"Who's coming to die?"
Ji Yuan's voice still rang across Unknown Mountain.
Every Nascent Soul Cultivator watching from around the arena had gone pale.
They stood frozen, eyes wide and fixed on Ji Yuan at the center of the arena, disbelief written across their faces.
Three full breaths passed before a powerful Nascent Soul Cultivator spoke.
"Arrogant brat!"
"He actually dared to come? And the first thing out of his mouth was 'Who's coming to die?' Isn't he afraid he'll be the one who dies?"
"Wait—that's not right. His aura—how is he still at the Nascent Soul Early Stage?!"
"..."
That startled cry silenced the clamor for an instant.
The crowd cautiously swept their Divine Sense over Ji Yuan.
There was no mistake. Nascent Soul Early Stage.
His aura was gentle and restrained, without the slightest sign of the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. His cultivation had not changed a bit since he slew the Demon Spirit in the Nine Nether Rift three years ago.
Some cultivators began to mock him.
On a Floating Mountain at the outermost edge, Dan Xuzi stared at Ji Yuan in the arena. The hand holding his teacup trembled slightly, and horror filled his face. "Nascent Soul Early Stage—he really is still at the Nascent Soul Early Stage? And he dared to show up for this duel?"
Beside him, Jian Wuchen said gravely, "No. Something's wrong. He isn't reckless. If he dared come here, he must have something to rely on. He couldn't have made no progress in three years. There has to be a trick."
On another Floating Mountain shrouded in black flames, Blackflame Devil Lord stared at Ji Yuan. After a moment of surprise, a savage smile spread across his face.
He said nothing, but thoughts had already raced through his mind a hundred