The lake was covered in cold snow, an arrow pierced through the sky, stunning in its brilliance.

The elders of the Cao Family, Lin Family, Chu Family... narrowed their eyes, retreating half a step. Gu Nianjun paused, feeling a deep sense of awe in his heart: "What a formidable arrow! Such an arrow... I... I've never seen anything like it in my life!"

Madam Wen smiled gently. Without realizing it, she had grown particularly fond of watching Li Xian bend the bow and shoot arrows.

Li Xian's archery reached the peak of perfection; after sculpting his spine like a divine mountain, he channeled his strength there when drawing the bowstring. He pulled the string to its full, as if gathering the momentum of a divine mountain, with his back against the Heaven-Reaching Divine Peak, sending an arrow directly at a formidable enemy.

Zhou Shijie felt his skin twitch, his hair standing on end, not daring to confront it head-on. Though the arrow held no intent to kill, even a slight touch could cause severe injury. In desperation, he didn't care about embarrassment and dived into the lake.

The arrow plunged into the lake. The waves surged to the heavens, its force reduced by eighty percent, yet its momentum remained, vigorously breaking the lake and opening the waves.

This arrow would not rest until it hit its target.

Zhou Shijie cursed: "Damn it, how can such exceptional archery exist in this world! Could it be that the bow and arrow are some kind of exotic bow?" Realizing it was hard to evade, he braced his sword against it.

The arrow and sword clashed. Zhou Shijie was astounded beyond words, feeling that although the arrow's force had been diminished, the momentum was still unstoppable!

He desperately resisted, being pressed down to the lake bed by the arrow, stepping into the mud, and finally turned his sword to rebound the arrow, thus resolving the crisis.

"Such terrifying power, isn't it a monster?" Zhou Shijie's fingers quivered, his wrist aching. Watching the lake surface ripple, the fish swimming in frenzy.

Emerging now would undoubtedly result in an arrow to the head. If this one desired to kill, there'd be no chance of survival.

"If the surroundings were open and unobstructed, I... wouldn't be able to match this one. I've calculated countless times, yet unexpectedly, this one turns out to be my greatest adversary."

Previously, having orchestrated several scenarios, using the Sinking River Sword and Wave-Treading Skill to tease the arrogant sons listed on the red list, showcasing his own prowess. But after this arrow, he was left only with disgrace.

He swam stealthily underwater, not daring to show himself, deeming the water safe. Contemplating countermeasures, suddenly a plan came to mind.

Continuing to swim through the lake quickly. He stirred his Chest Drum Thunder Sound, shaking the water around him incessantly. Water flowers rippled across the lake surface.

He accelerated the vibration, the thunder sound did not pierce through the water surface. But startled the fish within, scattering them wildly, some even leaping out of the lake. In this manner, the lake surface bustled, enough to disturb sight and sound.

Li Xian stood atop the tower, calm and composed. With merely one move, no one dared tread the lake surface again, looking around, all was empty.

Only he and Zhou Shijie remained engaged.

Fish leapt out from the lake, as if the water was boiling. Zhou Shijie remained hidden underwater, suddenly pushing with both hands, executing the "Boosting Frenzy" technique of the Wave-Treading Skill.

This Wave-Treading Skill is a "Middle Martial Arts." Profoundly advanced, not confined to fists and feet. Seeing him push with both hands, creating waves several meters high.

He immediately moved on, to another spot, performing "Boosting Frenzy." Several times raising high waves to cover his actions. By the fourth time, he used the high waves, Sinking River Sword in hand, quickly leaping out of the lake.

Looking towards the tower top, intending to surf the waves and defeat the enemy in one strike. All he did was to distract attention, striving to get close to his opponent.

Amidst the surging waves, countless fish beasts were mixed. The Heavenly People Tower was nearly ten meters high, Zhou Shijie leaped from the lake, with water clinging to him, invisibly adding hindrance, and as water is soft, on emerging from the water, he couldn't fully utilize the Lightweight Skill's leap, making it impossible to reach the tower top.

Zhou Shijie was shrewd. He first used the "Sinking River Sword" to swim, borrowing the recoil to surge out of the lake along with the giant waves.

Then skillfully using the Lightweight Skill, stepping on the fish beasts, moving his Qi to leap, raising his figure another meter.

In this way, scaling several meters. No one detected his figure. Zhou Shijie cheerfully said: "This is my chance." Having exhausted his climbing strength, intending to throw the Sinking River Sword out.

Suddenly, a cold arrow glow was directed at him, the bow already drawn fully. Zhou Shijie's blood ran cold, hastily retracting the sword to shield himself.

Nonetheless, he knew he had no chance of survival now, a bitterness rushed to his heart, his momentum was spent. As the arrow was shot, there was only death, no life.

Li Xian needed only to release his grip, and he would perish in an instant.

Li Xian veered away the arrowhead, shooting elsewhere, sparing him a life.

Zhou Shijie, soaking wet, landed back onto the lake surface. The tip of the Sinking River Sword touched the water, gently curving and moving, skillfully using the [Playing with Water] characteristic, holding himself on the water as if standing upon it.

He said, "Your archery is extraordinary, I am at a loss."

"Brother Zhou's wave mastery also opened my eyes," Li Xian cupped his hands.

Zhou Shijie said begrudgingly: "But in the final analysis, this competition is not about personal archery victory or defeat. It's about who can obtain the Golden Scale."

"If you abandoned the exotic bow, and I discarded the Sinking River Sword, the true victory or defeat is still uncertain."

Li Xian utilized the "Clear Wind Leg," performed the Light Word Mystery, and jumped down from the tower. Zhou Shijie was delighted, realizing Li Xian couldn't perform lightweight skill in water to catch fish.

Li Xian said: "There's no need, the contest is already over."

"Over?" Zhou Shijie said aloud: "What's a great man to fear a single defeat, I, Zhou Shijie, indeed have been defeated by your bow-enhanced archery. Yet the matter of who holds the Golden Scale is still pending."

Li Xian, stepping onto a light boat, rowed towards the lake. Propelling with strength upon the water, splashes flew. A long arrow surfaced, having pierced through the Golden Scale.

Li Xian pulled out the long arrow, reclaiming it to the quiver. The Golden Scale fluttered in his hand, its wounds from the arrow healing in a moment.

It turned out...

When Li Xian spared Zhou Shijie's life earlier, he shot an arrow pinning the Golden Scale to the lakebed in the process. Pulling the wool over everyone's eyes.

He used palm force to strike the water. Executing the Jade Palm's "Mist-Locked Green River" move. At the moment of release, over ten strands of Qi Silk erupted from between his palms, intertwining cohesively.

When hitting a person, the palm print remained for a long time. When striking the lake, the inner Qi penetrated the surface, raising more than ten undercurrents, stirring the water. Allowing the long arrow pinned to the lakebed to loosen. Then, it surfaced.

The Golden Scale, which many fought fiercely yet couldn't touch, Li Xian effortlessly obtained it with merely a raise of hand, leisurely and elegantly.

This disparity left everyone in deep thought. Feeling cold sweat flowing, unable to see through, unable to understand. Although Gu Nianjun had no particular fondness for Li Xian, after this event, viewing Li Xian again... he appeared like a cloud in the mist, extremely mysterious.

Li Xian said, "Brother Zhou, the Golden Scale is already in my hand. According to your words, what should I do?"

"You…" Zhou Shijie was momentarily speechless.

Ji Hongyan, Cao Xiuxiu, Chu Mei, Wang Kun, and other outstanding talents felt as if they were in a dream, unable to believe it. The Golden Scale was incredibly fast and agile, elusive and hard to capture. All the talents employed various means—secret weapons, iron nets, martial arts, surrounding tactics…yet could hardly touch it at all.

Li Xian, from several miles away, casually shot an arrow and pinned down the Golden Scale.

"Hahaha, excellent, excellent," Cao Shuang said as he steered his boat closer. The prominent families from the Prefecture City entered the lake, their eyes fixed on the Golden Scale.

"Young men become heroes, indeed, young men become heroes," an old woman of the Cao Family sneered, "Good lad, hurry and bring over the Golden Scale."

Yuwen Hou said, "The Golden Scale is worthy of being called a treasure of Heaven and Earth, so lifelike, its golden glow is dazzling."

Ou Yezi exclaimed, "Marvelous, truly marvelous," as he jumped into the lake. Forces from various factions, whether intentionally or unintentionally, surrounded Li Xian.

Li Xian thought to himself:

"Having seized the Golden Scale, I've claimed the top spot, fulfilling my agreement with Madam. Although the Golden Scale is good, I cannot take it for myself alone. I must now…consider a way to escape."

He looked around.

Three elders from the Cao Family seemed unfriendly. Two elders from the Lin Family appeared indifferent. The Chu Family and Yuwen Family had mixed expressions of admiration and annoyance.

Li Xian understood:

"I come from a humble background, and although I've seized the Golden Scale, the various families ultimately do not favor me because their family members have conflicts with me, more or less."

Li Xian spoke loudly, "Honorable seniors, why the rush? Does Brother Zhou's previous statement still hold?"

Zhou Shijie was elegant in manner but not truly open-hearted. Having lost to Li Xian, he already felt envious and resentful, increasingly convinced that Li Xian had used tricks.

He said, "I, Zhou Shijie, am of little influence. If the seniors are willing to listen, it would certainly be for the best. But if not…"

"What else can I do?"

At the Dragon Gate Tower.

Gu Nianjun frowned slightly, reevaluating Zhou Shijie, and said, "This Zhou Shijie is really disappointing."

Li Xian laughed, "So, are the seniors willing to listen to Brother Zhou?"

The Cao Family, Lin Family, Yuwen Family, Chu Family, Ou Yezi…a total of more than ten martial arts masters formed a circle, like a human wall, exuding hostility without needing to say much.

Zhou Shijie had the protection of his mansion and was influential outside the Qiong Heavenly Mansion. Moreover, he was fortunate enough to obtain a Scale Pearl, causing families to hold him in high regard and not making things difficult for him.

Li Xian's performance was dazzling, but he was of rural origin, with no connections, and the Cao Family held no goodwill towards him. Various families had their own disputes, with complex relations. However, they were always united against external threats. With Ou Yezi present, the families naturally gravitated together.

Without realizing it, the families treated Li Xian with no goodwill.

"Young Master Zhou's knowledge is profound, his words have some merit," the old woman of the Cao Family said, "But…you used underhanded means, undermining the principle. As such, it naturally becomes void."

Cao Shuang spoke more directly, "The Golden Scale is precious, yet you, with your fragile life, dare to covet it. Is it not a waste of such a treasure?"

Li Xian calmly said, "So it seems that the prominent families of the Prefecture City have decided to bully this young man from the countryside."

Ou Yezi laughed, "Not so, not so, young man. You should understand that it's the survival of the fittest. This fortune, you cannot bear, and surrendering it willingly might give you a way out."

Cao Shuang bowed his hands, "Senior Ou Yezi, this lad is wicked in many ways, plaguing the countryside, and harming many people. Moreover, he colludes with the Red List villains, murdering a county magistrate in cold blood. Even if he relinquishes his opportunity, there's no way he can survive today."

"Ah!" Ou Yezi said, "So that's how it is, that's how it is. Then consider that I never said anything."

Li Xian spoke aloud, "Whether the elders of the Cao Family are short-sighted or just getting senile, it's one thing. But whether I've harmed the people or not, I believe the Yuwen Family should know?"

The elders of the Yuwen Family remained silent. As Yuwen Chengji had frequent correspondence, they were quite aware of Qingning's situation. Yet, given the current situation, they were unwilling to offend the Cao Family.

Zhou Shijie said, "Brother Li, in the matters of this world, sometimes it's all about 'destiny.' Some people lack that destiny, and even with some skills, they end up losing their lives instead."

"Hahaha," Ou Yezi said, "Young Brother Zhou speaks rightly. The affairs of this world are indeed strange. If this Golden Tail Scale had fallen to Young Brother Zhou, with a Scale Pearl in hand, achieving fame and success, we certainly wouldn't make things difficult."

"But how is it that when it falls to you, you can't ensure your own life? Like when I forge artifacts, some materials seem fine, yet they end up failing. Upon reflection, it's definitely not due to my skills, but rather that iron lacked the destiny to become a divine artifact by my hand."

Zhou Shijie's heart was pleased, saying with satisfaction, "Brother Li, you're deluding yourself!"

Li Xian glanced around, knowing it would be difficult to end this peacefully, but having anticipated this, his heart remained steady, "Even if the situation is unfavorable, using all my means, I might just carve out a path. One should live a life of freedom."

His eyes showed no fear, only calmness.

With three hearty laughs, Li Xian coldly said, "Miserable wretches dare speak of destiny."

"Wretched brat, at death's door, you still dare speak wildly!" Cao Shuang roared. The old woman of the Cao Family swung a whip, aiming a silver spike at Li Xian.

Li Xian stomped forcefully, shattering the boat beneath him. As he began to sink into the lake, he simultaneously threw the Golden Scale back into the water.

The crowd watched in shock, just about to reach out and snatch it. The Golden Scale was still mid-air when a delicate hand gracefully caught it.

Li Xian suddenly smelled a fragrant breeze, hair brushing his face, as a lifting force stopped his descent towards the lake.

"Everyone."

"If you bully my young man again, I will get angry."

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