The one who sneered was Nero, and that untimely voice came from Di Xin. Facing the three opponents standing before him, Di Xin spoke coldly: "Heh, heh, heh, I once heard my teacher say that the Investigation Office is just an appendage of the Daoist Realm, a puppet not to be feared. At first, I doubted it, but now I see it's true. Clearly unrelated to themselves, yet they fight tooth and nail to seek attention. Pei Yan, you consider yourself strong, do you enjoy being a dog to others this much?"
"What did you say!" Pei Yan didn't need to be angry, as Ning Quanchen, who had unsettled grudges with Di Xin, stepped forward and shouted sternly: "This is the Daoist Realm! Not a place for your Blood Fiends to run wild!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Di Xin took two steps back and exchanged a glance with Ivan, laughing as if frightened yet provocatively: "Ah, it's my fault for being talkative! Insult someone's master, and the dog gets anxious!"
"Aha!" After cleansing Lin Xunrou's body of evil energy, Pei Yan stood up, yawning and stretching. Then he turned toward Lin Daozi and asked, "Once the poison in her is cleared, she'll regain consciousness soon. Can the next match start?"
"Thank you, Brother Pei. We will handle the rest. After the match, I will certainly visit to express my gratitude." Lin Daozi quickly expressed thanks again with cupped hands.
Pei Yan said nothing, only reciprocated with his hands as a response, then slowly walked off the stage. Di Xin, ignored by Pei Yan's indifference to provocation, felt like he had punched cotton, showing a contemptuous and sarcastic face, "Ah~ so boring!"
"Enough! This is the arena. Brother Pei has a broad mind and does not bicker with you, but that doesn't justify continual provocation. You repeatedly disrupt the match, do you really think our Immortal Palace's rules are for show?" Lin Daozi glared angrily, shouting, as Di Xin's words already challenged the dignity of the Daoist Realm's hosts.
"Lin Daozi, there's a saying in my home world that says the official may set fires, but the common people may not light lamps. Immortal Palace? How mighty! When Pei Yan provoked us Blood Fiends before the last match, you didn't mention rules? This time when you interfere in a match still ongoing, why don't you talk about rules?" Di Xin snorted disdainfully.
"Nonsense! The match was clearly over, yet you continued violence. We intervened to save them!" Ning Quanchen shouted furiously, flushed with anger.
"Nonsense?" Ivan's expression twisted disdainfully: "My staff hadn't fallen, so the match wasn't over!"
Di Xin clapped and looked around, using an exaggerated tone to further provoke: "Oh, my naive partner Ivan, don't you see? In the Daoist Realm, their lives matter, but others don't! Remember Moira before? Taken away right after the match, did the Daoist Realm uphold their laws? Now look at Lin Xunrou, someone quickly stepped up when she was in trouble. Their master and servant are truly of one mind!"
"You…" Di Xin's words left Ning Quanchen at a loss for rebuttal, pointing at the opponent, unable to utter a word.
"Ah!" Amid their argument, Pei Yan, who had walked to the edge of the stage, let out a long sigh.
His sigh immediately drew everyone's attention. In the next second, Pei Yan, who sighed, vanished from the edge of the stage.
"Watch out!" Nero, who had been silent since appearing, letting his companions provoke while secretly releasing energy, sensed something amiss as Pei Yan sighed, issuing a warning. However, as he spoke, a figure appeared between the trio.
Snap! Ivan's raised staff struck Pei Yan's arm, only to break in two. Staring at the row of blades protruding from Pei Yan's arm, Ivan had no time for anger as the opponent's target wasn't him, but Di Xin, who had been provoking him. The staff reformed and swung toward Pei Yan's head as Primordial Qi surged from within Ivan toward Pei Yan.
Pei Yan didn't even glance at the attack, continuing to aim for his target. Di Xin, seeing this, tried to utilize spatial teleportation to temporarily leave the battlefield, but it was too late; the surrounding space had been sealed by Pei Yan. Helpless, he could only retreat and engage Pei Yan in combat, but compared to Pei Yan's seasoned body technique, his close combat was utterly worthless.
Forced into constant defense and passive beating, Di Xin was completely enraged, roaring as his body instantly swelled. Joined into the fight automatically as combat ensued, Nero, isolated by Lin Daozi, saw this and shouted angrily, "Fool! Retreat! Haven't I warned you! Don't imagine engaging this person in close combat!"
Truth be told, even if Nero's reminder reached Di Xin's ears, it was too late to react. His body wasn't yet fully fortified when a thin line of energy pierced his shoulder from behind. Possessing powerful regeneration, Di Xin paused, forcibly enduring the hit. Yet, this pause gave Pei Yan, who was analyzing the battlefield's situation precisely, an opportunity to strike. He sharply punched away Di Xin's slightly impaired right arm and then pressed down on his head.
Boom!
"Ugh~ ah! It hurts, it hurts!"
With a single move, Pei Yan grabbed Di Xin mid-air and slammed him forcefully into the ground, utilizing resonance ability; the strike made the platform tremble three times.
Watching Di Xin, face bloody and howling in pain pinned down by Pei Yan, Ivan grew even more furious. He wasn't angry because his companion was hurt, as interests outweighed friendship and competition overshadowed cooperation between them. His anger stemmed from Di Xin's disgraceful behavior shaming their names, feeling humiliated by it.
With Di Xin's strength, even when roasted by Ning Quanchen's Primordial Fire, he shouldn't be howling like this. Why cry out after one hit! Enraged and muddled, Ivan wanted to crush Pei Yan and taunt the companion who competed with him for power before their teacher, but changes on the field halted his steps.
Those in the Investigation Office, who knew Pei Yan well, rose from their seats and joined the fray at the moment the battle began. Before Nero and Ivan now stood Lin Daozi, Ning Quanchen, Gu Shenghui, Ye Ruozai, Xia Yu, Zheng Jia Ru, and a freshly awakened Lin Xunrou glaring angrily at Nero.
Facing seven people blocking their way, even with their skills, the two could only look on helplessly. The situation spiraled downward as figures jumped onto the Blood Fiends' platform's edge continuously, with the Daoist Realm adding three more strangers into the battleground.
Just as tensions between both sides were about to explode, Pei Yan's lazy voice echoed from the center of the venue once more.
"Why pretend when you lack the ability?"
