"Huo Qiang!" they exclaimed seeing him spit out blood with his hands clutching his chest tightly.

She almost ran to the ring if not for Huo Mei pulling her back, Bohai watched with a faint smirk at the corner of his lips but he still isn't satisfied with his performance, it may seem to others that he got severely injured but in truth, he only got a heavy hit from Bohai once.

​​

He gritted his teeth as he stood on his feet.

"Not bad," he remarked with a faint smile that really soothed their worry as he wiped the blood at the corner of his lips, Bohai raised his brow at how quickly he changed.

"I definitely wasn't expecting less from the young master of the flame sect," he added then quickly dashed towards him again, this time, the flames in his sword became bigger, every move he made became too fierce putting Bohai on a defensive mode but Bohai quickly regained his pace as he started retaliating fiercely.

Huo Qiang ran to one of the pillars then he swiftly climbed it in footwork then he propelled himself forward, giving Bohai a strong hit to his chest which Bohai returned with a cut to his arm, he landed on the ground with his hand around the wound on his arm but they didn't waste time before getting into action.

He summoned a flame sword meteor shower then he swung his sword around to direct the swords towards Bohai at full speed, Bohai in turn easily manoeuvred the swords past him, Bohai also used many of his skills and now both are still fighting.

Since the competition started, this fight is the longest, fiercest and of course more thrilling to watch.

They kept exchanging fists with their sword clanging against each other but it is clear to everyone that Bohai clearly has the upper hand in the fight, sect leader Lin on the other hand looked away from the fight to glance at Huo Lan who seems disturbed.

He smiled internally.

{It is about time,}

She was sweating profusely and her eyes kept flashing from a bright red colour to a deeper red colour, it seems as though her blood is boiling inside her, Su Ci noticed this so she started dabbing her forehead with her sleeves but it still wasn't stopping.

"Huo Lan, are you alright?" she asked out of concern, Huo Lan nodded in answer indicating she is alright but Su Ci can clearly see it is otherwise.

The fourth prince was also getting worried about her, with his heightened vision, he could see how she is fluctuating clearly but he can't tell what the reason for the fluctuation is, he could tell the competition between Bohai and Huo Qiang is also triggering her.

She has been worried about Bohai and Huo Qiang who is her sister's lover, she loves her sister so much so of course, she doesn't want any harm to come to the person she loves.

Both had just cut themselves on the arm when Huo Qiang somersaulted to dodge Bohai's next attack but Bohai moved too swiftly with his sword pointed at Huo Qiang, Huo Qiang had just turned to face him when his eyes widened at the sword almost piercing his chest.

"Huo Qiang!" both Huo Ying and Huo Lan screamed, Bohai turned to Huo Lan in a momentary distraction, giving Huo Qiang the chance to book the tip of the sword with his sword then he slid backwards, by the time Bohai returned his focus, they both each other's swords aimed at the tip of their neck.

"A draw..." everyone started murmuring, never before has there been a draw, only a winner and loser.

Everyone started making comments on the moment Huo Ying and Huo Lan screamed which obviously distracted Bohai and caused the draw.

"This is clearly a farce, both your daughters disrupted the contest," sect madam Huo claimed in an accusing tone with her eyes fixed on sect madam Huo, her statement started trouble for the flame sect as many of the sects and the crowd started speaking against the flame sect.

Though they didn't plan to scream at the same time, both sisters stared at each other in guilt, Huo Ying knows that her sister must have been worried about Huo Qiang because of her.

Huo Qiang wasn't surprised by Huo Ying but both he and Bohai were surprised at Huo Lan screaming because she was afraid he would get hurt.

Bohai was not only surprised but he was also jealous, both brought down the sword from their necks while they waited to the sect leaders to decide on how it should end.

"Sect leader Meng, my daughters are indeed wrong to have disrupted the fight but in a real fight I am afraid Lin Bohai would have lost his life if he was distracted like today," she responded at ease, everyone immediately agreed with her statement.

Sect leader Lin didn't know what to say in regards to this, his aim is too show everyone that the flame sect is still behind the wind sect but now his foolish son as he would deem him

to be has ruined one of his plan.

"Sect madam Huo, you should know it is against the rule of the contest for anyone to disturb the contest unless it is a life threatening situation," sect leader Lin said, hoping people would be incited by him.

She sneered then turned to him.

"Are you saying that wasn't a life threatening situation when your son was clearly going to stab my guardian?" she queried with her voice slightly raised.

"Do you think my son doesn't know when to stop, they both dealt injuries to each other but none was life threatening, it seems like sect madam Huo has been cooped up in the flame sect for too long to remember the rules of the contest, perharps you would like master Li Jie to help you remember?" he retorted, raising his voice too.

The emperor couldn't be more happy with this result, if the martial world is in disarray then it would only benefit the court.

"Since it is a draw then let it be, after all, both sides have sustained enough injuries," the emperor suggested but the wise ones know it is not just a suggestion, an indirect command that they have an option to disobey but disobeying it would mean the matial world has no regard for the emperor.

Sect leader Lin clenched his fist underneath his sleeves in anger but he soon calmed himself remembering he stil has another plan in place and if it goes well, the flame sect will go down this very day.

"Now that the winners of the contest has been decided then it is time to test the second young mistress of the flame sect," Sect leader Lin announced, murmurs arose again from all corners.

Only the sects were aware of the fact that she will be tested today instead of two years later, they were all scared for their lives, why in the world would they test her in a public place where commoners are also present.

Bohai and Huo Qiang had already left the ring and were now seated with their respective sects, everyone in the flame sect became tense the moment Huo Lan was taken into the ring.

She is already anxious without even starting the test, no one knows what the test is but even without knowing what it is, from the strange feeling in her body, she doesn't need anyone to tell her there is a high chance of her failing the test.

She glanced at her mother who is also looking at her with an affectionate and encouraging look, she then glanced at Huo Ying and the others from the flame sect, everyone seems to be telling her she can do it with just their gaze.

But she knows...she really can't.

Sect leader Lin then stood up from his seat and raised his hand to stop the noise so everyone can hear what he is about to say.

"The second young mistress will have to compete with a sinner of the martial world, if he dies then she will have failed the test, thus, she will be executed without fail!" he declared earning loud gasps from everyone.

"What are you talking about, wasn't life isolation the punishment for failing the test!" sect madam Huo retorted as she sprung up from her seat with her eyes widened.

The three sect leaders have already discussed it and forwarded their suggestion to the emperor who was more than happy to hear what they have decided on.

"If your daughter cannot control her power then she is to be considered a monster, do you think keeping a monster in isolation will change anything?" Sect leader Meng added.

"I will never allow my daughter to be executed, regardless of whether she fails the test or not!" she retorted with the determination clearly passed on.