Seven or eight li northwest, a makeshift arena had been carved out, three hundred zhang across, with beams of dark blue light marking its boundaries. The duel had reached its seventh bout.
When experts clashed, victory or defeat had always hung by a thread. That was especially true of the life-and-death fights unfolding before them. Confined to the narrow arena, both sides had to seize the initiative and attack first, hoping to win quickly. There was no room to dodge, leap about, or circle around for an ambush.
The bouts turned over at a furious pace. Aside from the opening match, where all three sides had tested the waters and the thick-browed giant fielded by the Donghua Immortal Sect had managed to scrape out a win, Taiqing Upper Sect had taken two of the remaining six bouts, while Purple Extreme Pavilion had taken four.
Of the four bouts won by Purple Extreme Pavilion, three had been claimed single-handedly by a purple-faced giant. Though he was only a True Essence Second Turn cultivator, his methods were terrifying. Even against those at True Essence Third Turn, he had fought with ease, winning without a shred of suspense—an outright crushing victory.
At that moment, Purple Extreme Pavilion's contender was the dashing scholar in purple, who had won the previous bout. In his hands lay a pair of strange, soul-hooking spears. Whenever he wielded them, ghostly menace filled the air. He had dispatched his opponent in the seventh bout with swift, clean efficiency.
Judging by his unruffled demeanor, he might well be another figure like the purple-faced giant.
Having just slain Yang Venerate experts from the Donghua Immortal Sect and Taiqing Upper Sect, the scholar in purple took out a folding fan and waved it lazily. His gaze drifted at ease over the purple-robed