“What are you doing?” someone nearby shouted when they saw Xu Zimo.

“I’ll go give it a try,” Xu Zimo replied with a smile.

“You’re insane!” Xia Wanqing cried out. “Come back right now!”

“You wanted to enter the Mystic Realm, didn’t you? I’ll take you there,” Xu Zimo said calmly.

“The Mystic Realm doesn’t matter! Don’t be foolish, you’re no match for him,” Xia Wanqing rushed forward, trying to pull him back.

But Xu Zimo was already on the battle platform.

“Who is he?” King Star-River turned to the Second Prince and asked. “Is he someone you brought?”

“Y-yes,” Chen Luo stammered nervously. “But don’t misunderstand, Father. I don’t know him well.”

At the side, Xiao Buhui narrowed his eyes at Xu Zimo, letting out a cold snort.

“How interesting,” Fatty Wang chuckled. “To step up even knowing the opponent is number one on the Hero Ranking, is that confidence, or arrogance?”

King Star-River turned his gaze to Huo Yunzi and the others.

“Which of you will go up?”

Huo Yunzi and the rest forced awkward smiles and quickly said, “Since this brother has already stepped up, we won’t add to the chaos.”

Truthfully, their hearts had already caved.

Hero Ranking’s number one, this was no joke.

To stand at that height, there was no luck involved, only undeniable strength.

Even King Star-River’s expression dimmed, tinged with resignation.

He waved his hand.

“Since that’s the case, let him represent our Star River God-Dynasty.”

“This guy must be crazy,” Shangguan Lan muttered worriedly.

“Better if he dies,” Li Xiaoyuan sneered, gloating. “With someone so reckless, it’s only a matter of time before he drags Martial Heaven Sacred Ground into ruin.”

“Shut your mouth!” Xia Wanqing snapped, glaring at him.

She turned anxiously to the Sixth Elder.

“Elder, is there anything we can do?”

“Since Young Master Xu has chosen to step up, it is his decision,” the elder shook his head lightly.

“I can’t just watch him die. I’m going up to help!” Xia Wanqing cried, starting toward the platform.

But the elder blocked her path.

“I promised your master I would keep you safe. Don’t put me in a difficult position.”

…

On the platform, Xu Zimo yawned.

“I admire your courage,” Traceless said, his saber trembling in his grasp. “Normally, people like you dying beneath my blade would disgrace it. But your courage at least earns you the right to die by my hand.”

“Done yapping?” Xu Zimo asked, glancing at him. “Then let’s start.”

“Bold indeed,” Traceless chuckled, swinging his curved saber.

A terrifying blade aura erupted, slashing toward Xu Zimo.

Xu Zimo merely lifted his gaze. With that one look, the blade aura dissolved into nothingness.

Traceless, without being visibly struck, was nonetheless blasted backward as if gravely injured.

Blood sprayed into the air.

“Too weak,” Xu Zimo sighed.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he stepped slowly toward Traceless.

The crowd below exchanged stunned looks, eyes wide.

“This has to be a joke,” Second Prince Chen Luo muttered, his jaw nearly unhinged.

Only Yu Huashang remained calm. She had long harbored suspicions about Xu Zimo, and now her doubts were confirmed.

This man was hiding depths beyond imagination.

On the Martial Heaven Sacred Ground’s side, Shangguan Lan nudged Xia Wanqing with a stiff expression.

“Senior Sister, pinch me. Hero Ranking’s number one… fake, right?”

“He…” Xia Wanqing’s words trailed off. She didn’t know what to say.

In her ears still echoed Xu Zimo’s earlier words:

“One day, I’ll visit Thousand-Ox Dao Court myself.”

“Investigate him,” King Breaking-Dawn commanded, his calm façade gone, his face grave.

“Find out who this man really is.”

“It may already be too late,” Elder Xuan Kong said quietly at his side.

…

Xu Zimo approached Traceless.

Traceless struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth.

“I underestimated you,” he admitted flatly. “Give me your name. I do not kill nameless men.”

“If you can defeat me, then you’ll have the right to ask,” Xu Zimo replied.

Traceless raised his curved saber once more.

His aura surged skyward, breaking through into the Imperial Meridian Realm before finally settling.

Six meridians opened wide, as spiritforce flooded toward him like a whale gulping water.

On the blade, a twisted, evil ghostly face emerged.

The next moment, the ghost vanished, replaced by a figure emanating divine radiance.

“Ghost-God Annihilation Slash,” someone whispered from below. “That’s Traceless’ signature technique.”

“Yes, I heard he created it himself. With that move, he once defeated the previous number one and claimed the top spot. It’s been ten years since then. It’s been ages since he last needed to use it.”

“To unleash it from the start, his opponent must be giving him tremendous pressure.”

…

Behind Traceless appeared a terrifying phantom, a body shining with divinity, yet crowned with the head of a ghost.

Such a grotesque fusion.

With a roar, Traceless swung his saber downward.

The strike ripped apart the silence of the void, sweeping away everything in its path.

Even the ancient battle platform beneath trembled violently.

The phantom fused with the saber, lunging at Xu Zimo.

Thunder cracked and lightning split the heavens, one strike shaking heaven and earth.

Xu Zimo lifted his eyelids slightly, then calmly extended his right hand.

There was no majestic aura, no world-shaking might. He stood there as though he were nothing more than an ordinary mortal.

The saber fell, colliding with his outstretched hand.

In that instant, the sky darkened, monsters roared, thunder raged. Fury surged, intent on devouring Xu Zimo.

But from Xu Zimo’s hand, a power erupted, a force vast as mountains and seas.

Traceless’s strength was like a firefly meeting the radiance of sun and moon, utterly insignificant.

This force did not just suppress Traceless. It seemed to suppress even heaven and earth themselves.

Before Xu Zimo’s hand even descended fully, the ghostly phantom had already scattered into nothingness.

Traceless raised his head to look up at Xu Zimo.

The two of them were similar in stature, yet before that towering presence, Traceless felt like nothing more than an ant.

“I admit defeat! I surrender!” Traceless shouted with his eyes tightly shut.

His voice echoed across the plain, silencing the world.

Xu Zimo withdrew his hand. The winds calmed. As if nothing had ever happened.

“Judge the outcome,” Xu Zimo said evenly, glancing at Xiao Buhui.

“Oh… oh,” Xiao Buhui snapped back to his senses. “The third match, Star River God-Dynasty wins.”

He turned to Qin Yao and Fatty Wang.

The two exchanged looks, then shook their heads.

“I’m no match.”

“Nor I.”

“Find out, when did Martial Heaven Sacred Ground gain such a figure?”