activated the Stone Armor Talisman, a bolt of azure heavenly lightning struck down.
"Explosive Fireball Talisman, Swift Wind Talisman..."
The disciple unleashed nine more attack talismans in rapid succession. After activation, without observing the opponent's spells or talismans, they used a swift movement technique to dart chaotically within the combat area.
However, the moving target was clear: to get close to the Buddhist sect's contestant.
While the opponent struggled to defend against the talismans and spells, they closed the distance and unleashed a sword strike!
The battle ended!
Many of Qingfeng Villa's Foundation Establishment disciples hailed from the Deyuan Sect. Influenced by the former sect leader, now Outer Gate Manager Zhang Zhengyan, all disciples possessed excellent sword control skills.
A single pass of the flying sword was enough to cripple the Buddhist sect contestant.
If not for the rule against killing, heads would have certainly flown!
Qingfeng Villa decisively secured three consecutive victories in the three Foundation Establishment battles.
"Sponsor Yang's Qingfeng Villa truly is wealthy!"
Master Tong Yuan seemed to have anticipated the Buddhist sect's three consecutive losses. He merely returned Yang Hong's earlier taunt.
"Just average. Our humble sects only possess resources for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment."
"Heh heh~ Sponsor Yang is too modest. A Tier 2 Thunder Pearl is a rarer treasure than a Tier 4, and Qingfeng Villa can produce them so easily. That's certainly no ordinary confidence!"
"Is that so? Master, would you like to buy some? I'll sell them to you at a good price."
"Oh~ No need. Once Sponsor joins the alliance, you will naturally contribute to it."
Elder Chaoyang, watching the two sparring with smiles, raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding creeping in.
RUMBLE!
At that moment, a deafening explosion echoed from the Qingfeng Villa and Buddhist sect battle arena!
"Self-detonation?"
"Self-detonation!"
Elder Chaoyang merely raised an eyebrow before shifting his gaze away.
Yang Hong, however, was filled with shock, unsure if it was a Qingfeng Villa disciple or a Buddhist sect cultivator who had self-detonated.
Soon, as the dust settled, a severely damaged figure lay prone on the ground, his breath shallow. He was barely clinging to life.
"Xu Weijun!"
Yang Hong cried out and vanished instantly. Master Tong Yuan, who had intended to intercept, could not.
Upon reaching Xu Weijun, Yang Hong immediately stuffed a sixth-tier healing pill from his person into his mouth, while simultaneously casting a healing spell imbued with the Law of Creation.
"Golden Core Battle, First Round: Guang Lushun of the 'Boundless Buddhist Dharma Alliance' wins."
"What? Are you blind? Your Buddhist disciple self-detonated! He's dead! How can he win?!"
While Yang Hong was desperately saving Xu Weijun, the Buddhist sect referee had already announced the Buddhist disciple's victory.
Ke Jiemei immediately questioned him with fury.
"Fellow Daoist, as you said, my Buddhist disciple is dead.
Have you forgotten one of the combat rules: once an opponent is killed, the match is forfeited!"
"I~ I~ Damn it!"
Ke Jiemei stuttered for a moment before letting out a curse!
This was a blatant trap!
A trap set with one's own life!
A virtually inescapable trap!
Yang Hong, who was saving the injured disciple, looked up at Master Tong Yuan who had flown over. Without further comment, he held Xu Weijun and approached Ke Jiemei, stating calmly.
"Since you are outmatched, concede."
With that, he instantly teleported back to Qingfeng Villa's spectator area, handing Xu Weijun over to the disciples specializing in healing spells.
"Continue."
Returning to the previous spectator area, Yang Hong gave the order in a calm and cold voice.
"Fellow Daoist, you should join my Immortal Sect. It's too dangerous to join the Buddhist sect."
Seeing Yang Hong's displeased expression, Elder Chaoyang immediately seized the opportunity to invite him.
"Defeat me, defeat Qingfeng Villa first."
As he spoke, Yang Hong's aura steadily surged, rising to the peak of the ninth-tier Great Ascension realm.
"Heh heh~ The match~ the match~ let's finish the competition first, according to the rules."
Sensing Yang Hong's aura, Elder Chaoyang instinctively took two steps back, thinking: *This old schemer, has he finally revealed his true cultivation?*
He had long suspected Yang Hong of being a ninth-tier Great Ascension realm cultivator, hiding his true strength to play the fool and devour the tiger.
He had never imagined that Yang Hong's true cultivation was only sixth-tier Spirit Severing.
Master Tong Yuan, who had intended to approach Yang Hong to mock him, dared not get too close upon sensing Yang Hong's terrifying aura, let alone mock him.
He also feared that Yang Hong might suddenly go berserk and, disregarding the might of the 'Boundless Buddhist Dharma Alliance,' kill him outright.
"Golden Core Battle, Second Round: Qingfeng Villa's An Ran..."
The battle continued, not with intense combat, but with resounding explosions of death!
The Buddhist sect, in their pursuit of victory, had thrown all pretense of decency aside. As soon as the two engaged, the Buddhist monk directly self-detonated, without a single word of exchange, not even a greeting!
What was most disgusting was that Qingfeng Villa's An Ran had not died, but was severely injured. Even if she was saved, her path of cultivation would be severed.
This was an extreme one-for-one exchange!
The Buddhist sect was ruthless!
Facing Yang Hong's fierce gaze, Master Tong Yuan, who had regained his composure, smiled compassionately at Yang Hong and nodded, his expression betraying no small amount of pride.
In the third Golden Core battle, Yang Hong also allowed his disciples to play dirty.
At the start of the match, the Qingfeng Villa disciple ascended into the sky, firing flying swords while activating defensive talismans.
Before the Buddhist sect contestant could self-detonate, they actively withdrew from the formation barrier, completing the concession procedure.
Yang Hong watched the Buddhist sect disciple standing motionlessly on the spot and suddenly understood the Buddhist sect's intention. They had only prepared to self-detonate two disciples initially, using this ruthlessness to intimidate their opponents.
However, even though Yang Hong saw through this scheme, it was too late. The Buddhist sect's ability to manipulate people's hearts was truly terrifying.
Furthermore, this series of self-detonations had a significant impact on subsequent battles.
Looking at the Buddhist sect disciple who had entered the combat area, with his white hair and unstable aura, and then at the cautious, even trembling, Qingfeng Villa disciples.
A deep worry arose in Yang Hong's heart!