Who Hired Them

The moment Silver Fang said that, the Spirit Arena tried to take him away.

Yuan Yu was faster.

He stepped in front of Silver Fang. His Sun Wheel Blade stayed sheathed, held across his side.

"Finish talking before you leave."

The supervisor hurried onto the stage, his expression grim.

"Lord Myriad Phenomena, this is an internal matter for the Spirit Arena."

Ning Rongrong came up too.

She supported Zhu Zhuqing, her expression colder than the supervisor's.

"That blade was aimed at me."

"Does someone from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect count as your internal matter?"

Sweat beaded on the supervisor's forehead.

Flender took his time.

He strolled onto the stage, but wasted no time speaking.

"Supervisor, the entry list for tonight's match doesn't match the number of people who actually fought. If you won't explain, I'll have to take my students and leave."

The supervisor forced a smile.

"Dean Flender, there must be some misunderstanding."

Zhao Wuji came up as well.

"Misunderstanding? That blade nearly stabbed a support student."

Silver Fang sat on the floor, his chest rising and falling.

He glanced at the supervisor, then toward the VIP seats.

"I only took money to fight in the Spirit Arena. I never meant to kill anyone."

Yuan Yu asked, "Who paid you?"

Silver Fang clenched his jaw and said nothing.

Tang San crouched and picked up the silver blade the attacker had dropped.

He sniffed it, and his face darkened.

"There's a drug on the blade."

The supervisor immediately said, "Impossible!"

Tang San looked up.

"You can have an apothecary test it."

Yuan Yu looked at the supervisor.

"Blood Scythe used a drug in the last match. Now there's another one tonight. Your Spirit Arena has quite a supply."

The supervisor's lips moved.

He wanted to say the contestants had brought the blades themselves.

But the words never came.

Blood Scythe's Short Blade and tonight's silver blade weren't things an ordinary Soul Master could buy on a whim.

Their edges were too thin.

Their drug grooves were too fine.

They had been made specifically to cut skin and deliver the drug into the wound.

Tang San laid the two Short Blades side by side on the floor.

"The workmanship is the same."

Using a cloth to hold the edge, he pointed it out to everyone.

"There's a fine groove here, with powder hidden inside. Once the blade breaks skin, the drug enters through the cut."

Xiao Wu's expression turned ugly.

"That's vicious."

Ning Rongrong's face turned cold too.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing.

Yuan Yu crouched for a look.

"From the same shop?"

Tang San nodded.

"At least made by the same group of craftsmen."

Ning Rongrong immediately looked at the supervisor.

"There can't be many places in Suotuo City that can make weapons like these, can there?"

Sweat ran down the supervisor's forehead and along his cheeks.

The supervisor couldn't deny it.

The spectators still hadn't dispersed.

At those words, the murmurs grew louder.

The supervisor's face shifted between pale and flushed.

He knew he couldn't cover this up any longer.

Mr. Xu came down from the VIP seats.

He was still dressed in black, with a smile on his face.

"Young people are so hotheaded. There's always risk in the Spirit Arena. Why make an ordinary challenge sound so sinister?"

Yuan Yu watched him.

The Rosy Cloud Pattern flashed on his blade.

Mr. Xu's steps were steady.

So was his voice.

But when he said "ordinary challenge," his right thumb rubbed his ring.

It was a nervous habit.

Yuan Yu asked, "Was Blood Scythe an ordinary challenge too, Mr. Xu?"

Mr. Xu smiled. "I don't know Blood Scythe."

The Rosy Cloud Pattern flashed again.

That was a lie.

Yuan Yu didn't expose him outright.

He looked at Tang San.

"Little San, did you keep Blood Scythe's Short Blade?"

Tang San took a broken Short Blade from Twenty-Four Bridge Bright Moon Night.

"I did."

A subtle change passed through Mr. Xu's eyes.

Yuan Yu caught it.

"Is the drug on both blades the same?"

Tang San said, "I'd need to test them."

Ning Rongrong immediately said, "I can ask someone from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to test them."

The supervisor sweated even more.

The smile on Mr. Xu's face faded.

"Young lady, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is far away in Heaven Dou City. Why make such a fuss over something so minor?"

Ning Rongrong said coldly, "You just called me 'young lady,' and now you're afraid I'll call someone in?"

Behind them, Ma Hongjun whispered, "That was a good one, Rongrong."

Oscar nodded.

"Now she sounds like a little princess."

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at them.

Both fell silent at once.

Flender adjusted his glasses.

"Supervisor, give us an explanation."

The supervisor looked at Mr. Xu.

That glance said enough.

Yuan Yu smiled.

"So even the supervisor has someone to answer to."

Mr. Xu's face darkened completely.

"Myriad Phenomena, knowing too much can be bad for you."

Yuan Yu said, "My Sixth Trial happens to require me to find out."

Mr. Xu didn't understand.

Azure Luan and Ling Yuan stood in the shadows at the highest point of the Spirit Arena.

Ling Yuan said coldly, "He really is using a divine trial to investigate a case."

Azure Luan said, "Let him investigate it himself."

On the stage, Tang San suddenly spoke.

"The drug on the blade wasn't meant to kill."

Everyone looked at him.

Tang San said, "It makes Soul Power sluggish for a short time. If Rongrong had been stabbed, she wouldn't have died, but she would have stopped providing support."

Ning Rongrong's face went pale.

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze grew colder still.

Yuan Yu looked at Silver Fang.

"Did you know?"

Silver Fang shook his head.

"All I knew was that I had to tie down your back line. I'd get paid if we won."

"Paid by whom?"

Silver Fang clenched his jaw.

Yuan Yu tossed the silver token he'd taken from the side hall in front of him.

"With this?"

Silver Fang's expression changed when he saw the token.

So did Mr. Xu's.

Tang San looked at Silver Fang.

"You've seen this token before."

Silver Fang gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Yuan Yu said, "You don't have to tell us. It'll be in the Spirit Arena's accounts."

The supervisor's face went white.

Flender smiled.

"Supervisor, the accounts are still there, aren't they?"

The supervisor looked at Mr. Xu.

Mr. Xu's gaze turned cold.

Ning Rongrong caught that glance too.

She said coldly, "Why do you keep looking at him? Who actually runs this Spirit Arena?"

The murmurs around them grew louder.

The supervisor closed his eyes for a moment.

There was no hiding it now.

Yuan Yu looked at Mr. Xu.

"Still going to say you don't know him?"

Mr. Xu was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"Fine. It was me."

Zhao Wuji took half a step forward.

Mr. Xu raised a hand.

"Don't be hasty. I only placed a bet and found people to make the fight more exciting. I didn't order anyone to use drugs."

The Rosy Cloud Pattern flashed.

Part of that was true, but he was leaving something out.

Yuan Yu frowned.

He could tell Mr. Xu hadn't told them everything.

But Mr. Xu wasn't taking the blame for all of it either.

There was someone else behind this setup.

Flender said, "Then compensate us according to the Spirit Arena's rules."

The supervisor nodded at once.

"We will. Of course we will."

Ning Rongrong said, "And an apology."

The manager looked at her.

Ning Rongrong did not back down.

"Apologize to Zhu Zhuqing."

Zhu Zhuqing froze for a moment.

She had not expected Ning Rongrong to speak up for her first.

The manager could only lower his head.

"Miss Zhu Zhuqing, the Spirit Arena failed in its duty."

Zhu Zhuqing said coolly, "Don't let it happen again."

Yuan Yu nearly laughed out loud.

Mr. Xu watched the exchange, then suddenly spoke.

"You won't have time to worry about me much longer."

Yuan Yu turned to him.

Mr. Xu said, "In three days, the Imperial Fighting Team will arrive in Suotuo City."

Flender's expression changed.

Dai Mubai looked up too.

"The Imperial Fighting Team?"

Mr. Xu smiled.

"The strongest team at Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"They aren't coming for me."

"They're coming for you."