"What? Is she really one of the Seven Star Emissaries of the Black Market Excellence Hall, the Orange Star Emissary?"
"It is said that the Seven Star Emissaries are top geniuses in the Black Market Excellence Hall. They are just as strong as Saintly Beings and are extraordinary figures."
"The Orange Star Emissary is about the same age as Lu Fantian. She is 25 years old this year. However, she ranks much higher than Lu Fantian on the Heaven Board. She is 643rd."
"The Orange Star Emissary can enter the top 1000 on the Heaven Board at such young age. I'm afraid she'll be able to hit the top ten on the Heaven Board in the future."
Although young warriors of the Black Market and the heresy could not enter the Coliseum of the Martial Market to fight in just ways, they could still enter the Battlefield of the Primitive World and accumulate military merits. In this way they could also be on the Heaven Board.
Of course, there were also Evil Warriors who disdained being on the Heaven Board.
The way they proved their strength was simple. They defeated famous masters on the Heaven Board.
Di Yi was one such warrior. Although he was not a master on the Earth Board, he had defeated the top ranking Bu Qianfan with only three sword movements. He had been famous ever since.
The masked woman made no effort to disguise her identity. She said, "Yes, I am indeed the Orange Star Emissary."
Hearing that, a group of warriors dressed in black armor rushed in from outside the Coliseum. They surrounded the Heavenly Ring.
People from the Black Market were not allowed in the Coliseum of the Martial Market. They certainly would not let her just leave.
The Orange Star Emissary spared a glance at the warriors below. She sneered. "Huh? Is the Martial Market Bank so afraid that if I defeat Zhang Ruochen, the Saint of the Saint Academy, I will dishonor them? They can hardly wait to catch me."
Xie Yun'an, a Purple Robe Elder, crossed his hands behind his back and walked out of the group of warriors. He stood below the Heavenly Ring with a smile. "Haha! The Orange Star Emissary's gracious presence in the Coliseum of the Martial Market must be warmly welcomed. Do you plan to stay today?"
As a Purple Robe Elder, Xie Yun'an's cultivation had to be unfathomable. He had a very high status in the Martial Market Bank and was specially in charge of keeping order in the Heavenly Ring.
Catching an Emissary of the Black Market Excellence Hall was a great piece of work. Xie Yun'an would never let such an opportunity slip away.
"You? You are ineligible to decide whether I should stay or leave."
The Orange Star Emissary spared a disdainful glance at Xie Yun'an. Then, she ignored him and looked at Zhang Ruochen. "How about we make a bet?"
"What?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Orange Star Emissary replied, "We have a fair fight. If I win, you let me go. If you win, I will fold my hands for capture and be at your disposal. What do you think?"
Xie Yun'an, who stood below the Heavenly Ring, sneered. "Today, it is me, not him, that will determine your destiny!"
The Orange Star Emissary replied, "Zhang Ruochen is number one in the Saint Academy. He is likely to become the headmaster's disciple, and even the young headmaster of the School of the Martial Market. You are just a Purple Robe Elder. Yet you dare to look down upon him. I have to say that you're future at the Martial Market Bank is going to be in jeopardy!"
Xie Yun'an's expression changed. He pondered carefully about what was at stake.
His current position as a Purple Robe Elder was indeed more honorable than Zhang Ruochen's identity as Saint. But Zhang Ruochen was not an ordinary Saint, he was top among all the Saints.
Almost every number one Saint would become the headmaster's disciple.
The identity of headmaster's disciple was much honorable than Purple Robe Elder. They were not on the same level.
As the Orange Star Emissary said, if he offended Zhang Ruochen, he would certainly have hard time ahead of him in the Martial Market Bank.
"How dare you, evil woman of the Black Market,' Xie Yun'an said harshly. "When did I belittle Brother Zhang? He is a Saint of the Saint Academy, one of the Six Great Kings of the young generation in the Eastern Region, and the pride of our Martial Market Bank. I have always admired him. Today, I finally get to see him in person. Brother Zhang, this evil woman of the Black Market dares to challenge you, how should I deal with her?"
Seeing Xie Yun'an's face, the Orange Star Emissary gave a pleasant smile. Yet there was disdainful expression in her eyes.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Since she has already ascended the Heavenly Ring, she is a challenger. I would like to have a fair fight with her."
The Orange Star Emissary could not help looking at him with respect. "You really want to have a fair fight with me? Since it's a fair fight, is our bet still on?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "If you win, I will let you leave."
"You have a lot of guts," said the Orange Star Emissary.
Without warning, she flew from the ground and leapt forward in one step. She stood before Zhang Ruochen.
She pinched her two fingers into a sword skill and stabbed toward his neck.
She was very fast; beyond the discernibility of the naked eye.
Just when she thought she was about to succeed, she suddenly discovered that her two fingers seemed to have hit an iron wall.
She felt extreme pain in her fingers, and the bones felt like they were broken.
The Orange Star Emissary fixed her eyes. She did not know when Zhang Ruochen had stretched out a palm to block her two fingers. His palm was covered with golden Dragon Scales.
"His reaction is so fast. And he is very powerful. He can withstand my attack without even moving his body. He is so strong that even Lu Fantian could only withstand 11 moves."
Only after fighting with Zhang Ruochen could she understand how horrible his cultivation really was. It was far beyond her imagination.
She quickly put away the contempt in her heart and mobilized Genuine Qi to the extreme. She wanted to fight Zhang Ruochen with all her strength.
However, he was faster than her. He struck out a handprint first.
The palm power, like a flood without break, poured down and buried her.
"Devil Moon in the Sky."
She put her hands together. Her Martial Soul mobilized the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Above her head, it condensed into a black full moon.
The full moon was gloomy and filled with Absorbing Qi. It absorbed his palm power, making it invisible.
He laughed loudly. "What you have practiced is the Moon Picture of Demons in the Omen Lithograph. It can absorb the quintessence of the moon and refine it into your body, and then you can practice into an Acquired Yin Moon body. No wonder you can fight against a Saintly Being."
"No, you're wrong. I was born a Lunar Body. It's not acquired." The Orange Star Emissary snorted coldly.
Practicing the Moon Picture of Demons, one could absorb the quintessence of the moon and then practice into a Lunar Body. However, it would be an Acquired Yin Moon body.
The Orange Star Emissary had an Innate Lunar Body. It was much more powerful.
The Moon Picture of Demons itself was an extraordinary exercise, at the same level as the Picture of Omen's Congential Magic Qi that Di Yi practiced. Together with her Innate Lunar Body, the strength she exposed was certainly unusual.
"Even if you are an Innate Lunar Body, I will defeat you."
Zhang Ruochen pulled out the Abyss Ancient Sword and quickly spun his arm. He stabbed it toward her chest from a very tricky angle.
The Orange Star Emissary immediately controlled the black devil moon to fend off his sword movement.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's sword movement staggered. He struck out a backhand and chopped toward Orange Star Emissary's neck behind.
Her expression changed. He quickly dodged.
Zhang Ruochen's sword attacked like a shadow following its form. He broke her devil moon.
SWOOSH!
When he applied his tenth movement, he left her with three bloody sword marks. The tip of his sword landed on her glabella.
The Orange Star Emissary's ten fingers kept emitting evil energy. She did not admit defeat. She wanted to continue fighting.
"If you strike out, you will die," Zhang Ruoyun said softly.
His tone seemed to be calm, however it gave people an unquestionable feeling. It made the Orange Star Emissary tremble in her mind. She felt the resolute will in his words.
She did not dare to gamble. She sighed and gradually withdrew the evil energy in her hands. Her eyes were dimmed. "I only fended off ten movements, one move less than Lu Fantian. I looked down on you!"
When Zhang Ruochen defeated Lu Fantian in 11 movements, the Orange Star Emissary had not been impressed. She didn't think he was powerful. She just thought that Lu Fantian did not deserve his fame.
However, now that she had personally confronted him, she knew how powerful his sword techniques actually were. His sword technique and realm were not something that a young warrior should have and reach.
It was not because Lu Fantian was not powerful enough, but because Zhang Ruochen was too incredible.