At that moment, several Main Gods praised the power of the two great talents. Although they were not yet the top geniuses of the Divine Domain, they could unleash such terrifying strength at their current realm. This was proof enough that cultivation in the Divine Domain had not regressed but was constantly advancing.

"Kill!"

Mu Chen Dong and Bai Ya attacked again, dashing toward each other at top speed. The Ancient Divine Beasts they channeled, the Fire Phoenix and the Divine Eagle, were both known for their peerless speed. As the two speed-based Divine Beasts began to clash, it was impossible to tell which was stronger—the Phoenix or the Eagle.

A pale cyan aura and a fiery-red one battled, each demonstrating its ultimate power. Outside the battlefield, their shadows were almost invisible; only the two auras could be seen, both exuding a crushing pressure. The other geniuses began to compare themselves to the two combatants.

Only the Main Gods remained unmoved, for such battles were commonplace in their eyes. The only outcome they cared about was who would live and who would die, as that was all that mattered.

In the first battle between the Righteous Gods and the Evil Gods, both sides were determined to win. Mu Chen Dong and Bai Ya had already exchanged countless moves. From the start, neither had gained an advantage, proving their strength was equal. Now, the match would be decided by who had greater endurance.

The Red Sand Main God remained silent. Although Mu Chen Dong was his eldest son, he showed no undue emotion, appearing perfectly calm. Mu Keqing, in contrast, shouted excitedly, "Brother will surely win!"

Ye Fan carefully observed the battle and murmured to himself. Their techniques are exquisite, all centered around speed! But their power can’t yet control that speed. In fact, they’re riddled with openings. Yet, they’re both so focused on their contest of speed and endurance that they’ve forgotten their own flaws! Whoever spots this detail first will win. As he came to this conclusion, he glanced at the other geniuses and saw they were also intently watching the fight.

At that moment, Wu Fa asked Ye Fan, "Master Uncle! Who do you think will win?"

Ye Fan replied, "It’s hard to say. They are only competing in the area they excel at while ignoring the fundamental issues. The outcome of this battle is still unknown."

Suddenly, Bai Ya condensed a massive eagle claw and lunged at Mu Chen Dong, who was in the middle of casting his Fire Phoenix technique. Filled with ferocious power, the claw instantly pierced the Fire Phoenix and shot toward Mu Chen Dong himself!

"Not good!" Ye Fan exclaimed.

True to his word, Mu Chen Dong reacted but was still injured. Bai Ya had found his weakness.

BANG!

The two exchanged a palm strike and were both sent flying backward. Bai Ya appeared unharmed, but Mu Chen Dong was not in good shape. He clutched his injured torso, gasping for breath as he warily watched Bai Ya.

The best choice for him right now is to retreat, Ye Fan thought. If he keeps fighting, his life will be in danger. I wonder if he’s the type to act on impulse. If so, he’s in real trouble now. Bai Ya has found his weakness, but he still hasn’t found Bai Ya’s.

Enraged, Mu Chen Dong’s Red Sand Power began to surge once more. His elemental attribute was fire, while Bai Ya’s was wind.

COUGH! COUGH!

The Red Sand Main God coughed pointedly. The enraged Mu Chen Dong suddenly announced, "I admit defeat!"

Though his tone was filled with reluctance, he dared not defy the Red Sand Main God’s command, thus ensuring his own safety.

"HAHAHA!" Bai Ya burst into wild laughter. Mocking laughter erupted from the Evil Divine Lineage’s side. Without a doubt, Mu Chen Dong’s surrender was a deeply shameful act in their eyes—something they utterly despised.

"What a coward!" Wu Fa cursed. Because Mu Chen Dong’s loss in the very first battle had brought shame upon the Righteous Divine Lineage, Wu Fa now looked down on the disheartened man.

Ye Fan suddenly turned to Wu Fa. "Do you really think he’s useless?"

"Of course! We of the Righteous Divine Lineage would rather die on the battlefield! We never fall as long as a single breath remains!" Wu Fa declared. "But that coward surrendered the moment he was injured. What is he if not a coward? He’s a disgrace to our lineage!"

He then looked at Ye Fan. "Master Uncle, you must think so too, right?"

But Ye Fan replied, "Wrong. I don’t think so at all."

"Oh?" Wu Fa looked at him, puzzled. He couldn’t understand what his uncle, whom he had always considered the strongest of men, meant.

Ye Fan said, "My perspective is the complete opposite of yours. Wu Fa, sometimes admitting defeat isn’t cowardice; it’s the wise choice. Take this fight, for instance. Don’t think for a second that Mu Chen Dong and his opponent were evenly matched.

"In fact, if Mu Chen Dong had continued fighting, he would have been the one to die, while his opponent would have escaped with only serious injuries!"

Hearing this, Wu Fa looked on in disbelief.

Ye Fan continued, "So, Mu Chen Dong’s surrender was a very smart move. I would have done the same in his position."

He patted Wu Fa’s shoulder again. "This whole thing was a trap. Sometimes, being overly competitive is not a wise choice! Yes, Mu Chen Dong lost his dignity, but what is dignity compared to one’s life? If you can’t even let go of a burden like that, how can you ever become truly strong?"

His words left Wu Fa deep in thought.

Ye Fan said, "In my homeland, we have a saying: a great man must know when to bend and when to stand tall. This is even more true on the path of martial arts. That which is too rigid is easily broken. Do you understand what that means?" he asked Wu Fa.

Although Wu Fa strongly disagreed with Ye Fan, he said nothing; after all, Ye Fan was his Master Uncle. To me, dignity is worth fighting for, even if it costs me my life, he thought.

Ye Fan nodded in disappointment. He had hoped Wu Fa would understand, but it seemed his words were only making him impatient. Ye Fan didn’t know how else to persuade him.

At this time, the Great Wilderness Main God spoke. "I must say, both the geniuses from the Evil Gods and the Righteous Gods have demonstrated commendable strength! They have all proven their courage. In this battle, Bai Ya is the victor. However, this is only the first match. The battles to come will be even more spectacular."

With that, the Great Wilderness Main God withdrew from the arena.

"I’ll take the next battle!" a loud shout suddenly rang out.

All eyes turned to see the speaker was none other than Zuofa, the son of the Farlan Main God. He was a young prodigy from the Evil Divine Lineage who specialized in Arrays and was considered a master among his peers.

Seeing him, Ye Fan prepared to step forward, but then he saw that Jue Wuqing, son of the Qin Heavenly Main God, had already rushed onto the stage.