Duel Begins

Chapter 9: Duel Begins

The weather was gloomy, with clouds churning in the hazy sky. A low rumble echoed intermittently, not loud, but it seemed to shake the entire world, leaving one awestruck. The power of nature was truly terrifying; even legendary War God-level experts might not be able to resist it!

A cold wind howled through the land. A large banner flapped noisily in the wind, emblazoned with a crossed longsword and hammer. The octagonal hammer had a long handle, and the cross-shaped longsword lay upon it as if slumbering, exuding a captivating aura.

This was the common Duel Flag of the War God Continent. The ten-meter-tall flagpole was planted on a ten-meter square platform. The platform appeared ancient, bearing the marks of time, with numerous indentations that seemed to hint at agile figures once leaping and moving upon it.

The War God Continent had a limited variety of weapons. War hammers were the common weapon for male warriors, while longswords were used by females. There were also a few bladed weapons, and besides these, accessories like rings and belts served as auxiliary equipment.

The War God Continent was a world where the strong reigned supreme, and its people were fierce and hardy.

The weight and shape of the war hammer exuded a wild and untamed aura, making it highly sought after by male warriors. The war hammer's wide, sweeping attacks, direct and fierce, were precisely what male warriors adored.

In contrast, the sword's lightness and elegant form were irresistible to beauty-loving women. Its attacks were also unpredictable and difficult to defend against, completely unlike the war hammer's straightforward approach.

This dueling platform had been passed down in the village for generations, rumored to be several hundred years old.

The entire platform was constructed from hard and wear-resistant Adamant Ore, a rare mineral on the continent. Its material was exceptionally tough and corrosion-resistant, making it a superior material for crafting weapons. Adding even a small amount of Adamant Ore during weapon forging would significantly increase the weapon's hardness.

Yet, here lay such a massive piece, or rather, a platform entirely made of Adamant Rock.

Fortunately, the location was remote, and the platform was hidden away. Only a few elders in the village knew of its existence, and Old Ent, of course, was aware. Most villagers had only heard rumors of a dueling platform but didn't know its location, as it hadn't been used in a very long time.

The platform was surrounded by a crowd, their eyes filled with curiosity as they gazed at it. They had never seen it before, considering it a sacred site of the village. To finally witness it today, the villagers couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

Two small figures stood on the platform. One was dressed in cleaner, more luxurious attire, while the other wore simple cloth. However, his face was so delicate and refined that he would surely grow into a handsome man. A sharp glint flashed in his clear eyes, preventing anyone from overlooking him due to his humble clothing.

These two were Wright and Chen Yun, and today was the day of their duel.

At small tables below the platform sat several elders. Among them was a short-haired middle-aged man with a stern and imposing face. His tiger-like eyes shone with intensity, though the brilliance was contained. His imposing, roughly two-meter-tall physique exuded an aura of pressure. This was the Village Chief, Peter Harms! A peak fifth-tier Sect Master.

He was currently looking at Chen Yun on the platform with a grave expression. He had initially thought that with his son's Warrior-level strength, this match would be a foregone conclusion. However, he could distinctly feel something different about Chen Yun. Although Chen Yun showed no Battle Qi fluctuations, Peter felt a sense of unease.

He had intended to use this opportunity to eliminate Old Ent's grandson. Old Ent had always been at odds with him, and his own son, Wright, was often arrogant in the village, frequently criticizing him. Once, Wright had even coughed up blood after being provoked by Chen Yun and took several days to recover. Thus, doting on his son, he harbored resentment towards Old Ent.

However, Old Ent was an elder of the village with a high status. Furthermore, his father had instructed him to treat Old Ent with respect, and he dared not disobey.

Moreover, he vaguely felt that Old Ent was not merely a Blacksmith Master as he appeared. Otherwise, his father's strength would not be like this. This suggested Old Ent either had a deep background or possessed extraordinary power.

It was truly unexpected that such a rugged-looking man could be so narrow-minded! It truly lived up to the saying, "You can't judge a book by its cover!"

Meanwhile, Old Ent was smiling and chatting with three other elders, their beards and hair all white. These three elders were the highly respected Sages of the village, holding a status far greater than Peter, the Village Chief. However, they rarely appeared in public.

From the faint aura and the occasional deep glint in their eyes, it was clear that these three elders were profoundly cultivated individuals, though ordinary people couldn't perceive it.

"Old fellow! Your grandson is not simple! He's naturally unable to sense Battle Qi, yet his physical body is so formidable. I daresay even some second-tier Warriors would struggle against him! This must be due to your tutelage, wouldn't you say?" one of the elders glanced at Chen Yun on the platform, a hint of surprise in his eyes, before smiling faintly. If one looked closely, this elder's face bore some resemblance to Peter.

Old Ent returned a faint smile. "Heh, your judgment is as sharp as ever, old fellow!"

"Heh, but you must tell your grandson to go easy. Wright is my grandson too!" the elder said with a plea in his eyes. It turned out this elder was Peter's father, Siri Harms.

"Haha, rest assured! I've already spoken to Chen Yun, he knows what he's doing! But you need to properly discipline your grandson, and your son too!" Old Ent said with a hint of anger.

Hearing Old Ent's words, the elder offered an apologetic smile, then said with a look of anger, "Don't worry, old fellow, I'll definitely teach these two brats a lesson. I can't believe they've become like this after I've been away for so long, hmph!"

The other two elders smiled faintly and stepped forward to mediate. Far away, Peter caught sight of the anger on his father's face and his heart sank!

"Kid! If you kneel down and kowtow to me three times right now, and loudly declare yourself a cripple, I might spare your life later. Otherwise, hmph hmph...!" Wright said with a sinister grin.

Siri, hearing this from below, was instantly enraged and started to stand up, but the two elders beside him quickly stopped him.

"Old fellow, don't be rash. Have you forgotten the rules of a death duel? Once someone is on the Death Arena, outsiders are forbidden to interfere!"

Siri sobered up instantly and cursed, "That brat! Hmph!"

Chen Yun, hearing Wright's words, merely gave him a sarcastic look before making a middle finger gesture, a gesture from his past life, and said calmly, "Let's go!"

Wright, seeing this, didn't understand the gesture but knew it wasn't anything good. He burst into furious laughter and charged at Chen Yun, wielding his gleaming war hammer.