Referee, Save Me!

There was no rest period between the breakout rounds and the top-sixty-four advancement matches.

Yet after a night of fermenting, the incident of Xu Xiaoshou killing someone had still spread through nearly the entire outer court.

For most people, their attention had originally been fixed solely on the big shots in the top ten of the Wind and Cloud Ranking. But now, Xu Xiaoshou had charged forcefully into their sight as a dark horse.

At noon the next day, the advancement matches began.

Unlike the breakout rounds, from this point onward, Cloud-Emerging Platform no longer had eighteen separate arenas. There was only one main arena, where decisive battles would be fought one after another.

This was what everyone had been waiting for.

Heaven knew how many people had been left beating their chests in regret yesterday after missing that historic first kill of the outer court because they had gone to watch other matches.

The spectator stands were a sea of dark heads, buzzing with voices.

"They're here, they're here! After waiting so long, the moment has finally arrived."

"Tell me about it. Yesterday, because of Senior Sister Mo and Senior Brother Chao, those two Innates, I actually missed the outer court's first kill!"

"Haha, then you really missed out. Before the advancement matches, what was there to watch from those two? Didn't they both finish their opponents in one move?"

"You have no idea how spectacular it was yesterday! Xu Xiaoshou withdrew his sword, Boss Wen launched a sneak attack from behind, only to be stabbed through the chest instead... the scene reversed itself again and again!"

"I'm telling you, the whole audience was scared stupid. You could even hear someone fart."

"Wuwu, please stop talking... can't you see my tears of regret?"

Aside from these gossip-hungry spectators, Xu Peng and Xu Hei were still there as well.

But after a night to think things over, everyone had restrained themselves considerably. At most, whenever Xu Xiaoshou was mentioned, they merely glared at one another in mutual displeasure.

Xiao Qixiu descended onto the main arena. After floating in the air for several days, this Grand Elder Xiao had finally decided to descend into the mortal dust and plant his feet firmly on the ground to preside over the matches.

He did not dare float anymore. He was afraid that if he saw a few more souls ascending to heaven, his poor heart would not be able to take it.

With practiced ease, he pulled a sheet of paper from his robes. The spectator stands immediately fell silent, all ears pricked.

"I believe everyone has heard of yesterday's death..." Xiao Qixiu's first words made everyone's eyes light up.

If the matter had not been mentioned, it might have simply passed. But now that it had been brought up, did that not mean there was more to the story?

So, had the Spirit Law Pavilion reached its verdict? Would Xu Xiaoshou be banned from competing? Xiao Qixiu swept his gaze across the crowd. For the first time, he did not read from the paper, his expression exceedingly grave.

"Here, I only wish to remind you all..."

"Perhaps Tiansang Spirit Palace has provided you with a comfortable environment for cultivation, but I absolutely do not wish for your wills to be worn away."

"One day, you will graduate and leave the Spirit Palace. And once you step out into the Holy Spirit Continent, life and death will be unavoidable!"

"Every match is a hurdle from the outside world, one that requires you to give it everything you have!"

"But I also hope you can grasp the proper limit. That limit is life and death, morality, and the bottom line in your hearts."

"Cross that bottom line, and you will violate the rules. In the end, you will reap what you sow."

"Whether you are Xu Xiaoshou or Wen Chong!"

Everyone fell silent.

They had all been waiting for an outcome. Would Xu Xiaoshou be banned, or would he continue competing without guilt? No one could make head or tail of it.

For people like them, their conjectures about the outcome of a match far outweighed their reverence for life.

Yet Xiao Qixiu offered no comment on what had happened yesterday. Instead, he used the matter to teach everyone a lesson.

Was Wen Chong's death not the result of him crossing the line and bringing disaster upon himself? Whether Xu Xiaoshou had also crossed the line and deliberately struck with ruthless cruelty was likewise a question.

But any matter was destined to have only one outcome.

With Xiao Qixiu putting it that way, whether Xu Xiaoshou met a good end or bore evil fruit would clearly have to be left to time's judgment.

In the arena, Grand Elder Xiao was greatly comforted by the sight of everyone like this.

For someone who had slaughtered countless people, one death was nothing worth making such a fuss over, much less wasting so much breath on.

But these young people were different. If a few of them could be awakened by his words, even if it was only a few, that would be enough.

Showing off one's courage for a moment or hiding one's ruthlessness for a time held no meaning. It would only plant future calamities in their paths.

Xiao Qixiu sighed inwardly. In the past, he would not have said so much, but things were different now.

After all, he was no longer Xiao Qixiu, the blood butcher of ten thousand men. He was the exemplary Grand Elder of Tiansang Spirit Palace.

"Very good!"

Xiao Qixiu shook out the paper and read, "In that case, let us get to the main point."

"The top-sixty-four battles officially begin! The drawing light screen will determine the matchups. Two people per group, and each battle may last no longer than two quarters of an hour!"

"Fight as much as you can today. Advance however many you can. We have time!"

The spectator stands had still been steeped in silent gloom, but Xiao Qixiu's words immediately made people burst into laughter, and the atmosphere gradually came alive.

Grand Elder Xiao was quite pleased with the effect. With a wave of his hand, he intended to ignite the atmosphere completely.

"Now, the matches—"

"Wait!" An urgent voice interrupted him.

Everyone was stunned. They turned toward the speaker. He even dared interrupt the chief referee—was he tired of living? "Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Is something wrong with this guy's head?"

"My heavens, it was already good enough that Elder Xiao did not pursue his responsibility. Does he still want to stir up trouble?"

"He's here, Xu Xiaoshou is here! I've watched since the group matches, so I'm not afraid to tell you: if he doesn't stir up trouble, then he isn't Xu Xiaoshou!"

At the referee stand, eighteen black-clad figures sat solemnly. The moment Xu Xiaoshou appeared, the twelfth-ranked referee's body slumped sideways.

"He's here. That's the guy I was just telling you about, Xu Xiaoshou."

"Watch carefully. This kid is definitely going to cause trouble!"

"This guy has driven me mad already. Come on, come on, I'll bet one Spirit Crystal that even Boss Xiao won't be able to handle him!"

The black-clad men beside him all laughed, surprise in their eyes.

"Is he really as strange as you say?"

"Isn't he just a congenital physical body with Acquired Sword Intent? I've seen plenty of geniuses!"

"Exactly. No matter how talented he is, can he be more talented than Su Qianqian from the inner court?"

The twelfth referee shifted his chair and leaned forward, watching Xu Xiaoshou jog all the way up to Xiao Qixiu. He shook his head slightly.

"No, no, those are secondary. What is most terrifying about this guy is how unexpected he is!"

He paused, then added, "You never know what outrageous, heaven-incensing thing he'll do the next second."

In the arena, all eyes were upon him.

Xiao Qixiu's expression was frighteningly dark. He watched the youth, bare-chested and exposed, run anxiously up to him, yet he could do nothing about it.

If a contestant had exceptionally special circumstances, they could apply to the chief referee for the match to be suspended.

This was permitted by the rules of the Wind and Cloud Tournament, though it had never been used before.

"What is it? If you don't have some special circumstance, believe it or not, I'll deal with you!"

Xiao Qixiu had already built up his momentum to its peak, only for Xu Xiaoshou to shove a foot into the middle of it. It truly left him choking on air.

"Save me, Referee!"

The youth before him looked panicked, his face flushed red. Only when he drew close did Xiao Qixiu sense the scorching heat radiating from his body.

Xu Xiaoshou was truly panicking! He had no idea what that damned old man had fed him. The moment that crimson seed entered his stomach, he felt his body growing hotter and hotter. An exceedingly terrifying scorching aura spread out, constantly eroding his body.

He had originally sat in meditation at Goose Lake for a while, trying to refine the thing and expel it.

Instead, the more he refined it, the worse it became. The thing had actually melted! That scorching aura seeped into every cell of his body, burning him without end.

Xu Xiaoshou felt as though he was about to explode.

Though he possessed a congenital physical body, he could not withstand such burning. Several of his internal meridians had already snapped. If this continued, someone would die.

He had wanted to go to the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, but once the Wind and Cloud Tournament began, its best medical staff and pharmacists had basically all come to the venue to provide logistical support.

So he could only come here to borrow someone.

But how could these logistical resources be lent out so easily? Besides, he did not know whether that damned old man had connections here, so he could not casually expose his existence.

Thus, Xu Xiaoshou could only unleash his ultimate move!

Xiao Qixiu looked coldly at the youth, wanting to see what nonsense he could possibly spit out.

Xu Xiaoshou yanked off his upper garment, revealing the reddened flesh beneath. He cried out hoarsely:

"Referee, save me!"

"I took drugs! I request to be banned from competing!"

"I want medical personnel to examine my body, immediately, right now!"