Zi Lingling said, and a whip condensed from wood spiritual energy appeared in her hand.
She reached out and grabbed it, and one end of the whip was obediently held in her hand.
With a flick of the whip, the other end accurately wrapped around Zi Nan's body.
Zi Lingling pulled and swung, and Zi Nan was whipped into the air, flying towards the outside of the stage.
"Not good!"
Zi Nan felt his body tighten, and he was no longer in control of his own movements.
By the time he reacted, he was already in mid-air, with half his body outside the stage.
"Roar!"
Zi Nan roared in desperation, his spiritual energy erupting fully.
Qi Gathering Realm middle stage!
This was his genuine Qi Gathering Realm middle stage, not like Zi Jinling's, which was achieved through unorthodox means.
He looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, yet he was a spiritual cultivator at the Qi Gathering Realm middle stage!
The spectators couldn't help but cheer.
After all, a Qi Gathering Realm middle-stage cultivator at fifteen or sixteen was considered a genius in any family.
This was precisely why Crown Prince Ye Yuanhao was so arrogant.
The moment his spiritual energy erupted, a vine of wood spiritual energy quickly appeared in Zi Nan's hand.
As he willed it, the other end of the wood spiritual energy vine wrapped around someone on the stage.
Caught off guard, that person slid towards the edge of the stage.
Zi Nan, using this slight buffer, leaped forcefully and landed back on the stage.
Of course, the person he used for leverage, only at Body Tempering seventh stage and unable to react in time, slid directly off the stage.
Zi Nan stood steadily on the stage, a trace of lingering fear finally settling in his heart.
"I was careless!"
If he had miscalculated even slightly, he would have been the one to fall.
In that case, it wouldn't just be regrettable, it would be humiliating.
Furthermore, carrying a mission, if he had fallen off the stage like this, he couldn't imagine how Zi Wenchang would reprimand him.
He recalled how Zi Wenchang had called him and Zi Hanxiao out previously, threatening them, "If you don't do as I say, then your cultivation resources from now on..."
No matter how talented you are, without cultivation resources, your progress will be outpaced by others.
It had to be said that Zi Wenchang had grasped the fatal weakness of geniuses like Zi Nan, especially since he was about to become the family head.
From this, it was evident that if Zi Wenchang truly became the family head, the Zi family would not be far from ruin.
How many people lost their minds in the face of power, only seeing the present and neglecting the future.
In the end, they were abandoned by everyone and ended up with nothing, with hardly any exceptions.
Zi Nan shook his head, dispelling these messy thoughts, and then seriously looked at Zi Lingling.
Beautiful! That was his first impression.
Zi Lingling's beauty carried a clear and cold aura like flowing water, touched by dust yet untainted by the mortal world.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort sounded in his ear, "This King doesn't want your eyes anymore!"
This voice could only be heard by him.
This King?
Could it be...
Zi Nan was startled and subconsciously looked around.
Indeed, Ye Lingyuan's face was etched with a cold smile.
That's right! His Highness the Prince was jealous! And extremely so.
Zi Nan couldn't help but shiver.
Was he going to offend this Prince of Hell? Could it be...
Zi Nan's astonished gaze swept past Zi Lingling and landed on that figure radiating an aura of eminence.
"My woman is not someone you can covet!"
This...
Zi Nan finally confirmed his guess.
Cold sweat broke out all over his body, and he instinctively touched his neck.
He had actually thought of targeting the Prince of Hell's woman just now?
"Damn it! Damn Zi Wenchang! Damn Zi Wenchang! Damn Zi Wenchang..."
Zi Nan cursed Zi Wenchang a hundred times in his heart before putting on a fawning smile, "Miss Zi San's combat power is extraordinary. Please rest for a while, and I will clear away these eyesores."
Zi Lingling: ?!
Zi Hanxiao: ?!
Everyone else: ...What is going on?
Zi Nan, who always carried himself with such arrogance, actually had such a sycophantic side?
Shameless!
Utterly shameless!
Zi Nan paid no mind to the astonished glances of the crowd.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and then cast his ill-intentioned gaze upon the other people on the stage.
Of course, this did not include Zi Hanxiao.
He wasn't foolish; the fact that Zi Wenchang had approached Zi Hanxiao indicated that Zi Hanxiao was not as simple as she appeared.
Therefore, the remaining two met their doom.
While they were also geniuses, compared to Zi Nan and Zi Hanxiao, they were far inferior.
In just a few breaths, only Zi Lingling and the other two remained on the stage.
And so, on the stage that had witnessed dozens of battles, a peculiar atmosphere emerged.
All three stood there quietly. Zi Lingling smiled, Zi Hanxiao smiled, and Zi Nan scratched the back of his head, also smiling awkwardly.
"Cough cough!"
Zi Yangchun slowly walked onto the martial arts stage and coughed lightly, "The second round of eliminations has concluded! Zi Nan, Zi Hanxiao, and Zi Lingling have entered the third round of finals."
"Now, the three of you will rest briefly, and after one incense stick's time, you will enter the top three ranking matches!"
After Zi Yangchun finished speaking, he prepared to step down.
"Second Elder!"
A voice stopped him.
Zi Yangchun turned back and looked at Zi Hanxiao, saying kindly, "Hanxiao, do you need something?"
Zi Hanxiao smiled and said, "Second Elder, I want to... withdraw from the competition for first place!"
The crowd below erupted in an uproar!
"Has Zi Hanxiao gone mad? She's only one step away from first place!"
"Strange things happen every year, but this year is particularly odd. First, Zi Nan became a lapdog, and now Zi Hanxiao is giving up first place. It's truly unbelievable!"
"Sigh! What is all this about!"
...
Zi Yangchun fumbled with his ears, incredulously saying, "Did I hear that correctly?"
Zi Hanxiao nodded with a smile, "Miss Zi San is unfathomable. It is not shameful for Hanxiao to concede to her."
The crowd below erupted in another uproar!
Zi Hanxiao was not competing for first place, and it was because of Zi Lingling!
"Um, Second Elder, I also want to withdraw from the competition for first place!"
Zi Nan scratched his head and said with a naive smile.
Zi Yangchun looked at him in surprise and asked, "You are withdrawing too?"
Zi Nan subtly glanced at Ye Lingyuan and nodded firmly, saying, "Miss Zi San has outstanding talent. I am ashamed of my inferiority!"
The crowd below erupted for the third time.
"Zi Nan, that arrogant fellow, is actually admitting defeat? And the person he's admitting defeat to is the supposed trash that he previously looked down on... Miss Zi San?"
"Has he not only become a lapdog but also a coward?"
"Is this still the Zi Nan who always looked down on everyone?"
...
On the stage, Zi Yangchun was dumbfounded.
Zi Lingling was also dumbfounded.
Below the stage, Zi Wenchang's expression turned extremely grim.
He had threatened these two with cultivation resources not for nothing, intending to force Zi Lingling to show her full strength.
But what about now?
These threats had become a joke.
Only Ye Lingyuan's eyes flashed with a hint of joy as he secretly thought, "These two are not entirely foolish!"