Volume One: Femme Fatale Chapter 65: Striking First to Gain the Advantage

"That silly girl, she must not fall for him when the time comes. Jiang Hao is a married man!"

Having listened to Lin Feng's narration, Nangong Xue felt a secret worry stirring within her heart, though she kept her expression entirely calm, silently offering a prayer in her thoughts.

Meanwhile, on the arena grounds, the curtain officially rose on the final duel...

"Senior Brother, would you be so kind as to let me make the first move?" Jiang Hao stepped forward, asking with a tentative tone.

Through his observations during the previous matches, Jiang Hao knew very well that his current strength was far from a match for his opponent. Therefore, seizing the initiative was his only viable strategy.

The "Shadow" gave a light chuckle and replied, "Junior Brother Jiang, wasn't it the exact same in your earlier matches?"

Hearing this, Jiang Hao appeared slightly embarrassed and explained, "Senior Brother, what I mean is, would you dare to grant me one opening move?"

"Oh?" The "Shadow" paused slightly, then raised a hand in a gesture of assent. "Since that is the case, Junior Brother Jiang, please feel free."

"Heh! This fellow really is brimming with arrogance. Don't blame your junior brother for showing no mercy!" Delighted in his heart, Jiang Hao cupped his fists and said, "Then many thanks, Senior Brother!"

"Think nothing of it." The "Shadow" waved his hand dismissively, then assumed his stance, preparing to receive Jiang Hao's assault.

"What is Jiang up to now? Under the current circumstances, can a single move truly alter the outcome of a crushing defeat?" Down below, Xu Changfeng could not help but feel a sense of bewilderment at the sight.

Not only Xu Changfeng, but Nangong Xue, Nangong Yingying, Sun Ping, and numerous other disciples all wore expressions of profound astonishment, unable to comprehend his actions.

Yet, amidst the crowd, one person's gaze flickered with anticipation—it was Elder Lin Feng, who, entrusted by Sun Ping, had been tending to Jiang Hao in the forbidden grounds of the back mountain.

"Senior Brother, please receive my attack!" As soon as the words left his lips, Jiang Hao rapidly channeled his spiritual energy, beginning to condense spiritual talismans.

One... Two...

In the blink of an eye, three spiritual talismans materialized, instantly linking together with visible swiftness.

"I never imagined this fellow was actually setting up a spiritual array? Judging by the number of talismans, it appears to be a three-talisman spiritual array!" Witnessing this scene, the "Shadow" felt a jolt of genuine shock.

"Spirit-Bewildering Array, gather!"

Accompanied by Jiang Hao's thunderous shout, a spiritual array teeming with immense spiritual power rose abruptly from the ground, directly engulfing the "Shadow" within its domain.

The interior of the array was shrouded in swirling mist, every inch of space radiating an eerie, hypnotic allure akin to a dreamscape filled with endless illusions, designed to cloud the mind and plunge one into bottomless confusion.

"Not good!"

In a flash, the figure of the "Shadow" vanished entirely from the onlookers' sight.

"Are you kidding me?! Junior Brother Jiang can actually set up a three-talisman spiritual array?" In the stands, Xu Changfeng stared with wide eyes, utterly dumbfounded.

The earlier rock array had already taken him by surprise, but the current bewildering array completely transcended his understanding.

"This guy..." A look of fascination crept into Nangong Yingying's eyes.

"Vice-Dean Sun, Elder Lin Feng, is there something you two are still keeping from me?" Nangong Xue asked in a low voice, her gaze remaining fixed on Jiang Hao.

If her initial attention toward Jiang Hao stemmed merely from curiosity, at this moment, a profound sense of shock had taken root in her heart!

One had to realize that the Five Elements Gathering Spirits Array in the forbidden back mountain was merely a four-talisman array. Yet Jiang Hao, at such a tender age, could effortlessly deploy a three-talisman spiritual array. One could only imagine the immense potential his future attainments in array formation would hold.

"Your Majesty, this..." Both Sun Ping and Lin Feng were left speechless, for neither of them had anticipated that Jiang Hao possessed such a formidable trump card.

It was not just Sun Ping and Lin Feng who were at a loss; the Dragon Gate disciples present were already stunned to the core! Several disciples rubbed their eyes repeatedly, terrified that their aged vision was playing tricks on them and that they had misread the spectacle unfolding before them.

Just as the crowd was swept up in waves of astonishment, Jiang Hao had already gathered his momentum and unleashed a second wave of fierce attacks.

"Sky-Slicing Slash!"

With a wild roar from Jiang Hao, spiritual energy surged forth like a tidal wave. The sharp sword in his hand swept outward, its momentum roaring through the air like a tearing gale, pressing relentlessly toward the "Shadow" trapped within the bewildering array.

That single sword strike seemed imbued with the might of heaven and earth, unstoppable and fierce as it charged forward!

"Boom!"

Accompanied by a deafening crash, intense fluctuations of energy erupted instantly within the bewildering array. Dust swirled into the air like a sandstorm whipped up by a gale, plunging the scene into momentary chaos.

The crowd held their breath, staring unblinkingly at the billows of dust, their hearts thoroughly shaken by Jiang Hao's formidable strength.

"Gale Step!"

Before the dust had even settled, Jiang Hao once again mobilized his spiritual energy. His figure surged forward like a rising wind, his speed skyrocketing as he darted straight into the bewildering array like a flash of lightning piercing through the gloom.

"Mountain-Splitting Palm!"

Jiang Hao roared, his voice resounding like thunder, immediately triggering another earth-shaking blast within the array.

Moments later, the commotion within the array came to an abrupt halt, as if everything had been swallowed whole by that overwhelming force, sending a surge of tension and anticipation through the watching crowd.

At that instant, every eye was locked upon the interior of the bewildering array, waiting breathlessly for the outcome to be revealed.

As the smoke within the array gradually dissipated, the spectators stared with bated breath, utterly astounded by the sight before them.

The "Shadow's" mask had been shattered by the previous impact, its fragments drifting downward like falling flower petals to reveal a cold, mysterious, and commanding visage.

"Young Master Jiang, it seems I was led into your trap..." Zhang Chen chuckled lightly, his eyes brimming with shock.

On the other side, having unleashed such a powerful onslaught, Jiang Hao's spiritual energy was utterly depleted. Coupled with the backlash from taking a direct palm strike by the "Shadow," his complexion instantly turned ashen, and his legs buckled, causing him to drop heavily to his knees.

"It really is you... Commander Zhang..."

Gazing at the familiar opponent before him, Jiang Hao smiled with a sense of relief before losing consciousness and collapsing flat to the ground.

"Young Master Jiang!" Zhang Chen cried out anxiously, rushing directly to Jiang Hao's side.

"Jiang Hao! You jerk! Clearly unable to win, yet you still insisted on showing off!" Nangong Yingying scolded through her panic as she sprinted anxiously toward him...

"It turned out to be Zhang Chen! He... he is a powerhouse at the Spirit Dan realm..." Witnessing this scene, Xu Changfeng experienced a sudden flash of enlightenment, finally understanding why he had suffered such a crushing defeat at the man's hands.

A sudden thought striking him, Xu Changfeng slumped limply to the ground, muttering in a daze, "Then Junior Brother Jiang's strength... doesn't that mean..."

"Jiang Hao... perhaps this time, you truly can win glory for my imperial family at the Azure Cloud Tournament!" Nangong Xue's gaze grew deep and contemplative, as if she were weighing profound matters.

Beside her, Lin Feng nudged Sun Ping and whispered a reminder, "Vice-Dean Sun, shouldn't you announce the outcome of this challenge now?"

"Ah, right!" Coming back to his senses, Sun Ping announced in a loud, clear voice, "I hereby declare that in this duel, Jiang Hao's challenge is a success!"

"Good heavens! Junior Brother Jiang actually succeeded!"

"I simply can't believe it. Junior Brother Jiang is actually a three-talisman array master!"

"Setting aside that three-talisman array, just Junior Brother Jiang's 'Sky-Slicing Slash' alone possessed a terrifying might!"

"None of you observed as closely as I did. If you ask me, what is truly terrifying about Junior Brother Jiang is the movement technique he just displayed—it was unimaginably fast!"

The crowd below erupted into a flurry of bewildered gasps and exclamations...

"Vice-Dean Sun, please arrange for the finest healing medicinal pills to be given to Jiang Hao without delay. Furthermore, once Jiang Hao regains consciousness, make sure he comes to see me," Nangong Xue instructed solemnly.

"This humble subject obeys!" Sun Ping bowed respectfully.

"Oh, and one more thing! Today's events must be kept under the strictest secrecy! Should any disciple leak a word, this monarch will show no mercy!" Having finished her instructions, Nangong Xue departed first.

"This subject understands!" Sun Ping replied deferentially. As the Vice-Dean of Dragon Gate Academy, he naturally grasped the immense gravity of the day's events!