Chapter 16: The Renowned Sword and Wine Echo Throughout the Great Dou Soul Arena, Facing off Against Yu Tianheng
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“Guh… guh…”
Raging Wolf’s eyes bulged wide. Both hands clutched at his throat, blood seeping between his fingers, while disbelief froze upon his twisted face.
A few breaths later, he fell straight backward with a heavy thud, sending dust billowing into the air.
The stands, which had been roaring with noise only moments ago, now fell into deathly silence.
Many spectators still had their hands raised, traces of hysteria lingering on their faces. Even the host had yet to leave the arena.
It had happened too quickly!
One sword—an instant kill!
From beginning to end, not even ten breaths had passed!
Li Zhexian did not spare the dead-eyed Raging Wolf a glance. He turned and walked toward the passage leading backstage.
Only after he had left the arena did the stands erupt with curses and sobs from every direction.
A fledgling participating in the Soul Arena for the first time had instantly killed a fighter on a four-match winning streak—one who was on the verge of earning a Bronze Badge. Who knew how many people had lost everything on this battle?
But none of it had anything to do with Li Zhexian.
When he reached the backstage area, the other competitors looked at him differently.
Through the Faceless Man mask, Li Zhexian’s gaze swept across the faces of one fighter after another.
Yet not a single person dared meet his eyes.
That was the change in status brought by strength.
Time passed, and soon it was nine o’clock.
Li Zhexian’s second match had arrived.
His opponent had just achieved three consecutive victories and was an exceptionally formidable Iron Badge fighter.
But it still took only one sword.
Two Soul Arena battles.
Li Zhexian had drawn his sword twice.
In the space of a single night, the name “Sword Wine” had already gained a measure of fame.
……
Over the following period of time, Li Zhexian’s three-point routine finally underwent a slight change.
As usual, he spent his days eating and fishing with Xue Qinghe, then returned home at night to practice his swordsmanship.
But in between, he also went to the Great Soul Arena to fight.
Two battles a day.
Two swords for both battles.
At least up to now, after twenty matches in ten days, he had risen from an Iron Badge to a Silver Badge, yet none of his opponents had forced him to draw a second sword.
The name “Sword Wine” resounded throughout the Great Soul Arena of the Imperial City. Even the Soul Arenas in other cities had begun to hear of him.
Sizzle—
On clean bluestone paving, a plump fish fried in its own oil.
Its fresh, savory aroma mingled with the lotus-scented breeze and spread through the air.
“Li Zhexian…”
Xue Qinghe watched Li Zhexian as he lowered his head over the grilled fish, a trace of puzzlement flickering in his eyes.
“Why do I feel that you seem somewhat different?”
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Li Zhexian flipped the fish over without raising his head.
“Different how?”
Xue Qinghe frowned and scrutinized him from head to toe.
“I can’t quite say…”
She could not put her finger on it. She only felt that the carefree young man in white from before had become far more incisive.
At times, when his eyes wandered, the indifference revealed in them was enough to fill her with faint surprise.
After thinking for a moment, Xue Qinghe asked again, “Li Zhexian, are you certain you do not want to attend the Imperial Academy?”
Li Zhexian replied helplessly, “Why are you so determined to make me attend the Imperial Academy?”
Without hesitation, Xue Qinghe answered, “Because after you graduate, you can become an official of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.”
Li Zhexian took a bite of fish, then lifted his eyes toward Xue Qinghe.
“Thank you so much.”
“You have even arranged my entire future for me.”
Xue Qinghe’s eyes lit up.
“So you agree?”
“I refuse.”
Li Zhexian spoke lazily. “To be honest, there are hardly any students at the Imperial Academy who could defeat me. What would I go there for?”
“Afterward, I still have to travel across the continent and continue searching for fine wines I have never tasted.”
Xue Qinghe curled her lips, taking it merely as an excuse for Li Zhexian’s refusal to attend the Imperial Academy.
“Hmm, your guards are here.”
Xue Qinghe was about to say something more when Li Zhexian raised a sharp brow and nodded toward the space behind her.
Xue Qinghe turned and saw Poison Douluo and Spear Douluo approaching.
“Look who’s here. The two brothers! Would you like to sit down and eat something?”
Li Zhexian smiled at Poison Douluo and Spear Douluo.
After spending so many days together, he had become familiar enough with the two men.
As for the fact that they were both Titled Douluo, he simply pretended not to know. He treated them only as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe’s guards and had never displayed the slightest unusual reaction.
“No need,” Poison Douluo and Spear Douluo replied stiffly, their eyes turning toward Xue Qinghe.
Xue Qinghe’s brows drew together slightly.
Since the two men had not spoken openly, it meant that what followed was not suitable for Li Zhexian to hear.
“Li Zhexian, I’ll be leaving first.”
“Mm.”
Li Zhexian nodded, then seemed to remember something and hurriedly called out, “Oh, and bring me a Three-Immortals Chicken tomorrow. Make sure it’s stuffed with lotus seeds!”
Without turning around, Xue Qinghe waved a hand to indicate that she had heard him.
After they had gone some distance, Poison Douluo and Spear Douluo were still looking at Xue Qinghe with complicated expressions.
Tomorrow, there would be one fewer chicken on the table of the old emperor, Xue Ye.
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Who knew what kind of bewitching potion Li Zhexian had given their young master? The young master was treating him far too well.
“What is it? Speak.”
When it came to serious matters, Spear Douluo spoke solemnly.
“Young master, an exceptionally formidable swordsman with a sword spirit has recently appeared in the Great Soul Arena.”
“Although this person wears a mask, his bearing suggests that he is quite young. Yet he has won twenty consecutive matches, breaking the record for the fastest promotion to a Silver Badge.”
“Most importantly, this Sword Wine has only drawn his sword once so far.”
Xue Qinghe stopped walking.
“He has only drawn it once?”
Poison Douluo nodded.
“Yes, young master.”
“Of his twenty opponents, eighteen died and two were injured. His swordsmanship is extremely sharp and ruthless.”
“Moreover, Sword Wine broke Yu Tianheng’s record. Yu Tianheng has already entered tonight’s competition, so the two of them are bound to clash.”
Xue Qinghe fell silent in thought for a long while before saying, “I will go and see for myself tonight.”
“Sword Wine…”
“When did the Imperial City gain such a formidable young swordsman?”
……
Night fell.
In the courtyard, a bleak streak of sword light flashed past, and the air seemed to acquire an additional trace of blood.
“The tempering I have undergone these past few days has been immensely beneficial.”
“I have found the most essential form of swordsmanship.”
“Under the combined effects of cultivation and my Wine Spirit, my spirit power has also risen to rank twenty-three.”
“Tonight’s opponent is Yu Tianheng—the possessor of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit and the captain of the Heaven Dou Imperial Team…”
“Interesting…”
Li Zhexian put on the Faceless Man mask.
Beneath the night sky, a figure clad in white swept past like a ghost.
……
The Great Soul Arena of the Imperial City.
Eight o’clock in the evening.
Li Zhexian stepped into the arena.
Unlike ten days ago, the moment the spectators saw that white-clad figure, the entire audience became like a barrel of gunpowder set ablaze, seemingly ready to blow the Great Soul Arena apart.
Shouts, screams, and roars fused together, forming tangible waves of sound that rolled thunderously throughout the venue.
“Sword Wine! Sword Wine! Sword Wine!”
“Ahhh! Are you going to kill your opponent with a single sword again tonight?”
“My idol! I want to become a swordsman as formidable as Sword Wine!”
“I lost my entire family, so I sold one of my kidneys to bet on Sword Wine’s victory!”
…
On the second floor.
Inside a VIP suite.
At that moment, seven young men and women stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing down at the arena below…