Battle

The Great Soul Arena was building up hype for the two of them in order to draw in more spectators.

Those who had won dozens of consecutive matches and still participated in Life and Death Battles were all truly ruthless individuals.

Even if both combatants were only One-Ring Spirit Masters, they were still qualified to fight in the Main Soul Arena.

At the center of the one-on-one stage in the Main Soul Arena.

The neatly dressed host stepped on blood that had yet to dry, passionately introducing the highly anticipated battle to come.

"Tonight's one-on-one Life and Death Battle features two heavyweight guests."

"The first is Fang Ling, a genius freshman who enrolled at War King Intermediate Spirit Master Academy not long ago!"

"He is nine years old, a man of few words, and incomparably fervent about battle."

"His left leg is crippled, yet it does not affect his astonishing combat strength in the slightest."

"His fighting style is unconventional, precise and swift, with superb reactions. Every movement is neither excessive nor sluggish, carrying a unique, cold beauty."

"His martial spirit is a sickle. He has won thirteen matches in a row, and in more than ten Life and Death Battles, he killed every opponent with a precise slash to the throat. The audience fondly calls him 'Throat Cutting Ling'!"

After finishing his warm-up, Fang Ling waited off to the side with an expressionless face.

He still did not know who his opponent was, but anyone who could win ten consecutive Life and Death Battles was not easy to deal with. He had already made his preparations.

To kill his opponent, or to run away.

The audience cheered enthusiastically and applauded without pause. Many of them were shouting out that title.

Although "Throat Cutting Ling" was not exactly a pleasant nickname, it suited him perfectly.

Fang Ling reluctantly accepted it.

Seeing the atmosphere reach a fever pitch, the host immediately announced the second fighter's identity. "The second is Xu Chi, the youngest son of the City Lord of Icefront City!"

Lin Tianyang, who was waiting in the spectators' area for the contestants' relatives, immediately changed expression and tightened his grip on his wife's hand.

"It's the City Lord's youngest son, the one rumored to have been born useless. I didn't expect him to win ten consecutive Life and Death Battles. This is going to be troublesome."

"Because of his identity? But didn't you say he was useless?" Shu Manyun asked in confusion.

"The city lord does not care much about this son, but he has some grievances with Father. He may use this as an excuse to stir up trouble."

Lin Tianyang's expression was grave.

"Huh? Then should we stop this match immediately?" Shu Manyun asked in alarm.

After thinking for a moment, he slowly shook his head.

"It's fine. Father is stronger."

"And the Great Soul Arena has its rules. The city lord would not dare offend the Great Soul Arena, so there is no need to worry too much."

"Besides, there are too many spectators. At this point, it would be nearly impossible to stop it. Toying with so many people would bring trouble."

"Let's see how Fang Ling handles it."

Upon hearing his opponent's identity, Fang Ling, who had been waiting, could not help but frown.

He had someone backing him. Hopefully, his teacher's backing was even greater.

"Xu Chi's martial spirit is the same as the city lord's: the Black Gold Sword. He has won ten matches in a row."

"His fighting style is similar to Fang Ling's, equally precise. He uses the fewest movements to achieve the most efficient kills."

"Because he excels most at thrusting his sword into his enemies' hearts, the audience has bestowed upon him the elegant title of 'Heart Piercing Chi'."

"Now then, let us welcome both contestants onto the stage!"

Those who had just cheered Fang Ling's title were now cheering for this one as well.

They had no particular preference; they simply enjoyed immersing themselves in battle.

"Heart Piercing Chi!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Amid the audience's cheers, the two leaped onto the stage.

Fang Ling stared intently at his opponent.

He had a head full of glossy black curls and a faint smile on his face.

He was not particularly handsome, but his plump, round face gave off a strangely approachable feeling.

Of course, it was useless against Fang Ling.

If he needed to strike, he would still strike. That was the lesson he had learned from Tang San being seduced into defeat by Xiao Wu.

Never mind that his opponent was a man—even if a beauty as lovely as a celestial maiden stood before him, if she blocked his path, she could still be killed!

"I heard the host say that you're the City Lord's youngest son?"

A trace of wariness flickered in Fang Ling's eyes as he spoke at the start of a match for once.

"That's right, I'm the City Lord's youngest son."

Xu Chi nodded, then said, "But you don't need to worry. Just give it everything you have. I have four older brothers at home, and all of them are more talented than I am."

"I had been frail since childhood. I only reached Level 16 at the age of twelve this year. My talent is terrible, and I've never been valued."

The doubts in Fang Ling's heart still had not dissipated. "What if I kill you and your father comes to the academy for revenge?"

Xu Chi's gaze gradually burned with fervor. "He approved of my participation in this Life and Death Battle and promised not to make things difficult for whoever kills me. Just swing your blade without worry."

"If I die, it will only mean that I was too weak. I'll have no one else to blame."

"And can you guarantee that you can kill me? Having more consecutive wins doesn't necessarily mean you're stronger."

Fang Ling understood. He said no more and silently summoned his martial soul.

Though the evolved sickle had not changed in appearance, it felt even better in his hand.

The silver-white metallic Scythe Blade seemed to be waiting for its next departed soul.

As Fang Ling's sickle appeared, Xu Chi revealed his martial soul as well.

The Black Gold Sword was pitch-black throughout, faintly adorned with blue patterns, giving off a profound and mysterious aura.

Like Fang Ling, Xu Chi had only one Yellow Spirit Ring pulsing around him.

A hundred-year ring was what the son of a City Lord ought to have.

Not a white spirit ring like Xiao Chenyu's at Notting Academy.

The two began to face off, searching for openings in each other's defenses.

A moment later, they charged forward at the same time.

"Clang—!" The reinforced back of the sickle collided with the Black Gold Sword, producing a sharp metallic ring.

"Your martial soul doesn't seem very durable." Xu Chi suddenly smiled as he looked at the faint mark on the back of Fang Ling's sickle.

The Black Gold Sword was a mid-to-high-tier martial soul, and its defining trait was hardness.

Though Xu Chi's talent was lacking, he had genuinely inherited this powerful martial soul.

Fang Ling's sickle, meanwhile, had only risen to Lv2 and still remained within the scope of low-tier martial souls. It was only natural for it to be marked.

Feeling the slight stabbing pain from his injured martial soul, Fang Ling immediately made his judgment.

He could fight!

If his opponent's martial soul had been too powerful and had carved a deep gash into the thick back of his sickle in one strike, then he would have been certain to lose.

Against someone like that, he could only run as fast as possible.

The pain that reached directly into the Spiritual Sea was not something ordinary endurance could withstand. There was a very high chance it would kill him.

Fang Ling withdrew his martial soul, planted his foot, and leaned backward.

The two had been locked in a standoff. Caught off guard, the Black Gold Sword lost its resistance and swept past his body.

Then Fang Ling gripped the sickle tightly and exerted force. Relying on his extremely fast Nerve Reflex, he brought down a fierce vertical slash.

With the force of Thunderous Might, the blade slashed down with a whoosh.

Facing Fang Ling's savage attack, Xu Chi reacted instantly as well, relying on his abundant Combat Experience.

The sword swiftly returned, as fluid as flowing water.

Yet its block was as steady as a boulder.

"Ding! Clang! Ding! Clang!"

The two began exchanging blows at high speed, like blacksmiths hammering iron.

After fighting for a while, Xu Chi seemed to fall into a disadvantage.

He retreated a step, paying the price of a bloody gash across his chest to evade another sharp slash from Fang Ling.

He continued backing away rapidly, seemingly intending to take a brief moment to recover.

But in the next second, his eyes instantly turned vicious.

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