As Shang Xie Shao Qing stepped onto the stage, the demonic sect expert’s eyes sharpened. He coldly declared, “After I deal with you, I’ll win…”
Before he could finish, he launched an attack.
Several cold glints shot out like meteors, carrying a terrifying killing intent.
This was a sneak attack!
There was no booing from the crowd below; instead, they grew excited, as they were already accustomed to this.
Sneak attacks, poisoning, coercion, and intimidation – these were the survival rules for those in the demonic sects. As long as they could eliminate their opponents and achieve their goals, they would resort to any means necessary.
The demonic sect expert thought his sneak attack would be effective. A flicker of dark joy flashed in his eyes, but little did he know…
Shang Xie Shao Qing was already prepared. His body moved like an illusion, easily dodging the attack. With a flick of his fan, a powerful surge of energy, like a sharp arrow, slashed fiercely at the expert’s chest, causing blood to fly.
“Damn it, kid, you’re a bit tricky.”
The demonic sect expert, enduring the pain, glanced at the torn flesh on his chest, his eyes filled with killing intent as he looked at Shang Xie Shao Qing. “I won’t hold back anymore. I’ll send you straight to hell.”
Suddenly, his figure vanished from the fighting stage.
“He’s gone, where did he go?”
The onlookers below were shocked. “Can he turn invisible? What kind of technique is this?”
Of course, he couldn’t be invisible.
Shang Xie Shao Qing had been tracking his opponent with his divine sense. Although he couldn’t see the man, he felt a distinct gust of wind swirling around him.
It turned out this demonic sect expert also had a talent for wind force. His movement speed was incredibly fast, and combined with some obfuscation techniques, those with lower cultivation levels couldn't see him.
Shang Xie Shao Qing deliberately pretended not to see him either, circling the stage and observing.
“Die!”
Suddenly, a figure appeared out of thin air, only three feet away from Shang Xie Shao Qing.
In his hand was a claw-like weapon, gleaming with silver light and emanating a chilling aura. It was about to pierce Shang Xie Shao Qing’s head…
But Shang Xie Shao Qing’s lips curved into a mysterious smile.
A burst of flames shot forward, instantly engulfing the demonic sect expert who had just appeared.
His vision was overwhelmed by golden light, and the surrounding temperature instantly rose, scorching him and making him cry out. A sense of great danger surged in his heart. He wanted to retreat, but to his surprise, a ball of raging fire erupted from beneath his feet, like a gushing fountain, igniting his clothes and hair. He was burning fiercely.
The demonic sect expert was terrified, channeling his internal energy to try and expel the flames.
To his surprise, it was completely ineffective.
Flames continuously surged from the soles of his feet. Shang Xie Shao Qing waved his hand, and another massive fire dragon swooped down, swallowing him whole. Screams of agony continued. The demonic sect expert, who had been ferocious moments before, now lay on the ground, rolling over and over, as if plunged into a hellish inferno.
The crowd below was stunned. So powerful!
This young man looked like a pretty boy, but unexpectedly possessed such formidable fire power. He must have a significant background, but why had no one ever heard of him before?
His opponent, ablaze, writhed on the stage, his screams gradually weakening, until he was burned into a blackened, charred husk.
Shang Xie Shao Qing, however, remained elegant and poised, casually fanning himself.
“Ah—he won!”
“This young master is so handsome, what’s his name?”
“Such a terrifying fire dragon, who can stand against it? I’m afraid ten more people would die if they went up!”
Amidst the cheers of the entire audience, even the people from the City Lord’s mansion widened their eyes, their breathing heavy. Another expert had emerged. It seemed he could win five consecutive matches. He must be a descendant of some powerful figure, right?
Next, Shang Xie Shao Qing defeated four more opponents. However, the subsequent matches were fought in a more conventional manner.
His objective was to kill, and incidentally, to qualify as the City Lord’s personal bodyguard. If he made too much of a spectacle, it would only make his opponents wary. If everyone became afraid to face him, how could he kill anyone?
He had to restrain himself.
“This young master is truly impressive. Congratulations on successfully passing the five challenges.”
The people from the City Lord’s mansion approached again, presenting Shang Xie Shao Qing with a metal token. It had the same style and pattern as Chu Tian Shu’s, except his token bore the character ‘贰’ (Er).
Shang Xie Shao Qing closed his fan, accepted the token with a smile, and was escorted to a waiting area.
Chu Tian Shu exchanged a knowing smile with him, and they sat side by side.
Watching the corpses being carried off the stage, without knowing how they were disposed of, Su Luo and the others felt a sense of exhilaration. It was rare to be able to so uninhibitedly eliminate members of the demonic sects, not only without facing retribution but also receiving cheers from countless people.
It was truly most amusing!
The competition continued. After more than ten rounds passed on the stage, another demonic sect expert, who had defeated four opponents in a row and was about to pass, was scheduled to fight Lu Ji Xing.
After unexpectedly eliminating his opponent, he unscrupulously used his refined poisons and powders, even coating his weapons with poison. His methods were varied and insidious, making him impossible to guard against. His opponents initially underestimated him, but in the end, they all died more tragically than the last.
Some lost their sight, some had their hands corroded, and some festered all over their bodies… The last one died a truly gruesome death.
A handful of black powder was scattered. Although it only touched her slightly, the beautiful and graceful demonic sect woman screamed, clutching her face, and collapsed.
Her body began to melt, her skin, flesh, and hair continuously flowed down. Even her bones turned into foul-smelling liquid, mixed with decaying internal organs. The sight left the onlookers below stunned and chilled to the bone.
What a malicious poison!
No one suspected Lu Ji Xing’s identity; only those from the demonic sects would be so vicious.
“Tsk tsk tsk, the Fox Lady, with her alluring bones, so many men were willing to become her playthings, yet this fellow showed no mercy and killed her so tragically… Truly a cruel hand that destroys flowers.”
“What poison did he use? It’s so potent.”
“He looks so refined and scholarly, yet he’s so ruthless. Truly a man-eater who doesn’t spit out bones!”
“Cannot afford to offend him, best to steer clear in the future…”
Under the shocked gaze of everyone, Lu Ji Xing also received the third metal token. When the people from the City Lord’s mansion approached, they did so cautiously, fearing they might accidentally offend him and be turned into a puddle of stinking water.
With such perilous matches, a single misstep could cost one’s life. The people who stepped onto the stage next became even more cautious, while the spectators below grew even more excited. Because the more bloody the fights, the more horrific the opponents’ deaths, and the more vicious the methods, the greater the symbol of strength, always eliciting admiration and fawning from the demonic sect members.
The competition had been underway for over three hours. The sun was setting in the west, and dusk was approaching.
No less than a hundred people had died.
Only six had emerged victorious. Besides Chu Tian Shu, Shang Xie Shao Qing, and Lu Ji Xing, Su Luo and Wen Dai’er had also successfully qualified. Li Tian Jue did not participate, as they needed to leave someone behind to provide support, guard against unforeseen events, and protect Tang Xiao Guo and Bai Qi.
Among the six victors, the only outsider was an old woman who called herself Yin Lao Lao.
She was hunched over with wrinkled skin, her silver hair messy, and she was short in stature. A large yellow gourd hung from her walking stick.
The five people who died at her hands were all killed by powerful vengeful spirits that emerged from the gourd. They had no external injuries but wore expressions of sheer terror, their deaths seemingly inexplicable.
Yin Lao Lao, holding the sixth metal token, was respectfully escorted to the winner’s area by the City Lord’s mansion staff.
Chu Tian Shu and the others instinctively became alert, warily observing Yin Lao Lao.
“Youngsters, don’t be afraid. This old woman is like you; I’ve also obtained a metal token, so we are all in this together. As long as you don’t provoke me, I won’t attack you casually, hehehehehe…”