Xiao Manxue held an ancient Huaxia sword, dressed in an icy silkworm silk long gown, her figure tall and slender, her appearance stunningly beautiful, with a faint smile on her face, she slowly walked out from the crowd.

With Xiao Manxue's appearance, discussions rose and quickly fell silent. She was like a gentle breeze from the Immortal World, making people feel mysterious, enchanted, and full of fantasy.

Her opponent was a blond man named Feldon. Logically, encountering a master like Xiao Manxue should scare him, just like the match earlier.

But Feldon stood tall and proud, with a look of reverence in his eyes. Just when everyone thought he was about to say something earth-shattering, Feldon suddenly knelt on one knee, holding his sword with both hands up to Xiao Manxue.

This gesture caused a stir. Kneeling on one knee could signify submission or admiration, perhaps Feldon meant both. Offering his weapon in such a manner left people uncertain of his true intentions.

Whether Xiao Manxue accepted or not was a dilemma. If she accepted, busybodies would say she accepted Holden's admiration; if she didn't, it would seem disrespectful to the contestant.

Holden probably didn't anticipate this difficult outcome either. Li Wenfeng sat calmly on the sidelines with a faint smile, his intentions unclear, as many awaited to see what Xiao Manxue would do.

Xiao Manxue calmly said, "I accept your weapon and will temporarily entrust it with the Reina Sword Saint. When you feel you've improved your skills, you can retrieve your sword from the Reina Sword Saint. What do you think?"

Holden was momentarily stunned, then said, "Al... alright."

To hand his sword to the Reina Sword Saint was an honor for him, and it served as motivation, which was beneficial.

Xiao Manxue handled this matter reasonably and appropriately, avoiding gossip and not insulting her opponent, which demonstrated her high emotional intelligence. Moreover, Xiao Manxue was inherently a kind girl, unwilling to push too far for fear of making Holden a laughingstock.

She took Holden's sword, and as Holden stood up, he earnestly thanked her, feeling genuinely convinced. As he left the field, Lin Tian noticed Holden casting a few glances at Li Wenfeng.

So that's it, Lin Tian thought to himself. Li Wenfeng deliberately sent someone to trouble Miss, but she easily resolved the situation.

Feeling Lin Tian's gaze, Li Wenfeng turned his head, nodding politely, with a smile just right, as if the whole matter had nothing to do with him.

Damn you for being cunning, thought Lin Tian coldly. When I snatch the Sword of the King, let's see how much you can endure the discomfort caused by your tricks.

Xiao Manxue took Holden's sword to the judges' bench and handed it to the Reina Sword Saint.

Reina smiled with satisfaction, "Manxue, you've done well, resolving the awkwardness without causing gossip."

Even the other judges on the bench smiled, clearly approving of Xiao Manxue's approach.

Returning to her seat, Xiao Manxue said softly, "I'm sure this was arranged by Li Wenfeng. Otherwise, Holden wouldn't dare act out in such a competition."

"I noticed too. Holden's gaze said it all, yet Li Wenfeng still pretended..." Lin Tian stopped mid-sentence. He glanced at Li Wenfeng's spot and noticed something unusual, frowning, "Li Wenfeng is gone."

"Still during the competition, why would he leave the field?" Xiao Manxue questioned, puzzled.

Lin Tian shook his head, "I'm not sure, maybe..."

He didn't finish, as the announcer declared the start of the next match. The contestant's appearance led to boos from the audience. Lin Tian turned to see it was Carter, the deputy leader of the "Flirting Squad."

He had a bye in the first round and finally took the stage this time, but the scene wasn't pleasant, with mostly jeers from the crowd.

Carter couldn't vent his anger on the audience, so he targeted his opponent. As a deputy leader, he indeed had some skills. After a battle, he defeated his opponent, and the crowd's discussions fell silent.

A "ding-dong" sound rang out; Lin Tian's phone notified him of a new message. He looked, seeing it was a message from Rossi.

"What's up?" Xiao Manxue asked, intrigued.

"Li Wenfeng went to the Knight Hall!" Lin Tian frowned, which was unexpected. Leaving the competition during such an important joint tournament by the two academies meant forfeiting if his turn came up.

Xiao Manxue understood the implications, "Looks like Li Wenfeng doesn't care about this competition. While everyone's focus is on the arena, it's the perfect time to look for the Sword of the King. We should go too."

"I'll go, you stay here, so as not to attract attention," Lin Tian signaled with his eyes and said softly. Standing, he prepared to leave the site.

A voice suddenly rang out, "Lin Tian, I want to challenge you! I want to duel with you!"

Lin Tian slightly frowned, turning to see that after winning, Carter hadn't left the ring but was calling out his challenge from a distance.

Lin Tian didn't bother responding, intending to leave. In the face of the Sword of the King, such a fool was worthless. Why waste time when Li Wenfeng might find the Sword of the King? Who knows what level of power he'd gain, since the Sword of the King is a legendary artifact.

Should Li Wenfeng acquire the Sword of the King, his strength might soar beyond the sky, unafraid even of Third-level Yellow-eyed Zombies, which would be disastrous.

Seeing Lin Tian's disdain, Carter was greatly provoked and shouted, "Lin Tian, you coward, are you trying to flee from the fight? On this field, I officially challenge you!"

After speaking, Carter lifted his sword, pointing it at Lin Tian, drawing everyone's focus with its tip.

In Holy Spirit Town, challenges couldn't be refused, even during selection tournaments. Hence, the judges on the bench didn't intervene.

In King Arthur's time, he also accepted numerous challenges. As a king and the Knight Commander, he couldn't refuse. Holy Spirit Town, created by King Arthur, preserved this tradition well.

So Carter dared to interrupt the match, openly challenging Lin Tian in the arena, seeking to redeem his own perceived shame, though Lin Tian was unconcerned.

"This outsider already refused a challenge once; surely he won't refuse again, will he?"

"In such a grand event today, if he refuses, is he still a man? With students, teachers, and elders from both academies watching!" The students' discussions grew louder.

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