Improvement: Courtly Tournament (End)

The giant man jolted in terror. He instinctively raised a hand and swung his cloak, but with a fleeting hum, the cloak suddenly shattered. Amid the scraps of fabric flying everywhere, cold light flashed again, and his left hand was severed at the wrist!

"Splurt!"

Blood sprayed into the air like a geyser. Driven by his pumping heart, the severed hand spun upward. Before the scream in his throat could rise, the icy blade suddenly stabbed toward his neck again!

An impenetrable storm of attacks descended, and violent death arrived without warning. Before the giant man could feel despair or regret, the hard, cold blade was already upon him!

"Crack!"

Yet in the next instant, for some reason, the fatal edge suddenly veered aside. The giant man felt a sharp pain in his right eye, and the entire world turned blood-red. With bloodshot eyes, he looked ahead and was shocked to see the referee gripping Xia Lun's shoulder from behind!

"Put down your sword!"

The referee grabbed Xia Lun's shoulder with one hand while swinging his baton at the back of Xia Lun's knee with the other.

Though he had only just escaped death, the giant man had no intention of running. He roared, yanked out his sword, and drove it toward Xia Lun's throat with every ounce of strength in his body!

Things had unfolded too quickly. Only now did the spectators realize what had happened.

"Watch out!" someone shouted.

Without a second thought, Xia Lun kicked off the ground and turned, smashing an elbow into the referee's face and breaking free of his restraint. But in the next instant, the giant man's attack had arrived!

He only had time to raise a hand to protect his throat. Then, a green apple struck the giant man's face like an armor-piercing arrow.

"Bang!"

Juicy pulp burst apart, and the giant man's movements abruptly stalled.

By now, Xia Lun's killing intent had surged to its peak. With a slight flick of his wrist, accompanied by the delicate, sluggish sensation of metal piercing flesh, his dagger drove straight into the giant man's neck and pierced his cervical vertebrae.

"Crack!"

Xia Lun kicked off the ground and twisted his waist. Amid the horrifying sound of shattering bone, blood sprayed everywhere. The blade, carrying round droplets of blood, carved a cruel bloody crescent through the air.

One slash, beheading!

Blood erupted like a fountain, dyeing the shattered fruit pulp on the ground red. Propelled by the gush of blood, the head suddenly flew up, while the headless corpse fell backward into the blood rain.

Xia Lun abruptly raised his head and looked at the referee behind him. Gone was the mild, easygoing manner he had shown at the start of the match. Unrestrained brutality rose alongside a visible mist of blood!

[You have won the tournament! Current victory rounds: 1]

The number of victory rounds wasn't enough, Xia Lun thought.

At that moment, a string of screams came from below the arena, followed by a commotion in the crowd. Xia Lun's black eyes swept over them slightly, then he reached out, grabbed the giant man's hair, and lifted his head in one hand.

Not far away, the referee pushed himself up from the ground and stared at Xia Lun with an ugly expression. He was clearly organizing his words, intending to accuse him.

In some ways, a sword-fighting death match was very similar to public speaking. In both, seizing the initiative was crucial.

Whoever established the first impression and framed the issue first could gain an absolute advantage.

As someone with extensive experience in conflict, Xia Lun naturally understood this well. He would never give the referee the chance to speak first.

With a flip of his wrist, he suddenly dropped his shoulder and kicked off the ground, then viciously smashed the giant man's blood-covered head into the referee's face!

Physical silence!

"Traitor!" Xia Lun grabbed the referee's loudspeaker from the ground and opened by setting the tone with a short, forceful, attention-grabbing word.

His sharp, powerful voice echoed beneath the hall's dome, layered upon itself until it became deafening. Even the restless crowd quieted somewhat.

While the referee was still half-dazed, Xia Lun sternly accused him, "In the King's name, your shameless conduct has defiled the honor of a referee and tarnished the glorious tradition of the tournament! You favored a murderer!"

"What did you say?" The referee was stunned. Trembling, he pushed himself up and weakly argued, "I didn't, you're talking nonsense! You're the one who killed..."

Xia Lun suddenly turned around. Golden sunlight shone through the dome and glass behind him, scattering into layers of halos that obscured his expression. His figure cast layers of shadows toward the crowd on the south side, as if stained with blood, infinitely magnifying his frame.

"To defend the King's honor and the sanctity of tradition, I challenge you to a death match!" Xia Lun declared loudly.

The referee's eyes widened, filled with terror.

"Death match! Death match! Death match!" someone in the audience shouted. "We want a death match!"

First one person shouted, then a dozen, and finally countless people shouted in unison. Their voices broke through the hall's dome and soared into the sky.

Only then did guards wielding muskets and polearms pour in from outside the hall, but by now, they were clearly powerless to control the situation.

The situation seemed to have spiraled out of control...

On the viewing platform, the plump Bird glanced at the worried people beside him before looking at the brigadier general.

Just as the brigadier general was about to speak, Bird suddenly smiled and said first, "His Majesty has already returned after finishing his speech—if we mishandle this, a riot may break out now. So my opinion is simple: let things take their natural course."

"But that referee is the champion of the last tournament! Xia Lun is only a swordsmanship apprentice," Geliide protested repeatedly.

"Shut up." Bird's tone abruptly turned cold. "This isn't your place to speak—Brigadier General, what do you think?"

"Your arrangement is very wise." The brigadier general nodded, then picked up his weapon. "I'll organize the guards. If things truly get out of control, we must at least ensure it doesn't spread outside."

"Why wasn't there a contingency plan?" someone muttered quietly, but in the next instant, the brigadier general shot that person a fierce glare, and they wisely shut their mouth.

At that moment, Xia Lun did not rush to act. He was waiting for the emotions to ferment further. Yet just then, an unfamiliar, authoritative voice suddenly echoed throughout the hall.

"By the authority of the King's Hand, acting in the King's stead, I declare your request granted," Bird said solemnly. "In the name of the Undying Sacred Flame, let sword and blood judge the dispute between you."

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers. Countless wide eyes eagerly turned toward Xia Lun and the referee in the arena.

Compared to swordsmanship matches that simulated death matches, everyone preferred watching a real, bloody death match!

At that moment, no one cared about the giant man's headless corpse anymore.

Bloodthirsty spectators, huh? Xia Lun swept his gaze over the crowd and grumbled inwardly.

"What?!" Upon hearing Bird's voice, the referee's face immediately turned ashen. "No... no... it's all over... why did this happen..."

"Draw your sword." Xia Lun turned around and said in a low voice.

He knew very well that unlike the giant man, the referee's swordsmanship was probably quite good. This would be a hard fight!

But only a hard fight carried enough weight!

His desire to fight was rising!

"Me?" The referee raised his head, his eyes filled with despair. "No, my future is ruined. I won't risk my life against you. I surrender."

"Huh?" Xia Lun's cold expression immediately froze, and even the killing intent boiling in his heart paused for a moment. "You surrender?"

"Yes, I surrender." Covering his face, the referee knelt painfully on the ground. Murky tears slipped through his fingers. "Undying Sacred Flame... why did I want to take shortcuts... have even you abandoned me... it's all over! It's all over! My career is finished..."

Although the other man had completely lost his will to fight, Xia Lun still cleanly and efficiently slit his throat.

"Splurt!"

Blood sprayed out. The referee fell backward, and another gasp erupted from the stands.

In the next instant, countless messages flashed past the corner of Xia Lun's eye. Before he could examine them closely, everything around him suddenly began shattering layer by layer like glass!

It's over already? The thought had only just arisen when he sank into darkness.

[You have won the tournament! Current victory rounds: 2]

[You have defeated the hidden swordsmanship champion "Herman the Ruthless." Special memory objective achieved!]

[Leaving special memory.]

[You have obtained the skill "Swordsmanship Focus"!]

[...]

[...]

Note: This chapter was revised, with the referee's execution added...