As Zhou You's betting odds kept dropping, Shao Qi remarked with a sigh, "Our great money-making plan might just go down the drain."

Zhou You teased, "If Daoist Qingfeng knew you were undermining him this way, he'd be furious."

Recalling the person he saw among the judges, Zhou You curiously inquired, "How did Ms. Han Xi become the sect leader? I remember her master, Master Xu, isn’t that old."

Shao Qi scoffed, "Although she's young, she’s quite ambitious. And her abilities were never a match for Han Xi's. She was merely living under her master’s shadow. Han Xi taking over was the right move for Mount Emei and the best choice for the Southwest Base."

"Oh? So, her collaboration with Gu Zuo won’t be of any significance then?"

"It was never significant to begin with."

Gu Zuo stopped Han Xi in her tracks, scrutinizing the woman before him. He hadn't expected to be played by a woman.

"You're really something!" he said through gritted teeth.

Dressed in a Daoist robe and holding a spear instead of her usual duster, Han Xi retorted, "What's with the sarcasm, Mr. Gu? Ambushing a judge privately... Be careful of misunderstandings."

"Misunderstanding that I might confront you in a fight?" He was eager for a straightforward duel with Han Xi, yet she had withdrawn from the competition.

Han Xi looked at him unamused, "Mr. Gu, understand this: the person you frequently interacted with was my master. She is her, and I am me. Don’t conflate the two."

He laughed, "So you wrested control of the sect's leadership? Even scheming against your own master? Emei is really something."

With her spear pointed at him, Han Xi sternly warned, "Don’t provoke me. Emei’s affairs aren’t any of your business."

Gu Zuo sidestepped her spear, leaned in, and whispered threateningly, "You'll regret this."

Han Xi rolled her eyes at him, quickly sidestepped and distanced herself from the madman.

Chapter 237: Yan Wu Enters the City

Upon entering the finals, Zhou You finally began to take things seriously. His first opponent was a disciple from Emei of the Southwest Base, said to be Han Xi's younger sister, with a sweet demeanor.

"Mr. Zhou, allow me to test your psychic abilities!"

The Emei sect trains both in internal and external martial arts. Yu Yao’s internal cultivation was not weak. To gauge her opponent’s abilities, she immediately went on the offensive, wielding a thin, flexible sword.

When infused with her internal energy, the sword became taut. This tested the wielder’s precision in energy control as well as the opponent’s adaptability.

Today, Zhou You chose a dagger as his weapon. The organizers personally asked him to compete seriously, emphasizing that the process was necessary since the whole country was watching.

It wouldn't do for him to win the championship without anyone even seeing him make a move; the audience would undoubtedly cry foul play.

"Clang..." The dagger parried the soft sword, but in the next moment, the flexible sword wrapped around his dagger. Seizing this opportunity, Yu Yao aimed a kick at Zhou You’s abdomen, intending to make him drop his weapon.

However, Zhou You performed a somersault over her head, spun the dagger, freeing it from the wrapped sword, and gently landed behind Yu Yao, warning her, "You should be careful."

Immediately, the audience saw the man's dagger spinning in his palm. As Yu Yao turned to dodge, the blade sliced off a strand of her hair. Had she not moved quickly, it might have slashed her neck.

"So cool!"

"That move might seem simple, but the speed required is incredible. This guy truly is a master!"

"Look, Yu Yao is making her move."

Yu Yao's attacks were swift, precise, and fierce. Her flexible sword allowed her to alter her techniques and attack angles, making it hard to predict her moves.

But no matter how she attacked, that short dagger always managed to defend her off. She couldn’t even touch the edge of his clothing.

"Again!" She yelled, her sword dancing like a silver serpent, thrusting towards Zhou You’s face.

Zhou You praised, "Excellent swordsmanship!... You could be a bit faster, change your angles... Not enough, try again!... This time you lacked force. If you faced an opponent with a heavier weapon, your sword would be gone by now..."

"What's he doing?" the audience murmured with mixed feelings.

"Is he giving a live tutorial?"

"Damn, he's strong!"

From Yu Yao's first move to her admission of defeat, it took only ten minutes. Although she lasted longer than previous opponents, deep down she knew he was deliberately going easy on her.

Her face turned crimson as she held up her broken sword, "Mr. Zhou, you are indeed formidable. I admit defeat."

Zhou You shook his head gently, "Your martial arts path is too narrow. The best strategy is to enhance your internal strength, otherwise, your sword won't unleash its true potential."

"Thank you for your guidance."

After their match, other anticipated experts took the stage. When both sides were evenly matched, bouts lasting one or two hours were standard. The intensity of these fights was much higher, igniting the audience's passion.

On the first day of the finals, twenty matches were scheduled. The audience sat from morning till evening, some leaving halfway, others wishing they could stay overnight.

Xuan Yue and Zhou Yi Chen practiced together in the courtyard after returning, enriched by the day's observations.

Martial arts is about integrating various techniques. Elite fighters often have simple but wide-ranging styles.

With a skill gap like Zhou You's, it felt like opponents, regardless of their techniques, were tightly controlled.

"Master, the moves you used today were awesome! Can you teach me?" Xuan Yue asked eagerly as Zhou You emerged.

Zhou Yi Chen wanted to ask too, but pride held him back. Nevertheless, he followed closely.