The Miserable Ma Hongjun, Li Zhexian's Ruthless Methods

Blazing Sword Slashes Evil Phoenix!

The Azure Lotus Sword dragged a crimson trail several meters long.

Supreme sharpness layered with blazing crimson flames, further amplified by Three Swords of Splendor—this strike had already glimpsed half a verse of White Jade Capital.

Li Zhexian swung his sword.

He faced the rain of fire filling the sky.

Its point aimed directly at Ma Hongjun in midair.

There was no earth-shattering boom.

Only a faint "sizzle" that made souls tremble.

Like the sharpest, scalding blade slicing through thick paper soaked in grease.

The Azure Lotus Sword, wreathed in crimson flames, ignored the rain of fire.

Where its edge passed—

Pfft—!

Pfft—!

Pfft—!

Each fireball was like a bubble being punctured.

Before they could even explode, they were silently annihilated by that supreme sharpness and scorching heat the instant they touched the blade.

The fireballs turned into wisps of green smoke, only to be devoured by the crimson flames curling around the sword a moment later.

The crimson sword light did not slow.

It shot through the sky, locking onto Ma Hongjun.

The wrath and arrogance on Ma Hongjun's face froze, and fear surged into his eyes for the first time.

He frantically beat his Phoenix Fire Wings, trying to rise higher and escape.

But it was too late!

Li Zhexian's sword was unbelievably fast!

A streak of red flashed past!

Pshk—

A dull yet distinct sound of flesh being pierced.

It echoed through the silent Soul Fighting Arena after the rain of fire had vanished.

One Phoenix Fire Wing, along with half an arm, was severed.

The wing shattered into sparks that filled the sky, burning the blood splashed through the air.

"AAAAARGH—!"

Ma Hongjun crashed onto the arena floor, his remaining hand desperately clutching the stump of his arm.

Smoke still rose from the wound. Veins bulged across his forehead as he let out a heart-wrenching scream.

And Li Zhexian's Sword of Blazing.

Even after cutting Ma Hongjun down, it still carried terrifying residual force.

Boom—!

The Sword of Blazing slammed heavily into the arena.

It left behind a Sword Mark several feet deep and barely an inch wide, its edges resembling molten Glazed.

The Sword Mark began beneath Li Zhexian's feet and tore all the way to the edge of the arena, trailing wisps of smoke.

Though the blade had not touched the Soul Power barrier.

The energy shockwave it released made the barrier groan under the strain.

Several areas where cracks had already appeared exploded like Glazed, their fragments turning into specks of light that scattered away.

The heat wave surged outward like floodwaters bursting through a dam. The spectators in the front felt scorching wind hit their faces, their skin sting, and their hair curl from the heat.

Seats were blown away, leaving chaos in their wake.

After a brief disturbance.

Whether it was the audience or familiar faces in the VIP Boxes, everyone held their breath as they watched the frozen scene on the arena:

The white-robed swordsman stood with sword in hand, the flames along its blade gradually fading.

Ma Hongjun clutched his severed arm and rolled about on the ground, screaming himself hoarse.

One sword strike.

The victor was decided.

"Hongjun, surrender now!"

Below the stage, Zhao Wuji roared himself hoarse.

Had the Spirit Masters of the Soul Fighting Arena not stopped him, he would have already rushed onto the arena.

Hearing Zhao Wuji's voice.

Ma Hongjun's pale lips trembled as he was about to speak.

Sizzle—

A streak of sword qi suddenly swept across.

It sliced off his lips along with his teeth.

The agony nearly made Ma Hongjun pass out.

At the sight of such a bloody scene, everyone went rigid, staring in shock at the white-robed swordsman with his icy aura.

"Hm?"

Dugu Bo frowned.

"What is that brat Zhexian trying to do?"

Dugu Yan hurriedly said:

"Grandfather, that Fat Fire Turkey has teachers with him. You have to protect Little Brother Zhexian."

Dugu Bo nodded.

"Don't worry."

In two other VIP Boxes.

Ye Mother had already instructed her aides to keep a close watch on the arena.

At Xue Qinghe's side, Porcupinefish Douluo had disappeared at some point.

On the arena.

Ma Hongjun's right arm had been cut off at the shoulder. Half his body was covered in blood, his fat face was mangled, and half his gums were exposed.

The pain made his entire body convulse.

He wanted to surrender, but could only make muffled whimpers.

Under countless gazes of shock and horror.

Li Zhexian walked toward Ma Hongjun step by step.

"You vicious brat!"

"How dare you!"

Below the stage.

Zhao Wuji finally could not hold himself back.

He flung away Qin Ming, who had been holding him.

With an angry roar, the immense Soul Power of a rank seventy-six Spirit Master exploded outward, sending several Soul Fighting Arena Spirit Masters flying.

He prepared to pounce onto the arena.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Several figures suddenly appeared.

They blocked Zhao Wuji's path.

"A dispute between juniors is not for outsiders to interfere in."

"Get the hell out of my way!"

Zhao Wuji threw a furious punch.

Yet he merely fought one of them to a standstill, only to be knocked stumbling backward himself.

Seeing this, Dugu Bo and Porcupinefish Douluo, who had been watching from the shadows, withdrew their gathered Soul Power.

"You..."

Zhao Wuji swept his gaze toward the white-robed swordsman on the arena. Bloodshot veins burst in his tiger-like eyes as he roared hoarsely:

"Kid!"

"If you dare harm Ma Hongjun in the slightest, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

On the arena.

Li Zhexian paid Zhao Wuji's threat no heed.

He walked up to Ma Hongjun and looked down at the miserable figure in the pool of blood.

Nothing but fear remained in Ma Hongjun's eyes. He dragged his broken body across the ground, desperately crawling away from this executioner.

"A beast like you, riddled with Evil Fire."

"Only by making you wish you were dead can I somewhat make up for the evil you have done."

The girls Ma Hongjun had used to vent his Evil Fire were all innocent commoners.

Yet in Yu Xiaogang and Flender's words, they had willingly gotten close to Ma Hongjun, even associating with him like normal lovers.

Heh...

In a fantasy world where might reigned supreme.

What true willingness could commoners have when facing Spirit Masters?

How could they dare choose freely?

Ma Hongjun possessed the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, a top-tier beast Martial Soul.

How could untrained commoner girls endure his ravaging?

Reality was crueler than the Original Work.

Their suffering and their endings were easy to imagine.

"This matter had nothing to do with me."

"But since you provoked me, I have to do something about it."

"I only seek to be true to my sword, my heart, and my conscience."

Li Zhexian raised two fingers in a sword gesture.

A chilling streak of sword qi swept toward Ma Hongjun's vital area between his legs.

"A sinful root must repay its sinful debt."

"Since you cannot control the Evil Fire of that sinful root, then today, it will be cut off."

"AAAAARGH—!"

Ma Hongjun threw back his head and screamed. The veins on his neck writhed like earthworms, while web-like blood vessels burst across his eyes.

"Hongjun!"

"You brat, you deserve to die!"

Zhao Wuji's eyes nearly split with rage. He tried to charge forward again, only to be blocked by Ye Family guards.

Li Zhexian did not even spare Zhao Wuji a glance.

He also seemed not to hear the thunderous cheers of the audience.

Amid countless fervent, worshipful gazes, he walked down from the arena one step at a time.

As he passed through the backstage corridor.

His footsteps paused, and his gaze casually swept over a shadowed corner.

There, a hunched figure in a green robe trembled with excitement, frantically recording something on a wooden board with a charcoal pencil.

Golden Light flashed between Li Zhexian's fingers.

A Gold coin flew through the air with a faint whistle and lodged precisely in the Storyteller's collar.

"Make sure you praise me properly tomorrow."

The Storyteller abruptly looked up.

He saw only a plain white figure disappearing at the end of the corridor.

"Today's grand spectacle will surely spread throughout Heaven Dou tomorrow!"

The Storyteller excitedly put away the Gold coin and his record board.

He swiftly vanished into the crowd.