Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. He only knew that the Han Kingdom was the most powerful among the Nine Kingdoms, but he had never known that the Han Kingdom’s martial arts had such special qualities.

So, is this the confidence the other side has for challenging him?

"You and I should go to the Martial Arts Garden for a duel."

Lin Chen shook his head, "No need."

When he said this, there was an uproar at the scene. The martial artists present did not understand what Lin Chen meant. Was he refusing to accept Gao Mushan’s challenge?

However, there was a rule in the Martial Arts Garden that if one met the challenge requirements to challenge someone ranked higher, and the person being challenged refused without a reasonable reason, it would be considered a concession.

Could it be that Lin Chen was going to give up the first place?

At this moment, on a boat at the dock, several figures were standing on the deck, their eyes looking toward the city gate not far away.

"It seems that Lin Chen is trying to delay."

"The Martial Arts Garden granting Lin Chen the first place on the Human List was inherently unfair. Before he defeated Yu Beichen, he only had refined two viscera organs. It was only because the result of that battle shocked so many people. If the Hidden Dragon List was released a month later, the first place would still be Junior Brother Gao’s." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

On the deck, a young man in blue snorted coldly. In the eyes of their Han Kingdom martial artists, Lin Chen’s position as first on the Human List was solely due to the impact of his battle with Yu Beichen.

In contrast, Junior Brother Gao had been staying in the Han Kingdom, not having experienced many major battles, and his fame was not as great as Lin Chen’s.

But all their martial artists from the Han Kingdom were like this, rarely traveling to the other kingdoms, not because they didn’t want to but because they disdained to.

Among the Nine Kingdoms’ Martial Path, the Han Kingdom had always been the leader.

As long as one was the top among their same age in their country, they were the best among the Nine Kingdoms. This time, the Celestial List and Earth List of the Hidden Dragon List also verified this point.

Junior Brother Gao came to the Liang Kingdom this time to regain the first place on the Human List and prove to the other eight kingdoms that the Celestial, Earth, and Human Lists would be under the Han Kingdom’s dominance.

"What, don’t you dare to compete with me?"

Amid the surrounding noise and discussion, Gao Mushan also sneered.

Before Lin Chen could answer, three figures quickly arrived inside the city gate.

"Anyone disturbing the order of Lingxiao City will be arrested!"

The Black Armor Guards appeared, and the originally surrounding martial artists quickly retreated a bit.

The reputation precedes the man, the Black Armor Guards of Lingxiao City were famously strict. Once targeted by them, if not dead, they would be stripped of a layer of skin.

The three Black Armor Guards only glanced at Lin Chen before their gaze fell on Gao Mushan.

"Haha, is this your Liang Kingdom’s intention, afraid that Lin Chen’s ranking will fall, so you’re stopping me from sparring with Lin Chen?"

Gao Mushan suddenly laughed loudly, "Indeed, for the Liang Kingdom, having someone as the first on the Human List is already satisfying enough. Naturally, you want to keep this honor for a while longer."

Upon hearing Gao Mushan’s words, Meng Xing and the others showed angry expressions, and Yu Fei even directly scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

The leader among the three Black Armor Guards frowned, "The Black Armor Guards act according to the rules, and no one is allowed to violate them."

"Well said, nobody can defy! Forget it, you may escape today, but not tomorrow. I don’t believe you, Lin Chen, can keep hiding."

Gao Mushan shook his head, grabbed his spear, and was about to leave, his disdainful expression evident.

"I think you might have misunderstood."

Gao Mushan turned back, his gaze fixed on Lin Chen.

"When I said ’no need,’ I meant you’re not worth the trip to the Martial Arts Garden."

Lin Chen spoke calmly, then glanced at the three Black Armor Guards, "Senior brothers, may I take action here?"

The Black Armor Guard who spoke earlier gave Lin Chen a deep look, "If you cause any damage to the bricks of Lingxiao City or the floor, you will face punishment..."

"I’ll pay for the damages!"

Gao Mushan directly interrupted the Black Armor Guard, looking at Lin Chen, "Since you want to fight here, I’ll grant your wish!"

In Gao Mushan’s mind, he still believed that Lin Chen was deliberately making excuses, and now he was cutting off all of Lin Chen’s excuses.

"Alright!"

Lin Chen agreed. Since someone was willing to pay the fine and had come to him for a fight, he had nothing to say.

The onlookers, hearing the conversation between the two, had excited expressions. They were about to witness the battle between the first and second on the Human List.

This battle was sure to be incredibly exciting.

"Come on."

Gao Mushan pointed his spear at Lin Chen, emitting an intense chill, with frost slowly forming on the spear’s tip.

Lin Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.

"What, not going to use your bow and arrow?"

"I don’t need it for you."

Hearing Lin Chen’s words, a fierce look flashed in Gao Mushan’s eyes, "I hope you can continue to be so arrogant."

Gao Mushan’s spear radiated a cold light, the frost on the tip transforming into a sky full of frost and snow. The surrounding martial artists quickly retreated three feet, and the bluestone slabs were covered with a layer of thin ice by the Extreme Cold Gang Qi.

"Junior Brother Gao’s Profound Nether Ice Soul Technique has been cultivated to perfection, and with his spear forged from Cold Iron, his strength can increase by thirty percent. If Lin Chen doesn’t use his bow and arrow, there’s no way he won’t lose."

"I heard that Lin Chen’s qi and blood are extremely powerful, he must be relying on his abundant qi and blood to not fear the Extreme Cold Gang Qi."

"Hmph, he’s just a frog in a well!"

On the deck, several young men’s eyes showed disdain for Lin Chen.

They had never seen a martial artist with qi and blood strong enough to resist the Extreme Cold Gang Qi.

Whoosh!

Gao Mushan moved, a shadow of the spear carrying biting cold pierced straight toward Lin Chen.

And at this moment, Lin Chen’s qi and blood boiled, the True Blood surged like rivers between his five viscera, his feet unmoved as his right palm glowed gold, boldly meeting Gao Mushan’s spearhead.

"Courting death!"

Seeing Lin Chen’s actions, Gao Mushan’s eyes also contained anger. Lin Chen dared to look down on him like this; he wanted to make Lin Chen pay the price.

The chill on the spearhead surged again, intending to pierce through Lin Chen’s palm.

Before the spearhead and palm collided, several men on the deck suddenly exclaimed.

"This is impossible!"

The three Black Armor Guards closest, their eyes also flashed.

In their eyes, Lin Chen’s palm hadn’t collided with the spearhead yet, but the palm wind had arrived first, and the frost on Gao Mushan’s spearhead instantly vaporized into mist!

Bang!

With a loud bang, Gao Mushan staggered back a few steps, his grip cracking, and the spearhead was actually forced to recoil by Lin Chen’s palm, bending back.

"This is impossible!"

Gao Mushan roared in fury, despite his hand’s injury, he spun around for another stab, the gang qi this time transformed into cold mist rushing toward Lin Chen.

Lin Chen’s eyes glowed gold, not caring about the cold mist as his left hand reached out like a pouch for weapons, gripping the spearhead. In the next moment, his fingers suddenly clenched tightly, and this spear, which Gao Mushan was so proud of, forged from Cold Iron, twisted and deformed under Lin Chen’s palm force, to an exaggerated bent angle.

Gao Mushan’s pupils shrank, still wanting to exert more force, but with a faint dragon-like rumble of qi and blood, the spear suddenly shattered. The remaining power sent Gao Mushan flying back several dozen meters, heavily striking the city wall.

The surrounding crowd was deathly silent, cold frost formed from the cold mist on the ground reflecting iridescent lights under the sunshine.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the figure standing in the field, haloed by a faint golden sunlight glow, with not a trace of frost or snow on him.

"This... how can this be?"

Under the city wall, Gao Mushan struggled to stand, questioning why Lin Chen was unaffected by any chill.

Why was Lin Chen’s flesh able to shatter his spear?

Lin Chen remained serene. What’s the matter with the Profound Nether Ice Soul Technique?

His qi and blood far surpass ordinary martial artists, and having absorbed the Lingxiao power, which was the Rising Sun Power, the ultimate yang power in the world, it would be strange if he were affected by cold energy.

As for why he could destroy Gao Mushan’s spear, it was a clash of cold and heat, energy fusion, it would be strange if the spear didn’t crack.

On the deck, several young men fell into silence.

The more they had mocked Lin Chen before, the more embarrassed they felt now.

"Below Entering the Grade, he is the true first, and no one on the Human List can shake his ranking."

Finally, a young man on the deck slowly spoke, "My Zhao Kingdom cannot do it, nor can your Han Kingdom."

The two Han Kingdom youths on the deck, though unwilling to admit it, found no excuse to refute.

"Let him be arrogant for now, we’ll see what happens after Entering the Grade."