Su Qin's Defeat

Seeing Su Qin swing her twin short staffs down at him, Lu Hao sank his waist and lowered his stance. The nine drops of Blood Essence in his dantian exploded at once, their power flooding into both arms as he raised them sharply to block.

It was the same posture he had used to block Su Qin's twin staffs moments ago, but this time, the force behind it was several times greater.

"Bang!"

With a muffled boom, Lu Hao retreated one step, while Su Qin staggered back five steps before she could steady herself.

Su Qin's hands gripping the staffs trembled uncontrollably, and the webs between her thumbs and forefingers ached faintly.

She looked up at Lu Hao, shock and fury flashing in her eyes.

The people around the arena stared blankly at the scene as well.

"Su Qin actually came out worse in a direct clash of Blood Essence power?"

"Lu Hao has only just entered Upper-Grade Bright Force, yet his Blood Essence is even more abundant than Su Qin's?"

"Su Qin has been immersed in Upper-Grade Bright Force for nearly ten years. She has even touched the threshold of Dark Force, so her Blood Essence power should be greater than that of Martial Artists at the same level."

"How... how could that be possible?"

Cao Ling had originally been sweating bullets for Lu Hao. Now, his eyes shone with excitement as joy spread across his face, and he fixed his gaze on the arena.

Su Qin's expression darkened. She refused to believe that, after nearly ten years at Upper-Grade Bright Force, she could not defeat a junior who had entered the realm only days ago.

She spun the short staff in her hand, about to strike Lu Hao again.

But Lu Hao moved first. He stepped forward, raised his right arm, and chopped downward with his hand like a blade, unleashing Black Tiger Rending Wind at Su Qin's neck.

Su Qin hurriedly raised her staff to block on instinct, but she was still half a beat too slow. The hand blade struck her arm. Su Qin was driven back several more steps, a sharp pain faintly flaring through her arm.

The two exchanged several more head-on blows.

Whenever Lu Hao swung his hand blade, the Blood Essence in his dantian burst forth. The faint red aura covering his arms was several shades deeper than before. Every strike carried the sound of tearing air, its force steady and powerful.

By now, Su Qin's arms had been jolted numb and sore, her breathing thrown into disarray. Beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks.

Ever since becoming a Martial Artist, Su Qin had never been reduced to such a sorry state in any match.

Her heart hardened. Gritting her teeth, she exploded the Blood Essence within her body, pouring its power into both arms as she raised her twin staffs and smashed them toward Lu Hao.

Lu Hao turned half a circle and unleashed Black Tiger Whirl, his right hand blade meeting Su Qin's short staff head-on.

With a "Clang," the short staff in Su Qin's right hand was knocked away. It flew from her grip and landed several zhang away.

Su Qin let out a muffled groan. The web between her thumb and forefinger split open, blood dripping from her palm.

Before Su Qin could steady herself, Lu Hao raised both hands above his head.

The power of all nine drops of Blood Essence gathered in his palms. Using Black Tiger Splits Mountain, he brought both hand blades slashing down fiercely.

Su Qin could only hurriedly raise her remaining short staff to block.

With another "Clang," the remaining short staff was sent flying as well.

Lu Hao's hand blades paused slightly, then continued downward, striking both of Su Qin's collarbones.

Su Qin was knocked to the ground and slid another half zhang backward.

A searing pain tore through both her shoulders, and then she spat out a mouthful of blood. It splashed across the front of her white robes, blooming into a large patch of crimson.

The people surrounding the arena stood frozen at the sight.

After a moment, discussion erupted.

"Su Qin actually lost?"

"Lu Hao only just broke through. How could he be this strong? Su Qin is one of the elders in our gang with the best chance of breaking through to Dark Force."

"Lu Hao is terrifying!"

"This time, Su Qin has kicked an iron plate."

"Isn't that so? Whenever she sparred with others before, she was always the one beating them to death. Yet today, she was defeated by a newly advanced Martial Artist."

Ding Mian stood there with a livid expression, the amiable smile gone from his face.

Xue Yong, however, burst into hearty laughter. The wrinkles on his already gaunt face deepened further.

"With Lu Hao's strength, who still dares say he is unworthy of entering Green Ox Mountain?" Xue Yong deliberately raised his voice, making it ring through the entire training ground.

Hearing Xue Yong's words, Su Qin's face flushed scarlet with shame.

Beside Xue Yong, the expressions of several elders from his faction brightened as well.

Cao Ling stood there in a daze. Earlier, he had even been considering how to collect Lu Hao's corpse. Yet Lu Hao had not only survived, but had also broken through to Upper-Grade Bright Force during the match and now struck Su Qin to the ground. Everything had happened too quickly, and for a moment, he could not process it.

Supporting herself with her elbows, Su Qin struggled to her feet.

Both her shoulders were in agonizing pain, and her arms shook violently. The webs of both hands had split open, blood flowing freely.

Lu Hao looked at Su Qin expressionlessly and slowly walked toward her.

When Ding Mian saw Lu Hao approaching Su Qin, his expression changed abruptly. He shouted sternly, "Lu Hao, what are you doing? The match is over. You won!"

He raised his voice even higher. "Withdraw at once!"

Lu Hao turned his head, glanced at Ding Mian, and gave a cold laugh.

Then he looked back at Su Qin and continued walking toward her.

"Lu Hao!" After speaking, Ding Mian lifted a foot and prepared to charge into the training ground. Xue Yong stepped forward and blocked his path.

"Deputy Gang Leader Ding." Xue Yong spoke slowly. "Lu Hao and Su Qin are having a fair match. If you go up there now, would you not be breaking the rules?"

A cold gleam flashed in Ding Mian's eyes. "Xue Yong, get out of my way!"

Xue Yong remained where he was, a faint note of mockery in his voice.

"Deputy Gang Leader Ding, Elder Su proposed this match, and you were the one who put up the stakes first. The match has not ended yet, so what exactly are you doing by rushing onto the arena?"

"Xue Yong, stop spouting sarcastic nonsense here." Ding Mian's face was iron-gray. "Move aside immediately!"

On the training ground, Lu Hao had already arrived before Su Qin.

Su Qin's white robes had long been soaked through with blood and grime, clinging tightly to her body. She no longer possessed the cool, unearthly bearing she had worn at the beginning of the match.

Su Qin's lips trembled. "Elder Lu, don't kill me! You are qualified to go to Green Ox Mountain!" Her eyes were filled with pleading.

Lu Hao remained unmoved and slowly raised his right hand.

Su Qin hurriedly said, "I belong to Ding Mian. Killing me will do you no good. He will not let you go."

Lu Hao pressed the five fingers of his right hand together.

Seeing Lu Hao's hand blade, Su Qin dropped to her knees with a "Thud." Kneeling before Lu Hao, she shuffled forward on her knees two steps and wrapped her arms around his legs.

"Elder Lu," she pleaded, lifting her head to look at Lu Hao, "spare me. The demon beast core and shell from the Praying Mantis Beast—my share will all be yours! I'll give you whatever you want! Any request you have, I can satisfy it!"

Everyone around the arena was utterly stunned by the sight. They had never expected the usually icy, lofty Su Qin to kneel on the ground and clutch Lu Hao's legs for the sake of living, like a lapdog wagging its tail and begging for its life.

Lu Hao raised his foot and kicked Su Qin in the chest, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Lu Hao bent his knees slightly and leaned down.