Ning Xiuchen acted without any regard for consequences.


    He was domineering and ruthless, but he didn''t kill Teng Sen.


    Instead, he rubbed Teng Sen''s face against the ground, which was more painful than death, completely defacing a True God. It would be an indelible disgrace that could be turned into a big joke.


    He was too lazy to deal with these people''s nitpicking, so he decided to establish his authority with brutal power, to avoid getting entangled in petty issues in the future.


    Seeing the Enforcement Team leaving, the crowd was frightened into silence, their faces twitching.


    Ning Xiuchen was warning them about the consequences of causing trouble in the Imperial City- being forced to rub their faces against the ground.


    "Exactly how powerful is this demon cultivator? Even the True God Teng Sen was no match for him. Teng Sen is from the Demon Abyss Imperial Dynasty and possesses the strength of a Celestial God. We definitely cannot afford to offend Dawu. We better behave."


    A True God voiced his shock.


    Ning Xiuchen''s actions had completely intimidated them, preventing any further rebellions.


    Gongsun Hong was also trembling.


    He was relieved that he hadn''t provoked the Dawu Enforcement Team. Otherwise, he would be the one humiliated on the ground. He looked at Teng Sen, who still hadn''t managed to get up after a long while, and said, "Let''s go, we should pay a visit to His Majesty."


    The royal palace of Dawu.


    "I, Gongsun Hong, greet the Emperor of Dawu. May the Emperor live forever."


    Upon seeing Chu Yuan, he showed utmost respect, performing the formal ceremony of greeting the emperor, without any hint of disdain.


    A person without ruthlessness can''t stand firm, and the same goes for a country.


    No one fears a weak country, hence it has no leverage in diplomatic matters.


    Gongsun Hong was somewhat fearful of Chu Yuan. He looked at the figure on the throne, undeniably oppressive despite being motionless.


    "Gongsun Hong of Tianhong Clan." Chu Yuan said indifferently.


    He had been informed about the events in the Imperial City and knew that Ning Xiuchen''s ruthlessness had put these people in check.


    "On this visit, my intention is firstly, to participate in the martial arts competition and secondly, to request the Dawu Emperor to release Elder Gu Lin. If he has done anything wrong, I will apologize on his behalf."


    Look how well-behaved Gongsun Hong is now, not daring to act recklessly at all.


    Had he not been cowed by Ning Xiuchen, he would definitely have scolded the Emperor of Dawu upon meeting him.


    "Gu Lin has committed a crime within my Imperial City by capturing the talents of Dawu and hence violated the law. I can consider releasing him-"


    Chu Yuan continued: "First, if your Tianhong Clan can secure first place in one of the three levels of the competition, I''ll release him. Second, if your Tianhong Clan can provide sufficient compensation for his release."


    "I understand your two conditions."


    A lot of young men were not convinced and continued to challenge Xu Zhen but they were all defeated, granting him twenty consecutive victories.


    "That''s enough for today, in fighting them, I''ve improved pretty quickly. After ten more victories, I''ll step down and come back for more tomorrow."


    Xu Zhen''s gaze was unyielding. He was one of those diligent cultivators. Despite his young age, his sole intent was to cultivate martial arts in order to serve his country.


    "This boy is amazing! Is he one of the representatives Dewu is sending to the small competition? He''s come here to practice before the competition!"


    Many people were watching Xu Zhen. No matter where he went, he would undoubtedly be a prodigy that every clan would strive to cultivate.


    "The talents Dawu is sending to the competition are not here. They are in secret training. This boy was eliminated and came here to temper himself."


    "What? He''s not part of the strongest lineup, but he possesses such strength. Then, how powerful is Dawu''s strongest lineup?"


    "This time, various forces want to defeat the talents of Dawu. It seems like there''s going to be a fierce competition!"


    "Dawu has many talents. Any one of them on the stage could be considered as a potential direct disciple!"


    The crowd was discussing. Xu Zhen was so powerful, yet he was eliminated. They couldn''t help but wonder just how powerful the delegates Dawu would send this time would be. Would they intend to sweep all the countries and clans?


    If they were really swept away, they''d lose all their faces.


    "What if accidents happen up there in the competition?"


    Suddenly a dissonant voice sounded. In the distance, the people from the Imperial Dynasty of Demon Abyss had arrived. Teng Sen was also there. The footprints on his face had long since disappeared, but those imprinted in his heart couldn''t be dispelled.


    His face was extremely sullen.


    At this time, however, no one dared to make fun of him. While Ning Xiuchen could trample on his dignity, if they dared say a word in his presence, they would definitely suffer a violent reprisal.


    Teng Sen was fortunate that his skin was thick. He practiced the demonic cultivation techniques and didn''t follow any rules. He could endure the strange glances everyone threw his way.


    In the competition arena, a True God repressed everyone and reassured, "In every match, we have strong people from Dawu supervising. We will intervene before anything goes wrong. So, there is no need to worry."


    "What if something goes wrong? In a match, weapons have no eyes. Youngsters sometimes can''t control their own strength, and if someone dies, what then?"


    Teng Sen''s mood continued to darken.


    "It''s normal for injuries and deaths to occur in matches. We can only try our best to control it. Once you step into the competition stage, you are signing a life-and-death agreement. If you die, you can''t blame anyone but yourself. If you''re afraid of death, don''t get on the stage."


    The True God replied to Teng Sen''s question.


    "Fine, I understand."


    Teng Sen looked back at his talented follower and said, "Go, test the strength of the Dawu talent. Use your full strength when you fight, don''t hold back to avoid becoming a laughingstock. Not using full strength is a sign of disrespect."


    "Yes!"


    A disciple went on stage and faced Xu Zhen.