Chapter 67: The Battle of the Five Great Families

The next day, at the Divine Stone Square.

Early in the morning, when the sky was still dim, the various martial artists from the Skyfall City had already gathered in the arena of the Martial Arts Competition.

In the center of the Divine Stone Square, a hundred-square-meter arena was surrounded by piles of bluestone. The bluestones farther from the central arena were placed higher to provide a better view of the battles inside.

The people from the five great families had not yet arrived, but the uneven bluestones around the arena designated for their final battle were already filled with spectators.

When the sun began to rise, the people from the five great families arrived from various directions in Skyfall City.

Shi Yan followed behind Shi Jian, and even before they reached the Divine Stone Square, he could see the dense crowd from afar.

Most of these people were martial artists, with the majority at the Later Heaven, Innate, and Human stages. There were also a few at the Hundred Tribulations and Status stages.

These martial artists at the Hundred Tribulations and Status stages might not be interested in participating in the Martial Arts Competition, but they were very concerned about the direct confrontation between the five great families.

Around the arena, many martial artists were whispering to each other.

Many of them carried heavy swords and battle axes, exuding a fierce aura, likely mercenaries who had come from the Dark Forest, Silent Swamp, and Cloudy Mountains. They had not appeared in the previous days but had come early today.

When the Shi family group appeared at the Divine Stone Square, the many martial artists began to murmur and made way for them.

Before the Shi family members entered the central arena, the martial artists' gazes shifted to the entrance of the Divine Stone Square, where they saw the Mo family group, led by Mo Tuo, approaching with grim faces.

Shi Jian coldly snorted, his face stern, and led the Shi family members toward the arena without a word.

This time, the five great families would not observe the battles from distant stone towers but would be present on the front lines, closely watching every detail of the arena.

Beside the arena, stone platforms had already been set up.

The person waiting there hurriedly greeted Shi Jian and said with a smile, "Lord Shi, please take your seat here."

Shi Jian nodded and, under the guidance of this person, came to one side of the arena and sat down on the stone benches.

Various delicacies and fine wines were promptly served and placed on the stone platform beside Shi Jian for the Shi family to enjoy.

Not long after, Mo Tuo also arrived and was seated opposite the Shi family.

After sitting down, Mo Tuo looked at them with a cold gaze, his thoughts unknown.

When the sun became slightly stronger, the Zuo and Ling families also arrived. Zuo Xu, upon arriving, was seated beside the Shi family.

After sitting down, Zuo Xu nodded lightly at Shi Jian, indicating that everything was fine with the Ethereal Pavilion, all unspoken.

The Ling family, being close to the Mo family, was naturally seated with them.

After Ling Shaofeng arrived, he walked over to the Mo family area with a smile, comforting the grim-faced Mo Zhan and finding an opportunity to greet Mo Yan Yu.

The missing Mo Chaoge was Mo Zhan's biological father. Knowing that his father had been kidnapped, Mo Zhan had been suppressing his anger, waiting for the Martial Arts Competition to take bloody revenge.

When the sun was high in the sky, Beiming Shang finally arrived with the Beiming family's experts, arriving late.

Beiming Shang's expression was indifferent, and a cold aura surrounded him. The martial artists of the Merchant Alliance respectfully made way for him as he passed.

Behind him, Beiming Ce looked proud, followed by Mu Yudie and Di Yalan.

The person in charge of seating arrangements was a servant of the Beiming family. Seeing his master arrive, he naturally gave the best seats to Beiming Shang and Beiming Ce, bowing and inviting them to sit down, and immediately ordered the servants to serve fine wine and delicacies.

In terms of both appearance and the quantity of delicacies, the Beiming family clearly surpassed the other four families, demonstrating their superior status in the Merchant Alliance.

After the five great families were seated, Beiming Shang pondered for a moment and said indifferently, "The rules are the same every year, so I won't elaborate. The Martial Arts Competition is just a way to exchange skills. I hope everyone can restrain themselves and avoid causing fatalities if possible."

The other four family heads nodded lightly.

Beiming Shang looked around, giving deep glances at Mo Tuo and Shi Jian, and said, "As usual, you can challenge each other or add stakes. Who wants to go first?"

"Yan Yu!" Mo Tuo called out.

Mo Yan Yu, standing among the Mo family group, was the first to step into the arena. Her eyes were icy cold as she stared at the Shi family and called out, "Mo Yan Yu of the Mo family, at the Second Stage of the Innate realm. Who will teach me a lesson?"

"A silver sand mine in Snowfall City, here is the deed." Mo Tuo said coldly.

A Mo family elder took the deed from him and placed it on a round platform beside the Beiming family's arena, which was specifically designed to hold stakes.

"The operating rights of East Gate Street in Dusk City!" Shi Jian also said coldly, taking three yellow papers from a brocade bag and handing them to the person in charge.

After the person placed the three yellow papers on the round platform, Shi Jian said indifferently, "Tian Luo, you go."

Shi Tian Luo's expression changed, and he also stepped into the arena, saying solemnly, "Shi Tian Luo of the Shi family, at the Second Stage of the Innate realm. Please teach me a lesson!"

"Mo Yan Yu of the Mo family! Shi Tian Luo of the Shi family! Both at the Second Stage of the Innate realm. Do the two family heads decide to fight?" The thin person in charge, standing beside the round platform, shouted loudly.

After seeing Mo Tuo and Shi Jian both nod lightly, he said, "Very well, the battle begins!"

"Zzzt, zzzt, zzzt!"

A series of blue lightning bolts suddenly emerged from Mo Yan Yu's ten fingers. These blue lightning bolts, like snakes, slowly thickened in front of her.

For a moment, Mo Yan Yu seemed to be surrounded by lightning.

The blue lightning bolts, as thick as fingers, grew longer and intertwined, forming a five-meter-long lightning whip.

After the lightning whip was condensed, it was as thick as an arm, with dazzling electric light. Strong currents shot through the whip, causing sparks to fly.

"Crack, crack!"

Mo Yan Yu swung the whip, and the lightning whip, like a dragon, shot toward Shi Tian Luo with a deafening electric sound.

"Zzzt, zzzt, zzzt!"

Electric light shot through the air, producing a strange sound. Many martial artists' faces changed slightly, and they subconsciously condensed their essence to resist.

Shi Tian Luo's skin had already turned grayish-white, and the Shi family's petrification martial soul was ready.

Seeing the lightning whip coming, Shi Tian Luo's expression was serious. He suddenly roared, and a mountain-like momentum burst from his body.

"Rock Formation Technique!"

Shi Tian Luo stood still like a mountain, his legs deeply rooted in the ground. After petrification, his physical defense far exceeded that of ordinary people. He fearlessly reached out to grab the lightning whip.

"Zzzt, zzzt!"

As soon as Shi Tian Luo reached out, the lightning whip wrapped around his left arm, and a shocking current shot out, rushing into his body.

"Roar!"

Shi Tian Luo roared, and the essence in his petrified body flowed like a stream, rapidly entering his left arm, suppressing the incoming lightning current.

With the help of the petrification martial soul, although Shi Tian Luo's body was numb, he did not suffer a major setback. He grabbed the lightning whip and charged toward Mo Yan Yu, fast and fierce, like a boulder falling from the sky, full of momentum.

The Shi family's petrification martial soul excelled in close combat. Once the Shi family members got close, it was a nightmare for their opponents.

However, unexpectedly, Mo Yan Yu, with one hand wrapped in the lightning whip, did not dodge as Shi Tian Luo charged at her. Instead, a strange expression appeared on her beautiful face.

In an instant, Mo Yan Yu's rosy face turned pale as paper, as if she were seriously ill, with no blood color left.

At this moment, the flow of essence in her body suddenly tripled!

Her potential seemed to be fully unleashed!

"Oh no!" Shi Yan exclaimed inwardly, knowing that Shi Tian Luo was in trouble.

Mo Yan Yu, clearly at the Second Stage of the Innate realm, had just experienced a sudden change in her essence, as if she had gained a power not her own!

The essence in her body was now thicker than that of a typical Third Stage Innate realm martial artist!

This advantage was enough to make her unafraid of Shi Tian Luo's petrification martial soul!

Indeed!

Just as Shi Tian Luo reached Mo Yan Yu, before he could launch a fierce attack, a series of "Blue Arc Half-Moon Slashes" shot out from her other hand.

The "Blue Arc Half-Moon Slashes" were as large as plates, three times more powerful than when she had used them against Shi Yan!

Seven "Blue Arc Half-Moon Slashes" shot out from her other hand, so fast that Shi Tian Luo had no chance to dodge.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!"

The seven Blue Arc Half-Moon Slashes hit Shi Tian Luo's chest one after another, sending him flying!

The power of these seven Blue Arc Half-Moon Slashes was beyond what the first stage of the petrification martial soul could withstand.

While in mid-air, Shi Tian Luo was already covered in blood.

"Thud!"

Shi Tian Luo's body landed three meters in front of Shi Jian, blood streaming from his chest, his eyes unfocused, clearly severely injured.

"Save him!"

Shi Jian's eyes were almost on fire. After roaring, his massive body trembled slightly.

Several Shi family elders, who had been preparing, hurriedly came forward, carried Shi Tian Luo away, and quickly fed him medicinal pills to treat him.

Shi Tie's ten fingers were deeply embedded in the stone bench. He sat there motionless, his eyes filled with endless hatred, staring straight at Mo Tuo in the distance.

Mo Tuo was equally murderous, staring back at Shi Tie.

"Mo Yan Yu wins! The stakes go to the Mo family. The next battle can continue."

At this moment, the emotionless, formal voice of the person in charge came from beside the round platform.