Initial Battle

The next day, the two emerged from their cultivation.

They briefly stretched their bodies, their eyes filled with determination.

Today, according to plan, they would begin challenging the Hell Slaughter Arena.

This would be their first true step in the City of Slaughter. After wasting more than a year, the two would finally take part in the City of Slaughter's most central activity firsthand.

It would be a lie to say they were not nervous. After all, they were about to enter a battle of life and death; one misstep, and they could die without a whole corpse left behind.

But their fearlessness was no lie either. Having endured countless upheavals, despite appearing to be merely seven-year-old children, their hearts had become as firm as stone and their wills as hard as iron.

Moreover, after watching yesterday's matches, Ming Lunyu had vaguely grasped a pattern: the officials matched contestants according to their rankings.

In other words, if someone was ranked one hundredth, they would only be placed with nine others of similar rank, rather than entering the same match as someone ranked ten thousandth.

Unless there truly were no contestants with similar rankings.

Therefore, as the two's first match, the difficulty would most likely not be too high.

Ming Lunyu was the first to compete.

Under Ma Hongjun's expectant yet worried gaze, Ming Lunyu straightened his clothes and strode proudly into the arena.

Soon after, the other nine contestants entered one by one.

The match began!

Yet none of the ten people in the arena acted rashly. Instead, they watched one another, trying to find an opening.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... ten seconds!

Finally, a bearded man lost his patience!

He was the first to attack another contestant.

And his target was none other than Ming Lunyu!

Ming Lunyu calmly assessed the bearded man's speed while remaining wary of the others.

"Hah!"

The bearded man raised the long staff in his hand and swung it at Ming Lunyu with the force of a mountain-splitting blow.

Now!

Ming Lunyu's gaze sharpened. The instant the bearded man raised his staff, he stomped violently against the ground with his right foot and shot forward like a cannonball. His elbow slammed viciously into the man's abdomen, then he smoothly drew out his Folding Fan and slashed upward!

"Aah!"

The bearded man let out a miserable scream!

His nose had been sliced cleanly into two halves!

Ming Lunyu pressed his advantage, swiftly closing in and punching the bearded man in the throat.

A mouthful of bloody spittle sprayed from the bearded man's mouth.

At that moment, a chill ran through Ming Lunyu's body. He instinctively raised his leg and kicked.

A gray-clothed man who had intended to reap the benefits after the others fought was sent flying by the kick.

Not good...

Ming Lunyu realized that he had become the target of all nine others!

"Then... let's fight!"

Rather than fearing them, he laughed!

Ming Lunyu began attacking proactively. With his powerful physique, he was often able to gain the upper hand in close combat.

The nine on the other side not only lacked coordination and interfered with one another, but they were not united either, constantly guarding against each other.

As one side waned and the other waxed, Ming Lunyu quickly found an opening.

With a sharp swish, he opened his Folding Fan. Its razor-sharp edge, like Death's scythe, instantly sliced across someone's throat.

The man died in an instant.

Thus, the first casualty of the match appeared!

Once an opening appeared, it would only grow larger and more numerous.

Ming Lunyu remained calm and composed throughout, every move displaying an unhurried ease.

And as they continued exchanging blows, he gradually discovered the knack of combat. His attacks became increasingly concise and effective, his footwork more nimble and graceful, while underhanded moves emerged one after another.

Before the time it took to burn an incense stick, the match was over.

Only Ming Lunyu remained in the arena.

Red soaked every inch of his clothes, making him look absurdly ridiculous.

Yet not a single spectator dared to laugh.

Because that red did not represent a clown, but killing intent!

It was the ferocious might forged from nine sinful lives!

Forcing his exhausted body onward, Ming Lunyu left the arena.

As expected, he drew the covetous gazes of Fallen who were like sharks that had caught the scent of blood.

Fortunately, Ming Lunyu was not alone.

At that moment, Ma Hongjun stepped forward, turning her slender body into an impregnable wall while the steel blade in her hand became a sturdy shield of protection.

The two fought their way out of the encirclement with great difficulty.

Only after Ma Hongjun pulled her steel blade from the chest of the twentieth Fallen did no one else dare step forward.

The Fallen were indeed mad, but they were not stupid. They could be afraid too.

"Brother!" Back in the Wooden Cabin, Ma Hongjun's eyes reddened.

Thanks to the powerful effects of the Inverse Yin-Yang Martial Soul, along with the Inner City's Killing Qi being far denser than that of the Outer City, Ming Lunyu recovered quickly.

By the second day, he was already full of vigor again, and his gains were considerable.

Both his strength and speed had increased significantly, while his Soul Power Level had also broken through to level twenty.

Level twenty at seven years old! Was there anyone else on the entire continent who could achieve that?

Ah, perhaps there really was. But that one was an exception; Ming Lunyu had every reason to be proud.

However, Ming Lunyu had no time to feel proud now, because it was Ma Hongjun's turn to compete.

Ming Lunyu sat in the stands with every muscle in his body taut. He looked even more nervous than when he had competed himself.

He had already made up his mind. If Ma Hongjun's life was ever in danger, then even if it meant risking the wrath of the City of Slaughter's officials, he would leap into the arena and personally kill anyone who threatened her life.

Fortunately, fortunately, Ma Hongjun's talent for battle was powerful as well.

Although she found herself in danger several times, she always narrowly escaped with her exquisite footwork.

After several twists and turns, Ma Hongjun threw herself clumsily onto the last opponent, pressed her steel blade against his heart, and threw her entire body onto the hilt, using every ounce of strength she had to end his life.

Then, the scene from the day before played out again. Only this time, it was Ming Lunyu desperately protecting Ma Hongjun.

Wooden Cabin.

Ming Lunyu carefully sealed the windows and door tightly with stones and wooden boards. Then he spread his hand, and the Gray Bead wrapped in Black and White Qi appeared.

As his Soul Power circulated, a large amount of Killing Qi was swallowed by the black qi and transformed into black Soul Power.

The Gray Bead spun rapidly, converting the black Soul Power into gentle white Soul Power.

This was an ability Ming Lunyu had only recently developed: Black-White Exchange.

However, its conversion rate was two-to-one. In other words, whether white was converted into black or the reverse, two strands of Soul Power became one strand.

Ming Lunyu sent the gentle white Soul Power into Ma Hongjun's body, soothing her chaotic breath.

Soon, under the continuous flow of white Soul Power, Ma Hongjun's wounds gradually began to heal, and her breathing slowly steadied.

Ming Lunyu let out a breath of relief.

Five hours later, Ma Hongjun slowly woke up.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Ming Lunyu sitting beside her.

"Brother~"

Ma Hongjun revealed a silly grin.

At some point, the original form of address, "Brother Yu," had been shortened to simply "Brother." Neither of them had noticed.

Ming Lunyu smiled with heartache and affection, reaching out to rub Ma Hongjun's head.

"You did very well."

Ma Hongjun smiled brilliantly. "Of course. I still have to come back alive to see Brother. And if anything happened to me, Brother would definitely do something foolish. So for your sake, I have to live well!"

"...Mm." Ming Lunyu gazed at his Sister for a long while, the corners of his lips curving into a gentle smile.