Chapter 17: Recognizing Jian Jiu as Li Zhexian — Li Zhexian vs. Yu Tianheng
On the second floor, in a VIP box, seven young men and women were intently watching the arena.
At their head was a young man with long black hair. His face was not handsome but expressionless, and he wore a simple blue combat outfit without any adornment.
Yet this plain attire gave off an aura of extreme danger—like the calm before a storm.
“Boss, what do you think of this Sword Wine?” asked a handsome young man with short golden hair, leaning casually against the wall with a grin.
“Will he let you move freely?” another young man dressed in black swirled a wine glass in his hand and said, “Yufeng, don’t underestimate this Sword Wine.”
Yufeng, the golden-haired youth, sneered while looking down at the figure in white below.
“Not simple, huh?” he said.
“I don’t think so.”
“Oslord, you always overestimate others and undermine your own power.”
At that moment, a tall woman crossing her arms suddenly chuckled.
Her name was Dugu Yan. She fiddled with her emerald-green nails, her short dark purple hair lending her a heroic air. Combined with her green eyes, she possessed a bewitching charm.
“Lingling, what’s your take on this Sword Wine?” she asked, her gaze shifting to the slender figure standing in the corner of the room.
The other girl in the room was clad entirely in black, her face veiled in black gauze. Cascading blue hair fell to her waist, and her eyes, the same shade of blue, radiated only profound solitude.
At Dugu Yan’s question, the blue-haired girl’s clear yet hollow voice answered, “Very powerful.”
“Haha, I told you! Sword Wine is no ordinary opponent. Ye Lingling seldom praises anyone!” Oslord boasted, glancing smugly at Yufeng.
Yufeng, still displeased, wanted to argue.
“Enough,” the long-haired leader finally spoke.
“Can’t you two be as quiet as the Shi brothers?” he said.
The Shi brothers stood like two great black towers, radiating a heavy and steady presence.
Yufeng shrugged.
“Boss, what do you say? You’re the one who’s going to duel Soul Combat with this Sword Wine later.”
“What do you think of his strength?”
The long-haired youth was none other than Yu Tianheng, bearer of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Spirit. After a long moment of silence, he said calmly, “Very strong.”
“I can’t quite figure him out.”
“His current opponent is a level thirty-three Soul Warrior. I hope to force him to use his second sword.”
Hearing their captain’s words, the other six members of the Royal Battle Team showed a flicker of shock in their eyes.
No wonder Yu Tianheng was eager to sign up for this Soul Combat. Could it be that Sword Wine was truly that powerful?
Originally, their plan had been to go to the Grand Soul Combat Arena in Soto City to participate in the seven-person team battle, having heard that a formidable seven-member team had appeared there.
But the appearance of Sword Wine made Yu Tianheng’s hunting spirit surge.
The trip to Soto City had to be postponed...
Meanwhile, on the third floor VIP box,
Xue Qinghe quietly pressed his lips together and remained silent for a long while, watching the figure in white on the arena floor.
“Do you think that’s the Sword Wine whose name echoes throughout the Grand Soul Combat Arena?!”
Despite wearing a faceless mask, those who met him often could easily recognize the figure in white with his tall, upright posture—none other than Li Zhexian.
“That rustic fellow… Li Zhexian is actually Sword Wine?!”
As a titled Douluo powerhouse, few things could surprise them anymore.
Yet the unbelievable truth lay before them—
That idle drunkard Li Zhexian, who spent his days cooking and drinking, was the Sword Wine who struck only once per battle, killing eighteen opponents and earning twenty consecutive victories!!!
“Phew…”
Xue Qinghe exhaled slowly, his gaze lingering on the figure in white. A faint, deeply hidden golden light flickered in his eyes.
“No wonder you didn’t want to go to the Royal Academy…”
As if struck by a realization, Xue Qinghe suddenly asked,
“What do you think? Who’s stronger, Li… Sword Wine or Yu Tianheng?”
The two frowned, pondering for a long moment.
The first said slowly, “If their soul power levels were the same, there’s no doubt it’s Sword Wine.”
“But Sword Wine’s soul power won’t exceed level thirty, while Yu Tianheng is already level thirty-nine.”
The second focused and said, “I think the result is uncertain.”
“Because no one has ever seen Sword Wine use his second sword.”
“Perhaps he’s hiding even greater strength.”
“Hmm, his opponent this time is a Soul Spirit Venerable. We should be able to glean some clues.”
Xue Qinghe fell silent, quietly watching Sword Wine on the arena floor—or rather, Li Zhexian.
...
The crowd’s cheers grew louder and louder.
After the announcer shouted “Begin!” beside the arena, he immediately jumped down.
There was no choice—the pace was too fast!
Several times, before he could even leave the arena, blood from Sword Wine’s opponent had already splattered onto his face!
“Sword Wine, I’ll trample on your name to become a Silver Badge!”
The man snarled, tearing off his shirt to reveal a burly torso covered in scars.
His fame was no less significant.
Even amid the clamor of the audience, people shouted his name.
It was a testament to his glorious past victories.
“Roar—!”
The burly man let out a near-beastly roar.
He took a step forward.
Boom—
The arena trembled thrice.
Three soul rings, white, yellow, and purple, simultaneously rose from his feet.
A gray-brown mane flared from the back of his neck, his spine arched like a taut bowstring, amber eyes narrowing into slits, and his nails curved into sharp claws.
The Lynx Spirit!
A close relative of the tiger!
A formidable beast spirit indeed!
The burly man bent his knees; the arches of his feet pressed the arena floor, fracturing it like a spiderweb.
With a furious roar, he charged at Li Zhexian like a sharp blade.
“First Soul Skill—Phantom Sharp Sight!”
“Third Soul Skill—Lynx Shadow Charge!”
“Second Soul Skill—Sky-Ripping Lynx Claw!”
Three soul skills unleashed simultaneously!
One of them was even a thousand-year soul skill!
The burly man’s speed was so fast it almost created afterimages!
At that moment,
The audience fell silent.
Countless bloodshot eyes suppressed their excitement and fixed on the arena.
In the second-floor VIP box, Yu Tianheng and the six members of the Royal Battle Team held their gazes steady.
On the third-floor VIP box, Xue Qinghe appeared calm, but his hand hidden in his sleeve clenched unconsciously.
Under the gaze of tens of thousands,
Facing the gray-brown rushing thunder,
Li Zhexian’s eyes beneath his mask were as cold and indifferent as frost.
In the next instant, sword light flashed.
Most present did not see exactly how he drew his sword.
They only saw two purple soul rings glowing on the three-foot Green Peak blade.
“Second Soul Skill—Three Sword Elegance.”
“First Soul Skill—Green Peak Severance.”
A grim sword light, thirsting for blood, cut through the dim glow of the oil lamps.
Many instinctively shut their eyes.
The sword’s sharpness was so intense it was unbearable to look directly at.
“Ho—”
When the audience dared to open their eyes again,
The burly man’s head had been cleaved from his neck.
It rolled across the arena floor, blood spilling everywhere.